ã€ŠRegressing as the Reincarnated Bastard of the Sword Clanã€‹


 Chapter 1

    Chapter 1: Theo Ragnar (1)

    Yoo Taeo, or Theo Ragnar, clenched his teeth as he watched the rain of arrows darken the sky.

    Why do I keep failing?

    * * *

    Theo became aware of his past life around the age of fifteen.

    There wasn¡¯t a particr reason for it.

    It just came to him as he half-heartedly listened to his tutor¡¯s lesson, as usual.

    It wasn¡¯t as if all his past life¡¯s memories resurfaced.

    It was just a few fragmented memories, as if from a dream.

    However, his past life strangely resembled his current one in many ways.

    In his previous life, he had lost his parents in an ident at a young age, and was passed around between rtives, always conscious of the eyes of those around him.

    In his current life, he was born into a noble family but had a mother from the slums, which subjected him to contempt and ridicule from others.

    The restrictions of status and circumstances bound his arms and legs like chains.

    He found it unbearably unjust.

    And so he made up his mind.

    ¡°This time, I will break free from these chains.¡±

    Luckily, the family he was born into was one where, depending on effort or talent, he could break free of such societal constraints.

    The House of Ragnar.

    A grand duchy located at the empire¡¯s far northern edge, defending the empire and the continent from the monsters beyond the wall.

    There are many titles for such a family.

    The Great Northern Wall.

    The Empire¡¯s Shield.

    The Dragon Knights.

    Lords of the Winter Mountains.

    The Ideal of Swordsmen and Knights.

    The Fathers of the Fallen.

    .

    .

    .

    For more than a thousand years, they had remained in the same position, their long history intertwined with countless myths and legends.

    Perhaps because of this, the Ragnar bloodline was said to have inherited the blood of dragons, giving them an extraordinary constitution.

    Not only did they possess high resistance to magic, but they also disyed remarkable talent in swordsmanship and martial arts.

    How could one exin those who, by the age of ten, naturally became aware of mana, and simply by holding a sword, were considered masters of at least one star?

    Moreover, thend they lived on, Winterer, where snow covered the ground for more than half of the year, fostered a naturally brutal family culture.

    Survival of the fittest.

    Or rather, the rule of the strong.

    Only the strong survive, and they seize everything.

    Thus, if Theo could acquire strength, he could rise above his status and circumstances.

    However, there was one problem.

    Before he had awakened to his past life, Theo, having been constantly belittled, had withdrawn into himself and believed he had no talent, distancing himself from any form of training.

    As Theo awakened to his past life and his perspective on the world broadened, his values shifted as well. However, by then, he had already missed the prime opportunity to learn and grow.

    Even if that weren¡¯t the case, the House of Ragnar, at the time, was in its golden age, boasting extraordinary power.

    As a result, Theo felt intimidated at the thought ofpeting with his brilliant and talented siblings for the throne.

    So, he changed his approach.

    Instead of directlypeting for power, he decided to join the informationwork of the Ragnar family, intending to seize power from the shadows.

    He believed that in this space, he would have enough room to demonstrate his abilities.

    Although his memories were fragmented and not entirely clear, he had a vague recollection that, in his previous life, he had worked in a profession rted to intelligence gathering.

    ¡­Yes, that¡¯s what he had thought.

    ¡°My mistake was underestimating just how intense my siblings¡¯ thirst for power really was.¡±

    In the eyes of his siblings, a bastard like him was nothing more than a pawn to be used and discarded.

    The butler who had helped him, his teacher, and all the household staff loyal to him were killed by assassins whose identities remained unknown.

    He felt deeply sorry, unbearably so.

    It seemed like everyone had met their end because of their connection to someone as worthless as him.

    ¡°If I hadn¡¯t wavered, if I had conducted myself properly¡­ would things have turned out differently?¡±

    Now, he was the only one left.

    And even that didn¡¯t seem like it wouldst much longer.

    The chains still tightly bound his hands and feet.

    And then.

    Theo finally realized one crucial fact.

    ¡°¡­I was never meant to break free of these wretched chains. I should have shattered them with strength.¡±

    Thud.

    With a dull sensation, his vision darkened.

    [You have died.]

    [By consuming ¡ö ¡ö Coins, ¡ö¡ö ¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö you will return ¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö.]

    * * *

    ¡°Again¡­ here?¡±

    Theo forced his eyes open, feeling as if he were floating in empty space.

    Even though it had been well over twenty years since hest experienced this, the sensation was unforgettable.

    It was the same floating feeling he had felt between his first and second lives.

    It seemed this was some sort of transitional process he went through each time he reincarnated.

    So, was a third life about to begin?

    Ding!

    With a sound he couldn¡¯t ce, his vision suddenly began to brighten.

    .

    .

    From far away, a faint noise seemed to be reaching him.

    .

    And then, all of a sudden, the sound grew much louder.

    ¡°Today¡¯s lesson will end here. I don¡¯t think continuing any further would be meaningful.¡±

    The tone was polite on the surface, but the contempt it held was unmistakable.

    ¡°Tsk! Even though you have a lowly mother, being this stupid is just too much. I don¡¯t even need to see the Coming-of-Age Ceremony in six months to know how that¡¯ll turn out.¡±

    The middle-aged teacher clicked his tongue as he left the ssroom.

    Theo was too stunned to gather his thoughts.

    ¡®That man¡­ Rendon? How is Rendon here? And the Coming-of-Age Ceremony? What on earth¡­?¡¯

    Rendon had been Theo¡¯s tutor when he was young. But if he remembered correctly, Rendon had lost his head after choosing the wrong side in thepetition for the family headship.

    Theo nced down at his hands.

    White hands, not a single callus on them.

    ¡®What?¡¯

    Shocked, Theo quickly turned his head toward the full-length mirror beside him.

    His reflection stared back¡ªa boy with unusually long ck hair that shimmered with a hint of blue, and eyes the color of dark crimson, as if soaked in blood. His body was slightly frail, his build small.

    Could he be fifteen years old at most?

    A youthful face gazed back at him.

    For a moment, his mind went nk.

    What was going on?

    Only one thought crossed his mind.

    ¡®Could it be¡­ I¡¯ve gone back to the past?¡¯

    Had his wish¡ªto struggle for a chance if he could start over¡ªbeen granted?

    ¡°Reincarnation and now regression¡­? How could something so absurd happen?¡±

    Theo let out a breathlessugh, half in disbelief.

    Just then.

    Ding!

    [System ¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö Beta Ser¡öce ¡ö¡ö Starting.]

    [¡ö¡ö¡ö Patch in Progress.]

    .

    [Patch ¡ö¡ö¡ö Completed.]

    [yer ¡ö Registration Complete.]

    [¡ö¡ö¡ö is now Active.]

    Multiple windows suddenly appeared in front of his eyes, floating in the middle of his vision.

    Theo instinctively swallowed dryly.

    ¡®What¡¯s this now? Patch? yer? There wasn¡¯t anything like this before¡­¡¯

    Most of the text was obscured with noise, making it impossible to fully understand, but it seemed to be conveying a message of some sort.

    More message windows continued to pop up.

    [Quest Received.]

    +

    [Tutorial Quest #1]

    Unlock your Aura Hall.

    ¡¤ Difficulty: F

    ¡¤ Reward: ¡ö¡ö¡ö¡¯s Fra¡öment

    ¡¤ Failure Penalty: ¡ö¡ö

    +

    This time, there was a bit more detail.

    Even though it was still unclear what it all meant.

    ¡®It seems simr to the games I yed in my first life¡­ but I have no idea what¡¯s going on.¡¯

    It was clear that it was rted to his regression, but Theo couldn¡¯t help feeling a sense of resistance.

    Without any proper exnation, the messages felt likemands, telling him to ¡°do this¡± immediately, and that didn¡¯t sit well with him.

    Hadn¡¯t he spent his entire life as a pawn, used and discarded? Naturally, it was hard for Theo not to be suspicious of everything happening now.

    ¡®¡­¡­.¡¯

    In the end, after much contemtion, Theo pped his face with both hands.

    p! p!

    His mind snapped into focus.

    ¡°Let¡¯s ignore this for now. If there¡¯s something to it, I¡¯ll figure it out eventually.¡±

    ¨C First, I¡¯ll start with what I can do.

    Theo flipped over his notebook and began scribbling on the back with his pen.

    Before his regression, he had been a part of the intelligence division. Naturally, by the time he died at thirty-five, he was more knowledgeable about various incidents than anyone else.

    That included the hidden secrets behind many of them.

    He started organizing these events chronologically, sorting out the ones he could use or exploit for his benefit.

    ¡®To break the chains, I can¡¯t be satisfied with just lurking in the shadows. I have to rise higher than anyone else, sit at the top, and look down on everyone.¡¯

    Now that he had returned to the past, Theo was determined to seize the throne of the House of Ragnar.

    He had to be even more ruthless than before if he wanted to prevent the sorrow and despair he had seen on the faces of his servants at the moment of his death.

    ¡®I also need to find out who was responsible for my death. There¡¯s a lot to do.¡¯

    Snap!

    Once all his ns wereid out, Theo snapped his ink-dried pen in half and tossed it carelessly to the floor.

    On the first page of the notebook, written in a code only he could understand, were four words:

    ¨C Dragon¡¯s Heart.

    ¡®The first step shouldn¡¯t be too difficult.¡¯

    It seemed, by chance, that his goal aligned with whatever this ¡°tutorial¡± was.

    The corner of Theo¡¯s lips curled upward slightly.

    * * *

    If one were to pick the most unremarkable child of the Ragnar family, all the maids and butlers in Winterer would agree unanimously:

    ¨C It must be young master Theo Ragnar.

    A person with no distinctive features, neither strengths nor talents. It was hard to believe he was the son of Cecilia, known for her intense jealousy.

    However, at some point, different rumors about Theo began to circte.

    ¨C Every day at exactly 6 a.m., young master Theo visits the 4th training ground like clockwork.

    ¨C Oh, has he finally taken an interest in training?

    ¨C Well, yes, but¡­

    ¨C Hmm? Is there a problem?

    ¨C Well, his training method¡­ It¡¯s a bit strange.

    ¨C Strange? How so?

    ¨C He runs.

    ¨C And?

    ¨C He just keeps running.

    ¨C ¡­?

    ¨C He runs for six straight hours until noon.

    ¨C ¡­.

    In the House of Ragnar, where even the maids and butlers were at least skilled warriors of three stars or higher, physical training wasn¡¯t something particrly noteworthy. However, the other rumors surrounding Theo were decidedly strange.

    ¨C After finishing his exercise, he always asks for a ridiculous amount of meat.

    ¨C Oh, and not long ago, he asked me to get arge amount of Mueta flowers.

    ¨C He asked me for Sabier grass!

    ¨C This morning, I brought him Satan mushrooms¡­ Does he have a reason for all this?

    ¨C Yeah, they¡¯re all justmon weeds you can find on the street, aren¡¯t they?

    ¨C And I hear he borrows the pce kitchen every night, cooking strange meals himself.

    There were rumors that he cooked bizarre dishes.

    ¨C On the other hand, during the day, he spends all his time in the library¡­ and the books he borrows are even weirder.

    ¨C What kind of books?

    ¨C 100 Monster Recipes, The Empire¡¯s Mythological Psychology, The Wizard Who Swallowed Talent, Lord of the Basement, The Emperor Who Was Already Naked, and so on.

    ¨C ¡­Thest two titles sound a bit¡­ off.

    ¨C Well, um, they¡¯re¡­ kind of inappropriate¡­

    ¨C What the hell! Young Master Theo is only fifteen years old! How could they let him borrow such things!

    Even in the library, there were rumors that Theo borrowed strange books. His actions, though seemingly trivial, were peculiar enough to attract attention, but odd enough to make people hesitate to dismiss them entirely.

    ¨C Why¡¯s he suddenly doing things he never used to do?

    ¨C Who knows? Still, after fulfilling one of his requests, he smiles, and I have to say, it¡¯s really cute.

    ¨C Yeah, I know what you mean.

    ¨C To be honest, Young Master Theo is actually¡­ no, extremely handsome, isn¡¯t he?

    Eventually, the maids and butlers came to a conclusion.

    ¨C He must just be bored.

    The House of Ragnar was known for its harsh rules and rigorous training, which often produced quirky individuals with entric personalities. Because of this, no one paid much attention to Theo¡¯s odd behavior. They simply figured he¡¯d give it up when he got tired of it.

    Thanks to this, Theo was able to steadily carry out his ns without any interference.

    His own Aura Hall.

    The n to create the Dragon¡¯s Heart.

 Chapter 2

    Chapter 2: Theo Ragnar (2) >

    Gulp, gulp¡ª

    After devouring more than 700 grams of pork all by himself, Theo gulped down the ¡°special celery juice¡± he had prepared in advance in one go.

    ¡°Ugh¡­ I can never get used to this taste.¡±

    He scowled deeply as he carelessly tossed the empty 500ml beer ss onto the floor.

    ng¡ª

    The sound of shattering ss echoed, and he felt something rapidly moving inside his body.

    ¡°How on earth did the Blood Sword Emperor endure drinking this for six whole years? No, wait¡­ Could this be the reason he went mad?¡±

    Nine years from now, a peer of Theo¡¯s age would emerge as an absolute master in the southernmost part of the continent. Half-mad with bloodlust, the figure, who earned nicknames such as ¡°Mad Blood¡± and ¡°Blood Demon,¡± was said to have trained through a peculiar method called Alchemy from the Easternnds.

    Theo once had the opportunity to ess special investigative records rted to the Blood Sword Emperor.

    These were records that remained after the House of Ragnar, aiming to recruit the Blood Sword Emperor, shed with him in a war, leading to a thorough background investigation.

    ¡®Back then, they said I had no talent for swordsmanship and forcibly assigned me to the strategicmand department.¡¯

    It was now an event from a ¡°nonexistent¡± future.

    ¡®It wasn¡¯t for long, but¡­ thanks to that, I managed to memorize the strange materials and forms used in alchemy.¡¯

    In his previous life, Theo had no interest in mastering swordsmanship, but he was deeply interested in umting magical power.

    The foundation of umting magical power was breathing techniques. Just by breathing properly, one could maintain good health.

    Then, why wouldn¡¯t he do it?

    The Blood Sword Emperor¡¯s alchemy was simr. All one had to do was gather specific ingredients, mix them, and take them regrly.

    Even in his previous life, Theo had consumed this mixture consistently. Though he was too old and his blood vessels and energy pathways were heavily clogged, he still gained a significant boost in physical stamina.

    ¡®But things will be different now. I¡¯m younger, and my energy pathways are rtively less blocked.¡¯

    The knowledge Theo had from his previous life wasn¡¯t limited to this alone.

    ¡ªRunning without fail every morning at 6 a.m.

    It was a method to quickly boost stamina in a short period of time.

    In addition, the breathing technique he used during this time was one that had not yet been revealed to the world, a method taught by his master.

    Thanks to this, within a month, Theo¡¯s cardiorespiratory endurance had greatly improved, and his muscle quality had be much firmer.

    ¡ªBooks with strange titles taken from the library.

    They would allter be revealed to be secret martial arts manuals that ¡°bored ancestors hid away in secrecy.¡±

    Most of them were sword techniques that would eventually be rated as top-tier, ¡°Highest Rank¡± techniques.

    However, now it would never be revealed to the world.

    And.

    Now, Theo was finally about to open the Aura Hall.

    But the method he was about to use differed slightly from the conventional way of simply umting magical power in the lower abdomen.

    ¡®First, I need to trigger all the magical power umted in my body through alchemy, gather it toward my heart¡­¡¯

    Just as Theo was recalling the steps to circte his magical power in the correct order, it happened.

    ¡°Theo! My son, Theo! Are you in here?¡±

    A high-pitched voice, tinged with hysteria, echoed from outside.

    The faces of the maids turned pale, and they were visibly restless.

    ¡°Mother?¡±

    Why would she show up when she hadn¡¯t even appeared for over a month?

    Bang!

    Before Theo could finish his thought, the door swung open with a loud bang.

    A noblewoman, approaching her forties but still maintaining the youth and beauty of her twenties, strode into the room.

    However, contrary to her graceful appearance, her steps were frantic, and her gaze toward the maids was sharp.

    ¡°M-Madam! You mustn¡¯t act like this here¡­¡±

    ¡°Let go of me! Who dares to stop me from seeing my own son?¡±

    ¡°B-but¡­¡±

    The maids, who had followed her inside, were frantic and at a loss. They asionally cast nervous nces toward Theo, as if silently asking for his forgiveness.

    ¡°Enough. All of you, leave.¡±

    The maids bowed to Theo and quickly exited the room.

    ¡°You should discipline your maids. Such insolent creatures. To think they dared stop a mother from seeing her son. They¡¯ve grown too bold, thanks to how indulgently you¡¯ve treated them.¡±

    If this continued, it could be a serious problem in the future.

    ¡°It was on my orders.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I instructed the maids not to allow anyone inside without my explicit permission.¡±

    ¡°Even if it¡¯s your mother?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°How dare you¡­¡±

    It was because if she caused such amotion like she was now, it could lead to a deviation in his magical cirction, potentially resulting in severe internal injury.

    Instead of voicing these thoughts, Theo let out a deep sigh, choosing to keep the dangerous truth to himself.

    Creating the Dragon¡¯s Heart required immense effort, concentration, and time.

    If interrupted during the process, the magical power could spiral out of control, possibly leaving him crippled. That¡¯s why he had even bribed the maids with special desserts, asking them to ensure no one disturbed him, even if the head of the family came by.

    ¡®At least I hadn¡¯t started yet. Phew!¡¯

    Theo stared nkly at the troublesome noblewoman who seemed to interfere in both his past and current life.

    Cecilia Ragnar.

    She was Theo Ragnar¡¯s biological mother.

    As her name implied, she was the only one in the harem of the head of the family whocked a noble surname, as she was born amoner.

    Because of this, Cecilia harbored a deep inferiorityplex about her origins, and she poured all her ambitions and frustrations into her son.

    She believed that if Theo¡¯s status rose, no one would dare to look down on her.

    The problem was that Theo had never particrly excelled or stood out.

    Because of this, she constantly berated him whenever she saw him.

    Now was no different.

    If he left her unchecked, she would undoubtedly subject him to more of her tiresome nagging.

    ¡°So, what brings you all the way here?¡±

    Cecilia barely managed to suppress her rising anger, but her voice still dripped with venom.

    ¡°Rendon told me. He said you were distracted again during today¡¯s lesson!¡±

    ¡®As expected, it was about that.¡¯

    Theo smiled bitterly.

    It was true that while preparing for his n rted to the Dragon¡¯s Heart, he had been neglecting Rendon¡¯s lessons.

    The lessons had been of little use to him anyway.

    ¡°How much longer do you n to break this mother¡¯s heart!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Say something! You¡¯re not mute, and you can speak perfectly fine, so why do you refuse to answer me every time?¡±

    ¡®How should I handle this?¡¯

    Theo had never felt any real affection toward his mother.

    But it wasn¡¯t as if he hated her. If anything, he felt pity for her.

    A life devoid of her husband¡¯s love, trapped in a harem that was like a prison, with no friends to confide in.

    For that reason, Theo had tried to treat her kindly whenever possible.

    ¡®But that¡¯s easier said than done.¡¯

    ¡°Will you at least say something¡­!¡±

    ¡°Mother.¡±

    Perhaps that was why the voice that came out of Theo¡¯s mouth sounded so cold and distant.

    ¡°Hah! You finally decide to speak. So, you do feel guilty after all?¡±

    ¡°Rendon is a fraud.¡±

    ¡°What are you¡­!¡±

    ¡°I know how much effort and money you spent to bring Rendon here. But he¡¯s nothing more than a mercenary,cking both skill and experience.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll expose his true nature soon enough. So, please stop interfering with me any further.¡±

    It was the first time Theo had ever responded so sharply to Cecilia.

    Until now, he had always pretended not to hear her or acted distracted, obliging her nagging withoutint.

    Today, he stared directly into her eyes, something he hadn¡¯t done before.

    Because of this, Cecilia found herself at a loss for words.

    She had much she wanted to say, but couldn¡¯t bring herself to speak.

    Everything felt strange.

    Even though it was clearly her son¡¯s face in front of her, it didn¡¯t feel like it was really him.

    ¡°If you have nothing more to say, please leave.¡±

    * * *

    ¡°How could my son speak so cruelly to his mother! How much I¡¯ve done for you all these years! To protect you from those wolves¡­!¡±

    Cecilia¡¯s hysterical voice echoed loudly from the distant hallway.

    Because of her outburst, Theo could sense the maids and butlers murmuring amongst themselves, but he chose to ignore it.

    ¡®This isn¡¯t pleasant either.¡¯

    Theo sighed lightly and shook his head.

    ¡®Still, she is my birth mother. I¡¯ll have to find a way to save her somehow.¡¯

    Three years from now, Cecilia would attempt to poison the head of the family¡¯s favorite concubine and be executed after being caught.

    There had been many suspicious elements surrounding the case, but no one questioned it because everyone was well aware of Cecilia¡¯s usual behavior.

    Theo didn¡¯t want to see that future repeat itself.

    ¡®Despite appearances, my mother doesn¡¯t have the strength or resolve to do such a thing. It must have been rted to thepetition for the position of the family head.¡¯

    Who could it be, the true culprit?

    And who was behind the assassins that killed Theo and his household in his previous life?

    Somehow, Theo felt the two incidents weren¡¯t all that different from each other.

    ¡®For now, I should focus on the Dragon¡¯s Heart. In the end, my power is what matters most.¡¯

    Leaving the maids with strict orders not to let anyone in, Theo slowly sat in a cross-legged position.

    He closed his eyes and focused his consciousness.

    He could feel the lumps of magical power scattered throughout his body.

    These were the results of over a month of consistent consumption of alchemical mixtures,yers of magic built up inside him.

    These would be essential ingredients and fuel for creating the Dragon¡¯s Heart.

    ¡°Hmph¡­!¡±

    Theo took a deep breath.

    The lumps of magical power stirred heavily, slowly beginning to flow through his circuits, guided by his will.

    The direction was clockwise.

    The destination was his left chest, the heart.

    Like a river flowing steadily, the power gathered like an ocean¡­ and then crashed like a tidal wave!

    Bang!

    ¡°Ugh!¡±

    It felt as if a hammer had struck him hard in the chest.

    Theo¡¯s upper body jerked from the force.

    Despite the pain making his vision spin, Theo refused to utter a sound.

    If he lost control and made any noise, his breathing would falter, and the magical energy could spiral out of control.

    And after that?

    What ¡°after¡± would there be? He¡¯d be left half-crippled.

    ¡®This is really dizzying.¡¯

    Theo clenched his teeth tightly.

    What he was attempting now was forcibly engraving a magical core into his heart.

    Since the heart circtes all the blood in the body, converting it from a simple biological organ into a magical organ was no easy feat.

    But Theo was confident.

    He had conducted extensive research on the Dragon¡¯s Heart with his master in his past life and had even sessfullypleted it once.

    ¡®I¡¯ve gathered a decent amount of magical power too.¡¯

    Finally,

    Bang! Bang! Bang!

    Theo pushed to break through the solid walls of his heart, trying to flood it with as much magic as possible.

    Bang! Bang! Bang!

    His heart began pounding wildly in rhythm with his effort.

    Booom!

    Theo¡¯s body convulsed more violently than ever as the magic gushed inside his heart all at once.

    ¡®It worked¡­!¡¯

    It worked. Theo felt triumphant as he focused on stabilizing the magical energy within his heart.

    But then¡ª

    ¡®What is this?¡¯

    Something was off.

    Inside his heart, a substantial mass of magic was already gathered.

    As if it had always been there.

    [Congrattions! You have sessfullypleted Tutorial Quest ¡ö #1.]

    [Rating: A]

    [You have received the reward: ¡®Fragment of ¡ö¡ö¡ö.¡¯]

    [As a bonus reward for your performance, you have discovered the magical power from your previous life.]

 Chapter 3

    Chapter 3: Theo Ragnar (3)

    Traditional families or factions generally aim for their disciples to first sense mana between the ages of five and ten.

    However, the House of Ragnar was different.

    Fifteen.

    They dyed the process as much as possible, fearing that the overwhelming talent of the Ragnar family might consume its members instead of being controlled by them.

    Instead, before that time, they would push their bodies to the extreme, building a foundation that would allow their talents to bloom.

    And the moment when they opened their Aura Hall was called the .

    A grand ritual where one¡¯s status is elevated from an apprentice to a practitioner.

    In the House of Ragnar, this prestigious event forced not only the direct and branch families who reached fifteen years old to participate, but also the descendants of their allied families.

    Thus, with only five months left until the Blossoming Ceremony, Theo, by the rules, should never have been able to open his Aura Hall.

    Because that was the ¡®ancient tradition¡¯ of the Ragnar family.

    What if he opened it and got caught?

    Immediate execution¡ªdeath.

    But.

    Five yearster, someone would appear who would break this tradition.

    ¡®The Martial Monster, Newitz.¡¯

    A recluse schr who once quietly studied in some remote mountain.

    That was Theo¡¯s master.

    * * *

    The House of Ragnar prided itself on being descendants of the ancient dragon. Yet their breathing techniques were different from a dragon¡¯s, their way of using mana was different from a dragon¡¯s, and even their method of constructing aura was different from a dragon¡¯s¡­

    One day, Newitz threw out a statement that turned the House of Ragnar upside down.

    To summarize it briefly, it went something like this:

    ¨C You all im to be descendants of the dragon, right? Then why do you use mana like humans, not like dragons?

    ¨C Are you all liars?

    Theo still remembered it vividly.

    The sight of all those arrogant elders, who normally carried themselves with such pride, bouncing around like wild boars hit by a stun shot.

    Because what Newitz said was undeniably true, they couldn¡¯t even protest and had to swallow their anger.

    In the end, the entire council of elders and all thirteen of the House¡¯s leaders gathered in one ce and put their heads together.

    To breathe like a dragon, to use mana like a dragon, to construct aura like a dragon, they came up with a single vision.

    That was .

    Traditionally, the Aura Hall was ced below the navel to the right, in what Theo called the .

    However, the Dragon¡¯s Heart was ced on the opposite side, in the left chest, near the heart.

    The reason was simple: because dragons used their hearts as the core of their mana circuits, storing their energy there.

    The problem was that, unlike dragons, who could freely control mana by nature, the knights of the House of Ragnar were ultimately human.

    When they tried to install the Aura Hall in the heart, a significant number of people couldn¡¯t withstand the rampaging mana and ended up either dead or crippled.

    Eventually, the council of elders ruled it ¡°impossible¡± and scrapped the Dragon¡¯s Heart.

    They had concluded that it was impossible to stabilize mana in the constantly throbbing heart.

    However.

    ¡®My master revived it.¡¯

    Newitz managed to obtain the abandoned Dragon¡¯s Heart, repeatedly improved upon it, and sessfully imnted it in Theo.

    He even gave the refined Dragon¡¯s Heart a different name:

    Aura Heart.

    It was described as a second mana organ that resonated with the Aura Hall in the Danjeon.

    ¨C A dragon is a dragon, and a human is a human. Forcing them to match doesn¡¯t work. Idiots.

    Theo could still hear his master¡¯sughter echoing in his ears.

    Hehehe¡­

    ¡°But now, the Aura Heart we created back then is here again?¡±

    [As an additional reward for evaluation, you have discovered the mana of your previous life.]

    [All of the mana from your previous life has been bound to the newly created Aura Heart.]

    Theo was dumbfounded, unsure how to process this.

    The fact that he had been reincarnated or regressed was already surprising enough, but now his Aura Heart from his past life had been restored, despite his body having reverted to a younger state?

    ¡®This is incredible.¡¯

    Of course, Theo had no intention of rejecting such a gift that had fallen into hisp.

    In this era, the concept of an Aura Heart didn¡¯t exist yet.

    This meant he could train his aura as much as he wanted, away from the eyes of the family.

    ¡®This will be my hidden trump card.¡¯

    The amount of mana he had umted in his previous life was far from small.

    It was equivalent to that of a 5-star knight.

    He could be considered a ¡°master.¡±

    Furthermore, if he could open his Aura Hall in the Danjeon and operate both mana organs simultaneously¡­

    If he could amplify his abilities through resonance¡­

    The resulting power would be beyond words.

    ¡®It would be like having two engines.¡¯

    Moreover, his body, blessed with the unyielding martial bones of the House of Ragnar, only became tougher the more it was trained, rather than wearing down.

    He had no concerns about his body being overburdened by the explosive power.

    ¡°Well, then. Let¡¯s get to some serious training now.¡±

    Just how strong could he be by the time of the Blossoming Ceremony?

    He was already growing curious.

    * * *

    ¡°Theo, young master, did you perhaps spill something on your clothes?¡±

    ¡°Why? Is there a problem?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. It¡¯s just that the clothes you usually wear have suddenly started smelling sour and are beginning to rot¡­ Ah! I mean, it¡¯s not that you smell bad or anything¡­!¡±

    ¡°I know. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not offended. I was cooking something in the kitchenst night and spilled it on my clothes. That¡¯s probably why. Sorry about that.¡±

    ¡°No! There¡¯s no need to apologize! I didn¡¯t mention it to get an apology¡­!¡±

    As Theo left the room, he scratched the back of his head.

    ¡®Circting mana all night was so fun that I kept at it¡­ I should probably wear some old clothes next time.¡¯

    The Aura Heart, which had absorbed the mana from his past life, was performing exceptionally well.

    While constantly circting mana to develop his mana circuits, he felt physically tired, but the mana itself never seemed to deplete.

    Thanks to that, Theo spent the entire night honing his mana circuits, sessfullypleting the first line.

    In the process, he had expelled a significant amount of waste from his blood vessels and meridians, ruining the clothes he was wearing.

    Considering he¡¯d need to continue focusing on constructing and expanding the circuits for some time¡­

    He would definitely have to be more careful about the clothes he wore during mana training.

    ¡®Still, whether it¡¯s because of the Aura Heart or because I have more mana than before, the efficiency seems much better than in my previous life. I¡¯m feeling really great.¡¯

    Humming a light tune, Theo headed toward the Fourth Training Hall.

    Having polished his mana circuits and awakened his aura, what was next?

    Of course, swordsmanship training.

    ¡®This additional reward has made things easier, but what exactly is it?¡¯

    Theo pondered as he walked, still focused on the message that hovered in the center of his vision.

    Receiving a nice gift didn¡¯t erase the suspicion that had already taken root in his mind.

    In fact, his doubts had only grown sharper.

    In this world, there was no such thing as kindness without strings attached.

    ¡®I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll ask for something in return eventually.¡¯

    He had already received the next message.

    [Qu¡ö¡öst has arrived.]

    +

    [Tutorial Qu¡ö¡öst #2]

    Train your Aura Hall.

    ¡¤ Difficulty: E

    ¡¤ Reward: ¡ö¡ö¡ö¡¯s Neck¡ö¡ö

    ¡¤ Failure: ¡ö¡ö

    +

    Train the Aura Hall?

    Was it asking him to train his mana, or to strengthen his body to contain the aura?

    ¡®And so many of the characters are corrupted, almost as if someone intentionally did that.¡¯

    This gave him an uneasy feeling.

    Specifically, the sectionsbeled [Reward] and [In case of failure].

    ¡®I¡¯m sure something isn¡¯t right about this¡­¡¯

    Were these [Rewards] truly good enough to be on par with additional rewards?

    And what would be the penalty for [In case of failure]?

    How dangerous could that be?

    In the end, he couldn¡¯t organize his thoughts easily. At that moment¡ª

    ¡°Ah, hello, young master! Have a great day today, too!¡±

    Suddenly, a maid ran over, greeted him, and disappeared before he could even respond.

    Theo was dumbfounded.

    ¡®¡­It feels like the maids can¡¯t even properly look at my face today. Their cheeks keep turning red. Could something have happened?¡¯

    * * *

    ¡°Yawn.¡±

    Evelyn let out a long,zy yawn as she scratched her empty left shoulder with her hand.

    She was bored.

    It was a thought that crossed her mind several times a day.

    Maybe it was because she once lived fiercely, having even served as a senior knight. Managing the 4th Training Ground was just too dull for her.

    ¡®If I didn¡¯t have that guy to watch, I¡¯d be in serious trouble.¡¯

    It was like a little spark in her monotonous routine.

    At least these days, there was something entertaining to watch.

    Theo Ragnar.

    Among the many children of the head of the house, he was the most quiet and unremarkable young master to observe.

    However, while Theo¡¯s name wasn¡¯t well-known to veterans like her or the active knights, he was quite famous among the maids and stewards.

    No, to be precise, he was very popr.

    Unlike the other arrogant and selfish members of the Ragnar bloodline, his personality was exceptionally kind.

    Because of that, Evelyn found herself secretly liking Theo as well.

    He was entertaining to watch.

    But today, Theo¡¯s routine was a little different from usual.

    The morning run that began at the crack of dawn was the same.

    Just a month ago, he couldn¡¯t evenplete a singlep, but now he was running severalps without any trouble, which made her quietly impressed¡­

    ¡®Huh? The weapon storage?¡¯

    Instead of heading back to the pce afterward, he walked toward the storage room attached to the training ground.

    There, they stored various weapons for the beginner and training knights who visited the grounds to practice.

    Theo spent quite a long time inspecting each practice weapon.

    He picked them up,

    Swung them around,

    Gripped them with both hands,

    And even took a stance with them.

    But if a weapon didn¡¯t seem to suit him, he would put it back in its ce and move on to the next one, examining it for a long time.

    At first, Evelyn thought Theo was simply trying to find a weapon that suited him. However, even when it seemed like he had found a good fit, he would shake his head and put it back.

    ¡®What in the world is he trying to do? I can¡¯t figure it out.¡¯

    By the time the weapon search had gone on for over five hours, Evelyn¡¯s curiosity was piqued as well. Then, Theo, after rummaging through the storage again, suddenly found something, his eyes widening as he lifted it high.

    Evelyn gasped when she saw it.

    ¡°A¡­ a Zweihander?¡±

    A massive sword, nearly 2 meters in length and weighing at least several dozen kilograms, was now in Theo¡¯s hands.

    Reflected in the old greatsword¡¯s de was Theo¡¯s face, beaming with a wide smile.

    As if he had just discovered a hidden treasure.

    * * *

    ¡°T-Theo, sir?¡±

    ¡°That thing in your hand¡­ what is it?¡±

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about it. Just continue with what you were doing.¡±

    As Theo moved forward, every knight and servant training in the Fourth Training Hall stood agape.

    The sight of a young boy with such a youthful face dragging around a sword over two meters long was shocking to say the least.

    ¡®He¡¯s¡­ going to use that? He hasn¡¯t even had his Blossoming Ceremony yet.¡¯

    ¡®But¡­ he¡¯s lifting it?¡¯

    ¡®It even looks light in his hands?¡¯

    ¡®Was Theo always that strong?¡¯

    While the onlookers whispered in a mix of shock and awe,

    Whoosh, whoosh whoosh¡ª

    Theo swung the Zweihander through the air, gauging its center of gravity.

    ¡®This is it.¡¯

    Even swinging the massive greatsword one-handed didn¡¯t strain him.

    It was proof that his body had undergone a significant transformation after weeks of running andpleting his Aura Heart.

    His master had once told him:

    With the powerful heart of a dragon, the next step was to wield a sword worthy of that heart.

    The Zweihander was perfect for that.

    Big, heavy¡­

    And massive.

    It was the ideal tool to push his body to its limits and grow faster.

    ¨C I want to grow stronger.

    A powerful voice echoed deep within his chest.

    At that moment, Theo realized something.

    The desire, this hunger, this drive¡ªit had been there all along. He had just been ignoring it. In truth, it had been waiting, hidden in a corner of his heart, longing for him to finally acknowledge it.

    And at that very moment, when he finally faced those desires head-on, they burst forth from his chest, filling his entire body.

    All the worries about the message hadpletely vanished by now.

    ¡®I guess I really am a bloodline of Ragnar after all.¡¯

    With that thought in mind,

    ¡®Let¡¯s give it a try.¡¯

    ¡°Hoo¡­¡±

    Theo took a deep breath and slowly began lifting the Zweihander.

    He emptied his mind, pouring all his concentration into the sword he held in his hands.

    A calm serenity enveloped his entire being.

    Thump, thump, thump!

    In contrast, his heart pounded harder than ever before.

    The blood and mana surging from the Aura Heart coursed through his veins, infusing every inch of his body with immense power.

    And then¡ª

    Boom!

    Theo took his first step forward.

 Chapter 4

    Chapter 4: Theo Ragnar (4) >

    Theo¡¯s reputation within the House of Ragnar was close to the worst.

    ¡ª A useless bastard, wasting the blood of Ragnar.

    Although it was something no one spoke of openly, it was widely known that the Senate intended to expel Theo from the family after the Blossoming Ceremony.

    Even Evelyn, who bore some personal kindness toward Theo, carried this prejudice.

    Especially when he held the Zweihander, the evaluations became exceedingly extreme.

    However.

    ¡®His stance is¡­ unexpectedly precise. Clean, without any excess.¡¯

    The moment Theo assumed his stance, took his first step, and swung his sword, all of Evelyn¡¯s doubts vanished from her mind.

    Movements so slow they could make someone yawn.

    To others, it could¡¯ve beenughable. They might have snickered, thinking, ¡®What is that?¡¯

    In fact, the spectators who had gathered out of curiosity to witness Theo¡¯s sudden entricity had grown bored and already left.

    But those slow movements, every single one of them, were without a single w, executed with absolute precision.

    Evelyn, who had once made quite a name for herself as a skilled warrior, knew exactly how incredible that was.

    ¡®As far as I know¡­ he¡¯s never properly held a sword before, has he?¡¯

    How much so that even that swindler mercenary Rendon, or whatever his name was, went around spreading the word that he had given up on Theo.

    And yet, if he was at this level, there could only be one exnation.

    ¡®A genius! Yes, Young Master Theo is azy genius. He has such innate talent that he never felt the need to wield a sword¡­ that kind of genius.¡¯

    Though Evelyn now held a slight misconception about Theo, she also felt regret.

    ¡®It would¡¯ve been better if he had taken an interest in the sword just a little earlier.¡¯

    The Blossoming Ceremony was not a simple event.

    No matter how much innate talent Theo possessed, there wasn¡¯t even half a year left until the ceremony, and there was no way he could close the gap between him and his siblings in such a short time.

    His siblings were also geniuses, each with remarkable talent.

    ¡®Should I help him?¡¯

    Maybe he could develop a bit faster with some assistance.

    Just as Evelyn was shifting in her seat, looking at him with a sense of regret, a voice suddenly spoke from behind.

    ¡°One arm¡¯s gone, and now your hips are just flying around, huh?¡±

    The sudden remark shattered Evelyn¡¯s train of thought.

    Mentioning her missing arm was a taboo, something that anyone who knew Evelyn would never dare to utter.

    ¡°Who¡¯s the filthy bastard running their mouth¡­?¡±

    Evelyn, eyes wide with fury, quickly turned her head back, only to gasp in surprise.

    ¡°That bastard would be me.¡±

    Standing there with his hands behind his back was a middle-aged man with a gentle appearance. He looked like the type of handsome older gentleman who must have caused many nobledies sleepless nights in his younger days.

    ¡°C-Commander?¡±

    ¡°Commander? You should be calling me a bastard. Oh, but don¡¯t hate dogs too much. After all, my older brother is quite fond of them.¡±

    Evelyn¡¯s former superior, Julius, Captain of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry, smirked mischievously as he made the joke, and Evelyn quickly jumped to her feet.

    ¡°Senior Swordmaster Evelyn Nereville greets the Captain of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough. I¡¯m not such an old fart that I need formal greetings from someone who left the unit ages ago.¡±

    Julius Ragnar, the Dark Dragon.

    He was the captain of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry, which boasted the strongestbat power among the four divisions representing the House of Ragnar.

    Julius was the only outsider to have been granted the Ragnar name and was soon to be inducted into the Senate, recognized for his exceptional martial prowess and contributions.

    ¡°Oh, wait. Saying I¡¯m not an old fart is exactly what an old fart would say, isn¡¯t it? Hmm. Tricky.¡±

    He usually had a friendly, handsome face, just as he did now.

    ¡°You¡¯vee without any notice¡­ What brings you here?¡± Evelyn asked.

    ¡°Do I need to notify you in advance about where I¡¯m going?¡±

    Evelyn¡¯s expression soured slightly. In the past, no matter how senior he was, she would¡¯ve snapped back, asking what kind of nonsense he was spouting.

    ¡°¡­That¡¯s not what I meant.¡±

    ¡°Haha, I¡¯m just kidding. I was just wandering around because I was bored. You haven¡¯t changed a bit, have you?¡±

    Evelyn held back the many things she wanted to say.

    ¡°Besides, you seem to be watching something interesting. Mind if I join you?¡±

    Without waiting for Evelyn¡¯s permission, Julius casually moved next to her and gazed toward the training grounds.

    ¡°Oh. It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen someone wielding such arge sword. That young man¡¯s movements are quite sharp. He¡¯s putting a decent amount of strength into his swings. Looks like he¡¯s been diligently working on his basic training for a long time. Is there such a young man in the family?¡±

    If you didn¡¯t secure talents in advance, they were bound to be snatched up by other divisions during the Blossoming Ceremony.

    Julius, with his keen eye for talent, was always receiving many rmendations from various ces, yet this was the first time he had seen a boy like that.

    The boy swung a massive two-meter sword with ease, despite his slender frame. That alone kept drawing his attention.

    His lean muscles were proof of how well-built he was.

    Those who looked like that were usually the real deal.

    Julius, in particr, was most impressed by the look in Theo¡¯s eyes. They were sharp and intelligent, like those of a tiger.

    ¡°Theo Ragnar.¡±

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    Julius flinched momentarily at Evelyn¡¯s words.

    ¡°The son of Lady Cecilia¡­?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡±

    ¡°Ha!¡±

    Julius let out an exmation of surprise. He was somewhat familiar with the story of Cecilia and her son, Theo.

    ¡°I never heard that her son had any talent. Wasn¡¯t he practically disowned by the Senate?¡±

    ¡°Well, then the Senate¡¯s judgment must have been wrong,¡± Evelyn said with a smirk.

    Julius chuckled bitterly.

    ¡°Be sure to only say that in front of me. If you say it elsewhere, you¡¯ll be in big trouble.¡±

    ¡°I only said it because I know you¡¯ll keep it a secret, Commander.¡±

    Julius shook his head. He knew all too well how much Evelyn despised the Senate, so he decided not to press the issue further.

    ¡°Anyway, this young man catches my eye¡­ Seems like a hidden dragon, concealing himself while waiting for the right time to strike.¡±

    Julius, like Evelyn, had now developed a slight misunderstanding about Theo.

    ¡°But even so, if he¡¯s at this level, it means he¡¯s been training consistently. Do you happen to know how long it¡¯s been since he properly picked up a sword?¡±

    Julius was now thinking that if nurtured correctly, Theo could be a brilliant gem.

    As he pondered this, he awaited Evelyn¡¯s answer.

    ¡°One day,¡± she said.

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    Something about the answer seemed off.

    Evelyn, with a sly smile, repeated herself.

    ¡°One day. To be exact, it¡¯s been half a day. He first picked up that sword just a short while ago.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    Crack!

    Evelyn thought she could almost hear the sound of Julius¡¯s mask, his usual poker face, cracking for the first time.

    ¡°No matter how absurd Ragnar bloodlines are¡­ this is ridiculous.¡±

    ¡°How would I know? Ragnar has always been full of¡­¡±

    Evelyn shrugged just as something caught her attention.

    Someone was marching towards Theo, their demeanor brimming with frustration and irritation.

    ¡®That person?¡¯

    Recognizing who it was, Evelyn narrowed her eyes, cing her hand on the hilt of her sword just in case she needed to intervene immediately if anything went wrong.

    * * *

    ¡­What the hell is this?

    Theo, who had been focused on his swordsmanship training with the Zweihander, suddenly froze, his face filled with confusion.

    It was because of an unexpected alert sound that interrupted his concentration.

    Ding!

    [Congrattions! You have sessfullypleted Tutorial Quest #2.]

    [Evaluation: A]

    [You have obtained ¡®¡ö¡ö¡ö¡¯s Ne¡ö¡ö¡ö.¡¯]

    [As an additional reward based on your evaluation, 1 year¡¯s worth of mana has been stored in your Aura Hall.]

    Just like before, the name of the item he received as a reward was corrupted and unreadable.

    However, the ¡°1 year¡¯s worth of mana¡± caught Theo¡¯s attention.

    ¡®Could it be?¡¯

    Inmon terms, ¡°1 year¡¯s worth of mana¡± referred to the amount of mana an average person could umte through regr Aura training over the span of one year.

    Currently, Theo had a total of 34 years¡¯ worth of mana stored in his Aura Heart, all painstakingly umted over his past life.

    And now he had just been given an entire year¡¯s worth in addition?

    It was unbelievable.

    As impossible as it seemed, Theo instinctively checked his Dragon¡¯s Heart.

    And then¡­

    ¡®It really increased!¡¯

    Of course, even if the amount was the same, the efficiency of mana depended on its purity and density. There were many variables, but the absolute amount couldn¡¯t be ignored.

    ¡®How is this even possible? If it were this easy, wouldn¡¯t that mean all my previous hard training was unnecessary?¡¯

    At this point, Theo couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of caution.

    Though he was happy to receive an unexpected gift, his values¡ªthose that had taught him that only through grueling training could true growth be achieved¡ªwere now in conflict. He also felt an underlying fear of these mysterious messages.

    But as if mocking his confusion, another message appeared.

    [You have received a new quest.]

    +

    [Tutorial Quest #3]

    Further train your Aura Hall.

    ¡¤ Difficulty: E

    ¡¤ Reward: ¡ö¡ö¡ö¡¯s Ear¡ö¡ö

    ¡¤ Penalty for failure: ¡ö¡ö

    +

    The third mission appeared.

    At that moment, a thought suddenly crossed Theo¡¯s mind.

    ¡®Is there really any need to be so cautious about this?¡¯

    After all, training his Aura Heart was essential if he wanted to grow stronger. The exercises he had been doing so far were all geared toward improving his Aura Heart.

    So why avoid this? Why not simply enjoy it?

    The extra rewards could just be seen as gifts. Even if there were consequences down the line, he could deal with them when the time came.

    ¡®All I need to focus on is bing stronger anyway.¡¯

    With this thought, he felt a wave of relief wash over him.

    The messages were their own thing, and he had his own path to follow.

    Theo gripped the Zweihander once more, focusing all his awareness on the tip of the de.

    Was it because his mana had increased?

    He felt a much higher level of focus than before.

    Thump. Thump.

    The sound of a heartbeat, like that of a Dragon¡¯s Heart, echoed in his ears.

    Thump. Thump.

    The pulsation of the sword vibrated through Theo¡¯s fingertips in sync with it.

    At the same time, a flood of information rted to the sword poured into his mind.

    The weight of the sword,

    Its bnce,

    Its material,

    Its story,

    And then¡ª

    ¡ª The voice of the sword.

    ¡®The voice.¡¯

    It felt as though he could truly hear the sword speaking to him.

    At 34 years¡¯ worth of mana, it had been faint, like a distant whisper. But now, at 35 years¡¯ worth, it rang out crystal clear.

    It was as if a blocked bridge had been crossed, allowing Theo to fully perceive every detail of the sword.

    ng!

    The Zweihander trembled violently in his grip, emitting a sharp metallic sound.

    [You have attained Sword Resonance.]

    [You have achieved Unity with the Sword.]

    .

    [Congrattions! You have sessfullypleted Tutorial Quest #3¡­]

    [As a reward¡­]

    [As an additional reward, 1 year¡¯s worth of mana has been stored in your Aura Hall.]

    Following the voice¡¯s guidance, Theo swung the Zweihander.

    From above to below, tracing a diagonal sh.

    As his heart tightened with anticipation, his Aura Heart pulsed evenrger, infusing mana and vitality throughout his body.

    Thump thump thump thump!

    Whoosh! Whoosh!

    Theo swung the Zweihander over and over, letting it move in the direction it desired,yering one sword path atop another.

    Despite the strain the sword¡¯s weight ced on his body, a powerful sense of exhration filled him.

    It felt as though he was bing more liberated with each swing.

    As Theo¡¯s mind becamepletely engrossed in the sword, the additional 1 year of mana drew him even deeper into a trance.

    Ding!

    [Congrattions! You have unlocked Tutorial Quest #4¡­]

    [As a reward¡­]

    [As an additional reward, 1 year¡¯s worth¡­]

    Ding!

    [As an additional reward, 1 year¡¯s worth¡­]

    Ding!

    [As an additional reward, 1 year¡¯s worth¡­]

    By the time Theo had unknowingly umted a total of 3 more years¡¯ worth of mana, the Zweihander began tracing a new sword path.

    It was The Three Fangs of the Dragon, a secret sword technique Theo had once discovered in a library.

    A technique he had only ever studied was now about to be executed by his own hands.

    [You have received a new quest.]

    +

    [Tutorial Quest #7]

    Synchronize ten sword techniques with your Aura Hall.

    ¡¤ Difficulty: D

    ¡¤ Reward: ¡ö¡ö¡ö¡¯s Arm¡ö

    ¡¤ Penalty for failure: ¡ö¡ö

    +

    Whoosh!

    Just as Theo was about to follow the mental image of the sword path and turn the Zweihander in motion¡ª

    ¡°Young Master! How could you treat your teacher like this!¡±

    A sudden interruption broke his concentration.

    It was Rendon.

 Chapter 5

    Chapter 5: Theo Ragnar (5) >

    ¡°Ah¡­!¡±

    Theo let out a sigh without realizing it.

    It was because he understood just how significant the state of ¡®absorption¡¯ he had been in moments before was for a swordsman.

    A critical moment that could allow one to leap several levels depending on the situation.

    In fact, Theo had sessfully grasped the clue to the secret swordsmanship he had only vaguely sensed until now.

    And just when he was about to advance beyond that point, he had been interrupted.

    Naturally, irritation was written all over Theo¡¯s face.

    However, Rendon¡¯s face was just as flushed.

    ¡®Looks like he got scolded by his mother.¡¯

    Was he here toin?

    For a moment, Theo felt like all this bickering with him was utterly pointless.

    Wasn¡¯t he just a fool who hadn¡¯t even noticed Theo had been absorbed in his training?

    Talking to him was a waste of time.

    It would be a hundred times better to focus on the secret swordsmanship again instead.

    Without even ncing at Rendon, Theo resumed his stance and spoke.

    ¡°Are you still here?¡±

    ¡°What¡­!¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear it from your mother? I clearly asked you to vacate the room by this morning.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡ª!¡±

    ¡°As you can see, I¡¯m a bit busy. If you have no other business, please leave.¡±

    Rendon¡¯s face turned even redder with fury.

    He had always considered Theo a half-wit, so being disregarded by him made his anger boil over.

    But whether that was the case or not.

    Theo slowly started moving again, swinging his Zweihander.

    The Three ws of the Dragon.

    He was attempting the sword technique he had failed to execute once again.

    * * *

    Theo¡¯s actions only fueled Rendon¡¯s anger further.

    ¡®This idiot dares to act like this in front of me¡­!¡¯

    The title of being a tutor to the direct bloodline of the House of Ragnar was always a prestigious one, no matter where he went.

    Rendon had no intention of ever giving that up.

    If things didn¡¯t go his way, he had even considered resorting to threats, but now, Theo was uselessly practicing swordsmanship in front of him.

    In that case, wouldn¡¯t it be better to make him realize the vast gap between them firsthand?

    Swoosh!

    Without hesitation, Rendon swiftly drew the sword he had at his waist and swung it.

    His target was Theo¡¯s neck.

    ¡®If I can even leave a small cut on his skin, he¡¯ll panic and fall to his knees in terror¡­!¡¯

    But Rendon¡¯s thoughts didn¡¯tst long.

    Suddenly, Theo¡¯s Zweihander shed through the ground and shot forward, deflecting Rendon¡¯s attack.

    ng!

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    The force behind it was overwhelming.

    Rendon, startled by the searing pain in his arm that felt like it was about to be torn off, instinctively stepped back.

    At that moment, Theo¡¯s sharp gaze turned towards him.

    Twitch!

    For a brief moment, Rendon felt his heart drop at the force of Theo¡¯s presence.

    ¡°More.¡±

    ¡°What¡­?¡±

    ¡°Come at me again.¡±

    Theo¡¯s eyes gleamed more intensely than ever before.

    [You have sessfully mastered the first sword technique. (1/10)]

    [Your strength has increased by 2.]

    [Your stamina has increased by 1.]

    Messages appeared in the center of his vision.

    Did it consider merely blocking an attack as mastering a sword technique?

    And his physical abilities increased too?

    He could actually feel the surge of power filling his body.

    Theo had already be thoroughly captivated by the mysterious abilities these messages possessed.

    How could he just stand by idly now?

    It was time to make the most out of this.

    Sizzle.

    For the first time, Rendon appeared before Theo¡¯s eyes as a golden goblin.

    ¡®Does he think he can look down on me just because he blocked one attack? This fool is really asking to die!¡¯

    Swoosh!

    Rendon gritted his teeth and moved swiftly. He believed Theo was mocking him.

    On the other hand, Theo remained calm.

    He focused all his senses on Rendon.

    His breathing. The movement of his pupils. The muscles being used. The direction of his footsteps. The angle of his sword¡­

    All that information was quickly caught by Theo¡¯s eyes.

    ¡®The amount of mana in my Aura Heart has increased significantly. Thanks to that, my dynamic vision has also improved.¡¯

    All of his physical abilities had risen.

    This made it easy for him to judge.

    How to respond.

    ¡®Reverse the third stance of The Fool¡¯s y to block it.¡¯

    Theo¡¯s Zweihander drew a smooth arc through the air.

    It was a sword technique that felt entirely different from the ferocity he had shown earlier.

    ng!

    Rendon¡¯s attack was, once again, easily blocked.

    ¡®It¡¯s clear. The power behind my sword has increased. My breathing is more rxed.¡¯

    There was no mistake.

    The fact that Rendon staggered back heavily, being pushed away, was proof enough.

    Theo could be sure of one thing.

    The more he fought.

    The more he mastered sword techniques.

    The faster he grew stronger.

    And then.

    Ding!

    [You have sessfully mastered the second sword technique. (2/10)]

    [Your agility has increased by 1.]

    [Your intelligence has increased by 1.]

    Once again, along with the message window, changes urred in his body.

    His muscles tightened, and his body felt significantly lighter.

    ¡®Then, has my speed increased too?¡¯

    Theo, who had been on the defensive until now, decided to take the initiative and attack this time.

    Thud!

    The force in his legs, as he pushed off the ground, surprised even himself.

    Naturally, the time it took to close the distance to Rendon was much faster than he expected.

    ¡°¡­Huff!¡±

    Rendon, equally shocked, widened his eyes and hastily tried to pull his sword back to defend himself.

    But before he could, Theo, who had regained hisposure, moved inside his guard.

    The Zweihander mmed into Rendon¡¯s chest.

    Reverse Overwhelming Force.

    A secret sword technique that focused purely on raw power.

    Boom!

    ¡°Aaaargh!¡±

    Rendon barely managed to block the attack but was forced back several steps.

    Then, as if he had stepped on something wrong, he tumbled backward and fell t on his back.

    [You have sessfully mastered the third sword technique. (3/10)]

    [Your strength has increased by 1.]

    [Your agility has increased by 1.]

    [Your luck has increased by 2.]

    ¡®Even luck?¡¯

    Swoosh.

    Theo let out a light chuckle.

    He could feel himself growing stronger by the moment.

    ¡®This is¡­ the power of the messages. And the talent of Ragnar.¡¯

    It wasn¡¯t simply because the messages were boosting his abilities.

    The innate talent of his Ragnar bloodline enhanced his quick judgment, reaction time, and reflexes, which in turn synergized with the power of the messages, creating an exponential growth effect.

    ¡®And then, there¡¯s also the power given by the Aura Heart.¡¯

    The messages.

    The talent of Ragnar.

    The Dragon¡¯s Heart.

    As long as these three were with him, Theo realized that he could be infinitely stronger.

    ¡®I might¡­ even win.¡¯

    Thanks to this, Theo, who had initially only intended to spar with Rendon, now sought victory.

    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you, I¡¯ll kill you, I¡¯ll kill you!¡±

    Meanwhile, Rendon, who had shown a ridiculous disy earlier, now had his eyespletely rolled back in rage.

    Swish!

    The clear intent to kill was evident in his eyes.

    But.

    Theo, still unshaken, moved his body fluidly with the Zweihander in hand.

    Swoosh!

    * * *

    ¡®He¡¯s gotten even faster.¡¯

    Julius watched the so-called duel between Theo and Rendon, his eyes gleaming.

    When Rendon had first interrupted Theo¡¯s moment of insight and picked a fight, Julius had considered stepping in to stop it.

    No matter how much of a fraud Rendon was, he was still a swordsman on the verge of the 2-star rank. He was far beyond what a beginner who had just started wielding a sword could handle.

    But Julius quickly dismissed those thoughts.

    ¡®The longer the fight dragged on, the sharper Theo¡¯s senses became. His stance stabilized.¡¯

    From an outsider¡¯s perspective, it seemed as if Rendon had the upper hand.

    Rendon relentlessly pressed Theo, and it looked like all Theo could do was defend himself.

    But their eyes told a different story.

    While Rendon swung his sword wildly, unable to contain his excitement, Theo responded calmly.

    And whenever Theo counterattacked, Rendon visibly flinched, backing away in shock.

    ¡®He must¡¯ve gained insight into advanced swordsmanship during his state of absorption! To think he¡¯s already this skilled at such a young age¡­!¡¯

    Julius realized something as he watched.

    Theo wasn¡¯t just sparring with Rendon.

    He was using Rendon as a training tool, a stepping stone to further his own growth.

    ¡°You son of a¡ª!¡±

    Rendon seemed to have figured that out as well, his face twisted in anger.

    ¡®Is this even possible?¡¯

    A novice practicing swordsmanship against a 2-star swordsman?

    No matter how gifted Ragnar¡¯s bloodline was, this defiedmon sense.

    ¡®A genius. He¡¯s a true genius.¡¯

    Not knowing about the messages, Julius¡¯s misunderstanding only grew, morphing into a deep desire for Theo.

    A talent like that had to be secured, no matter what.

    Sluurp.

    Julius unintentionally licked his lips.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Evelyn, who had been watching from the side, shook her head in disbelief.

    He was at it again. That old habit was resurfacing.

    She recalled Julius¡¯s nickname from back in the day.

    ¡ªThe Talent Collector.

    Julius had always been unable to control himself when it came to discovering exceptional talent.

    * * *

    ¡°This¡­ this can¡¯t be happening¡­!¡±

    Rendon, now a disheveled mess, copsed in exhaustion, still unable to believe the situation.

    [You have sessfully mastered the tenth sword technique. (10/10)]

    [Your strength has increased by 2.]

    [Your luck has increased by 1.]

    Theo was fully immersed in the thrill of victory.

    Every nerve ending in his fingers and toes tingled with the rush of adrenaline.

    ¡®Is this the sensation that Ragnar¡¯s swordsmen live for? If so, it¡¯s no wonder they are addicted to battle.¡¯

    Theo had barely begun to savor this feeling for the first time, so he could only imagine how others experienced it.

    But there was something even more profound that lingered for Theo.

    The sense of victory.

    The euphoria.

    The thirst for achievement.

    From his first life, through reincarnation, and now to the present¡ªthis was the first time he had aplished something with his own hands, and that filled him with an overwhelming sense of pride.

    When Theo first faced Rendon, his skills had clearlygged behind. But now, he had grown strong enough topletely overwhelm him.

    It was an unbelievable, steep growth.

    ¡®I¡¯ve finally done it. I¡­ can do this.¡¯

    This was perhaps the greatest achievement Theo had gained in this life.

    [Congrattions! You have sessfullypleted Tutorial Quest #7.]

    [Evaluation: A+]

    [You have received the reward ¡®¡ö¡ö¡ö¡¯s Arm ¡ö¡¯.]

    [As a bonus reward for your evaluation, you have gained the ability .]

    Observe?

    Theo¡¯s eyes widened at the new message that appeared.

    ¡®Are the magical rewards over now? That¡¯s a bit disappointing.¡¯

    However, he had a strong feeling that this new reward would be just as valuable.

    ¡®How do I use this? Obser¡­ve?¡¯

    As Theo muttered softly while looking at the copsed Rendon.

    [You are observing ¡®Rendon Harvey.¡¯]

    ¡ª

    Rendon Harvey (32 years old / Male)

    ¨C Title: Deceitful Mercenary

    ¨C Talent: Fraud

    ¨C Condition: Shocked by an unexpected defeat, or enraged.

    ¡ª

    ¡®¡­Is this personal information about him?¡¯

    It seemed that  allowed him to learn detailed information about a target.

    Not only could it reveal the talents a person possessed, but even their current state of mind.

    It was clear that this ability could be a powerful weapon if used correctly.

    ¡®Can I observe myself?¡¯

    However, Theo found that he couldn¡¯t view his own information.

    After all,  was an action that required looking at others from a third-person perspective, and it seemed impossible to turn it on oneself.

    ¡®There¡¯s no scrambled text this time either. What¡¯s changed?¡¯

    Pushing down his curiosity, Theo narrowed his eyes.

    What really caught his attention was Rendon¡¯s ¡®condition.¡¯

    ¨C Shocked by an unexpected defeat, or enraged.

    ¡®Past or present, he¡¯s always been unpleasant.¡¯

    Theo let out a scoff.

    ¡°Well, I think that¡¯s enough. Make sure you vacate the room by today. If you keep clinging on, I¡¯ll have to call thew enforcers.¡±

    The Law Enforcers were those responsible for maintaining internal order and discipline within the family. Aside from the family head, they had the authority to punish even the elders, earning them the reputation of being like grim reapers among the household.

    Rendon, having heard about their fearsome reputation, dropped his head in resignation.

    Whoosh.

    Theo, having lost all interest in him, turned his body and walked away.

    Under normal circumstances, Theo would have continued with his swordsmanship training. However, reviewing the techniques he had just mastered seemed more important at the moment.

    But then.

    ¡°You bastard! Die!¡±

    Suddenly, Rendon snapped his head up and hurled something toward Theo¡¯s back.

    It was an ambush Theo hadn¡¯t anticipated at all.

    ¡®¡­!¡¯

    So, pretending to be in despair was just a ploy to retrieve a concealed weapon.

    Theo tried to turn around in haste, but the dagger was already flying toward his face.

    Thump, thump, thump!

    His heart, The Dragon¡¯s Heart, beat faster, and his vision around him slowed down just as the dagger approached.

    sh!

    A burst of light seemed to fall from the sky, and in an instant, the dagger was deflected with ease.

    ng!

    The figure that emerged was a middle-aged man with fierce, tiger-like eyes standing in front of Theo.

    ¡°White Armored¡­ Dragon Commander?¡±

    It was Julius Ragnar.

    One of the highest-ranking individuals within the family, why was he here?

    Before Theo could voice his confusion, Julius spoke.

    ¡°A duel. One must be cautious until the very end. For a swordsman, the most dangerous moment is not during the fight, but when you think you¡¯ve won and let your guard down. And¡ª¡±

    As he calmly imparted his wisdom to Theo, Julius swung his sword with a savage force that didn¡¯t match the tranquility of his voice.

    ¡°Once you¡¯ve made up your mind to be ruthless, carry it through to the end.¡±

    A sh of light emitted from Julius¡¯s sword, and in the blink of an eye, the aura it unleashed sliced through Rendon¡¯s neck.

    Slice¡ª

    Fwoosh!

    A fountain of crimson blood sprayed across the floor of the training hall.

    Even in death, Rendon¡¯s face, twisted in malice, seemed unaware that he had been killed.

    ¡°Aaah! The training hall is a mess now! Commander! How could you act so suddenly like that?! I¡¯m the one who has to clean all this up!¡±

    The high-pitched scream came from Evelyn, the manager of the 4th training hall, who was clearly distraught.

    Ignoring her, Julius turned to Theo.

    ¡°Are you hurt anywhere?¡±

 Chapter 6

    Chapter 6: The Dormant Dragon Now Stretches (1) >

    Theo couldn¡¯t even respond and just stared nkly at him for a moment.

    He¡¯s amazing.

    That thought filled his mind.

    When facing Rendon, Theo had noticed so many openings, but with Julius, none could be seen.

    Every hand gesture, every movement of the sword, and every moment he drew out his aura¡ªeverything seemed to leave a clear impression in his mind.

    I want to be like that.

    Shoving that sudden thought aside, Theo realized his mistake and hastily bowed respectfully.

    ¡°Thank you. Thanks to you, I wasn¡¯t hurt. I don¡¯t know how I can repay this favor¡­¡±

    ¡°What favor? Aren¡¯t we all part of the same Ragnar family? It¡¯s only natural to help when a family member is in danger.¡±

    Family.

    That word pierced Theo¡¯s heart deeply.

    ¡°Ahem! Well, if you really want to repay the favor¡­ Ahem! You can join the White Armored Dragon Cavalry after the Blossoming Ceremony¡­ Ahem!¡±

    Julius lightly cleared his throat as he spoke, but for some reason, his gaze was intense, unlike his tone.

    Gasp!

    Theo unconsciously took a startled step back.

    Why is he looking at me like that¡­?

    Considering how Julius had helped him, it didn¡¯t seem like he meant any harm.

    Then, a thought hit him.

    He became curious about what kind of information this giant of a man might hold.

    Observe.

    [Observing ¡®Julius Ragnar¡¯.]

    ¡ª

    Julius Ragnar (41 years old / Male)

    ¡¤ Title: Dark Dragon

    ¡¤ Talents: Leadership, Swordsmanship Genius, Passion for Recruiting Talents, Deep Devotion to Love

    ¡¤ Status: Wants to recruit¡­ no, enlist ¡®Theo Ragnar¡¯.

    ¡ª

    Me?

    Having lived a life filled with neglect, it was the first time someone of such stature had shown interest in him.

    Naturally, the first question that arose was Why?

    To Julius, Theo must still seem like nothing more than a novice who hadn¡¯t even shed his beginner status.

    ¡°You seemed surprised that the captain suddenly appeared, but there¡¯s no need to worry. Our captain isn¡¯t a scary person.¡±

    Theo, still in a daze, snapped out of it when he felt a hand lightly patting his shoulder from behind.

    ¡°Evelyn.¡±

    ¡°That duel just now, it was impressive. However, I think this might not be the best ce for a conversation¡­ Shall we move elsewhere? The captain also has something he¡¯d like to say to you.¡±

    [You¡¯ve gained Julius Ragnar¡¯s acknowledgment.]

    [Your Luck has increased by 2.]

    [You have gained Evelyn Nereville¡¯s acknowledgment.]

    [Your Luck has increased by 1.]

    As Evelyn winked at him, Theo realized that Julius¡¯s interest wasn¡¯t a joke or a lie.

    Without knowing it, Theo clenched his fist tightly.

    He still didn¡¯t understand how the captain of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry hade to witness his duel.

    Perhaps¡­ his desire to rise mighte true sooner than he thought.

    * * *

    The news of Theo¡¯s duel with Rendon spread quickly throughout the entire House.

    ¡°The cripple from the Rose Pce supposedly cut down his swordsmanship instructor!¡±

    The Rose Pce, where the family head¡¯s harem resided, wasmonly referred to among the swordsmen as the ce of the ¡°cripple of the Rose Pce,¡± a derogatory term used to insult Theo.

    But now, this so-called cripple had apparently won a duel against his own swordsmanship teacher.

    Naturally, it drew interest.

    Of course, there were some who doubted the truth of the matter.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a lie?¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°The Blossoming Ceremony is only a few months away. Maybe the cripple of the Rose Pce is pulling some kind of trick?¡±

    ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t seem like that this time.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Why not?¡±

    ¡°The captain of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry was there.¡±

    ¡°What? Really?¡±

    When the rumor that Julius had witnessed the duel was added, the story gained more credibility.

    Some clicked their tongues, wondering how anyone could harm their sword instructor, while others scoffed, saying the teacher must¡¯ve been ipetent to lose to his own disciple.

    And with that, the interest and rumors faded.

    ¡°So what? Does anything change?¡±

    No one expected much from Theo anyway.

    Rendon wasn¡¯t particrly well-known, so the rumors quickly disappeared as if they had never existed.

    However, people failed to notice something.

    Slowly, yet surely, rumors about Theo had started circting more frequently.

    * * *

    That evening.

    ¡°What do you think?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean, sir?¡±

    ¡°About the conversation we had today.¡±

    Julius, following Evelyn into the management office of the 4th Training Grounds, brought up the topic of Theo.

    Evelyn red at Julius, who was, without permission, picking out only the most expensive wine from her shelf. She answered while shooting him a sharp look.

    ¡°I had the impression that he¡¯s quite thoughtful. But the wine in your hand¡­ you¡¯re not actually nning to drink that, are you?¡±

    ¡°See? As I thought, rumors can¡¯t be trusted.¡±

    Pop!

    Julius effortlessly popped the cork with a grin.

    Aaah!

    Evelyn screamed from the side, but her voice didn¡¯t reach his ears at all.

    ¡°That was an interesting meeting.¡±

    Gurgle, gurgle.

    As the red wine filled the ss, the memory of that encounter resurfaced in his mind.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I appreciate the generous offer, but I¡¯m not ready to be tied down to anything yet.¡±

    When a separate meeting had been held to recruit him, Theo gave his response right away.

    For both Julius and Evelyn, it was an unexpected answer.

    The White Armored Dragon Cavalry was an elite force that anyone associated with the House of Ragnar aspired to join.

    They weren¡¯t just a simple cavalry unit.

    Dragon Knights.

    d in dazzling white armor, they rode specially trained wyverns to guard the northern skies. When they took to the sky, even the monsters of the Demonic Sea would hold their breath in fear.

    This special battalion, seen only in the House of Ragnar, was highly esteemed even outside the family.

    So, Julius had assumed that recruiting Theo wouldn¡¯t be difficult.

    Who would have thought he would reject the offer outright without even hearing the terms?

    ¡°With that kind of character, talent, and humility, you really can¡¯t find someone like him anywhere. How am I supposed to reel him in?¡±

    ¡°A-ah¡­ My wine¡­!¡±

    ¡°I have to bring him in before anyone else tries to snatch him up. You hear stories about rejection, but experiencing it firsthand for the first time, I feelpletely dazed.¡±

    ¡°Uh, Captain? The ss is, um¡­ overflowing¡­¡±

    ¡°Not to brag, but, whether it was men or women, I¡¯ve never been rejected in my life. Maybe that¡¯s why¡ªnow that I¡¯ve been rejected, I just can¡¯t help but want him even more. Hmm!¡±

    ¡°¡­Could you please listen to me for a moment?!¡±

    ¡°Ah, is it that? Maybe he doesn¡¯t want to attract too much attention just yet?¡±

    The wine stopped pouring right before spilling over the rim.

    Evelyn, unable to hold herself up any longer, copsed onto the spot, her legs giving way.

    The expensive wine, bought after saving up half a year¡¯s sry, was being wasted before her eyes by her former superior.

    The tension she felt wasn¡¯t even this high when she had faced an 8-star swordsman in a fierce pursuit.

    But Julius remained trapped in his own world, oblivious to her distress.

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, it makes sense. Even if he¡¯s a dormant dragon ready to stretch, he might still be burdened by the public¡¯s attention. Plus, he wouldn¡¯t want to see the White Armored Dragon Cavalry lose people¡¯s trust because of him.¡±

    Julius, as if realizing something, widened his eyes in sudden understanding.

    ¡°Ah,e to think of it, that must be the biggest reason. He¡¯s even considerate enough to worry about our unit. Such thoughtfulness!¡±

    In Julius¡¯s mind, the image of Theo had now been elevated to that of a virtuous saint.

    ¡°In that case, we should also match that consideration and find a way to support him¡­ Hmm?¡±

    Julius¡¯s gaze shifted to Evelyn, who was still staring nervously at the wine ss.

    Evelyn instinctively flinched, sensing that Julius¡¯s expression had shifted in a way that was anything but ordinary.

    From past experience, she knew all too well that whenever he looked at her like this, something strange was about to happen.

    She was about to refuse whatever he was going to ask, even before hearing it.

    ¡°Evelyn, have you ever thought about bing a swordsmanship instructor?¡±

    Gasp.

    Unconsciously, Evelyn grasped her empty left sleeve with her right hand.

    ¡°I¡­!¡±

    ¡°Ah, don¡¯t say it would be difficult because you¡¯re missing an arm. You¡¯ve lost an arm, not your skills with the sword.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Crippled arm.

    Julius used this blunt term because Evelyn often referred to herself that way in self-deprecation after her retirement.

    ¡°I epted your retirement because you could no longer hold the reins, not because you couldn¡¯t hold a sword. So, think it over. Isn¡¯t it time for you to rise again?¡±

    Evelyn¡¯s eyes, reflected in the wine-filled ss, trembled intensely.

    * * *

    ¡°My beloved son, Theo! This mother always knew you would achieve something great one day!¡±

    Upon his return to the pce, Theo couldn¡¯t help but give a bitter smile as he was greeted by Cecilia, her arms spread wide in a weing gesture.

    ¡°And to think that the captain of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry himself was present! Could it be that he¡¯s taken a liking to you¡­?¡±

    ¡°Mother, I¡¯m sorry to interrupt, but I¡¯m quite tired.¡±

    Cecilia, in the middle of trying to embrace Theo, had to stop and awkwardlyugh.

    ¡°Is that so? Of course, I understand. You must have seen some terrible things today. Rest well then, and I¡¯ll visit you tomorrow.¡±

    As Cecilia left, Theo let out a small sigh.

    A sigh mixed with a myriad of emotions.

    Then, he nced at the maids and butlers who had been sneaking peeks at him.

    The moment their eyes met his, they quickly bowed their heads in surprise.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so nervous. And from now on, simr things will happen more frequently, so don¡¯t act rashly.¡±

    Theo, barely listening to their replies, made his way to his room and flopped onto the bed.

    ¡°It¡¯s tough, really tough. I don¡¯t even know if I¡¯m doing the right thing.¡±

    Rejecting Julius¡¯s offer.

    In the eyes of others, it was the perfect decision to be criticized as overstepping his bounds.

    But despite what he muttered to himself, Theo had no regrets about his choice.

    Because he had faith.

    Faith that he could reach even higher ces.

    In fact, after hearing the offer, he felt even more certain.

    ¡®Even if I were to join the White Armored Dragon Cavalry, I need to raise my value high enough that I¡¯d get offers from other ces as well.¡¯

    That way, he could beginying the groundwork to establish his own foundation.

    ¡®The stage for that is the Blossoming Ceremony.¡¯

    This year¡¯s Blossoming Ceremony was expected to be ¡°legendary,¡± attracting countless geniuses and promising talents.

    To achieve overwhelming results in such a fiercepetition, there was no room forcency.

    ¡®I need to close the gap with others as much as possible during the remaining time.¡¯

    Still lying on the bed, Theo turned his head to the side.

    A full-length mirror stood against the wall.

    He saw himself in the reflection, lying in the same position on the bed.

    Observe.

    [Observing ¡®Theo Ragnar¡¯.]

    ¡ª

    Theo Ragnar (15 years old / Male)

    ¡¤ Titles: Crippled fool of Ragnar¡¯s blood, Cripple of the Rose Pce.

    ¡¤ Talents: Ragnar, yer, Observation, [ess Denied], [ess Denied], [ess Denied], [ess Denied].

    ¡¤ Status: Strong desire for the Blossoming Ceremony.

    ¡ª

    Theo¡¯s eyes lit up.

    If the authority of Observation could be applied to whatever was in his field of vision, then surely, it should also work through his own reflection. Luckily, his hunch was correct.

    ¡®All of the authority falls under the [Talents] category. Does that mean if I continue toplete missions with excellent results, I can unlock four more of these?¡¯

    He was already excited about what other talents might be waiting for him.

    ¡®Maybe one of those ¡°permissions¡± will let me find the items I received as rewards.¡¯

    Theo wondered if the authority to ess the rewards he¡¯d been granted was among those locked talents.

    ¡®But how do I check my ability stats?¡¯

    Since he had received messages indicating stat increases, there had to be an info window somewhere that disyed his stats in numerical form.

    Fiddling with the message window, Theo discovered that he could flip it over.

    Excitement welled up inside him.

    How strong was he now?

    ¡ª

    [Disying additional information.]

    ¡ª

    Theo Ragnar (15 years old / Male)

    ¡¤ Level: 1

    ¡¤ Stats (¨‹)

    Strength: 13

    Agility: 14

    Stamina: 12

    Magic Power: 190

    Intelligence: 11

    Luck: -50

    ¡¤ [ess Denied]

    ¡¤ [ess Denied]

    ¡ª

    ¡°¡­What¡¯s with the negative?¡±

    Theo¡¯s excitement was shattered in an instant.

    The Magic Power stat he carried over from his previous life was impressively high, just as he expected.

    But the Luck stat¡¯s unexpected negative value made his head spin.

    If he looked at it purely in terms of absolute numbers, the negative Luck value was even higher than the additional Magic Power he¡¯d gained from the Aura Heart.

    ¡®My Luck increased by 4 when I faced Rendon, but it¡¯s still this bad?¡¯

    ¡®So this is how high it is after an increase? Ugh¡­ No wonder my previous life, and the life before that, were both filled with such bad luck.¡¯

    Unconsciously, Theo rubbed his forehead in frustration.

    ¡®At this point, I¡¯m starting to wonder if I¡¯m cursed or something.¡¯

    He still didn¡¯t know exactly what the Luck stat controlled.

    But based on what he had observed so far, he had some guesses.

    In the short term, it seemed to affect random events or unexpected oues. In the long term, it appeared to influence one¡¯s social standing and reputation.

    Of course, it was impossible to fully quantify all the misfortunes a person could face, but still¡ª

    Theo was grateful just knowing there might be a way to manage his bad luck.

    ¡®The problem now is figuring out how to bring Luck back to zero.¡¯

    Since the conditions for increasing his Luck during the duel with Rendon varied, it seemed like he needed more examples to study.

    Just as Theo¡¯s thoughts began to deepen¡ª

    Ding!

    [A quest¡ö has arrived.]

 Chapter 7

    Chapter 7: The Dormant Dragon Now Stretches (2) >

    +

    [Tutorial Quest ¡ö #8]

    ¡°Escape the title of ¡®Crippled fool of Ragnar¡¯s blood.¡¯¡±

    ¡¤ Difficulty: E

    ¡¤ Reward: ¡ö¡ö¡ö¡¯s Bracelet

    ¡¤ Failure: ¡ö¡ö

    +

    [yer¡¯s authority has risen, redisying the information.]

    +

    [Tutorial Quest #8]

    ¡°Escape the title of ¡®Crippled fool of Ragnar¡¯s blood.¡¯¡±

    ¡¤ Difficulty: E

    ¡¤ Reward: Beginner¡¯s Anklet

    ¡¤ Failure: ¡ö¡ö

    +

    ¡°yer, quest, beginner?¡±

    For the first time, all the information appeared without any noise.

    Since it closely resembled a ¡®game¡¯ in its functions, the unfamiliar terms didn¡¯t feel strange at all.

    The penalty section was still obscured, though.

    Thanks to this, his mind felt as if it had cleared up all at once.

    ¡°Come to think of it.¡±

    Theo¡¯s eyes gleamed as he alternated his gaze between his information window and the message window.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t [Luck] go up when I gained Julius and Evelyn¡¯s recognition?¡±

    A good idea suddenly came to mind.

    Though whether it could truly be called ¡®good¡¯ was uncertain.

    ¡®Still, if I seed, the impact will be huge. I could kill three, no, even four birds with one stone.¡¯

    Ding.

    Theo lightly shook the bell on his desk, and a butler, waiting outside, entered the room.

    ¡°Summon all the avable servants currently staying in the Rose Pce.¡±

    * * *

    The next day, precisely at 6 a.m.

    As usual, Theo headed to the Fourth Training Ground.

    The only difference was the Zweihander strapped to his back, a swordrger than he was.

    Every time he walked, the tip of the sword dragged across the ground, leaving a long, deep groove behind him. The sight was somewhatical, yet it also evoked a strange tension.

    ¡°Hey, look over there.¡±

    ¡°That guy¡­?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s him from the Rose Pce.¡±

    ¡°He looks really small, doesn¡¯t he?¡±

    ¡°I heard he still hasn¡¯t mastered the . So how did he take down a 2-Star Swordsman?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what we¡¯re here to find out, right?¡±

    The scene at the Fourth Training Ground was also quite different from usual.

    A considerable crowd had gathered, pretending to warm up lightly while discreetly watching Theo¡¯s every move.

    All these people had gathered directly to ¡®confirm¡¯ things after new rumors about Theo spread rapidly the night before.

    ¡°Not only did the ¡®Cripple of the Rose Pce¡¯ defeat a 2-Star Swordsman, but he also received an offer to join the White Armored Dragon Cavalry.¡±

    ¡°But he refused the offer, acting like he didn¡¯t know his ce!¡±

    Of course, most who heard this rumor had scoffed, dismissing it as nonsense.

    But still¡­

    ¡°Even if, by the slimmest chance, it¡¯s true?¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t just stand by and do nothing!¡±

    That was the conclusion the swordsmen had reached.

    Any swordsman who served the House of Ragnar deeply respected Julius. Rejecting an offer from someone like him was akin to disgracing his name. It was something that should never have happened.

    Thus, they had decided to quietly observe Theo¡¯s training and judge for themselves whether the rumors were true.

    ng¡ª

    Shrrk!

    Suddenly, Theo unsheathed the Zweihander from his back and drew a long line on the ground of the training yard.

    More precisely, it was a line that separated Theo from the onlookers.

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    Of course, the bewildered observers, not understanding his intentions, could only tilt their heads in confusion.

    Theo then motioned with his hand, beckoning them to step inside the line.

    ¡°You all came here to watch me, right? I don¡¯t want to deal with you one by one, soe at me all at once.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°What are you waiting for? Noting?¡±

    ¡°¡­.¡±

    ¡°¡­.¡±

    ¡°¡­.¡±

    Seeing them still hesitating, a cold smirk curled on Theo¡¯s lips.

    ¡®Looks like the rumors are doing their job perfectly.¡¯

    In fact, the source of the rumors that had spread rapidly the night before was none other than Theo himself. He had instructed the servants to spread the word about what happened at the Fourth Training Ground as widely as possible.

    Unlike the other swordsmen, who treated the servants poorly, Theo had a good rtionship with them. On top of that, he had offered them a small reward, which motivated them to act enthusiastically.

    ¡®There are four things I¡¯m aiming for with this opportunity.¡¯

    The first was to draw attention and raise his [Luck] by increasing his fame.

    The second was to gain experience through consecutive duels, allowing him to level up.

    The third was to be more proficient in the swordsmanship he had just started learning.

    And the final, fourth goal?

    ¡®Momentum.¡¯

    Theo didn¡¯t want to be just another forgettable person like in his past lives. He wanted to carve out a name for himself and seize the seat of power within the family. To do that, his name, ¡°Theo,¡± had to burn itself into people¡¯s minds like a zing fire.

    Like mes.

    And the people standing before him?

    They were the perfect kindling for that fire.

    In fact, the faces of the observers, now humiliated by Theo¡¯s provocation, were flushed red with anger.

    Even though Theo was a direct descendant of Ragnar, his actions clearly mocked them, and that was something they could not tolerate.

    However, despite their anger, the onlookers hesitated, merely exchanging nces, unable to recklessly step over the line Theo had drawn.

    ¨C If we gang up on him here and mess up¡­

    ¨C The rumors will blow up like crazy.

    ¨C Damn it, but we can¡¯t just sit here after being insulted.

    If adults ganged up on a kid simply because they were provoked¡ªespecially a child who had only held a sword for a few days¡ªit would lead to nothing less than social ruin, utter disgrace.

    Yet, as swordsmen of Ragnar, ignoring such a provocation was unthinkable.

    Eventually, one of them decided to take the lead and stepped forward.

    ¡°I am Sybil Dreigh, a gatekeeper swordsman of the Southern Inspection Post.¡±

    A gatekeeper swordsman¡ªa position reserved for at least a 2-star swordsman.

    ¡°May I ask just one thing of you, young lord? Should we take your current behavior as an acknowledgment that the suspicions and rumors spreading are true?¡±

    ¡°That matter was between me and the Captain of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry. I am not obligated to answer you, am I?¡±

    ¡°Then why this provocation¡­!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m busy preparing for the Blossoming Ceremony and training on my own. Wouldn¡¯t it be more convenient to clear away any distractions ahead of time?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Sybil¡¯s face flushed red, but this time it wasn¡¯t due to anger¡ªit was from embarrassment.

    Theo¡¯s words had a deeper meaning:

    ¨C No matter what excuses I give, you won¡¯t listen, right? You¡¯ll just stick around here and cause amotion.

    ¨C But I hate being distracted during training. So, I¡¯m nning to get rid of you in advance. What¡¯s wrong with that?

    Sybil found himself at a loss for words because, in truth, he had no intention of leaving the Fourth Training Ground until his curiosity was fully satisfied.

    ¡°So, are youing or not?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    The problem was that responding to such words made it difficult for them to act. If they charged at him now, they would be admitting they were petty, vindictive.

    Did he purposely provoke us to seize control of the situation?

    Sybil began to wonder if the rumors about Theo were entirely wrong, as Theo¡¯s current attitude was nothing like what he had heard.

    ¡°If you¡¯re noting¡­¡±

    Theo gripped the Zweihander and took a stance.

    ¡°Then I¡¯lle to you.¡±

    Chill!

    A sudden shiver ran down Sybil¡¯s spine.

    Boom!

    Shwiing!

    In an instant, Theo crossed the line and charged directly at Sybil, who barely managed to draw his sword in time from where it was hanging at his waist.

    ng!

    * * *

    Until Evelyn pulled out the chest hidden in the farthest corner beneath her bed.

    Until she carefully wiped the dust off the lid and opened it.

    She questioned herself over and over.

    ¡®Is this really the best choice?¡¯

    ¡®Am I falling for the Captain¡¯s cunning schemes again?¡¯

    ¡®What if my trauma from back then resurfaces?¡¯

    ¡®What if I can no longer perform at the same level as before?¡¯

    ¡®Even if it was my left arm that was lost, having only one arm is so different from having two. Did I really not forget my swordsmanship?¡¯

    ¡®Is this really okay?¡¯

    ¡®Really?¡¯

    ¡®I¡­¡¯

    ¡®I¡­!¡¯

    A flood of demons whispered in her mind.

    Anxiety, worry, restlessness, anger, sadness¡­ Every emotion was packed tightly inside.

    But¡ª

    Click¡ª

    The sound of the lid opening filled the silent room, and in that moment, the whispers of the demons vanishedpletely.

    ¡®It¡¯s beautiful¡­¡¯

    The rapier inside the chest was stunning.

    Though it had no borate decorations, the sleek de alone was its pride. And that simplicity struck Evelyn deeply.

    So this is what I wielded so recklessly in the past.

    I treated this sword so poorly.

    Lost in thought, Evelyn slowly reached out her right hand and gripped the hilt of the rapier.

    Tremble.

    Her hand shook.

    The sword trembled.

    Likewise, her heart¡­ trembled.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t ept your resignation because you couldn¡¯t hold the reins anymore. It wasn¡¯t because you couldn¡¯t hold a sword.¡±

    ¡°So why not reconsider wielding the sword again? Isn¡¯t it time to rise once more?¡±

    The Captain¡¯s words echoed in her ears.

    ¡°I had a feeling that the young man¡¯s fighting spirit could reignite the me in your extinguished heart.¡±

    With those words lingering in her mind, Evelyn gripped the rapier tightly and slowly stood up.

    ¡®By now, he¡¯s probably at the training ground, isn¡¯t he?¡¯

    Could Theo really ignite the fire in her cold heart?

    Could he make her heart beat again?

    She wanted to find out for herself.

    * * *

    Tremble¡ª

    Sybil snapped back to reality as a sharp pain shot through his wrist, making it feel as though it might fall off.

    It¡¯s real! He¡¯s truly made up his mind!

    It¡¯s said that skilled swordsmen can read their opponent¡¯s intent just by crossing des.

    That was exactly how Sybil felt now.

    The intensity of Theo¡¯s fighting spirit was overwhelming.

    It was as if he were facing a battle-hardened warrior on the battlefield.

    Has this man, who¡¯s never even set foot outside Winterer¡­ really¡­?

    ng, ng, ng!

    After exchanging several rapid strikes with Theo, Sybil quickly pulled back, putting as much distance between them as he could.

    Ziiing, ziiing¡ª

    His sword hummed as though it might break at any moment, with scratches and nicks all along its de.

    No matter how heavy the Zweihander was, such damage was impossible without skill. At this level, Theo could undeniably be called a swordsman.

    ¡®¡­So there was a reason Julius scouted him.¡¯

    Sybil suddenly felt deeply ashamed of himself.

    It had already been ten years since he had be a gatekeeper swordsman. Yet he had never progressed beyond the rank of 2-star.

    That truth had been gnawing away at Sybil for a long time.

    I once dreamed of proudly donning white armor, standing at the forefront of the battlefield, showcasing the glory of Ragnar¡­

    Do you know the pain of someone whose dreams are drastically out of reach in reality?

    If you haven¡¯t experienced it, you¡¯ll never truly understand.

    The peers Sybil had onceughed and joked with had now be respectable seniors, shining in their aplishments. Meanwhile, he remained stuck in ce, left so far behind that he couldn¡¯t even be seen in their shadows.

    The crushing despair of realizing the limits of one¡¯s abilities is immeasurable.

    Perhaps that was when it all began¡ªthe habit of seeking out those he deemed lesser and belittling them to feel better about himself.

    One of those people had been Theo.

    Theo Ragnar? Oh, that pale prince of the Rose Pce? How could anyonepare me to him? He¡¯s a useless noble with no drive, no talent. But me? I¡¯m different, right?

    To Sybil, Theo had been nothing more than a spoiled child who had the fortune of being born into Ragnar¡¯s bloodline.

    That¡¯s all he thought of him, until he heard the rumorsst night.

    What? But now he¡¯s caught the attention of Julius? Impossible! Why would someone like him? There must be some mistake. It has to be.

    He hadn¡¯t wanted to believe that the very person he had dismissed and looked down upon had gained the recognition of the one he admired.

    Maybe it was the fear of being left behind that he couldn¡¯t bear.

    That¡¯s why Sybil had gathered with some of his friends and sought out Theo. Most of the onlookers who hade with him were in the same position as Sybil.

    They, too, had once lived with grand dreams, their hearts full of ambition, but had been forced to give up due to theirck of talent and the harshness of reality.

    They wanted to see for themselves.

    To confirm that Julius had made a mistake.

    No matter how perfect someone may seem, even a person like Julius could make a mistake once in a while.

    And they wanted to punish him¡ªthe arrogant fool who dared to reject Julius¡¯s offer without knowing his ce.

    But now¡­

    ¡®That wasn¡¯t it.¡¯

    Look at the fierce determination Theo was exuding. This wasn¡¯t the attitude of a pampered noble who had simply been lucky enough to be born into Ragnar¡¯s bloodline.

    This was the will of someone who had struggled desperately not to be trampled upon, someone who had gritted their teeth and endured, swinging their sword tirelessly in ces where no one could see them.

    It was a tenacity born of relentless perseverance, something only those who had fought to survive could possess.

    Something even Sybil himselfcked.

    That kind of willpower.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Sybil felt an overwhelming urge to crawl into a hole and hide.

    But doing so would only mean running away¡ªit wouldn¡¯t correct the mistake or disrespect he had shown.

    Step!

    Just as Theo was about to take another step, Sybil quickly lowered his sword, covering his right hand with his left, and bowed his head deeply.

    Sword Salute.

    A gesture of apology and respect recognized only among swordsmen.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Theo asked, narrowing his eyes as he stopped in his tracks.

    ¡°I wish to apologize for my mistakes and disrespect.¡±

    Sybil¡¯s voice was calm, but his heart was racing.

    ¡°I looked down on your skills and dared to interrupt your training. I know it¡¯s hard to forgive, but I felt I needed to express my regret, even if it¡¯ste. Once again, I sincerely apologize for my rudeness.¡±

    His head remained bowed, waiting for Theo¡¯s response.

 Chapter 8

    Chapter 8: The Dormant Dragon Now Stretches (3) >

    Theo let out a small, dryugh inwardly.

    ¡®This isn¡¯t exactly what I had intended.¡¯

    The reason Theo had spread the rumors and gathered people was to crush those deeply mired in their inferiorityplexes and change the rumors about him.

    But it seemed there was something he hadn¡¯t quite anticipated.

    -These were also swordsmen who carried the pride of Ragnar in their hearts.

    He thought provoking them would lead to all of them ganging up on him at once.

    Contrary to his expectations, they seemed to have a strong aversion to lynching.

    Was it because they considered it a shameful act unbefitting a Ragnar swordsman?

    Moreover, when Theo had shown his true skills, they realized their mistake and even bowed their heads.

    It wasn¡¯t only Sybil who reacted that way.

    Most of the onlookers couldn¡¯t even look at Theo properly or, with reddened faces, were busy sneaking nces at him from time to time.

    ¡®Well, this isn¡¯t bad either.¡¯

    If the opponent sincerely apologized, responding properly was also the conduct befitting a swordsman.

    Step!

    Theo rxed his posture and followed the formal gesture of a swordsman¡¯s greeting.

    ¡°Theo Ragnar. An apprentice swordsman from the Rose Pce, and since the Blossoming Ceremony is approaching, I have not yet taken on a separate master.¡±

    Sybil immediately raised his head.

    He recognized this gesture as a formal introduction shared between swordsmen before an official duel.

    It meant Theo no longer saw him as an object of punishment but as an equal dueling partner.

    Sybil felt a slight twinge of emotion at his nose, but he suppressed it, responding in a booming voice.

    ¡°Sybil Dreigh. I am a swordsman from the Southern Gate Guard. I have been trained in the swordsmanship of House Kurei, and I am skilled in fast swordsmanship. I hope we have a good match.¡±

    Theo nodded and lowered his Zweihander once again.

    ng!

    The two swords lightly shed in the air.

    After putting some distance between them, each adopted a different stance.

    Woooosh!

    Theo¡¯s fighting spirit began to swirl around him once more.

    Gulp!

    Sybil swallowed nervously, gripping his sword tightly.

    It had been a long time since he stood in an official duel, and he felt as though Theo¡¯s presence had grown even more imposing than before.

    Thump! Thump!

    Meanwhile, his heart kept pounding. But why was it beating so fast?

    Was it because of the tension?

    Or maybe¡­

    ¡®Am I being moved by Lord Theo¡¯s aura¡­?¡¯

    That thought was as far as Sybil got.

    Because Theo was already making his move.

    Thud!

    Swiiiish¡ª

    ¡®As expected, he¡¯s fast!¡¯

    Theo moved so swiftly that it made one question if it was really possible for him to wield a Zweihander with such agility.

    But this time, Sybil didn¡¯t panic. Calmly, he raised his sword to a middle guard, blocking the attack.

    aang!

    ¡°Ugh!¡±

    It felt as if he had been struck hard in the chest by a hammer. Sybil staggered back several steps but immediately regained his stance, nting his feet firmly to counterattack.

    Cha-cha-cha-chang!

    [You have gained recognition from ¡®Sybil Dreigh¡¯.]

    [Your Luck has increased by 1.]

    [You have gained some experience.]

    ¡®So, fast swordsmanship is his specialty, as expected.¡¯

    Theopensated for the cumbersome movements of his heavy Zweihander by squeezing every ounce of strength from the Dragon¡¯s Heart, blocking each of Sybil¡¯s rapid strikes.

    When Sybil aimed for his ankle, Theo deflected it with the t of his de. When Sybil targeted his neck, Theo skillfully widened the gap between them, barely dodging the strike before closing the distance in an instant.

    It was a seamless chain of moves, transitioning from the technique  to .

    Rumble!

    Sybil became a perfect sparring partner, allowing Theo to test each of his hidden sword techniques.

    And then¡­

    ng!

    Theo swung his Zweihander upward with all his might.

    Whirr!

    Sybil¡¯s sword flew into the air beforending with a dull thud on the training ground floor.

    Though Sybil grasped his torn hand with his left, he had a bright expression, not one of someone who had just lost.

    ¡°I¡¯ve lost.¡±

    ¡°It was a good fight.¡±

    As Sybil turned, a smile spread across his face, brighter than ever.

    Theo nced around.

    ¡°Who¡¯s next?¡±

    * * *

    Gulp.

    Gulp!

    The sound of dry swallowing echoed from every corner.

    ¡®The rumors¡­¡¯

    ¡®They were true.¡¯

    ¡®If I were Sybil, would I have been able to face him properly?¡¯

    At that moment, there was one thought that everyone watching shared.

    -They wanted to join in!

    Everything Theo and Sybil had shown was seared into their minds, lingering like a vivid dream.

    The respect they exchanged before the duel,

    The mutual admiration for each other¡¯s skills,

    The burning desire to win,

    The fighting spirit they poured into each strike,

    The willingness to ept defeat graciously,

    And¡­

    -The heat.

    They all felt an overwhelming urge to be swept up in that heat.

    Thump, thump, thump!

    Their hearts pounded wildly.

    Blood rushed through their veins, leaving their lips dry.

    This wasn¡¯t something they couldprehend intellectually. It was a primal emotion, one that could only be shared between swordsmen¡ªa connection from heart to heart, from chest to chest.

    ¡°May I¡­ step forward?¡±

    At that moment, someone nervously swallowed before stepping forward. When Theo nodded in acknowledgment, the man¡¯s face brightened, and he performed the sword salute.

    ¡°I am Eod Naran, the third son of the Viscount House of Naran. I have learned the swordsmanship called .¡±

    ¡°I am Ragnar of the Rose Pce. I hope we have a good match.¡±

    ng!

    The sparring began as Theo and Eod lightly shed swords.

    Fwoosh!

    [You have gained recognition from ¡®Eod Naran¡¯.]

    [Your Luck has increased by 1.]

    [You have gained some experience.]

    Thus, the second duel ended.

    [You have gained recognition from ¡®Benyat Remiro¡¯.]

    [Your Luck has increased by 1.]

    The third duel ended.

    [You have gained recognition from ¡®Eric Moran¡¯.]

    [Your Luck has increased by 1.]

    And so on¡­

    The fourth, the fifth¡­

    Until the ninth duel waspleted.

    The intense heat that had filled the training grounds grew only hotter, never subsiding. As the duels continued, the faces of the swordsmen became more and more flushed with excitement.

    ¡°Haa¡­ Haa¡­¡±

    Theo was drenched in sweat, breathing heavily, with each exhale filled with heat.

    These back-to-back duels, with opponents whose skill and noble spirits were iparable to Rendon, demanded an immense amount of stamina from him.

    He looked as though he might copse with just the slightest nudge. But behind his disheveled hair, his sharp eyes gleamed¡ªso much so that one could hardly believe he was just fifteen years old.

    A dragon.

    It was as though they were looking into the eyes of a dragon.

    No matter how much people called him crippled or cursed, in the end, Theo, too, was a descendant of the Ragnar bloodline, a true heir of the dragon.

    And as that dragon began to stretch its wings, the onlookers were grateful to witness it.

    ¡°Next.¡±

    Theo¡¯s sharp, dragon-like gaze swept over the onlookers once more.

    ¡°Who¡¯s next?¡±

    The watchers hesitated in their steps.

    In their hearts, they wanted to ask for a chance to spar with him too, but Theo looked too exhausted. They wondered if it would be too much to request a duel at this point.

    ¡°You seem quite fatigued. How about postponing it for another time? There¡¯s no one here who doubts your abilities anymore.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll decide when I rest. Not yet.¡±

    ¡°If you insist¡­ Then I shall step forward.¡±

    A young man, who had been observing the duels between Theo and the onlookers from the back, uncrossed his arms and stepped forward.

    His short, silver hair was slicked back with pomade.

    A height that didn¡¯t suit his youthful face.

    His sharp, disciplined gaze made it clear that he was a polite young man from a prestigious family.

    For a moment, Theo¡¯s eyes gleamed.

    ¡®He finally steps forward.¡¯

    In truth, Theo had persisted with the duels just for this moment¡ªbecause of this person.

    [Observing ¡®Wellington Narcio¡¯.]

    ¡ª

    Wellington Narcio (15 years old / Male)

    ¨C Title: Heir of the House of Narcio

    ¨C Talents: Swordsmanship genius. Keen senses. Relentless hard worker.

    ¨C Status: Surprised by the unexpected appearance of a rival.

    ¡ª

    Among the vassals and cadet families supporting Ragnar, six families held exceptional power and were referred to as the ¡°Six Snow Families.¡±

    The House of Narcio was one of the most prominent among them.

    Wellington was the sole heir of the Narcio family, a genius who, in the future, would develop the family to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the House of Ragnar.

    Back then, Ragnar had been so wary of the Narcio family¡¯s influence that tensions eventually led to the family¡¯s withdrawal from the Six Snow Families, which triggered arge-scale conflict.

    It was during this period that Wellington earned the title ¡®Lion of the Snowfields,¡¯ symbolizing a beast aiming to tear at the throat of the dragon, Ragnar.

    However, Theo remembered him in a different way.

    ¨C A genius he had always wanted to surpass.

    Fifteen years old.

    Wellington was the same age as Theo.

    They both went through the Blossoming Ceremony at the same time and were thrown into the field simultaneously.

    But the oues were drastically different.

    Wellington always shone brightly, while Theo was perpetually in the shadows.

    Theo had always envied Wellington.

    He was one of the people Theo had longed to meet in the Blossoming Ceremony.

    ¡®But to run into him here¡­¡¯

    Moreover, Theo could read the emotions in Wellington¡¯s eyes.

    Competitive spirit.

    Or perhaps, an eagerness to test himself.

    ¡®Someone like him¡­ wants to duel me? Does that mean I¡¯ve improved enough for him to want to face me?¡¯

    Thump, thump, thump!

    Theo¡¯s heart raced.

    The fact that he could now face this peer, whom he had once only admired from afar, on equal footing.

    ¡®Can I handle this in my current condition?¡¯

    Theo coolly assessed the stamina he had left.

    It was clear that a long fight was out of the question.

    Wellington was a genius among geniuses, who had been making waves in the northern territories since the age of five.

    Even if Theo were at full strength, a victory would be difficult to guarantee.

    ¡®But still, if I could sh with him!¡¯

    The intense desire to finally duel his former idol fueled his resolve.

    ¡®It has to be a short match, nothing else will work.¡¯

    Thunk!

    Theo silently drove his Zweihander into the ground of the training field.

    It was an unexpected action.

    Wellington¡¯s eyebrow twitched.

    ¡°Surrendering?¡±

    ¡°Of course not.¡±

    ¡°Then that¡¯s fine.¡±

    Wellington slowly took hisbat stance.

    ¡°My name is Wellington Narcio, a low-ranking knight of House Narcio. Before I undergo the Blossoming Ceremony, I¡¯vee early to witness the swordsmanship of the Lord of Ragnar. And now, here, I have achieved what I sought and am grateful for the chance to cross swords with you.¡±

    ¡°Theo Ragnar. The 31st son of the great northern guardian and master of the Winter Mountains, Kyle Ragnar. I am an apprentice swordsman preparing for the Blossoming Ceremony. I, too, am grateful for the opportunity to duel with the famous heir of House Narcio.¡±

    Theo responded politely, taking a moment to catch his breath.

    Suddenly, Wellington¡¯s expression shifted slightly before returning to its usualposed state. The change happened specifically when Theo mentioned ¡°Kyle¡¯s son.¡±

    ¡®Was he already conscious of the gap in status between my family and his, even back then?¡¯ Theo wondered as they both prepared to face off.

    sh!

    Both moved at the same time.

    Wellington aimed for Theo¡¯s forehead, concentrating on the swift swordsmanship for which House Narcio was renowned.

    In response, Theo squeezed everyst bit of strength from the Dragon¡¯s Heart, unleashing a burst of overwhelming power as he pulled his Zweihander upward.

    It was a strike relying purely on strength¡ªa deadly move intended to finish the battle in one blow.

    aang!

    The deafening sound of shing metal was so intense that it seemed as if everyone¡¯s ears might be torn apart. Something flew into the air.

    ¡°Fast! So fast!¡±

    ¡°How did he move like that? I couldn¡¯t even see his speed!¡±

    ¡°Wait, what?¡±

    ¡°That sword¡­!¡±

    The onlookers gasped in awe, but then noticed something crucial: the broken sword was the Zweihander.

    -Oh, Wellington won.

    That thought crossed the minds of all the spectators, though none voiced it.

    Even though it felt like the natural oue, they couldn¡¯t ignore the fierce determination Theo had shown throughout the duel.

    Some felt a sense of disappointment at the thought of Theo¡¯s fight ending here, while others were disheartened that, as a swordsman of Ragnar, he hadn¡¯t been able to defeat Narcio.

    However¡­

    ¡°¡­I have lost. Thank you for granting me a great match.¡±

    Suddenly, Wellington bowed his head respectfully toward Theo, showing him proper courtesy.

 Chapter 9

    Chapter 9: The Dormant Dragon Now Stretches (4) >

    The onlookers couldn¡¯tprehend the current situation at all.

    Clearly, it was Theo¡¯s sword that had broken.

    This meant there was a significant gap in skill and strength between them.

    Yet, Wellington had dered defeat?

    Could it be that Theo was exhausted from the previous duel and responded in humility¡ª

    ¡°That¡¯s not it, you idiots.¡±

    The onlookers¡¯ thoughts were abruptly interrupted by a voice from behind.

    Hurriedly, they turned their gazes backward.

    Step. Step.

    ¡°Evelyn¡­ the Supervisor?¡±

    Those who recognized her were startled.

    It wasn¡¯t the appearance they were familiar with.

    Her white uniform highlighted her sharp figure.

    The epaulettes on her shoulders gleamed beautifully, and the golden dragon-engraved buttons seemed ready to burst into mes at any moment.

    With every step she took, the rapier at her waist clinked rhythmically.

    Her empty left sleeve fluttered, yet that only added to her elegance and grace.

    It was the white ceremonial uniform, issued only to senior members of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry.

    In that moment, the onlookers were utterly overwhelmed by the aura Evelyn exuded.

    Standing there was the very idol every swordsman of Ragnar aspired to be.

    ¡°If he had infused magic power into it? If he had oveid aura on it? What do you think would have happened?¡±

    Whether they paid attention to her or not, Evelyn¡¯s gaze remained fixed on the training ground.

    ¡°If you still can¡¯t figure it out, just throw away whatever you¡¯ve got perched on your shoulders.¡±

    Evelyn passed by the onlookers and approached Theo and Wellington.

    It was only then that the onlookers understood her words, and none of them could speak.

    Theo and Wellington¡¯s sh had clearly been simultaneous.

    But the problemy in the reach of the swords.

    Theo¡¯s Zweihander was much longer than Wellington¡¯s.

    And Wellington had stepped into that range.

    On top of that, if they considered the weight of the weapons?

    Shiver.

    Cold sweat trickled down their foreheads at the thought.

    ¡®He moved that fast, even with a Zweihander?¡¯

    ¡®That fast, even rivaling the speed famous in the House of Narcio?¡¯

    ¡®If he could use magic power, just how much faster could he be?¡¯

    Only now did the onlookers begin to perceive Theo as a monster.

    ¡ªThe rumors weren¡¯t exaggerated. No, if anything, they werecking!

    That thought crossed their minds simultaneously.

    And then.

    ¡°What are you talking about? It was my sword that broke. This is my defeat. It was an honor to share such a fine duel with you.¡±

    Theo bowed his head as he observed the formal sword etiquette.

    His demeanor was filled with discipline and grace,pletely unlike the arrogant persona he had disyed earlier.

    Thump thump!

    The primal emotions of the swordsmen began to stir again, causing their hearts to race.

    The intensity of Theo and Wellington¡¯spetitive spirit, the heat from their rivalry, and the respect they showed each other afterward with their mutual acknowledgment¡ªall of it, coupled with their fierce gazes, made the onlookers feel a strange urge.

    They wanted to be part of that scene, to join them in that world.

    The chivalry of swordsmen, the kind they had once only dreamed of, was right there in front of them.

    * * *

    ¡°The sword Lord Theo was using had already worn down from several duels, hadn¡¯t it? Furthermore, you were thoroughly exhausted. This match is clearly your victory.¡±

    ¡°In a battlefield where stray swords and arrows fly from every direction, who¡¯s going to take all those circumstances into consideration? A swordsman who loses his weapon will inevitably be defeated.¡±

    While they exchanged words in a not-quite-argument about who had truly lost, Theo was reviewing the results of the ten matches he had fought.

    His Luck stat had increased by a whopping 10.

    His other stats had also improved modestly, contributing to his overall growth.

    ¡®As expected, I still have a long way to go.¡¯

    At the same time, a new concern weighed on his mind.

    After his bout with Wellington, he had be painfully aware of his own weaknesses.

    ¡®I¡¯ve now memorized the forms of these secret sword techniques. I can connect them, even apply them in various ways. But I can¡¯t go beyond that.¡¯

    Secret sword techniques are usually divided into two parts.

    The form (ÐÎ), which consists of the stances and movements.

    And the essence (Òâ), the deeper intent within those forms.

    The form is, as the name implies, just the shape.

    Anyone who isn¡¯t a fool can memorize it. Once the body has be ustomed to it, it¡¯s even possible to modify the structure¡ªthis is what¡¯s known as application.

    But the essence is different.

    Like the yolk packed with nutrients inside the hard shell of an egg, the essence contains the true mastery of the secret sword techniques.

    If one fails to grasp it?

    Then it¡¯s no better than a superficial understanding.

    The secret sword techniques Theo had borrowed from the library were so remarkable that even the elders would one day be impressed.

    The problem was that Theo didn¡¯t yet have the insight necessary to fullyprehend these techniques.

    Something else was needed to delve deeper into them.

    ¡®A teacher.¡¯

    Theo swallowed dryly.

    ¡®I need a teacher who can guide me on the right path and give me instruction.¡¯

    But would there truly be such a teacher willing to impart their knowledge to someone like him?

    No, to be clear, there was no one.

    The main reason was because of the poor image that ¡°Theo Ragnar¡± had built up over time.

    Even though this recent opportunity might allow him to improve his reputation, those around him were also outcasts who had fallen behind in Ragnar. Simply defeating them wouldn¡¯t immediately create a favorable public opinion.

    This was an issue that would require a long, slow process to change.

    And even if there was someone who could be a teacher, they had probably already aligned themselves elsewhere because of the Blossoming Ceremony.

    ¡®In my heart, I¡¯d love to meet with Master Newitz, but¡­ it¡¯s impossible since I can¡¯t leave Winterler until the ceremony is over. Besides, he¡¯s more of a schr who approaches martial arts from a theoretical perspective rather than a practical one.¡¯

    Above all, he wasn¡¯t set to truly appear for another five years, so it wasn¡¯t the right time to meet him anyway.

    After considering all these factors, only one person remained.

    ¡®Julius¡­¡¯

    But Theo shook his head.

    Julius still held a favorable opinion of him, so if Theo asked, he would likely help. However, making such a request after having already refused Julius once didn¡¯t sit right with him.

    If he were going to ask, he¡¯d need to seriously consider joining the White Armored Dragon Cavalry.

    ¡®In the end, I have no choice but to figure it out on my own.¡¯

    With five months remaining until the Blossoming Ceremony, Theo figured that if he continued sparring regrly, he might eventuallye to understand the essence of the techniques.

    Just as he was thinking that¡ª

    ¡°You¡¯re mistaken. It¡¯s not the essence you¡¯recking.¡±

    A voice seemed to pierce directly into his thoughts.

    Startled, Theo whipped his head around.

    Standing there was Evelyn, dressed in her formal uniform, a sight unfamiliar to him.

    Before he could ask why she was dressed like that, another thought slipped out of his mouth.

    ¡°How did you know what I was thinking¡­?¡±

    ¡°Well, at this stage, the worries of people like you are always pretty much the same.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Was that apliment, or a veiled insult?

    Heh.

    Evelyn let out a small chuckle as she watched Theo staring at her, dumbfounded.

    ¡°If I¡¯ve been rude, I ask for your forgiveness.¡±

    ¡°¡­No, it¡¯s not that. Just tell me more. What do you mean I¡¯m mistaken?¡±

    ¡°What do you think the essence is, Lord Theo?¡±

    ¡°The hidden mastery within swordsmanship, perhaps?¡±

    ¡°Then what do you think mastery is?¡±

    ¡°What swordsmanship strives to achieve¡­?¡±

    ¡°Then what does that striving entail?¡±

    ¡°The creator¡¯s intent?¡±

    ¡°And what is that intent, then?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    The endless string of questions, one following the other.

    At some point, Theo found himself at a loss for words, feeling blocked.

    ¡°The essence is, after all, the core of swordsmanship.¡±

    ¡°The core¡­¡±

    ¡°But when you break down that core, it¡¯s actually not as grand as people make it out to be. Some might dress it up, saying it captures the blue of the sky or imitates the majesty of the sea, but in the end, it¡¯s just abination of simple actions¡ªthrusting, striking, blocking, cutting, slicing¡­ things we already know.¡±

    It was then that Theo finally understood what Evelyn was trying to say.

    ¡ªFundamentals.

    His grasp of the basic moves, those practiced by beginners when they first start learning swordsmanship, wascking.

    ¡°You¡¯re quite peculiar, Lord Theo. You don¡¯t have a solid grasp of the fundamentals, yet somehow, you seem to know more secret techniques than I¡¯ve ever seen.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh, of course, I¡¯m not asking where those techniques came from. I¡¯m merely pointing out that the order is wrong.¡±

    Evelyn¡¯s gaze was calm.

    ¡°Can a child who can¡¯t even walk properly learn to run just because they¡¯re taught? Can a fledgling bird, who can¡¯t even control its body, truly fly just because it¡¯s taught to p its wings?¡±

    ¡°But¡ª¡±

    ¡°Yes, I understand. You want to say that you¡¯ve sparred well up until now and that there haven¡¯t been any problems, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Theo nodded.

    ¡°But that¡¯s only because you¡¯re a ¡®Ragnar,¡¯ isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°The body of a Ragnar is blessed¡ªit allows a child who can¡¯t walk to fly, and lets a bird that can¡¯t even steady itself bite the throat of its predator. And you, Lord Theo, possess an even greater talent, allowing you to soar through the skies after devouring your foes.¡±

    He had relied on his talent all along.

    No, to be more precise, he had relied heavily on the Dragon¡¯s Heart.

    ¡°That¡¯s why you need to correct your fundamentals before you rely further on that talent. If youy a solid foundation, you¡¯ll be able to climb higher without worrying about what¡¯s beneath you.¡±

    Theo fidgeted with his fingers.

    Something seemed to be tickling at the edge of his consciousness, just out of reach, like he was on the verge of grasping something important.

    How could he seize it?

    The answer was clear.

    ¡®Whether I¡¯m on the wrong path or making poor decisions, I need someone by my side to correct me.¡¯

    A teacher.

    Not a fraud like Rendon, but a true teacher.

    Someone like¡­

    The person standing right in front of him¡ª

    ¡°Evelyn.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Would you be my swordsmanship teacher?¡±

    Gasp!

    There was the sound of sharp intakes of breath from the onlookers¡ªthe onlookers.

    Even though Evelyn was retired, being able to learn swordsmanship from someone who had once been in the White Armored Dragon Cavalry was an incredible honor.

    Even Wellington, who had been standing a step away, was now looking in their direction with a curious gaze.

    But then¡ª

    ¡°Do you notice what I¡¯m wearing?¡±

    Evelyn suddenly brought up something entirely different.

    ¡°Huh? Oh, right. Are you going back to the White Armored Dragon Cavalry?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve returned temporarily.¡±

    Across both his past life and this one, Theo had shared many interactions with Evelyn.

    But she had never once brought up her past, not even in passing.

    And now, she had fully rejoined the unit?

    Was this some kind of butterfly effect?

    But he hadn¡¯t yet made any major changes to his past, had he?

    ¡°Temporarily, you said?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just as I said. Themander has set a condition.¡±

    ¡°A condition?¡±

    ¡°Yes. He instructed me to be Lord Theo¡¯s swordsmanship teacher.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°He said it¡¯s something you¡¯ll need the most right about now.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    The people around them stirred even more.

    ¨C What? Is this real?

    ¨C A member of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry as a swordsmanship teacher¡­?

    ¨C And not just any member! It¡¯s that Evelyn, themander¡¯s right hand!

    ¨C Isn¡¯t this essentially being re-scouted?

    ¨C Unbelievable¡­ Is this for real? A man being courted twice by the White Armored Dragon Cavalry?

    ¨C Still, private lessons even before the Blossoming Ceremony? That¡¯s insane!

    ¨C But isn¡¯t it understandable?

    ¨C Yeah, if he¡¯s on par with Lord Wellington¡­ it makes sense.

    The way people looked at Theo was gradually shifting into one of admiration.

    ¡­Their eyes seemed to be sparkling a little too brightly.

    ¡®Julius¡­ Did he foresee this entire situation from that brief meeting? Is this what it means to be truly exceptional?¡¯

    ¡°If this is some kind of condition for my entry¡ª¡±

    ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t need to worry about that. Themander said it was entirely a gesture of ¡®goodwill.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Goodwill?¡±

    ¡°Yes. He called it an investment. For the future.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Theo scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

    At this point, he couldn¡¯t even begin to fathom what was going on in Julius¡¯s mind.

    But there was no need to refuse this offer.

    After all, it had been his own desire to have Evelyn as his swordsmanship teacher.

    ¡°Thank you. Then, I¡¯ll humbly ask for your guidance.¡±

    ¡°Very well. Now, draw your sword.¡±

    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±

    ¡°Themander is themander, but I still need to test whether you¡¯re qualified to be my disciple, don¡¯t I?¡±

    She wasn¡¯t wrong. Theo, caught off guard, instinctively reached for his Zweihander, only to remember a momentter that it had broken.

    ¡°Then I should at least switch swords¡ª¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say a little while ago? That in realbat, those are nothing but excuses.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°Now, defend yourself.¡±

    Swoosh!

    ¡®She¡¯s fast!¡¯

    It was hard to believe she had any physical limitations or that she hadn¡¯t wielded a sword for years. Her strike was as fast as a sh of light.

    Theo squeezed the Dragon¡¯s Heart with all his might, trying to follow Evelyn¡¯s movements.

    Just as he was about to adjust the angle of his Zweihander to block¡ª

    Shing!

    Wellington¡¯s sword suddenly slid between Theo and Evelyn.

    ng!

    ¡°Your sword is broken, so I figured I¡¯dplete the missing part. Combining my sword with yours seems like it¡¯ll be just the right length.¡±

    Wellington nced over at Theo with a grin.

    Heh.

    Theo smiled back and immediately fell into step with Wellington.

    Theo moved from the left, Wellington from the right.

    Swish! Swish!

    As if they had nned it all along, their movements were perfectly synchronized, sharp and precise.

    ¡°You both have good instincts.¡±

    Evelyn, far from being displeased by the sudden intervention, actually seemed impressed, responding swiftly to theirbined assault.

    Tatatata!

    In an instant, the three swords shed, filling the air with the chaotic sound of metal on metal.

    ¡°Woooaaahh!¡±

    The onlookers¡ªno, they were no longer just onlookers. They had moved beyond merely acknowledging Theo. Now, they had be his followers, entirely absorbed by the heat of the battle he exuded.

    Their cheers echoed across the training ground, raising the energy even higher.

    And with that¡ª

    Thump thump thump thump!

    Everyone present could feel their hearts pounding wildly in their chests.

    [Congrattions! You have sessfullypleted Tutorial Quest #8¡­]

 Chapter 10

    Chapter 10: The Dormant Dragon Now Stretches (5) >

    ¡®The Captain was right.¡¯

    Evelyn could be certain of this while exchanging blows with Theo.

    ¡®The talent this man has isn¡¯t limited to just swordsmanship.¡¯

    ¡®He possesses the charm to turn enemies into allies, the charisma to capture their hearts, the passion that makes one¡¯s heart race, the desire, the ambition¡­ he has it all.¡¯

    A person who possesses all of that is usually called one thing.

    ¨C Patriarch.

    ¡®A vessel worthy of a patriarch¡­¡¯

    For someone like her, who was nothing more than a mere swordsman, to even think such things might be seen as arrogant.

    But Evelyn truly believed it.

    ¡®Perhaps¡­ he could change this family that has been stagnating and rotting for a thousand years.¡¯

    Some say that the power Ragnar holds right now is the strongest in its history.

    In fact, if Ragnar wished, a new empire could rise in the North.

    With a thousand years of umted legitimacy,

    the deep trust of the northern people,

    a physical prowess so outstanding that some call it ¡°cursed,¡±

    and¡­

    the support of the Six Snow Families behind them.

    With all this, Ragnar had not just stagnated, but had started to rot.

    There wasn¡¯t a corner that didn¡¯t reek of the stench.

    Evelyn herself¡­ was one of the victims of that foul stench.

    That was why she let go of the reins she once loved so dearly.

    That was why she had ced her sword, which she valued more than her own life, into its case.

    But now, Evelyn had drawn her sword once again and held it in her hand.

    Though now, she had only one arm left.

    And because of that, her bnce was off, and she couldn¡¯t wield her sword with the same skill she once had.

    Yet still, there was something she wanted to believe in.

    Of course, to do that, she knew she¡¯d have to push herself even harder.

    Boom!

    Rumble-

    ¡°Hah¡­ hah¡­!¡±

    ¡°Huff¡­ huff¡­!¡±

    Theo and Wellington, pushed far back by Evelyn¡¯s strike, came into view.

    The two of them were drenched in sweat, looking as if they might copse at any moment, but their eyes shone more fiercely than ever.

    The desire to win, the determination not to lose, was evident in their gazes.

    Yes, that¡¯s it.

    If you¡¯ve taken up the sword, you should at least have that kind of resolve, right?

    ¡®Shall I push them even harder, then?¡¯

    A smirk spread across Evelyn¡¯s face, baring her fangs.

    ¡°Try blocking properly again. At this rate, you¡¯ll fail the test.¡±

    She spoke words she didn¡¯t even mean.

    Thud!

    Evelyn kicked off the ground once more.

    The sensation she hadn¡¯t felt in four years was exhrating.

    * * *

    Even though it was clearly midday, sunlight barely reached this ce.

    A middle-aged man adjusted the sses perched on the tip of his nose as he reviewed the documents handed to him by his attendant.

    ¡°This is the report on ¡®that brat¡¯?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡±

    ¡°Good. You may leave now.¡±

    With a casual wave of his hand, the middle-aged man dismissed the attendant and began scrutinizing the documents he held.

    Among them were recent photographs of Theo, Julius, and Evelyn, sitting together and conversing.

    ¡°The crippled fool of the Rose Pce meeting with themander of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry¡­ Hah, he¡¯s moving up in the world. Moving up indeed.¡±

    The middle-aged man¡¯s eyes held only one emotion as he stared at Theo.

    Contempt.

    It was as if he were looking at a rat crawling out of the sewers.

    ¡¸It doesn¡¯t seem like something you can dismiss so easily.¡¹

    At that moment, a voice echoed from above, causing the man¡¯s expression to harden slightly.

    He looked up.

    From the shadows on the ceiling, a dragon¡¯s head suddenly emerged, dangling down.

    ¡°I told you not toe out without my permission, Shaton.¡±

    The Shadow Dragon.

    One of the most unique and distinctive species of dragons in the world.

    Now, fewer than 100 individuals were left, leading to their ssification as an endangered species. Shaton was the leader of these dragons.

    But this was a top-secret fact, known to no one outside.

    For this reason, Shaton always had to dwell within the shadows, and his dissatisfaction with that was considerable.

    ¡¸It¡¯s suffocating here. How long do I have to keep hiding like a rat? I want to run wild!¡¹

    ¡°Because the time is not yet right.¡±

    ¡¸That damned ¡®time,¡¯ ¡®time,¡¯ ¡®time¡¯¡­ That ¡®time¡¯ will wear out at this rate, won¡¯t it?¡¹

    ¡°Stop the useless chatter. So, you said this matter isn¡¯t something to take lightly. What do you mean by that?¡±

    ¡¸What do you think I mean? Exactly what I said. Do you see the other person in that photograph?¡¹

    The man frowned as he looked at Evelyn in the photo.

    ¡°You mean that one-armed crippled woman?¡±

    ¡¸Yes, her.¡¹

    ¡°Who is she?¡±

    ¡¸Her name is Evelyn Nerevil, and she¡¯s the manager of the 4th Training Ground.¡¹

    ¡°And why would I need to know about a woman like that?¡±

    ¡¸Because she used to be a senior swordsman in the White Armored Dragon Cavalry.¡¹

    ¡°Hmm¡­?¡±

    ¡¸There were rumors that, during her active days, she was the right hand of themander of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry.¡¹

    A faint memory resurfaced in the middle-aged man¡¯s mind, something he had once tucked away as ¡®insignificant.¡¯

    One day, Julius stormed into the Senate unannounced, flipping it upside down and leaving several senators in shambles.

    Julius, who was usually extremely polite, had caused such amotion that the ripple effects were enormous.

    The elders who suffered injuries, some requiring at least 12 weeks of recovery, were in an uproar, demanding immediate disciplinary action against Julius.

    However, the Senate ultimately decided to leave the matter unresolved.

    This wasrgely because of the overwhelming trust the Patriarch had in Julius, and revealing to the public that a meremander had turned the Senate upside down would only tarnish the Senate¡¯s authority.

    ¡®If I remember correctly, wasn¡¯t it said that themander of the Cavalry went on a rampage back then because of some woman¡­?¡¯

    ¡¸Seems like you¡¯re finally remembering.¡¹

    The middle-aged man nodded.

    ¡°A little bit. Anyway, what about this woman?¡±

    ¡¸That woman has been practically glued to the crippled brat from the Rose Pce these days.¡¹

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡¸It looks like she¡¯s be his swordsmanship teacher or something.¡¹

    ¡°¡­The former loyal hound of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry bing the mentor to that crippled fool?¡±

    ¡¸Bingo. It¡¯s been about three months now, I think?¡¹

    The middle-aged man¡¯s face darkened with concern.

    If this was true, it wasn¡¯t something he could just overlook.

    If Theo had truly allied himself with the White Armored Dragon Cavalry, it wouldpletely disrupt his ns to seize control of the Rose Pce.

    The White Armored Dragon Cavalry held immense power within the family, making it a force even the middle-aged man had to be cautious of.

    ¡®Rendon¡­ That idiot couldn¡¯t even fulfill his mission properly and ended up dying, throwing everything off track. And now it¡¯s about to get even worse?¡¯

    Tap.

    Tap.

    The man tapped his finger on the desk repeatedly, a habit that emerged when he was deep in thought.

    ¡¸Oh, I¡¯m not sure if this news will be useful, but¡­¡¹

    ¡°What else?¡±

    ¡¸You know Narcio, right? Lately, he¡¯s been getting quite chummy with the heir of that family as well.¡¹

    The middle-aged man¡¯s contemtion ended there.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like having variables that fall outside of my predictions. This won¡¯t do. I¡¯ll have to confirm things for myself.¡±

    ¡¸Oh, are you scheming something again? What is it? What is it? Come on, tell me!¡¹

    Ignoring Shaton¡¯s antics, the man quietly pulled out a piece of paper and began jotting something down with a fountain pen before carefully folding it and sealing it in an envelope.

    ¡°To the esteemed Lord of the Rose Pce.¡±

    As he sealed the envelope, the middle-aged man spoke.

    ¡¸There you go again! Come on, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to just tell me¡­!¡¹

    ¡°Shaton.¡±

    ¡¸Oh! You¡¯re finally going to tell me?¡¹

    ¡°You¡¯re under house arrest for the next month.¡±

    ¡¸W-What?! What do you mean¡­?!¡¹

    ¡°You¡¯ve clearly been wandering around without my permission, gathering all sorts of information. Now, take some time to cool off in there.¡±

    ¡¸W-Wait a minute, master! Master? Listen to me¡­! Hey! HEEEYYY!¡¹

    Shaton¡¯s outburst continued, but the middle-aged man ignored him.

    Carrying the letter, he quietly left the room.

    * * *

    For the past three months, Theo¡¯s schedule had been entirely focused on training.

    Every day, without fail, he arrived at the 4th Training Ground at exactly 6 a.m. to begin his running routine.

    From 9 a.m., he practiced basic swordsmanship with Evelyn, followed by continuous sparring sessions starting at noon.

    Those who couldn¡¯t spar with Theo on the first day came back the next day, and those who missed their turn returned again on the third day.

    As the days went by¡ªfour, five, six days¡ªthis continuous sparring routine stretched on for three months, solidifying itself as a kind of tradition unique to the 4th Training Ground.

    The others enjoyed doing things together with Theo.

    Whether it was physical training, swordsmanship practice, or sparring, they relished it all.

    And if they couldn¡¯t spar with Theo?

    They¡¯d take turns sparring among themselves.

    To top it off, Evelyn would offer advice to them.

    In time, these individuals, once deemed ¡°dropouts,¡± slowly began to improve their skills.

    Once their group training ended and evening arrived, Theo¡¯s personal routine began.

    From 6 p.m., he would review everything that had urred that day.

    Then, starting at 9 p.m., he would delve into studying advanced sword techniques based on the insights he had gained.

    There was almost no time for rest in this mechanical routine of relentless training.

    Perhaps because of this?

    Wellington, who had initially shown great interest in Theo¡¯s activities, soon grew exhausted, not evensting a full month.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you tired?¡±

    Today was no different.

    After finishing his sparring, Wellingtony t on the floor of the training ground, spread out in the shape of a star.

    Even as someone from the Narcio family, renowned for their grueling training, he was clearly worn out.

    ¡°It¡¯s manageable.¡±

    ¡°You call this manageable¡­?¡±

    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s why I¡¯m thinking of increasing the intensity from tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°¡­More?¡±

    ¡°More.¡±

    ¡°¡­I swear, there¡¯s no one like you anywhere in this world, Theo.¡±

    Theo couldn¡¯t help but chuckle as he looked at Wellington, who was half in a daze.

    He understood perfectly well why Wellington was reacting this way.

    However¡­

    ¡®When I can feel myself getting stronger in real-time like this, how could it possibly be tiring?¡¯

    ¡ª

    +

    Theo Ragnar (Age 15, Male)

    ¨C Level: 1

    ¨C Stats (¨‹)

    ¨C Strength: 18

    ¨C Agility: 16

    ¨C Stamina: 17

    ¨C Magic Power: 195

    ¨C Intelligence: 16

    ¨C Luck: -35

    ¨C [Unreadable]

    ¨C [Unreadable]

    +

    ¡ª

    Other than [Luck], the other five stats had already increased by a total of about 20 points.

    Even [Luck], which had been steadily decreasing, had been significantly reduced over time.

    ¡®My [Magic Power] has increased by about a year¡¯s worth too. If I assume that 5 points roughly equate to one year¡¯s growth, that should be urate.¡¯

    Theo narrowed his eyes.

    ¡®The problem is, all of this seems to have hit a teautely.¡¯

    This was the issue that had been troubling Theo recently.

    It had been about two weeks.

    That was when his stat growth hadpletely stopped.

    It seemed that his current training methods were no longer helping him progress.

    ¡®I need something else.¡¯

    ¡ª

    +

    [Tutorial Quest #11]

    Experience realbat.

    ¨C Difficulty: D

    ¨C Reward: Beginner¡¯s Armor

    ¨C Failure Penalty: ¡ö¡ö

    +

    ¡ª

    ¡®So now, after unlocking the Aura Hall and focusing on my training, the next step is to actually engage in battle?¡¯

    Theo squinted again, thinking deeply.

    But to do that, he would need to take on a mission outside of Winterer.

    At the moment, however, Theo was under a ban on leaving due to the uing Blossoming Ceremony.

    ¡®Unless¡­!¡¯

    Theo¡¯s mind wandered to the possibility of a situation simr to what had happened with Rendon. Even if it wasn¡¯t an official mission, something could still arise where he could engage inbat.

    Just as he was considering this, Wellington¡¯s voice broke through his thoughts.

    ¡°¡­so, I wanted to invite you to this gathering. What do you think?¡±

    Theo snapped back to attention.

    ¡°Apologies, could you repeat that?¡±

    ¡°You seemed to be deep in thought.¡±

    ¡°I was momentarily distracted by something I need to handleter.¡±

    ¡°No problem. It wasn¡¯t anything too important. The Blossoming Ceremony is only two months away now, isn¡¯t it? So, I was thinking of organizing a gathering for those around our age who will be participating. We¡¯d like for you to attend and add some prestige to the event.¡±

    ¡®A social gathering? Ah, he¡¯s talking about the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons.¡¯

    The term hidden dragon refers to a dragon that slumbers deep beneath the waters, and it was the nickname for a group that was first formed during the year Theo participated in the Blossoming Ceremony.

    Theo¡¯s generation, including Wellington, was filled with prodigies.

    In Ragnar, Theo¡¯s generation was often referred to as the ¡°blessed generation,¡± while the generations before and after were called the ¡°cursed generations.¡±

    In fact, what started as a simple social gathering, the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons, eventually gained enough influence to control major decisions within Ragnar.

    It was no wonder the Senate had grown wary of them and had tried in vain to sow discord among the group.

    But in his previous life, Theo hadn¡¯t even been able to set foot in that gathering.

    The reason was simple¡ªhe was deemedcking in both talent and qualifications.

    Yet in this life, he was now being invited to attend.

    What an irony.

    ¡®It¡¯s true that building connections with them would be helpful in many ways. I could also gauge the skills of those I¡¯ll bepeting against at the Blossoming Ceremony.¡¯

    But could it truly be of any benefit?

    After all, it was just a gathering full of wolves, a ce that would only give him headaches.

    From what Theo recalled, in his past life, even Wellington had struggled and eventually distanced himself from the group.

    ¡®Yes, I¡¯ll decline. I need to focus on organizing the insights I gained today.¡¯

    Just as Theo was about to turn it down, Evelyn, who had been quietly listening to their conversation, suddenly chimed in, supporting Wellington¡¯s suggestion.

    ¡°I think it would be good for you to go. It¡¯s not healthy to only focus on training all the time. You need to take a break now and then.¡±

    Theo rubbed his temple with his index finger, clearly conflicted.

    ¡®What¡¯s this¡­?¡¯

    Fwoosh¡ª

    The invitation Wellington was holding began to glow with a blue light.

    The same light as the message window.

 Chapter 11

    Chapter 11: Gathering of the Hidden Dragons (1) >

    ¡°Oh, so we¡¯re finally going to meet this mysterious person Wellington keeps praising so much?¡±

    ¡°Mysterious person? Why do you have to make it sound so childish? What is this, a detective story?¡±

    ¡°Well, you¡¯ve been hiding him so tightly all this time, despite all our begging to find out who he is.¡±

    Wellington gave a wry smile in response to his friends¡¯ endless jabs.

    In truth, he understood why they were saying such things.

    For the past three months, instead of spending time with his friends, he had practically been glued to the 4th Training Grounds.

    He had even turned down numerous group gatherings and blind dates, which he usually enjoyed so much.

    Because of that, his friends¡­ the members of the ¡®Gathering of the Hidden Dragons,¡¯ had made it their biggest topic of conversation: ¡°Who in the world is the guy who¡¯s caught the attention of the heir of House Narcio?¡±

    But throughout all this, Wellington had never once mentioned Theo.

    ¡®These guys still have strong prejudices against Lord Theo.¡¯

    Even though rumors were spreading that Theo had begun to change recently, those rumors were only circting among lower-ranking swordsmen.

    For those like the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons, who were already part of the ruling ss, such gossip was hardly of interest.

    ¡®That¡¯s why, through this meeting, I want him to break free from his old image.¡¯

    Wellington believed Theo would fit in perfectly with this group.

    After all, he wasn¡¯t someone Wellington would have acknowledged defeat to for no reason.

    No, even if that wasn¡¯t the case¡­

    From what Wellington had observed so far, Theo was different from other people.

    Perseverance.

    Effort.

    Desire.

    Talent.

    He had everything.

    ¡®And on top of that, he has leadership. His character is solid. He¡¯s not someone who will remain a mere illegitimate child forever.¡¯

    In fact, Wellington had first approached Theo simply because he was ¡®bored.¡¯

    But now, he hadpletelye to admire Theo.

    However, there was one problem.

    ¡®I¡¯m still not entirely sure if we¡¯re actually¡­ friends.¡¯

    Theo kept a certain distance, not only from Wellington but from everyone else as well.

    That was why Wellington wanted to invite Theo to the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons all the more.

    He thought that if he showed Theo his own sincerity, Theo might open his heart, even just a little.

    ¡®This isn¡¯t some kind of unrequited love, so why am I acting like this?¡¯

    It just went to show how captivating a person Theo really was.

    ¡°Hey, stop pushing Wellington so much. You¡¯ll all meet him soon enough, so what¡¯s the rush?¡±

    At that moment, the mood shifted as one man, who had been silently listening to the conversation, spoke up from the side.

    ¡°R-right¡­?¡±

    ¡°Well, if it¡¯s someone Wellington praised, he must be someone who can fit in with us.¡±

    ¡°I wonder what family¡¯s blood he inherited. It¡¯d be nice if he were one of us.¡±

    ¡°If he¡¯s from your side, the blood¡¯s probably a bit too impure, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°You bastard! Insulting my family? Duel me. Let¡¯s fight.¡±

    ¡°Ha ha ha! Just kidding, just kidding.¡±

    ¡°Who jokes about things like that¡­¡±

    ¡°In any case, I¡¯m already excited to meet him! Haha!¡±

    The man, seemingly pleased with the shift in mood, smiled and winked at Wellington.

    Wellington responded with an awkward smile.

    Even just sitting there, exuding an aura thatmanded the atmosphere, there was a glimpse of the fearsome nature of Ragnar. Yet, that gaze that looked down on everyone- including Wellington and the others there- as if it was only natural they were beneath him, still irritated him.

    It was a mix of affection as a friend and irritation as a rival.

    Axion Ragnar, nicknamed the ¡°Dark Tiger.¡±

    Born from the third wife, he was the legitimate son, along with Ray Ragnar, the ¡°Snow-Ice Sword,¡± and one of the most promising figures being spotlighted for the uing Blossoming Ceremony.

    While he usually came across as yful and full ofughter, his pride and arrogance in himself were equally immense.

    He was also the de facto leader of the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons.

    ¡®The only concern is Axion, but there¡¯s no connection between Lord Theo and Axion, so¡­ there shouldn¡¯t be any issues.¡¯

    Wellington downed the whiskey in his hand, putting an end to his thoughts.

    Because of that, he didn¡¯t notice it.

    He failed to see Axion still watching him with that peculiar smile.

    * * *

    For the first time since his regression, Theo found himself in an awkward situation.

    ¡°How about this outfit, young master?¡±

    ¡°No, sister. I think a shirt with frills would suit him better.¡±

    ¡°What about a tailcoat?¡±

    ¡°It looks nice, but won¡¯t it seem a bit over the top?¡±

    ¡°Then let¡¯s go with this color for this part¡­¡±

    ¡°What about this hat?¡±

    ¡°Oh my, oh my. What a perfect fit! It gives you such a distinguished look.¡±

    ¡°With your build, anything looks good on you!¡±

    Chatter, chatter.

    The news of Theo making his debut in high society had spread quickly among the maids of the Rose Pce.

    ¨C The young master is making his debut in high society for the first time!

    ¨C And it¡¯s for a grand party that Wellington Narcio himself invited him to!

    ¨C There¡¯ll be all sorts of distinguished guests in attendance!

    ¡°- How could we let the young master walk around looking shabby!¡±

    ¡°- Let¡¯s make sure he stands out the most at the gathering!¡±

    ¡°- With such a handsome face and a slim figure, everything will look great on him!¡±

    The maids were so engrossed in finding the perfect outfit for Theo that they had abandoned their other duties entirely.

    Thanks to this, Theo had be nothing more than a doll for dress-up, with the world spinning around him.

    ¡®Where am I¡­ who am I¡­?¡¯

    Clothes just needed to befortable to move in, right?

    Theo had always thought this way, but he had no choice but to concede to the maids, who were adamant that he waspletely wrong.

    In truth, as someone who had always been treated as the ck sheep of his family, he had only ever heard about high society, knowing nothing about its intricacies.

    All he knew was that elegantly dressed men and women mingled while exchanging secret conversations behind the scenes.

    With such little understanding of this world, Theo had no choice but to leave his fate in the hands of these maids, who were veterans of such matters.

    ¡®Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have agreed to attend¡­¡¯

    Theo had epted the invitation primarily to gather more information about the mysterious blue light.

    His instinct told him it was connected to the message somehow.

    ¡®Even though the light disappeared as soon as I received the invitation.¡¯

    Still, he needed to uncover the secret of the message, no matter what.

    So, despite the nuisance, he resolved to attend the gathering. It was at that moment-

    Bang!

    ¡°Who dares dress my son in such vulgar and shabby garments!¡±

    The door flew open with a sharp sound as Cecilia stormed into the room.

    Behind her, a procession of people hurried in.

    Tailors dressed neatly, servants holding armfuls of various fabrics, barbers with scissors in hand, and others carrying makeup tools all flooded in. There were even porters struggling to moverge full-body mirrors and chairs.

    ¡°You call this suitable for my son? These worthless rags! How can you im to be attending to my son with such poor judgment? Tsk!¡±

    Cecilia clicked her tongue as she inspected the clothes hanging on the racks.

    The maids immediately lowered their heads in shame.

    Theo wondered if he should step in, but before he could, Cecilia turned around with a bright smile as if nothing had happened.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard the news, my dear. You received an invitation from the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡±

    ¡°Then how could you note straight to your mother for this!¡±

    Cecilia took a deep breath before continuing.

    ¡°The Gathering of the Hidden Dragons is full of prodigies like willington and Axion, the son of that cunning one, Emil. Naturally, they draw a lot of attention. Even the Senate has its eyes on them. Because of that, every little thing- your clothing, your manners, your court etiquette- will be scrutinized.¡±

    Theo could only silently nod.

    He understood the unspoken words Cecilia had left out.

    A son born of a concubine.

    Just that alone was enough for many to sneer and assume he knew nothing of proper social etiquette.

    He had experienced it countless times in his previous life.

    ¡°You, my dear son, have always had a serious nature since childhood, so there¡¯s no risk of your manners being criticized. However, your appearance and refinement are different matters. Those things rely on one¡¯s discerning eye, which isn¡¯t something that develops overnight.¡±

    Cecilia smiled confidently.

    ¡°Luckily, your mother is more than capable of assisting you in those areas. Now, what are you all doing? Hurry up and attend to my son.¡±

    p!

    At Cecilia¡¯s light p, four tailors approached Theo with measuring tapes.

    ¡°Excuse us.¡±

    From there, everything happened in a swift, coordinated fashion.

    They measured his body meticulously, taking detailed notes, and asked him various questions about his preferences.

    The barbers seated Theo in front of a full-length mirror and began tidying his hair into suitable styles, while the makeup experts discussed which colors bestplemented his skin tone.

    Then, they all gathered together to exchange ideas, conversing in terms that werergely iprehensible to Theo.

    What was surprising was that Cecilia led the entire process.

    She wasn¡¯t simply imposing her own ideas; she understood the professionals¡¯ suggestions and provided detailed feedback.

    Her expression was one ofplete seriousness.

    How could one describe it?

    She seemed full of life.

    ¡®Did Mother always have this side to her?¡¯

    For Theo, who only remembered his mother as bitter, envious, and prone to outbursts, it was a shocking revtion.

    ¡®Now that I think about it, she was a famous actress when she caught the eye of the patriarch. Did she learn all this from those days?¡¯

    The maids of the Rose Pce also seemed surprised, having never seen this side of Cecilia before.

    p!

    ¡°Then, start working immediately based on what we¡¯ve discussed.¡±

    The barbers were the first to get to work, trimming Theo¡¯s long, unkempt hair that had been left unattended for some time.

    The makeup artists followed, refining his sunburned features, giving them a more polished look.

    Once he was dressed in a temporarily tailored suit and even fitted with shoes, Theo stood before the full-length mirror.

    The reflection staring back at him felt incredibly awkward.

    In contrast¡­

    ¡°Oh my, oh my, oh my¡­!¡±

    ¡°Is that really the young master¡­?¡±

    Cheers erupted from all directions.

    Some of the maids blushed as they stole nces at Theo¡¯s side profile, sneaking peeks whenever they could.

    Theo, already known for having one of the most handsome faces in all of Ragnar, now looked even more refined.

    His attire was equally impressive.

    The outfit, designed to entuate his lean yet well-toned physique, fit him like wings- effortlessly enhancing his presence.

    ¡°How is it? Do you like it?¡± Cecilia asked, smiling confidently, clearly proud of her handiwork.

    ¡°Uh¡­ it¡¯s really ufortable.¡±

    ¡°Comfort and style often work in opposition to each other, my dear. But you¡¯ll have to bear with it. This is part of your debut at the Blossoming Ceremony after all.¡±

    Cecilia stood beside Theo, tilting her head in slight curiosity.

    ¡°By the way, have you grown taller recently? Your shoulders seem broader too. You¡¯vepletely outgrown me now.¡±

    Theo, not wanting to delve into the strange developments caused by the message, gave a vague response.

    ¡°Seems that way.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re definitely in your growth phase. Your features have sharpened quite a bit. It reminds me so much of the patriarch¡¯s younger days¡­¡±

    For a brief moment, Theo caught a glimpse of a bitter smile forming on Cecilia¡¯s lips.

    However, she quickly returned to her confident, assured expression as if nothing had happened.

    ¡°Remember this. You are the son of Cecilia. Wherever you go, be bold and dignified. Never let yourself feel small. If you stand tall, the world will not dare to harm you.¡±

    Whether this encouragement came from her twisted affection and possessiveness over her son, it didn¡¯t matter.

    ¡°Even if you happen to make some mistake, don¡¯t worry. I will always be the umbre that shields you from harm.¡±

    Theo felt a strange emotion welling up inside him, something he hadn¡¯t experienced from her before.

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    For some reason, a faint tickling sensation spread from just beneath his heart.

    * * *

    ¡°¡­Is that really Lord Theo? It feels like you¡¯re apletely different person.¡±

    ¡°Are you teasing me, Wellington?¡±

    Theo sighed as he climbed into the carriage that Wellington had sent to meet him at the Rose Pce.

    ¡®It really does suit me, though.¡¯

    Wellington had a somewhat awkward expression at the unexpected misunderstanding. The phrase clothes make the man had never been truer; Theo looked so different that, for a moment, it was hard to recognize him.

    Perhaps at this gathering, Theo would undoubtedly be the most striking figure, male or female, in terms of appearance.

    tter-

    The carriage wheels began to roll.

    The location of the banquet was the Camellia Pce, quite a distance from the Rose Pce.

    As he watched Theo still awkwardly shifting in his clothes, clearly ufortable, Wellington spoke.

    ¡°I heard this is Lord Theo¡¯s first time attending such a banquet.¡±

    Theo silently nodded.

    ¡°Even so, as a lord, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll handle it well, even if it feels a bit unfamiliar. My friends are quite curious about you as well. They¡¯re not bad people, just¡­¡±

    ¡°Is there something you¡¯re concerned about?¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s just that Axion¡­ He can be a bit¡­ no, actually, very mischievous. But he doesn¡¯t mean any harm¡­¡±

    Wellington¡¯s words trailed off, but Theo wasn¡¯t listening anymore.

    Axion.

    That name lingered in Theo¡¯s ears.

    ¡®Rendon left the Rose Pce and aligned himself with Axion. Was that really just a coincidence, or¡­?¡¯

    Theo asionally entertained such thoughts.

    ¨C Could it be that the false usations against my mother and my death in the previous life were part of a conspiracy that had been brewing for a long time?

    ¨C Was Rendon truly uninvolved?

    Theo¡¯s thoughts trailed off as they ran deeper.

    ¡°¡­The one who insisted on inviting Lord Theo to the gathering was actually Axion. So I hope you won¡¯t think poorly of him.¡±

    At that moment, Theo¡¯s eyes gleamed.

    ¡®Is that so?¡¯

 Chapter 12

    Chapter 12: Gathering of the Hidden Dragons (2) >

    Axion Ragnar.

    The second son of the third wife, ¡®Emil,¡¯ the Mistress of Camellia Pce.

    Emil was the daughter of Marquis Troyban, a prestigious family from the East, known for its swordsmanship that rivaled even that of the Ragnar family.

    Thanks to the backing of such a remarkable maternal family, Axion had a solid standing from a young age.

    And on top of that, he possessed exceptional talent.

    Some praised this as the union of the two greatest swordsmanship families of the North and East, the fruit of Ragnar and Troyban¡¯s alliance.

    Because of this, Axion had be one of the most prominent contenders among the Ragnar heirs by the time he reached adulthood.

    ¡®The influence of his organization, the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons, was also considerable.¡¯

    You could tell just by the fact that the opportunist Rendon had turned to Axion as soon as he escaped the Rose Pce.

    However¡ª

    ¡®Axion moved the moment Rendon died¡­? Can this really be a mere coincidence?¡¯

    In truth, Theo had only spected about a possible link between Rendon and Axion, but he hadn¡¯t thought it usible.

    After all, a family like Troyban had no reason to rely on a shady swindler like Rendon.

    Even if they did, was either Cecilia or Theo really valuable enough to warrant their attention? He wasn¡¯t so sure.

    Now that things had turned out like this, though, it was no longer something he could dismiss so easily.

    ¡®I¡¯ve kept my distance from people, not knowing who might be pulling whose strings¡­ And this is where it leads?¡¯

    Having once climbed fairly high within an intelligence organization, Theo knew that nothing in this world was a coincidence.

    ¡®Well, I¡¯ll find out for sure once I check it out myself.¡¯

    Perhaps there was some connection to the blue light that had lingered on the invitation.

    As these thoughts swirled in his mind¡ª

    Creak!

    The carriage came to a halt.

    ¡°It seems we¡¯ve arrived.¡±

    Wellington opened the carriage door and stepped out first, followed by Theo.

    They were met with the sight of a castle that appeared to be at least two or three times the size of the Rose Pce.

    At that moment¡ª

    ¡°Young Lord Theo!¡±

    Wellington, having spotted something, cried out in rm.

    But Theo had already reacted first.

    A heavy sack was falling from the sky.

    Fwoosh!

    Theo dodged just in time as the sack exploded where he had been standing.

    A thick cloud of flour burst forth, spreading like mist.

    ¡°Axion! What do you think you¡¯re doing?!¡±

    Wellington¡¯s furious gazended on the culprit.

    Kahaha!

    Axion stood there, bursting intoughter.

    Meanwhile, the otherpanions gathered at the entrance wore awkward expressions as they nced back and forth between the two of them.

    ¡°What kind of behavior is this, you ask? It¡¯s a weing greeting for a new friend. But when I saw who it was, it turned out to be Theo! Wow, it¡¯s been a while. Nice to see you!¡±

    Although there were dozens of direct descendants of the House of Ragnar, only about three or four of them were the same age, fifteen.

    Even if they didn¡¯t interact regrly, they at least knew each other by sight.

    Theo swept back his slightly tousled hair as he stared at Axion.

    If he hadn¡¯t dodged, the clothes his mother had painstakingly prepared for him would have been ruined.

    The guy was exactly the same as in his previous life.

    ¡®Honestly, I should have expected this from him.¡¯

    [¡°Observing ¡®Axion Ragnar.¡¯¡±]

    +

    Axion Ragnar (Age 15/Male)

    ¨C Title: Dark Leopard

    ¨C Talent: Madness. Psychopath.

    ¨C Condition: Excited at the discovery of a new toy.

    +

    ¡®A toy? Does he see me as a toy?¡¯

    As expected, the information window confirmed what Theo had predicted.

    ¡°You¡¯re not saying anything. Are you mad? Come on, at least ept a greeting from your brother.¡±

    ¡°No. I¡¯m not mad, I just didn¡¯t expect such an intense wee.¡±

    ¡°A wee¡­ are you thanking me?¡±

    Axion¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t attention better than indifference?¡±

    Theo¡¯s calm response made Axion chuckle.

    ¡°You.¡±

    Axion¡¯s gaze curved as he focused on Theo.

    ¡°You¡¯ve be quite interesting since Ist saw you.¡±

    * * *

    The ballroom, where soft music yed in the background, was unusually quiet.

    It was originally supposed to be a lively social gathering, but today, it was oddly subdued.

    Wellington was furious over Axion¡¯s sudden outburst, and everyone else was busy reading his mood.

    ¡°Once again, I apologize on his behalf. He¡¯s not usually like this¡­ I think he just got a bit too excited today.¡±

    ¡°Really, it¡¯s fine. Axion has always been yful, hasn¡¯t he?¡±

    Despite Theo¡¯s repeated reassurances, Wellington couldn¡¯t bring himself to leave his side.

    ¡®At this rate¡­ I¡¯ll never be able to face Lord Theo again.¡¯

    Wellington had hoped to introduce his close friends to Theo and be ¡®real¡¯ friends with him as well.

    But now, he had to worry about whether they would grow more distant instead.

    The atmosphere was so awkward that none of the other guests dared to approach Theo.

    In many ways, it was frustrating.

    ¡®Why on earth did Axion pull such an absurd stunt¡­?¡¯

    But contrary to Wellington¡¯s concerns, Theo was actually enjoying this banquet.

    Since no one was engaging with him, Theo could leisurely explore the interior of Camellia Pce.

    And then¡ª

    ¡®There should definitely be something here connected to that blue light¡­¡¯

    Perhaps he could see the same light he had spotted in the invitation here as well. Or maybe a new message would emerge.

    His gaze stopped around the central hallway that led to the second-floor staircase.

    At the end of the stairs.

    Through the narrow crack of an old door, which looked like it led to a storage room, a faint blue light seeped out.

    There it was.

    Theo¡¯s eyes gleamed.

    Just as he was considering how to approach the second floor naturally without raising any suspicion, a voice interrupted his thoughts.

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you enjoying the banquet and sitting around here doing nothing?¡±

    Axion approached, twirling a whiskey ss in his hand.

    Wellington¡¯s face hardened immediately, but Theo, unbothered, asked casually, ¡°That thing in your hand, it looks like alcohol.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. You¡¯re right. How¡¯d you know?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s supposed to be banned until theing-of-age ceremony.¡±

    ¡°Heh. When else would I get a chance to act like an adult, if not now?¡±

    Theo let out a smallugh.

    In a ce like the House of Ragnar, with its strict rules, Axion was probably the only one who could be so nonchnt.

    ¡°But Theo, why have you changed so much? You¡¯ve gotten really tall. And your physique looks solid too. You used to talk a lot more, remember?¡±

    ¡°Just thought I¡¯d try being different.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Why all of a sudden?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to mess up too badly during the Blossoming Ceremony. It¡¯d be embarrassing.¡±

    ¡°Ahaha! That¡¯s true. With so many people watching, messing up would be humiliating¡ª utterly humiliating.¡±

    Theo couldn¡¯t tell what Axion was really thinking, even though he was smiling widely.

    ¡°Anyway, about earlier¡ªsorry. Wellington and the butler both scolded me pretty hard. So, you¡¯ll forgive me, right? Yeah? Yeah?¡±

    It didn¡¯t seem like the attitude of someone sincerely apologizing, but¡ª

    ¡°Is there really anything to apologize for?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°As you said, it was just a greeting between brothers.¡±

    ¡°Right? We just exchanged greetings.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°Kahahaha. See? Our Theo is so generous.¡±

    Thump!

    Thump!

    Axion pped Theo¡¯s shoulder hard as heughed loudly.

    It was clear to anyone watching that Axion was looking down on Theo.

    Theo could hear the murmurs of onlookers who were ncing their way.

    ¨C At least it all worked out without any major conflict. I was worried Axion and Wellington were going to fight.

    ¨C Right? If those two started fighting, ugh!

    ¨C But really, isn¡¯t that something anyone could handle? I think Wellington took it too seriously.

    ¨C Exactly, that¡¯s what I¡¯m saying.

    ¨C Isn¡¯t it kind of funny though? If you think about it, what¡¯s there to be angry about? Isn¡¯t it ridiculous for a bastard with no real standing to even try to argue with someone of Troyban¡¯s noble blood?

    ¨C Well, if we¡¯re being honest, Wellington too¡­

    ¨C Hey! Watch your mouth!

    ¨C Oh, right. That¡¯s a banned topic, isn¡¯t it?

    They thought they were having a quiet conversation amongst themselves, but since they weren¡¯t exactly subtle types, everyone nearby could hear them clearly.

    Wellington¡¯s face flushed bright red with anger.

    For the first time in his life, he was ashamed of his friends.

    Up until now, he had always thought of them as understanding and broad-minded, but he never imagined they could be so narrow-minded.

    He was about to get up and snap at them¡ª

    ¡°So.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°I suppose I can give a ¡®greeting¡¯ to my new friends as well?¡±

    At Theo¡¯s sudden remark to Axion, Wellington¡¯s gaze shifted.

    What was he nning?

    Just as Axion was about to ask a question, Theo suddenly threw the ss he was holding toward the group of loudmouths who had beenughing.

    Thud¡ª

    Crash!

    The guy who had been mocking others¡¯ bloodlines got hit square in the head, causing it to snap back violently.

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    No one had expected something like this to happen, and their eyes widened in shock.

    ¡°You bastard! How dare you!¡±

    The guy whose head was now bleeding profusely charged at Theo.

    But Theo remainedpletely unphased, calmly standing up.

    ¡°Bastard? I was just happy to meet my new friends and wanted to greet them properly.¡±

    As the guy¡¯s fist flew toward Theo¡¯s face¡ª

    ¡°Saying such harsh things, it hurts my feelings, you know?¡±

    Theo casually tilted his head to the side, effortlessly dodging the punch. In the same motion, he closed the gap between them and grabbed the guy¡¯s arm.

    Then, with a swift movement, he flipped him over.

    Boom!

    ¡°Argh! Let go! Let go of me! Can¡¯t you hear me?¡±

    The guy thrashed around, desperately trying to shake Theo off, but for some reason, he couldn¡¯t overpower the force holding him down.

    ¡°Ah, is it because we haven¡¯t properly introduced ourselves yet? Hey, Axion.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    Axion, strangely amused, wasughing even though his friend was being overpowered.

    ¡°We¡¯re friends before we¡¯re brothers, right?¡±

    ¡°And what about it?¡±

    ¡°So if they¡¯re your friends, that makes them my friends too, right? I suppose it doesn¡¯t matter then.¡±

    Theo smirked as he twisted the arm he was holding.

    Crack!

    ¡°Aaaaargh!¡±

    The sound of a harrowing scream filled the ballroom, recing the music that had long since stopped. Some onlookers turned their heads, unable to bear the sight of the arm bent at an unnatural angle.

    ¡°Since I greeted you so warmly, I suppose I should say goodbye as well, right?¡±

    ¡°Wa-wait¡­!¡±

    Crunch!

    The other arm was twisted as well, so violently that the white bone of the elbow protruded through the torn muscles. The injury was so severe, he would never wield a sword again.

    Theo let go of the guy, who had passed out from the sheer pain, foaming at the mouth.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Everyone was stunned, shocked that Theo had gone this far. Only Axion, who was watching with keen interest, seemed amused.

    Theo chuckled.

    ¡®Still just a bunch of kids.¡¯

    No matter how high and mighty they acted, they were all still minors. It must have been a shocking sight for these sheltered, greenhouse flowers, who had never ventured beyond the protection of their families, to be so easily defeated by Theo, the one they had always treated as a ¡°cripple.¡±

    Only Axion, with his inherently cruel nature, appeared to enjoy the situation.

    As expected, a Ragnar was still a Ragnar.

    ¡°Anyone else want to exchange greetings?¡±

    Theo¡¯s cold, dragon-like eyes swept across the room.

    Everyone mped their lips shut, the silence growing deeper.

    ¡°¡­Do you even realize what you¡¯ve done?¡±

    One of the boys finally stepped forward, biting his lower lip. He was the close friend of the guy Theo had just taken down.

    ¡°And if I do?¡±

    ¡°No. You don¡¯t know. That guy is¡­!¡±

    ¡°The third son of the Hanabi family, right?¡±

    ¡°You knew, and still did this?!¡±

    The Hanabi family was one of the Six Snow Families that supported the Ragnar household. They were on the same level as the House of Narcio.

    Just then¡ª

    sh!

    Screech¡ª

    Suddenly, four swordsmen descended from the sky like bolts of light, pointing their des at Theo¡¯s throat.

    ¡°The crime of injuring the young master.¡±

    ¡°You will pay with your life.¡±

    Despite the sharp swords threatening him, Theo didn¡¯t even blink. Instead, he raised one eyebrow, smirking.

    ¡°Dare you, mereckeys from a lowly knight family, not even vassals of Ragnar, speak of iming my life?¡±

    In that moment, the four swordsmen felt an invisible pressure, their shoulders weighed down by an overwhelming aura they couldn¡¯tprehend.

    ¡°Can you bear the consequences of those words?¡±

    Boom¡­!

    The sound of Theo¡¯s heart pounding seemed to reverberate through Camellia Pce itself.

    Thud thud thud thud¡ª

    The Dragon¡¯s Heart had begun to beat.

    (E/n: king? What are you doing here?)

 Chapter 13

    Chapter 13: Gathering of the Hidden Dragons (3)

    ¡°How¡¯s the new swordsmanship disciple? Does he meet your expectations?¡±

    Evelyn red at Julius, who had recently be her boss once again after previously having left the position. As usual, he came to her quarters every week, picking only the most expensive wine and finishing it off.

    Pop!

    Yet again, a bottle of pricey wine met its demise today.

    She had even swapped thebel beforehand, but how did he always manage to find the most expensive one?

    ¡°¡­Don¡¯t you ever go on business trips, Captain? You were barely around Winterer when I was here.¡±

    ¡°Why? Am I bothering you?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Making your life difficult is the highlight of my daystely.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Alright, alright. Keep ring like that, and you¡¯ll bore a hole in my face.¡±

    Julius, savoring the aroma of the freshly opened wine, returned to the original topic.

    ¡°So, what¡¯s your answer?¡±

    ¡°It was different from what I expected.¡±

    ¡°Was he not that impressive?¡±

    ¡°No, he exceeded my expectations.¡±

    Julius smiled as if he had predicted her response.

    Evelyn continued speaking with a solemn expression.

    ¡°I¡¯m a bit embarrassed, but you probably remember that I¡¯ve taught swordsmanship to quite a few people over the years.¡±

    ¡°You were always in charge of training the new recruits in the White Armored Dragon Cavalry. Your swordsmanship has always been both precise and sharp. Even the ¡®Dark Leopard¡¯ learned under your guidance, didn¡¯t he?¡±

    Evelyn nodded.

    Though most people didn¡¯t know, the truth was that Axion had truly begun to stand out after being trained by Evelyn.

    That¡¯s why, when Evelyn lost her arm and retired, the Camellia Pce had sent her the most offers to return.

    ¡°If we¡¯re only talking about posture and talent¡­ Young Master Theo is among the top five students I¡¯ve ever taught. Thanks to him, I feel like I¡¯m learning something new every day.¡±

    ¡°As I thought. My eyes weren¡¯t wrong.¡±

    That was enough.

    Julius nodded in satisfaction.

    For Theo, a promising talent, he would ensure the right path. For Evelyn, his old subordinate, he would provide renewed motivation.

    This was exactly the oue Julius had envisioned from the start.

    And in truth, Julius could see Evelyn changing day by day. Not long ago, she was trembling, drunk, and unstable.

    Now, Evelyn¡¯s gaze had be quite sharp.

    Seeing her stay up all night, pondering what to teach next, reminded Julius of the intense days she spent as a member of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry.

    No doubt, his swordsmanship had also sharpened considerably.

    By now, he could easily outmatch most average trainee swordsmen.

    ¡°But there¡¯s something strange.¡±

    ¡°Hmm? Strange, you say?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Young Master Theo¡¯s swordsmanship feels incredibly desperate. As if he believes he will die if he misses this opportunity.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that just because the Blossoming Ceremony is approaching?¡±

    ¡°I thought the same¡­ but¡­¡±

    Evelyn held back the rest of her words.

    The truth was, Theo had nothing to worry about. He was a model student, diligently learning, reviewing, and mastering everything. But paradoxically, that¡¯s precisely why Evelyn felt something ominous about him.

    ¡ªIt was like watching someone burn themselves alive.

    Theo was throwing everything he had into every moment, as if he might burn outpletely at this rate.

    Maybe that¡¯s why?

    Theo kept a certain distance, not only from Evelyn, but also from Wellington and the others at the 4th Training Hall, whom he saw every day.

    On the surface, there didn¡¯t seem to be any major problems. He ate meals with others, held various conversations. But that was where it ended.

    It was impossible to step into any space that truly belonged to Theo. He was so absorbed in himself that he seemed to have no energy or care for anything else.

    ¡®I sent him to the banquet, hoping he¡¯d clear his head.¡¯

    Axion may be a mischievous type, but Evelyn had thought he would take good care of Theo.

    ¡®But if he¡¯s staying true to his core, even there¡­¡¯

    Evelyn paused, letting out a small sigh.

    Is this how a mother feels when she worries after leaving her child near water? Truthfully, she was a bit concerned.

    ¡°You look like you¡¯ve just realized you¡¯re out of toilet paper after seeing something huge.¡±

    ¡°¡­Must you always express yourself that way?¡±

    But Julius, wearing a knowing smile, acted as if he already understood exactly how she felt.

    Sigh!

    Evelyn let out a deep, heavy sigh, as if she had no choice but to exin herself.

    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll tell you¡­.¡±

    Slowly, she began to unravel the concerns she had about Theo, one by one.

    * * *

    Theo didn¡¯t care at all about the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons¡¯ments regarding his status as an illegitimate child.

    After all, he had heard it far too many times in his previous life.

    Would it make sense to let his emotions be swayed by such trivial things?

    Instead, his thoughts were focused on only one thing:

    How could he find a way to get to the second floor?

    But then¡ª

    ¨C Well, if we¡¯re being honest, even Wel¡­!

    The moment the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons members mentioned Wellington, all other thoughts vanished from Theo¡¯s mind.

    He knew the real reason why Wellington had eventually broken ties with the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons, despite being so close to them, and why he had ended up in opposition to the House of Ragnar.

    It was a secret that no one outside knew.

    Or, rather, it was a disgraceful history that the House of Narcio desperately wanted to keep hidden.

    So, without even realizing it, Theo hurled the ss in his hand toward the group.

    He just wanted them to shut up.

    ¡®It might have been emotional¡­ but, well, no matter.¡¯

    Theo didn¡¯t regret what he did. After all, even if he had restrained himself, it wouldn¡¯t have changed the fact that they would continue to look down on both him and Wellington.

    ¨C Once you¡¯ve decided to make a move, make sure to be ruthless until the end.

    Julius had once given him that advice in the past.

    If that was the case, then perhaps it was better to leave a strong impression on them.

    ¡®Still¡­ I didn¡¯t expect to get so worked up over Wellington¡¯s situation.¡¯

    He thought he had maintained enough distance all this time.

    But it just didn¡¯t sit right with him.

    He couldn¡¯t stand seeing Wellington being disrespected.

    Thump, thump, thump, thump!

    The Dragon¡¯s Heart beat wildly.

    Blood rushed quickly through his veins, magic power seeping into every muscle and nerve, forcefully activating his entire body. Around him, a palpable killing intent began to bloom.

    ¡°What¡­ what kind of aura is this?!¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t he just an initiate who hasn¡¯t even gone through the Blossoming Ceremony yet?¡±

    ¡°Is this¡­ aura? No, it can¡¯t be. But how is he¡­?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t breathe¡­!¡±

    The four bodyguards, who had been escorting the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons, turned pale,pletely overwhelmed by the aura emanating from Theo.

    By all logic, they, who had awakened their aura, should have held the upper hand in terms of strengthpared to Theo.

    Yet, for some reason, they couldn¡¯t shake off the overwhelming feeling that there was nothing they could do to him.

    At that moment, they finally realized the grave mistake they had made.

    ¡ªThey had dared to speak of death to the bloodline of the Dragon.

    The House of Ragnar are the rulers of the North. Moreover, it was the lord that reigned over the Six Snow Families.

    No matter how much of an illegitimate child Theo was, he still carried the direct bloodline of the family head.

    Which meant he had the right to the throne.

    To threaten someone like that with death?

    It was a crime so grave that even if their entire family were wiped out, they would have no right toin.

    ¡®We must apologize immediately¡­!¡¯

    But before any of them could utter a word¡ª

    ¡°Kill them.¡±

    Theo¡¯s voice was cold as ice.

    Shing!

    St!

    In an instant, a blinding sh of light swept through the air, and four heads floated into the sky.

    Beneath them, Evelyn stood with a chilling gaze, shaking the blood off her sword.

    Whoosh!

    Underneath the cloak Evelyn had draped around her shoulders, her pristine white uniform became visible. Her right shoulder bore an unmistakable blue insignia.

    Dragon Knight.

    The word ¡°Dragon Knight¡± symbolized the elite unit of the House of Ragnar, the White Armored Dragon Cavalry.

    And the blue insignia represented a senior-level master swordsman.

    Just by her mere presence, it felt as if the Camellia Pce had be drenched in the scent of blood.

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°How¡­ Evelyn, how are you here?¡±

    Axion¡¯s face, in particr, grew deeply shadowed, as if something impossible had just urred.

    * * *

    ¡°How did you know I was here?¡±

    Step!

    Evelyn stepped forward, positioning herself protectively in front of Theo. Then, in a voice only Theo could hear, she whispered softly, barely moving her lips.

    It was a technique known as Transmission, a method of concentrating magic to deliver sound directly to a chosen recipient.

    ¡®Instead of worrying alone, I thought it¡¯d be best to see it with my own eyes¡¯

    It was a step taken on Julius¡¯s advice, but now that she¡¯d been discovered, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit embarrassed.

    But part of a sword master¡¯s duty is to protect their disciple. She couldn¡¯t just stand idly by.

    She had seen clearly just how brazen and arrogant the members of the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons were.

    ¡®Just like the Elder Council. Even these young ones are behaving like that already¡­!¡¯

    Grit.

    Evelyn clenched her teeth.

    The House of Ragnar was already rotten, reeking of corruption from the depths.

    And then there was Axion, looking in her direction.

    The fact that he had turned out just like them¡ªno longer the child she once remembered¡ªinfuriated her even more.

    That¡¯s why, even when he asked why she was siding with Theo, she didn¡¯t bother giving him a response.

    In her heart, the master had already cast away her former pupil.

    Meanwhile, Theo watched Evelyn¡¯s deadly figure from behind and smiled faintly.

    ¡®I wonder how she¡¯d react if I told her I knew from the moment we got in the carriage.¡¯

    The Dragon¡¯s Heart wasn¡¯t merely forming his second Aura Hall.

    By activating his nerve cells and heightening all his senses, Theo had sharpened his perception to an extraordinary level.

    This had opened his qi sense, often referred to as the ¡°sixth sense,¡± allowing him to detect the subtle energies around him. If others realized that Theo¡¯s qi sense was already more refined than most trainee swordsmen, they would surely be rmed.

    But thanks to this heightened awareness, he could now rely on Evelyn as his ¡°sword.¡±

    Step, step!

    Evelyn resumed walking. Each step sshed through the pools of blood that had spilled from the fallen bodies.

    ¡°W-wait a moment, Young Master Theo!¡±

    ¡°We didn¡¯t mean it that way¡­!¡±

    ¡°Please, listen to us!¡±

    The members who had insulted Theo by calling him an illegitimate child were now turning pale with fear.

    ¡°Evelyn.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Young Master Theo.¡±

    ¡°Are you really not going to exin it to them?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ve insulted an heir. What¡¯s the punishment in such cases?¡±

    ¡°¡­Strangely, you remind me of the Captain like this. Have you been getting lessons from him behind my back as well?¡±

    Suppressing a sigh, Evelyn spoke in a solemn voice, her eyes sharp once more.

    ¡°ording to the family rules, immediate execution is permissible.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re all young, still haven¡¯t gone through the Blossoming Ceremony. I¡¯ll be lenient and take only an arm from each.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    Swish!

    Once again, Evelyn moved like a white gust of wind.

    ¡°The second son of the Byron family.¡±

    ¡°W-wait! Ugh!¡±

    ¡°The fourth daughter of the Ceres Merchant Guild.¡±

    ¡°Ahhhhh!¡±

    ¡°The eldest of the Red and White Mercenaries.¡±

    ¡°This can¡¯t be¡ª! Ugh!¡±

    The wind became a deadly de, swiftly slicing through the room.

    ¡°Axion! Please, save me! Please!¡±

    Some of them even clung to Axion¡¯s legs, desperately begging for their lives.

    ¡°Why should I?¡±

    ¡°Wh-what¡­?¡±

    ¡°This is just a greeting. A wee.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about¡ªAaargh!¡±

    Axion kicked the pleading ones away without hesitation.

    In truth, there was nothing he could do to intervene here.

    The ones being punished were guilty ofmitting the grave offense of insulting an heir.

    To defend them would be like tarnishing his own reputation as another heir.

    ¡®He¡¯s only punishing the ones who insulted his lineage. If he were to mistakenly touch any others, I¡¯d intervene immediately.¡¯

    Axion realized that, despite Theo¡¯s seemingly emotional outburst, there was a cool and calcted precision behind his actions.

    It was just like him.

    ¡®Theo Ragnar. The so-called Cripple of the Rose Pce has changed.¡¯

    What in the world had brought about this transformation in him?

    And¡­

    How did Theo manage to win over Evelyn, someone even the Camellia Pce struggled to recruit?

    ¡®That¡¯s why¡­ it¡¯s interesting.¡¯

    His first impression of Theo, that he was now an intriguing character, hadn¡¯t been a lie.

    Shing!

    ¡°I¡¯ve severed the right arms of all 14, as you instructed.¡±

    Evelyn quietly sheathed her sword and bowed her head in front of Theo.

    All that remained on the floor were people writhing in pain, missing an arm, and pools of crimson blood.

    ¡°What about treatment?¡±

    ¡°If they hurry and bring their arms to a priest, they¡¯ll be able to reattach them.¡±

    It could be reattached, but whether they¡¯d still have a future as swordsmen¡­ Evelyn left that unsaid. She was unconsciously mimicking the speech patterns of both Theo and Julius.

    ¡°You heard her? Take them.¡±

    Only after Theo gave a slight nod did the guards of the Camellia Pce and the escort knights of the wounded young lords anddies start to move frantically. They needed to act quickly before necrosis set in.

    ¡°This won¡¯t end easily¡­ You went too far, even if you did invoke the family rules.¡±

    While the others, who hadn¡¯t insulted Theo¡¯s bloodline and were spared, hurried to leave the Camellia Pce, one person stayed behind, ring at Theo.

    It was Orien Ragnar.

    Like Theo and Axion, he bore the Ragnar name but belonged to a coteral branch of the family, meaning he had no im to the session. He was the same age as Theo.

    ¡®In my previous life, he was Axion¡¯s right-hand man.¡¯

    ¡°That¡¯s for me to handle.¡±

    ¡°You speak too lightly¡­ Hmph, fine. Yes, it is your problem to deal with. But I wonder if the Rose Pce can weather this storm. Be careful the roots aren¡¯t ripped out.¡±

    Orien warned him.

    Theo hadn¡¯t just turned many of the charioteer families into enemies¡ªhe¡¯d also made an adversary of Troyban.

    But Theo remained indifferent. Instead, Evelyn gave Orien a piercing re, as if to say, Are you going to do the same thing?

    Unable to continue, Orien left the Camellia Pce hastily, as if fleeing.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    As Theo walked past Axion, he gave him a firm pat on the shoulder, twice, just as Axion had once done to him.

    Thud, thud.

    ¡°There don¡¯t seem to be any more prepared greetings. Thanks for the fun.¡±

    Theo didn¡¯t wait for a reply.

    He led the way out.

    Evelyn and Wellington followed, passing by Axion in turn.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    There were no words exchanged between them.

    Their friendship was over.

 Chapter 14

    Chapter 14: Gathering of the Hidden Dragons (4)

    [You have defeated ¡®Evil Hanabi¡¯ and have gained recognition.]

    [You have defeated ¡®Matthew Byron¡¯ and have gained recognition.]

    .

    [Your Luck has increased by 14.]

    .

    [Congrattions! You have sessfullypleted Tutorial Quest #11 by forming a party with ¡®Evelyn Nerevil.¡¯]

    [Evaluation: B+]

    [You have received ¡®Beginner¡¯s Tunic¡¯ as a reward.]

    ¡®As expected, no additional rewards this time. Is it because the evaluation was lower since I didn¡¯t fight directly?¡¯

    It was a bit disappointing.

    It seemed that additional rewards were only given when the evaluation was at least an A rank or higher.

    ¡®I was hoping for some kind of authority rted to using the rewards I¡¯ve received so far.¡¯

    Now that the real battles had begun, he thought they might provide him with enough power to back it up.

    ¡®Still, it¡¯s not all bad.¡¯

    [You have leveled up for the first time.]

    [From now on, you can freely distribute the extra stat points given.]

    Theo¡¯s eyes sparkled at the mention of the word ¡®freely.¡¯

    If he could grow his abilities in the direction he wanted, the possibilities for ns would be endless.

    ¡­Later.

    He would check itter, slowly.

    This wasn¡¯t something to decide on immediately.

    He needed to thoroughly research and deliberate, establish a clear direction, and then make a strategic decision.

    Step, step!

    Theo dismissed all the messages and fully exited the Camellia Pce, turning back to look.

    The ce, which had been in such chaos just moments ago, was now eerily quiet.

    ¡®The ones who targeted my mother and me. Axion. No, it was Troyban after all.¡¯

    Theo vividly recalled the second information window he had seen while patting Axion¡¯s shoulder.

    [You are now observing ¡®Axion Ragnar.¡¯]

    +

    Axion Ragnar (15 years old/male)

    ¡¤ Title: Dark Leopard

    ¡¤ Talent: Madness. Psychopath.

    ¡¤ Condition: Experiencing strong shame or stress due to failing his uncle¡¯s orders to deal with a cripple.

    +

    asionally, the [Condition] section of the information window would describe the subject¡¯s psychological state.

    He had checked just in case¡­ and caught a big one.

    There was someone named ¡®Ed Troyban.¡¯

    Axion¡¯s uncle and Emil¡¯s twin brother, Ed had originally been a prodigy that the Marquisate of Troyban prided itself on.

    He had been a strong contender to be the next head of the House of Troyban.

    But perhaps his love for his sister had been too great.

    Ed had followed Emil when she married into the Ragnar family, bing one of Ragnar¡¯s retainers.

    The title Ed had received from the head of the family was none other than ¡°Soaring Dragon.¡±

    He had be one of the ¡®Nine Dragons¡¯ that protected Ragnar.

    But then¡­

    This incident wasn¡¯t just a result of Axion¡¯s simple curiosity. It was part of Ed¡¯s scheme.

    ¡®Someone of that caliber wouldn¡¯t move without a n. When Rendon, whom he had nted, suddenly died, he must have wondered what happened and decided to test me.¡¯

    Now, how should he respond to this?

    ¡®If my memory is correct, Troyban will eventually¡­!¡¯

    Just as Theo¡¯s eyes sank deeply in thought, someone called out to him.

    ¡°Theo! Lord Theo!¡±

    Wellington was rushing out of Camellia Pce with urgent steps.

    ¡°About what just happened¡­!¡±

    ¡°Wel.¡±

    ¡°Lord Theo, did you just¡­ call me by a nickname?¡±

    Wellington, who was about to exin the situation that urred during the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons, suddenly stopped and widened his eyes in surprise.

    Nicknames were usually used only among close friends.

    ¡°The first round ended too boringly. How about we go for a second?¡±

    It was the first time.

    The first time Theo had ever invited him to hang out together.

    Wellington, of course, nodded enthusiastically, his face lighting up with excitement.

    Even Evelyn, who wasing out a bitter than them, seemed slightly surprised.

    ¡®It seems his heart has undergone some changes.¡¯

    Perhaps, by shing with Axion, Theo had developed the concept of ¡°my people.¡±

    It was a favorable change.

    ¡°I know a favorite spot very well. Let¡¯s go there. They¡¯ll give us plenty of extra service.¡±

    Wellington led the way in high spirits, and Theo followed behind.

    ¡®With this incident, Wellington and the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons havepletely severed ties. Does that mean the future where Narcio and Ragnar collide has also changed?¡¯

    Theo didn¡¯t know how the future would shift.

    There were far too many variables involved in the conflict between the two families.

    But one thing was certain.

    A significant strand of history had begun to shift subtly.

    ¡®If I can gain the power of Narcio, which once shed with Ragnar on equal footing¡­¡¯

    Theo wanted to guide that subtle change in history in the direction he desired.

    For that, he would have to continue following his ns step by step, and steadily amass power.

    And part of that power was right there.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Theo nced up toward the upper level of Camellia Pce.

    The second floor, the storage room. A faint blue light was seeping through the cracks of the window.

    ¡®It¡¯s certain. That blue light¡­ it¡¯s the marker the messages and quests have been pointing toward.¡¯

    From the invitation to the storage room.

    The blue light was guiding Theo towards the next event.

    That meant one thing¡ªTheo had to secure control over the Camellia Pce, which was now bathed in that blue light.

    ¡®From the beginning, Troyban and I were never going to walk the same path. So, what if I strike them first?¡¯

    Something shed through Theo¡¯s mind.

    It wasn¡¯t fully formed yet, but it seemed like it could work if he yed it right.

    ¡®If I take over the Camellia Pce¡­¡¯

    In doing so, he could sever one or two of their limbs.

    It would be another opportunity to pull the strings of history in the direction he desired.

    A cold smile spread across Theo¡¯s lips.

    * * *

    On the 4th floor of Camellia Pce, in the quarters of Emil, the third wife.

    p!

    The sound of a p echoed through the room.

    It was something that happened frequently.

    The maids and butlers all pretended not to hear it and hurried away, covering their ears.

    ¡°Not only did you lose face to that cripple, but now your own men have been cut down too?¡±

    Emil red at her second son, her face flushed with anger.

    Axion, with a bright red handprint on his left cheek, nodded his head.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°And you call that an answer¡­!¡±

    In her fury, Emil raised her hand again but then paused, taking a long, deep breath to calm herself.

    ¡°I¡¯ve exined to you countless times just how important this matter is to your uncle. Theo Ragnar¡ªwhatever that lowborn brat is doing, I don¡¯t care. The only thing that matters to us is the Rose Pce. That¡¯s our sole objective.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°But now that filthy thing, sitting in the Rose Pce beyond its station, will be on high alert. We¡¯ll have more than a few obstacles to worry about now.¡±

    Emil¡¯s eyes turned sharp and venomous.

    ¡°Go to your room and cool your head. Reflect deeply on how you almost ruined everything because of your shallow whims.¡±

    ¡°¡­I will remember this.¡±

    Axion, with a stoic face, bowed slightly before leaving Emil¡¯s quarters.

    Snap!

    Emil snapped open the folding fan in her hand, fanning herself to cool her heated face.

    ¡°He acts clever, yet he¡¯s so impulsive. Who on earth does he take after? Tsk!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s quite clear. He¡¯s taken after the young days of the Camellia Pce¡¯s mistress herself.¡±

    A shadow quietly approached from behind.

    Without a hint of surprise, Emil red at the figure with fierce eyes.

    ¡°I hope you¡¯re joking, brother,¡± she said icily.

    ¡°The pce mistress seems quite upset. I¡¯ve recently procured a rare aromatic candle from the Akran volcanic region in the southern provinces. I¡¯ll gift it to you. Perhaps you could enjoy its scent during your bathter. It will help you release the tension in your body and mind.¡±

    Emil let out a small, sarcasticugh at her twin brother Ed¡¯s words.

    It was moments like these that made it impossible for her to hate this mischievous counterpart of hers.

    He understood her heart more deeply than her own husband.

    ¡°And, in fact, I believe this recent incident might have turned out rather well.¡±

    ¡°Why do you say that?¡±

    ¡°The Rose Pce has always been difficult to im due to its status as the harem of the family head. But what if Theo Ragnar starts making a name for himself there?¡±

    A spark flickered in Emil¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°A cripple, acting as the master of the Rose Pce?¡±

    ¡°Yes. If Theo Ragnar asserts dominance over the Rose Pce, wouldn¡¯t all the servants and even the other wives bow their heads before the Camellia Pce?¡±

    A smile formed on Ed¡¯s lips.

    ¡°And this way, we can also eliminate that lowly servant who¡¯s been a thorn in your side.¡±

    The tension in Emil¡¯s delicate brow eased.

    For the longest time, the primary obstacle in acquiring the Rose Pce had been Cecilia, who constantly opposed her at every turn.

    If she could cut both Theo and Cecilia down together, it would be the most satisfying victory imaginable.

    Looking at it from this perspective, there was nothing to lose.

    Emil gazed at Ed with a sly, suggestive look.

    ¡°Then, you¡¯ve already made preparations for this, haven¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°By tomorrow morning, when you wake, you¡¯ll hear some very good news.¡±

    ¡°As expected of my dear brother. How can I not adore you?¡±

    Emil wrapped her arms around Ed¡¯s neck, pulling him into an embrace.

    Ed, in return, gently patted her back.

    However, despite the tenderness of his touch, his eyes were far from kind.

    * * *

    For the first time, Wellington looked at Theo with a face full of disbelief.

    ¡°¡­Lord Theo, did you not suggest we go for a ¡®second round¡¯?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. Although you were the one who picked the ce.¡±

    ¡°Still, doesn¡¯t ¡®second round¡¯ usually imply having a drink together after a meal?¡±

    Wellington stared intently at the ss before him.

    Bright yellow orange juice, with a few ice cubes floating inside.

    The straw in the middle seemed to mock him.

    This wasn¡¯t alcohol.

    It was a kid¡¯s drink, the kind served to children who followed their parents to restaurants.

    The bartender and Evelyn were alreadyughing so hard their faces had turned bright red.

    ¡°We¡¯re still legally minors, you know. The Gathering of the Hidden Dragons is at fault for this.¡±

    ¡°But this is a pub.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t change the fact that we¡¯re underage.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°It tastes pretty good, though.¡±

    Theo sipped on his grape juice through the straw, as if nothing was wrong.

    The bartender bowed respectfully, iming it was an honor.

    Wellington turned to Evelyn with pleading eyes, silently begging for help.

    But Evelyn was alreadyughing uncontrobly, on the verge of falling off her chair.

    Sigh!

    Wellington let out a deep sigh, as though the weight of the world was on his shoulders.

    No wonder they had never gone out drinking before.

    To be fair, he wasn¡¯t particrly fond of alcohol himself.

    But still, in all the novels he¡¯d read, when friends bonded over camaraderie and loyalty, drinks were always involved¡­ Wasn¡¯t this supposed to be some kind of romanticized moment?

    Now it felt like that fantasy was beingpletely shattered.

    And yet, Theo wasn¡¯t wrong.

    In the end, Wellington had no choice but to grab his straw and sip the juice just like Theo.

    At that moment¡­

    Bang!

    ¡°Wee!¡±

    The bartender¡¯s greeting rang out as about twenty swordsmen, drenched in sweat, walked into the pub.

    Their faces were familiar.

    ¡°So, in today¡¯s sparring match, if I had just adjusted my stance like this, wouldn¡¯t I have won?¡±

    ¡°Talking big after you¡¯ve already lost.¡±

    ¡°You really have no manners, huh? Just wait until tomorrow when I¡ª Huh?¡±

    ¡°Wait, is that the captain? And the instructor too¡­ Oh, oh! Even the young master is here?¡±

    ¡°Why is the young master here?¡±

    ¡°I heard he went out for some fancy meal.¡±

    They were the sparring partners Theo had been training with for the past three months at the Fourth Training Ground.

    Wellington¡¯s favorite pub, indeed. It seemed they were familiar with the ce as well.

    ¡°Somehow, it turned out this way,¡± Wellington exined.

    ¡°Oh, well, we can¡¯t just sit back then! This kind of thing is best enjoyed together, right?¡±

    They nced at Theo, eager to join but hesitant to actually ask.

    It seemed they were somewhat intimidated by Theo.

    ¡¸Those guys¡­ Actually, when they heard that you and Wellington were going out to eat something nice, they got upset and decided to gather and have a drink together.¡¹

    Evelyn¡¯s telepathic voice whispered into Theo¡¯s ear.

    So that¡¯s what happened.

    Theo¡¯s eyes widened slightly.

    ¡®I¡¯ve been neglecting them far too much, haven¡¯t I?¡¯

    It seemed like Evelyn had wanted to point that out¡ªreminding him to loosen up a little.

    Perhaps she and Wellington had coordinated to bring him here.

    ¡®I didn¡¯t intend toe off as difficult or distant.¡¯

    Still, he appreciated how everyone was opening up to him despite that.

    Theo subtly nodded, signaling that they were wee to join.

    Immediately, the sparring partners cheered, pulling over tables and chairs to create an impromptu gathering. It was a far more rxed and enjoyable atmosphere than the formal meetings of the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons.

    * * *

    The gathering wasn¡¯t anything borate.

    It was simply a space where people shared their personal stories.

    Stories of those who had once dreamed of bing high-ranking swordsmen but fell short due tock of talent.

    Stories of those who had lostrades during missions and had been unable to wield a sword since.

    Stories of how the weight of family expectations had crushed them.

    All around were fragments of sorrow and broken dreams.

    Theo found it interesting, listening to each of these stories.

    He wasn¡¯t the only one who had lived a hard life.

    In their persistence to endure despite it all, he found sce and a sense of shared struggle.

    ¡®In the end, we all live through simr challenges. Whether it¡¯s me or them, the only difference is the environment.¡¯

    He felt like he had grown closer to them.

    The sparring partners no longer seemed intimidated as they casually took seats beside Theo, and the impromptu gathering carried on from one round to another, spilling into the early hours of the morning.

    ¡°Ugh¡­ I can¡¯t drink anymore.¡±

    ¡°Please stop giving me more¡­¡±

    ¡°Mercy¡­¡±

    Everyone waspletely drunk, unable to hold their liquor any longer.

    The only ones still sober were Theo and Wellington.

    Sip sip!

    Wellington was chewing on his straw, sipping on yet another ss of orange juice¡ªhe had lost count of how many by now.

    ¡®I want to join in¡­ I can have fun too¡­¡¯

    Being around someone so proper all the time did have its downsides.

    As he grumbled to himself, Theo let out a small chuckle from beside him.

    ¡°You seem displeased.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ what can I do? We¡¯re still minors.¡±

    ¡°After the Blossoming Ceremony.¡±

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    ¡°After the Blossoming Ceremony, let¡¯s have a drink together. The family rules won¡¯t prohibit it anymore after that.¡±

    Wellington let out a small, incredulousugh.

    When he saw moments like this, he realized just how adept Theo was at handling people.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s do that.¡±

    ¡°And to be honest, I told you not to drink for another reason¡ªI have a favor to ask.¡±

    ¡°A favor?¡±

    Wellington tilted his head in confusion.

    It wasn¡¯t often that Theo asked for help, especially like this.

    Seeing the serious expression on Theo¡¯s face, Wellington narrowed his eyes.

    ¡°There¡¯s something going on, isn¡¯t there?¡±

    Wellington¡¯s gaze sharpened, resembling the one that would eventually earn him the nickname ¡°Lion of the Snowfields.¡±

    Theo wondered if this was the glimpse of Wellington¡¯s ¡®true¡¯ self, the one he usually kept hidden.

    ¡°Soon, a power struggle between Axion and me will begin. It will end around the time of the Blossoming Ceremony.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    Wellington instinctively straightened his back at those words.

    A power struggle.

    In Ragnar, nothing carried more weight than that phrase.

    ¡°Of course, I will win. But there¡¯s something I need your help with during that time.¡±

    ¡°What in the world are you saying¡­?!¡±

    Just as Wellington was about to respond, the pub¡¯s door suddenly mmed open with a deafening bang!

    In stormed a group of knights d in yellow armor, their entrance so forceful it seemed as if the door might break off its hinges.

    The patrons of the pub turned pale.

    These were the Judgment Knights, often referred to as the Reapers of Winterer.

    ¡°Theo Ragnar,¡± one of them announced in a cold voice.

    ¡°You are under arrest on charges of extortion, threats, violence, and inciting rebellion.¡±

 Chapter 15

    Chapter 15: Gathering of the Hidden Dragons (5)

    Thepetition for the throne.

    Also known as the struggle for the throne, or the internal war of the family heads.

    Under the rule that the strong take all, the shes between the heirs always brought bloodshed.

    In that moment, Wellington felt as though he could smell the scent of blood.

    ¡®Axion, could you really be¡­!¡¯

    Had Theo already predicted that Axion would make a move?

    All the other duelists snapped to attention, their eyes wide open.

    ¡°What on earth is this¡­!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, just stay seated.¡±

    Evelyn tried to block the path of the Judgment Knights, but Theo stood up first, tugging at Evelyn¡¯s sleeve.

    ¡°The warrant?¡±

    Theo nced at the contents of the warrant that one of the Judgment Knights confidently presented, and let out a smallugh.

    It seemed they had rushed the process, as the ink hadn¡¯t even fully dried.

    ¡°The criminal is to be escorted to the Judgment Hall.¡±

    As soon as cuffs were ced on Theo¡¯s wrists, two Judgment Knights nked him, leading him outside.

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    It had all happened in an instant.

    A cold atmosphere settled over the pub.

    A momentter¡ª

    Bang!

    Sybil, the duelist who had faced Theo first, mmed the table in frustration.

    ¡°How is this even possible?! Lord Theo being taken to the Judgment Hall all of a sudden! He¡¯s someone who¡¯s done nothing but train all day without paying attention to anything else¡­!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right! This has to be some kind of setup!¡±

    ¡°Exactly!¡±

    ¡°Indeed!¡±

    ¡°Could it be that the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons, or whatever it¡¯s called, is behind some conspiracy¡­!¡±

    As the outcry grew louder, Evelyn stomped her foot hard on the ground.

    Thud¡­!

    Rumble¡ª

    The tremor was so strong, it felt like the building might copse.

    ¡°Watch your mouths. Have you all forgotten who they are?¡±

    At Evelyn¡¯s sharp re, the duelists all shut their mouths tightly.

    It was only then that they remembered the weight the Judgment Hall carried in Winterer.

    The Judgment Hall was an enforcement agency that wielded absolute power.

    They could even charge innocent citizens with treason if it suited them.

    Especially when it came to rumors that insulted their authority¡ªthose were never forgiven.

    ¡°Until we fully understand what¡¯s going on, no one is to act rashly. There¡¯s still time for us to move as a group once we get a clearer picture.¡±

    As the duelists all nodded gravely in agreement, Evelyn sank into deep thought.

    ¡®That look in his eyes at the end¡­ He definitely anticipated this much.¡¯

    In that case, given Theo¡¯s nature, it meant that he had already prepared a countermeasure, right?

    As Evelyn¡¯s thoughts reached that conclusion, she turned her gaze toward Wellington.

    As expected.

    Wellington was staring intently at something.

    A small note, barely the size of a palm.

    ¡®Of course!¡¯

    When had Theo managed to pass that over in such a situation?

    Wellington, wearing a serious expression, nced at the note several times before crumpling it up and putting it in his mouth, swallowing it.

    At that moment, he met Evelyn¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Instructor, could you help me? There¡¯s somewhere I urgently need to go.¡±

    ¡°Where?¡±

    ¡°To a ce called the Ceres Trading Company.¡±

    Evelyn knew it well.

    It was a military supplier that had maintained a long-standing business rtionship with Camellia Pce.

    One of the people Evelyn had personally severed the arm of earlier was the daughter of the head of that verypany.

    ¡°And what¡¯s the task?¡±

    Wellington mouthed silently so only Evelyn could see.

    ¡®Eliminate them all.¡¯

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    * * *

    ¡®It¡¯s still the same here.¡¯

    Theo stared silently at the grand building of the Judgment Hall.

    It was filled with elements designed to intimidate, as befitting the institution responsible for bringing all criminals in Winterer to justice.

    At the entrance, rows of prosecutors stood in formation, radiating a murderous aura.

    The buildings all exuded a deste, oppressive atmosphere.

    But Theo remained indifferent.

    This was a ce he had frequented endlessly in his past life.

    So, this time would be no different.

    They would lock him in solitary confinement for a few days, starve him, wait until he waspletely exhausted, and then drag him out to confess to whatever crimes came to mind. Or perhaps, they would use his family as hostages to threaten him.

    However¡­

    ¡®Where are we going?¡¯

    The direction the Judgment Knights were leading Theo wasn¡¯t toward the detention cells.

    It was toward the central area.

    A massive building that served as the main hall of the Judgment Hall.

    ¡®Could it be?¡¯

    Theo, realizing their intention, let out a faintugh.

    No wonder the Judgment Knights had been so quiet throughout the entire transport.

    ¡®So, I wasn¡¯t the only one nning something big, huh?¡¯

    Interesting.

    A smirk tugged at the corner of Theo¡¯s mouth.

    Whether it was Axion¡¯s idea or Ed¡¯s, it was rather impressive.

    Thud!

    The Judgment Knights stopped in front of an iron door.

    ¡°We have brought the prisoner, Theo Ragnar.¡±

    ¡°Bring him inside.¡±

    Creeeeak¡ª

    As the iron door slowly opened, a massive room revealed itself.

    In the distance, there were nine stone seats arranged in a semi-circle around arge central table.

    Among the nine seats, only four were upied.

    One of them was a face Theo knew well.

    Julius.

    The Commander of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry, who was staring at Theo with a bitter smile.

    The other three were also people Theo could never fail to recognize.

    The Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce.

    The Head of the Senate.

    The Director of Central Intelligence.

    These individuals, known respectively as the Sword Dragon (??), the Origin Dragon (??), and the Soaring Dragon (??), along with Julius¡ªwho was also referred to as the Dark Dragon (??)¡ªwere part of the legendary Nine Dragons that protected Ragnar.

    This meant that this wasn¡¯t just any trial treating Theo as amon criminal.

    It was a tribunal to judge his qualifications as an heir.

    These individuals held the sole authority within Ragnar to punish any of the heirs.

    ¡®They mean to crush any chance I have of making further moves, to stamp me out before I can n anything else.¡¯

    Theo let out a slight smirk as he nced at Ed Troyban, who was seated furthest to the right as the Soaring Dragon.

    Ed was staring intently at Theo, his face disying a feigned solemnity.

    ¡°Theo Ragnar.¡±

    At that moment, the voice of Wolfgang Ragnar, the Origin Dragon seated at the center, rang out, pulling Theo¡¯s attention back.

    Wolfgang was the current family head¡¯s great-uncle and the oldest living member of the Ragnar family.

    Yet, he still maintained the vigor of his active years¡ªa monstrous old man.

    ¡°Yes, Head of the Senate. It¡¯s been a while. Though I didn¡¯t expect to meet under these circumstances.¡±

    ¡°Enough with the greetings. A charge has just been brought against you for your recent crimes. I don¡¯t think I need to borate on the details¡­ So, what do you n to do about it?¡±

    Wolfgang made no effort to hide his dissatisfaction at being forced to attend this tribunal.

    He was a staunch purist who believed that the bloodline of the great Ragnar should remain untainted by ¡°half-breeds.¡±

    Naturally, he was meticulous about social status and rank, and his disdain for Theo, born of amoner, was evident.

    ¡°The Byron family, the Ceres Trading Company, the Red-White Mercenaries, and even Hanabi? Ha! All of them are on the verge of rebellion, threatening to sever their ties with the main house because of your foolish actions. Do you think a lowly creature like you can handle the damage that would cause?¡±

    Rumble¡ª

    Wolfgang¡¯s roar shook the Judgment Hall as if it might copse at any moment.

    Even the air felt charged with heat, as though ready to swallow Theo whole.

    For most people, this would be an overwhelming and terrifying situation.

    But¡ª

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    Theo remained calm, his expression indifferent, not showing a hint of fear.

    At that moment, Theo didn¡¯t miss the subtle shift in the gazes of the Sword Dragon and Julius, who had been silently observing him.

    ¡®Julius is favorable. The Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce is curious¡­ At least the good news is that out of the four present, I can potentially win over two as allies. If I handle this well, I might even push them to remain neutral.¡¯

    The Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce was the first wife of the family head, and she was effectively the true mistress of the Ragnar household.

    Theo recalled that she had maintained a good rtionship with Julius.

    It seemed that this had led to her hearing positive things about him.

    Should he consider that fortunate?

    ¡°It seems the Head of the Senate believes that I am to me for this incident.¡±

    ¡°Of course! Are you saying otherwise?¡±

    Theo shook his head.

    ¡°No. I deeply regret my past mistakes as well. I have learned much from the rebuke you¡¯ve given me, Head of the Senate.¡±

    Theo slightly bowed his head.

    Julius¡¯s expression subtly changed, and the Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce tilted her head as if she found something strange.

    Meanwhile, Ed continued to stare at Theo with unbroken focus.

    Hmph!

    Wolfgang crossed his arms and scoffed, assuming that Theo had surrendered.

    ¡°Even if you admit it, your crimes¡­!¡±

    ¡°I should have cut off more than just an arm; I should have taken their heads. I was too lenient.¡±

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    Wolfgang¡¯s aged face twisted in fury.

    A light chuckle escaped from the Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce beside him, but he was too enraged to notice.

    ¡°What nonsense are you spewing now¡­!¡±

    ¡°They are vassals. The ruler grantsnd and honor, while the vassals repay it with loyalty and their lives¡ªthat is the code of chivalry. Yet they dare to forsake this code and even threaten their lord with treachery.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°If we do not correct this immediately, what will happen in the future? The values that uphold the bond between lord and vassal will crumble, and simr betrayals will ur again and again. How can we stand by and watch the honor of Ragnar, which hassted for over a thousand years, be trampled like this?¡±

    Wolfgang¡¯s lips moved, but no words came out.

    He likely wanted to speak but found it difficult to respond.

    If he argued against Theo¡¯s point, it would be akin to admitting that Ragnar¡¯s honor had already been tarnished.

    Conversely, if he agreed with Theo, he would have no choice but to punish those vassals to preserve Ragnar¡¯s dignity.

    He was trapped by his own words.

    ¡°Mocking me with your twisted logic¡­!¡±

    ¡°Head of the Senate, I believe that¡¯s enough. If this conversation drags on, it seems you will only end up further embarrassing yourself.¡±

    As Wolfgang¡¯s face flushed red with rage, the Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce interjected.

    ¡°Sword dragon!¡± he snapped.

    ¡°I would ask you to remember that the Head of the Senate is not the only one present here,¡± she said calmly but with a sharp gaze.

    Faced with herposed yet piercing stare, Wolfgang had no choice but to sit back down, though he continued to fume.

    ¡®As expected of the North¡¯s Greatest Sword. Even the Head of the Senate doesn¡¯t dare to challenge her openly.¡¯

    The reason the Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce still retained her position as the first wife, despite having no children, was simple. She was the strongest in Ragnar, second only to the family head himself.

    Her moniker, ¡°Sword Dragon,¡± was well-earned.

    She turned her warm gaze toward Theo and began to speak.

    ¡°I¡¯ve listened to your opinion carefully. You may be entirely right in your argument. But I hope you understand that reality doesn¡¯t always align with what¡¯s ideal. Ragnar is strong, but it is notrge.¡±

    ¡°Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce, what on earth are you saying¡­!¡± Wolfgang¡¯s face paled with shock.

    Theo, on the other hand, was a bit surprised.

    He hadn¡¯t expected the proud mistress of Ragnar to acknowledge the weaknesses of their house so readily.

    ¡°To rule this vast northern region and to confront the monsters of the Demonic Sea, we cannot do it alone. Just as one hand cannot manage what ten hands can, if we have no one to support us, Ragnar will eventually copse.¡±

    ¨C One cannot rule the world through domination alone.

    It seemed the Lord of Plum Blossom Pce was trying to convey that message.

    ¡®And yet, despite knowing this¡­?¡¯

    Theo swallowed the bitter memories of his dying household deep within himself.

    Why hadn¡¯t such upright ideals been maintained for long?

    ¡°That¡¯s why we cannot afford to ignore the voices of our vassals and knights, nor can we refuse their petitions. I hope you take that into consideration.¡±

    Theo already understood that the level of punishment he would receive had likely been decided among the Nine Dragons.

    He nced at Julius.

    Julius gave a slight nod, signaling for Theo not to resist too much. It seemed he had managed to reduce the severity of the punishment as much as possible.

    ¡°May I ask what my punishment will be?¡± Theo inquired.

    ¡°A three-month suspension.¡±

    Theo¡¯s brow furrowed.

    ¡°But the Blossoming Ceremony is in just two months.¡±

    ¡°In consideration of that, we have decided to allow you to participate in next year¡¯s Blossoming Ceremony. Just a moment ago, we also decided that the fourteen children who were injured by your hand today¡­ no, including Hanabi¡¯s child, all fifteen of them will also be allowed to attend next year.¡±

    The Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce seemed to be implying that this was the absolute limit of what she could do to help him.

    Wolfgang, of course, was still clearly displeased by even this concession.

    However¡ª

    ¡®No. This won¡¯t do.¡¯

    Theo could not ept the judgment.

    ¡®This is a trap. In some way or another, Ed willter try to rob me of the opportunity topete in the Blossoming Ceremony.¡¯

    Even aside from that, he couldn¡¯t let them clip his wings just as he was about to take flight.

    Once wings were broken, they would never soar in the sky again.

    ¡°I hear you¡¯ve just begun to wield the sword,¡± continued the Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce. ¡°So perhaps it would be good for you to take this time to quietly hone your skills in seclusion¡­¡±

    ¡°I appreciate the advice, but that won¡¯t be happening. I intend to appeal.¡±

    The expressions of the Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce and Julius stiffened immediately, while cold smiles appeared on the faces of Wolfgang and Ed.

    ¡°¡­If you appeal, this matter will bepletely out of our hands,¡± the Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce warned.

    ¡°It may leave your hands, but won¡¯t the sword¡¯s voice speak the truth?¡±

    In Ragnar, where the rule of the strong prevailed, an ¡°appeal¡± had a very clear meaning.

    War.

    Only the victor could im the truth.

 Chapter 16

    Chapter 16: The First War (1) >

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    For a moment, a deep silence filled the room.

    However, everyone reacted differently.

    The Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce quietly gazed at Theo.

    Julius let out a faint sound of discontent.

    Ed was smiling strangely.

    And then.

    Bang!

    Wolfgang mmed the table forcefully and stood up, irritated.

    ¡°The voice of the sword is true? Ha! Do you really think a mere brat like you can handle all those factions by yourself?¡±

    His fierce energy filled the room.

    It was an overwhelming presence that would have intimidated most high-ranking knights.

    But Theo, whether he felt it or not, remained expressionless andposed.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that something I should deal with?¡±

    ¡°What did you say?¡±

    ¡°And, if I recall correctly, in cases like this where there¡¯s a significant gap in rank during an appeal, a proxy battle is held, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    Only then did Wolfgang¡¯s expression stiffen as he realized Theo¡¯s intention.

    If a proxy battle were to ur, as Theo suggested, Theo would be regarded as a single ¡°faction.¡±

    It meant that someone could fight in the proxy battle on Theo¡¯s behalf.

    What if that person were Evelyn, who had helped Theo?

    Even though she had lost one arm, a high-ranking knight was still a high-ranking knight.

    If she stepped forward, the oue would be unpredictable.

    ¡®Or perhaps the ck Dragon himself might intervene¡­!¡¯

    Wolfgang nced over at Julius.

    Julius, with an unreadable expression, was now observing Theo.

    Wolfgang knew how much Julius valued Evelyn.

    He also knew Julius had a deep interest in Theo.

    After all, the reason Julius had agreed to Ed¡¯s request wasn¡¯t to trouble him, but for his own purposes, wasn¡¯t it?

    But if Julius decided to side with Theo here¡­

    That would be the worst possible oue.

    Which faction would dare oppose the ck Dragon?

    Even if Julius didn¡¯t get involved directly, it was still a problem.

    Byw, the appeal hearing had to take ce in a public setting.

    It would inevitably draw attention.

    Now, what if fifteen factions each sent a representative just to take down one lowly illegitimate child?

    How would they endure the ridicule and scorn from the public?

    Knights, after all, were supposed to carry honor and pride in their hearts.

    All of that honor and pride would be trampled into the mud.

    All fifteen factions would certainly me Wolfgang for having forced them into such a humiliating situation.

    The rumor that it was the Senate Head who orchestrated this would soon spread among the people.

    ¡®Checkmate!¡¯

    Wolfgang unknowingly clenched his fist tightly.

    Desperately thinking of how to turn the situation around, he turned to look at Ed¡ª

    ¡®¡­This guy. He¡¯s a snake.¡¯

    Ed also didn¡¯t look entirelyfortable, just like Wolfgang.

    In fact, for the first time, he felt a chilling sense of something ominous from Theo.

    Because Ed saw another hidden move that Wolfgang had missed.

    ¡®Is he trying to nt the impression that the Camellia Pce is oppressing him? Is his goal to rise as a hero representing the underdogs?¡¯

    The impression Theo would leave after the appeal hearing would fall into two major categories.

    ¨C An illegitimate child who fought righteously against overwhelming oppression.

    And.

    ¨C A Ragnar who revealed his pride as a rightful heir in front of everyone.

    Wasn¡¯t this the kind of stereotype that the lower sses, usually silenced by the overwhelming power ofrge factions, would love to rally behind?

    Even if Theo lost the appeal hearing, it wouldn¡¯t truly be a loss.

    He would surely attract a lot of sympathy.

    Theo was using this opportunity to increase his reputation, gather followers, and build his foundation.

    On the other hand, Ed and Wolfgang had nothing to gain, only losses.

    ¡®How in the world does he know the rules of the appeal hearing in such intricate detail?¡¯

    Conflicts in Winterer usually followed the will of the faction or group one belonged to, so there was rarely any need for concern.

    But Theo had precisely targeted the blind spot in this system.

    And he hit the vital point.

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    Despite Wolfgang¡¯s pressing gaze, Ed remained silent for a moment.

    His mind was swirling with confusion.

    But despite the chaos in his head, the solution to this was simple.

    ¡®¡­That bastard must die. No matter what it takes, by any means necessary.¡¯

    His charisma, his strategic mind.

    His ability to design a trap so thoroughly that there was no escape.

    If he were left alive, he would surelye back to haunt themter.

    Even if it meant enduring public scorn for a while, they had to crush him now, before it was toote.

    ¡®I¡¯ll have to use Axion.¡¯

    He intended to teach him the harshness of the world through death.

    Just as Ed¡¯s eyes turned cold, sinking deep with resolve.

    Smirk!

    Theo, as if reading Ed¡¯s thoughts perfectly, nced his way and gave a small, mocking smile.

    As if to say, ¡°You think I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re nning?¡±

    And.

    As if asking, ¡°Do you really think this is the end?¡±

    ¡®No way¡­?¡¯

    A realization struck Ed, and his eyes widened as he snapped his head up.

    At that exact moment.

    ¡¸I always thought you were a quiet child, but who would¡¯ve thought you were capable of such cunning tricks?¡¹

    A voice suddenly boomed, echoing across the ceiling.

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    Ed and the other four dragons instantly straightened their backs.

    An immense aura, powerful enough to overwhelm all of them, struck the space where Theo stood like a thunderbolt!

    Boom!

    Rumble¡ª

    The entire Judgment Hall shook violently, as if it were about to copse from the tremendous shockwave.

    The solid marble floor caved in, and a cloud of dust quickly engulfed Theo.

    ¡°We greet the Head of the House!¡±

    ¡°We pay our respects to the heir of the Great Dragon!¡±

    ¡°We bow before the Lord of the Sword!¡±

    ¡°We honor the Master of the North!¡±

    The four dragons all knelt on one knee, bowing their heads in unison toward the figure.

    It was a solemn disy of loyalty to their great master.

    However.

    Their lord, seemingly uninterested in the loyal greetings of his vassals, focused his attention entirely on one thing.

    As the dust settled, a towering man¡ªlikely over 190 centimeters tall, with a muscr build and fierce eyes¡ªwas staring down at Theo.

    ¡°You don¡¯t even flinch in my presence. You¡¯ve changed quite a bit, my son.¡±

    The man, Kyle Ragnar, smiled as if he found the situation amusing.

    At that sight.

    Ed felt a sudden chill run down his spine.

    ¡®No way¡­ Did he anticipate this too¡­?¡¯

    Theo¡¯s expression remained calm, almost as if he had expected this all along.

    * * *

    ¡®I had my doubts, but here he is, just like I thought.¡¯

    Despite hisposed exterior, Theo couldn¡¯t help but smile bitterly inside as he watched Kyle curiously gaze at him.

    ¡®In my past life, I longed to see him, but it was always so difficult.¡¯

    ¨C Father.

    To Theo, Kyle had always been a difficult figure.

    No matter how much he wanted to grow close, like the fathers and sons of other families, the gap between them remained insurmountable.

    Like a distant star in the night sky, unreachable.

    Sometimes he admired him,

    Other times he resented him,

    And on asion, he missed him.

    And now, here he was, standing before him with an expression Theo had never seen in his previous life.

    ¡®Focus. Now¡¯s not the time for sentimentality.¡¯

    The momentary emotional stir quickly subsided.

    Theo steadied his heart.

    This was the first battle of many that would define his new life¡ªa life full of wars.

    And he had to win.

    [You have sessfully withstood the opponent¡¯s fierce aura.]

    [You have gained a small amount of experience points.]

    Even just enduring Kyle¡¯s overwhelming presence had earned Theo a small amount of experience points.

    Thanks to this, a clever n also came to mind.

    ¡°I, Theo Ragnar, an apprentice knight, pay my respects to the great incarnation of the Dragon God.¡±

    Theo deliberately bowed a beatter than the other Nine Dragons.

    This was to emphasize his presence to Kyle once more.

    It also served to subtly assert to the other Nine Dragons that this position was rightfully his.

    ¡®Father must understand what I¡¯m doing.¡¯

    And sure enough.

    Kyle smiled faintly and grabbed Theo by the shoulder, pulling him up immediately.

    ¡°What¡¯s with this cold reaction between father and son? Come now, stand.¡±

    His tone was gentle and smooth.

    But Theo wasn¡¯t deceived by it.

    ¡®Father, more than anyone, takes thepetition for power among his children seriously. He must¡¯vee here because he caught wind of my situation. So, I need to keep showing him my strength.¡¯

    As Theo knew, Kyle had only one concern.

    ¨C The prosperity of the House of Ragnar.

    He had formed rtionships with countless women, fathering nearly a hundred children.

    He had led the family to its greatest golden age.

    Even his pursuit of the pinnacle of swordsmanship, striving to be a demigod, was all for the purpose of spreading Ragnar¡¯s greatness across the continent and the world.

    Because of this, Kyle was always searching for an heir capable of continuing Ragnar¡¯s legacy and expanding its glory.

    He particrly enjoyed evaluating the potential of his younger children, those who hadn¡¯t yet undergone the Blossoming Ceremony.

    Just like now.

    ¡°I happened to be wandering nearby, and, by chance, I heard about your situation.¡±

    No, he had probably been watching from the start.

    ¡°It seems you¡¯re in quite theplicated position. May I ask whom you nned to have as your representative in the proxy battle?¡±

    Theo didn¡¯t miss the sharp gleam in Kyle¡¯s eyes, like a predator eyeing its prey.

    He knew exactly what answer Kyle wanted to hear.

    So, instead, Theo tilted his head, pretending to be puzzled.

    ¡°Perhaps I¡¯m too dull-witted, but I don¡¯t quite understand what you mean, my lord.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m asking who will stand in for you during the appeal.¡±

    ¡°A representative to stand in for me? Where in the world would I find such a person?¡±

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    Kyle blinked in surprise, clearly not expecting that response.

    ¡°My voice is solely my own. Who in this world could possibly stand in my ce? My sense of justice, my will, and my convictions are all mine.¡±

    ¡°And that means?¡±

    ¡°Yes. So, naturally, I intended to stand in the appeal hearing myself.¡±

    ¡°Then you¡¯ll lose.¡±

    ¡°How can we know without trying?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ve all at least unlocked their magic power.¡±

    ¡°I may be forced to break, but I will never bend willingly.¡±

    ¡°What? Haha! Hahahaha!¡±

    Kyle covered his face with his hand and burst into loudughter.

    Then, turning sharply toward the Nine Dragons, he smiled broadly.

    ¡°Did you all hear that? My son¡¯s words? ¡®I may break, but I will not bend!¡¯ Could there be anything more fitting for a Ragnar to say?¡±

    The Nine Dragons, still bowing their heads, remained silent.

    Only Julius wore a faint, enigmatic smile.

    Meanwhile, Ed and Wolfgang¡¯s expressions had hardened.

    ¡°I must say, I like the stance you¡¯re showing before this battle.¡±

    Kyle turned back to Theo, cing his hand firmly on his shoulder.

    Clench.

    Theo¡¯s shoulder ached from the pressure.

    However, Kyle¡¯s crimson eyes, gazing intently at him, shone more intensely than ever.

    ¡°Thank you for your kind words.¡±

    ¡°However, my belief that it¡¯s unfair for you, who hasn¡¯t even undergone the Blossoming Ceremony and cannot yet be called a proper knight, to face the appeal as is remains unchanged.¡±

    Theo¡¯s eyes gleamed now.

    He knew exactly what his father was about to do.

    ¡°Therefore, representing all of them, I, Kyle Ragnar, the Lord of Ragnar, shall now test you with a single strike.¡±

    At that moment, the Nine Dragons gasped in shock and all raised their heads.

    Each wore a face filled with disbelief.

    ¡°If you withstand it, I will clear you of all charges.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    It had been a long time since any of the Nine Dragons had seen Kyle show such favor to anyone, especially to his own child.

    The expressions of the Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce and Wolfgang were ones of sheer astonishment, while Julius chuckled lightly, saying ¡°Pfft¡± under his breath.

    ¡°Lord! This cannot be allowed!¡±

    Ed stepped forward in a hurry, his voice filled with urgency.

    ¡®I have to stop this at all costs! I can¡¯t let that brat catch the Lord¡¯s eye!¡¯

    rms were ringing in Ed¡¯s head.

    The moment Kyle began to take an interest in Theo, all of Ed¡¯s ns to take over the Rose Pce would be ruined.

    ¡°Soaring Dragon.¡±

    But Kyle, annoyed that one of his vassals dared to interrupt his rare moment of enthusiasm, shot Ed a disapproving look.

    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡±

    ¡°Who gave you permission to speak?¡±

    Ed hurriedly bowed his head.

    ¡°My apologies, but I feared that vassals and subordinates might dare to question the bond between father and son¡­!¡±

    ¡°You think I, Kyle Ragnar, would be swayed by such trivial emotions?¡±

    Hah!

    Kyle let out a hollowugh.

    ¡°If there are people who don¡¯t trust me that much, what do you think I should do? Cast them out, of course.¡±

    ¡°Cast them out¡­? Do you mean¡­?¡±

    ¡°In Ragnar, that can only mean one thing, right?¡±

    In that moment, Kyle¡¯s crimson eyes glowed with a bloodthirsty gleam.

    ¡°Kill them.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    Even the other Nine Dragons, as well as Ed, instinctively straightened their backs in fear.

    ¡°Shall I share my personal thoughts? I actually believe that what this child said is correct.¡±

    A heavy silence fell.

    The oppressive atmosphere seemed to crush the very lungs of Ed and the other Nine Dragons.

    This was already Kyle¡¯s domain.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t they all soldiers and vassals sworn to follow Ragnar? And yet they dare to tarnish their lord¡¯s authority? If so, they should be trampled underfoot, so they can never do so again. Don¡¯t you agree?¡±

    ¡°Your words are absolutely correct.¡±

    ¡°¡­The supreme ruler of Ragnar is you, my lord. We will follow your will.¡±

    The Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce bowed her head, and Wolfgang, having no courage to challenge Kyle in the first ce, quickly submitted.

    Only Julius looked at Kyle with a faint, ambiguous smile.

    ¡°Do you have something to say, ck Dragon?¡±

    ¡°No, my lord. I just noticed that you seem to be in a rare good mood.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re speaking nonsense.¡±

    Kyle let out a briefugh and then turned his gaze back to Theo.

    ¡°What do you say? Will you do it?¡±

    In response to Kyle¡¯s question, Theo calmly shook his head.

    ¡°How could Ipare the honor of receiving your de to that of vassals or subordinates? It would be far too heavy for me.¡±

    In that instant, Kyle¡¯s expression darkened.

    ¡°Surely you¡¯re not saying you won¡¯t do it?¡±

    ¡°No, my lord. How could I, an apprentice knight, refuse yourmand?¡±

    ¡°Then?¡±

    ¡°I just wanted to point out that the terms aren¡¯t fair.¡±

    ¡°Not fair¡­?¡±

    Kyle¡¯s expression shifted once again, intrigued.

    Theo, with a slight smirk, lifted the corner of his mouth and spoke.

    ¡°Since the stakes have risen, shouldn¡¯t the reward for the opposing side be just as significant?¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡±

    ¡°For example.¡±

    Theo¡¯s gaze slowly moved toward Ed.

    ¡°Like Camellia Pce.¡±

 Chapter 17

    Chapter 17: The First War (2) >

    Gulp!

    Wolfgang swallowed dryly.

    In his eyes, Theo was no longer a ¡°cripple¡± but a ¡°madman.¡±

    ¡®To propose a deal directly to the head of the family!¡¯

    Kyle was a tyrant.

    Once he decided he must have something, he would stop at nothing to get it. And once he set his mind on aplishing something, he had to seed at all costs¡ªnothing less would satisfy him.

    For someone like Kyle, the notion of a ¡°deal¡± was unthinkable.

    After all, a deal is something that only happens between those on equal footing.

    That¡¯s why Wolfgang thought this:

    ¡®That clueless brat, just because the head of the family took a brief liking to him, he¡¯s now acting out of his ce.¡¯

    The oue for a fool like him was obvious, like watching a fire slowly burn its way to the end¡ª

    ¡°Very well.¡±

    ¡®What?¡¯

    Wordspletely beyond expectation.

    Wolfgang¡¯s eyes widened.

    ¡°If he¡¯s aiming for the position of heir, he should at least have the guts for it.¡±

    Kyle¡¯s gaze shifted to Ed.

    ¡°If this boy manages to properly take my strike, I¡¯ll transfer the ownership of Camellia Pce to him. Soaring Dragon, you have no objections, do you?¡±

    ¡°¡­Everything of Ragnar belongs to the family head. How could I possibly have anything to say on the matter?¡±

    ¡°Since Soaring Dragon has guaranteed it, there shouldn¡¯t be any issue.¡±

    Grit¡ª

    Ed clenched his teeth hard, careful not to let the family head notice.

    ¡°Good. Then prepare the stage immediately. I will test Theo Ragnar from this moment.¡±

    At Kyle¡¯smand, the Nine Dragons moved in perfect coordination.

    * * *

    [Observing ¡®Kyle Ragnar¡¯.]

    +

    Kyle Ragnar (67 years old / Male)

    ¡¤ Title: Incarnation of the Dragon.

    ¡¤ Talents: Sword Resonance. Dragon¡¯s Blood. Dragon¡¯s Eye. Dragon Power. Dragon¡¯s Essence. Leadership. Tyranny. Charisma. Feats of a Sovereign. (Details omitted)

    ¡¤ Condition: Currently intrigued by a new aspect of a son he hadn¡¯t paid much attention to before.

    +

    ¡®Details omitted?¡± This is the first time I¡¯ve seen that¡­ Just how many talents does he have? As expected, he¡¯s truly remarkable.

    Even if Theo unlocked all of the authority embedded in the message, it still wouldn¡¯tpare to the number of talents Kyle possessed.

    How much hardship would it take to reach Kyle¡¯s level?

    But even after realizing the vast difference between them, Theo didn¡¯t feel daunted at all.

    He was excited.

    Because it meant that if he kept pushing himself, he could one day reach that height.

    Thud¡­ Thud¡­!

    His heart pounded heavily.

    With the excitement of knowing this was going to be fun.

    But in my current state, taking Father¡¯s strike is impossible. I¡¯ll have to rely on the power of the message.

    Theo pretended to stretch as he nced at his reflection in the sword¡¯s scabbard.

    ¡®Observation.¡¯

    [Observing ¡®Theo Ragnar¡¯.]

    +

    Theo Ragnar (15 years old / Male)

    ¡¤ Level: 2

    ¡¤ Stats (¨‹)

    Strength: 18

    Agility: 16

    Stamina: 17

    Magic Power: 195

    Intelligence: 16

    Luck: -20

    Additional Stat Points: 5 (new!)

    ¡¤ [Unavable for viewing]

    ¡¤ [Unavable for viewing]

    +

    ¡®Just as I thought!¡¯

    Theo clenched his fist.

    The boldly highlighted [Additional Stat Points] with a value of 5.

    This must represent the stat points he could freely distribute, just as he had seen in the message.

    Thump thump thump!

    His heart pounded wildly.

    Adrenaline surged through his brain, making him feel euphoric.

    ¡®What should I increase?¡¯

    But despite his excitement, Theo¡¯s gaze remained sharp as he examined his status window.

    For a novice like him, a single point in any stat would make a significant difference, but against his father, it would hardly make any impact.

    ¡®Even if I poured all 5 points into one stat, it would still be the same. What should I do?¡¯

    A brief yet deep contemtion followed.

    ¡®Wait, if I use that method¡­?¡¯

    Suddenly, a thought struck Theo, and without hesitation, he moved his hand toward the status window.

    * * *

    ¡®Damn it, damn it, damn it!¡¯

    Ed clenched his fists tightly as he looked at the central arena of the Judgment Hall.

    Theo and Kyle stood facing each other.

    Though there was a clear difference in height, their appearances were strikingly simr, as if time itself had shifted between them.

    Both had jet-ck hair, like the dark midnight sky, and burning crimson eyes.

    Their unreadable expressions and piercing gazes that bore into their opponent only added to the simrity.

    The Judgment Knights, standing silently as they guarded the hall, nced at Theo with envy.

    Receiving a strike from the family head was an honor every member of the House of Ragnar coveted.

    To be personally instructed by the family head with his sword.

    After this, surely the entire family would be buzzing with gossip.

    This was why Ed¡¯s insides were burning with frustration.

    The stage he had prepared to bring Theo down was, instead, boosting him up.

    ¡®If only that brat fails to receive the strike and dies right here¡­!¡¯

    Ed¡¯s eyes filled with bloodlust.

    Then, suddenly, he snapped back to his senses.

    ¡®Wait, dies¡­?¡¯

    A sudden thought crossed his mind.

    Theo had only just recently learned how to hold a sword.

    Could a novice like him really withstand a strike from the family head?

    Even higher-level knights struggled to withstand it. How could Theo?

    Theo had a high chance of dying.

    Even if he didn¡¯t, there was a good possibility he would be broken so badly that he would never be able to hold a sword again.

    In that moment, a subtle smile crept onto Ed¡¯s lips once more.

    Meanwhile¡­

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    Kyle suddenly looked Theo up and down, as if sensing something strange, and tilted his head in confusion.

    He had noticed that something had changed.

    ¡®As expected, he¡¯s sharp. It seems even the other Nine Dragons haven¡¯t noticed yet.¡¯

    Feigning ignorance, Theo asked, ¡°Is something wrong?¡±

    ¡°Did you perhaps take some sort of elixir without me noticing¡­? No, that¡¯s not it. But still, for you to change so suddenly, hmm.¡±

    Kyle stroked his chin in thought, then shook his head.

    ¡°Well, at your age, boys grow quickly from one day to the next. Fine. Have you warmed up properly?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Good. Let¡¯s get started, then.¡±

    Kyle smiled lightly as he raised his sword.

    In that instant, the atmosphere around them shifted dramatically.

    Goooooo¡ª

    A tremendous force began swirling around Kyle, and at the same time, an overwhelming pressure weighed down on Theo¡¯s shoulders.

    ¡®Ugh!¡¯

    Boom!

    The ground beneath Theo¡¯s feet copsed under the force, sinking as his legs dug deep into it.

    His body bent forward, nearly crumpling to the ground.

    But¡­

    Theo clenched his teeth and struggled to withstand Kyle¡¯s overwhelming presence.

    ¡®I can¡¯t lose here.¡¯

    Blood vessels bulged around his eyes as his heart pounded fiercely in his chest.

    Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump, thump!

    The Dragon¡¯s Heart began pumping madly, sending a surge of energy and magic-infused blood through his body.

    On top of that, thanks to the stat points he had distributed earlier, his body felt tougher and stronger than usual.

    Shudder¡ª

    His knees, which had seemed on the verge of buckling, were now filled with strength.

    His upper body straightened as Theo locked eyes with Kyle.

    The veins under his skin swelled, threatening to burst at any moment.

    ¡°You¡¯re holding up better than I thought,¡± Kyle said with satisfaction.

    All the while, his pressure bore down on Theo like a sledgehammer, striking him repeatedly.

    Boom! Boom, boom, boom, boom!

    But with each blow, Theo tightened the Dragon¡¯s Heart even more, forcing his body to rise slowly against the crushing force.

    [You are being overwhelmed by immense pressure. You have gained arge amount of experience.]

    [Ragnar¡¯s trait has been applied.]

    [You have leveled up.]

    [You are demonstrating an indomitable spirit, refusing to bow against an insurmountable foe. You have gained arge amount of experience.]

    [Ragnar¡¯s trait has been applied.]

    [You have leveled up.]

    ¡­

    ¡®Yes!¡¯

    Theo internally shouted with joy. Just as he had hoped, ¡°facing off against Kyle¡± was being counted as experience!

    Theo had gambled based on the fact that Evelyn¡¯s party y had also been considered as realbat. And his guess had been exactly right.

    As a result, his level had increased by 6 in total.

    Without hesitation, Theo dumped all of the 30 additional stat points into [Strength], just as he had done before.

    [Strength: 53]

    Crack, crack¡ª

    Theo immediately felt his body undergo a drastic change. His skeletal structure subtly shifted, and his muscles tightened as power surged into the hand gripping his sword.

    Then, a sensation like lightning coursed through his entire body.

    It was a feeling of liberation.

    ¡ªThe sense of freedom thates when one steps out of the ordinary and into the realm of the extraordinary.

    Why did it feel as if some of the chains that had bound him through both his previous life and his current one had finally fallen away?

    In that moment¡ª

    Swish¡ª

    Kyle moved.

    From above, a single streak of light came crashing down toward Theo¡¯s head.

    Kyle hadn¡¯t used any magic power, considering Theo¡¯s level, but the strike was still far too fast, fitting for the sword wielded by the ¡°Son of the Dragon God.¡±

    However¡ª

    ¡®I can see it!¡¯

    The sh of light that Theo wouldn¡¯t have been able to perceive before now became visible.

    Boom!

    Theo stomped hard on the ground and twisted his body in response.

    His left hand gripped the scabbard, while his right hand separated the handle of his sword.

    What was revealed was none other than the broken half of the Zweihander, which had been split three months ago.

    Though he had considered recing it many times, he had grown so ustomed to it that he couldn¡¯t bring himself to abandon the weapon, which had be like an extension of himself.

    ng!

    Sword shed against sword with a resounding impact.

    And then¡ª

    ng, ng, ng¡ª

    The swords slid against each other, generating intense friction as they deflected off to the sides.

    Theo veered right, and Kyle to the left.

    Crash!

    In the process, the remaining half of the Zweihander shattered, scattering into the air.

    Standing amidst the glinting fragments, Theo¡¯s figure was so striking that it drew gasps from those watching.

    He had done it.

    Although his stamina waspletely drained, and his body felt so heavy it could copse at any moment, he was overwhelmed with satisfaction. He had finally stood his ground against his father¡¯s sword, something he had desperately longed for.

    But there was something else¡ªsomething that filled him with even greater joy.

    ¡®Father¡¯s sword¡­ it was beautiful.¡¯

    The sh of light from his father¡¯s strike.

    It resembled the one he had once seen from Julius.

    ¡ªI want to be like that.

    Once again, a fierce longing bloomed within him.

    ¡ªOne day, I want to wield that kind of sword with my own hands.

    The streak of light from the sword¡¯s trajectory seemed to linger vividly before Theo¡¯s eyes.

    For a long while, he stood there, dazed, immersed in the rapture that the inspiration had brought him.

    And then¡ª

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    In the deep silence, Ed, Wolfgang, and the Lord of Plum Blossom Pce stared nkly at Theo.

    He had faced the family head¡¯s sword strike directly, yet wasn¡¯t thrown back, still standing his ground?

    An inexperienced boy who hadn¡¯t even mastered magic?

    Could such a thing even be possible?

    Even Axion, who had been called a genius from a young age, might have struggled to achieve something like this.

    Fwoosh¡ª

    At that moment, Julius jumped onto the stage to check on Theo.

    He was also making sure Ed and Wolfgang didn¡¯t try anything foolish.

    ¡°He¡¯s just passed out, so there¡¯s no need to worry,¡± Julius said after hearing Kyle¡¯s words. Only then did he realize that Theo, despite keeping his eyes wide open, was actually unconscious.

    He quickly checked Theo¡¯s pulse.

    Fortunately, it was normal.

    His breathing was calm too.

    ¡®Even though the strike wasn¡¯t infused with magic, to think he stood against the family head¡¯s sword without suffering serious internal injuries¡­ How fast is he growing?¡¯

    But what surprised Julius the most was something else.

    Theo was¡­ smiling.

    ¡®Hah¡­¡¯

    A soft, incredulousugh escaped his lips.

    Had Theo truly enjoyed crossing swords with the family head that much?

    Most people would be trembling in fear.

    ¡®A true fighter¡­ Truly a Ragnar.¡¯

    The fact that he had passed out while still standing was another testament.

    Just how strong was his will for something like this to happen?

    He was an extraordinary young man in many ways.

    ¡°Really¡­ you certainly have a knack for making people worry,¡± Julius muttered quietly, as Kyle turned away and brought the situation to a close.

    ¡°Theo Ragnar has proven his innocence through his own will. This trial is now concluded!¡±

    * * *

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±

    Theo slowly opened his eyes.

    He remembered that his Zweihander had shattered after shing with Kyle¡¯s sword.

    And he vividly recalled the intense inspiration that had pierced his mind after that.

    The sh of light.

    The single strike.

    Both his father and Julius possessed that very strike, and the memory of it still lingered at the edges of his vision.

    But what had happened after that, he couldn¡¯t recall at all.

    ¡°My son? Are you awake? Can you recognize your mother¡¯s face?¡±

    It was only then that he realized Cecilia was gently caressing his face, her expression filled with sorrow.

    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m fine,¡± he replied.

    ¡°How terrified do you think this mother was when she heard you had faced the family head¡¯s sword! Your arm¡ªhow is your body? Are you sure you¡¯re not hurt? Try moving your shoulder. If there¡¯s even the slightest fracture or dislocation, I¡¯ll call for a doctor right away.¡±

    Even though Cecilia¡¯s fussing overwhelmed Theo, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a strange sense of peace. It was an odd feeling, knowing that someone cared for him so deeply.

    ¡°You look paler than usual¡­! This won¡¯t do. I¡¯ll have to spend my own money to get some elixir brewed.¡±

    Just as Cecilia hurriedly stood up,ughter came from behind, and the door opened.

    ¡°It only seems that way because Theo has naturally fair skin. His pulse is fine, so there¡¯s no need for you to worry so much, madam.¡±

    It was Julius.

    Theo realized that Julius had brought him back from the Judgment Hall, and he tried to stand up to thank him.

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±

    But his body felt like a heavy, soaked sponge.

    ¡°Oh dear! Just stay seated. Though you¡¯re not injured, your body must be utterly exhausted. Really, who told you to push yourself so hard?¡±

    ¡°Still, I wanted to thank you. If not for you, I wouldn¡¯t have made it back safely.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. But if you really want to show your gratitude, you could join the White Armored Dragon Cavalry after the Blossoming Ceremony. Haha.¡±

    Theo couldn¡¯t help but smile wryly. He¡¯s just the same as always, he thought. But then, he noticed the burning fire in Cecilia¡¯s eyes as she stared at the two of them.

    ¡­So that¡¯s why my head feels like it¡¯s heating up. She¡¯s definitely going to ask a lot of questionster.

    Pretending not to notice his mother¡¯s gaze, Theo turned to Julius and asked, ¡°By the way, where am I?¡±

    Theo looked around, puzzled by the unfamiliar surroundings¡ªthe interior and decorations were all things he¡¯d never seen before.

    ¡°You don¡¯t even know where you are, yet you asked the family head to give it to you as a reward?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean¡­?¡±

    Suddenly, Theo¡¯s eyes widened, and Julius grinned as he nodded.

    ¡°This is Camellia Pce. Just earlier, following the family head¡¯s orders, the former lord of Camellia Pce and Axion were forced to leave, almost as if they were being chased out, along with the director of the Bureau of Internal Affairs. You should have seen the scene with your own eyes¡ªit was priceless! Haha!¡±

 Chapter 18

    Chapter 18: The First War (3) >

    ¡°The head of the family has bestowed his first strike in over ten years!¡±

    This was the first event that had urred since Julius had been given the title of .

    Of course, the opponent was a novice who hadn¡¯t even gone through the Blossoming Ceremony yet, so it was natural that the strike did not contain the essence of magic or its principles.

    However, the mere fact that the head of the family personally wielded a sword was overflowing with symbolic significance.

    All the more so, when the recipient of that strike was ¡®Ragnar¡¯s cripple.¡¯

    ¡°How about the cripple? What happened to him?¡±

    ¡°They say he¡¯s fine, aside from being exhausted.¡±

    ¡°What? How is that possible? Even if there was no magic in the strike, how could he be fine after being hit by the head¡¯s sword?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying.¡±

    ¡°Could it be¡­ the head of the family felt sorry for his crippled son¡­?¡±

    ¡°Shh! Are you insane? Do you have any idea what you¡¯re saying? The head of the family hates nothing more than people who can¡¯t distinguish between public and private matters. Have you forgotten?¡±

    ¡°But otherwise, it doesn¡¯t make sense¡­.¡±

    ¡°I thought the same, but if you think carefully, you can¡¯t just look at it that way.¡±

    ¡°True. There were also rumors going around that the captain of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry had his eye on him. Maybe it wasn¡¯t just idle gossip.¡±

    Some people began investigating how Theo hade to receive the head¡¯s first strike and were shocked by what they uncovered.

    ¡°The Byron family, the Ceres Trading Company¡­ The Gathering of the Hidden Dragons was oppressing Young Master Theo?¡±

    ¡°And when Young Master Theo punished them, they got upset and plotted against him?¡±

    ¡°Fifteen different forces went to such lengths to take down a single illegitimate son? Does that even make sense?¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t even a one-on-one duel, they bullied him with sheer numbers¡­¡±

    ¡°And yet, in the appeal, Young Master Theo still came out on top?¡±

    ¡°It seems the real fools were someone else all along!¡±

    Now, the nickname ¡®Ragnar¡¯s cripple¡¯ no longer referred to Theo, but to the group from the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons.

    Moreover, they had foolishly even lost Camellia Pce, so the rumors spread far and wide, to the point where there wasn¡¯t a person in Winterer who didn¡¯t know about it.

    As a result, the people who had once belonged to Camellia Pce couldn¡¯t even lift their heads in public.

    Meanwhile.

    Some ordinary knights began to cheer as they learned about Theo¡¯s actions.

    Was it because of that?

    ¡°The Hidden Dragon, who had been lying low¡­ Is he about to rise now?¡±

    With two months remaining until the Blossoming Ceremony.

    People began to wonder if they would witness an unexpected star rise.

    One by one, they started to keep their eyes on Camellia Pce, where Theo now resided.

    * * *

    ¡°Why on earth should I, the lord of this pce, be the one to leave, when there¡¯s a perfectly fine pce right here?!¡±

    ¡°My Lady, please calm down!¡±

    ¡°If you keep running around like that, you¡¯ll hurt yourself! Please, take a breath!¡±

    ¡°Let go of me, you fools! I¡¯ll take this matter up with the head of the family directly!¡±

    The maids were in chaos, struggling to restrain Emil, who was furiously thrashing about.

    In truth, they too were victims of the sudden upheaval. Just moments ago, they had been livingfortably in Camellia Pce, only to find themselves abruptly evicted.

    ¡°The head of the family has handed Camellia Pce over to Cecilia and her son.¡±

    Emil shot a sharp, dagger-like re toward Ed.

    ¡°You, brother, are thest person who should be saying anything after creating this mess!¡±

    ¡°I have no excuse, my Lady. This is all because I misjudged our opponent.¡±

    Ed was sincere. He had never expected Theo to endure the head of the family¡¯s first strike and walk away unscathed.

    ¡®If at least he had been seriously injured and hospitalized, it would¡¯ve made things easier to handle¡­ But not now.¡¯

    Even the possibility of a ¡°death due to aftereffects¡± was no longer within reach.

    It was clear that if they wanted to hunt Theo down, they would need to go all out.

    ¡°And what exactly do you n to do now? You can¡¯t seriously expect me to stay in this filthy, disgraceful ce, can you?¡±

    ¡°Just endure it a little longer. I promise you, the humiliation you¡¯ve suffered will be repaid twice over.¡±

    Ed¡¯s eyes gleamed ominously.

    Whether that promise was directed at Emil or himself was something only he knew.

    * * *

    ¡°Axion.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Uncle.¡±

    Axion, who had been watching Emil throw a fit, tossing objects around in hysterical rage after being kicked out of her residence, turned his gaze toward the source of the voice.

    ¡°The next time you encounter Theo Ragnar, you must kill him, no matter the cost.¡±

    ¡°I was already nning to at least sever one of his arms during the Blossoming Ceremony.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t settle for half measures. Make sure of it¡ªhis head. You must cut off his head. Do you understand?¡±

    Axion wanted to ask.

    What exactly had happened at the Judgment Hall?

    But no matter how much he prodded, Ed and Emil kept their lips sealed, as if they had made a pact.

    ¡®They¡¯ll all be exposed if I dig into the details. They must be utterly humiliated.¡¯

    The image of his mother, who would p him whenever she was displeased, was nowhere to be seen now.

    Axion found Emil¡¯s current state moreughable than pitiful.

    ¡®So, you received a strike from Father, did you? Ha. That crippled fool. It seems you¡¯ve grown quite a bit.¡¯

    The corners of Axion¡¯s lips twisted into a smile.

    It was the feeling of realizing that a toy, which he had thought amusing, was far more entertaining than he¡¯d initially expected.

    It couldn¡¯t have been more satisfying.

    ¡°May I ask one thing?¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°The ¡®relic¡¯ that¡¯s said to be in the Rose Pce¡­ What exactly is it? What is it about that ce that has you and Mother so desperate to get your hands on it?¡±

    On the surface, the Rose Pce appeared to be nothing more than a ce where the women of the family head were gathered.

    However, both Ed and Emil had been working for a long time to gain control of it.

    So, for a moment, Ed hesitated.

    Should he share the secret, one he had learned almost identally through Troyban, with his young nephew?

    Fortunately, the hesitation didn¡¯tst long.

    After all, Axion was half Troyban himself.

    ¡°Have you heard of the Ancient Dragon?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the ancient ancestor of the guardian dragon, the one who made a contract with our founder?¡±

    ¡°Correct.¡±

    ¡°But what does that have to do with this?¡±

    ¡°What if I told you that traces of the Ancient Dragon lie within the Rose Pce? Would you believe me?¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    Axion¡¯s eyes widened slightly. He hadn¡¯t expected such an answer.

    ¡°But the Ancient Dragon is something that only exists in old folktales¡­!¡±

    ¡°No. It truly lived. And during its life, it gave everything for the humans it cherished¡ªits body, its magic power, even its soul.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°And what remains of the Ancient Dragon is what we typically call a ¡®relic.¡¯ Among those relics, the one with the most noble value is said to be in the Rose Pce.¡±

    For a brief moment, Axion¡¯s eyes glinted with a cold, sharp light, but Ed failed to notice.

    ¡°The Rose Pce isn¡¯t the only ce. Camellia Pce, where we once lived, the Plum Blossom Pce of the Lord of Plum Blossom Pce, and the family head¡¯s quarters¡ªthere are relics scattered throughout all of them.¡±

    ¡°What form does this relic take? If we forcefully seize the Rose Pce and steal only that¡­!¡±

    ¡°The problem is, each relic is a spirit, and they all take different forms. Until it¡¯s directly in your hands, you can¡¯t even tell if it¡¯s a relic.¡±

    ¡°Thatplicates things.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why both I and your mother have been trying for so long to take control of the Rose Pce.¡±

    ¡°It seems we¡¯ll need to take down Theo, no matter the cost.¡±

    ¡°Exactly. That¡¯s it. He¡¯s dangerous. Far more so than we anticipated. If he stays in this world, he¡¯ll be a constant thorn in our side.¡±

    Perhaps he¡¯s already been chosen by the relic.

    Ed added a finalment.

    ¡°That¡¯s why the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons will continue to stay by your side.¡±

    ¡°These rumors I¡¯ve been hearingtely don¡¯t sound too good. Still, you¡¯re going through with this?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t like your tone.¡±

    ¡°Haha. If it came off that way, my apologies.¡±

    ¡°¡­Just so you know, nine groups have already dered their withdrawal a little while ago. However, six remain who still want Theo Ragnar¡¯s head. I¡¯ll make sure to give you a good opportunity. When the timees, move.¡±

    ¡°I will.¡±

    ¡°Especially since the Ceres Trading Company is connected to your mother¡¯s family. That should be helpful¡­¡±

    Beeeep!

    Ed abruptly stopped speaking and raised his head.

    His expression hardened instantly.

    A bird with ck feathers soared high in the sky¡ªa carrier pigeon, specially raised by the Ceres Trading Company.

    But¡­ the bird was covered in blood.

    Its wingbeats looked weak, as if it might die at any moment.

    For some inexplicable reason, Ed suddenly recalled Theo¡¯s blood-red eyes staring at him, sending a chill down his spine.

    * * *

    Julius¡¯s eyes widened at the sight of Evelyn, who looked as though she¡¯d bathed in blood and dust.

    ¡°You¡­ What in the world happened to you?¡±

    She looked as though she¡¯d just returned frompleting a mission.

    Even Wellington, standing next to her, was in the same state.

    Evelyn smiled faintly at Julius, despite herbored breathing, while Wellington handed over a wooden box he had been carrying to Theo.

    ¡°Is this the box you requested?¡±

    Click.

    Theo forcibly pried open the wax-sealed lid, inspected the contents, and nodded.

    ¡°Yes, it seems to be the right one. This takes a load off my mind. Thank you for your hard work.¡±

    Julius, listening to the cryptic exchange, couldn¡¯t contain his curiosity and urgently asked, ¡°What is that, exactly?¡±

    Theo answered in a calm tone.

    ¡°It¡¯s the lifeline of the Soaring Dragon.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­?¡±

    ¡°If I told you that the Soaring Dragon has been leaking the family¡¯s information to Troyban through the Ceres Trading Company, would you believe it?¡±

    ¡°What?!¡±

    Julius¡¯s eyes widened to the size ofnterns.

    Stunned, he quickly turned to Evelyn for confirmation.

    With a nk expression, Evelyn nodded and replied, ¡°As per Young Master Theo¡¯s request, I just finished eliminating every member of the Ceres Trading Company¡¯s branch stationed in Winterer.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°Fortunately, most of the branch¡¯s security personnel were out on other assignments, so their defenses were weak, making the task rtively easy.¡±

    The Ceres Trading Company was one of the vassal forces under the House of Ragnar, responsible for handling military supplies.

    No matter how strained the rtionship was with Theo, making a reckless move could bring back the political bacsh that had just been patched up.

    But.

    ¡°I found something interesting while I was there.¡±

    ¡°¡­That must be what¡¯s inside that box. What exactly is in it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a letter that the head of intelligence secretly sent to Troyban through the Ceres Trading Company. A considerable amount of critical information is written in it.¡±

    ¡°Hah¡­!¡±

    Julius¡¯s face twisted.

    His rtionship with Ed had never been particrly good, but Ed was still one of the Nine Dragons, the core of the family. The sense of betrayal was overwhelming.

    ¡°Then we must immediately bring this to light¡­¡±

    ¡°No, I have no intention of doing that.¡±

    Theo shook his head.

    ¡°What are you saying, Young Master Theo? Are you suggesting we let the Soaring Dragon¡¯s deception remain hidden?¡±

    ¡°The Soaring Dragon isn¡¯t someone who would be easily trapped by something like this.¡±

    ¡°¡­.¡±

    ¡°Even if this were exposed, he¡¯s probably already prepared to cut off loose ends. Moving too hastily would only backfire.¡±

    ¡°¡­I see.¡±

    Julius couldn¡¯t find the words to respond.

    As Theo said, Ed was not someone to be taken lightly.

    ¡°Furthermore, the family head likely already knows about this.¡±

    ¡°Is that true?¡±

    Theo nodded.

    ¡®In my previous life, the fall of the Soaring Dragon and the Lord of Camellia Pce had followed the head¡¯s n all along.¡¯

    Being part of the intelligence division, Theo was well aware of how everything had unfolded.

    In reality, the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons was nothing more than a front that Ed used to try to seize control of Ragnar, with Axion acting as his proxy.

    Though the Gathering grewrge enough to eventually threaten the Elders, its downfall came all too easily.

    Falling out of the family head¡¯s favor in Ragnar was as dangerous as it could get.

    ¡®Still, thanks to this incident, a significant portion of the Gathering likely withdrew. The public opinion won¡¯t be kind to them either.¡¯

    At this point, the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons had yet to solidify itself as Ed¡¯s private faction.

    ¡®On the other hand, my own value will have increased because of this.¡¯

    ¡°That¡¯s why I n to leave things as they are. If the Soaring Dragon has any sense, he won¡¯t dare to touch me carelessly.¡±

    ¡°¡­And you¡¯re aiming to cut off any controversy that might arise from the fall of the Ceres Trading Company under your control.¡±

    Theo smiled silently.

    It was an unspoken confirmation.

    For a moment, Julius involuntarily shuddered.

    He could see what Theo was scheming, even without it being explicitly said.

    ¡®No matter what, on the surface, it will look as though Young Master Theo personally punished the Ceres Trading Company as an example, and the Soaring Dragon yielded in response.¡¯

    Theo¡¯s reputation would only rise further.

    Any factions still harboring grudges against him might reconsider, seeing what happened to the Ceres Trading Company, and be cautious.

    ¡®When did he develop such a cold, calcting mindset¡­?¡¯

    Considering that just a few days ago, Julius had offered Theo advice, thinking his approach was still blunt, the change seemed too swift.

    At the same time, a thought crossed his mind.

    ¨C Where exactly is Theo getting this kind of information?

    But it wasn¡¯t the right moment to ask.

    ¡°For the time being, the Soaring Dragon won¡¯t be able to confront me.¡±

    ¡°In the meantime, he¡¯ll wait for an opportunity¡ªperhaps through Young Master Axion. Something like that.¡±

    ¡°The Blossoming Ceremony, most likely. Everyone will be too distracted then.¡±

    Julius nodded heavily.

    Theo nodded in agreement as well.

    There were two months left until the Blossoming Ceremony.

    In that time, he had to grow stronger, strong enough to face the Soaring Dragon¡¯s schemes.

    The first war was far from over.

    ¡®The storage room on the second floor, the one bathed in blue light¡­ That ce will definitely be a great help.¡¯

 Chapter 19

    Chapter 19: The First War (4) >

    Fortunately, the secret of the second-floor storage room had now been fully uncovered.

    [For battling valiantly against ¡®Kyle Ragnar¡¯s¡¯ first sword strike, the evaluation of Tutorial Quest #11 has been upgraded.]

    [Evaluation: S]

    [As an additional reward, you have gained ess to the  system.]

    [You have achieved an S-rank for the first time.]

    [As a rank reward, you have obtained the ¡®Blue Key.¡¯]

    Theo realized something the moment he activated the second ability he had gained after .

    Atst, he would finally be able to use the items he had received as rewards so far.

    +

    [Inventory List]

    ¨C Beginner¡¯s Ring ¡Á1

    ¨C Beginner¡¯s Ne ¡Á1

    ¨C Beginner¡¯s Earring ¡Á1

    .

    .

    ¨C Blue Key ¡Á1

    +

    A new window, structured like a checkerboard with numerous slots, appeared in front of him. When he ced his hand over a slot, a description of the item would be disyed.

    +

    [Beginner¡¯s Ring]

    ¡¤ Type: essory

    ¡¤ Effect: Increases magic efficiency by 5%

    ¡¤ Requirement: Level 5

    +

    ¡°Increasing magic efficiency? By 5%, no less?¡±

    He had been so shocked when he first saw that.

    If it was true, then it was like receiving an expensive artifact for free.

    Artifacts rted to magic, in particr, were notoriously pricey.

    Fortunately, retrieving the items from the slots wasn¡¯t difficult. All he had to do was tap lightly on them with his index finger.

    [Would you like to equip the Beginner¡¯s Ring?]

    The ring was simple, without any patterns, and looked as if it were made of in copper.

    There didn¡¯t seem to be any kind of special mechanism engraved on it, which made him feel suspicious.

    However, the moment he slid it onto the ring finger of his left hand, he felt a significant change in the flow of magic coursing through his veins.

    [The Beginner¡¯s Ring has been equipped.]

    [Magic efficiency has increased by 5%.]

    Thump¡­ Thump¡­

    The cirction of magic became far smoother than before.

    It was as if the Dragon¡¯s Heart had grown stronger.

    ¡°It¡¯s real!¡±

    Theo¡¯s eyes widened, and he attempted to take out all the other rewards as well.

    But¡ª

    [You do not meet the equipment requirements.]

    [You do not meet the equipment requirements.]

    Unlike the Beginner¡¯s Ring, there were issues with all the other items.

    [Requirement: Level 10]

    Currently, Theo was at level 8.

    He didn¡¯t meet the conditions.

    ¡°How can I raise my remaining levels? Can I gain more experience through sparring?¡±

    Feeling anxious, he pondered how he could solve this issue.

    It was then that he found something else in the inventory list, different from the Beginner Series.

    +

    [Blue Key]

    ¡¤ Type: Misceneous

    ¡¤ Effect: Unlocks a dungeon

    ¡¤ Condition for use: Discover the corresponding dungeon gate

    +

    ¡°A blue gate? Could it be referring to the door in the storage room?¡±

    Just at that moment.

    [A quest has arrived.]

    +

    [Tutorial Quest #12]

    Follow the blue light, discover the dungeon, and clear it.

    ¡¤ Difficulty: C

    ¡¤ Reward: Material items

    ¡¤ On failure: ¡ö¡ö

    +

    It waste at night, and Julius, Evelyn, and Wellington had finally left, saying they would return the next day.

    Atst, Theo stood before the storage room.

    * * *

    The storage room still glowed with a faint blue light.

    A light visible only to Theo.

    The color matched exactly with the [Blue Key] he now held in his hand.

    ¡°This has to be the ce.¡±

    Theo pushed the key into the lock on the door.

    Click

    With the sound of the lock disengaging, the door opened on its own.

    Revealing an otherworldly space beyond.

    ¡°There¡¯s a ce like this inside the Camellia Pce?¡±

    Beyond the door was a long, cave-like passageway.

    Torches hung along the walls, lighting the interior.

    The ground was solid, and there were various murals on the walls.

    Clearly, such a room couldn¡¯t exist within the structure of the Camellia Pce.

    Theo, his expression tense, stepped inside.

    At that moment¡ª

    Ding!

    [You have discovered a dungeon for the first time.]

    [As a reward, all experience points will be doubled for 24 hours.]

    [Clear the dungeon.]

    Theo, gripping the sword at his waist, slowly advanced.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t feel familiar in my hand.¡±

    The Zweihander Theo had previously used was nowpletely shattered by Kyle¡¯s sword strike, with only the handle remaining.

    Thanks to Julius, he had been able to retrieve the handle, but here, he had to use an entirely different sword.

    It was one of the items he had received as a reward before.

    +

    [Beginner¡¯s Training Sword]

    ¡¤ Type: Weapon

    ¡¤ Attack Power: 8¨C12

    ¡¤ Requirement: Level 8

    +

    +

    [Beginner¡¯s Training Shield]

    ¡¤ Type: Armor

    ¡¤ Defense Power: 10

    ¡¤ Requirement: Level 8

    +

    Despite the word ¡°training,¡± the materials used for the sword and shield were quite decent.

    With the sword in his right hand and the shield firmly gripped in his left, Theo moved cautiously. It was then that he spotted something.

    ¡°A wolf?¡±

    Grrr¡­

    A wolf with bloodshot eyes slowly approached him.

    But¡­

    ¡°It¡¯s huge.¡±

    The creature was farrger than any ordinary wolf.

    It must have been about two meters tall.

    It looked far more ferocious too, making it clear that it wouldn¡¯t be easy to deal with.

    ¡°It looks like one of the wolves from the Demonic Sea.¡±

    At that moment, the wolf moved.

    Tatack-

    ¡®Fast!¡¯

    Kwaang!

    The wolf lunged at Theo in an instant, baring its fangs.

    Though he quickly raised his shield to block it, the force pressing down on him was immense.

    But¡­

    ¡°If it¡¯s just about strength, I won¡¯t lose either.¡±

    Theo trusted his own power, the same strength that had withstood Kyle¡¯s strike, with his strength now being 53.

    And then there was also the Dragon¡¯s Heart.

    Quang!

    Channeling his strength into his legs, he kicked off the ground, pushing the wolf back with all his might, and stabbed his sword toward its neck.

    However, the wolf easily evaded by retreating backward and immediately targeted Theo¡¯s nk again.

    Quang! Quang! Quang!

    The wolf was far more agile and powerful than he had expected.

    It was not an easy opponent.

    ¡®Its hide is too tough for the sword to prate easily. And it¡¯s too fast to catch.¡¯

    Was it truly a demonic wolf from beyond the Northern Wall?

    The Demonic Sea was known as a ce where even trained swordsmen who had undergone the Blossoming Ceremony would find it difficult to cross.

    So, it wasn¡¯t strange that this was such a difficult opponent.

    ¡®If only I could use the Light sh that Father and Julius used¡­¡¯

    Theo clearly remembered the words Julius had spoken before leaving the Camellia Pce.

    ¨C Light sh¡­? Ha! Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve already felt the Dragon sh?¡±

    ¨C Dragon sh? Is that its name?

    ¨C Haha. Actually, I don¡¯t know the exact name. I just called it that. The head of the House¡¯s swordsmanship was so beautiful when I saw it that no other name seemed fitting.

    ¨C Would you teach me that Light sh?

    ¨C Oh! You really liked it, didn¡¯t you? Well, after witnessing something like that firsthand¡­ I guess as a swordsman, it¡¯d be impossible not to be captivated by it.

    ¨C Please, I¡¯m asking you.

    ¨C What if I said you¡¯d have to join the White Armored Dragon Cavalry in exchange for learning it?

    ¨C I would join.

    ¨C Hmm¡­!

    ¨C Is that not possible?

    ¨C The truth is¡­ ha! I¡¯ll be honest with you. It¡¯s not something I can say ¡®yes¡¯ or ¡®no¡¯ to.

    Theo recalled Julius¡¯ bitter smile.

    ¨C It¡¯s impossible to pass it down in the first ce.

    Julius had exined it like this:

    The Dragon sh was a sword technique that only Kyle could use.

    Even what Julius had shown was merely a forced imitation. It wasn¡¯t the ¡®real thing.¡¯

    So, there was no set form, no stance, no special technique.

    It was all just guesswork.

    ¨C When the head of the House was given the title of ¡®Dark Dragon,¡¯ I made the same request, just like you. I wanted to learn it. In fact, the only reason I joined Ragnar in the first ce was because of the Dragon sh. But then the head of the House said to me¡­

    This light cannot be learned.

    It must be realized.

    ¨C I didn¡¯t know what that meant back then. But as I kept reflecting on it again and again, and clumsily tried to imitate it, I realized it. To show that light, you must be looking at something far higher.

    Theo recalled the strike from that time.

    ¨C If you want to obtain it as well, Theo, you¡¯ll have to look much higher than you are now. But remember just one thing.

    Beautiful, resplendent.

    Yet, still shining.

    A trail of pure white.

    ¨C That path¡­ it will be a very lonely and arduous one.

    That radiance¡ªthe sword Julius had named Dragon sh¡ªwas not something one could learn immediately.

    ¡°The higher the peak you aim for, the more difficult the climb will be.¡±

    However.

    ¡®If I just keep trying¡­ won¡¯t I reach it someday, somehow?¡¯

    One strike.

    If the passion poured into a single sword is what¡¯s important, then first, I¡¯ll need to acquire a sword that can kill in a single blow.

    With that, Theo decided to change his strategy.

    Bang!

    The shield, unable to withstand the wolf¡¯s crushing bite any longer, shattered, and Theo¡¯s left arm was naturally bitten.

    As flesh was forcibly ripped away, the bones were on the verge of snapping.

    Theo fiercely swung his sword towards the wolf¡¯s right eye.

    Imbuing it with the desire to emte the radiance.

    Squeezing everyst bit of strength from the Dragon¡¯s Heart.

    Thud, thud, thud, thud¡­!

    The sound of his pounding heart reverberated in his ears from the tension.

    His vision narrowed sharply, allowing him to focus solely on the targeted area¡ªthe wolf¡¯s eye.

    At the same time, he thought.

    ¡®The basic techniques I learned from Evelyn¡­ among theponents of her secret swordsmanship, those most specialized in speed¡­¡¯

    The wolf hurriedly retreated to evade him.

    But Theo¡¯s sword moved far faster than the wolf.

    In this moment.

    Theo¡¯s mind was aze, hotter than ever before.

    The forms of the sword techniques he had learned repeatedly disassembled and reformed.

    ¡®I will strike.¡¯

    Swish¡ª!

    It was the fastest attack he had ever unleashed.

    Thud!

    Unlike its tough hide, the wolf¡¯s eyeball wasn¡¯t hard, so the sword pierced deeply through its eyelid.

    ¡®Too shallow.¡¯

    He had intended to stab straight into its brain, but the wolf¡¯s quick reaction prevented the strike from reaching that deep.

    Howl!

    The wolf raised its head in agony.

    Seizing the opportunity, Theo released his sword and clung to the wolf¡¯s nape, locking it in a chokehold.

    He believed in his own strength, which hadn¡¯t given in to the wolf¡¯s power.

    Yelp! Yelp!

    The wolf shook its head wildly, trying desperately to shake Theo off.

    But Theo hung on, dangling without letting go.

    If he let go, he would die.

    With that thought, he endured until the very end.

    Eventually, the wolf gradually lost its strength and copsed in a heap.

    ¡°Haa¡­ Haa¡­!¡±

    Theo finally let go after confirming the wolf waspletely dead.

    His mouth tasted bitter, his body covered in dust, and his left arm, possibly broken, waspletely powerless.

    [You have hunted a Dire Wolf.]

    [You have gained 12 experience points.]

    [Double experience reward applied. You have gained an additional 12 experience points.]

    [Your level has increased.]

    [Remaining number of monsters on the first floor: 171]

    ¡°D-damn it¡­! It really was a monster¡­! And I have to hunt¡­ over a hundred more of these¡­?¡±

    Theo swallowed back the nausea rising in his throat.

    He didn¡¯t even have the energy to be angry right now.

    Instead, he needed to focus on leveling up.

    [Strength: 58]

    He invested all his additional stat points into [Strength], and fortunately, his muscles hardened slightly, giving him just enough strength to feel a bit of power return to his left arm.

    ¡®It won¡¯t help to invest in other stats right now. It¡¯s better to focus everything on one for the time being.¡¯

    The one thing he could rely on was that when his [Strength] surpassed 50, he had felt a significant change in his abilities.

    So what would happen when it surpassed 100?

    Would he go beyond the realm of the extraordinary and reach the territory of the ¡°exceptional¡±?

    Physically, he was already exhausted.

    ¡®Still, let¡¯s push a little further.¡¯

    With the thought of somehow getting through, he rose to his feet again.

    Dragon sh.

    To somehow obtain a clue about it.

    And.

    ¡®ording to the message, this is the only time the double experience event will happen¡­ I can¡¯t stop now.¡¯

    Dragging his battered body, Theo moved deeper into the cave once more.

 Chapter 20

    Chapter 20: The First War (5) >

    As time passed, Theo¡¯s pace slowed down significantly.

    This was because the number of dire wolves, which had initially appeared one at a time, started showing up in packs.

    From two or three to as many as five.

    Each time Theo faced them, he felt as if death was lurking nearby.

    Finally, about four hours after entering the dungeon, Theo returned outside once again.

    ¡°Aaah! Young Master!¡±

    ¡°Haa¡­ haa¡­ Calm down, I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t make a fuss.¡±

    ¡°But, right now¡­!¡±

    ¡°Really, I¡¯m fine. Could you just let me rest a bit?¡±

    Theo barely managed to calm down the maid who was startled by the sight of his bloodied appearance, and then opened his inventory.

    Thankfully, while the dungeon could certainly drain a person¡¯s energy, it didn¡¯t leave himpletely without hope.

    +

    [Beginner¡¯s Healing Potion]

    ¡¤ Type: Misceneous

    ¡¤ Effect: Restores 10 points of health and heals wounds.

    +

    Theo pulled out a bottle filled with a red liquid and gulped it down.

    Paaaah-

    As soon as he drank it, a red glow spread over his body, healing his wounds and making his breathing much easier.

    ¡®It would have been a lot easier to clear this if more of these things showed up. Damn it.¡¯

    He should have realized it from the moment the quest difficulty first disyed a C.

    It was a ce that drained his energy but was just manageable enough to survive.

    However, if he made one wrong move, he could lose his life in an instant.

    ¡°At least the beasts don¡¯t seem to be able toe out beyond the door. I guess that¡¯s a relief.¡±

    Theo muttered to himself as he wiped the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand.

    Paaaah-

    At that moment, the Beginner¡¯s Ring on his left ring finger glowed.

    The sluggish flow of his magic, worn down by fatigue, suddenly quickened, and strength returned to his body.

    Thump, thump!

    Since all of Theo¡¯s magic was currently stored in the Dragon¡¯s Heart, the ring¡¯s effect was amplifying the energy throughout his entire body.

    ¡®If it weren¡¯t for this, I would have copsed a long time ago, or I would¡¯ve had to run from the dungeon early.¡¯

    The reward from the first quest had already proven to be this helpful.

    If he could use all the other rewards as well?

    The dungeon clear would be much easier.

    ¡®I need to reach level 10 quickly.¡¯

    Luckily, it seemed like he only needed to hunt a few more dire wolves.

    But there was one problem.

    ¡°¡­The condition of my weapon is really bad. What should I do?¡±

    The Beginner¡¯s Training Sword was now so worn out that its edge had bepletely dull, rendering it unusable.

    He needed a different weapon.

    Was there a decent weapon somewhere?

    While ncing around the room, Theo noticed three swords hanging on the wall.

    They were ornamental swords, gifted by his mother, Cecilia, on his fourteenth birthday.

    At the time, his conflict with Cecilia had been so severe that he hadpletely forgotten about them.

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    Theo quickly took the swords down from the wall and opened their scabbards.

    Clink¡ª

    Shiiing!

    ¡°The des are still quite sharp, aren¡¯t they?¡±

    Contrary to his worries that the edges might have dulled, the swords were sharp enough for immediate use inbat.

    There wasn¡¯t a single trace of rust.

    Theo held the sword high, reflecting the chandelier¡¯s light off its de.

    The de was as white as the snowfieldsmonly seen in the North.

    So white, in fact, that it was almost blinding.

    ¡°It seems they used ¡®Snow White Ore¡¯¡­ These must have been expensive. How did she manage to get them?¡±

    Having handled information directly in his past life, Theo knew very well how rare Snow White Ore was.

    It was a mineral mined only in very small amounts from the eternally snow-covered mountains of the Winter Range.

    The ore shone like stars even in the darkest nights, and its hardness and durability were extraordinary.

    Because of this, even in House Ragnar, it was mandated that a certain percentage of Snow White Ore be mixed in when forging treasured swords.

    Naturally, the price was astronomical, far beyond what any ordinary swordsman could ever hope to afford.

    Yet, the swords Cecilia had gifted him contained that very Snow White Ore.

    And not just in one, but in all three of them.

    With a considerable percentage, too.

    That wasn¡¯t all.

    In line with their ornamental nature, the decoration on the scabbards and hilts was extravagantly borate.

    Even to Theo, who didn¡¯t particrly appreciate art, it was obvious that a great deal of effort had gone into crafting them.

    As he gazed at the swords, he vaguely recalled Cecilia¡¯s delighted expression as she dressed him up in various outfits.

    Perhaps she had been just as joyful when selecting and crafting these swords?

    And yet, he had hung them on the wall as mere decorations, never giving them so much as a nce for a very long time.

    He felt a lump rise in his throat.

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    After silently staring at the swords for a while, Theo ced all of them into his inventory.

    At that moment, he had only one thought.

    He wouldn¡¯t repeat the same mistakes as in his past life.

    With that resolve, Theo set out for his second attempt at the dungeon.

    * * *

    The more Theo used the inventory, the more amazing it seemed.

    It was just like an artifact with a pocket dimension.

    ¡®There¡¯s no sense of weight at all. I can store items freely, though it seems like there¡¯s a limit to the space.¡¯

    Thanks to that, even though he carried three ornamental swords along with various tools, he could move with ease.

    Grrrrr¡ª

    Three Giant Bears, each towering over five meters, appeared before him.

    These were predators infamous even in the Demonic Sea, but strangely, Theo didn¡¯t feel afraid.

    He had the sense that he could defeat them easily.

    Shiiing¡ª

    With a sword in each hand, Theo dashed forward.

    Paah!

    Two streaks of pure white light trailed behind him as the Snow White Ore des sliced through the air.

    [Level Up!]

    [Level Up!]

    As expected, Theo¡¯s movement was incredibly swift.

    It was hard to believe this was the same person who had hesitated and wandered when he first entered the dungeon.

    Was it because of the extraordinary [Strength] he had attained?

    Or perhaps it was because of the swords, imbued with his mother¡¯s care?

    Regardless, by the time he had passed halfway through the cave, he had already surpassed level 10.

    And as he had anticipated, he was now able to equip the entire Beginner Series.

    +

    [Beginner Set]

    ¡¤ Effects: Magic efficiency +13%, Health recovery speed +6%, Weapon speed +5%, All stats +5

    +

    The Beginner Series provided Theo with a significant boost in power.

    The cirction of his magic became so smooth, and his sword-swinging speed increased noticeably.

    Dragon sh.

    The arc of his de, aimed to catch up to the rays of light, grew ever sharper.

    One Strike, One Kill.

    ¡®I¡¯m getting stronger. Very quickly.¡¯

    Theo felt as if something that had been weighing him down for a long time had suddenly been lifted.

    At this rate, he felt confident that he could soon defeat Axion with ease.

    [You have cleared the first floor.]

    [You are entering the second floor.]

    * * *

    Time flew by in the blink of an eye.

    One day passed, then two, three¡­

    A month, two months.

    At first, he could barely take a few steps.

    But now, he had made considerable progress and was nearing the end of the dungeon.

    ¡®I¡¯ve finally reached level 15.¡¯

    Thanks to that, his [Strength] stat had reached 91.

    He was close to his goal of 100.

    But that wasn¡¯t the only improvement.

    +

    Theo Ragnar (15 years old / Male)

    ¡¤ Level: 15

    ¡¤ Stats (¨‹)

    Strength: 91 Agility: 25

    Health: 20 Magic: 198

    Intelligence: 19 Luck: -6

    ¡¤ [View Unavable]

    ¡¤ [View Unavable]

    +

    As the life-threatening battles continued, his other stats had steadily increased as well.

    Especially, his [Agility] had shown the most significant change.

    Compared to when he was level 1, it had increased by a remarkable 14 points.

    Thanks to this, he could now move with considerable speed.

    ¡®Even [Luck] is nearly at zero now.¡¯

    This change had urred after rumors spread that he had withstood a blow from Kyle¡¯s sword.

    Just seeing his stats improve day by day made him feel as if he was full, even without eating.

    Perhaps that was the reason?

    Recently, a faint smile rarely left Theo¡¯s lips.

    ¨C Hey, hey. Doesn¡¯t the Young Master seem differenttely? It¡¯s not just me, right?

    ¨C Yeah, I know. Is he in love or something?

    ¨C Oh, stop it! What nonsense! He spends all his time swinging his sword!

    ¨C Exactly. Going to the training grounds at dawn, practicing alone in his room all night. He doesn¡¯t even let us into his room after evening these days.

    ¨C He seems to have grown taller recently too.

    ¨C I know, right? The tailor came byst time and was shocked. He¡¯s grown almost 10 centimeters in just a few months!

    ¨C He¡¯s building muscles too¡­ Especially those veins popping on the back of his hands when he clenches his fists¡­! Hehehehe.

    ¨C Ugh, gross! Can you wipe your drool?

    Among the maids, Theo¡¯s transformation into a more masculine figure had be a major topic of conversation.

    With his long hair tied back and swinging his sword while drenched in sweat, he appeared more handsome than ever.

    ¨C But why does he take ten practice swords with him every day? What could he be doing with all those?

    ¨C Right? You never even hear the sound of the swords breaking.

    ¨C What kind of training is he doing?

    The training swords had be a temporary solution Theo had chosen when the edges of his ornamental swords began to dull.

    To conserve the ornamental swords, he utilized his inventory¡¯s unique capacity to store arge amount of items.

    The problem, however, was that as he progressed deeper into the dungeon, the monsters became stronger, and the iron swords didn¡¯tst long.

    So, every day, Theo had to prepare more than ten swords to bring with him.

    Naturally, the maids and servants found this strange.

    But although they were curious, none of them suspected anything odd.

    Theo¡¯s single-minded focus on training left no room for doubt.

    And then.

    [You have entered the 5th floor.]

    [You are entering the boss room. A powerful monster will appear. Be cautious.]

    Atst, the final obstacle stood before him.

    * * *

    ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve seen a message warning me to be cautious.¡±

    Theo tensed up as he read the message.

    From the moment he entered the fifth floor, he could feel something unsettling crawling up his spine.

    The air was thick, oppressively so.

    It was hard to even breathe.

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    The fifth floor was significantly smallerpared to the other levels.

    In the center of the vast cavern, a massive creaturey curled up, deeply asleep.

    ¡®A dragon?¡¯

    For a brief moment, Theo wondered if it was the mythical dragon he had only heard of in stories, but he quickly realized it wasn¡¯t.

    It had no wings on its back.

    Still, even curled up, its size was overwhelming. Its dark blue scales shimmered like gemstones, and its snout, which protruded like a dragon¡¯s, looked as though it could spew fire at any moment.

    A Drake.

    A lower-tier dragon species, categorized as a predator due to its ferocious temperament and insatiable hunger for prey.

    But why was such a creature, which typically only existed in the Demonic Sea, here?

    ¡®Luckily, it seems to be a lesser drake¡­ but still!¡¯

    Theo quietly returned the iron sword in his hand to his inventory and drew one of the ornamental swords instead.

    ¡®This isn¡¯t going to be easy.¡¯

    At the same time, another thought crossed his mind.

    ¡®Ragnar is also known as the descendant of dragons. And yet, the final boss of this strange quest is a dragon species¡­? Is this really just a coincidence?¡¯

    His mind swirled with questions.

    However, one thing was certain.

    In order to clear this, he had to defeat that monster.

    ¡®I¡¯ll use One sh.¡¯

    One sh was a piercing technique Theo had recently devised by mimicking Dragon sh.

    By squeezing every bit of power from the Dragon¡¯s Heart, it allowed him to unleash an explosive attack powered by his near-100 stat in [Strength].

    Though he hadn¡¯t yet mastered it to the point of creating beams of light, he was confident that this first strike would deal a critical blow to the enemy.

    ¡°Hooop-!¡±

    Theo took a deep breath, twisting his body tightly.

    Thump¡­ thump¡­!

    The Dragon¡¯s Heart pulsed violently, imbuing the ornamental sword with immense power.

    Swish!

    The de left a long, pure white streak as it plunged into the sleeping drake¡¯s right eye.

    Thwack!

 Chapter 21

    Chapter 21: Relic of the Ancient Dragon (1) >

    ¡°Kyaaaak!¡±

    The Lesser Drake, abruptly awakened and losing one of its eyes, thrashed about in agony.

    Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

    The creature¡¯s strength was so immense that every time it rampaged, the cave echoed as if it might copse at any moment.

    ¡®It would¡¯ve been better if it had pierced deeper, maybe into the brain. Was it too shallow?¡¯

    Theo clicked his tongue lightly and leapt forward.

    Regret was regret, but now was the time to focus solely on the hunt.

    Aside from the spectral sword embedded in the creature¡¯s eye, there were two more left. He gripped one in each hand and crossed them at the Drake¡¯s neck.

    Thud!

    However, the scales on its neck were so tough that the sharp spectral swords bounced right off.

    ¡®Damn it¡­!¡¯

    Roar¡ª

    Realizing that Theo was its enemy, the Lesser Drake charged at him with ferocious intensity.

    [Dragon Fear dominates the battlefield. Your movement speed is reduced by 10% due to the Fear status.]

    On top of that, it unleashed its innate Dragon Killing Intent.

    Theo swiftly pulled his dual swords inward, barely managing to push the Lesser Drake aside.

    ¡®Its scales are too hard for the swords to prate. I need to aim for the gaps between the scales.¡¯

    Even in this perilous situation, Theo¡¯s sharpbat instincts, honed by the blood of Ragnar, told him exactly where he needed to strike.

    The lower neck, connecting the head to the body.

    A cemonly referred to as the reverse scale.

    Theo quickly spun his body, closing the gap, and mmed his foot hard into the ground.

    ¡®One sh.¡¯

    Fwoosh¡ª

    Once again, the spectral sword in his right hand traced a pure white arc as it stabbed into the Drake¡¯s neck.

    Squelch¡ª

    This time, he felt the sensation of piercing through flesh at his fingertips.

    ¡°Now, let¡¯s continue¡­!¡±

    Theo rotated thest remaining spectral sword in a diagonal sh, deeply cutting the Lesser Drake¡¯s left eye.

    This was the One sh,bined with the secret sword technique he had mastered.

    But this time, it wasn¡¯t a thrust¡ªit was a sh.

    Saat!

    The Lesser Drake¡¯s remaining eye exploded like a firecracker.

    Crash!

    Theo narrowly dodged the spot where the Drake¡¯s tail mmed down.

    It was another secret sword technique, this time used for footwork.

    His skills had grown iparably stronger than before.

    Thud, thud, thud, thud¡­!

    As the Dragon¡¯s Heart pounded wildly, adrenaline surged through Theo¡¯s body.

    He burst into a wide grin.

    * * *

    Recently.

    Sybil and the group of followers around Theo had begun to notice a significant change in how people looked at them.

    ¡°Hey, Sybil.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°More people again.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. At this rate, we might need to switch training grounds.¡±

    Sybil scratched the back of his head as he looked at the crowd filling up the 4th training ground from the crack of dawn.

    This was also a recent phenomenon.

    Word had spread that Theo trained at the 4th training ground every morning, and people flocked to see it.

    All of them came with one goal in mind¡ªto cross swords with Theo.

    After hearing that Theo had received private instruction from the head of the house, they wanted to test his skills for themselves.

    The problem was¡­

    ¡°I just hope there aren¡¯t any troublemakers this time.¡±

    The issue was that almost all of those who showed up recently had terrible attitudes.

    Did they look down on Theo?

    All they cared about was defeating Theo to boost their own reputation. They had no intention of getting along with him at all.

    Instead, they were quick to treat Theo¡¯s followers like a bunch of misfits, constantly picking fights and causing friction.

    If it weren¡¯t for Evelyn?

    Things would likely have been even worse.

    So this time, Sybil could only hope for a group of somewhat normal (?) individuals.

    ¡°But where¡¯s Lord Theo beentely? I haven¡¯t seen him around at all.¡±

    At that moment, someone in the crowd posed the question, and Sybil shrugged his shoulders.

    ¡°Beats me. There¡¯s only five days left until the Blossoming Ceremony.¡±

    ¡°Exactly.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s never missed a single day of training before, so it¡¯s worrying. Maybe he¡¯s focused on private training? Have you heard anything from Lady Evelyn?¡±

    ¡°Nothing.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ I hope nothing¡¯s happened to him.¡±

    As the Blossoming Ceremony drew nearer, tensions in Winterer were rising, leading to all sorts of incidents every day.

    Naturally, they were worried about Theo too.

    ¡°We¡¯ve been waiting for days, so why hasn¡¯t he even shown his face?¡±

    Just then, Sybil and hispanions overheard some people talking about Theo behind his back.

    No, it wasn¡¯t just gossip.

    They were openly mocking him, as if they wanted others to hear.

    ¡°Seriously, though. Waiting around here is driving me crazy.¡±

    ¡°Look at the people gathered here. How could anyone not feel restless?¡±

    ¡°Hahaha, you¡¯ve got a point.¡±

    As a few of them burst outughing, those who hade to see Theo either joined in or frowned at the mockery.

    ¡°Those bastards, they really¡­!¡±

    Just as Sybil was about to step forward, enraged, Eod grabbed his arm.

    ¡°Hey, stay still. Didn¡¯t you hear what Lady Evelyn said before? As the Blossoming Ceremony approaches, people are going to start trying to tarnish Lord Theo¡¯s reputation. Stay calm.¡±

    Sybil gritted his teeth.

    ¡°So, we¡¯re just going to stand here and do nothing?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re just saying that to us. It¡¯s not the first time we¡¯ve heard this, so why are you letting it get to you?¡±

    ¡°Damn it.¡±

    Sybil was just barely calming himself down when¡ª

    ¡°But honestly, I sometimes wonder¡­¡±

    ¡°Wonder what?¡±

    ¡°That rumor. Is it really true? That he received the head¡¯s sword. When you think about it, no one¡¯s actually seen it with their own eyes, right?¡±

    ¡°No way, are you saying it might be a lie?¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not a lie, but rumors can be exaggerated, can¡¯t they?¡±

    ¡°Huh? That¡¯s true. So, maybe he¡¯s staying hidden because he¡¯s afraid his real skill will be exposed?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s scared of us.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that makes sense! Haha! He¡¯s hiding out of fear, but dragging him out would just make him look even worse. What a tough situation.¡±

    Sybil¡¯s face hardened.

    That wasn¡¯t just gossip anymore. It was tant disrespect toward Theo.

    He nced over at Eod.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Eod was gone.

    As Sybil looked around to figure out where he¡¯d gone, he spotted him.

    There he was, flying through the air with a kick aimed at theughing group.

    Thud!

    ¡°Urgh!¡±

    One of the men, caughtpletely off guard, was struck in the head and sent flying in an embarrassing disy.

    ¡°Henry!¡±

    ¡°What the hell is this lunatic doing?!¡±

    ¡°You worthless piece of trash, are you insane?!¡±

    The group, who had beenughing together just moments ago, all drew their swords at once, ring at Eod.

    ¡°¡­That crazy bastard. He told me to stay calm, and now look at him.¡±

    Sybil had momentarily forgotten.

    In fact, Eod was the most fanatical of Theo¡¯s followers.

    Hearing anyone insult Theo was enough to make him lose his mind.

    But leaving this foolish friend to deal with the situation alone wasn¡¯t an option.

    ¡°Everyone, draw your swords!¡±

    Sriiing! Srrriiing!

    At Sybil¡¯smand, Theo¡¯s followers all drew their swords and gathered around Eod.

    In the blink of an eye, the 4th training ground split into two factions.

    ¡°How dare you disrespect Lord Theo? These bastards are asking to die!¡±

    ¡°Look at these ugly faces, and they have the nerve to talk about Lord Theo!¡±

    ¡°¡­Hey, let¡¯s not talk about faces. We¡¯re not exactly blessed in that area either.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but at least we¡¯re average! They¡¯re not even close!¡±

    ¡°Right. When you add Lord Theo to the mix, our average definitely goes up¡­¡±

    ¡°Those bastards¡­ I¡¯ve never liked the way they act.¡±

    ¡°Crush them!¡±

    With a deafening roar, the brawl was about to erupt.

    BOOM!

    Suddenly, a sword crashed down like a lightning bolt between the two groups.

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    The sheer destructive force was so intense that the entire training ground shook.

    Everyone¡¯s faces went stiff as they turned their gaze to the source of the strike.

    The sword was embedded in the ground, its hilt standing upright like a gravestone.

    Standing atop it, arms crossed, was Wellington, looking down on them.

    ¡°Young Lord Wellington!¡±

    Sybil and Theo¡¯s followers were overjoyed to see an ally.

    ¡°The¡­ The heir of House Narcio¡­!¡±

    The opposing group, however, swallowed hard, realizing the power they were facing.

    ¨C We¡¯ve heard that the Narcio heir is close to Lord Theo, but is it¡­ actually true?

    ¨C We hadn¡¯t seen him aroundtely, so we thought we didn¡¯t have to worry. But now, of all times¡­!

    ¨C Damn it, this is a mess, isn¡¯t it?

    Unlike Theo, who had only recently gained attention, Wellington had long been known as a prodigy.

    On top of that, his status as the heir of the House of Narcio wasn¡¯t something to be taken lightly.

    The thugs exchanged uneasy nces.

    ¨C But isn¡¯t the Narcio heir known to be a reasonable guy? Maybe we can talk our way out of this?

    ¨C Yeah! If we exin it was all just a misunderstanding, maybe we can manage this¡­

    They tried to quickly concoct a n to persuade Wellington, but¡ª

    ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard the stories about people who ran their mouths about Ragnar¡¯s heir and lost more than a few arms?¡±

    Wellington¡¯s gaze was ice cold as he looked down at them.

    ¡°There seems to be a misunderstanding, Lord Narcio,¡± Jenkins, the leader of the group, stepped forward cautiously.

    Wellington¡¯s eyebrow twitched.

    ¡°A misunderstanding?¡±

    ¡°Y-yes, that¡¯s right. We were only curious about Lord Theo¡¯s abilities, that¡¯s all¡­!¡±

    ¡°No one¡¯s seen him receive the head¡¯s sword, rumors can be exaggerated, he¡¯s hiding because he¡¯s afraid his skills will be exposed¡­ Where exactly is the misunderstanding in those words?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    He had heard everything from the start?

    Jenkins¡¯ face turned pale.

    There was no excuse left to give.

    ¡°If you have no more excuses, I¡¯ll take an arm from each of you, just like I mentioned.¡±

    ¡°W-wait a sec¡­!¡±

    Before Jenkins or his gang could shout anything else, Wellington jumped down from his perch and drew his sword.

    Swiish¡ª

    Suddenly, an ¨¦p¨¦e with a long, slender de flew toward Wellington like an arrow.

    ng!

    Wellington twisted his body and struck the iing ¨¦p¨¦e upward.

    The ¨¦p¨¦e spun in midair before quietlynding on a nearby tree.

    Sitting there, with a face as cold as ice, was a woman who retrieved the sword.

    ¡°L-Lady Ray!¡±

    The moment Jenkins saw her, his face brightened with hope.

    ¡°What brings you here, Ray Ragnar?¡±

    In contrast, Wellington stared at her with cold,posed eyes.

    ¡®Frostde¡¯ Ray Ragnar.

    Among the fifteen Ragnar heirs of this generation, she was one of the most promising talents, along with Axion.

    She had ovee the curse of ¡®Nine-Syble Pulse¡¯ and be a renowned swordswoman, known throughout the North. There wasn¡¯t anyone in the region who didn¡¯t know of her fame.

    But what was she doing here, someone who had no interest in the outside world?

    The problem was, she wasn¡¯t the only one who had shown up.

    BOOM!

    On the opposite side of Ray, an enormous explosion erupted, sending a cloud of dust shooting into the air as if a bomb had dropped.

    Standing there was a man with a youthful face but a towering frame, easily over 190 centimeters, covered in bulging muscles.

    ¡°Even Holcus Ranke is here?¡±

    The Ranke family, like the Narcio and Hanabi families, was one of the Six Snow Families, known for their extraordinary strength. They were more famously referred to as the ¡®North Bear Family¡¯, due to their massive size and overwhelming power.

    Holcus was the second son of the Ranke family, and he too was a prodigy expected to shine at the uing Blossoming Ceremony.

    ¡°Kuhahaha! Now, now! How could you leave me out of something this fun? You all are too much!¡±

    Holcusughed wickedly, turning his gaze toward Wellington.

    The more Holcusughed, the stiffer Wellington¡¯s expression became.

    With Ray here, and now Holcus as well, it was bing clear to Wellington that this was no coincidence.

    Wellington, Axion, Ray, Holcus.

    In the North, these four were collectively known by a particr title.

    ¨C The Four Lords of the North.

    The Four Lords of the North, said to represent the future of the northern region.

    And now, excluding Axion, three of them had gathered in one ce.

    These were individuals who should be busy preparing for the uing Blossoming Ceremony. The fact that they had moved meant there was certainly some underlying scheme at y.

    Wellington, unable to fathom what it could be, grew increasingly tense. He gripped his sword tightly, preparing to face both of them if necessary.

    But despite Wellington¡¯s wary stance, Ray didn¡¯t seem particrly interested in him.

    She was scanning her surroundings, clearly searching for someone else.

    ¡°Where is he?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Wellington asked, puzzled.

    ¡°sh Tiger.¡±

    ¡°sh Tiger¡­?¡±

    ¡°The owner of this training ground.¡±

    Only then did Wellington realize that the term ¡°sh Tiger¡± was a new title referring to Theo.

    ¡®He already has a title?¡¯

    He hadn¡¯t known. Wellington had been so focused on his own personal training that he hadn¡¯t paid any attention to what was happening outside.

    But sh Tiger¡ªthe name was fitting.

    It meant a tiger that strikes like a sh of lightning.

    Wellington thought it was a nickname that suited Theo perfectly.

    Who could¡¯vee up with it?

    ¡°Why are you looking for Lord Theo?¡±

    ¡°I want to test him before the Blossoming Ceremony.¡±

    (E/n: an epee, is the sword used in fencing)

 Chapter 22

    Chapter 22: Relic of the Ancient Dragon (2) >

    ¡°Did you say that Ray and Holcus went too?¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes, that¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Good, good. How nice is it when everyone moves on their own like chess pieces?¡±

    Axion paused from cutting his steak and let out a lightugh upon hearing the news from his subordinate.

    In truth, it was Axion who had sent Ray and Holcus to the Fourth Training Hall.

    His uncle had ordered not to touch Theo recklessly until the Blossoming Ceremony began.

    ¡®That¡¯s nonsense.¡¯

    Axion had already made up his mind not to follow Ed¡¯s orders any longer.

    ¡®Uncle always moves far too quietly. Sometimes, when necessary, you must seize the opponent by the throat and tear them apart.¡¯

    In Axion¡¯s eyes, Theo and Wellington were people who needed to be eliminated as soon as possible.

    Therefore, it was necessary to set the stage even before the official start of the Blossoming Ceremony.

    A perfect stage that they couldn¡¯t possibly escape from.

    ¡®And on top of that, I¡¯ll be able to see just how much Theo and Wellington have grown in the meantime.¡¯

    Axion knew that Ray and Holcus, who could be considered his rivals, had been in seclusion for intense training in preparation for the Blossoming Ceremony.

    So, he sent letters to both of them, timed perfectly for when they were about to emerge from their training.

    The letters contained two main points:

    ¨C Wellington lost.

    ¨C He¡¯s a Ragnar who has personally received the sword from the head of the family.

    Axion expected that the two, who were known for theirpetitive spirits even among the Four Lords of the North, would react somehow.

    And he was right on the mark.

    With that, the first stage had been set perfectly.

    ¡°They¡¯re both impatient. Especially Holcus, who can¡¯t stand waiting. As for Ray¡­ she can¡¯t help but be curious.¡±

    Of course, he didn¡¯t expect them to destroy each other in this uing sh.

    But it would be enough to stoke the mes.

    All that was left was to fan those mes during the Blossoming Ceremony, burning everything and everyone to ashes.

    Theo, Wellington, and all the other Four Lords.

    tter, tter¡ª

    The sound of a knife and fork shing against a te echoed noisily through the room.

    * * *

    Ray still remembered that day, which could be called her only memory from childhood.

    ¡°Are you cold? Do you want to wrap yourself in this?¡±

    It was a day when a snowstorm raged.

    Ray had snuck out of the pce without her nanny noticing.

    She had always been cooped up in her room due to her poor health, and it had be too suffocating for her.

    But she soon regretted it.

    She had gotten lost in the snowstorm.

    When her body froze from the cold and all she could do was desperately call for her mother, Ray met a boy.

    The boy, who looked like a snowman, was bundled up in a thick scarf, mittens, a beanie, and a coat.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡± he asked, as he unwrapped his scarf and draped it around Ray¡¯s neck.

    At that moment, Ray stared at the boy¡¯s face for a long time. It wasn¡¯t just the warmth radiating from him that made her pause.

    ¡®He¡¯s so pretty.¡¯

    His peach-like, pale cheeks were impossibly cute. So different from her own skinny and unattractive appearance.

    ¡°If you go outside dressed this lightly, you¡¯ll catch a cold. It¡¯ll be serious. So, let¡¯s head back home. Okay?¡±

    But the boy, without any regard for her appearance, held her hand tightly and led her toward a house that neither of them knew.

    Crunch, crunch¡ª

    The sound of their long footprints in the white snow was etched vividly in her memory.

    Afterward, Ray fortunately returned safely to the pce. She did suffer from a cold for several days, but that memory became the foundation for her newfound desire to run and y outside.

    It was also the moment that helped her rise above the curse of the Nine-Syble Pulse.

    Then, one day, Ray discovered by chance that the boy from her memories was her peer, a boy of the same age.

    His name was Theo Ragnar.

    He was the very same ¡°Cripple of the Rose Pce¡± she had often heard about.

    ¡®But he¡¯s changed¡­? All of a sudden?¡¯

    Ray wanted to confirm it with her own eyes.

    How had the boy from her memories changed?

    Before, even though she had wanted to find him, circumstances had prevented her from doing so.

    But now, after her seclusion training and obtaining the Ice White Divine Sword, things were different.

    ¡®I want to see it for myself. What kind of sword he wields.¡¯

    And at that moment, Wellington, who was facing Ray, narrowed his eyes.

    ¡®I thought it was herpetitive spirit, but that¡¯s not it. What¡¯s going on? It doesn¡¯t seem like she¡¯s had any interactions with Theo Ragnar.¡¯

    Wellington knew that Ray had spent most of her childhood confined to a sickbed, making her awkward in social situations. Her speech was always blunt, and she was often described as cold as ice because she was slow to express emotions.

    Yet, now Ray was showing a strong emotional reaction for the first time.

    Something was there.

    But Wellington couldn¡¯t ask recklessly. Ray was too hard to read, and besides, there was another interruption.

    ¡°What nonsense are you spouting, Ray Ragnar! Theo Ragnar will face me first!¡±

    Boom!

    Holcus shouted as he stomped the ground forcefully.

    The echo of Holcus¡¯s voice reverberated loudly.

    Ray frowned, clearly irritated by the noise.

    ¡°Step aside, loser.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not seriously saying that because of a duel we had over three years ago, are you? At our age, every month counts! Three years is more than enough time to make up that difference¡­!¡±

    ¡°Yep, still a loser.¡±

    At that moment, Holcus¡¯s face flushed bright red.

    ¡°You wretched girl! That¡¯s it. Let¡¯s settle this again! The winner gets to duel Theo Ragnar!¡±

    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m afraid?¡±

    As Ray and Holcus drew their swords and red at each other, the tension between them rose.

    Whooooosh¡ª

    A powerful wave of energy swirled around the two, like a storm.

    Wellington, standing in the middle, scowled deeply.

    Why in the world were these two causing such a ruckus here of all ces?

    ¡®Is this Axion¡¯s doing¡­?¡¯

    The thought of who could be behind such a ridiculous ¡°prank¡± crossed his mind, but there was no time to dwell on it. First, he had to stop them. He swung his sword sharply.

    Bzzzzing¡ª

    The Narcio Family Secret Technique ¨C Abyss Sword.

    A fierce de wind cut through the space between Ray and Holcus.

    Shhhhk!

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    Ray instinctively stepped back, a flicker of surprise crossing her eyes. Holcus reacted simrly.

    ¡°If you want to brawl, do it at home. This is Theo Ragnar¡¯s domain. I won¡¯t tolerate anyone causing trouble here without the owner present.¡±

    A deadly aura emanated from Wellington.

    ¡°Oh!¡±

    Holcus let out a soft exmation as he looked at Wellington.

    ¡°Great, great. You¡¯re really great, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°What the hell are you talking about? Are you implying I¡¯m a fake?¡±

    ¡°Maybe.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°The Wellington I knew wasn¡¯t like this.¡±

    A sly grin crept up one side of Holcus¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°He used to be so polite, so proper¡­ boringly so. But now you¡¯re so sharp. It¡¯s not easy for someone to change so suddenly. So, what¡¯s the deal? What have you been learning?¡±

    For a moment, Wellington recalled certain memories.

    The moments spent with Theo.

    The times he learned the sword from Evelyn.

    The spars he had with his followers.

    The past few months had indeed been a turning point in his life,pletely different from what he had experienced in his family.

    Those experiences had unconsciously changed his mindset.

    Of course, Wellington didn¡¯t feel the need to exin any of this to Holcus.

    ¡°Stop spouting nonsense. Get lost.¡±

    ¡°Hmmm! If Theo Ragnar is the one who changed you this much, it makes me want to see him even more. What should I do?¡±

    Wellington, realizing that words were no longer enough, prepared to unleash his sword aura.

    But in that moment¡ª

    Fwoosh!

    ¡°What¡­ is this¡­?¡±

    ¡°This¡­ pressure?¡±

    A sudden, overwhelming force pressed down on the Fourth Training Hall.

    Holcus, startled, jerked his head up, while Ray narrowed her eyes and shifted her gaze to the source.

    Wellington¡¯s eyes also followed.

    Step. Step.

    Theo was walking toward them.

    His steps were slow and deliberate, but the atmosphere surrounding him was anything but.

    It was as if he had juste back from an intense battle.

    His disheveled hair, wild and unkempt, partially covered his blood-red eyes, which gleamed with a sharp, beast-like intensity. His clothes were torn in several ces, revealing wounds that looked painful enough to make anyone¡¯s skin crawl.

    And above all, this terrifying aura¡ª

    It was as if he exuded Dragon Fear, the legendary presence that dragons were said to radiate.

    ¡°Ugh¡­!¡±

    ¡°S-Surely, h-he hasn¡¯t even unlocked h-his magic yet¡­!¡±

    ¡°H-How is this even¡­?¡±

    Even the Four Lords of the North, known for their strength, were visibly shaken. Ordinary people fared much worse¡ªJenkins¡¯ group had turned pale, with some foaming at the mouth and copsing in terror.

    The problem was¡ª

    The closer Theo got, the more intense and palpable the murderous aura and his sheer presence became.

    ¡°Hahahaha! I knew it! I was right¡ªthis is going to be fun! You¡¯re mine!¡±

    Boom!

    Laughing maniacally, Holcus kicked off the ground with incredible force and charged straight at Theo.

    In that instant, Wellington realized his mistake.

    He had been so distracted by Theo¡¯s appearance that he¡¯d momentarily forgotten about Holcus.

    ¡®From what I know, Theo must have justpleted his seclusion training¡­!¡¯

    No matter how much enlightenment he had gained, it was hard to fully unleash one¡¯s power in an exhausted state. And with only five days left until the Blossoming Ceremony, if Theo were to get injured now, it would be disastrous.

    Wellington rushed forward, intending to stop Holcus.

    But then, he saw it.

    Theo suddenly raised the ornately decorated sword he was holding and pointed it in their direction.

    sh¡ª

    Before anyone could react, Theo swung his sword fiercely toward Holcus.

    The oppressive pressure that had dominated the entire Fourth Training Hall suddenly concentrated into a single point, as if it had be a de itself.

    ¡®A sh¡­!¡¯

    A brilliant, pure white light.

    That was all Wellington couldprehend.

    And then¡ª

    Thud!

    ¡°What in the world¡­ did he just do¡­?¡±

    In an instant, Holcus stood there, covered in blood, letting out a horrified scream of disbelief. From his right shoulder to his left waist, a diagonal line of blood had been drawn, with the crimson liquid spilling out heavily.

    The ymore he had been wielding was severed in half, one piece rolling on the ground.

    ¡®When did this happen¡­?¡¯

    Wellington¡¯s eyes trembled, and Ray¡¯s widened in shock.

    ¡°Aaaargh!¡±

    Holcus, unable to ept the situation, let out a guttural scream and tried to move again.

    But¡ª

    ¡°Shut up.¡±

    Theo, who had already closed the distance, struck him hard on the temple with the hilt of his sword.

    Smack!

    Holcus didn¡¯t even have time to react before he was knocked back, sprawling onto the ground.

    Thud¡ª

    Given his massive frame, the entire training hall seemed to shake as he copsed.

    ¡®I never once saw Lord Theo¡¯s movements. Even when he approached Holcus.¡¯

    His steps were so light, as if he had merely been out for a casual walk.

    Not only Wellington, but also his followers and Jenkins¡¯ group were left in stunned silence.

    ¡°¡®The ck Bear¡¯ lost¡­?¡±

    ¡°One of the Four Lords of the North lost¡­?¡±

    ¡°What the hell happened?¡±

    A few months ago, Theo had sparred with Wellington, but a sparring match was just that¡ªa match.

    No one had considered it a true fight.

    Rumors were exaggerated, and even if it had been real, many believed Wellington had held back, carrying a self-imposed handicap for Theo¡¯s sake.

    But this was different.

    Anyone could see that Holcus had charged at Theo with his full strength.

    Yet, without even touching him, he had been brought down with a critical wound.

    And it had taken only a single strike.

    The genius hailed as the future of the North had been defeated in an instant.

    The impact of the scene was enormous.

    Theo turned to Ray, his gaze asking if she wanted to continue.

    The glint in his crimson eyes suggested that he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to swing his sword at her next.

    Ray nced at her own sword, then at Theo¡¯s.

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    Without a word, she quietly slid her sword back into its scabbard.

    Clink!

 Chapter 23

    Chapter 23: Relic of the Ancient Dragon (3) >

    ¡®That¡¯s a relief. It would have been tough if I had to face Ray as well.¡¯

    Contrary to how he appeared on the outside, Theo let out a sigh of relief internally.

    From the dungeon to the training grounds, his stamina and magic power werepletely drained after the continuous battles.

    After finishing the dungeon clear and stepping outside:

    ¨C Y-Young Master! We¡¯ve all been searching for you! Where did you go?

    ¨C What¡¯s the matter? Did something happen?

    ¨C There¡¯s a brawl happening right now at the 4th training ground¡­!

    He hadn¡¯t had a proper chance to rest because he had rushed over upon hearing the urgent news that the 4th training ground had be a battlefield.

    ¡®Still, I did get some rewards from clearing the dungeon.¡¯

    [Congrattions! You have sessfully hunted the Lesser Drake andpleted Tutorial Quest #12.]

    [Evaluation: A+]

    [You have obtained the ¡®Tooth of the Lesser Drake¡¯ as a reward.]

    [You have obtained the ¡®w of the Lesser Drake¡¯ as a reward.]

    [As a bonus reward for your high evaluation, you have gained ess to the .]

    The quest rewards he received after two months of waiting were more than worth it, fullypensating for the long anticipation.

    First, the items.

    ¡ª

    [Tooth of the Lesser Drake]

    ¡¤ Type: Material

    ¡¤ Effect: Strengthening material for crafting weapons and armor. Increases durability.

    ¡¤ Usage Requirement: Level 10

    ¡ª

    [w of the Lesser Drake]

    ¡¤ Type: Material

    ¡¤ Effect: Strengthening material for crafting weapons and armor. Enhances sharpness.

    ¡¤ Usage Requirement: Level 10

    ¡ª

    Typically, if the form of the beasts from the Demonic Sea remained intact, one would call it a ¡°jackpot¡± since they were highly useful for crafting weapons and armor.

    And among such beasts, the high-ranking Lesser Drake had dulled even the sharp edge of Theo¡¯s sword and posed a real threat to him.

    Even without the , the materials from the Lesser Drake would surely be invaluable for crafting new weapons and armor.

    However, out of everything Theo received as a reward, what excited him the most was something else entirely.

    It was the ¡®Skill.¡¯

    ¡ª

    [Skill List (¨‹)]

    ¨C Lesser Drake¡¯s Fear

    ¨C [None]

    ¨C [None]

    ¡ª

    [Lesser Drake¡¯s Fear]

    ¡¤ Grade: D+

    ¡¤ Mastery: 1%

    ¡¤ Effect: Unleashes the intense killing intent unique to the Lesser Drake, overwhelming the surroundings. Instills fear in targets of a lower level than the caster.

    ¡ª

    The sharp, tingling sensation of the powerful killing intent could throw enemies into confusion and fear. In a battlefield where clear-headed judgment was essential, there could be no weapon more deadly than this.

    In the ecosystem, the reason dragon species reigned as apex predators was precisely because of this.

    Any living being exposed to a dragon¡¯s killing intent was forced to bow their head.

    And now, it seemed that this skill allowed one to artificially unleash such killing intent.

    Even though it was from a lower-ranked Lesser Drake, there were still countless advantages to possessing it.

    In fact, simply activating the skill allowed Theo topletely dominate the atmosphere of the 4th training ground.

    Despite hisck of stamina, one reason Theo was able to overpower Holcus so swiftly was that he had crushed his spirit first.

    ¡®Two empty slots left. I can learn two more skills like this¡­? This is practically a cheat.¡¯

    While savoring the effects of the skill, Theo remained on guard, still wary of Ray.

    And then¡ª

    ¡°The energy is brutal. It¡¯s chaotic. We can¡¯t talk like this. Let¡¯s just meet at the Blossoming Ceremony.¡±

    She muttered iprehensible words, and just as she had appeared, Ray suddenly vanished again.

    Whoosh!

    Her movement technique was so swift that even Theo¡¯s keen eyesight couldn¡¯t track her.

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    ¡®Talk? What does she mean?¡¯

    As always, just like in his past life, it was impossible to guess what Ray was thinking or what her true intentions were.

    Meanwhile¡ª

    ¡°W-We¡¯ll just take our leave now¡­!¡±

    Jenkins and his group, who had been trying to sneak away along with Ray and Holcus, slowly started retreating.

    sh!

    Suddenly, Wellington swung his sword in a gust of wind, blocking their path.

    ¡°Leaving already? Shouldn¡¯t you leave an arm behind first?¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    In an instant, the faces of Jenkins and his gang turned pale.

    * * *

    Evelyn felt a sharp throbbing in her temples.

    A majormotion had urred while she had briefly stepped away.

    ¡°So¡­ they started badmouthing Young Master Theo first, and you lot couldn¡¯t hold back and fought them?¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes, that¡¯s right¡­¡±

    ¡°And that¡¯s how this mess happened?¡±

    Nod, nod¡­

    His followers couldn¡¯t meet Evelyn¡¯s gaze and only stared at the ground.

    Grit¡­

    Every time the sound of her grinding teeth echoed, their heads drooped lower and lower.

    After all, they knew from experience how terrifying Evelyn could be.

    She wasn¡¯t called the ¡°Tiger Instructor¡± in the White Armored Dragon Cavalry for nothing.

    ¡°I told you repeatedly not to fight, didn¡¯t I? And now look at this mess? I¡¯m losing my mind.¡±

    The incident at the 4th training ground had already spread like wildfire throughout Winterer.

    ¨C Over the past two months, the Cripple of the Rose Pce kept undergoing intense closed-door training with the sword technique he learned from the family head and became incredibly strong.

    ¨C The Four Lords of the North heard about this and confronted Theo.

    ¨C Theo defeated all Four Lords with a single strike.

    ¨C The ck Bear suffered serious injuries and was rushed to the emergency room, the Snowfield Sword ran away, and the Sword Lion kneeled down.

    ¨C The Cripple of the Rose Pce imed there was no one among them who could match him, so he dered that anyone wanting to prove their strength shoulde to the 4th training ground.

    Some of these rumors were true, while others were wildly exaggerated.

    But one thing was certain.

    Theo¡¯s name had been seared into the minds of everyone in Winterer.

    ¨C sh Tiger.

    A nickname that had previously circted among only a few had now spread widely.

    ¡°Being moderately famous is good, but too much fame only invites more scrutiny.¡±

    Evelyn, however, wasn¡¯t pleased with this situation.

    Moderate fame was undoubtedly beneficial.

    But an overwhelming reputation only drew unnecessary attention and wariness.

    Especially with a major event like the Blossoming Ceremony just around the corner, it could be more of a disadvantage than a benefit.

    ¡°The Blossoming Ceremony isn¡¯t just about individual skills; teamwork is just as important.¡±

    If several people conspired to target Theo, using teamwork to undermine him, they could definitely seed.

    Whether Theo was aware of Evelyn¡¯s concerns or not, he was currently sparring with Wellington, whom he hadn¡¯t seen in a long time.

    ng, ng, ng¡ª

    ¡®He¡¯s be much sharper. More relentless.¡¯

    Each time Theo¡¯s sword shed, Wellington¡¯s steps retreated further and further.

    The difference in skill between the two was now clear to anyone watching.

    Wellington still possessed greater mastery of swordsmanship.

    But Theo¡¯s sword had an uncanny ability to swiftly pinpoint and relentlessly exploit his opponent¡¯s weaknesses.

    It didn¡¯t feel like a sparring match, but more like a full-fledged duel.

    It wasn¡¯t just swordsmanship; it resembled diatorialbat.

    ¡®Has he actually been in real battles somewhere?¡¯

    Wellington knew well that Theo hadn¡¯t left the Camellia Pce in all this time, yet he couldn¡¯t help but have such thoughts.

    The air around Theo reeked of someone who had survived countless battlefields and life-or-death situations.

    People like that weren¡¯t called swordsmen.

    They were called warriors.

    Perhaps this was the closest someone coulde to embodying Ragnar.

    ¡®His growth rate is beyond ridiculous.¡¯

    Evelyn inwardly clicked her tongue.

    As a teacher, seeing your disciple grow stronger is a source of joy, but it alsoes with its own burden.

    Of course, there was absolutely no intention of giving up on this fun.

    ¡®For the next five days, I need to focus on refining those rough movements.¡¯

    Evelyn decided to set her worries aside for now.

    The scrutiny from those around them was already unavoidable.

    So then?

    What else could be done?

    The only solution was to make Theo so overwhelmingly strong that no amount of scrutiny or opposition could do anything to stop him.

    Evelyn was already nning to make Theo the main star of the Blossoming Ceremony.

    If Julius were to find out, he would undoubtedly throw a fit,ining about how there were now too many rivals.

    Well, what could be done?

    ¡®You reap what you sow.¡¯

    After tormenting her all this time, now their esteemed leader should have a taste of hardship too, right?

    The thought of Julius pulling his hair out made Evelyn suddenly feel much better.

    Hehehe!

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    Sybil and the other followers, witnessing Evelyn¡¯sughter, shivered and quickly turned their heads away, pretending they hadn¡¯t seen anything.

    On the way home after all the training had ended, Wellington was engulfed in a strange, indescribable feeling.

    ¡®I really can¡¯tpete with him in terms of skill anymore.¡¯

    Wellington recalled Theo¡¯s overwhelming presence when he faced off against Ray and Holcus, and he let out a small, hollowugh.

    Just two months ago, before Theo had started his rigorous training, Wellington didn¡¯t think he would lose if he gave it his all.

    What on earth had happened during that time?

    Theo seemed like an entirely different person now.

    His martial aura, skills, and battle sense were all honed to a razor-sharp edge.

    ¡®I never thought he would be able to defeat Holcus with a single strike¡­¡¯

    Even he couldn¡¯t do that.

    The skill gap between the Four Lords of the North hadn¡¯t changed much, neither in the past nor in the present.

    ¡®I thought I had gotten stronger too. I¡¯ve put in just as much effort.¡¯

    Wellington absentmindedly fiddled with the hilt of the sword hanging at his waist.

    ¡°Is this what they call the difference in talent?¡±

    He was genuinely happy that his friend had grown stronger.

    The fact that Theo had shattered the disregard he¡¯d once faced from his family and was finally receiving attention was something he was proud of, as if it were his own achievement.

    And yet.

    He couldn¡¯t shake this bitter feeling.

    Talent.

    Maybe it was because of that word.

    He couldn¡¯t get rid of the memory of something his father had said to him once.

    ¨C Is it because half of your blood is lowborn? It¡¯s such a shame youck talent. It saddens me that you¡¯re the only heir Heaven has allowed me.

    For the past decade or more, Wellington had clutched his sword every night, foregoing sleep, all to gain his father¡¯s recognition.

    How much harsher did he need to clutch his sword to progress?

    Clench.

    Just as Wellington¡¯s grip on his sword tightened¡ª

    Swish!

    ¡°¡­Who¡¯s there?¡±

    Wellington, stopping in his tracks, suddenly drew his sword from his waist and aimed it behind him.

    His sharp gaze pierced through the empty alley.

    And then.

    ¡°If you won¡¯te out, I¡¯ll assume your intent is malicious and cut you down¡­!¡±

    ¡°As expected, I cannot rival your senses, Young Master.¡±

    Step, step¡ª

    A familiar face emerged from the alley that had seemed empty just moments ago.

    Wellington¡¯s eyes widened slightly.

    He had encountered someone he hadn¡¯t anticipated at all.

    ¡°Ralph?¡±

    It was Ralph Giggs, the chief butler of the House of Narcio, dressed in his formal butler attire. He had cared for Wellington since his childhood.

    ¡°Have you been well, Young Master?¡±

    ¡°So-so. But why are you here?¡±

    ¡°Naturally, I came to see you, with the Blossoming Ceremony approaching.¡±

    ¡°Me? Isn¡¯t the family not particrly interested in me?¡±

    Although Wellington typically maintained a polite demeanor when dealing with others, his tone now was particrly cold.

    Ralph gave a wry smile.

    ¡°How can you say such a thing? You are the one destined to carry the future of the main family¡­ But before that, I must ask for your understanding on one matter.¡±

    ¡°Understanding?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Initially, I was only supposed toe with the retainers, but, unfortunately, I was required to bring another guest with me.¡±

    Thud, thud¡ª

    Behind Ralph, another figure appeared, walking silently.

    In that moment, Wellington¡¯s face hardened.

    * * *

    Swish¡ª

    Slide!

    ¡®Ray Ragnar?¡¯

    Theo, on his way back to the Camellia Pce, narrowed his eyes at the strange sensation of someone secretly tailing him.

    She was trying to move quietly, or so she thought.

    But there was no way she could escape Theo¡¯s sharp senses.

    ¡®She didn¡¯t leave the vicinity of the training grounds during the entire practice session either. Why is she following me now? Does she want a proper duel?¡¯

    But it didn¡¯t seem to be that either.

    ¡®If that were the case, she would¡¯vee out sooner and challenged me to a duel.¡¯

    In truth, Ray Ragnar, despite her cold exterior, often engaged in impulsive actions, making her a significant headache for the intelligence bureau in Theo¡¯s past life.

    ¨C Don¡¯t try to understand Ray Ragnar. It¡¯ll only drive you insane. Just ept that she¡¯ll act how she acts.

    That advice had been passed around frequently.

    If Ray had a reason, she would eventually make it known.

    For now, Theo decided to feign ignorance.

    ¡®Still, Theo Ragnar, you¡¯vee a long way. Not only have you caught the attention of the Four Lords of the North, but you¡¯re also beingpared to them.¡¯

    It was a situation he never would have imagined in his previous life.

    Standing shoulder to shoulder with those he had once admired was, without a doubt, a joyous thing.

    It meant he was finally being recognized as a swordsman.

    But, contrary to what he had expected, he didn¡¯t feel overly excited or ted.

    Instead, he felt calm, almost indifferent.

    It felt¡­ natural, in a way.

    ¡®Have my expectations be too high?¡¯

    Theo thought it was likely because he had witnessed the swordsmanship of Julius and Kyle.

    The image of the Dragon sh that remained deep in his mind hadpletely shifted his thoughts and interests.

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    At some point, Theo reached his hand up toward the sky, where the moon hung bright.

    He clenched his fist, but the moonlight simply slipped through his fingers.

    It felt just like trying to grasp Dragon sh.

    ¡®I¡¯ve been practicing continuously, trying to catch up somehow¡­ but I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯m on the right path.¡¯

    Julius¡¯s words about how difficult it would be had been true.

    Climbing to such towering heights was incredibly hard.

    In the process, you hardly noticed the scenery around you or the people climbing the same mountain with you.

    The Four Lords of the North were just like that.

    Maybe because of that¡­

    Right now, in this moment, a small but significant shift was taking ce inside Theo¡¯s heart.

    A desire to see the end of the sword.

    The simple urge to be acknowledged by others through the sword had transformed.

    Of course, his desire to be the head of his house and to hunt down the enemies of his past life hadn¡¯t disappeared.

    But now there was something more, a higher aspiration.

    It meant he had gained an ideal to pursue.

    Before, he had been too busy just getting through each day, ming his poor circumstances for everything.

    He hadn¡¯t even considered breaking through those limitations.

    But now, things were different.

    He would shatter them, no matter what.

    He would rise and reach that high ce.

    That was Theo¡¯s vow.

    Crack¡­

    At that moment, thest remaining chains that had unknowingly bound his heart and body shattered and disappeared.

    ¡°¡­What is this?¡±

    Just as Theo was about to step into the entrance of the Camellia Pce, feeling lighter and freer, he stopped in his tracks.

    ¡­¡­.

    For some reason, the Camellia Pce and its surroundings were far too quiet.

    It felt¡­ unnatural.

    It seemed like there was an intruder.

 Chapter 24

    Chapter 24: Relic of the Ancient Dragon (4) >

    Theo reached for his waist, prepared to draw his sword at any moment.

    Ready to pull out his de if necessary.

    And the instant he threw open the front door¡ª

    Bang!

    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±

    Theo blinked instinctively as a firecracker exploded right in front of his eyes.

    ¡°Young Master, congrattions!¡±

    ¡°I heard you got a new title!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve worked so, so, so hard until now.¡±

    ¡°Now, with this momentum, keep pushing forward all the way to the Blossoming Ceremony! Go, go!¡±

    At that moment, the dim room lit up brightly, and the maids and butlers greeted him with a celebratory cheer.

    p, p, p, p!

    Above their heads, banners were even flying.

    Congrattions! Theo gets a title!

    ¡°¡­What is all this?¡±

    Theo was dumbfounded.

    ¡°What else? It¡¯s a party to celebrate the fact that you finally got a title, Young Master.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. You have no idea how happy we¡¯ve beentely, do you? Everyone¡¯s been talking about you. Just today, one of my colleagues from the Mistress of Plum Blossom¡¯s Pce was asking me all sorts of things about you. So much envy¡­ Oh ho ho ho!¡±

    At that moment, Theo wanted nothing more than to crawl into a hole and disappear.

    It seemed like this was all because of the rumors that he had crossed swords with the Four Lords of the North, but¡­ it was so embarrassing.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Mother¡­?¡±

    He thought of using that as an excuse to make a quick escape, but¡ª

    ¡°Thedy of the house said she has to take extra care of you now that you¡¯re on a roll. So, she invited some famous chefs from Winterer and is personally preparing a feast for you. You wouldn¡¯t believe how chaotic the kitchen is right now. Oh ho ho ho!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    It seemed that today wasn¡¯t going to be a day he could spend quietly.

    * * *

    ¡°My son, try this grilled abalone. It¡¯s a rare catch from the Idrea Sea, slowly grilled with butter that was difficult to get from a farm in the Fraal Mountains¡­!¡±

    ¡°Mother, I¡¯ve already eaten more than twenty abalones¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh, taste this too. It¡¯s a young chicken, raised only on acorns in the Laziria Desert in the west. It was caught just at the perfect age and stewed with ginseng imported from a distant eastern country called Juseon¡­!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve had a lot of chicken too. I feel like I¡¯ll hear a rooster crowing from my stomach tomorrow¡­¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s also this. Do you remember, my son? When you were about five years old, you said the cod we had in the North Sea was delicious. So I thought of you and prepared it again¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Theo was on the verge of copse from eating all the food Cecilia kept offering.

    He wanted to refuse, saying he was too full, but¡ª

    ¡®¡­How could I say something like that when she¡¯s looking at me like that?¡¯

    Cecilia¡¯s eyes sparkled with more liveliness than usual, making it difficult for Theo to open his mouth.

    As a result, the table was piled high with dishes like a tower.

    ¨C Hasn¡¯t the Young Master always been a light eater?

    ¨C That¡¯s what I thought, but apparently not.

    ¨C If the food suits his taste, he eats like this. Does that mean our food hasn¡¯t been good enough before?

    ¨C This won¡¯t do. We¡¯ll have to push the chefs harder from now on.

    ¨C Exactly. Our Young Master must always eat delicious food!

    The maids and butlers seemed to be fired up in a strange direction, but Theo didn¡¯t have the time or energy to worry about it.

    ¡®Still¡­ it¡¯s good.¡¯

    Theo chewed on a chicken leg, a bitter smile ying on his lips.

    Just like when they visited the tailor, Cecilia had personally tasted everything and carefully selected the ingredients, leading the chefs from the front.

    It felt like he was seeing another new side of his mother.

    ¡®She seems to have far more talents than I thought.¡¯

    ¡°Oh ho ho! My son, you have no idea how happy I am these days.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m d to hear you¡¯re enjoying life in Camellia Pce.¡±

    Cecilia tilted her head, puzzled for a moment.

    ¡°Hm? What do you mean by that?¡±

    ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t like the Third Lady?¡±

    ¡°Oh, dear! It seems my son has misunderstood because I said I¡¯m happy these days.¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m d I chased out that little wretch Emil and took over Camellia Pce. That child always spoke ill of you and me wherever she went.¡±

    Had she¡­ really?

    ¡°So of course, I¡¯m delighted. It was Emil who first started calling you by that awful¡­ nickname, one I don¡¯t even want to mention.¡±

    ¡®Crippled fool of Ragnar¡¯s blood.¡¯

    It seemed she was referring to the nickname that had followed him like a shadow for so long.

    ¡°In truth, my son, you couldn¡¯t have known. I made sure to keep the maids in check so you wouldn¡¯t find out who coined that wretched name.¡±

    Theo¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.

    He had no idea.

    ¡°Whether we live in the Rose Pce or Camellia Pce, it doesn¡¯t matter to me. As long as it¡¯s a ce where I can sit across from you like this and share a meal, it¡¯s enough.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°What makes me truly happy is that people are finally starting to see your true worth.¡±

    Once again, that familiar warmth tingled in his heart.

    ¡°They must have all been blind before, not seeing how splendid and brave my son is. But now that they know, don¡¯t you think they¡¯ll all be much more careful in front of you from now on? Oh ho ho!¡±

    Cecilia¡¯s pleasant smile felt genuine, without a trace of insincerity.

    ¡®Maybe¡­ I¡¯ve misunderstood my mother all this time.¡¯

    Until now, Theo had thought his mother¡¯s desires revolved around social status gained through her son, a thirst for power, and a warped affection stemming from that greed¡­ But it seemed there had been a misunderstanding.

    It was an easily resolvable misunderstanding, one that would have cleared up with a heartfelt conversation.

    However, it was an understanding they had never once managed to reach.

    ¡°And while using you as an excuse, I¡¯ve been enjoying revisiting old hobbies like sewing and cooking. It brings back so many memories. I¡¯m having a lot of fun.¡±

    Theo recalled the image of Cecilia, filled with vitality and passion.

    Despite her remarkable zeal and talent, after marrying into the House of Ragnar as the lord¡¯s woman and bing a mother, she faced scorn and pressure from those around her.

    She had been forced to let go of the dreams of her youth, dreams she¡¯d had to cast aside in order to protect her son from those same people.

    Theo found himself wishing to keep seeing that liveliness and smile on his mother¡¯s face.

    ¡°Mother, perhaps you could try doing those things you used to do aga¡ª¡±

    ¡°Oh, but more importantly, are you using that sword well? I noticedst time you were carrying it with you.¡±

    Cecilia abruptly cut him off, her eyes shifting toward the three swords hanging by the side of the table.

    Theo couldn¡¯t bring himself to finish what he was going to say.

    Her gaze was telling him not to continue.

    ¨C Using you as an excuse, I¡¯ve been revisiting old hobbies like sewing and cooking¡­

    Why were her earlier words lingering in his mind?

    ¡°You¡¯ve just been keeping them hung up on the wall, so I was worried that perhaps you didn¡¯t like the gift I gave you,¡± she added.

    ¡°Would you like to see it?¡±

    Theo decided that he¡¯d save the rest of the conversation for another time and picked up one of the swords.

    Schring¡ª

    The de slid out of its sheath.

    Cecilia¡¯s eyes widened slightly at the sight of the pure white de.

    ¡°The de is quite damaged.¡±

    ¡°Yes, it just¡­ happened.¡±

    ¡°Are the other swords the same?¡±

    Theo showed her the other two des, which were in a simr condition.

    Cecilia frowned, displeased, and muttered under her breath.

    ¡°That damn old woman¡­ She made such a fuss, boasting that with Snow White Ore and ckwood in the de, it would never get damaged.¡±

    ¡°ckwood? Are you talking about the ckwood that onlyes from the Gaia Jungle in the south?¡±

    ckwood was a rare and unusual nt that grew by consuming metal.

    Since ckwood possesses the qualities of metal, it boasts exceptional hardness and is regarded as one of the finest materials for crafting legendary swords, much like Snow White Ore.

    But now, you¡¯re saying this sword contains ckwood too?

    ¡°Where else could ckwood be found? Oh no, this won¡¯t do. I need to confront her about this. If I don¡¯t, I feel like my heart¡¯s going to explode with frustration.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°Could you hand me those swords? I¡¯ll have them properly remade and bring them back to you.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re fine as they are,¡± Theo replied.

    ¡°What are you saying? Surely you¡¯re not nning to participate in the Blossoming Ceremony with swords in that condition?¡±

    Theo scratched his cheek with his index finger.

    ¡°You really were thinking that, weren¡¯t you? Absolutely not! Mark my words. I¡¯ve told you something simr before, but now that your reputation is just starting to spread, you must be more mindful than ever of every action, every word, and every aspect of your appearance.¡±

    Cecilia added sternly that he shouldn¡¯t give people any reason to gossip.

    ¡°Every little evaluation people make of you will eventually shape your overall reputation. You mustn¡¯t take it lightly, do you understand?¡±

    Theo nodded.

    Now, he understood Cecilia¡¯s words.

    Others might say that what truly matters is substance.

    Of course, that¡¯s a valid point.

    But while substance must certainly be ounted for, appearance and presentation are just as important. After all, for those who don¡¯t know Theo well, they would judge him first by what they see on the surface.

    And Theo wasn¡¯t just aiming to be recognized as a simple strongman.

    ¨C Patriarch.

    He was aiming for the pinnacle of the House of Ragnar.

    In that case, he needed to start building his reputation meticulously from now on.

    Cecilia¡¯s advice was spot on.

    ¡°So, I¡¯m going to be very involved in everything concerning your appearance and behavior at the Blossoming Ceremony. The main star of the event should undoubtedly be you.¡±

    Smack!

    Cecilia pped the table and stood up abruptly.

    ¡°Enough talk. Let¡¯s go confront her. I¡¯m going to catch that damn old woman tonight.¡±

    ¡°¡­It¡¯s 9 PM,¡± Theo pointed out.

    ¡°Does that matter? We need to catch that fraud who took our money and gave us defective products.¡±

    As Cecilia, showing a rare disy of agitation, stormed off, Theo couldn¡¯t help but wonder.

    Who exactly is this ¡°damn old woman¡± my mother¡¯s talking about?

    * * *

    ¡®Come to think of it, I really don¡¯t know much about my mother¡¯s rtionships either.¡¯

    While Theo reflected on how indifferent he had been in the past, the carriage carrying him and his mother left Camellia Pce and headed toward the cksmith district of Winterer.

    ¡®But is Ray still following me¡­? What on earth is she thinking?¡¯

    That meant she had been standing outside Camellia Pce for over three hours in this cold weather. He couldn¡¯t understand why she kept trailing him. Since she didn¡¯t seem to be causing any trouble, Theo had let it slide for now.

    ¡®If this keeps up, I might need to catch her and have a conversation.¡¯

    As he was pondering this, they came to a stop.

    ¡°We¡¯ve arrived.¡±

    Theo¡¯s eyes widened slightly.

    ¡°Vasque Workshop? You know this ce?¡±

    The building was so massive that it seemed more like a ¡®factory¡¯ than a cksmith¡¯s forge. Even at thiste hour, smoke billowed from the chimneys, and heat radiated so intensely that it could be felt from outside the door.

    Theo knew this ce all too well. In fact, it was impossible not to know it.

    The Vasque Workshop.

    It was one of the top three weapon forges in all of Winterer.

    Was there any knight in the House of Ragnar who hadn¡¯t handled a sword from here at least once?

    ¡°How would a woman with no backing like me know of this ce? I only know one person here.¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    Who could she be referring to?

    If they dealt with Snow White Ore and ckwood directly, they must be a cksmith of ¡®master¡¯ status.

    Just as Theo was about to ask who she was talking about¡ª

    ¡°You useless maggots! Are your ears clogged? Move it properly! Do you know how much all this costs¡­? Hey! Do it right! That¡¯s all money, money I tell you!¡±

    A voice filled with hysteria echoed from inside.

    ¡°¡­Money?¡±

    As Theo¡¯s expression turned curious, the workshop door suddenly mmed open with a bang!

    ¡°Argh! Do you know how hard it was for me to get this contract?! How am I supposed to meet the deadline like this?!¡±

    An elderly woman stormed out, furiously scratching at her unkempt, silver hair¡ªclearly, she hadn¡¯t washed in days. Dark circles sagged under her eyes, and white smoke billowed incessantly from the long pipe clutched in her mouth.

    But despite her rough appearance, her fingers were adorned with rings, each with multiple gemstones. Gold nes hung from her neck, and gold bracelets jingled from her wrists, so bright they hurt Theo¡¯s eyes.

    The man looked every bit the image of a nouveau riche who hadn¡¯t rested in days, squeezing every ounce of work out of her employees.

    In contrast to her rugged appearance, she had sharp, pointed ears and a pale, white face.

    Just then, her irritated gaze locked onto Theo.

    ¡°What are you looking at? Never seen a smoking elf before?¡±

    An elf like none Theo could have imagined.

    ¡®This person¡­!¡¯

    Theo suddenly realized who she was.

    ¨C The owner of Vasque Workshop.

    ¨C A mutant elf, cast out from her tribe for abandoning her love of nature and bing obsessed with cksmithing.

    ¨C A crazed elf who loved gems, gold, and money more than anything in the world.

    ¨C Yet, despite all that, her skills were undeniably superior, earning her the title of ¡®Master Artisan,¡¯ one of only three in all of Ragnar.

    ¨C Commonly known as the ¡®Elf Born of Capitalism.¡¯

    She was a being ssified as ¡®top-tier¡¯ by the intelligence department.

    ¡®Majang Kirsion!¡¯

    Theo hadn¡¯t expected to encounter such a prominent figure here, and he scrambled to respond, but before he could say anything, Cecilia stepped forward.

    ¡°Have you still not quit that damn smoking habit? Even for an elf, if you keep exposing yourself to that much heat and keep smoking like that, you¡¯ll wither away in no time.¡±

    A furrow formed on Cecilia¡¯s otherwise elegant forehead.

    ¡°Mother!¡±

 Chapter 25

    Chapter 25: Relic of the Ancient Dragon (5) >

    ¡®Mother?¡¯

    Theo couldn¡¯t understand for a moment.

    ¡®Mother? Kirsion?¡¯

    As far as Theo knew, Cecilia was a lone orphan without any family.

    Because of that, her position within the family wasn¡¯t particrly favorable.

    Yet now, she was calling the owner of the Vasque Workshop ¡°Mother¡±?

    It didn¡¯t make any sense.

    Moreover, Kirsion, while obsessed with money, was still an elf in name.

    And from what Theo knew, she was one of the few remaining ¡®High Elves¡¯ on the continent.

    There was no way she could be Cecilia¡¯s mother.

    Whether Kirsion was aware of Theo¡¯s confusion or not, she casually responded to Cecilia¡¯s title, as if it was no big deal.

    And she didn¡¯t seem pleased.

    ¡°Mother, you say? Do you really think of me as your mother?¡±

    ¡°Even if you only raised me for half a year as my foster mother, you¡¯re still my mother.¡±

    ¡°You wretched girl. You didn¡¯t even bother to show your face most of the time.¡±

    ¡°Or should I just call you ¡®old hag¡¯ or ¡®wrinkled prune¡¯ like usual?¡±

    Theo thought Cecilia¡¯s way of speaking was quite sharp.

    ¡°That mouth of yours¡­! Just get out of my sight. The bond between us ended a long time ago.¡±

    Kirsion, her voice filled with anger, started to turn away.

    It was then that Cecilia threw the three ceremonial swords she was holding in her hands toward her.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    With her left hand, the one not holding her pipe, Kirsion swiftly caught the swords with great skill.

    It was as if the wind followed her will.

    ¡®Her abilities are just as remarkable as her cksmithing skills,¡¯ Theo thought, his eyes gleaming.

    One of Kirsion¡¯s eyebrows twitched.

    These were the very swords Cecilia had pestered her to makest year, iming they were a gift for her son.

    ¡°I¡¯m here to return them.¡±

    ¡°This is absurd. You dare to return the swords that I, Kirsion, personally forged?¡±

    Theo let out a dryugh.

    He had thought they were just high-quality ceremonial swords.

    But Kirsion had personally forged them?

    ¡°Even if that¡¯s not the case, who on earth epts a return after more than a year has passed?¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s a defective product, of course, it should be returnable, no matter how many years have passed. I believe the Vasque Workshop¡¯s slogan mentioned something about trust and sincerity.¡±

    ¡°Defective, you say! There¡¯s no way something I¡¯ve made could have a w!¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, why don¡¯t you check for yourself?¡±

    Kirsion frowned deeply, clearly displeased with Cecilia¡¯s unwavering confidence.

    Schwing!

    As soon as she drew the sword, her expression hardened.

    The same went for the remaining two des.

    Kirsion was at a loss for words.

    ¡°¡­¡­This is.¡±

    ¡°Are you still going to im these aren¡¯t defective?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    Kirsion silently examined each sword one by one.

    The worn state of the de,

    The impact marks on the sword¡¯s body,

    Even the bnce of the sword¡ªeverything.

    Soon, she finally looked up with a serious expression for the first time.

    ¡°Who used this sword?¡±

    ¡°Who else would have? Naturally, it was my son.¡±

    ¡°That guy behind you?¡±

    ¡°Watch your words. He is the one who will lead Ragnar in the future. He is also the one who will be the star of the uing Blossoming Ceremony in five days.¡±

    Theo felt embarrassed by Cecilia¡¯s gilded praise, but he maintained hisposure and respectfully bowed.

    ¡°I am Theo Ragnar of the Camellia Pce. It is an honor to meet the renowned master of the Vasque Workshop.¡±

    ¡°Theo Ragnar¡­ I see. I¡¯ve heard rumors about you among the younger cksmiths. They say you cut off Hanabi¡¯s son¡¯s right arm and turned the second son of House Ranke into a bloody mess.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just an exaggerated reputation¡­¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you? He¡¯s the promising talent who will rewrite Ragnar¡¯s future.¡±

    Cecilia raised her chin with pride again.

    Now, Theo just wanted to hide from his mother¡¯s tant bragging.

    ¡°My son was using those defective weapons. But imagine if he had participated in the Blossoming Ceremony without realizing their condition. Would you be able to endure the ridicule he would have faced? The reputation of the Vasque Workshop, and your own title as Master Artisan, would have been severely damaged.¡±

    ¡°These marks¡­ they¡¯re not from that¡­¡±

    Kirsion started to say something, but then shook her head and turned away.

    ¡°Enough. This isn¡¯t the ce for such discussions. Follow me.¡±

    * * *

    ng, ng, ng¡ª

    Theo and Cecilia followed Kirsion as she led them through the workshop¡¯s interior.

    Despite thete hour, nearly a hundred cksmiths were bustling around, hard at work.

    It seemed they were struggling to keep up with the backlog of orders due to the uing Blossoming Ceremony.

    As a result, no one paid much attention to Kirsion¡¯s unexpected visitors.

    Thanks to this, Theo finally had a chance to ask the question that had been on his mind.

    ¡°What is your rtionship with the Master Artisan?¡±

    A smile appeared on Cecilia¡¯s lips.

    ¡°Just as you¡¯ve heard.¡±

    ¡°Then, are you truly her foster daughter¡­?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a brief connection of less than half a year, but yes, she was a mother who took me in.¡±

    She smiled softly, as if reminiscing about old memories.

    ¡°You¡¯re aware that I was an actress before marrying into the Ragnar family, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Yes, you mentioned it before.¡±

    ¡°I met my foster mother back then. She loves anything beautiful¡ªwhether it¡¯s jewels, gold, art, music, or theater.¡±

    Cecilia added softly,

    ¡°Or even people.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°So, she took me in as her foster daughter. Apparently, she found me quite pleasing. For me, it wasn¡¯t a bad deal either, as having someone like her in my corner was a good thing.¡±

    Theo could feel the deep affection underlying Cecilia¡¯s words, despite her casual tone.

    Perhaps those six months they spent as mother and daughter held fond memories for her as well.

    ¡®It seems Mother¡¯s keen eye for art was influenced by Kirsion.¡¯

    ¡°But what made you leave her side?¡±

    ¡°Around that time, I caught the eye of the Lord.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°The Lord was truly remarkable back then. Handsome and dignified¡­ I fell for himpletely.¡±

    Her foster mother had been opposed to it, though.

    Theo pressed his lips together, hearing the words Cecilia added.

    ¨C No, you mustn¡¯t.

    ¨C But Mother¡­!

    ¨C If there¡¯s anything else you want to do, just say the word. I¡¯ll support you however you need. You mentioned wanting to start your own theater troupe, didn¡¯t you? How much would it take? I¡¯ll fund it for you.

    ¨C That won¡¯t be necessary anymore. As long as I have him¡­!

    ¨C Nonsense! You¡¯re just blinded by something at the moment! You¡¯re dazzled by the light of the Ragnar name!

    ¨C But still!

    ¨C Do you think you¡¯ll be treated well if you go there? That ce is a jungle full of people who are barely human. I won¡¯t send you to a ce like that!

    ¨C If you keep opposing me, I¡¯ll have no choice. I¡¯ll have to make up my mind.

    ¨C What¡­ What are you nning to do?

    ¨C Thank you for raising me, Mother. For everything.

    Memories of that time shed briefly through Cecilia¡¯s mind.

    A past that was now hard to recall.

    ¡°I hadn¡¯t been in touch for almost all that time until I returnedst year.¡±

    ¨C Why have youe here? After all that time?

    ¨C I need a sword.

    ¨C A sword?

    ¨C Yes. It¡¯s a gift for my son. Would you make it for me, for old times¡¯ sake? I¡¯ll pay for it.

    ¨C ¡­¡­Fine. Do as you please.

    ¡°Those three swords were created then?¡±

    ¡°Yes. But who would¡¯ve thought she¡¯d make them that way? I intend to confront her and find out if she made them so poorly because I¡¯m her estranged daughter.¡±

    Theo scratched his cheek with his index finger.

    He could sense both affection and resentment in his mother¡¯s feelings toward Kirsion.

    In truth, he knew very well that the swords Kirsion had made were not defective.

    ¡®The damage on the de was caused by Drake scales¡­ How should I exin that?¡¯

    With restrictions on discussing dungeons, he was uncertain how to broach the subject.

    Still, he couldn¡¯t just let Kirsion continue to bear the me for something that wasn¡¯t her fault.

    ¡®It seems the Master Artisan still cares for Mother, too.¡¯

    As Theo watched Kirsion¡¯s back, still trailing faint wisps of smoke, he wondered,

    ¡®But¡­ why didn¡¯t she show up at Mother¡¯s funeral in my past life?¡¯

    * * *

    ¡°I¡¯ll reforge the swords. No matter how much I exin, to an estranged foster daughter, it will only sound like excuses.¡±

    As soon as they entered the main office, Kirsion spoke to Theo and Cecilia with a hint of finality.

    Puff¡ª

    All the while, white smoke continued to drift from him.

    Cecilia waved the smoke away with her hand, frowning.

    ¡°I appreciate the gesture, but could you do something about this smoke?¡±

    ¡°However, there¡¯s one thing I need to ask.¡±

    Kirsion cut her off, preventing her fromunching into a lecture, and she turned her attention to Theo.

    ¡°Do you possess any relics of the Ancient Dragon?¡± she asked through voice projection.

    Cecilia¡¯s eyes narrowed as she nced back and forth between Theo and Kirsion.

    Although she had only mastered basic breathing techniques, as the wife of a famous swordsmanship family, she was well-versed in martial arts.

    She knew Kirsion wanted a private conversation with Theo.

    Stepping back, she subtly gave them space.

    ¡¸Ah! You haven¡¯t undergone the Blossoming Ceremony yet, have you? In that case, just mouth your words. I can understand that much,¡¹ Kirsion conveyed silently.

    Theo nodded quietly and moved his lips without a sound.

    ¡®Do you mean the progenitor of our guardian dragons, the Ancient Dragon who protects the main family?¡¯

    Kirsion frowned.

    ¡¸You¡¯re not aware of the relic?¡¹

    ¡®I¡¯ve heard the ¡°legend¡± that our ancestor ced the treasures of the Ancient Dragon throughout various locations for the Ragnar descendants, but¡­¡¯

    Theo couldn¡¯t make sense of what Kirsion was getting at.

    Was she referring to the folktale every Ragnar child knew?

    It didn¡¯t seem that way.

    ¡¸Legend? A legend, you say! Ha! So that¡¯s all you know? Don¡¯t y dumb with me.¡¹

    Kirsion, visibly irritated, drew one of the swords.

    ¡¸If you don¡¯t possess a relic, then how would you exin the traces left on this sword?¡¹

    The marks that Kirsion pointed to were mostly traces of strikes against a Drake¡¯s scales or direct bite marks.

    ¡°This unique pattern can only be left by those who have awakened a relic!¡±

    Theo¡¯s eyes widened.

    Right now, Kirsion¡¯s words implied that she knew about the dungeon!

    Thump, thump, thump!

    Theo¡¯s heart pounded wildly.

    However, Theo remained calm.

    It wasn¡¯t yet the time to reveal anything.

    ¡®The marks left on my sword are merely from the intense training I¡¯ve been doing.¡¯

    ¡°You intend to y innocent to the end, don¡¯t you? Well, I suppose I can understand. It¡¯s not easy to reveal secrets to someone you¡¯ve just met today. I¡¯d probably do the same.¡±

    Hoo¡ª

    Kirsion took a deep drag from her pipe before exhaling, filling the office with smoke.

    Cecilia red at Kirsion but held back from disrupting the atmosphere.

    ¡°However, I¡¯ll tell you this one thing. Opening a relic isn¡¯t something just anyone can achieve.¡±

    Kirsion¡¯s gaze sank deeply.

    It was a stark contrast from the irritable, money-obsessed demeanor she had shown before.

    Theo began to wonder if this might be Kirsion¡¯s ¡®true¡¯ self.

    ¡°Many people wish to open them, but most can¡¯t. No, almost all can¡¯t.¡±

    A smirk lifted the corner of her mouth.

    ¡°But you seem to have managed it¡­ Shall we see if you can gain the approval of another relic?¡±

    Without waiting for Theo¡¯s response, Kirsion suddenly pped her hands.

    p!

    Soon, the office door opened, and a secretary who had been waiting outside entered.

    ¡°You called for me, Chairman?¡±

    ¡°Bring ¡®that¡¯ from the warehouse.¡±

    ¡°¡®That¡¯¡­? But Chairman, that item¡ª¡±

    ¡°Just do it.¡±

    ¡°¡­Understood.¡±

    The secretary looked suspiciously between Theo and Cecilia before leaving the room.

    Cecilia asked, ¡°What did you tell him to bring?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you use me of giving you faulty goods? So, aspensation and to prevent any rumors, I thought I¡¯d give my newly-met ¡®grandson¡¯ a little gift.¡±

    When Kirsion bit down on her pipe with a broad grin, Cecilia frowned.

    The emphasis she put on the word ¡®grandson¡¯ was suspicious.

    She looked over to Theo as if asking for his approval.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Mother.¡±

    ¡°There, you see? Our grandson says he¡¯s fine. You¡¯re just being overly sensitive.¡±

    Theo smiled calmly, reassuring Cecilia of hisposure.

    ¡®Another relic¡­ I¡¯m not sure what exactly Kirsion intends to do, but if this is true¡­¡¯

    There was a risk that the secret message he had painstakingly hidden could be discovered.

    However, Theo felt it was worth taking a gamble.

    ¡®If she truly cares for Mother, then she might be someone I can trust to some extent.¡¯

    As Theo¡¯s gaze grew more intense, the secretary returned.

    ¡°I¡¯ve brought the item as you instructed. Then, I¡¯ll take my leave.¡±

    The secretary set down the item and hurriedly exited the office as if escaping.

    The item was a long, wooden box.

    Its appearance was peculiar.

    The exterior was tightly wrapped in chains, and the lid was secured with a rusty padlock.

    Aside from that, there weren¡¯t any distinguishing features.

    Cecilia tilted her head, wondering what on earth it could be.

    However¡­

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    Theo¡¯s eyes trembled slightly as he looked at the wooden box.

    Fwaaah¡ª

    A faint blue light was seeping out from inside the padlock.

    The storage room in the Camellia Pce.

    It was just like the light he¡¯d seen when he opened the door to the dungeon.

    ¡°So you can see it, too. I can¡¯t see a thing.¡±

    Kirsion¡¯sughter echoed in his ears again.

    ¡°This is something I once tried to open but couldn¡¯t. Something I wanted to possess but never could.¡±

    Theo looked at Kirsion as if to ask what was inside.

    ¡°What I wanted was a demon sword¡­ No, it would be more urate to call it a Yo-Gom, a sword containing a specter. In any case, it¡¯s a de supposedly forged from the fang of an Ancient Dragon during the distant mythic era, and that very sword lies within.¡±

    Whoooosh¡ª

    Kirsion exhaled a dense cloud of smoke once more.

    ¡°It¡¯s called Wolbaek-gom, the Moon White Sword.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    Theo¡¯s eyes widened.

    He knew the name very well.

    ¨C Why is the ck Dragon¡¯s sword here?

    (E/n: yes, the ck dragon and the dark dragon are different people)

 Chapter 26

    Chapter 26: Moon-White Sword (1) >

    The ck Dragon.

    Or the ck Emperor.

    It was a moniker that Theo could not possibly be unaware of.

    After all, it was the alias of his former superior.

    ¡®They used to say that with the Dragon¡¯s Incarnation in the heavens and the ck Emperor on the earth, there was no stopping the age of Ragnar.¡¯

    The ck Dragon was one of the Nine Dragons.

    However, almost no information about him was publicly known.

    Not even the high-ranking members of Ragnar, nor the Intelligence Department, ¡°ck Snow,¡± which the ck Dragonmanded.

    This was because Kyle had absolutely concealed it all until now.

    Despite this, the ck Dragon¡¯s reputation spread far and wide due to the distinctive traces he left behind in the regions he appeared.

    Theo had seen this ck Dragon only once, from a distance.

    The sky was drenched in the crimson hues of dusk.

    An old man sat leisurely by the river, enjoying a quiet moment of fishing.

    If one were to judge by that scene alone, it would have been as beautiful as a watercolor painting.

    ¨C Hmm¡­! So you can see ¡®this,¡¯ can you?

    But Theo didn¡¯t find it beautiful at all.

    Because behind the old man, hundreds of corpses were piled like mountains.

    None of the corpses were in aplete state.

    Their hands and feet were scattered as if they had been bitten off, or their faces were frozen in terror.

    And on top of the pile¡­

    A monster sat there, licking its blood-soaked paws.

    It had the face and wings of an eagle, the upper body of a lion, and the lower body of a dragon, with a tail covered in scales.

    ¨C This is troublesome. What should I do?

    Despite his words, the old man¡¯s expression was hard to read. He wore a ck mask that didn¡¯t match his long white hair.

    And then¡­

    Theo¡¯s memory ended there.

    When he opened his eyes again, he found himself in the middle of an empty field.

    The stench of blood and the piles of corpses, along with that strange monster, hadpletely vanished.

    * * *

    Theo never understood why the ck Dragon, who was said to leave no witnesses, had spared him back then.

    Maybe it was simply on a whim, or perhaps something urgent hade up, forcing him to leave.

    But one thing he could never forget was the ck mask and the monster that stood behind it.

    Theo was only able to find a clue about the monster the ck Dragonmandedter.

    ¨C Did you hear that rumor? Do you know why the ck Dragon leaves his position every three months without fail?

    ¨C No, I haven¡¯t. But how about we finish our work first?

    ¨C Anyway, you¡¯re really cold. Just listen. You know the sword the ck Dragon uses, right? Well, it¡¯s actually a sword with a yokai sealed in it, and they say it needs to be fed arge amount of human blood at regr intervals. Otherwise, the wielder will be devoured.

    ¨C ¡­Where did you hear that?

    ¨C Where else? All the security personnel know about it in whispers.

    Theo instinctively realized something.

    The ¡°Cursed Sword¡± they were talking about was, in fact, the monster he had seen.

    But he didn¡¯t dare voice such thoughts.

    If the ck Dragon suddenly remembered him and decided to change his mind, it would be disastrous.

    He wanted to live as quietly as possible, unnoticed.

    ¡®The ck Dragon hates being the subject of gossip.¡¯

    In fact, the colleagues who had told him about the Cursed Sword were found murdered just a few dayster.

    Theo also had to flee from ck Snow in the end, as if he was running for his life.

    But now¡­

    ¡®It¡¯s here?¡¯

    ng, ng!

    Even though the wooden box was tightly bound with iron chains, it trembled as if suffocating, shaking repeatedly.

    Theo felt a chill run down his spine, fearing that the monster he had seen might burst out at any moment.

    ¡®The ck Dragon didn¡¯t start using the Moon-White Sword until about four yearster. Does that mean, at this time, the sword was in Kirsion¡¯s hands, not the ck Dragon¡¯s?¡¯

    Cecilia¡¯s execution, framed for treason, was three years from now¡­ Theo began to wonder if it could be connected somehow.

    ¡¸Seems like you know what this sword is.¡¹

    Theo mentally cursed himself.

    Caught up in the memories of the past, he hadn¡¯t hidden his emotional reaction.

    ¡¸That makes this conversation easier. If you¡¯re the rightful owner of this artifact, then you may very well be chosen by the Moon-White Sword. Would you like to try drawing it?¡¹

    Theo¡¯s eyes turned toward Kirsion.

    The corners of Kirsion¡¯s mouth, which was biting down on a smoking pipe, curled up.

    ¡¸If you seed in fully drawing it, I¡¯ll give it to you, just as I promised.¡¹

    ¡®¡­!¡¯

    He was offering him the prized sword that the ck Dragon cherished?

    Thump! Thump!

    Theo¡¯s heart raced.

    Owning such a sword was a dream for all swordsmen.

    ¡¸It¡¯s been more than 200 years since it came into my possession, but I¡¯ve never managed to pull it out. That means it¡¯s not truly mine. So go ahead, give it a try. But know this: I won¡¯t be held responsible for any mishaps that may ur in the process.¡¹

    It was at that moment.

    Ding!

    [A quest has arrived.]

    +

    [Tutorial Quest #13]

    Be chosen by the weapon emitting the blue light.

    ¡¤ Difficulty: C+

    ¡¤ Reward: Ownership of the Moon-White Sword

    ¡¤ Upon failure: ¡ö¡ö

    +

    The quest window appeared before Theo.

    ¡®The difficulty is one level higher than clearing a dungeon. That means it definitely won¡¯t be easy.¡¯

    However, Theo now knew very well.

    The quests never gave him tasks that were impossible.

    In fact, the harder the challenge, the greater the reward.

    More than anything else¡­

    The desire to possess the Moon-White Sword was growing inside him.

    Hadn¡¯t he already felt it when he faced the Lesser Drake? The importance of a treasured sword.

    He desperately needed a sword that would never lose its edge or break, no matter how roughly it was used.

    ¡®Besides¡­ since the sword isn¡¯t in the ck Dragon¡¯s hands yet, the yokai sealed inside should still be quite weak.¡¯

    Kirsion had mentioned it.

    Over 200 years had passed since he had obtained the Cursed Sword.

    That meant it had been confined to this wooden box for all those years.

    No matter how powerful the sword was, its energy would inevitably have weakened significantly.

    That gave Theo the confidence that it was worth attempting.

    ¡®If I could tame that beast and control it¡­!¡¯

    If so¡­

    He could obtain the power of the ck Dragon, who was known as the ¡°Emperor of Destruction¡± because he left nothing but ruin in his wake wherever he went.

    The more Theo thought about it, the more the fear that had long held a ce in his heart seemed to vanish.

    All that remained was a burning determination to seed, no matter what.

    Theo pretended to pull the [Blue Key] from the sleeve of his left hand, but in truth, he retrieved it from his inventory.

    ¡°That is¡­?¡±

    Kirsion¡¯s eyes gleamed for a moment.

    On the other hand, Cecilia¡¯s face was full of concern.

    ¡°My son, even this ignorant mother can tell that sword reeks of bad omens. There¡¯s no need to force yourself.¡±

    ¡°Would Grandmother really make her grandson do something that could harm him? Don¡¯t worry, if it feels dangerous, I¡¯ll stop.¡±

    Theo reassured Cecilia and looked toward Kirsion.

    At the word ¡°grandmother,¡± Kirsion¡¯s eyebrow twitched slightly.

    She realized that if Theo were injured, it would mean she¡¯d bebeled as the ¡°damned old hag,¡± just as Cecilia had implied.

    ¡®He looks polite on the outside, but inside, he¡¯s a sly fox. How did someone like hime from Cecilia?¡¯

    ¡°That¡¯s the key to breaking the seal on the artifact?¡±

    ¡°You must keep your promise.¡±

    ¡°¡­You never give a straight answer, do you? Don¡¯t worry about the promise. Have you forgotten what my race is?¡±

    Theo nodded.

    Kirsion belonged to the elves. By nature, elves were bound by their connection to the spirits and would be abandoned by them if they lied.

    Thus, they were called the race of truth.

    Click!

    Theo inserted the key into the lock that tightly bound the wooden box.

    Just like when he opened the storage room of the Camellia Pce, the key fit perfectly.

    The moment he turned the key to the side¡ª

    nk! nk!

    The iron chains snapped free, and the lid flew open.

    Goooooo¡ª

    At the same time, an overwhelming storm of demonic energy swept through the room.

    The surge was so intense that Theo¡¯s long hair whipped around wildly.

    ¡°This is¡­!¡±

    Kirsion clenched his fists so tightly that he forgot about the pipe in his mouth.

    Inside the wooden box, a single swordy neatly in ce.

    She had spent his entire life trying to see that sword.

    But now, the de that had never once revealed itself to her was showing its face before her grandson, whom it had just met for the first time today.

    ¡®It¡¯s the real Moon-White Sword.¡¯

    Theo swallowed dryly.

    It looked exactly the same as the sword he had seen in his previous life.

    He reached out, running his hand over the scabbard, tense and on guard, unsure of how the yoki might react.

    ¡°Huh¡­?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    The Moon-White Sword showed no reaction.

    In fact, the demonic energy it had been emitting slowly began to subside.

    Confused, Theo blinked in disbelief and then went further, lifting the sword from the box and unsheathing it.

    Srrring¡ª

    The de was revealed, ck as the dark night sky.

    But still, there was no abnormal reaction.

    Instead, the de, as clear as a mirror, simply reflected Theo¡¯s face.

    ¡°¡­It seems the legends were wildly exaggerated. Or perhaps you truly are the one chosen by the artifact, which is why there¡¯s no issue.¡±

    Kirsion spoke again, cing the pipe back in his mouth.

    ¡°But I suppose it¡¯s fortunate that the sword has found a proper owner. Better Cecilia¡¯s son than some useless fool¡­¡±

    Although Kirsion said she was fine with it, her eyes were still filled with lingering regret as she kept ncing at the sword.

    She also discreetly observed Theo, who hadn¡¯t taken his eyes off the Moon-White Sword.

    ¡°Still, perhaps¡­ just maybe. If you don¡¯t need that sword right away, would it be possible for me to examine it until the Blossoming Ceremony¡­?¡±

    ¡°No. The seal hasn¡¯t been fully lifted yet.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I think I finally understand how to properly break it.¡±

    Theo¡¯s memory of that moment was still vivid.

    The monster that had been sitting atop the pile of corpses.

    Its gaze was unmistakably that of a ravenous beast, endlessly craving prey.

    But that creature, which had been so ferocious, was now acting this calmly?

    That didn¡¯t make any sense.

    At that moment, Theo recalled the image of the monster licking its blood-soaked feet.

    It had looked like it was soothing its hunger and thirst with blood.

    ¡®Blood.¡¯

    That seemed to be the ¡®real¡¯ key.

    Theo swiftly brought the de of the Moon-White Sword to the palm of his left hand.

    ¡°What are you doing¡­?!¡±

    Kirsion, startled, tried to stop him, but before she could, the de had already cut him, and red blood flowed down the sword¡¯s de.

    The edge was too sharp.

    Fwoosh-

    The previously silent de began to tremble violently, and unknown rune characters surfaced one by one along the sword¡¯s surface.

    And from those letters, a faint blue light began to seep out.

    It resembled moonlight.

    In that moment¡ª

    sh!

    The world inverted.

    * * *

    Some unknown beast was climbing up the mountainside, brimming with joy.

    ¡®Has it been 400 years? Finally, I¡¯m getting out of here!¡¯

    It was nning to treat the newly encountered ¡®qualified one¡¯ very well.

    ¡®Hehehe! That despair and lingering regret you harbor deep in your heart¡ª I¡¯ll make sure theye true, one way or another.¡¯

    Every person harbors at least one desperate wish deep inside.

    But most of those wishes go unfulfilled due to circumstances, status, age, or even gender.

    The beast would whisper like a devil, offering power, subtly scraping at those very limitations.

    And nine times out of ten, people would fall for it.

    Humans always made the mistake of thinking that with enough power, they could ovee any limitation.

    The beast thought Theo would be no different.

    Thud!

    The beast powerfully kicked off the ground andnded atop a building¡¯s roof.

    It cast its gaze downward.

    A man was there, wrapped tightly in chains, his head hanging low.

    Tears were falling from the man¡¯s face.

    It seemed he had lost someone precious¡ªa family member or perhaps apanion.

    Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh¡ª

    At that moment, a rain of arrows began to pour down on the man¡¯s head.

    -So, this is the despair lodged deep in your heart.

    The beast snorted in disdain at the pitiful sight of the man.

    It wasughable how the man was being struck down without even putting up proper resistance.

    It was clear that this fool couldn¡¯t get a single thing done properly.

    ¡­How such a person had be a ¡®qualified one¡¯ was beyond understanding.

    But the beast thought it worked out for the best.

    Thanks to that, it seemed it could swallow him whole without any significant trouble.

    ¡®But that guy¡­ wasn¡¯t he supposed to be about fifteen years old? The man over there looks at least thirty, no matter how young I estimate him to be¡­ Well, it doesn¡¯t really matter.¡¯

    Normally, if the beast¡¯s suspicious nature had been intact, it might have doubted the situation.

    But more than 200 years of unrelenting hunger and thirst had clouded its judgment.

    Roar!

    With a thunderous cry, the beast hurled itself toward the man in the courtyard.

    ¨C Give me your body, human!

    Even as the beast¡¯s ravenous maw closed in on his neck, the man still had his head hung low.

    Just as the beast¡¯s fangs were about to graze his skin¡ª

    Boom!

    Crash!

    Suddenly, the chains that had tightly bound the man shattered in an instant.

    The man¡¯s head snapped up.

    Through the wild, disheveled hair, eyes as fierce as a dragon¡¯s gleamed.

    It was Theo.

    -¡­!

    The beast realized toote that this was a trap.

    Snap!

    Theo¡¯s hand had already shot out, grabbing the beast by the scruff of its neck.

    ¡°So, you really are in a weakened state. You¡¯re nothing like thest time I saw you.¡±

    Thest time?

    I¡¯ve never seen you before!

    The beast wanted to voice its confusion, but couldn¡¯t open its mouth.

    Crunch!

    Theo¡¯s grip was so firm that it couldn¡¯t move an inch.

    As Theo watched the struggling creature, he smiled coldly.

    The beast, which once boasted a size of over tens of meters, was now a mere 2 meters tall.

    On top of that, its ribs were visible, and its body was emaciated.

    There was no way Theo, who had once in even a Lesser Drake, would let such a weak and starved creature escape.

    ¨C P-please¡­!

    The beast tried to beg for its life, promising to grant whatever he desired, offering loyalty, but¡ª

    Crack!

    Theo¡¯s grip tightened before it could say another word.

    Crrrack!

    The beast¡¯s head twisted helplessly to the side.

 Chapter 27

    Chapter 27: Moon-White Sword (2) >

    ¡°Mother! What on earth is going on here? Why is your son like this?¡±

    Cecilia clung to Kirsion, her face pale.

    It was because Theo¡¯s condition was worsening.

    His head was thrown back.

    Both his pupils and the whites of his eyes had turnedpletely ck, as if embedded with obsidian beads.

    More than anything else¡­

    ¡®The energy¡­ it¡¯s directly connected to his veins. I¡¯ve never heard of such a phenomenon. What on earth is happening?¡¯

    Kirsion couldn¡¯tprehend the situation unfolding before her.

    The Moon-White Sword seemed to have be one with Theo.

    The sword was firmly attached to his palm, and all the energy was being absorbed into the wound.

    She considered forcibly removing it, but she couldn¡¯t bring herself to act rashly, fearing the worst.

    ¡°If anything bad happens to my son¡­ I will never¡­ ever forgive you.¡±

    But what pained Kirsion the most was the resentment in Cecilia¡¯s gaze.

    The same look she had seen over a decade ago.

    Even though she had told Theo she wouldn¡¯t take responsibility no matter what happened.

    She couldn¡¯t bear to experience that despair again.

    ¡®This won¡¯t do.¡¯

    In the end, Kirsion clenched her teeth and called for the secretary waiting outside.

    ¡°Go to the ¡®Security Bureau¡¯ immediately. Tell them I¡¯ve epted their previous offer, and they will send someone.¡±

    ¡°But, Madam, that ce is¡­!¡±

    The secretary¡¯s face turned pale.

    He knew exactly what Kirsion¡¯s words meant.

    The Security Bureau.

    A ce every Ragnar family member avoided associating with.

    It was where the Intelligence Department, ck Snow, was based.

    Recently, the Security Bureau had made a request to Kirsion.

    They imed to have information rted to the relic of the Ancient Dragon and wanted her participation.

    While they used the excuse of needing her expertise in appraising a relic ck Snow had recently obtained¡­

    Both Kirsion and the senior members of the Vasque Workshop knew it was a veiled pressure tactic concerning the Moon-White Sword.

    But it wasn¡¯t just about the Moon-White Sword.

    Kirsion had long been interested in relics.

    It was clear they intended to snatch that information from her as well.

    So she had been dying the consultation request with one excuse after another¡­

    And now, to suddenly ept it?

    This was no different from Kirsion deciding to be a pawn to save Theo.

    ¡®Does she still have lingering feelings for Cecilia?¡¯

    The secretary desperately wanted to change Kirsion¡¯s mind, but¡­

    Kirsion merely red at him, as if to say, ¡°What are you waiting for? Hurry up and go.¡±

    The secretary, finally biting his lower lip, turned to leave.

    At that moment¡ª

    Whoosh!

    Suddenly, ck mes erupted from Theo¡¯s wound, engulfing his entire body.

    ¡°Aaaah! My son!¡±

    ¡°Cecilia, don¡¯t go near him!¡±

    ¡°But! But my son¡­! Theo! Theo!¡±

    Cecilia¡¯s eyes rolled back as she lost allposure,pletely distraught.

    Kirsion held onto her tightly, trying to keep her back.

    ¡®What¡­?¡¯

    The mes swirled violently, then absorbed into Theo¡¯s left chest, vanishing as if they¡¯d never existed.

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    A brief, tense silence fell.

    On the outside, Theo appeared unharmed, with no trace of burns or injuries.

    Then¡ª

    sh!

    Theo¡¯s eyes reopened. A sharp gleam flickered across his pupils and disappeared.

    ¡°Te¡­ Theo?¡±

    Cecilia, having momentarily forgotten the formal term ¡°my son,¡± simply stared at him.

    Theo slowly raised his upper body. His muscles seemed stiff, as he rolled his neck lightly and spoke.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Mother. You needn¡¯t worry.¡±

    At that, Cecilia finally released her tension, copsing to the floor in a heap, sobbing uncontrobly.

    * * *

    ¡®That was lucky. I managed to catch it just after it had broken free from the seal, while it was still disoriented.¡¯

    If he had hesitated or spent any more time being cautious after finding Theo wrapped in chains¡­

    Theo would have had a much harder time subduing it.

    ¡®I have no desire to ever go through that again.¡¯

    Reliving the final moments of his past life was horrifying.

    [Congrattions! You have sessfully hunted the Griffin,pleting Tutorial Quest #13.]

    [Rating: A+]

    [You have earned the ¡®Moon-White Sword Ownership¡¯ as a reward.]

    [Additionally, based on your rating, you have absorbed the Moon-White Sword¡¯s demonic power, greatly increasing your magic power.]

    Not only had he gained the Moon-White Sword that the ck Dragon had cherished, but also the sword¡¯s magic power?

    He wondered just how much it had increased.

    Theo quickly summoned his status window.

    ¡ª

    Theo Ragnar (15/Male)

    ¡¤ Level: 16

    ¡¤ Attributes: (¨‹)

    Strength: 96

    Agility: 27

    Vitality: 21

    Magic: 228

    Intelligence: 20

    Luck: -6

    ¡¤ Skills: (¨‹)

    ¨C Lesser Drake Fear

    ¨C [Unavable for Viewing]

    ¡ª

    ¡°228¡­? Ha, haha!¡±

    Theo let out augh of disbelief.

    His magic power had increased by a whopping 30 pointspared to before.

    And that wasn¡¯t all.

    [Magic coefficient has surpassed 200.]

    ¡ª

    [The hidden function has been unlocked, and from now on, your magic power will begin to take on a spiritual essence.]

    ¡ª

    Spiritual Essence

    ¨C Type: Special Ability

    ¨C Effect: Alters physical abilities. Increases magic recovery rate by 1.5 per second.

    ¡ª

    Crrrk, crk-

    Theo felt his chest tighten painfully as if the Dragon¡¯s Heart were being constricted, and then he sensed subtle changes beginning to ur.

    His greatly increased magic power rotated intensely, dispersing throughout his body.

    Capiries that he hadn¡¯t been able to fully utilize before now opened up.

    It was as if his magic, like a living creature, knew exactly where it needed to go.

    This was a significant change from having to focus intently to manipte his magic before.

    The increase in efficiency and recovery alone made Theo¡¯s talentparable to that of a genius mage.

    ¡®So this is what it means to have gained spiritual essence.¡¯

    Moreover, in terms of magic power alone, he was now capable enough to call himself the ruler of arge city.

    Within the ranks of Ragnar, he was equivalent to a Dragon Gate Knight.

    Given that they were known as the ¡°Dragon¡¯s ws and Fangs,¡± this was a considerable leap forward.

    Especially since it was the level just beneath the Nine Dragons.

    Of course, there was an enormous gap between the Nine Dragons and the Dragon Gate Knights, even if all the steps in between werebined.

    Theo gripped the Moon-White Sword tightly once more.

    His magic power reacted instantly.

    It felt as if his Dragon¡¯s Heart and the sword were directly linked.

    He suspected that if he swung the sword now, the Dragon¡¯s Heart would respond immediately, channeling his magic with all its might.

    Wooo, woo-

    ¡®They called it a Griffin, didn¡¯t they?¡¯

    An ancient dragon species that had supposedly been extinct for ages, surviving only in legends.

    Who could have guessed that the monster known as the ¡°Beast of the Moon¡± would be one of them?

    ¡®Both the Lesser Drake and the Griffin¡­ they¡¯re both dragon species. Could this really be a coincidence?¡¯

    One of the ancient legends about dragons went like this:

    ¨C Dragons have an inherent love for all things that sparkle, so they hoard treasures from around the world in their nests.

    In other words, they often take on the role of guardians of treasure.

    The dungeon and the Moon-White Sword had both granted him immense rewards, enough to be called ¡°treasures.¡±

    And they both had themonality of being guarded by dragon species.

    Theo wanted to confirm whether other ¡°treasures¡± followed a simr pattern.

    ¡®Relics of the Ancient Dragon¡­ I should search for any other artifacts out there.¡¯

    Just then¡ª

    Wooooong!

    The Moon-White Sword trembled violently.

    As if the Moon-White Sword was trying to break free from Theo¡¯s grasp.

    ¡°So, it¡¯s rebelling,¡± he said.

    Kirsion had approached him, her eyes gleaming with interest.

    She even had her pipe back between her lips, full of curiosity about the sword.

    ¡°Does this mean it still hasn¡¯t acknowledged me as its master?¡±

    ¡°Well, you could say that. But it¡¯s a bit different.¡±

    ¡°In what way?¡±

    ¡°The Moon-White Sword has been sealed here for a very long time. It was in a simr state even before it came into my possession, so it¡¯s likely been trapped for several centuries.¡±

    Koff-koff¡ª

    With eachugh, white smoke thickly swirled around Kirsion.

    ¡°It¡¯s frustrated. Now that it¡¯s finally out in the world, it just wants to release the irritation that¡¯s built up over the years.¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you give it a good swing right there?¡±

    Kirsion pointed her pipe toward one side of the office wall.

    Various nicks and scratches from des marked its surface.

    Theo¡¯s eyes widened.

    ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s alright?¡±

    ¡°Hmph! Do you think the Vasque Workshop is called the best in Ragnar for nothing? This building¡¯s structure is designed to withstand almost any shock. No matter how sharp the Moon-White Sword is, without magic, it¡¯s nothing special.¡±

    A tant smirk crossed her face.

    ¡®Kind of makes me want to prove her wrong.¡¯

    Theo felt an impulse to catch Kirsion off guard.

    Images of his mother being scorned by other noblewomen, due to herck of powerful backing, shed through his mind.

    ¡®That¡¯ll do.¡¯

    Without a word, Theo stood up and took his stance.

    He could feel Kirsion watching intently behind him.

    First Strike.

    He held the Moon-White Sword with its tip pointed down.

    Boom-boom-boom-boom!

    At the same time, the Dragon¡¯s Heart began pounding fiercely.

    The essence of his spiritual power red.

    His magic, now much purer than before, coursed roughly through his veins.

    The heartbeat was so loud that even Theo could hear it clearly.

    The problem was that the sound was loud enough for sharp-eared Kirsion to notice as well.

    ¡°Huh¡­? W-wait!¡±

    Only then did Kirsion realize the sheer force Theo was exerting and called out in rm.

    Shwiiing!

    But it was already toote.

    A single cut traveled from the floor to the wall, slicing across it and continuing up to the ceiling in an instant.

    It left a mark as if a dragon had shed it with its mighty ws.

    The impact was so strong that Theo was thrown across to the opposite wall by the recoil.

    ¡°Urgh!¡±

    When Theo came to his senses and opened his eyes again¡­

    Following the sword¡¯s sh, the ceiling and walls began to crumble, sending clouds of dust swirling through the air.

    Crash¡ª

    Rumble!

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    Cecilia¡¯s eyes were wide as a rabbit¡¯s, and¡ª

    Thud! tter¡ª

    Kirsion¡¯s pipe slipped from her hand and rolled on the floor, but she seemed oblivious, her mouth agape.

    ¡°My workshop¡­ my money¡­! My mooooney! Aaaah!¡±

    Kirsion screamed, clutching her head in despair.

    The Moon-White Sword seemed to hum mockingly at her.

    Wooooong, wooong¡ª

    However, this time, it emitted a feeling of satisfaction, almost as if it were relieved.

    ¡®This is something I should never use unless it¡¯s a dire emergency.¡¯

    Theo brushed the dust off as he stood, his body aching.

    His left chest throbbed with pain.

    The constriction from the Dragon¡¯s Heart had tightened his muscles, but the main reason was that the Moon-White Sword had consumed far more magic than he had anticipated.

    All his magic power had beenpletely drained.

    Theo had to force himself to shake off a sudden wave of dizziness.

    Wooong!

    The Moon-White Sword roared again, as if unting its strength.

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    Was it just his imagination, or could he almost see the Griffin arrogantly lifting its head in pride? He let out a dry chuckle.

    ¡°¡­ Are you seriously saying you haven¡¯t mastered magic yet?¡±

    Kirsion, who now looked a decade older, trudged over to him.

    Theo merely kept his silence.

    ¡°The Blossoming Ceremony is just five days away.¡±

    ¡°Then you¡¯re telling me that you did this with only the sword¡¯s intent¡­?!¡±

    Suddenly, Kirsion reached out swiftly.

    Theo instinctively pulled his arm back, but¡ª

    ¡®She¡¯s fast¡­!¡¯

    Kirsion¡¯s hand was already around his wrist.

    ¡®She knows swordsmanship, and at least at the level of a Dragon Gate Knight¡­!¡¯

    He was shocked, as he¡¯d had no idea that the owner of the Vasque Workshop was skilled in swordsmanship.

    As she pressed her fingers to Theo¡¯s pulse, Kirsion¡¯s brows furrowed.

    She couldn¡¯t sense any magic power from him at all.

    ¡°Hah! So you really did this with just sword intent?¡±

    Theo only smiled in response.

    While he had indeed used up all his magic in thatst strike, storing magic power in the heart was something unimaginable by the standards of this era.

    Tsk!

    Kirsion clicked her tongue, clearly displeased at the thought of handing over a Moon-White Sword with abilities far beyond what she had anticipated.

    However, taking it back after publicly dering it a gift to her grandson was out of the question for Kirsion¡¯s pride¡ªeven if it might have been fine with someone else.

    ¡®No, maybe I shouldn¡¯t look at it that way. A treasured sword like this, carrying such intense sword intent, would drain a significant amount of mental energy just by holding it¡­ Yet he endured all of that without even a drop of magic power?¡¯

    A single word crossed Kirsion¡¯s mind.

    Genius.

    Someone with talent bestowed by the heavens.

    ¡®Is that really my grandson?¡¯

    A thought suddenly struck Kirsion, and she smirked as she put her pipe back in her mouth.

    A kid like this, even if left alone, was bound to stand out eventually.

    Especially at the uing Blossoming Ceremony, where the most renowned swordsmen and martial artists from Ragnar and all over the northern regions would gather.

    It was clear as day how brightly he would shine there.

    And if a boy like that was wielding a sword emzoned with the mark of the Vasque Workshop?

    ¡®Hahaha! Money! I can practically see the money rolling in!¡¯

    Kirsion¡¯s eyes sparkled as if she had just uncovered a goldmine.

    The copsed ceiling and walls?

    Those could be rebuilt, but this opportunity for such massive publicity was a once-in-a-lifetime chance.

    Theo instinctively took a step back under Kirsion¡¯s predatory gaze, which looked almost like she was ready to devour him.

    ¡°It¡¯s not easy to carry such a remarkable sword around at the Blossoming Ceremony¡­ Didn¡¯t you mention needing a new one anyway?¡±

    At her question, Theo froze mid-step.

    ¡®No way¡­¡¯

    His eyes widened slightly.

    A sword crafted by Majang Kirsion herself.

    It was the chance every swordsman dreamed of.

    ¡°I¡¯ll put my best effort into creating one for you. In return, all you have to do is take the top spot.¡±

    Kirsion¡¯s lips curled into a smile, and she licked her lips as if savoring the thought.

    Slurp!

 Chapter 28

    Chapter 28: Moon-White Sword (3) >

    ¡®I guess I don¡¯t need to step in.¡¯

    Not far from the Vasque Workshop.

    Ray stood on a tree overlooking the representative¡¯s office and let out a sigh of relief.

    When Theo had grabbed the Moon-White Sword, it had looked dangerous, and she had thought about stepping in.

    Fortunately, it seemed like Theo had taken care of it well on his own.

    ¡®I really want to help somehow¡­¡¯

    Just as Theo had helped her during their childhood, she wanted to be of assistance to him, which is why she had followed him.

    But no matter how hard she observed, there didn¡¯t seem to be an opportunity for her to intervene.

    ¡®Let¡¯s follow him just a bit longer.¡¯

    With that thought, Ray moved once more.

    Swish-

    Like a lie, her body disappeared, concealed by the shadows.

    * * *

    Clip-clop, clip-clop¡ª

    The carriage carrying Theo and Cecilia was on its way back to Camellia Pce.

    ¡°At least we were able to get a decent sword. I was worried that she might turn us down because she was busy.¡±

    Cecilia let out a sigh of relief, and Theo smiled faintly.

    It was apletely different sight from when she hadined to Majang Kirsion about selling them a defective product.

    Theo was beginning to understand his mother¡¯s true self.

    Cecilia, in reality, had this gentle side to her.

    She had simply been forced to show a more fierce and strong-willed demeanor in order to protect her son.

    All this time, her only son had misunderstood her.

    ¡°Thanks to you, Mother, I was able to secure it easily. I¡¯m grateful.¡±

    ¡°What are you saying, my son? It¡¯s only natural for a mother to support her child in every possible way when they have a major event ahead.¡±

    Despite her words, Cecilia couldn¡¯t hide her delight at Theo¡¯s gratitude, a smile spreading across her face.

    ¡°Luckily, they said they¡¯d craft it under Majang¡¯s name this time, so let¡¯s look forward to that.¡±

    Theo nodded, and without realizing it, he let out a small chuckle.

    ¡°What¡¯s so amusing?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I was just reminded of how Mother¡­ negotiated with Majang¡­¡±

    ¡°You can just call her Grandmother.¡±

    ¡°¡­I was thinking about how you bargained with Grandmother.¡±

    Cecilia crossed her arms and gave a light snort.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it a matter of reaping what one sows? After all, she gave you something like that as a birthday present, even though I specifically asked her to pay extra attention since it was for her grandson. If she wants to make up for that, she should really do her ¡®best,¡¯ don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡®Thanks to that, it seems like Grandmother, who loves her money, is going to have to tighten her purse strings for a while, doesn¡¯t it?¡¯

    Theo recalled the scene of Cecilia persistently nitpicking at Kirsion.

    ¨C Your best effort? So, these things you gave mest year weren¡¯t your best work, were they, Mother?¡±

    ¨C I will make it with all my might.

    When Kirsion spoke with confidence, Cecilia, with a piercing gaze, pointed out that fact.

    Kirsion was flustered.

    ¨C Ah, that¡¯s¡­!

    ¨C I had a feeling it was of poor quality. I shouldn¡¯t havee here in the first ce.

    ¨C No, that¡¯s not what I meant!

    ¨C What do you mean ¡®not¡¯? This won¡¯t do, my son. Get up immediately. Let¡¯s go somewhere else.

    Kirsion, who had intended to proudly present Theo with an excellent sword, now found himself having to offer a weak excuse.

    Cecilia was throwing a fit, iming she hadn¡¯t received a proper sword once again.

    As a result, Kirsion had no choice but to desperately try to calm her down.

    ¨C Where are you nning to go at this hour?

    ¨C There¡¯s the Turkan Trading Company and the Georg Workshop not far from here. I was thinking of going there.

    ¨C Why on earth would you go to those inferior ces!

    Turkan and Georg were both workshops oftenpared to the Vasque Workshop.

    Naturally, Kirsion jumped up in protest.

    ¨C At least those ¡®inferior¡¯ ces won¡¯t hand over faulty goods to my son!

    ¨C It¡¯s not that it¡¯s faulty¡­!

    ¨C Well, we¡¯ll see about that.

    ¨C The sword¡­ Right! You need a sword for the Blossoming Ceremony, don¡¯t you? Even if you go somewhere else now, you won¡¯t be able to find anything satisfactory.

    ¨C We¡¯ll see about that.

    ¨C All the workshops are swamped with orders, working day and night. How are you going to find a treasure sword? Just ept the one I¡¯m offering you¡­

    ¨C No. I think I¡¯ll manage to find something.

    ¨C No, I¡¯m telling you, that¡¯s impossible!

    ¨C Have you forgotten already, Mother? My son defeated one of the Four Lords of the North, didn¡¯t he? And if word gets out that he¡¯s been chosen by the legendary Moon-White Sword¡­ wouldn¡¯t everyone be scrambling to give him a sword?

    ¨C ¡­!

    ¨C He¡¯ll practically be a walking advertisement.

    Kirsion¡¯s pupils trembled violently as her true intentions wereid bare.

    ¨C That¡¯s what you were aiming for, wasn¡¯t it, Mother? Am I wrong?

    At that moment, Kirsion realized something.

    The adopted daughter she had raised wasn¡¯t just beautiful.

    She was so much like herself that it made Kirsion wonder if they were rted by blood.

    In the end, Kirsion had no choice but to raise both hands and surrender.

    ¨C ¡­Fine. I¡¯ll make you a ¡®proper¡¯ sword.

    ¨C Good. Now we¡¯re finally negotiating.

    ¨C ¡­Do you have any¡­ specific conditions?

    ¨C Why should my son and I be the ones to state the terms?

    ¨C ¡­What?

    ¨C The side that¡¯s at a disadvantage should make the first offer.

    ¨C ¡­¡­

    In the end, it was only after Kirsion had been thoroughly pushed around by Cecilia that she finally managed to escape the hell of negotiations.

    ¡®Even if others begged for it, they wouldn¡¯t be able to get their hands on Majang¡¯s sword¡­ She really is incredible, even if she is my mother.¡¯

    The specifications Cecilia had wrung out for the treasure sword were quite simple.

    60% Snow White Ore and 34% ckwood.

    And.

    ¡®6% Adamant.¡¯

    He had been utterly shocked when he heard those words.

    ¡®No matter how much of a Majang she is, I never thought she¡¯d have Adamant in her possession.¡¯

    Adamant was an ultra-metal that could only be extracted in minute quantities from meteorites that had fallen from space.

    Its most notable feature was that, unless processed in a very specific way, it couldn¡¯t be broken or melted by any means.

    This is why people said that even a small amount of Adamant in a sword elevated it beyond the level of a ¡°treasure sword¡± to that of a ¡°divine sword.¡±

    And yet, she had demanded 6%, not even 0.6%.

    At this point, it was practically extortion.

    ¨C Don¡¯t like it? Then forget it.¡±

    Even as Kirsion desperately pleaded, Cecilia didn¡¯t bat an eye and gracefully prepared to leave.

    In the end, Kirsionpletely surrendered, copsing in defeat.

    ¡®That sword will soon be mine.¡¯

    However, Kirsion mentioned that crafting a sword of such caliber wouldn¡¯t take just a day or two; even if she worked all night, it would take at least a week.

    With the Blossoming Ceremony beginning in five days, it was unfortunate.

    ¡®But it¡¯s fine. The first part of the Blossoming Ceremony is done with a standard iron sword given at the exam. I¡¯ll be able to use it from the second part onward.¡¯

    Theo¡¯s fingers were already tingling with excitement at the thought of Majang¡¯s treasure sword in his hands.

    Wuuuuuuung!

    As if displeased by Theo¡¯s excitement, the Moon-White Sword hanging at his waist let out a rough hum.

    * * *

    ¡°¡­Damn it. That little brat¡¯s going to break my back. They say raising children is useless. Ugh, ugh!¡±

    After Theo and Cecilia had left, Kirsion began to wail.

    Not only had she lost the Moon-White Sword, but the roof had practically flown off, leaving her to work in the cold wind for the time being.

    To top it all off, her daughter had snatched away a treasure she cherished even more than the Moon-White Sword.

    But there was no way she could refuse.

    If Theo really received support from Turkan or Georg and ended up taking the top spot at the Blossoming Ceremony¡­

    Then, naturally, rumors about Cecilia and Kirsion¡¯s past rtionship would start spreading, and there would be no way for her to escape the stigma of beingbeled as ¡°the fool who couldn¡¯t even recognize her own grandson¡¯s talent.¡±

    What had begun as an attempt to secure a walking advertisement had now backfired spectacrly.

    Still, Kirsion thought she could somehow manage.

    After all, the amount of materials needed to craft a normal-sized sword was rtively predictable.

    But then.

    Just as Theo and Cecilia were about to leave, Theo had dropped a bombshell.

    ¨C I¡¯d like a Zweihander, please.

    ¨C ¡­What?

    ¨C The size should be about 2 meters and 30 centimeters. The thickness¡­ around the width of a finger should do. And as for the sharpness¡­

    ¨C You thieving little bastards!

    The problem was that Theo¡¯s request far exceeded what Kirsion had anticipated.

    At that size, the sword was essentially a solid b, which would require a massive amount of Snow White Ore, ckwood, and Adamant.

    (E/n:She¡¯s right, that is almost impractically huge, most greatswords irl don¡¯t even reach 2m)

    Kirsion would have to open her emergency vault.

    ¡°Not just the kid, but now even the grandson¡ªwhat kind of person asks for something like that?¡±

    Grit, grit!

    Her teeth ground together with fury, but the ship had already sailed. There was no undoing the deal now.

    Huuuu¡ª

    Kirsion frowned as she slumped back into her chair, exhaling thick plumes of smoke.

    ¡°At least it¡¯s not apletely unreasonable request¡­¡±

    Her gaze shifted to the materialsid out on the table.

    They were the items Theo had asked her to use in the sword if necessary.

    Fangs and ws from a Lesser Drake.

    And they were top-grade, without a single scratch.

    ¡®He must¡¯ve acquired these while obtaining that artifact.¡¯

    What would happen if these materials were incorporated into the sword she was about to make?

    Even after living for centuries, Kirsion was certain this would be one of the masterpieces she could count on one hand.

    For years, she had stifled her artisan¡¯s instincts, burying them deep beneath her role as a loyal ve to capitalism. But now, she could feel those instincts stirring again.

    ¡°The design¡¯s already forming in my mind. Ha! This is ridiculous.¡±

    Though Kirsion wore a bitter smile, she was already thinking about where she¡¯d put her hammer.

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    Suddenly, Kirsion¡¯s expression froze, turning cold as her gaze shifted toward the window.

    Flutter, flutter!

    A smallrk with jet-ck feathersnded beneath the gently swaying curtains.

    An unusualrk, covered head to toe in dark feathers.

    Chirp! Chirp chirp!

    ¡¸It¡¯s been a while, Majang.¡¹

    Kirsion heard a voice echoing in her ears.

    It was telepathy magic.

    ¡°Not really.¡±

    ¡¸You¡¯re still as cold as ever.¡¹

    ¡°If you¡¯re going to spout nonsense, get lost. I¡¯m in a rare good mood today, and I¡¯d rather not have you ruin it.¡±

    ¡¸Seems like you had some wee guests?¡¹

    Therk chuckled as it nced at the gaping hole in the roof.

    Its gaze lingered on the traces left behind by the aura that had swept through.

    idents in the cksmith district were no trivial matter, especially to the House of Ragnar, as such incidents could easily escte into major disasters. There was also the risk of weapon production being halted midway.

    ¡°One of the master artisans blew something up while conducting research. I¡¯ve already ordered disciplinary action. Satisfied? And.¡±

    Kirsion¡¯s eyebrow arched.

    ¡°If you¡¯re here to poke around for information, I¡¯ve already told you to leave.¡±

    Therk¡¯s eyes returned to Kirsion.

    ¡¸Fine. I¡¯ll ask just one thing before I go. Have you given it any thought?¡¹

    ¡°Thought?¡±

    ¡¸Yes. About the artifact I mentioned before.¡¹

    ¡°Oh, that? Still not interested. I¡¯ve lost all care for it now.¡±

    ¡¸¡­¡­.¡¹

    ¡°What? Why?¡±

    ¡¸The artifact that was with you¡­ never mind. Forget it.¡¹

    Kirsion, tired of the conversation, waved her hand dismissively with the pipe still in her grip. Therk, about to say something, closed its beak tightly instead.

    Any further discussion would be a waste of time.

    Forcing her into submission wouldn¡¯t be easy either. She wasn¡¯t someone, or rather, an elf, who could be captured so easily.

    ¡¸¡­I¡¯lle back another time.¡¹

    Therk shot Kirsion a sharp look before pping its wings and disappearing.

    Left alone.

    Kirsion bit down on her pipe, grumbling.

    ¡°Honestly, there¡¯s not a single thing about this damn ce I like. If only I didn¡¯t have that good-for-nothing daughter¡­ Ugh!¡±

    * * *

    Five days passed in the blink of an eye.

    It was the day of the Blossoming Ceremony.

    Theo was going over the final checks with Evelyn.

    Cha-cha-cha-chang!

    Cha-cha-cha-chang!

    ¡°Your swordsmanship has be much stronger and faster overall.¡±

    ¡°Does that mean it¡¯s also be more refined? That¡¯s good to hear. Even got apliment from you, Evelyn.¡±

    ¡°But that could also mean you¡¯re bing trapped in more conventional forms. You¡¯ll need to watch out for that.¡±

    ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±

    From an outsider¡¯s perspective, it looked as if Theo and Evelyn were engaged in a real, life-or-death sword fight.

    But for Theo and Evelyn, their conversation carried on casually, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

    ¡°Seriously¡­¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re not human¡­¡±

    Sybil and his followers, watching the intense duel, shook their heads in disbelief.

    Over the past six months, the gap between them and Theo had grown immensely.

    Even though they had been training day and night, putting in their best efforts, Theo¡¯s rate of growth was simply on a different level.

    Even for someone from the House of Ragnar, it seemed impossible to achieve what Theo had.

    ng!

    At that moment, a sharp sh rang out as Theo and Evelyn separated widely from each other.

    Evelyn nced down at her sword, trembling in her grip, before silently sheathing it.

    Theo had be strong enough to ¡®push her back.¡¯

    And once his magic power was fully unleashed?

    A monster¡­ would be born.

    Evelyn trembled slightly, eager to witness that monster sooner rather thanter.

    ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard all this time. I hope you achieve great results in the Blossoming Ceremony that starts today.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you, Evelyn. I appreciate it.¡±

    At Theo¡¯s words, Evelyn felt her nose tingle slightly.

    ¡°¡­No. It¡¯s I who should be thanking you.¡±

    Evelyn¡¯s words were sincere.

    She had once lost her sword, both physically and emotionally, after losing her right arm. But thanks to Theo, she had picked it up again.

    Now, it even felt strange to be without a sword by her side.

    ¡°If I manage to take the top spot, I¡¯ll make sure to mention your name in my speech. Just so you know.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­!¡±

    Evelyn, flustered and blushing, started to stammer, but before she could respond, Sybil suddenly cut in.

    ¡°Master Theo! After Evelyn, please mention my name as well!¡±

    ¡°Me too! Please include me!¡±

    ¡°What about me? Don¡¯t I deserve a mention?¡±

    As the followers mored to be included, the scene turned chaotic, and Theo burst intoughter.

    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll make sure to do that.¡±

    With the Moon-White Sword and his training iron sword at his waist, and the temporary Zweihander strapped to his back, Theo left the training ground.

    He could hear the cheers and encouragements of his followers, all urging him to take the top spot in the ceremony.

    It had been exactly six months since his regression.

 Chapter 29

    Chapter 29: Moon-White Sword (4) >

    The area in front of the main gate of the Central Hall was bustling with countless people.

    ¡°It¡¯s not something you see every day. This item right here, let me tell you¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°A talisman wishing for sess, only 10 gold coins¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°Go for it, son! Just do what you usually do, okay?¡±

    ¡°Just like you practiced. Follow what you¡¯ve learned! You can do this!¡±

    Merchants setting up stalls early in the morning,

    Parents praying for their children¡¯s sess,

    Fifteen-year-old boys and girls gripping their swords tightly as they entered,

    Pickpockets mingling within the crowd, looking to steal,

    And the Judgment Knights deployed to maintain order.

    Though each had different purposes and backgrounds.

    They all gathered for one reason.

    The Blossoming Ceremony.

    A grand ritual in which fifteen-year-old descendants from prestigious northern families, including the House of Ragnar, gathered to take an exam.

    Naturally, this drew the attention of countless people.

    More than anything else, this year¡¯s Blossoming Ceremony was said to attract an unprecedented number of brilliant geniuses.

    People were eagerly scrutinizing the participants passing through the gate.

    Discussions about who would im the top spot were lively.

    -Who do you think will take the top position in this year¡¯s Blossoming Ceremony?

    -That¡¯s the thing. There are just too many strong candidates.

    -Since none of them have unlocked their magic power yet, wouldn¡¯t someone big and strong have the advantage?

    -Then, how about Lord Holcus from the House of Ranke?

    -Don¡¯t be ridiculous! Did you already forget how Lady Ray defeated Lord Holcus two or three years ago? Of course, our Lady Ray will be the top!

    -B-But there¡¯s also Lady Erica, Lord Holcus¡¯s twin sister, isn¡¯t there?

    -Well, there are a lot of rumors about her, but not much is actually known¡­¡­

    -We can¡¯t forget Wellington from the House of Narcio either, right? He¡¯s already being called the Lion.

    -You fools! When has a Ragnar ever missed the top spot at the Blossoming Ceremony? It has to be someone from Ragnar. If we¡¯re talking about our Lord Axion¡­¡­!

    The names mentioned in these discussions were mostly from the Four Lords of the North or those withparable fame.

    It was at that moment.

    ¡°Holcus! It¡¯s Holcus Ranke!¡±

    At someone¡¯s shout, the crowd stopped their idle chatter and all turned their eyes in one direction.

    Thud, thud¡­¡­!

    Cutting through the crowd, Holcus Ranke was walking forward.

    He was so much taller than the average person that he could be seen clearly from a distance.

    -Ohhh!

    -Look at those arms. They¡¯re thicker than my thighs!

    -Wow¡­¡­ I¡¯ve heard rumors that he¡¯s big, but I didn¡¯t expect this much.

    -Is he really only fifteen? How much bigger will he get when he bes an adult?

    -The nickname ¡°Bear¡± really suits him.

    ¡®Hehehe¡­¡­! Yes. This is it. This is why I train in swordsmanship.¡¯

    Holcus Ranke smirked inwardly as he felt the multitude of eyes fixed on him.

    In truth, he loved being the center of attention and receiving others¡¯ interest.

    The reason he found swordsmanship training fun since childhood was precisely because of that.

    The more outstanding he appeared, the more apuse and admiration he received from those around him.

    So, once again, he nned to bask in that apuse all for himself.

    With such confidence, he was about to pass through the main gate.

    -But what about the top candidate? Shouldn¡¯t ¡®sh Tiger¡¯ also be included?

    At the voice that came from somewhere, Holcus¡¯s steps suddenly halted.

    -Oh, now that you mention it, didn¡¯t sh Tiger defeat ck Bear a few days ago¡­¡­!

    -Hey, hey! Watch your mouth!

    The two men who had been talking about sh Tiger quickly shut their mouths.

    It was because Holcus¡¯s terrifying re hadnded on them.

    But the stare didn¡¯t waver.

    Hic!

    Frightened, the two men, now pale, even started hupping.

    At that moment.

    -The carriage of the Camellia Pce!

    -It¡¯s the Snow White Sword! Lady Ray Ragnar is stepping out!

    -She¡¯s just as beautiful as the rumors say.

    As the door of the carriage, decorated with elegant patterns like a daffodil, opened, Ray slowly stepped down.

    Her cold, aloof aura, like sculpted ice, drew the gaze of everyone as she walked.

    Holcus, whose attention was suddenly stolen by this spectacle, frowned deeply.

    But the procession of carriages didn¡¯t end there.

    Creak

    -It¡¯s Lord Axion!

    -I heard he moved his residence to the Rose Pce, but he¡¯s still using a Camellia Pce carriage.

    -He¡¯s imposing. His gaze is as fierce as a beast¡¯s.

    Axion, halfway out of his carriage, caught sight of Ray and gave a slight smile.

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°What is it? Do you have something to say to me?¡±

    Ray silently red at Axion before sharply turning and heading toward the main gate.

    Axion shrugged his shoulders slightly and followed behind.

    ¨C The tension is already starting to rise.

    People were buzzing with excitement, clearly amused by the brewing sh between the Four Lords of the North.

    Holcus was irritated.

    Because of those two, no one was paying attention to him anymore, which made him feel unnecessarily angry.

    He was also annoyed with Ray.

    If she was going to engage in a battle of nerves, she should have done it with him, her rival, not Axion.

    He pondered how to regain the attention he¡¯d lost.

    Just as he was deep in thought, another carriage arrived.

    ¨C Have you ever seen a carriage like that in Winterer? It¡¯s so beautiful.

    Two white horses, so pure that they reminded people of the northern winter, were pulling the carriage, which was a dazzling white. The intricate patterns and elegant decorations were eye-catching, ornate but not overwhelming, drawing attention naturally.

    Even nobles with a keen eye for detail were impressed.

    But the person who stepped out of the carriage drew even more attention.

    ¨C Wow¡­¡­!

    He had an appearance so striking that people couldn¡¯t help but gasp in admiration.

    He had a slender yet solid physique, one that appeared strong despite its elegance,

    A white uniform that entuated his graceful figure,

    Brilliant crimson eyes that sparkled like embedded rubies,

    Long ck hair, reminiscent of the night sky,

    And his poised, precise stride.

    He was like a prince from a fairy tale or a legendary sculpture, so lifelike that it seemed a god hade to life.

    Out of all the examinees who had appeared so far, he was undoubtedly the most attention-grabbing.

    Even Holcus, Ray, and Axion, along with the other participants, stopped in their tracks to stare at him.

    ¨C sh Tiger! It¡¯s sh Tiger!

    ¨C Is that the man who defeated the Four Lords of the North?

    ¨C Huh! Was he always this handsome?

    ¨C He looks taller, and his features are sharper too.

    ¨C They say his mother was once one of the most beautiful women in the North, and it seems her son inherited that.

    ¨C He¡¯s going to break a lot of hearts when he bes an adult.

    It was Theo.

    * * *

    ¡®Isn¡¯t Well here yet?¡¯

    Theo tilted his head, ncing around.

    He¡¯d started to suspect recently that Wellington had been avoiding him.

    Not only had they not seen each other for the past five days, but Wellington had also declined Theo¡¯s offer to travel to the Central Hall together.

    Theo figured Wellington was probably trying to calm his nerves ahead of the Blossoming Ceremony, but still, it was surprising that he hadn¡¯t shown up yet.

    From what Theo knew, Wellington was always the first to arrive when there was a scheduled meeting.

    ¡°I guess I can greet him after the Blossoming Ceremony starts.¡±

    With that thought, Theo was about to continue walking when¡ª

    ¡®¡­There are too many people.¡¯

    He suddenly realized that not only the crowd, but even the other examinees, were all watching him.

    It wasn¡¯t hard to figure out why¡ªthey were staring at him because of his appearance.

    Even he wasn¡¯t sure if he¡¯d gone overboard with his attire.

    But what could he do?

    It was nearly impossible to refuse Cecilia¡¯s insistence that her son must shine the brightest.

    This would likely happen again at any future major events.

    Thinking that he should just get used to it, Theo decided to ept it calmly.

    And with that, he felt significantly more at ease.

    He could feel the sharp gazes directed his way.

    Ray, who had been watching him from a distance for the past few days.

    Holcus, who for some reason, was staring at him with a disgruntled expression.

    And then¡ª

    ¡®Axion.¡¯

    There was Axion, with his mischievous smirk still ying on his lips, looking like a brat.

    But in the corners of his curved eyes, there was a hint of murderous intent.

    ¡®Same as always.¡¯

    Oddly, though, Theo didn¡¯t find that gaze as threatening as it used to be.

    Maybe it was because he had already crossed paths with the Soaring Dragon, or perhaps it was because he had once faced his father in a duel.

    In his previous life, Axion had felt like an insurmountable wall, but now, he didn¡¯t seem all that daunting.

    In fact, Theo felt a surge ofpetitiveness.

    -Who is stronger now, between me and Axion?

    Even in his past life, Axion had been considered the most skilled among the Four Lords of the North.

    But now Theo wondered how the recent months of rapid growth on his part wouldpare.

    So, he smiled lightly at Axion and passed through the main gate.

    Was Axion expecting Theo to show fear?

    Theo noticed Axion¡¯s face twist slightly in irritation but ignored it.

    ¡°Hey.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡±

    A sudden shout from behind.

    Since it wasn¡¯t Axion¡¯s voice, Theo assumed it wasn¡¯t directed at him.

    But then, someone suddenly grabbed his shoulder from behind.

    When he turned around,

    Holcus was staring down at him with a strange expression.

    ¡®This guy¡­ how can someone with that body have such strength?¡¯

    At that moment, Holcus was in shock.

    Like Ray, Theo had ignored him and engaged in a battle of nerves with Axion, so Holcus had reached out to stop him.

    But it felt as if he had grabbed onto a solid rock.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Uh, uh¡­ th-that¡¯s¡­!¡±

    ¡°Are you trying to get revenge forst time?¡±

    Holcus snapped back to his senses and furrowed his brow deeply.

    ¡°Revenge? What revenge! Hey! I¡¯m not that petty, alright? Last time was just a sparring match, and I know how to ept victory and defeat. If I wanted revenge, I¡¯d prove myself in the Blossoming Ceremony through skill!¡±

    Theo looked genuinely surprised.

    Up until now, Holcus had always struck him as a fiercepetitor who hated losing more than anyone.

    ¡°Then what is it?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­Teach me.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­Teach me how.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±

    It was strange to see someone so big fidgeting awkwardly.

    ¡°Say it properly.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t speak clearly, I¡¯m leaving.¡±

    Holcus¡¯s face turned beet red in frustration.

    ¡°Teach me, teach me how to be as good-looking as you¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°Is that not possible?¡±

    Holcus was utterly embarrassed but endured it somehow. If he could just learn Theo¡¯s secret, he¡¯d be able to attract all the attention and admiration he craved.

    Meanwhile, Theo let out a baffled chuckle.

    He had expected Holcus to ask for another spar or maybe about his training methods, but this? This waspletely out of left field.

    ¡°Ah, damn it! If you don¡¯t want to tell me, just say so¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°I was just born this way. What kind of method could I possibly have?¡±

    ¡®Ugh, what a jerk!¡¯

    Holcus barely managed to swallow the curse that nearly slipped from his mouth. Theo¡¯s answer was essentially saying, ¡°It¡¯s your fault for being born ugly, and there¡¯s no way to fix that.¡±

    ¡°Five minutes until the main gate closes. All remaining examinees, please make your way to the Central Hall-!¡±

    The announcer¡¯s voice marked the end of the gathering time.

    Theo nced at the clock tower, then turned away.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t have any more questions, I¡¯m going ahead.¡±

    Theo and the other examinees began saying their final goodbyes to their families and moved toward the main gate in a rush.

    ¡°Ah, damn, this isn¡¯t how it¡¯s supposed to go. Forget it, I¡¯ll just ask next time!¡±

    Holcus, grumbling and scratching his head in frustration, followed after him.

    Bang¡­¡­!

    The main gate closed firmly, and with the Judgment Knights keeping a close watch, the area was now heavily secured.

    Theo and the other examinees arrived at the enormous open space in front of the Central Hall.

    The grounds had a distinctiveyout.

    At the center stood a podium, where hundreds of swords were haphazardly stuck into the ground. On either side of the area, seating for spectators had been arranged to observe the examinees.

    Most of those seated in the audience were senior swordsmen, exuding powerful auras.

    All of the Nine Dragons who weren¡¯t away on missions were present, along with the heads and officers of variousbat units and institutions, as well as retired elders and veterans.

    And in the very center, a middle-aged man sat leisurely.

    Seeing him, all the examinees instinctively swallowed their nervousness, tensing up.

    Kyle Ragnar, the head of the family, was scanning the faces of the dozens of examinees with a smile.

    When his gaze fell on Theo, Kyle even gave a light wave.

    The other examinees, along with the senior swordsmen in the audience, were taken aback by the rare sight of the family head greeting someone so casually, and their eyes quickly focused on Theo.

    Theo, in turn, slightly bowed his head in acknowledgment, expressing his thanks, but his gaze remained fixed on the seat next to Kyle.

    ¨C A woman,zily yawning with a disinterested expression.

    She looked to be in her early thirties at most.

    She had long ck hair, a symbol of the Ragnar family, but unlike the other swordsmen, she didn¡¯t exude any noticeable aura.

    Her presence was so faint that it was as if she was barely there at all.

    However, Theo¡¯s eyes deepened as he stared at her.

    ¡®Just like in my past life, she came this time too.¡¯

    The main reason Theo had to im the top position in this year¡¯s Blossoming Ceremony wasn¡¯t just because of the many swordsmen, including Kyle, watching him. It was because he had to catch the attention of that woman.

    She possessed power on par with the head of the family himself.

    She was Hilda Ragnar, the family head two generations ago.

    A demigod so powerful that she was considered one of the top three strongest family heads in the history of the Ragnar family.

    The truth of her identity? A monster over a hundred and fifty years old.

    ¡°Now, we will begin the Blossoming Ceremony!¡±

    Boom! Boom!

    The sound of the war drum echoed, as if signaling the start of a battle.

    At the cry of the overseer, Theo¡¯s gaze shifted back to the central podium.

    ¡®It was quite a surprise when he broke his long seclusion to oversee the Blossoming Ceremony. Could it be because of Hilda?¡¯

    The overseer was also one of the elder masters, with a legendary reputation not far behind Hilda¡¯s.

    ¡°The first phase of the Blossoming Ceremony requires you to select one of the iron swords embedded in the podium and make a scratch on the iron wall over there.¡±

    At that moment, someone raised their hand.

    The overseer nodded.

    ¡°Speak.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. I am Leton from the Hanabi family. The iron wall appears to be mixed with Snow White Ore, while the swords in the podium seem to be made of ordinary steel. It seems like it would be difficult to even make a small scratch. How are we supposed to damage it?¡±

    ¡°The examinee is correct. Therefore, we will now distribute an elixir to unlock your magic power. Examiners, hand them out.¡±

    Following the overseer¡¯smand, the examiners began distributing small ss vials to the examinees one by one.

    The hands of the examinees trembled slightly as they received them.

    It was because of the small, round pill norger than a fingernail inside the transparent containers.

    Soma.

    A legendary elixir said to grant more than ten years¡¯ worth of magic power with a single dose.

    For these fifteen-year-olds, who had yet to unlock their magic power, this was the moment they had only dreamed of.

    ¡°Swallow the Soma to unlock the Aura Hall in your dantian. The depth of the scratch you can make on the iron wall using that power will be the primary measure of this trial.¡±

    This first phase of the ceremony evaluated multiple factors: how the examinees adapted to their newly gained magic power, the talent they disyed in opening the Aura Hall, their understanding of the sword, and their level of swordsmanship.

    Failing to score well here could mean saying goodbye to any hope of iming the top position.

    ¡°Now, I will begin calling the names of the examinees. Those called will step forward with their Soma and proceed to the podium.¡±

    The overseer¡¯s gaze shifted to one side.

    ¡°The first examinee, Theo Ragnar of Camellia Pce! Step forward!¡±

    All eyes swiftly turned toward Theo.

    Step, step

    Without hesitation, Theo began walking toward the podium, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    Gulp!

    The atmosphere in the examination grounds was thick with dry tension.

 Chapter 30

    Chapter 30: Moon-White Sword (5) >

    ¡°Is that the child? Kyle, the one you talked about.¡±

    There was only one person in the world who could speak so casually to Kyle, the head of the House of Ragnar.

    Kyle turned to look at the small, elderly woman who appeared much younger than him.

    Just a moment ago, she had been yawningzily as if utterly bored. But now, her eyes had narrowed with interest.

    She looked like a cat that had just spotted a piece of foxtail grass.

    ¡°You seem intrigued.¡±

    ¡°Well, you said he¡¯s a kid you¡¯ve been keeping an eye on. How could I not be curious?¡±

    As far as Hilda knew, no one was as simultaneously interested and disinterested in his children as Kyle was.

    If one caught his eye, he would watch them continually. If not, he wouldn¡¯t even regard them as his own.

    Currently, Kyle was interested in five of his children, all of whom were considered prodigies and seen as the most likely candidates for his sessor within the Ragnar family.

    Even Hilda acknowledged their talents.

    However, recently, Kyle had begun to show interest in another child.

    Though Hilda had long since stepped down from all her public positions, her curiosity was natural, given that she once led Ragnar and illuminated the glory of the North.

    The reason she hade to observe the Blossoming Ceremony after such a long time was precisely because of that child¡ªTheo.

    ¡°Well then, let¡¯s see how skilled our descendant is.¡±

    Propping her chin on one hand, Hilda looked down at Theo.

    Her once drowsy, feline eyes gleamed sharply in an instant.

    * * *

    ¡°Hoo¡­!¡±

    Theo stood on the stage and took a deep breath.

    However¡­

    Thump-thump-thump-

    There was nothing he could do to calm his pounding heart.

    It seemed like he was nervous, perhaps without even realizing it.

    ¡®It¡¯s the Blossoming Ceremony, after all.¡¯

    It was only natural.

    After all, this was the first time since his regression that he would make his presence known to the public.

    Depending on the oue of this event, it could have a significant impact on his future path. It would have been stranger if he wasn¡¯t nervous.

    Therefore, Theo decided to fully embrace the tension. He would use it to ensure he made no mistakes.

    Ding!

    [A quest has arrived.]

    +

    [Tutorial Quest #14]

    Pass the first Blossoming Ceremony and make your name widely known.

    ¡¤ Difficulty: C

    ¡¤ Reward: 1 coin

    ¡¤ Failure Penalty: ¡ö¡ö

    +

    Another quest had arrived.

    However, there was something odd about the reward.

    ¡®A coin?¡¯

    Was it supposed to be money of some sort?

    Seeing the unfamiliar reward, Theo felt puzzled for a moment but soon dismissed the thought.

    It wasn¡¯t the first time these strange messages had spoken in riddles.

    He assumed that, just like before, the meaning would reveal itselfter.

    ¡°You may choose any sword from the ones here to use,¡± the judge said.

    Theo silently nodded.

    This method was designed to prevent any possible unfair advantage, as allowing personal weapons could lead to maniption.

    ¡°Now, swallow the Soma.¡±

    Click¡ª

    Theo opened the lid of the ss container.

    A refreshing scent wafted up, clearing his mind as if it had been blown wide open.

    The moment he ced the pill from the container into his mouth, it melted instantly, sliding down his throat and into his esophagus.

    And then¡ª

    Thump¡­!

    His heart pounded heavily, as if struck by a hammer.

    As the elixir¡¯s energy surged into him, his body naturally began absorbing it.

    But Theo forcibly locked down his Dragon¡¯s Heart.

    What he was attempting this time was merely the opening of his Aura Hall. Allowing the Aura Heart to absorb the Soma would be disastrous.

    ¡°Though you might feel dizzy, stay focused. From now on, breathe and circte your energy as I guide you,¡± the judge¡¯s voice buzzed in his ears.

    Simply swallowing the elixir didn¡¯t automatically open the Aura Hall at his dantian.

    In fact, the critical part started now.

    The dantian was like a field, and the elixir was the seed. Only by nting the seed properly and tending to it with fertilizer and water could a proper sprout grow.

    The breathing technique was the method of cultivation for this process.

    However, the breathing technique of the House of Ragnar was different from ordinary methods.

    ¡ª The Breath of the Imoogi.

    Designed to fully exploit the blessed bodies of the Ragnar family, this breathing technique didn¡¯t simply umte energy gradually. Instead, it forcefully imprinted energy within the body through an explosive surge.

    A mistake could easily damage the meridians or even ruin the dantian. It was a highly dangerous method.

    But Ragnar¡¯s harsh culture held the belief that if one couldn¡¯t even ovee this, how could they hope to be a great swordsman?

    ¡®It was like this back then too.¡¯

    In his previous life, Theo had failed to open his Aura Hall properly, injuring his dantian.

    That was the main reason he had been forced to give up the swordpletely,ter meeting Newitz and undergoing the Aura Heart procedure.

    ¡®But it¡¯s different now.¡¯

    Theo¡¯s eyes gleamed coldly.

    ¡°Move the energy derived from your esophagus to the right shoulder, then to the cervical spine. From there, guide it down your spine toward your left chest and then to your sr plexus¡­!¡±

    As the judge recited the steps for energy cirction, his eyes suddenly widened in shock.

    The energy from the elixir coursed through Theo¡¯s body at an astonishing speed, far faster than the judge had instructed.

    ¡®What the¡­ what is happening¡­?¡¯

    The judge had been hopeful when the elixir¡¯s energy hadn¡¯t dissipated, expecting a good oue.

    But now, it seemed like the energy had gone out of control, spiraling beyond Theo¡¯s ability to manage it.

    ¡®Foolish!¡¯

    The judge¡¯s face contorted in frustration. He assumed Theo had disregarded the breathing technique and allowed his arrogance to guide the energy recklessly, leading to this chaos.

    This wasn¡¯t umon¡ªmany had made simr mistakes in the past.

    The judge had high expectations for Theo, who had recently defeated one of the Four Lords of the North, but it seemed like the Blossoming Ceremony was about to turn disastrous, with Theo potentially crippled from the start.

    However, the judge¡¯s concern quickly shifted to shock.

    Instead of spiraling out of control, the elixir¡¯s energy continued surging through Theo¡¯s body at an even faster pace, circting multiple times in rapid session.

    Thump, thump, thump, thump!

    Theo¡¯s heart pounded so violently that the tform beneath the judge¡¯s feet began to tremble.

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    The judge had never witnessed such an extraordinary phenomenon before. His eyes widened as¡ª

    Szzzt!

    Theo¡¯s body flushed red with heat, emitting a thick vapor. Steam rose from his skin, and then¡ª

    Pop!

    Theo, who had kept his eyes closed until now, opened them and moved toward the swords.

    At that precise moment¡ª

    With a loud bang, a sound like an explosion erupted from below Theo¡¯s navel as his dantian opened up and his Aura Hall fully activated.

    Simultaneously, the Dragon¡¯s Heart¡ªthe Aura Heart¡ªresponded, releasing a torrent of magic power.

    The energies of the two power sources mixed and triggered an explosive surge of strength.

    Theo reached for the sword he often wielded, the Zweihander.

    Grasping its hilt, he flicked it upward with a powerful motion.

    ¡ª Magic Resonance!

    Boooom!

    The shockwave that followed shook the tform as if a cannon had fired.

    ¡®First Strike.¡¯

    The immense burst of magic was too much for the Zweihander to handle, and it shattered like a firecracker.

    Fragments of the de scattered haphazardly into the air, but the sharp aura that had already formed along the sword¡¯s edge shed through the ground and cleaved across the iron wall that stood like a mountain ridge in the distance.

    The spectacle resembled a dragon¡¯s incarnation violently shing its ws.

    Crack-crack-crack!

    From the base to the very top, the tremendous friction heat left a deep and jagged scar on the iron wall.

    But it was no ordinary sword scar.

    The cut wasn¡¯t clean; it was jagged, rough, as if left by a wild beast¡¯s ws.

    Whoooosh¡­!

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    The other candidates stood dumbfounded, staring at the scene in disbelief.

    Even the Four Lords of the North were speechless.

    Ray silently nodded her head, Holcus¡¯s mouth hung wide open, and for the first time, Axion¡¯s expression hardened.

    As the silence lingered, a low voice suddenly broke through.

    ¡°Dragon¡¯s w.¡±

    Everyone¡ªjudges, the audience, and the other candidates¡ªturned in surprise toward the speaker.

    Kyle was looking down at Theo, smiling with satisfaction.

    ¡°That¡¯s what we¡¯ll call it,¡± he dered.

    It wasn¡¯t a suggestion¡ªit was amand. But it was also an acknowledgment that what Theo had just performed was worthy of being considered a technique. For a swordsman of Ragnar, such recognition was a great honor.

    ¡°Haa, haa¡ª¡±

    Theo, still panting heavily, bowed his head. It was a gesture of obedience, showing he would follow Kyle¡¯s decree.

    Kyle crossed his arms, nodding in approval.

    ¡°Theo Ragnar, you pass!¡±

    The judge¡¯s deration of Theo¡¯s sess rang out across the arena. The exam grounds were soon engulfed by a hot wind generated from the lingering heat of the sword mark.

    * * *

    [Congrattions! You have sessfully passed the first Blossoming Ceremony,pleting Tutorial Quest #14.]

    [Evaluation: A+]

    [You have received 1 coin as a reward.]

    [As an additional reward for your high evaluation, your Luck stat has increased slightly.]

    [Luck: 0]

    [The curse of bad luck that had been affecting you is now fully lifted. From now on, your reputation will gradually spread.]

    ¡®Finally¡­! I¡¯ve finally reached the same starting line as everyone else.¡¯

    Theo clenched his fist tightly, realizing that his [Luck] stat had been restored. The tightness in his chest loosened, and energy quickly surged back through his body.

    As he made his way down from the tform, he noticed Axion staring at him.

    His face was now nk, a stark contrast to the mischievous, malicious expression he¡¯d worn earlier. Now, he was cold as ice.

    However¡ª

    Smirk!

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    Theo let out a slight, deliberateugh, and Axion¡¯s brows furrowed ever so slightly.

    ¡®There¡¯s no need to measure anymore. I¡¯m above him.¡¯

    With both his Aura Hall and Aura Heart opened, Theo¡¯s perception of the world had changed dramatically. Everything looked different, clearer, more vibrant.

    At this point, he was certain of one thing¡ªAxion wasn¡¯t even in his line of sight anymore.

    Even if Axion opened his Aura Hall, it wouldn¡¯t make a difference. Theo was sure of it.

    So, he decided then and there topletely disregard Axion.

    This made Axion¡¯s expression twist even more, but Theo didn¡¯t care in the slightest.

    After fully descending from the tform¡ª

    ¨C Huh¡­!

    ¨C Is that really the sword mark of someone opening their magic for the first time? Could he have cheated, or something like that?

    The murmurs of disbelief echoed around the arena.

    ¨C There¡¯s no way¡­ with all these masters watching, how could they not notice something?

    ¨C But still¡­ it¡¯s just too overwhelming.

    ¨C That¡¯s true¡­

    Many of the candidates were still in shock, unable to fully recover from the impact of Theo¡¯s disy.

    Other candidates took their turns in the test after Theo, but none came close to matching the shock he had delivered.

    Compared to Dragon¡¯s w, their marks were weak inparison.

    Only the other members of the Four Lords of the North managed to put up a respectable showing.

    Ray left an icy scar after freezing and shattering the wall with her Ice-White Sword.

    Holcus managed to slightly warp the iron wall.

    And Axion could only leave a long but unimpressive sword mark.

    Still, thergest and most distinct mark was undoubtedly Theo¡¯s Dragon¡¯s w.

    As Theo descended from the tform, Axion¡¯s expression was twisted with humiliation and shame.

    What made it worse was that Theo wasn¡¯t even looking in his direction¡ªnot acknowledging him at all.

    This disregard was clear.

    ¡®How dare¡­! That piece of trash, how dare he ignore me¡­!¡¯

    Axion¡¯s face flushed red with anger.

    ¡¸Rx your expression.¡¹

    The calm voice of Ed Troyban, the Soaring Dragon, pierced Axion¡¯s ears.

    ¡¸Didn¡¯t I tell you to showposure? You can¡¯t even hide a single emotion. What are you doing?¡¹

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Axion finally controlled his expression, but Ed¡¯s rebuke wasn¡¯t finished.

    ¡¸Whatever humiliation you¡¯re feeling now, you¡¯ll have plenty of chances to pay it back in the second Blossoming Ceremony. So hold back until then. Do you understand?¡¹

    Axion didn¡¯t respond, instead keeping his eyes fixed on Theo¡¯s retreating figure.

    ¡®¡­Pathetic.¡¯

    Tsk!

    From the audience, Ed clicked his tongue, arms crossed.

    He could see the jealousy brewing in his nephew, someone who had spent his whole life basking in his own greatness, now faced with someone better. It was foolish.

    This wasn¡¯t the time to be reacting emotionally¡ªTheo¡¯s true potential needed to be understood first.

    But his nephew¡¯s patience was clearlycking.

    ¡®Dark Dragon. What have you done? How did you create such a monster?¡¯

    Ed¡¯s gaze shifted subtly, settling on Julius, who was smiling faintly in the audience.

    Ed suspected that Theo was Julius¡¯s secret weapon, trained in secret for this very purpose. Otherwise, Theo¡¯s rapid growth simply couldn¡¯t be exined.

    ¡°Is that child really the one who received the Family Head¡¯s single strike back then?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s him. My men had quite a hard time back then.¡±

    Julius was having a conversation with the Mistress of the Plum Blossom Pce.

    The Mistress was visibly surprised.

    From Theo¡¯s grip on the sword to his posture, footwork, and body movements, everything was so clean and precise that it impressed even the Mistress of the Plum Blossom Pce.

    Just a few months ago, there were still awkward aspects in his form.

    The fact that Theo had managed to correct such hard-to-fix habits so thoroughly was astonishing.

    And on top of that, his talent in his first magic release was beyond belief.

    Julius couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of pride as if all of this were his own aplishment. His shoulders straightened with satisfaction.

    ¡°It seems someone helped him with his swordsmanship.¡±

    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s someone you¡¯ve seen before, Your Ladyship.¡±

    ¡°Oh, is it the one who once taught Axion at the Camellia Pce¡­?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the one.¡±

    The Mistress¡¯s eyes lit up.

    ¡°I had heard that after ¡®that¡¯ incident, they had given up the sword.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ve picked it up again. They wanted to set Theo¡¯s talent on the right path. And as you can see, this is the result! Hahaha!¡±

    Julius¡¯s pride in his former subordinate was clearly on disy, his nose metaphorically up in the air.

    ¡°I see.¡±

    The Mistress of the Plum Blossom Pce smiled, turning her gaze back to Theo.

    ¡°It seems you¡¯ve taken quite a liking to him.¡±

    ¡°Yes, very much.¡±

    Her eyes curved into a crescent shape.

    ¡°If possible, I¡¯d like to take him as my disciple.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    At that moment, everyone nearby, including Ed, Wolfgang, and the other members of the Nine Dragons and senior figures of Ragnar, nearly gasped aloud.

    Who exactly was the Mistress of the Plum Blossom Pce?

    Before being known as Kyle¡¯s first wife, she was revered as the Northern Sword, a swordsman said to surpass even Kyle in pure swordsmanship.

    Though she led a quiet life, unable to bear children and thus not ying the role of a true matron, she held the power to shake the entire political sphere of Ragnar if she chose to.

    And now she wanted Theo as her disciple?

    It wasn¡¯t just about learning swordsmanship from the Northern Sword¡ªit was, in essence, recognition as the heir apparent of Kyle¡¯s first wife.

    If that happened, Theo would no longer be seen as a mere illegitimate child. He would be a legitimate contender for the session.

    ¡®This must not happen!¡¯

    For Ed, it was like a fire had been lit under his feet. He had intended to eliminate Theo quietly during this Blossoming Ceremony, but if Theo became the Lady¡¯s disciple, everything would fall apart.

    Before Ed could act, though¡ª

    ¡°That won¡¯t be possible.¡±

    Julius, for the first time, hardened his expression and shook his head firmly.

    The Mistress of the Plum Blossom Pce tilted her head in curiosity.

    ¡°Why not? As far as I know, Theo Ragnar may have had a swordmaster, but he¡¯s never formally entered a master-disciple rtionship.¡±

    ¡°Even so, it¡¯s not possible. I¡¯ve already marked my im first.¡±

    ¡°¡­!?¡±

    Julius¡¯s face waspletely serious.

    Snap!

    Tension crackled between the two of them like sparks.

 Chapter 31

    Chapter 31: The Blossoming Ceremony (1) >

    At that moment.

    Theo was organizing the messages that kept appearing before his eyes.

    [Many people have shown deep interest in your outstanding performance.]

    .

    [¡®Robert Ragnar¡¯ is closely watching you.]

    [¡®Osa Ragnar Prunus¡¯ wants to take you as their disciple.]

    [¡®Julius Ragnar¡¯ is displeased with the attention you are receiving.]

    [Your luck has greatly increased.]

    ¡®Now that my luck has been restored, gaining recognition from others has be much smoother. It seems I¡¯ll be famous far quicker than I expected with this Blossoming Ceremony.¡¯

    What pleased Theo the most was realizing that he had begun to attract the attention of various members of the Nine Dragons.

    Among them, two individuals stood out.

    First was Robert Ragnar.

    Although the name may appear ordinary, it was, in fact, the hidden ¡®true name¡¯ of the ck Dragon.

    He hadn¡¯t been in the audience, so Theo assumed he was away on some other mission.

    Was he watching from somewhere else?

    In this life, Theo had no connection with the intelligence agency.

    Still, having once been deeply involved with them and now possessing the Moon-White Sword, which had once belonged to the ck Dragon¡¯s treasured de, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a certain awareness toward him.

    ¡®Of course, I have no intention of getting entangled with him again.¡¯

    Dealing with ck Snow once in his previous life had been more than enough.

    The second was Osa Prunus.

    The best swordsman in the North.

    Also known as the Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce, this was the true name of the First Lady.

    She wanted to take him as her disciple.

    This was an unexpected response for Theo.

    ¡®In my past life, wasn¡¯t it two or three years from now that she first took on two disciples? Both died during the Great War.¡¯

    Looking back now, there were suspicious elements surrounding the deaths of Plum Blossom Pce¡¯s disciples.

    Perhaps, like himself, they were assassinated after being swept into the session disputes.

    At the time, many were mindful of the disciples of the Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce.

    Inheriting the First Lady¡¯s techniques was bound to have a major impact on Ragnar¡¯s politicalndscape.

    If he became her disciple, he could easily be drawn into such dangers.

    However, being taught by someone so skilled that even Kyle acknowledged her talent would be a tremendous opportunity.

    Moreover, it would solidify his position as an heir, a significant advantage.

    Everything had its pros and cons.

    But.

    More than the recognition from these members of the Nine Dragons, there was something that made Theo even happier.

    [¡®Hilda Ragnar¡¯ has taken an interest in you.]

    It was the fact that he had earned the recognition of the former Head of the House.

    In fact, this was what he most wanted to achieve during the Blossoming Ceremony.

    Hilda was a legend within Ragnar.

    Earning her interest alone could provide a huge advantage.

    ¡®Especially if I could obtain Garuda¡¯s Heart¡­ the one Hilda possesses.¡¯

    With it, he could ovee the fatal weakness inherent in Ragnar¡¯s Dragon Body (Yongche).

    Of course, Hilda wouldn¡¯t give away such a reward so easily.

    But Theo was already satisfied with the fact that Hilda had be aware of his presence.

    If he continued to show impressive performances in the second and third phases of the Blossoming Ceremony, she might eventually react in some way.

    As he enjoyed the attention from various people and refined his ns further¡ª

    ¡°Wellington Narcio, step forward!¡±

    Wellington¡¯s name was finally called.

    He was thest to go.

    Theo watched as Wellington slowly ascended the tform. His expression was unusually stiff, which made Theo wonder if something was wrong.

    And so, the final trial began.

    -Heh¡­!

    -Another monster has appeared¡­

    -Is this generation truly different from the rest?

    The other examinees, who witnessed the mark Wellington left behind, were shocked.

    While his mark was slightly less impressive than Theo Ragnar¡¯s, it was still overwhelmingpared to the others.

    ¡°Wellington Narcio.¡±

    The judge thoroughly inspected the results and then dered:

    ¡°Pass!¡±

    Click!

    Wellington quietly sheathed his sword and stepped down from the tform, as if it were the most natural oue.

    * * *

    ¡°We will now announce the rankings!¡±

    After all the tests had concluded.

    The examinees¡¯ eyes burned with intensity as they looked toward the judge.

    Some of them watched with hopeful thoughts of ¡®Maybe¡­?¡¯

    ¡°The top scorer is Theo Ragnar!¡±

    But most, as expected, sighed in resignation.

    -Ah¡­

    -In the end, the sh Tiger took it¡­

    -How on earth did the ¡®Cripple of the Rose Pce¡¯ manage this? How did he leave those sword marks?

    ¡°Quiet down, everyone! Any further disruptions during the announcement of the results will lead to disqualification.¡±

    The area below the tform instantly fell silent.

    ¡°Theo Ragnar¡¯s score is a perfect 10. His technique, magic power, control, and speed¡ªall were wless. Even the depth of his sword marks was so simr to those of Lord Torkel that many examiners were astonished.¡±

    -Wow! A perfect 10!

    ¡°Even as much as Lord Torkel¡­?

    Impossible¡­!

    Was it really that incredible?¡±

    ¡°¡­The ck Iron Cavalry will be in an uproar.¡±

    The reactions from the examinees were far more shocked than before.

    Torkel Ragnar.

    He was one of the ¡®Top Five Candidates¡¯ currently considered closest to inheriting the family leadership.

    His talents were said to surpass even those of Kyle in his youth.

    Moreover, he was now the leader of the ck Iron Cavalry, a force oftenpared to the White Armored Dragon Cavalry.

    Given that Theo¡¯s achievement wasparable to what Torkel had shown in his own Blossoming Ceremony, it was only natural for people to be astonished.

    The judges¡¯ gazes toward Theo had also changed significantlypared to earlier.

    ¡°Although the depth did not reach his level, it is indeed impressive. Do not be arrogant, and strive to disy the same level of skill in the second Blossoming Ceremony.¡±

    Theo responded with a nod.

    Now, the other examinees regarded Theo as their primarypetitor.

    ¡°The runner-up is Wellington Narcio. He also scored a perfect 10, but was ssified as second due to the shorter length of his sword markspared to Theo Ragnar.¡±

    The second perfect scorer.

    The audience could no longer remain quiet.

    ¡°Third ce goes to Axion Ragnar. Fourth ce to Ray Ragnar. Fifth to Holcus Ranke. Sixth is¡­!¡±

    Those who received news of their passing cheered, while those ssified as failures copsed to their knees in despair.

    After the storm of chaos had swept through¡ª

    ¡°The second phase of the Blossoming Ceremony will be held in three days. Check your equipment and manage your condition carefully until then. Dismissed.¡±

    The judge dered the end of the first phase of the Blossoming Ceremony.

    * * *

    ¡°Hurry up! We can¡¯t let others snatch them first. Move quickly!¡±

    Pandemonium ensued.

    The emergence of a perfect scorer for the first time in decades, and apetitor whose abilities rivaled Torkel¡¯s.

    Naturally, various military units and organizations were eager to recruit them, and as soon as the announcement of the ceremony¡¯s end was made, many of the officers in the audience rushed to take action.

    Some hurried to contact their leaders in distantnds.

    Others moved to investigate whether these top scorers had any hidden backers.

    * * *

    ¡°To Lord Theo and Lord Wellington, for their continued sess as top scorers!¡±

    ¡°Cheers!¡±

    ¡°Cheers!¡±

    The , which had now be a regr haunt for Theo and his followers, was livelier than ever today.

    Theo and Wellington had swept the top two positions in the first phase of the Blossoming Ceremony.

    ¡°Wow! It¡¯s amazing enough that both of you took first and second ce, but to score perfect tens? Is that even possible?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, it¡¯s truly incredible.¡±

    ¡°This is the strength of our Fourth Training Hall!¡±

    What excited their followers the most was the pair¡¯s scores.

    Who could have predicted that the notoriously strict judges and examiners of the Blossoming Ceremony would award perfect 10s?

    Even Evelyn seemed to be enjoying the moment.

    ¡®It¡¯s nice to see everyone so happy.¡¯

    Theo sipped his orange juice through a straw, ncing at Wellington out of the corner of his eye.

    ¡®Is something really bothering him?¡¯

    Since the start of the first phase of the Blossoming Ceremony, Wellington hadn¡¯t spoken more than ten words.

    Even when Theo or the others tried to engage him, he only gave brief responses, saying he was fine.

    Because of that, they couldn¡¯t ask him for more details.

    By the time the gathering ended, Wellington had remained silent throughout.

    ¡°¡­Lord Theo.¡±

    Later that night, as they walked back to the dormitories together, Wellington suddenly called out to Theo while they quietly strolled through the night.

    ¡°We¡¯re friends, right?¡±

    Apletely out-of-the-blue question.

    But Theo, without hesitation, nodded calmly in agreement.

    Wellington let out a deep sigh of relief, as if a heavy burden had been lifted.

    Then, with a much more rxed expression than before, he said:

    ¡°Thank you. Thanks to you, I¡¯ve sorted out everything that was troubling me. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow. Take care on your way back.¡±

    Theo silently watched Wellington¡¯s back as he entered the dormitory.

    ¡®Whatever it was, it seems like he¡¯s found peace. That¡¯s a relief.¡¯

    The second phase of the Blossoming Ceremony wasn¡¯t going to be so forgiving that they could afford to be distracted.

    It was a perilous test site where even the slightest mistake could cost someone their life.

    ¡®And in the winter mountains¡­ there¡¯s something there that I absolutely must obtain, no matter what.¡¯

    With a sigh of relief, Theo turned to head back toward the Camellia Pce.

    Fwoosh!

    Suddenly, Theo swiftly drew the in sword he kept on hand and swung it in the opposite direction.

    ng!

    A clear metallic sound rang out, and the seemingly empty space trembled as someone was knocked out of hiding.

    The person¡¯s face showed disbelief, as if they hadn¡¯t expected to be discovered.

    Without hesitation, Theo swung his sword again.

    He was ready to draw the Moon-White Sword if necessary.

    ¡°W-Wait! Please stop! I¡¯m not a suspicious person!¡±

    ¡°Not suspicious? After secretly trailing me this whole time? Don¡¯t spout nonsense.¡±

    Theo snorted and was about to bring his sword down toward the back of the man¡¯s neck when the stranger hastily retreated, shouting.

    ¡°It¡¯s true! I can prove my identity!¡±

    Only then did Theo pause his attack.

    ¡°Whew¡­! I was just curious to see if your skills were as good as they seemed, but if I try that again, my life won¡¯t be spared.¡±

    ¡°Enough with the useless talk. Didn¡¯t you say you could prove your identity?¡±

    ¡°Understood. Ahem! I am Gatsby Yotan, a member of the Gale Sword Unit.¡±

    The man gave a slight cough and pulled out his identification.

    Theo¡¯s eyes widened slightly.

    Gale Sword Unit. One of Ragnar¡¯s elite strike forces.

    A groupposed of highly skilled swordsmen.

    In particr, the leader of this unit was Kyle¡¯s cousin, a person with considerable influence.

    Now that Gatsby seemed to think he had piqued Theo¡¯s interest, he smiled confidently.

    ¡°Our unitmander was quite impressed with the performance you showed at the Blossoming Ceremony, Lord Theo, and sent me personally.¡±

    In simple terms, he was here to scout Theo.

    ¡®I expected offers woulde, but not this soon.¡¯

    Theo clicked his tongue inwardly.

    It hadn¡¯t even been a day since the first phase of the Blossoming Ceremony had ended. Quite fast indeed.

    ¡°He said that ¡®if¡¯ Lord Theo wishes, we would grant you the opportunity to take the qualification test to join our unit.¡±

    But something about the offer seemed off.

    ¡°So, it¡¯s not an invitation, but rather an opportunity to take a test?¡±

    ¡°Exactly. You must have heard of the reputation of the Gale Sword Unit. Just being given the chance should make you proud.¡±

    Gatsby sounded confident.

    He fully expected Theo to shed tears of gratitude any moment now.

    ¡®Hah! This is a direct offer from the unitmander to a mere illegitimate son. Naturally, he should be groveling in eptance.¡¯

    In truth, themander of the Gale Sword Unit had never mentioned any qualification test to Theo.

    In fact, themander had urgently requested that, as long as it wasn¡¯t for the position ofmander itself, they make any possible offer to bring Theo into the unit.

    However, Gatsby was deeply displeased with the idea.

    No matter how well Theo had performed, it was only the first phase of the ceremony. How could he already be receiving such preferential treatment?

    Jealousy burned within him.

    So, he decided to alter the message.

    To put Theo in his ce.

    But then¡­

    ¡°Pahahaha! What kind of foolery is this? Testing for entry when they should be begging on their knees¡­ A qualification test? Really?¡±

    ¡°Who goes there?!¡±

    Gatsby frowned deeply at the mocking voice and turned his head, only to be utterly shocked.

    ¡°T-The me Goblin¡­?¡±

    ¡°Huh? You know who I am, yet you dare address me like that?¡±

    ¡°Guh!¡±

    Gatsby hurriedly covered his mouth with both hands.

    A woman emerged from the alley, wearingrge dangling earrings on one ear, and carrying an enormous ck axe strapped to her back.

    Theo couldn¡¯t help but wear a strange expression.

    He also knew exactly who she was.

    The me Goblin, Ayan Sosori.

    The vicemander of the ck Iron Cavalry.

    Known for her fiery temper, she had earned her reputation by skewering enemies like they were on a spit, leaving mes in her wake. Her fearsome reputation spread even within Ragnar.

    Naturally, Gatsby didn¡¯t evenpare to her.

    ¡°Theo Ragnar,¡± she said, addressing him directly, ¡°unlike these idiots, ourmander would like to invite you to join the ck Iron Cavalry immediately. Are you interested?¡±

    Gatsby paled in shock.

    The ck Iron Cavalry was known for its exclusivity. They were so selective that they often recruited only one person per year from the Blossoming Ceremony, if at all.

    On top of that, their probation periodsted at least five years, with most recruits notoriously failing during that time. Their harsh standards were widely feared.

    But to be called as a full-fledged member from the start?

    It was an unprecedented and shocking event.

    ¡®I¡­ I¡­ it took me a full ten years to be officially recognized as a member of the Gale Sword Unit! How can this even happen¡­?¡¯

    And that wasn¡¯t the only issue.

    Suddenly, from seemingly out of nowhere, a flood of scouts appeared, as if they had been lying in wait.

    ¡°Greetings. I¡¯m from the ck Sword Unit. In three years, we will offer you the position of squad leader, Lord Theo¡­¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re from the Judgment Hall. The Chief has personally promised to give you direct swordsmanship guidance¡­¡±

    ¡°We represent the Security Bureau. Whatever support you need to secure top scores in future exams, we¡¯re ready to provide it¡­¡±

    The scene around them instantly turned into utter chaos.

    ¡°Where did all these peoplee from? Cutting in line all of a sudden! Can¡¯t you wait your turn?¡±

    ¡°What turn? You get in line!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s firste, first served! Whoever takes him gets to keep him, so back off¡­!¡±

    Eventually, it devolved into a situation where they even grabbed each other by the cors, all vying to recruit Theo.

    Gatsby was left utterly stunned, frozen in disbelief. The entire situation, all caused by just one person, seemed too surreal.

    ¡®If I stay here, this is going to turn into a real mess.¡¯

    Meanwhile, Theo let out a faintugh as he tried to find a way to slip out of the situation.

    But then¡ª

    ¡°If I recklessly step into the fray where everyone¡¯s attention is focused, I¡¯ll surely be criticized for being overambitious¡­ But one must endure such disgrace to win the favor of a truly exceptional talent.¡±

    A voice suddenly boomed from above, loud and resonant, yet clear as a bell. The mere sound of it carried such an air of authority that it made everyone instinctively bow their heads.

    The people who had been fighting over Theo hastily looked up, shocked.

    ¡°L-Lady of Plum Blossom¡­?¡±

    ¡°Why is the First Lady personally showing up in a ce like this¡­?¡±

    Far off in the distance, atop a rooftop silhouetted against the moon, stood the Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce, gazing down upon the scene below with a faint smile on her lips.

    ¡°What else would bring me here? Like all of you, I¡¯vee out for a stroll to observe young Theo Ragnar.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°So, I¡¯m sorry to ask, but I hope you¡¯ll all take a step back and yield this time.¡±

 Chapter 32

    Chapter 32: The Blossoming Ceremony (2) >

    ¡®I suppose I owe an apology to themander of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry.¡¯

    The Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce smiled bitterly to herself as she looked down at the scouts staring up at her in a daze.

    Julius had repeatedly emphasized this.

    He had made it clear that Theo was someone he had already marked, and that no one should even think about coveting him.

    It wasn¡¯t just the Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce who had received this ¡®warning,¡¯ but all the other executives present as well.

    Of course, it seemed no one had truly heeded that warning.

    ¡®Still, I didn¡¯t expect the ck Iron Cavalry to get involved.¡¯

    It seemed the vicemander hade personally, curious after hearing that Theo had recorded results simr to Commander Torkel¡¯s.

    For those who were usually so prideful, even this gesture must have required significant resolve.

    But what could they do?

    After all, in this case, a member of the ¡°Nine Dragons¡± had moved directly.

    ¡®If you truly want to win someone¡¯s heart, nothing beats facing them directly and having a conversation.¡¯

    The corner of the Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce¡¯s lips curled upward.

    ¡®And¡­ if you add a gift on top of that, it¡¯s the perfectbination.¡¯

    ¡°Wait¡­!¡±

    At that moment, Ayan seemed to sense something and began to shout.

    But before she could finish¡ª

    Whoooosh!

    The space between Theo and the MIstress of Plum Blossom Pce became severed from the outside world.

    In the world where time had significantly slowed down¡ª

    Only Theo and the Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce remained.

    ¡®A severed space!¡¯

    Theo¡¯s eyes widened as he realized what was happening. This was the Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce¡¯s famed ¡®signature¡¯ technique, one he had only ever heard about.

    It was an art that could only be executed by those who had transcended the limits of human capability, something truly mystical in Theo¡¯s eyes.

    The Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce, finding his reaction amusing, smiled softly, her lips subtly twitching.

    ¡°Since there are too many interruptions, and we don¡¯t have much time, let¡¯s get straight to the point.¡±

    The point?

    Theo wanted to speak but found he couldn¡¯t move his lips.

    He simply wasn¡¯t on the level where he could.

    ¡°The  technique you used¡­ you likely ¡®copied¡¯ it after observing the Patriarch¡¯s and the White Armored Dragon Cavalry Commander¡¯s swords, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    Theo¡¯s eyes widened instinctively.

    ¡°I, too, realized something after watching the Patriarch¡¯s sword. I perfected something of my own, and I¡¯ll give it to you as a gift.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    Theo clenched his fists tightly at the unexpected fortune falling into hisp.

    ¡°It¡¯s called . That¡¯s what I call it.¡±

    In that instant, the entire severed space was filled with a burst of red plum blossoms.

    ¡®This¡­ this exists?¡¯

    Without realizing it, Theo gasped in awe.

    The sight of plum trees flourishing everywhere and the beautiful blossoms growing from them was too enchanting.

    Among them, the Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce stood beneath the tallest plum tree.

    d in a white robe, holding a red sword in one hand, she looked like a painting.

    Srrrr¡ª

    As the Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce began to slowly move forward, she started to swing her sword.

    At that moment, the plum blossoms simultaneously bloomed.

    The red petals floated gracefully on the wind, drifting down gently.

    Her sword moved slowly, but with a wide array of subtle changes.

    The de softly traced through the petals, drawing circles of varying sizes as it glided through.

    The strange thing was that with every movement of the sword, the petals gathered inward, only to disperse again, never touching the ground.

    It was as if the petals were circling around the Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce, dancing to her swordy.

    Theo had encountered many secret sword techniques and forms over the years, but¡ª

    There was a peculiar flow to this one that made him wonder if such a thing was even possible.

    But what shocked him even more was:

    ¡®All of it¡­ in a single breath!¡¯

    With just one swing, there were at least dozens of changes hidden within.

    12, 24, 36, 48¡­

    Theo didn¡¯t miss a single shift, quickly following them.

    Then, when 120 changes, 120 circles werepleted¡ª

    sh!

    The Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce slowly lowered her sword.

    The petals, which had spiraled upward like a vortex around her, fell beautifully to the ground like a fountain.

    It resembled rain falling from the sky.

    ¡®Sky Flower Rain¡­!¡¯

    Theo finally understood why it had been named that.

    ¡°Did you see?¡±

    The Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce¡¯s deep gaze turned toward him.

    Thump thump thump thump!

    His heart pounded loudly.

    It was the excitement one feels when witnessing something awe-inspiring.

    ¡°You saw it.¡±

    The Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce smiled.

    Theo, dazed, nodded his head.

    ¡°The Patriarch¡¯s sword is intense, like a dragon¡¯s breath falling from the sky, burning everything in its path. On the other hand, the White Armored Dragon Cavalry Commander¡¯s sword is fierce. It tears apart anything that stands in its way.¡±

    Theo recalled Kyle¡¯s sword, the one he had faced at the Judgment Hall.

    It had a strength and dominance that seemed unstoppable.

    And Julius?

    He was fast.

    So fast, it was almost impossible to track with the eye.

    It felt as if no one could ever catch him.

    ¡°I¡¯m different from them. My sword contains countless transformations. It traps everything inside and devours it. That¡¯s the dragon I pursue¡­¡±

    Theo thought back to the 120 circles and techniques all captured within a single breath.

    If one could release them not slowly, but in a burst of brilliance¡­

    No one seemed capable of escaping from it.

    ¡®They say that in terms of swordsmanship, even the Patriarch would have to concede to the greatest in the North¡­!¡¯

    Theo couldn¡¯t help but express his admiration.

    ¡¸Then I¡¯ll ask you¡ªwhat is the dragon you pursue?¡¹

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    The Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce¡¯s final question snapped him back to reality.

    The dragon he was pursuing.

    The form of the dragon he sought to reach¡­ what was it?

    No¡ª had there ever even been such a thing?

    Whoooosh!

    In that moment, the space surrounding Theo and the Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce copsed, and the plum trees vanished.

    Theo found himself back on the ground, while the Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce stood atop the roof.

    Theo felt somewhat dazed.

    Was it really okay for him to ept all of this?

    ¡°Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce, did you really just show that to him¡­?¡±

    While everyone blinked in confusion, unsure of what had happened, Ayan was the only one who recognized the strangeness of the situation and furrowed her brow.

    The Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce simply smiled without answering.

    Instead, she sent a message directly to Theo through sound transmission, so only he could hear it.

    ¡¸What I just showed you is the first stance, called . Even with just this, it will be of great help to you before your second Blossoming Ceremony.¡¹

    Theo let out a smallugh.

    If that was just the first stance, what could the subsequent stances possibly be like?

    ¡¸If you wish to see the rest¡­e find me anytime after the Blossoming Ceremony.¡¹

    Hehe¡­

    With a softugh, the Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce disappeared just as quietly as she had appeared.

    Theo slowly felt himselfing back to reality, like he was waking up from a dream.

    ¡®I¡¯ve received something far too great.¡¯

    Truthfully, Theo had no intention of aligning himself with the Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce.

    In his previous life, her disciples had faced all sorts of threats, which concerned him.

    Besides, there would be limitations to his movements if he were to be under her direct influence within the Plum Blossom Pce.

    That¡¯s why he had been leaning towards the White Armored Dragon Cavalry¡ªit offered more freedom in his activities, and it would be easier to establish his footing there.

    Yet, suddenly, things had taken an unexpected turn.

    Of course, he could always ignore this and pretend nothing happened.

    But he didn¡¯t want to do that either.

    ¡®Maybe I can be the Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce¡¯s disciple while still enlisting in the White Armored Dragon Cavalry?¡¯

    As he was thinking over these morefortable scenarios¡ª

    ¡°The Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce personally teaching him¡­!¡±

    ¡°With this, our offer will seem too weak!¡±

    ¡°Damn it! This won¡¯t do. We need to inform headquarters right away and get approval for new terms!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll be back. Don¡¯t forget about us.¡±

    The scouts, realizing it would be difficult to win Theo over, quickly busied themselves, heading off in different directions to take action.

    Ayan clicked her tongue in regret as she nced at Theo onest time before quietly leaving the scene.

    No one stood in his way.

    The spot where they had gathered was nowpletely empty, as if nothing had ever happened.

    ¡®Should I give it a try¡­?¡¯

    Theo wiggled his fingers and slowly began to move.

    He wanted to try drawing out the image lingering in his mind.

    Ssssss¡ª

    The first stance of Full Blooming Plum Blossom.

    Small circles were drawn in session, and petals began to appear, only to vanish almost immediately.

    However, the petals were slightly different from those of the Lord of Plum Blossom Pce.

    In line with the technique , his sword strokes were still sharp but also carried a softness.

    He repeated the words the Lord of Plum Blossom Pce had said to him over and over in his head.

    ¨C What is the dragon you pursue?

    At that moment, Theo was fully immersed in his concentration.

    And then¡ª

    ¡°¡­..¡±

    A woman stood in the shadows, silently watching him until the very end.

    * * *

    For the past three days, the main gates of Camellia Pce had been crowded with countless people.

    The rumors had spread quickly¡ªboth about Theo¡¯s achievements during the first Blossoming Ceremony and about the fact that even the Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce had taken interest in him.

    ¨C It seems the sh Tiger hasn¡¯t yet decided where to be assigned!

    ¨C A few months ago, he turned down an offer to enlist in the White Armored Dragon Cavalry, so he must not be interested in bing a Dragon Knight!

    ¨C It looks like he¡¯s looking for a ce to support his ambitions, perhaps for the session rights!

    There were numerous rumors and spections surrounding Theo, and naturally, many people were watching him closely.

    The Gale Sword Unit, the ck Iron Cavalry, the Judgment Hall, the Central Hall¡­

    All these organizations had sent people and gifts his way.

    Yet, despite their efforts, none of them had even caught a glimpse of Theo, and they were forced to leave empty-handed.

    ¨C I¡¯m focusing solely on my training in preparation for the second Blossoming Ceremony.

    With such a reason, who could say anything in protest?

    Among those who couldn¡¯t breach the walls of Camellia Pce, there were quite a few frustrated spies.

    In the end¡ª

    Piles of unopened gifts continued to stack up like mountains.

    ck-ck-ck!

    Suddenly, a massive eight-wheeled carriage arrived in front of the main gate.

    It was adorned with jewels, dazzling and glittering at a single nce.

    ¨C Wh-what is that?

    ¨C Where did thate from¡­ Huh!

    ¨C The Vasque Workshop! That¡¯s from the Vasque Workshop!

    ¨C And is that a Tao Tie crest¡­? No way, could it be¡ª!

    The crowd that had gathered in front of Camellia Pce, hoping to catch even a distant glimpse of Theo, fell into shock.

    It was because of the terrifying demonic face painted boldly on the carriage¡¯s door.

    The Tao Tie Crest!

    It was the mark of the Master Artisan, the figure who had made the Vasque Workshop the greatest cksmithing group in existence today.

    And sure enough¡ª

    nk!

    ¡°Hoo¡ª!¡±

    As the door of the carriage, adorned with the Tao Tie crest, swung open, a thick cloud of smoke¡ªhazy like mist¡ªpoured out.

    Beneath it, a pair of long, slender legs emerged.

    The moment the female elf, with a pipe hanging from her lips, fully stepped out of the carriage, the crowd gasped in shock.

    It was none other than Majang Kirsion, the Master Artisan, whose face even Kyle Ragnar, the Patriarch, would struggle to see without an appointment.

    ¡°You bastard. That wretched boy dares to summon this olddy, when he should be the one crawling to me?¡±

    Kirsion, visibly displeased, bit down on her pipe as she scolded the innocent porters who were moving her cargo.

    ¡°Hey, you there! Are you going to move that properly or not? If anything happens to that item, will youpensate for it? Even if you worked your entire life, you wouldn¡¯t be able to afford even one of the ornaments on that hilt!¡±

    ¡°S-Sorry!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll be more careful!¡±

    The six porters, drenched in sweat, carefully carried a massive wooden chest, over two meters in size.

    Wrapped in golden silk and sealed with a Tao Tie crest, it was clear that the item inside was extremely valuable.

    ¨C No way¡­ Is the Master Artisan giving a gift to the sh Tiger?

    ¨C And it¡¯s a Tao Tie sword!

    ¨C A Tao Tie sword¡­ I heard the Judgment Hall Chief tried tomission onest year but got rejected for not being qualified.

    ¨C Wow¡­ What kind of rtionship do the two of them have?

    The murmurs of awe rippled through the crowd.

    At that very moment¡ª

    Creaaak!

    The gates of Camellia Pce, which had remained firmly closed for the past three days, swung open.

    Kirsion strode confidently through the entrance.

    (E/n: From what i could find, the TaoTie is a creature rted to power, desire, and darker aspects of human nature.)

    * * *

    ¡°Honestly¡­ your business instincts are truly remarkable,¡± Cecilia remarked the moment Kirsion stepped into Camellia Pce.

    ¡°How can you make such a decision in this kind of situation?¡±

    ¡°Hmph! This is all pro bono, so isn¡¯t this the least I can do to properly advertise?¡±

    Kirsion¡¯s grand entrance¡ªwith her magnificent carriage, powerful porters, and the chest marked with the Tao Tie crest¡ªhad been carefully nned.

    It was a warning to all other workshops that the Vasque Workshop was now officially supporting Camellia Pce and that no one else should even think about interfering.

    Moreover, it was also an advertisement: Theo Ragnar would now be wielding a sword forged by the Master Artisan.

    By now, the entire Winterera must have been buzzing with the news.

    ¡®Keh-heh-heh! Do you have any idea how much money that brings in? From now on, all of Winterera is in the palm of Kirsion¡¯s hand!¡¯

    Of course, Kirsion made sure not to reveal her satisfaction too openly.

    After all, she knew she¡¯d be pestered by her adopted daughter all day long.

    ¡°That was only about defective goods¡­ Haah! Never mind. Arguing with you will just wear me out. More importantly, where¡¯s the item?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s absolutely perfect.¡±

    Cecilia¡¯s eyes gleamed for a moment.

    Though Kirsion had a notorious love for money, she never lied.

    If she herself called something ¡®perfect,¡¯ then¡ª

    The quality would undoubtedly be exceptional.

    With a nod, Kirsion gestured toward her assistant to open the chest.

    ck!

    The lid of the wooden chest swung open, and at that moment¡ª

    ¡°This¡­ can¡¯t be¡­!¡±

    Cecilia could only release one exmation of awe after another, her eyes sparkling at the sight.

 Chapter 33

    Chapter 33: The Blossoming Ceremony (3) >

    ¡°It¡¯s cold.¡±

    ¡°Indeed it is.¡±

    Theo gave a light chuckle as he watched Wellington shiver despite being fully armed in fur clothing.

    Even for the people of Ragnar, the cold of the winter mountains was tough to endure.

    For the young master of the Narcio family, which was located rtively farther south among the Six Snow Families of the North, it must have been particrly difficult.

    The second Blossoming Ceremony had begun.

    Theo and Wellington had already arrived at the second test site, the winter mountain range, under the guidance of the Judgment Knights and the examiners.

    ¡°Lord Theo¡­ Are you really alright? I feel bad for saying this, but the clothes you¡¯re wearing seem far too thin.¡±

    Ever since the question about whether Theo considered him a friend, Wellington had returned to his usual rxed manner when speaking to him.

    ¡°I¡¯m used to this kind of cold.¡±

    ¡°Used to it¡­ you say? Have you experienced this before?¡±

    Theo merely smiled in response.

    How could he possibly exin that, in his previous life, he had traveled across the world as a member of the ck Snow unit?

    Wellington, now ustomed to Theo¡¯s cryptic nature, didn¡¯t press the matter further.

    ¡°Still, what kind of test do they expect us to take in a ce like this¡­?¡±

    Wellington frowned as he looked at the mountain slopes, where visibility was poor due to the fierce snowstorm.

    Even though they had unlocked their magic powers, they were all still novices, only three days into their training.

    Attempting anything in such treacherous terrain was a reckless and dangerous endeavor.

    But Ragnar was not the sort to consider such things in the first ce.

    ¡°We shall nowmence the second Blossoming Ceremony-!¡±

    The examiner¡¯s voice, imbued with magic, echoed loudly throughout the mountainside.

    Despite the howling wind that drowned out most sounds, the voice reached the ears of all the candidates clearly.

    The gazes of all 57 participants, including Theo and Wellington, turned in that direction.

    ¡°As you all know, these winter mountains stretch far and wide, from Winterer to the Demonic Sea.¡±

    A flicker of fear passed through the eyes of some of the candidates.

    The Demonic Sea .

    That cursednd beyond the Great Wall, teeming with all manner of monsters and demons.

    For over a thousand years, Ragnar had protected humanity from the dangers of the Demonic Sea.

    Those who joined Ragnar were also destined to inherit that responsibility one day.

    ¡°However, as mere trainee knights, you are not yet permitted to enter the Demonic Sea. The test site will be limited to within the Great Wall.¡±

    A collective sigh of relief could be heard from some.

    ¡°While the Judgment Knights, the ck Iron Cavalry, and the White Armored Dragon Cavalry will be conducting regr inspections, there is always the chance that something might go wrong. Be careful not to identally cross beyond the boundary. Understood?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    ¡°Their responses are quite loud. Now, I¡¯ll exin the content of the test.¡±

    Theo focused on the judge¡¯s lips.

    If his predictions were correct, this second test would be rather difficult.

    ¡°There are various monsters around here, ranging from ss 9 beasts to ss 5 creatures. And hanging from their necks will be these bells.¡±

    Jingle¡ª

    The judge held up a bell, small enough to fit in his palm.

    Due to the wind, the sound of the bell could barely be heard.

    ¡°Your goal is to collect those bells.¡±

    The judge continued, making eye contact with each of the candidates.

    ¡°There are a total of seven bell colors¡ªred, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. Theter the color in that sequence, the higher the score it carries. Needless to say, the higher the score, the stronger the creature wearing that bell. Especially the violet bell¡ªit¡¯s so powerful that, with your current abilities, you¡¯d never be able to capture it, not even if you died and came back to life.¡±

    Gulp!

    Someone swallowed dryly.

    ¡°You can hunt however you like. Form a team for group hunting, or, if you have the skills, you can move on your own. Traps, ambushes, tactics, strategies¡ªanything is allowed. Or¡­ well, you probably already know what I¡¯m implying, don¡¯t you?¡±

    The candidates nced nervously at each other.

    No one here was foolish enough to miss the true meaning of those words as a Ragnar examiner.

    Betrayal.

    It wasn¡¯t just eptable to steal the prey that others had already captured¡ªacts of ¡®betrayal¡¯ were allowed as well.

    ¡®They¡¯re outright encouraging discord,¡¯ Theo clicked his tongue.

    However, this was a test that perfectly suited Ragnar¡¯s way of thinking.

    ¡®Whether you crush that discord with strength or overwhelm the group with charisma and take control, it¡¯s up to you.¡¯

    If the first Blossoming Ceremony tested talent in swordsmanship and magic, the second ceremony evaluated leadership, adaptability, and tactical acumen.

    ¡ªThe way to seize victory.

    That was the true ¡°strength¡± Ragnar revered.

    ¡°And in certain areas, you¡¯ll find totems that look like this. These totems are equipped with special magic devices that prevent monsters from entering a radius of about 50 meters. However, each area has a limit to the number of people who can enter, and various supplies essential for the test are buried in those areas, so take note.¡±

    These totems marked the few safe zones in the winter mountain range, where monsters could appear at any moment.

    ces where they could rest and resupply.

    ¡°The duration is a total of fifteen days. The test will end exactly at this time in fifteen days, so make sure to return by then. There will be penalties for beingte. Now, disperse¡ª!¡±

    Whish, whish¡ª

    The moment the judge finished speaking, several candidates rushed off without hesitation.

    They were eager to scout the surrounding terrain and locate the areas with totems.

    ¡°Looks like everyone¡¯s in a hurry, probably because they don¡¯t know how many supplies will be avable,¡± Wellington observed.

    ¡°Since we¡¯ll need plenty of resources to keep moving over the span of fifteen days, it¡¯s only natural,¡± Theo replied, stepping forward and signaling Wellington to follow.

    ¡°Let¡¯s move too. We need to secure a position before things get even morepetitive.¡±

    From the moment they arrived in the winter mountains, Theo had sensed numerous gazes fixed on him and Wellington.

    Most notably, Axion and the members of the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons openly radiated hostility.

    They seemed ready to stab him in the back the moment an opportunity presented itself.

    Before fully engaging in the second Blossoming Ceremony, Theo knew there was something crucial he needed to acquire in the winter mountains.

    He intended to find a location where they could avoid interference, but¡ª

    ¡°No. Leave me behind.¡±

    Wellington remained firmly rooted in ce, not moving an inch.

    Theo turned back to look at him.

    ¡°Welly?¡±

    ¡°Lord Theo, do you remember what I told you three days ago?¡±

    Wellington¡¯s voice was serious.

    Theo¡¯s expression also darkened as he realized the shift in tone.

    ¡°You said we were friends.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. I genuinely believe that, Lord Theo. In fact, I think of you as more than that. If you asked me for my heart, I wouldn¡¯t hesitate to give it to you.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°But at the same time, I also think of you as my rival.¡±

    ¡®So, this is it. This was what he was struggling with before the first Blossoming Ceremony.¡¯

    Being both a friend and a rival.

    Those two roles were inherently difficult to reconcile.

    If you¡¯re a friend, you might feel inclined to yield the top spot. But if you¡¯re a rival, you¡¯d want to im that position for yourself.

    And with that struggle often came jealousy, something hard to manage.

    What Theo had noticed about Wellington so far was how kind-hearted he was¡ªperhaps too much so.

    He opened up easily, almost to the point where you wondered if that was really okay. And when he didn¡¯t receive as much as he gave, he was hurt.

    It had been like that during the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons, and it was the same with how he treated Theo.

    Because of that, it was inevitable that he would experience a conflict between being a friend and being a rival.

    ¡®And considering Narcio¡¯s tradition of pursuing a dominant, autocratic nature¡­ it must have made the conflict even worse.¡¯

    ¡°So, over the past three days, I¡¯ve thought about it deeply. And I¡¯ve developed a desire. A desire to truly surpass you, Lord Theo.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Can you understand how I feel?¡±

    In his past life, Wellington had been a mirage, something Theo could never reach.

    But in this life, it seemed their positions had reversed.

    Theo nodded in response.

    ¡°I understand. I also see you as my rival, Welly.¡±

    ¡°Do you, now? Haha! I was worried I might have been the only one who thought that. I¡¯m relieved.¡±

    ¡°But.¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    ¡°For that very reason, I can¡¯t let go of this position.¡±

    Whoosh!

    A fierce wave of energy radiated from Theo, forming concentric circles around him.

    His long hair fluttered in the wind.

    Thump, thump, thump, thump!

    His heart pounded violently.

    Wellington¡¯s eyes widened slightly as he took in the scene.

    Theo had only recently unlocked his magic power, yet he was already capable of generating Magical Wind.

    Even in just the past three days, Theo had grown stronger.

    However, this disy of power only ignited a spark in the deepest part of Wellington¡¯s heart¡ªapetitive urge that had longin dormant.

    Thump, thump, thump, thump¡ª

    Wellington¡¯s heart began to beat in sync with Theo¡¯s, just as fiercely.

    A corner of his mouth lifted in a grin.

    ¡°I decline your offer. That position is only valuable if it¡¯s taken by force.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right. It¡¯s a position that must be kept by strength.¡±

    Theo and Wellington exchanged amused nces, their gazes shing mid-air.

    Swish¡ª

    In an instant, they swung their swords at each other as if they hadn¡¯t just shared a moment of camaraderie.

    ng!

    * * *

    After a brief sh, Theo had left, and only Wellington remained.

    ¡°Phew! I feel much better now.¡±

    The smile on Wellington¡¯s lips was genuine.

    He had finally let go of the knot that had been festering in his heart.

    Ever since their first sword fight in the Fourth Training Hall¡­

    Theo had been like a mirage to Wellington¡ªan unreachable, distant figure.

    The closer he tried to get, the farther Theo seemed. And whenever he thought he was close, Theo would disappear as if he had never been there.

    But now, it was different.

    Theo had be a wall¡ªone that had to be ovee, either by breaking through or leaping over it.

    ¡°You fool. I¡¯ve told you countless times, a lion isn¡¯t meant to chase others¡ªit¡¯s meant to make others follow.¡±

    At that moment, a middle-aged man suddenly appeared beside Wellington.

    Dressed in examiner attire, the man was Timothy Narcio, the deputy head of the Narcio family who had been specially dispatched for this event.

    He was the only younger brother of the current head of the family and Wellington¡¯s uncle, one of the key figures, alongside the butler Ralph, who had long clouded Wellington¡¯s mind with their influence.

    ¡°Just when I thought you were improving, you show this pathetic side again. And the person you choose to associate with is that illegitimate brat. I suppose it¡¯s the inferiority of your blood drawing you to someone equally worthless¡ª¡±

    ¡°Uncle.¡±

    Timothy¡¯s tirade was abruptly cut off by Wellington.

    ¡°Shut your mouth.¡±

    ¡°¡­What did you say?¡±

    ¡°If you continue to insult my friend, I will not stand by. I¡¯ve dyed it for long enough, but I¡¯ll ept the position of heir immediately and then cut off your head.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t want your so-called worthless neck to be disyed for all to see in the middle of the marketce, keep your mouth shut. I will no longer tolerate your rudeness.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    Rage flickered in Timothy¡¯s eyes.

    At this moment, the nephew he had disregarded for so long was standing up to him.

    He recalled the words people used when speaking of Wellington.

    The Judge.

    That nickname was far from unearned.

    In this moment, Timothy could see a reflection of his elder brother, the current head of the family who was bedridden, ovepping with Wellington.

    ¡°See? How much better things are when you remain quiet. I hope you continue to behave this way from now on, as the deputy head of the family, and here, as an examiner.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Do I make myself clear?¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes. I understand.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll be going.¡±

    Without waiting for Timothy¡¯s response, Wellington turned and swiftly walked away, disappearing from sight.

    Grit!

    Timothy ground his teeth together until they threatened to shatter.

    ¡°¡­How dare that lowborn brat.¡±

    * * *

    Whish¡ªwhish¡ªwhish!

    Meanwhile, Theo was swiftly climbing a steep, icy slope.

    The ground was frozen solid and slippery, but such conditions posed no difficulty for him.

    ¡®The best thing about unlocking the Aura Hall is being able to use body techniques like this.¡¯

    The Flutter of the Skrk¡¯s Wings.

    It was a technique he had learned during his time with the ck Snow unit.

    It allowed his body to be light, like a skrk, enabling him to move quickly¡ªideal for long-distance travel.

    ¡®As long as I add a few unconventional variations, even the ck Snow unit wouldn¡¯t be able to detect me easily.¡¯

    By now, the examiners who had been watching him were probably in a frenzy, wondering how he had suddenly disappeared from their sight.

    What Theo was about to do needed to be done inplete secrecy.

    The Dragon¡¯s Lair¡­ He had checked the map several times, and this was the right location.

    During his investigations, Theo had dedicated much effort to uncovering the secrets behind the message he received, and he had finally found some crucial clues.

    The Relic of the Ancient Dragon.

    Theo had discovered two relics so far.

    The dungeon.

    And the Moon-White Sword.

    Both of these relics were guarded by dragonkin, much like the old legend that said, ¡°Dragons love treasure.¡±

    A Lesser Drake.

    And a Griffin.

    Theo didn¡¯t believe these facts were mere coincidences.

    He still didn¡¯t know the exact connection between the message he received and the relics of the Ancient Dragon.

    However, he was certain that as he continued to find more of these relics, the mystery would eventually unravel.

    So then, where could the next relic of the Ancient Dragon be?

    ¡®It must be in a ce guarded by dragonkin.¡¯

    Fortunately, Theo knew of one such ce that matched this description.

    A ce that would be ¡®identally¡¯ discovered by the ck Snow unit six years from now.

    The Hatchling¡¯s Lair.

    And thatir was right here in the winter mountain range.

    Tap!

    Theo came to a stop.

    Before him was a precarious cliff, with a dangerous crevasse running along the edge.

    The harsh wind whipped around him, threatening to throw him off bnce and send him tumbling below.

    Theo looked down toward the base of the cliff.

    At that moment¡ª

    Fwaaah¡ª

    Through the thick snowstorm, barely visible in the distance, was a faint blue light emanating from somewhere in the middle of the cliff face.

    At the same time¡ª

    Wuuuung, wuuuuung!

    The Moon-White Sword, strapped to his left waist, began to glow faintly and tremble slightly.

    ¡®I¡¯ve found it.¡¯

    A spark of determination shed in Theo¡¯s eyes.

    Then¡ª

    Rattle, rattle¡ª

    The Zweihander on his back, a sword crafted for him personally by Majang Kirsion of the Tao Tie Crest, also began to resonate.

    As if it, too, had found something significant.

 Chapter 34

    Chapter 34: The Blossoming Ceremony (4)

    Hatchling.

    It was a term that typically referred to newly hatched young dragon species, but at some point, it came to denote the offspring of higher dragon species.

    The ¡°Hatchling¡¯s Nest¡± that ck Snow had discovered was exactly the ce where such a hatchling had dwelled.

    However, just because it was referred to as a ¡°youngling¡± didn¡¯t mean the hatchling was weak.

    A dragon is still a dragon, even as a child.

    Moreover, it was the offspring of a higher dragon species, known for its extraordinary intelligence and magical abilities.

    Its strength was far beyond the reach of an ordinary human.

    Especially when considering the tendencies of higher dragon species to fiercely cherish their young.

    Hunting a hatchling was tantamount to confronting an entire ¡°brood¡± of higher dragon species.

    It was not only difficult to find one in the first ce, but even if found, the chances of survival were slim.

    Furthermore, if it was a Ragnar, a family that was rumored to carry the blood of dragons¡ª

    They would have no choice but to revere such a hatchling, making them all the more cautious.

    ¡®But strangely, there were no adult individuals in that Hatchling¡¯s Nest.¡¯

    When ck Snow first discovered the nest, he had been on high alert, thinking he might have mistakenly trespassed into an unknown domain.

    However, after a thorough search, he found no other individuals besides the hatchling.

    From that point, ck Snow began to grow greedy.

    ¨C Dragons love treasure.

    The long-standing legend proved true here as well.

    Deep within the nest, a considerable amount of gold and silver treasures were stored.

    There were also several historical records that had been thought lost long ago.

    ¡®Among them, ck Snow set his sights on a particr treasure.¡¯

    ¨C The Grimoire of Amon.

    It was unclear why a book associated with demons, enemies of dragon species, had been stored there.

    But that alone was enough to turn ck Snow¡¯s eyes upside down with greed.

    Especially since Amon was known as the ¡°King of the Old Gods¡±¡ªa being of great renown.

    If a grimoire bearing such a being¡¯s name existed, ck Snow judged it could greatly enhance Ragnar¡¯s power.

    Thus, Ragnar immediately killed the hatchling and retrieved the grimoire.

    However, what happened after that, even Theo didn¡¯t know.

    All that was known was that it had fallen into the hands of a certain heir, but it had never been revealed to the outside world.

    At best, there was only spection that someone who had colluded with ck Snow had obtained it.

    ¡®But what if that grimoire wasn¡¯t just any book, and instead was an ancient dragon relic, with the hatchling acting as its guardian¡­?¡¯

    When Theo discussed this with Kirsion, it became evident that ck Snow was also clearly aware of the existence of the relic.

    They must already have quite a few relics.

    The retrieval of the grimoire must have been part of that process.

    ¡®It¡¯s not just ck Snow. Axion, Soaring Dragon¡ªthey¡¯re all undoubtedly gathering relics as well.¡¯

    So, Theo decided to retrieve the grimoire before they realized its existence and made a move.

    Like the Moon-White Sword, this relic would undoubtedly be a great source of power for him as well.

    ¡®The problem is how to get down there¡­¡¯

    Theo narrowed his eyes.

    The blue light visible between the sheer cliffs was too far away, making it dangerous to descend carelessly.

    Moreover, the blizzard was raging violently.

    Visibility was poor, and it seemed difficult to maintain bnce.

    ¡®I need to find another way.¡¯

    Theo recalled how ck Snow had descended here in his previous life, and brought his hand to his back.

    Toward the Zweihander, which was still ttering, reacting to the blue light.

    ¡°But before that, I should deal with the flies first.¡±

    He muttered quietly as he turned his head.

    Whiish, whiish, whiish¡­

    Only the sound of the wind howling fiercely across the white snowfield could be heard, with nothing visible.

    However, Theo¡¯s heightened senses, sharpened by the Dragon¡¯s Heart, told him the truth.

    Three.

    The number of people who had been watching him since a while ago.

    Paaaat!

    Theo twisted his body sharply and drew the Zweihander.

    As magic power naturally flowed toward the sword, his Dragon¡¯s Heart and dantian began to heat up.

    ¨C Magic Resonance!

    And then, a soaring sh.

    Dragon¡¯s w

    Chwaaaaak!

    Kwarrrung!

    The sh shed across the ground, instantly shattering a distant boulder.

    The frictional heat melted the snowy ground in an instant, and even the blizzard was disturbed, causing the airflow to tremble.

    Amidst the scattered fragments of the shattered boulder, three swordsmennded widely apart, each in a different spot.

    ¡°W-What kind of power is this¡­?¡±

    ¡°What the hell! Three days ago, it wasn¡¯t anywhere near this level!¡±

    ¡°I think our calctions were a bit off.¡±

    Their faces were filled with astonishment at the sight of Theo, who had grown far stronger than he had been during the first Blossoming Ceremony.

    However, Theo realized that the emotion etched on their faces wasn¡¯t ¡°fear¡±¡ªit was petitive excitement.¡±

    No, to be more precise, it was closer to ¡°amusement.¡±

    The look of a hunter who had encountered prey that was fun to chase.

    ¡°Haid, Khao, Lune. What are you all doing here?¡±

    Theo quickly scanned their faces, narrowing his eyes.

    ¡°Wow, what¡¯s this? Hey! Khao, Lune! Our great top student even remembers the names of insignificant nobodies like us. How should we handle such an overwhelming honor?¡±

    Haid, the leader of the group, burst into loudughter.

    The other two followed, chuckling along with him.

    The more theyughed, the deeper Theo¡¯s eyes sank.

    Haid and his gang.

    They were people Theo could never forget.

    ¡®The Three Delinquents of Buk Mountain.¡¯

    One of the biggest problems with Ragnar¡¯s pursuit of thew of the strong was that it created far too many scumbags.

    And those three were prime examples.

    Even though they targeted civilians, if someone wasbeled an ¡°enemy,¡± they wouldn¡¯t hesitate to pige and burn.

    The massacre they carried out in the vige of Buk Mountain was so horrific that even within Ragnar, public opinion had turned against them.

    ¡®The official death toll was 761, with more than 220 missing. An entire mountain vige was wiped out. There were quite a few protests afterward.¡¯

    Theo had personally handled the aftermath, so he knew better than anyone how tragic it had been.

    Among the talents of his age group, these three were the worst offenders. Theo had thought that, if ever given the chance, he¡¯d deal with them in advance.

    And now they were tracking him¡­?

    Something smelled fishy.

    ¡°Is this Axion¡¯s doing?¡±

    ¡°Huh? Why bring up that guy¡¯s name here?¡±

    Haid tilted his head in confusion, then suddenly let out a lightugh.

    ¡°Oh, you think Axion sent us? Man, have some pride. Why would we take orders from someone in our own ss? It¡¯s annoying enough seeing those idiots from the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons walking around with their chests puffed out.¡±

    Theo thought back to Axion, who had been watching him throughout the journey to the winter mountain range.

    He¡¯d suspected that Axion might try to pull something during this Blossoming Ceremony.

    But Axion wasn¡¯t involved?

    ¡°Then who?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s someone way above your level, a mere bastard like you couldn¡¯t even imagine.¡±

    In that moment, Theo¡¯s eyes darkened.

    ¡°The Elder Council Leader.¡±

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    Haid flinched in surprise.

    ¡°So, I¡¯m right.¡±

    ¡°W-What the hell? How did you¡­?¡±

    ¡°I was just guessing, but you gave it away.¡±

    ¡°You bastard!¡±

    Haid¡¯s face flushed red as he realized that he had been outyed by a bastard he had always looked down on.

    ¡°The Elder Council Leader has had quite a lot ofints about me. As a pureblood supremacist, it must have bothered him that someone of low birth like me took the top spot.¡±

    Pureblood Supremacists.

    They were the bigots who believed that only those with true, legitimate bloodlines were worthy of bearing the name Ragnar.

    The faction centered around Wolfgang, the Elder Council Leader, had long been a parasite eating away at Ragnar.

    In his previous life, Theo had ultimately been unable to ovee that obstacle.

    And now¡­

    It seemed things were no different in this lifetime.

    ¡°The fact that the examiner didn¡¯t follow us here¡­ it looks like someone among them is in league with you as well.¡±

    ¡°Hah, would you look at that? You¡¯re sharper than I thought. Yeah, you bastard, you¡¯ve got some guts.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not even trying to hide it anymore, are you?¡±

    ¡°Why bother? You¡¯re going to die anyway, so what difference does it make?¡±

    Although Haid spoke casually, he knew that since Theo had figured out their backer, they had no choice but to kill him here if they wanted to survive.

    ¡®After the massacre at Buk Mountain, they were released without punishment. Wolfgang¡¯s orders were behind that. It seems they¡¯ve been connected from that point onward.¡¯

    The Three Delinquents of Buk Mountain were just one of the Elder Council¡¯s hunting dogs.

    How many more like them were out there?

    This was something Theo needed to consider seriously.

    ¡®If I¡¯m going to gather relics, I¡¯ll end up shing with ck Snow in the future¡­ Soaring Dragon, ck Snow, and now the pureblood supremacists too. There¡¯s so much to keep an eye on.¡¯

    Of course, he had no intention of stopping.

    If he was going to seize Ragnar¡¯s throne, these were mountains he would have to climb eventually.

    ¡°It¡¯s disgusting to think that the blood of a lowly bastard would stain the pure snow of the Winter Mountain Range.¡±

    Schring¡ª

    Haid slowly drew his sword.

    ¡°But once we toss you over that cliff, you¡¯ll be buried in the snow before anyone notices.¡±

    Khao and Lune began to move slowly, positioning themselves in Theo¡¯s blind spots.

    ¡°Come on, bastard. If you had just known your ce and stayed quiet, you might¡¯ve lived a little longer. But no, you had to act all high and mighty. Hehe!¡±

    ¡°You sure put on quite the show, didn¡¯t you? You lucked out and became the top student, then strutted around like you were something, learning swordsmanship from Lady Plum Blossom herself. What a joke.¡±

    ¡°Hey, let¡¯s not be too harsh. Before he dies, he¡¯s going to give us something nice, after all.¡±

    Haid¡¯s greedy gaze was fixed on the Zweihander in Theo¡¯s hand.

    It was the treasured sword of the Tao Tie Crest.

    The rumor that Majang Kirsion had personally crafted the greatsword for Theo had already spread across Winterer.

    Khao and Lune, too, were salivating at the thought, licking their lips with their red tongues.

    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. So, let¡¯s not make this too painful and just kill him quickly.¡±

    ¡°Aw,e on. Is that any way to show gratitude? We should let him live for at least one more minute out of courtesy.¡±

    ¡°Uhuhuh! You pervert, you¡¯re thinking of torturing him again, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Ah, you caught me! Hehehe.¡±

    They were alreadyughing and chatting amongst themselves, as if Theo¡¯s life was securely in their hands.

    It meant they had done this kind of thing more than once before.

    And they were still only fifteen-year-old kids.

    ¡®I was right. These are people who should never have been left alive.¡¯

    There was no point in listening to them any further.

    Theo slowly drew the Zweihander from his back.

    ¡ª

    [Drake¡¯s de]

    ¨C Type: Zweihander, relicponent

    ¨C Attack Power: 30~50 ¨C 80~115

    ¨C Requirements: Strength 90, Agility 30

    ¨C Effects:

    ¨C A chance to apply critical damage upon striking

    ¨C Reduces the target¡¯s defense by 30 upon impact

    ¨C Increases chance of worsening wounds by 50%

    ¨C Indestructible

    ¡ª

    The greatsword, forged from the ws and fangs of a lesser drake,bined with adamant and other high-grade materials, lived up to its description.

    Not only did it asionally boost destructive power, but it could also cancel out the defense of any enemy it collided with.

    It was the perfect weapon for one-on-onebat.

    However, what truly caught Theo¡¯s attention was another effect.

    ¨C Increases chance of worsening wounds.

    What made hunting lesser drakes so difficult wasn¡¯t just their brute strength, but the deadly toxins coating their ws and teeth.

    Even the slightest scratch from those toxins would cause skin to rot¡ªa biological poison.

    This same property had been embedded into the Zweihander.

    ¡®I¡¯m not entirely sure what I¡¯ve created here, but one thing¡¯s for sure,¡¯ Kirsion had said while handing the sword over, puffing on her pipe.

    ¡®I¡¯ve given something ridiculous to a boy who can barely even walk properly.¡¯

    In Kirsion¡¯s eyes, Theo was still just a fledgling, so her remark was only natural.

    It meant even to her, this sword seemed dangerous.

    ¡°Hey, can you even hold that thing properly?¡±

    Haid¡¯s eyes, filled with greed, looked at Theo mockingly.

    Seeing Theo¡¯s slender frame wielding a massive Zweihander made him want tough.

    ¡°It¡¯s heavy, sure. But¡­¡±

    [Strength: 101]

    ¡°¡­it¡¯s not so heavy that I can¡¯t handle you all.¡±

    Crack¡ª

    Theo¡¯s body began to change little by little.

    Over the past three days, he had reached level 17 and poured all of his additional stats into [Strength].

    [The Strength coefficient has surpassed 100.]

    [A hidden function has been unlocked. From now on, your Strength will be imbued with Superhuman Strength.]

    ¡ª

    [Superhuman Strength]

    ¨C Type: Special Ability

    ¨C Effect: Increases the destructive power of wielded weapons and boosts attack power by 5% for 5 seconds upon hitting an enemy.

    ¡ª

    For a brief moment, Theo felt the Drake¡¯s de be lighter in his hands.

    Just as expected, reaching triple digits in Strength had triggered a significant change.

    And then, a fierce aura began to surge outward from him.

    Fwoooosh¡ª

    [Skill: Lesser Drake¡¯s Fear] began to take hold of the battlefield.

    Thud, thud, thud, thud!

    His heart began to pound violently, the tremors strong enough for Haid and his gang to feel through the ground.

    ¡°What the hell is happening all of a sudden¡­?¡±

    Haid, sensing something was seriously wrong, paled slightly.

    ¡°Toote.¡±

    Theo had no intention of giving them time to think further.

    In an instant, he shot forward, his body moving with blinding speed.

    Swish¡ª

 Chapter 35

    Chapter 35: The Blossoming Ceremony (5)

    Theo was the first to swing his greatsword directly at Haid, who was standing in front of him.

    ng!

    A tremendous impact traveled down the de.

    Haid¡¯s eyes widened in shock.

    ¡°Urgh¡­!¡±

    A groan escaped his tightly clenched lips before he could stop it.

    It felt as if his arm might tear off.

    ¡®How is he this fast¡­! And with this much strength¡­! Damn it! This wasn¡¯t supposed to happen!¡¯

    Haid cursed under his breath as he recalled the words of the elder council head, who had reassured him that Theo was nothing to worry about.

    ¡®Damn that old fool!¡¯

    But the battle had already begun.

    Although he had realized Theo wasn¡¯t as easy an opponent as he had anticipated, there was no way he could lose to some lowly bastard.

    He tried desperately to push Theo back.

    Grind!

    Yet Theo didn¡¯t budge an inch.

    In fact, Haid was being overpowered in terms of strength.

    Drake¡¯s de was inching closer and closer.

    At this rate, it looked like Theo would shatter Haid¡¯s sword and crush his skull.

    Moreover¡­

    Buzz, buzz!

    The aura surrounding Theo was terrifyingly fierce.

    Just locking eyes with him made Haid¡¯s spine tingle, and his skin prickled.

    Cold eyes.

    An intense killing intent.

    An overwhelming force.

    Haid recalled a time when he visited the White Armored Dragon Cavalry with his father.

    The wyverns he had seen back then had given off the same vibe¡ªcold, ferocious, and brutal.

    The kind of presence only a predator at the very top of the food chain could exude.

    ¡®And this ising from a bastard like him?¡¯

    Haid¡¯s face twisted in fury.

    ¡°Enough nonsense!¡±

    Drawing out all the magic power he could muster, Haid shoved Theo away.

    At that moment, Khao and Lune charged in from both sides.

    ¡°You damned leech!¡±

    ¡°Die!¡±

    Rather than recklessly charging at Haid again, Theo stomped the ground hard, stabilizing his bnce withposure.

    Thud, thud, thud, thud!

    Even now, his heart was pounding violently.

    His heightened senses, sharpened by the adrenaline coursing through his veins, caught the movements of the two attackers.

    Theo twisted his body sharply to the side.

    Whoosh-

    ng! ng! ng!

    Drake¡¯s de traced a long arc, effortlessly deflecting both of their attacks in a single motion.

    ¡°Urgh¡­!¡±

    ¡°This bastard¡­ Is all he does lift weights like an ox¡­?!¡±

    Caught off guard by the unexpected strength, Khao and Lune stumbled backward, staggering from the shock.

    And.

    That very moment was the opportunity Theo had been waiting for.

    With an illusion of Drake¡¯s de being wrapped in a halo of light¡ª

    sh!

    From top to bottom, at a diagonal angle, Dragon¡¯s w shed down.

    The target was Lune, who still hadn¡¯t regained his bnce.

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    In that moment, Lune¡¯s face turned deathly pale.

    He reflexively raised his sword in desperation, but¡ª

    ng!

    Drake¡¯s de, empowered by Dragon¡¯s w, effortlessly sliced his sword in half and plunged deep into Lune¡¯s neck.

    sh!

    From his left neck to his right waist, a crimson line split open, and blood spurted into the air like a fountain.

    ¨C Wound aggravated.

    The damage Lune had taken seemed far more severe than it appeared. Even to the naked eye, his wound was spreading and rotting at an rming rate.

    ¡°Gurgle!¡±

    Lune fell backward, spewing frothy blood.

    ¡°Luuuuune! You bastard!¡±

    ¡°Idiot! Don¡¯t charge in!¡±

    Khao screamed in rage and lunged at Theo. Haid, his face pale with dread, tried to stop him, but Khao, his eyes already bloodshot with fury, wasn¡¯t listening.

    Thud¡­ Thud¡­

    At that moment, Theo¡¯s heartbeat slowed.

    The tension that had kept him on edge eased, granting him the rity to quickly assess the situation around him.

    Taking a single step back, Theo swung Drake¡¯s de upward this time, from below.

    ng!

    Khao¡¯s sword, aiming for Theo¡¯s blind spot, was deflected high into the air.

    ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll fall for the same trick twice?!¡±

    However, Khao had already realized the extent of Theo¡¯s strength, and had no intention of engaging him head-on.

    He diverted Theo¡¯s attack to the side, twisting his sword in an eerie, snake-like motion.

    A bizarre and unpredictable swordsmanship.

    ¡°Die already!¡±

    Khao was convinced that this time he could bring Theo down.

    Typically, swordsmanship involving a zweihander relied heavily on brute force and weight, aiming for a single, decisive strike.

    In other words, if the attack missed, it left massive openings.

    On the other hand, Khao¡¯s swordsmanship, Jester¡¯s y, was notorious for its unpredictable and constantly shifting moves.

    Even among Ragnar¡¯s techniques, it was one of the most unique.

    There was no way someone like Theo, who had only started wielding a sword six months ago, could read Khao¡¯s movements.

    ¡®This bastard¡¯s attacks during the Blossoming Ceremony were all just brute force. He must have relied on strength alone to try and make up for the gap between himself and the other candidates¡­! Ha! You think everything will go your way?!¡¯

    Khao had calcted his strategy, believing he had Theo cornered.

    But then¡ª

    sh!

    Contrary to Khao¡¯s expectations, Drake¡¯s de didn¡¯t embed itself into the ground. Instead, it bent at a bizarre angle, sweeping toward Khao¡¯s side.

    Whoosh!

    The strike was so fierce that the air itself seemed to split with a menacing sound.

    It was an angle that defied all logic. Movements that seemed to ignore the veryws of inertia.

    ¡®He¡­ forced it to bend with sheer strength?¡¯

    Khao finally realized how Theo had pulled off such a move and hurriedly yanked his sword outward.

    ng!

    His sword shook so violently it felt like it might break apart. Khao gritted his teeth against the excruciating pain in his wrist, barely managing to regain his bnce.

    ¡®Damn it¡­ I need to find another opening¡­!¡¯

    Just as Khao¡¯s eyes fixed on Theo¡¯s stance, trying to read his next move, his pupils dted in shock.

    Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

    Drake¡¯s de was tracing dozens of arcs in the air, hurtling toward Khao at incredible speed.

    A sword thisrge¡ªa Zweihander¡ªshouldn¡¯t be able to move this fast. The speed of those shes was unimaginable.

    Khao had no choice but to bring out his own finest techniques to counter the onught.

    ng! ng! ng!

    Jester¡¯s y ¨C The Jester¡¯s Mockery.

    Their swords collided in rapid session.

    A normal broadsword against the immense size and weight of the Zweihander.

    If both swords struck at the same speed, there was no question¡ªthe smaller, lighter sword would be at a severe disadvantage.

    ng! ng! ng! ng!

    Khao¡¯s head throbbed as if he were being pummeled by a hammer repeatedly. The sheer force behind each impact was shaking him to his core.

    He couldn¡¯tprehend it. How could Theo move such a massive sword at this speed?

    How was it possible?

    ¡®Is he achieving this speed purely with brute strength¡­?¡¯

    Only then did Khao grasp just how far beyond their expectations Theo¡¯s strength was.

    An inhuman strength.

    Strength that defied logic.

    It was the only way to describe it.

    Khao had always believed that he and the others, blessed with the bodies of Ragnar, possessed unmatched strength. But now, it seemed clear that they were on an entirely different level from Theo.

    What¡¯s more¡ªTheo¡¯s sword speed was only getting faster as the fight progressed.

    sh! sh!

    It was as if lightning was streaking across the sky.

    In the face of that power, Khao felt utterly insignificant.

    Like a paper doll being tossed about in a storm.

    ¡®Has he¡­ figured out how to continuously unleash Dragon¡¯s w¡­?¡¯

    Then, with his final realization, a streak of light shed across Khao¡¯s right eye.

    It hurt.

    It burned.

    Those were Khao¡¯sst thoughts in this world.

    Smash!

    Drake¡¯s de crushed Khao¡¯s head like a watermelon.

    Blood and brain matter spilled out, staining the once pristine white snow.

    Whoosh, whoosh¡­

    Surrounded by the rising steam from the intense friction caused by Drake¡¯s de, Theo turned toward thest remaining opponent¡ªHaid.

    Haid¡¯s face had hardened, frozen with dread.

    Unlike Theo, whose expression remained cold andposed.

    ¡°Do you know what your mistake was?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°It was not bringing an examiner with you.¡±

    The corner of Theo¡¯s mouth curled into a smirk.

    ¡°You should¡¯ve considered the possibility that you might die.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    Haid clenched his teeth.

    ¡®How is it possible for a bastard who was a cripple to be so indifferent to killing?¡¯

    The people Haid had seen before typically reacted negatively to their ¡°first kill.¡±

    Because of that, he and his group had been able to hunt down those ¡°lowly ones,¡± even stronger than him, time and time again.

    But Theo wasn¡¯t like that.

    He was far too calm.

    As if this waspletely normal.

    As if he were just like them.

    ¡®Could it be that this isn¡¯t his first kill?¡¯

    The thought crossed his mind. Otherwise, none of this made sense.

    ¡°¡­When did the Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce teach you swordsmanship? Or, more precisely, when did you start getting involved with her?¡±

    Haid had already noticed that the swordsmanship Theo disyedbined the technique of Dragon¡¯s w, which was personally named by their family head, with elements of the Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce¡¯s style.

    ¡®Looks like he¡¯s misunderstanding something.¡¯

    Theo let out a small, mockingugh.

    * * *

    Over the past three days, Theo had deconstructed and reassembled the techniques of Full Blooming Plum Blossom, the swordsmanship passed down by the Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce, in an effort to master it.

    The foundational knowledge and understanding of the ten secret sword techniques he had learned from Evelyn were invaluable.

    Thanks to that¡ª

    He had begun to grasp the core elements of Full Blooming Plum Blossom.

    Speed and arcs.

    The secrety in rapid strikes and the use of circr arcs.

    ¡®It¡¯s not just about swinging the sword in a straight line quickly. If I can incorporate curves and arcs into my strikes, the technique can show endless variations and applications.¡¯

    ¨C Like drawing countless blooming plum blossoms in the empty air.

    Of course, it wasn¡¯t possible to fully internalize these insights in just three days.

    Moreover, Theo didn¡¯t want to discard the sharpness of Dragon¡¯s w.

    That¡¯s why he focused on incorporating the arcs into Dragon¡¯s w, practicing tirelessly.

    Finally, in this battle, he had managed to perfect the technique to a certain degree.

    He could now execute Dragon¡¯s w consecutively¡ªup to three times.

    ¨C The Three Fangs of the Dragon.

    That¡¯s the name Theo gave the technique.

    If he could execute it four times, he¡¯d call it Four Fangs. If he could do it five times, then Five Fangs.

    ¡®I¡¯m still far from drawing 120 arcs and circles like in Full Blooming Plum Blossom,¡¯ he thought.

    But when that day came, there would be no need to call it a ¡°fang¡± anymore.

    ¨C The Dragon¡¯s Mauling.

    Perhaps that¡¯s what he would call it then.

    ¡°¡­Right! There¡¯s no way a crippled bastard who¡¯s only been wielding a sword for half a year could beat us like this. Tell me the truth! When did you really start learning from the MIstress of Plum Blossom Pce? Was your meeting with her before the Blossoming Ceremony all just an act?¡±

    Haid¡¯s spection was now snowballing out of control.

    His eyes gleamed with madness.

    ¡°Yes, now I see. You must have been pretending to be a cripple while secretly training as a weapon forged by the MIstress of Plum Blossom and the captain of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry, to target the Elder Council! Yes, that¡¯s it. Nothing else makes sense!¡±

    How far could his conspiracy theories go?

    By this point, Theo was almost curious to hear more.

    ¡°Filthy scum¡­! The so-called representatives of Ragnar, giving some lowborn blood absurd strength like this.¡±

    Grind!

    Haid ground his teeth so hard it seemed they might crack.

    ¡°The Cripple of the Rose Pce. You¡¯re a real cripple, aren¡¯t you? You can¡¯t even realize you¡¯ve been raised as a hunting dog. Then again, it suits you perfectly, given your lowly origins!¡±

    Theo simply stared at Haid in silence.

    Haid¡¯s lips curled into a smirk.

    ¡°Did I hit the mark? Then¡ª!¡±

    ¡°Is your speech over now?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Suddenly, Haid¡¯s face twisted in confusion.

    ¡°Then it¡¯s time for you to die.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    Haid tried to sh his sword at Theo.

    ¡®He¡¯s gone!¡¯

    Theo had vanished without a trace.

    The swirling snow blurred Haid¡¯s vision.

    Where did he go?

    ¡®¡­Below!¡¯

    In a panic, Haid quickly lowered his gaze.

    But unlike what he thought, Theo hadn¡¯t disappeared. He wasn¡¯t far away.

    Theo had moved so quickly that Haid¡¯s eyes couldn¡¯t keep up, unable to register his motion.

    Realizing that even this impossible speed was purely the result of strength, as Theo hadunched himself from the ground, Haid¡¯s spine tingled once more.

    Fear.

    For the first time, the overwhelming emotion of terror, the kind one only feels when faced with something iprehensible, gripped Haid¡¯s mind.

    At that moment, Drake¡¯s de traced a brilliant arc of light.

    The Three Fangs of the Dragon ¨C Rupture.

    Swish, swish, swish!

    In an instant, the dragon struck three times with its ws.

    The first fang shattered Haid¡¯s sword.

    The second fang sliced diagonally through his lower body.

    The third fang soared upward, severing his head from his neck.

    Slice-

    Thud!

    Haid¡¯s head flew through the air.

    Simultaneously, what remained of his upper body and lower body was obliterated, scattering in every direction like an explosion had gone off.

    It was a horrifying sight, as if a bomb had detonated.

    Rupture.

    There couldn¡¯t have been a more fitting word for what had just urred.

 Chapter 36

    Chapter 36: The Guardian Dragon¡¯s Nest (1)

    Theo decided to throw all the bodies down the cliff to erase any traces.

    But then¡ª

    Thunk!

    ¡°¡­What¡¯s that?¡±

    Just as he was about to throw thest body of Haid, it got caught on something midair.

    At first, he thought it might be a tree or a rock jutting out of the cliff.

    ¡®It doesn¡¯t seem like that.¡¯

    Theo narrowed his eyes.

    In the middle of the empty air, where there should have been nothing, the corpse had hit something invisible, leaving behind a smear of red blood.

    The shape resembled a square block.

    It was right at that moment.

    Ding!

    [A quest has arrived.]

    ¡ª

    [Tutorial Quest #15]

    Find the invisible staircase and explore the cave glowing with blue light.

    ¨C Difficulty: A

    ¨C Reward: Relic of the Ancient Dragon

    ¨C Upon failure: ¡ö¡ö

    ¡ª

    Theo clenched his fist tightly.

    He had been wondering how he might descend the cliff, and it seemed this was the answer.

    ¡®But considering it¡¯s rated as A difficulty, it won¡¯t be easy.¡¯

    There were the strong upward air currents and the blizzard swirling around.

    Even if he found the device, the question remained of how he would move along it.

    A single misstep would send him plunging straight down the cliff.

    ¡®Still, finding a way and not finding one makes a big difference.¡¯

    Determined to examine the area around the bloodstain more carefully, Theo directed his magic power toward his eyes.

    Thump¡­!

    Thump¡­!

    As his heart pounded loudly and the resonance between his core and his magic urred¡ª

    Whoosh!

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    Theo flinched without realizing it.

    Things that had been invisible were now starting to appear, one by one, in his field of vision.

    A world seen only in shades of ck and white.

    Along the narrow canyon, block-shaped transparent steps spiraled downward.

    ¡®Spiritual Essence¡­!¡¯

    Theo instinctively realized why his vision had suddenly changed.

    It was due to the special ability [Inspiration] that he had gained when his magic coefficient surpassed 200, which had mentioned a ¡°change in bodily abilities.¡±

    At first, he hadn¡¯t understood what it meant.

    But now, it seemed to indicate the development of his physical senses.

    ¡ª

    [Spiritual Essence]

    ¨C Type: Special Ability

    ¨C Effect: Changes in bodily abilities. Magic recovery rate increases by 1.5 per second.

    ¡ª

    With Spiritual Essence in his eyes, he could now see things that had been previously invisible.

    In that case¡ª

    ¡®What about other areas? Like my legs?¡¯

    Theo quickly directed his magic power toward his soles.

    Then, Theo felt as if his body had be as light as a feather.

    Swish!

    Riding the momentum, he lightly pushed off the ground.

    The result was surprising.

    He had seeded in jumping much farther than he had anticipated.

    It felt as though he had small wings attached to both his feet.

    ¡®This didn¡¯t happen when I was climbing the mountain slopes before.¡¯

    When he had used the  technique earlier, he hadn¡¯t felt this kind of lightness. He wondered why it was suddenly different now.

    But then, Theo realized the crucial difference¡ªhe hadn¡¯t activated magical resonance back then.

    ¡®When I only used the magic power from the Aura Hall, all I gained was speed. But now, with the Aura Heart added, Spiritual Essence has activated. Could this also be an effect of magical resonance?¡¯

    He didn¡¯t know the exact reason.

    But he thought that if he could make good use of this difference, it could be a powerful weapon in the future.

    Fwoosh!

    Theo twisted his body lightly in midair.

    He aimed tond on the transparent staircase he had set as his destination.

    Thud!

    Thending was much softer than before.

    The reduced strain on his body would certainly be useful in battle as well.

    ¡®Now, I¡¯ll head straight to the hatchling¡¯s nest.¡¯

    Theo¡¯s eyes gleamed.

    It was time to explore the hatchling¡¯sir.

    At that moment¡ª

    Flutter!

    A ckrk nearby suddenly flew into the sky.

    * * *

    Meanwhile¡­

    ¡°Currently in first ce is Axion Ragnar. He has collected a total of 41 demonic bells, leading a group of 21 people. The next in rank is Ray Ragnar¡­¡±

    Every time the interim report on the second Blossoming Ceremony was delivered, the expressions of the Nine Dragons subtly changed.

    It was because there had been no mention of the person they were waiting for.

    ¡°What about Theo Ragnar? What¡¯s his status?¡±

    At Julius¡¯s question, the reporter hastily searched through his notes.

    ¡°Theo Ragnar¡­ has collected no demonic bells so far. He has nopanions. We assume he is either hiding in a nearby shelter or lying in ambush.¡±

    ¡°Hiding¡­?¡±

    Julius furrowed his brow.

    The Theo he knew would always face things head-on from the start. He wasn¡¯t the type to hide somewhere, waiting for the right moment.

    At that point, the Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce spoke up.

    ¡°You mentioned earlier that it was just an assumption. Does that mean no one has confirmed it?¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes¡­ at the moment¡­ w-we¡¯re still assessing the situation¡­¡±

    First Julius, and now the Lord of Plum Blossom Pce.

    The reporter, now facing back-to-back inquiries, could only sweat nervously as he shuffled through his documents for quite a while.

    ¡°Both of you, enough. What could this man possibly know? He¡¯s just the messenger, after all. That¡¯ll be enough, you can leave now.¡±

    The reporter, relieved to be rescued from the growing tension, bowed deeply to Wolfgang, the Elder Council Head, and quickly left the room.

    ¡°Just because someone stood out in the first stage, doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯ll do the same in the second. Who knows? Maybe he¡¯s too rattled to stay calm during the real thing and he¡¯s just hiding.¡±

    Although Wolfgang¡¯s words seemed to defend Theo, his tone wasced with unmistakable mockery.

    Julius and the Lord of Plum Blossom Pce red silently at Wolfgang, but he didn¡¯t care. His mood was too good, a smug smile stered across his face.

    ¡®It seems those thunderheads did a far better job than I expected. Hahaha!¡¯

    The faces of Haid¡¯s group, to whom he had given the order to track down and eliminate Theo, shed in his mind.

    ¡¸¡­Could it be that you were involved in this, Elder Council Head?¡¹

    Suddenly, Ed¡¯s voice rang in Wolfgang¡¯s ears through a voice transmission.

    ¡¸Ah, my! I forgot to give you a heads-up. But as you can see, things went quite smoothly, so no need for thanks. We¡¯re on the same side, aren¡¯t we?¡¹

    Wolfgang assumed that, by now, Haid¡¯s group had already assassinated Theo, disposed of the body, and erased all evidence by throwing him off a cliff.

    No matter how talented Theo waspared to others his age, it would be hard for him to stand a chance against those who had been trained as assassins since childhood.

    He felt something lift, a pressure that had been weighing on his chest for the past few days.

    ¡®That low-born dared to think he could stand above the rightful heirs, and look what it got him. The others better learn from this. They should know well who Ragnar belongs to.¡¯

    Did Julius and the Lord of Plum Blossom Pce know?

    Did they realize that the order in Ragnar, which they had been trying to disrupt, had finally been restored to its rightful state?

    ¡®The Nine Dragonsck so muchmon sense, it¡¯s truly ridiculous. That¡¯s why a family always needs an elder.¡¯

    If it weren¡¯t for Ed, who at least possessed a sense of reason, they would have been in a much more troublesome situation. Ed also harbored resentment toward Theo for taking the Camellia Pce, so he was likely pleased with how things had turned out.

    Everything was proceeding ording to ¡®natural order.¡¯

    That was what Wolfgang truly believed.

    Because of that, he didn¡¯t notice.

    He didn¡¯t see the slight twist in Ed¡¯s gaze as he looked at him.

    ¡®Damn it¡­! That crazy old man pulling such a stunt without my permission!¡¯

    Ed, too, had nned to kill Theo in the Winter Mountains.

    There was, in fact, a more pressing issue that Ed had to resolve first.

    ¡®I must stop this!¡¯

    Ed swiftly sent a voice transmission to his subordinates waiting outside.

    ¡¸Hurry and ry the message to Axion! Before the Elder Council¡¯s hounds find the Cripple of the Rose Pce, do whatever it takes to save him! We can¡¯t afford to let the clue to the relic be buried like this. Hurry!¡¹

    The relic of the Ancient Dragon, which he had never been able to locate even aftering to the Rose Pce¡ªTheo undoubtedly had it.

    That meant securing Theo¡¯s custody was now essential.

    Whoosh, swish¡ª

    In response to Ed¡¯s orders, agents from the Security Bureau began to move quickly, mobilizing the test overseers connected to them.

    Ed, seething with frustration, clenched his trembling fist. This unscheduled ¡°rescue of Theo¡± was grating on his nerves.

    * * *

    ¡¸It seems quite clear that both the Elder Council Head and the Security Bureau Director are plotting something.¡¹

    Julius, sensing the subtle tension between Wolfgang and Ed, pursed his lips thoughtfully.

    The Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce nodded faintly.

    ¡¸They will certainly try to manipte the second Blossoming Ceremony to their advantage. We should take action first. I¡¯ll pass word down to our people.¡¹

    ¡¸Sigh! I had hoped to avoid meddling with the test¡­ but for now, I¡¯ll leave it in your hands.¡¹

    Julius let out a light sigh, though he couldn¡¯t help shooting a sharp nce at the Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce.

    ¡¸However, I won¡¯t just let it slide that you met with Lord Theo behind my back. We¡¯ll settle that matterter.¡¹

    It was clear he was displeased that the Lady had met Theo despite Julius having staked his im on the young man and explicitly warned against it.

    ¡¸Isn¡¯t Theo¡¯s heart the most important thing in this matter?¡¹

    Of course, the Lord of Plum Blossom Pce remained unfazed, easily brushing off the remark.

    In fact, she even smiled with a rxed confidence.

    She firmly believed that Theo would eventuallye to her.

    Julius chuckled dryly and shook his head in resignation.

    ¡®If this keeps up, the difficulty of recruiting Theo will only get harder, not easier.¡¯

    Looking back, Julius regretted not pressing harder when Theo initially rejected his offer. Perhaps he should have continued to push.

    Julius sighed softly at the troubling thought.

    But then he raised his head again.

    Whether he managed to recruit Theo into the White Armored Dragon Cavalry or not, ensuring his safety had toe first.

    And so, it began¡ª

    The scheming between the four dragons, set against the backdrop of the Blossoming Ceremony and the Winter Mountains, with Theo at the center.

    No, not four¡ª

    Rustle!

    But five dragons.

    * * *

    When Theo arrived at the hatchling¡¯sir after passing through the transparent stairs, he experienced three distinct feelings.

    It was cold.

    It was dark.

    And¡ª

    ¡®I feel dizzy.¡¯

    ¨C I don¡¯t want to die¡­

    ¨C I want to live¡­

    ¨C I don¡¯t want to be here¡­

    ¨C The living¡­

    ¨C I hate them¡­

    ¨C Get out of here¡­

    Woo¡ªwoo¡­

    The eerie wails echoed throughout the cave like a haunting melody.

    Even Theo¡¯s sense of vision was distorted, making it difficult to properly assess his surroundings.

    ¡®I wasn¡¯t told there would be spectral creatures here. This won¡¯t be easy.¡¯

    Specters, banshees, ghosts, phantoms, ectosm¡ª

    Monsters ssified as spectral beings, those without solid forms, were notoriously difficult to deal with.

    They were impervious to physical attacks and often employed mental domination or curses in their assaults.

    This time was no exception.

    Theo found himself trapped in an illusionary prison created by these spectral beings.

    It was a curse that triggered the traumas buried deep in one¡¯s memories, producing hallucinations and auditory illusions.

    If he fell for it?

    He could be trapped here for eternity, doomed to be one of the spectral creatures.

    Fortunately, Theo had an incredibly strong mental fortitude, as demonstrated by his ability to resist the mind control attempts of the Moon-White Sword.

    Naturally, he could withstand the illusionary prison to a certain extent.

    The real challenge, however, came afterward.

    That challenge was¡ª

    Sensory Disruption.

    Humans perceive the world through their senses.

    But when those senses were disrupted, it became almost impossible to urately analyze one¡¯s situation.

    Explore the cave.

    That was the mission written in the quest.

    It seemed likely that it referred to pushing through this very challenge.

    ¡®The quests are always interconnected. There must be an answer here. How did ck Snow manage to pass through this ce in my previous life?¡¯

    Theo didn¡¯t think passing through this ce was impossible.

    The quests always provided missions that were achievable in some way.

    He slowly closed his eyes.

    Then, carefully extending his hand to feel along the wall, he cautiously moved forward.

    Feeling his way¡­

    ¡®When Spiritual Essence was granted to my eyes, I could see the hidden side of things. What if I were to extend that Spiritual Essence to other senses, like my ears or hands¡­?¡¯

    Humans have five senses in total.

    Sight, touch, hearing, smell, and taste.

    Theo slowly circted his magic power, allowing Spiritual Essence to spread throughout his entire body.

    Soon, changes began to manifest within his senses.

    First, the sensitivity in his fingertips sharpened.

    He could now feel the shape, texture, length, and hardness of the wall, and even sense the structure of the passage beyond it.

    Next, his hearing opened up.

    He could distinguish between the spectral whispers and the wind blowing through the cave passages.

    Then, his sense of smell became heightened.

    Through the scent carried by the wind, he perceived the humidity, the curves, and the contours of the cave, one after another.

    And finally, his remaining senses¡ªsight and taste¡ªalso opened, bringing all five senses into harmony.

    Even with his eyes closed, the entireyout of the cave was vividly etched into his mind.

    So clearly.

    ¡®This is¡­!¡¯

    It was an entirely new sensation for Theo, one he had never experienced before.

    The harmony of all five senses.

    ¡ª

    [You have awakened Synesthesia.]

    [You have mastered the usage of all five senses. From now on, you can sense Inspiration.]

    [The path begins to reveal itself.]

    ¡ª

    In that moment, Theo felt as though he had stepped into a new world.

    It was as if a thick veil that had been covering his eyes and ears had been lifted, allowing him to glimpse the ¡°true¡± world beyond.

    Following that true world, Theo moved forward.

    The ghosts, which had been haunting him, gradually faded into nothingness.

    Instead, a long, glowing blue light remained, guiding him like a beacon.

    And when he finally reached the end of that light¡ª

    Thud¡­!

    A massive iron door, easily over ten meters tall, appeared before him.

    ¡®This is it.¡¯

    Theo swallowed dryly as he stared at the iron door, identical to the one he had seen in his previous life.

    And then¡ª

    Creak!

    Summoning all his strength, he pushed the door open.

    As the door swung wide, rays of light poured through the gap, striking Theo¡¯s eyes.

 Chapter 37

    Chapter 37: The Guardian Dragon¡¯s Nest (2)

    ¡°Huh¡­!¡±

    As soon as Theo opened the iron door and stepped inside, he couldn¡¯t help but exim in awe.

    A massive cavernrge enough to amodate hundreds of people.

    Mountains of gold and treasure piled high.

    Shelves soaring even higher along the walls.

    The golden light he had seen peeking through the crack in the door was all reflections from these treasures.

    But¡ª

    What truly astonished Theo was the ¡®dragon¡¯ sleeping in the center of the cavern.

    Its tough brown hide, like gnarled tree roots.

    Its dark blue scales, gleaming as beautifully as if they held the depths of the ocean.

    A body spanning tens of meters.

    And wingsrge enough to envelop its massive frame.

    It was an ancient dragon species, long thought extinct, seen now only in ancient scriptures.

    The most shocking part, however, was that the ancient dragon was breathing.

    ¡®This wasn¡¯t just some simple hatchling¡¯s den¡­! This was an actual nest of an ancient dragon.¡¯

    The nest of an ancient dragon, said to be worth enough to sustain entire generations just by discovering it.

    And judging by its immense size and the sheer aura it exuded, this dragon was undoubtedly of ¡®Dragon King¡¯ rank.

    The moment Theo¡¯s eyes widened at the unexpected truth¡ª

    sh!

    The dragon, which he had thought was asleep, opened its eyes.

    In its gem-like golden pupils, Theo¡¯s startled reflection was visible.

    ¡¸It¡¯s been a while since a  hase to this ce.¡¹

    Theo, shaken by the voice that resonated in his mind, slowly regained hisposure and opened his mouth.

    ¡°You are¡­!¡±

    ¡¸My name is Lodbrok.¡¹

    The ancient dragon, having revealed its name, began to slowly rise.

    Rumble¡­!

    The sheer movement caused the cavern to shake violently, dislodging dust and rocks that cascaded from the ceiling.

    ¡¸I am the one you Ragnar call the , the master of these Winter Mountains.¡¹

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    Theo was more shocked by Lodbrok¡¯s identity than by his immense stature.

    The Guardian Dragon.

    A being that Ragnar¡¯s founder, ¡®Sigurd,¡¯ had formed a contract with before establishing the House in the North.

    And¡­ also his lover.

    ording to legend, the second head of the family was a ¡®half-dragon,¡¯ born between Sigurd and Lodbrok.

    This was the reason Ragnar imed that ¡®dragon blood¡¯ flowed through their veins.

    ¡°I greet the ancestor¡­¡±

    Theo hurriedly knelt on one knee, intending to offer a formal greeting.

    ¡¸Hmm? Ancestor?¡¹

    Lodbrok¡¯s reaction, however, was one of utter confusion.

    Thus, the one now puzzled was Theo.

    ¡°That¡¯s because, as the Guardian Dragon, you were the consort of our ancestor and the mother of the second head of the house, ¡®Fridleif,¡¯ weren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡¸Who? Me? The mother of that scoundrel?¡¹

    Lodbrok tilted her head to the side.

    ¡¸Pahahaha! I see. So that¡¯s how it turned out. That rascal must have been ying tricks.¡¹

    Suddenly, Lodbrok burst into loud, heartyughter.

    The cavern echoed thunderously with herughter.

    However, Theo couldn¡¯tugh along.

    It wasn¡¯t just Lodbrok¡¯s negative tone towards Fridleif, the second head of the family.

    He also had a sinking feeling that everything he had believed so far was being called into question.

    ¡¸Child of Sigurd, could you tell me what sort of legends about me are passed down in the outside world?¡¹

    After a brief moment of contemtion, Theo carefully opened his mouth.

    And then¡ª

    Sneer!

    After hearing the full story, Lodbrok scoffed.

    ¡¸As I thought. That scoundrel was just scheming to im legitimacy for himself.¡¹

    Theo felt somewhat at a loss as to how he should respond to such a disparaging remark about his ancestor.

    ¡¸Let me tell you one thing. It¡¯s true that I was born with the physical traits of a female, but not once have I ever defined myself by a specific gender. The burdens I carried were far too great for me to concern myself with such things.¡¹

    Lodbrok raised her head high.

    Her appearance was filled with overwhelming dignity.

    ¡¸It¡¯s true that Sigurd and I referred to each other as ¡®partners,¡¯ but that was merely a term of respect, akin to partners or soul-bound contractors. There wasn¡¯t the slightest exchange of such emotions between us.¡¹

    There seemed to be a touch of nostalgia in her voice, as though recalling the past, but also a trace of longing.

    ¡¸And.¡¹

    Lodbrok¡¯s eyes curved slightly, forming a sharp arc.

    ¡¸To begin with, I am a dragon, and he was human. Our species are different, and even our standards of attraction differ. How could mating be possible?¡¹

    Theo nodded with a bitter smile.

    It was true, after all.

    Just as a human wouldn¡¯t be able to discern Lodbrok¡¯s beauty or ugliness, the appearance of humans must be indistinguishable from one another in her eyes.

    ¡¸However, Sigurd¡¯s foolish son always sought to use me for his own benefit. That¡¯s one of the reasons I grew weary and eventually left your Ragnar family.¡¹

    Theo awkwardly scratched his cheek.

    ¡°So, the im that our lineage carries the blood of dragons was nothing more than propaganda, then.¡±

    ¡¸No. Not exactly. I shared the ¡®dragon¡¯s blood¡¯ with Sigurd through our contract.¡¹

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    ¡¸Sigurd, who was quite unlike any other human, underwent several enhancements after that. The unique physiques that you Ragnar possess today are probably the result of a mutation that manifested from those changes.¡¹

    Theo nodded, finally understanding the sequence of events.

    Now, he could see why Fridleif¡¯s propaganda had been so effective.

    ¡¸Well then, with the light introductions out of the way, I shall now fulfill the Guardian Dragon¡¯s duty towards the Chosen One.¡¹

    The Chosen One.

    Theo realized that the term referred to someone who had been ¡®chosen¡¯ by the relics of the Ancient Dragons.

    ¡¸From this moment on, I, Lodbrok, in ordance with the primordial covenant, will grant the Chosen One the opportunity to ask three questions.¡¹

    Theo¡¯s ears perked up at this.

    ¡°You mean you will answer anything I ask?¡±

    ¡¸Is that your first question?¡¹

    ¡°¡­No, please wait a moment.¡±

    Talking about mating so casually, along with everything else, Theo started to think that Lodbrok might have a yful personality, despite her majestic appearance.

    ¡®Focus. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.¡¯

    Given the circumstances, it was clear that Lodbrok knew many secrets regarding the events Theo was currently embroiled in.

    Thus, he needed to organize his questions carefully to extract as much valuable information as possible.

    After quickly gathering his thoughts, Theo spoke slowly.

    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll ask my first question.¡±

    ¡¸Speak.¡¹

    ¡°Why are you here?¡±

    ording to the family¡¯s records, Lodbrok had passed away after Sigurd, heartbroken from his death, and returned to nature herself.

    Yet here she was, nesting in such a remote ce, far from the eyes of the world.

    It meant there must have been a reason why she had been hiding for the past thousand years, keeping her existence a secret from the world.

    ¡¸You¡¯re asking a fundamental question to uncover as much hidden background knowledge as possible? A good question.¡¹

    Lodbrok smiled lightly before continuing.

    However¡ª

    Her expression soon turned solemn.

    ¡¸Because of the .¡¹

    ¡°The Nameless Sovereign¡­?¡±

    Theo felt a chill run down his spine.

    Even though it was a name he had never heard before, it sent an inexplicable shiver through him.

    ¡¸A ¡®monster¡¯ that exists beyond the Demonic Sea, at the very edge of the world, and then even beyond that. For the past thousand years, I¡¯ve remained here with the duty of protecting the world from it. The Winter Mountains are merely a forward base for that purpose.¡¹

    The emotions radiating from Lodbrok were only two:

    Rage.

    And¡­ fear.

    ¡®Is there really someone that even the Guardian Dragon fears? This dragon was the Dragon King even a thousand years ago, and yet¡­¡¯

    Theo couldn¡¯t wrap his mind around it.

    Who in the world was this ?

    Could it be some kind of Demon King from the Demon Realm that he had only heard of in stories, or perhaps even one of the fallen ?

    However, Theo had to force himself to swallow down the questions that were pressing at his throat.

    If he asked more now, he wouldn¡¯t be able to ask anything else.

    So, stifling his curiosity, he moved on to his next question.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll ask my second question. What exactly are the relics of the Ancient Dragons?¡±

    ¡¸The Primordial Dragon, Fafnir, split his soul into 31 pieces to protect you humans from the .¡¹

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    There it was again.

    The mention of this mysterious entity, the .

    ¡¸You currently possess three of them. Soon, you will have four.¡¹

    Theo¡¯s eyes widened in shock.

    ¡®Three? I have three of them? Not two?¡¯

    Theo instinctively touched the two relics he had: Drake¡¯s de and the Moon-White Sword.

    So, there was already another relic he had acquired without knowing.

    ¡®¡­It¡¯s me.¡¯

    He quickly came to a conclusion.

    The power to turn back time.

    The absurd phenomenon that had allowed him to reverse the flow of a decade of time.

    If that wasn¡¯t the power of an Ancient Dragon relic, what else could it be?

    Yet, questions remained.

    ¡®Each of the relics of the Ancient Dragons had a dragon species guarding it. But when I experienced my ¡°return,¡± wasn¡¯t there no such guardian?¡¯

    ¡¸Now, it¡¯s time for your final question.¡¹

    ¡°Why me?¡±

    ¡¸Your question is too broad. Narrow it down.¡¹

    ¡°Why was I ¡®chosen¡¯?¡±

    ¡¸Ah, so that¡¯s what you were going for. I wondered when you¡¯d get to that.¡¹

    A small smirk crept across Lodbrok¡¯s lips.

    ¡¸This is actually a question I should ask you. Why do you speak as though you are the ¡®only one¡¯ who was ¡®specially¡¯ chosen?¡¹

    ¡°What do you mean by that¡­!¡±

    ¡¸The Primordial Covenant wasn¡¯t created to show favoritism to anyone. Those are my answers to your three questions.¡¹

    Lodbrok¡¯s lips pressed tightly shut.

    It was clear from Lodbrok¡¯s expression that she wouldn¡¯t answer any more questions, no matter what he asked.

    Thump, thump, thump¡ª

    Meanwhile, Theo¡¯s heart was pounding in his chest.

    ¡®I¡¯m not the only one chosen by the relics.¡¯

    In fact, it was apletely natural conclusion when he thought about it.

    Ed, Kirsion, and the ck Dragon¡ªall of them knew about the relics and were actively trying to gather them.

    So, it wouldn¡¯t be strange if one of them had already been using a relic.

    ¡®Could they also be receiving messages like me, or have even experienced regression as I have?¡¯

    The thought crossed Theo¡¯s mind, but he quickly shook his head.

    ¡®No, each relic has a different ability. Drake¡¯s is the dungeon, and Griffin¡¯s is the Moon-White Sword. My regression must be the unique ability of the relic I possess.¡¯

    But this too was only spection, so he couldn¡¯t be certain about anything.

    ¡®Then what happens if all 31 relics are gathered? Will the Ancient Dragon be resurrected?¡¯

    If that¡¯s the case, then why was such a system put in ce?

    ¡®Is it to kill the ? To raise someone powerful enough to do so?¡¯

    Questions only led to more questions.

    ¡¸You seem deep in thought.¡¹

    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±

    ¡¸This, too, is one of the burdens you must bear. Too much information can only restrict a Chosen One¡¯s future choices.¡¹

    Lodbrok seemed to be wary of something.

    So, Theo refrained from asking any further questions.

    Though doubts still lingered about the Nameless Sovereign and the multiple Chosen Ones, he was content with what he had learned.

    At least now, he had a clearer understanding of what the relics of the Ancient Dragons were and why he was caught up in all of this.

    ¡®If I keep collecting the relics, I¡¯ll eventually find out more. Even if I sit on the throne, I¡¯ll uncover the truth in the end.¡¯

    ¡¸Still, I like this Chosen One. You seem clear-cut in how you handle things. The ones before you would have thrown a fit,ining about this sounding like some sort of riddle.¡¹

    Theo nodded.

    Indeed, if this were any of the Ragnar he knew, no matter how powerful the Guardian Dragon was, they would¡¯ve caused havoc if something didn¡¯t sit right with them.

    ¡¸Now, with all the questspleted, it¡¯s time to receive your reward.¡¹

    Lodbrok spread her wings wide as she dered this.

    [Congrattions! You have sessfullypleted Tutorial Quest #15.]

    [Evaluation: A+]

    [You have earned the opportunity to acquire a ¡®Relic of the Ancient Dragon¡¯ as a reward.]

    ¡¸As you can see, this nest is filled with treasures I¡¯ve gathered from all over the world throughout my lifetime. I will grant you one of them. What is it that you desire?¡¹

    (E/n: pick her!)

    Theo clenched his fist tightly.

    A reward.

    No matter how many times he heard that word, it never failed to make his ears perk up.

    And if that reward was a treasure personally bestowed by the Guardian Dragon of his family, how valuable could it be?

    ¡¸Jewels? Just selling one of these could easily buy you an entire metropolis. A magic tome? It would grant you incredible power. What about an elixir? It could elevate you to a whole new level. I also have secret techniques, which will put you at the pinnacle of all.¡¹

    Theo nced at the mountains of gold and treasure spread around Lodbrok, as well as the towering shelves that reached the ceiling.

    ¡¸Or how about a weapon? Your Ragnar n prides itself on proving its worth through the sword, so nothing could be more fitting than this.¡¹

    Jewels, magic tomes, elixirs, secret techniques, weapons¡­

    Every treasure that had once shaken the world was here.

    ¡¸Whatever it is, just say the word. I¡¯ll give it to you.¡¹

    Lodbrok¡¯s attitude suggested she could grant anything, no matter what Theo asked for.

    It was a temptation that felt like the devil¡¯s offer.

    ¡®So, this is how ck Snow was able to choose Amon here.¡¯

    Perhaps the rumor that this was merely a ¡®Hatchling¡¯s Den¡¯ had been a deliberate misinformation campaign by ck Snow.

    A ploy to conceal the existence of the Guardian Dragon and im the rewards for themselves.

    ¡®So, what should I choose?¡¯

    Theo considered choosing Amon himself, but quickly shook his head.

    The truth was, he didn¡¯t know much about Amon.

    What if it turned out to be something harmful to his growth?

    That would be a disaster.

    However, there were plenty of other treasures here that could significantly aid his development right away.

    Those were what he needed to focus on finding.

    ¡¸Yes, it¡¯s understandable that you¡¯d be conflicted. Then feel free to explore the nest as much as you¡¯d like until you make your decision. Call for me when you¡¯re ready.¡¹

    Lodbrok offered him time to deliberate, but¡ª

    Theo couldn¡¯t afford to take that time.

    The Blossoming Ceremony was ongoing at this very moment.

    If he stayed away for too long, the examiners might start to grow suspicious.

    ¡®So, what should I choose¡­?¡¯

    At that moment, a thought suddenly urred to Theo.

    Lodbrok had said that this ce contained all the treasures of the world.

    And she had promised to grant him anything he desired.

    In that case¡ª

    ¡®What if I asked for something beyond the ordinary?¡¯

    After deliberating, Theo lifted his head and locked eyes with Lodbrok.

    ¡¸Oh? Have you made your decision?¡¹

    Her golden eyes sparkled with curiosity.

    ¡°Can I really obtain anything I desire?¡±

    ¡¸Of course. Every word a dragon speaks is bound by Word Magic. We cannot lie. I may not be able to grant you something that does not exist in this nest, but if it¡¯s here, anything is yours.¡¹

    ¡°In that case, there is just one thing I want.¡±

    ¡¸Very well. What is it?¡¹

    Staring directly into her golden eyes, Theo spoke clearly.

    ¡°I want Lodbrok.¡±

    ¡¸¡­Hm?¡¹

    For a moment, Lodbrok blinked, thinking she must have misheard.

    But Theo, expressionless, calmly repeated his request.

    ¡°I want the treasure called Lodbrok.¡±

    ¡¸¡­!¡¹

    Lodbrok¡¯s eyes widened in shock.

    (E/n: :DD I didn¡¯t expect him to actually do it)

 Chapter 38

    Chapter 38: The Guardian Dragon¡¯s Nest (3)

    ¡¸¡­I¡¯ve never heard of a proposal like this before. Is this a new trend in the human world?¡¹

    How amusing. Hahaha.

    Lodbrok¡¯s lightughter echoed like a melody.

    ¡¸It seems my charm, both in the past and present, transcends species. Being so popr is quite the burden¡­¡¹

    Lodbrok chuckled, trying to brush off Theo¡¯s words as a joke.

    However, Theo raised the corners of his mouth and shook his head.

    ¡°There is no such trend. And this is no joke.¡±

    Lodbrok¡¯sughter abruptly stopped.

    Her gaze, now sharp, locked onto Theo.

    Chills!

    For a moment, Theo felt a shiver run down his spine.

    ¡®A dragon is a dragon after all. The Dragon¡¯s Fear is overwhelming.¡¯

    He attempted to release a bit of Lesser Drake Fear to somehow resist the intense pressure, but it was far from easy.

    If it was impossible, then it was simply impossible.

    Dragons instinctively dominated all lower beings.

    Ku-ku-ku¡­!

    Still, Theo endured.

    If his will broke here, he would never get what he came for.

    Drip!

    Cold sweat trickled down his cheek and dropped to the ground.

    ¡¸Do you truly desire me?¡¹

    ¡°Yes, I do.¡±

    ¡¸Are you nning to take all the treasures here, along with my knowledge, just for a little wordy?¡¹

    Theo merely smiled, offering no response.

    Right now, it was best to let her make the decision ¡®on her own.¡¯

    ¡¸No.¡¹

    Lodbrok, after staring at Theo for a long moment, shook her head.

    ¡°No? But didn¡¯t you say I could take anything I wanted from the treasures in this nest?¡±

    ¡¸But I am not part of that deal.¡¹

    ¡°What else would a ¡®Guardian Dragon of Ragnar¡¯ be, if not a treasure?¡±

    ¡¸I am a dragon. I am the gatekeeper of this ce and the sentinel that guards the Winter Mountains. I am no mere¡­ treasure!¡¹

    ¡°You never gave any specific definition of what counts as a treasure beforehand, did you?¡±

    ¡¸¡­!¡¹

    For a moment, Lodbrok was at a loss for words.

    ¡°So, I believe it¡¯s up to the one receiving the reward to determine whether something is a treasure or not.¡±

    ¡¸¡­¡¹

    ¡°Give me Lodbrok. You promised by oath.¡±

    Grrr¡­

    Lodbrok¡¯s eyes narrowed, now filled with frustration.

    The gaze that had been full of warmth toward Theo moments ago had shifted to annoyance.

    ¡®Looks like she¡¯s really mad.¡¯

    Theo swallowed dryly.

    Considering that Lodbrok, the ancient dragon, was known for her immense pride, it was no surprise that Theo¡¯s words must have felt like an insult to her.

    He had heard that some ancient dragons considered humans to be nothing more than mere insects.

    It wouldn¡¯t be surprising if she spewed mes at him at any moment.

    ¡®Still, this gamble is absolutely necessary.¡¯

    But Theo didn¡¯t attempt to retract his words.

    In truth, he was well aware that his argument was absurd.

    However, for a being like an ancient dragon bound by a sacred oath, it was likely a troublesome predicament.

    Even so, Theo pressed on without hesitation.

    ¡®If I push this, I might be able to gain something even greater.¡¯

    Theo wasn¡¯t na?ve enough to believe that he could actually take Lodbrok as his ¡°reward.¡±

    There was no way she would willingly leave her nest.

    She was bound by her duty to protect the Winter Mountains from the Demonic Sea. How could she possibly offer herself as a reward?

    Even aside from that, there was no chance she would submit to Theo, a descendant of her oldrade.

    For an ancient dragon, such an event would be a deep blow to their pride.

    Thus, Lodbrok would inevitably propose some kind of deal.

    She would likely suggest recing herself with something of equivalent value.

    ¡®I don¡¯t have time to sift through all the treasures here. The best move is to get Lodbrok to bring me the most valuable item herself.¡¯

    Theo bit down hard on the tip of his tongue.

    He needed to shake off the dizziness clouding his mind.

    And then¡­

    Fwoosh, fwoosh, fwoosh¡ª

    As if it were all a lie, the dragon¡¯s oppressive presence suddenly subsided.

    ¡¸¡­I see. So, that¡¯s how you¡¯re ying this?¡¹

    Lodbrok let out a hollowugh.

    ¡®She saw through my intentions.¡¯

    Theo said nothing, only lowering his head slightly in silence.

    But even as he did, he kept his gaze firmly fixed on her, silently urging her for a response.

    ¡¸Very well.¡¹

    ¡°Yes. Very¡­ wait, what?¡±

    For a moment, Theo thought he had misheard and quickly lifted his head.

    And there he saw it.

    Lodbrok¡¯s eyes, now brimming with yful mischief.

    ¡®No way¡­?¡¯

    ¡¸Why are you so surprised? I can¡¯t break a promise sealed by an oath, so I¡¯ll honor the agreement.¡¹

    Lodbrok¡¯s eyes narrowed even further into a sly grin.

    ¡¸My new partner.¡¹

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    Whooosh¡ª!

    At that moment, a violent gust of wind began swirling around Lodbrok¡¯s massive form.

    The wind was so intense that Theo could barely keep his eyes open.

    As he forced himself to look up, a blinding burst of light filled the cave, as if it were about to overflow.

    sh!

    Soon, in the ce where the ancient dragon had stood, a woman appeared.

    Her short, dark blue hair was cropped just above her shoulders, shorter than Theo¡¯s.

    Her eyes, a mix of sharpness and yful mischief, gleamed like molten gold.

    She was tall, about 175 centimeters, and draped around her neck was a vibrant, colorful silk shawl, giving her an exotic elegance.

    Theo, seeing her, couldn¡¯t help but flinch in surprise.

    He had never imagined that Lodbrok could polymorph into a human form.

    But what shocked him more was what he glimpsed beneath her cor.

    ¡°Hu-hu! You seem quite mesmerized by my human form. But don¡¯t even dream of it. I¡¯ve lived for over two thousand years, and to me, you¡¯re nothing more than a newborn baby.¡±

    Lodbrok¡¯s teasing barely registered in Theo¡¯s ears.

    ¡°¡­Guardian Dragon, your chest¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh, this?¡±

    Lodbrok nonchntly lifted her shawl slightly.

    Beneath it, there was a gaping hole on the left side of her chest,rge enough to fit a human head.

    That¡¯s right.

    She had no heart.

    ¡°This is an old wound. Because of it, I am dying a little more each day.¡±

    For a moment, Theo¡¯s body stiffened.

    ¡°You mean¡­?¡±

    ¡°Why are you so surprised? Is it because I said I¡¯m dying?¡±

    Hu-hu.

    Lodbrok chuckled lightly.

    ¡°It¡¯s true. I lost my Dragon Heart, the organ that holds the core of a dragon¡¯s magic, about fifty years ago. Since then, most of my powers and magic have been lost.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m barely holding on now, sustained by the remaining magic within my body.¡±

    Lodbrok gently touched the empty cavity in her chest with her fingertips.

    ¡°Soon, I will return to the embrace of nature. Two years? Maybe three? Like my kin who left this world long ago, I will eventually depart as well.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why I asked you several times¡ªif you wouldn¡¯t reconsider the reward.¡±

    Theo pressed his lips tightly together.

    ¡°Even knowing all this, do you still wish to take me as your reward?¡±

    Lodbrok was smiling.

    He could sense that her smile was her own form of kindness, her way of offering him a way out.

    But.

    For some reason, Theo couldn¡¯t tear his gaze away from the faint bitterness in her eyes.

    It was the same expression he had seen during thest moments of his previous life.

    Under a rain of arrows pouring down like a waterfall, he had looked out with those same eyes.

    Despair.

    Defeat.

    Mncholy.

    Sorrow.

    ¡°¡­How did ite to this?¡± Theo finally asked.

    ¡°Hmm? Didn¡¯t you already use up your three questions?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°I see. Your expression is so serious that I can¡¯t even make a joke. What a stiffst chosen one for a Guardian Dragon, don¡¯t you think? It¡¯s hardly any fun at all.¡±

    Lodbrok grumbled before casually throwing out a remark.

    ¡°It was Kyle.¡±

    But that one word hit Theo like a hammer to the back of his head.

    ¡°He¡¯s probably your grandfather or great-grandfather, right? Am I correct?¡±

    ¡°¡­He¡¯s my father.¡±

    ¡°What? Ha! A human well over 70 years old still having kids? I remember he said he wanted to have as many children as possible to revive the family. Tsk! Males, I swear, as long as they can manage to cross the threshold, they¡¯ll keep doing that¡­¡±

    Theo didn¡¯t hear the rest of Lodbrok¡¯s rant.

    All he could hear was a dull ringing in his ears.

    ¡®Father did something like this?¡¯

    Why?

    Why would he do such a thing to the family¡¯s Guardian Dragon?

    The Kyle Ragnar Theo knew was a man filled with immense pride for the House of Ragnar.

    He was someone who relentlessly strove for the highest position and had many descendants, bringing the family to its peak.

    Though this process had caused conflicts and divisions within the family, he paid no mind to them.

    Kyle¡¯s gaze was always fixed on the highest ces, leaving him no time to care about what happened below.

    If Kyle had met the Guardian Dragon, he would have undoubtedly tried to secure her as a powerful asset for the family.

    So why would he harm the Guardian Dragon?

    What reason could there possibly be?

    ¡°Was my father also a chosen one?¡±

    ¡°That fool? Absolutely not.¡±

    A fool?

    What did that mean?

    ¡°You¡¯re asking if your father harmed me to monopolize the relic, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re wrong. Your father couldn¡¯t have been chosen for the relic in the first ce. He didn¡¯t have the talent.¡±

    Talent.

    That word struck Theo¡¯s ears like a sharp spike.

    It didn¡¯t make sense.

    His father, without talent?

    ¡°And yet, despitecking all of that, he broke through every barrier and shattered every chain to be the head of the family¡ªone of the few with such exceptional drive. The bastard who did this to me¡­ well, his abilities and determination are certainly worthy of respect.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°So, as a human, you should be proud of your father. He¡¯s¡­ yes, a human in body, but not quite a human. And yet, he is the most human-like of all, a monstrous being who gazes toward the realm of gods.¡±

    A body unfit to be chosen by the relic.

    Lacking talent.

    And yet, he became the head of the family.

    A man who defeated the Guardian Dragon and now even gazes toward the realm of the gods.

    A monster wearing a human mask.

    ¡®Father once told me he defeated my grandfather, the previous head of the family, and took his ce. Could this be rted to that?¡¯

    At that moment, Theo suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of just how colossal his father truly was.

    ¡°I¡¯ll ask you again. Even knowing all this, do you still intend to take me with you?¡±

    Lodbrok interrupted Theo¡¯s thoughts.

    She lowered her shawl, covering her left chest, and locked eyes with Theo.

    Theo swallowed dryly as he met her gaze.

    A being with only a few years left to live.

    At most, she had two, maybe three years. Even if he were to take her, how much help could she truly offer?

    No¡ªthere was also the possibility that Kyle might discover her, putting Theo¡¯s own life in danger.

    The Kyle. Theo knew would never leave any potential threat to him alive.

    Lodbrok¡¯s question epassed all of this.

    Could Theo handle the consequences of taking her?

    That¡¯s what she was really asking¡ª urging him to forget such a foolish idea, pick some suitable treasure, and leave.

    ¡°If you want, I can even rmend a treasure that would be most useful to you right now.¡±

    She had said it, giving the answer that Theo had originally expected.

    He couldn¡¯t mistake it for anything other than her final gesture of kindness.

    Many thoughts shed through Theo¡¯s mind.

    ¡°I¡ª¡±

    Just as he was about to make his final decision and speak,

    Boom!

    Suddenly, a violent tremor shook the cave as if hit by a powerful impact.

    Rumble¡­!

    Both Theo and Lodbrok instinctively turned their gazes toward the entrance.

 Chapter 39

    Chapter 39: The Guardian Dragon¡¯s Nest (4)

    Boom!

    Once again, the cave shook violently.

    The iron door remained intact.

    ¡®It¡¯s not the entrance. It¡¯s outside.¡¯

    Theo looked up at the ceiling.

    ¡®Something¡¯s happening on the cliff!¡¯

    It was clear that someone had collided with something.

    He had checked multiple times to confirm that no one was pursuing him.

    ¡®Or could it be that they chased after me when I disappeared?¡¯

    That seemed possible.

    After all, he had taken the top spot during the First Blossoming Ceremony.

    Naturally, there would be many like Haid¡¯s group who would target him.

    ¡®I¡¯ve been away for too long.¡¯

    It was time to return.

    ¡°Seems like something is happening outside, right? Is it the Blossoming Ceremony?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡±

    ¡°What a pointless spectacle. Forcing children into a death trap¡­ Well, thanks to that, I¡¯ve had an entertaining show to enjoy each year.¡±

    Rodbrok smirked and pressed him for an answer again.

    ¡°So, what¡¯s your conclusion?¡±

    ¡°My answer remains the same. Rodbrok, I choose you as my reward.¡±

    Thud!

    Rodbrok¡¯s movements stopped.

    His face stiffened.

    [You have selected ¡®Rodbrok, the Guardian Dragon of Ragnar¡¯ as your reward.]

    [¡®Title: Companion of the Guardian Dragon¡¯ has been created.]

    [¡®Title: Descendant of the Founder¡¯ has been created.]

    [You have established a spiritual connection with Rodbrok. You can now partially read Rodbrok¡¯s surface thoughts.]

    Messages popped up one after another.

    This meant there was no turning back now.

    ¡°¡­What on earth are you thinking? You¡¯re not foolish, are you? Even after giving you such an opportunity!¡±

    Rodbrok¡¯s face contorted with tension.

    ¡°Or are you pitying me? Foolish! How can a chosen one, who has a duty to stop the Nameless Sovereign, make such an emotional decision¡­!¡±

    ¡°Won¡¯t we find a way?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Rodbrok flinched, not realizing how startled he was by Theo¡¯s calm response.

    ¡°I¡¯ll find something to rece your shattered heart somehow.¡±

    ¡°With what means?¡±

    ¡°You said the Ancient Dragon¡¯s relics are pieces of the Ancient Dragon¡¯s soul, correct? Since you¡¯re both dragons, maybe the answer lies within those.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°Even if that¡¯s not the case, while searching for the relics, we mighte across treasures or . Among them, there could be a recement, or perhaps a method close to it.¡±

    Pity?

    Sympathy?

    Perhaps those words were true.

    For in Rodbrok¡¯s eyes, Theo saw a reflection of his former self.

    However, that didn¡¯t mean his choice was made recklessly or impulsively.

    ¡®If I can join forces with Rodbrok, I¡¯ll establish a position far beyondparison with the other sessors.¡¯

    Just by bing the panion¡± of the Guardian Dragon, who helped Sigurd restore Ragnar, Theo would gain an unparalleled legitimacy that no one could challenge.

    Furthermore, all the treasures within Rodbrok¡¯s nest would undoubtedly prove invaluable in helping him grow in the future.

    ¡°To the very end¡­!¡±

    Rodbrok seemed like she was about to say something but then let out a deep sigh.

    When she looked up again, her expression was a mix ofplex emotions.

    ¡°¡­You remind me of Sigurd for some reason.¡±

    Rodbrok opened her mouth again.

    ¡°Fine. You speak so confidently; I¡¯ll trust you this time. It¡¯s amusing that I¡¯m receiving help from the son of the one who hurt me so deeply, but since you¡¯re offering me a lifeline, you are worthy enough to be mypanion. However, there¡¯s one condition.¡±

    Theo nodded.

    ¡°I cannot leave this nest in my current state. If I do, I¡¯ll lose my magical power and die in less than three months.¡±

    Rodbrok raised her hand with a bitter smile.

    A section of the library shook slightly, and a thick book flew into her grasp.

    ¡°So, until you find the ¡®solution,¡¯ I¡¯ll enter hibernation here. Take this with you.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°This is the grimoire known as .¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    Theo received the book from her with trembling eyes.

    He had never expected to encounter Amon like this.

    ¡°You seem to recognize it, don¡¯t you? It¡¯s the only original copy in the world.¡±

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m just surprised because it¡¯s known as a grimoire bearing the name of a demon.¡±

    ¡°A demon? Ah, so that¡¯s how you humans know it.¡±

    Rodbrok shook her head as she continued.

    ¡°Well, in the end, Amon did fall into madness and lost its identity in a fit of rage, so I suppose it¡¯s not strange that it¡¯s called that now¡­ But originally, Amon was not something so lowly.¡±

    Theo ran his fingers over the surface of the grimoire.

    It had a delicate, soft texture that felt pleasant to the touch.

    For a book carrying the name of a demon, it had an unexpectedly sacred aura.

    ¡°Amon originally means ¡®hidden being,¡¯ symbolizing all things invisible to the eye. Another name for Amon, ¡®Om (o?),¡¯ is said to be the primordial sound that resonated at the beginning of time, a sacred vibration epassing all frequencies of the universe. It is said that simply chanting it can purify the soul.¡±

    Theo¡¯s eyes widened.

    From Rodbrok¡¯s exnation, it seemed more appropriate to call it a ¡®holy scripture¡¯ or a ¡®sacred text¡¯ rather than a magic book.

    ¡°Learn this for now. If you do, this ce will awaken.¡±

    Rodbrok tapped her forehead lightly with her index finger.

    Theo¡¯s eyes grew even wider on their own.

    There was no way he could misunderstand the meaning of those words.

    ¨C The Gate of the Mind would open.

    The human brain is the ce where the soul resides.

    For this ce to ¡®awaken¡¯ meant not only an increase in thinking and judgment but also establishing a connection with the energy of nature flowing between heaven and earth.

    In other words, it meant achieving spiritual growth.

    Through this, one could achieve a significant breakthrough.

    The rise in Rank.

    For a martial artist pursuing the way of the sword, this was an opportunity for an extraordinary fortune that anyone would covet.

    ¡®This is exactly why ck Snow chose this! This rise in Rank would have greatly empowered the sessor they served.¡¯

    ¡°Amon is the ¡®sound of the soul¡¯ and the ¡®vibration of truth.¡¯ It expands spiritual resonance, allowing you to perceive the essence of things and hear the voices of hidden thoughts within them. Once you reach a certain level, you¡¯ll be able to hear my voice as well.¡±

    ¡­¡­The sound of the soul? The vibration of truth?

    What is spiritual resonance, and what is the essence of things?

    They were all difficult concepts, but there was one thing Theo could understand.

    ¨C Even after leaving this ce, he would be able tomunicate with Rodbrok.

    And that meant one thing.

    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll finally be able to borrow your strength in earnest.¡±

    To borrow Rodbrok¡¯s strength meant receiving the same benefits that the ancestor Sigurd had gained.

    In other words, it meant bing a ¡®true¡¯ Dragon Lord!

    Thump, thump, thump!

    Since ancient times, bing the Dragon Lord was a position coveted by every Ragnar swordsman after the founding ancestor, Sigurd.

    Theo¡¯s heart raced as if the path to that very goal had opened right in front of him.

    ¡°You¡¯re already calling me by name? Quite an insolent partner.¡±

    ¡°I thought that, as your partner, it was eptable to call you by name. But if it bothers you, I¡¯ll return to calling you ¡®Guardian Dragon.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Enough. Just hearing it already makes my arms itch.¡±

    Rodbrok waved her hand dismissively.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. Once you canmunicate with me properly, you¡¯ll start receiving the same benefits that your ancestor did. The ¡®Dragon¡¯s Factor¡¯ dormant in your blood will awaken.¡±

    The power of the ancestor.

    Theo clenched his fist tightly.

    ¡°Of course, for that to happen, my recovery muste first. Remember, as I mentioned, the time I have left is no more than two or three years at best.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll make sure it happens within that time.¡±

    ¡°I hope your skills are as good as your bold words.¡±

    [You have received the additional reward: ¡®Magic Book ¨C Amon¡¯.]

    [Check the instructions inside the book for usage details.]

    [You have gained a massive amount of experience.]

    [Your level has increased.]

    Rodbrok pped her hands loudly.

    p!

    ¡°With this, I dere the Primordial Covenant hase to an end. I look forward to working with you from now on.¡±

    The solemn expression on Rodbrok¡¯s face softened into a faint smile.

    ¡°My new partner, after a thousand years.¡±

    Her voice was full of yful mischief.

    And then¡ª

    sh!

    Theo found himself enveloped in light, as if he was being pulled into a new space. It felt as though the very fabric of the world was twisting around him, and then, suddenly, he was hurled into another area.

    Before his vision waspletely overtaken by the surrounding light, thest thing Theo saw was Rodbrok¡¯s figure returning to her original form, preparing to go back into hibernation.

    Just before his eyelids fully closed, he had the sense that her two golden pupils were gazing somewhere far away.

    Somewhere that felt like a distant past.

    * * *

    Whoooosh¡­!

    The ce where Theo reappeared was the cliff above the Guardian Dragon¡¯s nest, the exact spot where he had confronted Haid¡¯s group.

    It all felt like a dream.

    Meeting the Guardian Dragon, bing her partner, obtaining Amon¡ªeverything felt distant, as if it had all happened in a dream.

    But the magic book in his right hand was a tangible reminder that everything he had experienced was real.

    ¡®I need to get my head straight. Reviving Rodbrok isn¡¯t going to be a simple task; there are countless things I need to pay attention to.¡¯

    One thing, in particr, required the utmost caution¡ªfinding a substitute for the Dragon Heart.

    Since Kyle had taken Rodbrok¡¯s Dragon Heart, if anyone discovered that Theo was trying to revive her, the consequences would surely not be pleasant.

    Smack!

    Theo lightly pped his cheeks with his palm to refocus his mind.

    ¡®I should start by finding the nearest safe zone.¡¯

    The test for the second Blossoming Ceremony was to umte points by hunting monsters over the course of fifteen days. But¡­

    In truth, there was a hidden ¡®second¡¯ test here as well.

    Toplete it, it was necessary to gather as many different types of totems as possible.

    ¡®For now¡­ is it southwest?¡¯

    As Theo followed the keen senses granted by the Dragon¡¯s Heart, he took in his surroundings. Despite the snowstorm half-covering the ground, he could still make out bloodstains and traces of battle scattered across the snowy field.

    The remnants of the shockwaves he¡¯d sensed from Rodbrok¡¯s nest were unmistakable.

    Theo crouched down and touched the bloodstained earth with his index finger.

    ¡®The battle ended no more than ten minutes ago. The number of participants¡­ nine? No, about ten people. There were three distinct groups. The numbers were five, four, and one.¡¯

    Using his past life¡¯s experience, Theo quickly deduced the situation that had unfolded here.

    Two groups of roughly equal strength had shed, and in the midst of their fight, a third lone individual had been caught up in the chaos.

    The problem was that this lone person possessed enough skill to rival both groups.

    As a result, the confrontation had escted significantly.

    That lone individual, unable to ovee the numerical disadvantage, had sustained serious injuries and attempted to flee.

    ¡®The ce that person fled to must be where the totem is located. The remaining two groups are chasing after them.¡¯

    The moment Theo grasped the situation, he moved quickly.

    If they had appeared at this exact location, it was clear that they were targeting him.

    That meant this was the perfect moment to strike while they were distracted by the chaos.

    Moreover,

    If Theo¡¯s hunch was correct, the person being chased was someone he knew well, another participant in the trial.

    * * *

    ¡°Huff, huff, huff¡­!¡±

    In a cave half-hidden by the blizzard¡ªimpossible to find unless you knew the exact terrain¡ªRay Ragnar leaned against the wall, pressing a hand to the wound on her left side.

    Blood was pouring out of the injury.

    ¡°Huuup!¡±

    Shhh!

    Her hand turned pale, and the wound quickly froze over, stopping the bleeding.

    The Ice-White True Technique.

    It was one of the skills Ray had learned from her master to heal the damage caused by the Nine-Syble Pulse.

    ¡°Whew¡­!¡±

    Only then was Ray able to catch her breath.

    She was utterly exhausted from the relentless battles and pursuit.

    If she hadn¡¯t scouted this cave with the totem beforehand, she would¡¯ve had to remain alert for monsters drawn by the scent of her blood. The situation would have been far worse.

    ¡°How¡­ did that child¡­ manage to¡­ ovee¡­ all of this¡­ until now?¡±

    At this point, Ray couldn¡¯t help but feel amazed by Theo.

    She herself was utterly exhausted from battling nine opponents.

    So how had Theo, who had likely been targeted the moment the second Blossoming Ceremony began, managed to handle all of this?

    ¡°There better¡­ not be anything¡­ wrong¡­¡±

    Ray slowly closed her eyes.

    The biggest issue among the participants in the current trial was, ¡°Where on earth did Theo disappear to?¡±

    Ray, too, had been concerned about him, which was why she had moved separately.

    And in the midst of that, she had run into two factions.

    One group from the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons.

    The other, trainee swordsmen from the Plum Blossom Pce.

    It was obvious why the Hidden Dragons were after Theo.

    It must have been on Axion¡¯s orders.

    What Ray couldn¡¯t understand, however, was why the trainee swordsmen from the Plum Blossom Pce were disying murderous intent toward Theo.

    It was already widely known throughout Winterer that the Mistress of the Plum Blossom Pce wanted to take Theo as a disciple.

    Because of this, Ray had confronted both factions, attempting to separate them from Theo.

    Her injuries had alle from that encounter.

    ¡®I have to find him before they do.¡¯

    If only to repay the debt from their childhood that she still hadn¡¯t cleared.

    Just a little more rest, then she¡¯d move again.

    Ray was thinking of this, just about to close her eyes, when¡ª

    Shhh!

    Suddenly, Ray grabbed the sword she had ced on the ground and swung it fiercely.

    Crack! Crack! Crack!

    In an instant, the entire interior of the cave was covered in ice.

 Chapter 40

    Chapter 40: The Guardian Dragon¡¯s Nest (5)

    As ice particles fluttered around her, Ray stood up, gripping her sword tightly as if ready to leap into action at any moment.

    Soon, someone emerged, cutting through the swirling ice at the entrance.

    At that moment.

    ¡°You¡­?¡±

    Ray¡¯s eyes widened in surprise as she saw someone she hadn¡¯t expected at all.

    Ah!

    With a small groan, her steps faltered.

    Thud¡ª

    She soon copsed sideways.

    * * *

    ¡®¡­ She seemspletely exhausted.¡¯

    Theo clicked his tongue lightly as he looked at Ray, who was nestled against his chest, breathing heavily.

    He had quickly caught her as she was about to copse.

    Huff¡­ Huff¡­!

    At a nce, Ray¡¯s condition didn¡¯t seem good.

    Her face was pale from all the blood she had lost, and her wounds had been frozen to stop the bleeding, but it risked leading to necrosis.

    ¡®And on top of that, she¡¯s been poisoned.¡¯

    Red spots were slowly appearing on her pale skin.

    Symptoms of demonic poison¡ªthe very thing one must be most cautious of when dealing with monsters.

    It seemed that one of the men Ray had been fighting had coated their de with demonic poison in advance.

    Something had felt off earlier.

    No matter how many, almost ten of them had attacked her, there was no way Ray would have been beaten by mere apprentice knights.

    ¡®Fortunately, the poison doesn¡¯t seem too potent, but leaving her like this for too long would be dangerous. How can I detoxify her?¡¯

    Theo wanted to help Ray.

    He didn¡¯t know why she had fought against nearly ten opponents.

    But there was one thing he was sure of.

    Though Ray was difficult to read andcked social skills, she was not a bad person.

    Her injuries were undoubtedly the result of trying to fend off those who were targeting him.

    In that case, Theo owed her a debt.

    However, there was a problem¡ªTheo remembered that the method to detoxify poison always required certain herbs.

    But in the snow-covered winter mountains, finding those ingredients would be nearly impossible.

    That meant he would need to find another way¡­

    ¨C Amon expands spiritual resonance to awaken the essence of things.

    At that moment, Theo suddenly recalled something Lodbrok had mentioned offhandedly.

    The magic book, Amon.

    Could that possibly offer a solution?

    Theo opened his inventory and retrieved the magic book.

    Whirl¡ª

    The pages and cover flipped rapidly.

    ¡°Sound is invisible, yet it resonates across the world, centering around the speaker. It ces the caster at the heart of the magical realm¡­¡±

    Theo¡¯s eyes moved swiftly as well.

    By imbuing his sight with spiritual essence, he was able to read andprehend the text quickly.

    Magical books were often magical devices in themselves, a kind of active magical apparatus.

    Naturally, he assumed Amon would be the same.

    Whirr¡ª

    As the pages flipped, just as he expected, Amon gradually became engulfed in a soft glow.

    The content of Amon could be summarized simply:

    ¨C A person¡¯s soul carries a certain frequency.

    ¨C Amon refers to this frequency as the ¡°voice¡± of the soul.

    ¨C This voice awakens the essence, or the Nyeom, that lies dormant within objects.

    ¨C Once awakened, the object bes attuned to the soul, bing an extension of the caster.

    ¨C This connection between soul and object is called Telekinesis.

    Ding!

    [You have partially understood the magical principles recorded in the Book of Magic ¨C Amon, and a new skill has been created.]

    [Due to insufficient Rank, the skill manifests at a lower grade.]

    ¡ª

    + Hatchling Synchronization

    ¡¤ Grade: C

    ¡¤ Mastery: 1%

    ¡¤ Effect: Allows the user to manipte objects freely with telekic force and read the lingering thoughts of objects.

    ¡ª

    ¡®Telekinesis¡­!¡¯

    Out of curiosity, Theo extended his hand towards Ray¡¯s sword, whichy haphazardly on the ground.

    Vwoom! Vwoooom!

    The sword trembled slightly before gradually lifting into the air, floating smoothly.

    In that instant, Theo felt a strange connection, as if his consciousness was now linked to Ray¡¯s sword.

    It was as if they were tied together by an invisible thread.

    Through that thread, fragmented pieces of the sword¡¯s lingering thoughts began to flow into him.

    * * *

    The Gathering of the Hidden Dragons, Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce¡­ Why would the people of Plum Blossom Pce conspire with the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons to target Theo?

    The lingering thoughts reflected the reason behind Ray¡¯s injuries.

    Dressed in ck, five participants from the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons had been conversing with four others, d in red.

    A plum blossom insignia, signifying their allegiance to the Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce, was visible on their chests.

    They were talking with serious expressions, and anyone could tell they were scheming something.

    That¡¯s when Ray had appeared.

    She had sensed something was off.

    * * *

    ¨C Damn it, why is the Snow White Sword suddenly here?

    ¨C I told you to be careful with your words¡­

    ¨C We¡¯ve no choice. We have to strike now. Thedy must not hear of this.

    ¨C Perfect. We can get rid of the Snow White Sword along with sh Tiger, and our side will dominate the trials.

    The candidates of the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons and the Plum Blossom Pce exchanged wary nces before suddenly rushing toward Ray.

    Thanks to Ray¡¯s exceptional skill, she was able to severely injure more than half of the nine attackers.

    However, the problem arose when one of the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons members poisoned her with the demon poison that had been smeared on a de, immediately turning the tide of the battle.

    It was a mistake born not ofck of skill, but of inexperience in realbat.

    In the end, Ray acknowledged her mistake and attempted to flee.

    ¡°Chase her! Catch her!¡±

    Though they pursued closely, they weren¡¯t skilled enough to capture Ray.

    Ray fled to a cave¡ªa ce she had identally discovered during the start of the Blossoming Ceremony.

    It was well hidden from outside eyes, and she had marked it as a good ce to rest.

    ¡°So, this is what happened.¡±

    After reading all of Ray¡¯s thoughts, Theo furrowed his brow.

    It seemed that arge-scale conspiracy was being orchestrated in this second round of the Blossoming Ceremony to capture him.

    ¡®There¡¯s no way the Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce would have ordered her candidates to harm me¡­ It must be that they¡¯re acting against orders, trying to take me down.¡¯

    After all, from their perspective, the Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce showing such affection toward Theo, when she had never taken in a disciple before, must have been unbearable.

    It must have seemed like an outsider rolling in and discing those who were already established.

    But even so, to think they¡¯d conspire with the enemy and act behind her back¡­

    Were they confident they could handle the aftermath when they were found out?

    ¡®The Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce is known to deeply care for her people, but I doubt she¡¯s someone indecisive.¡¯

    Perhaps they believed they could silence himpletely, like Haid and his group once did.

    At any rate.

    Soon enough, they would follow Ray¡¯s trail to the vicinity of this cave.

    What should be done about them?

    As Theo pondered for a moment¡ª

    Hwaaa¡ª

    ¡®What is this?¡¯

    At that moment, the thoughts in Ray¡¯s mind continued to flow rapidly, like a series of photographs in motion.

    More precisely, the scene rewound to an earlier time.

    Inside the cave.

    With the entrancepletely blocked off, young Ray was training, illuminated only by the faint glow of luminous stones.

    She swung her sword again and again.

    Until blisters formed on her hands and her feet bled.

    The training seemed never-ending.

    The varied sword forms Ray practiced caught Theo¡¯s eye.

    It was the Ice-White Sword technique.

    The swordsmanship taught to her by her master, known for her association with the Ice Dragon.

    It was a remarkable secret art, one that allowed young Ray to ovee her cursed constitution, the Nine-Syble Pulse.

    Young Ray didn¡¯t just practice the Ice-White Sword once.

    Twice, three times, four times¡­ Hundreds of times, over a hundred days, two hundred days¡­ One year, two years¡­

    Throughout her secluded training, she continuously swung her sword.

    And the sword was always by her side, no matter what.

    Whether it snowed or rained.

    Even when she was exhausted and wanted to give up, when she felt lonely, or when she was in pain from the torment of the Nine-Syble Pulse. Always.

    Ray wasn¡¯t only training in the Ice-White Sword.

    She diligently practiced other martial arts that utilized cold energy as well¡ªIce-White Palm, Ice-White Steps, Ice-White Fist, Ice-White Spear, and more. She even meticulously trained in the breathing techniques, which formed the foundation of all these arts.

    Thanks to this, Theo unexpectedly found himself witnessing all of Ray¡¯s techniques, collectively known as the Ice-White Martial Arts.

    Watching someone else¡¯s training was a grave sin, severe enough that a swordfight could erupt at any moment.

    But Theo was so captivated by the beauty of the Ice-White Martial Arts that he couldn¡¯t gather his thoughts.

    It felt as though fireworks were exploding in his mind.

    ¡®This feelspletely different from the Full Blooming Plum Blossom of the Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce.¡¯

    While Full Blooming Plum Blossom boasted beautiful, elegant curves, the Ice-White Martial Arts radiated a cold and deadly aura of deep sorrow.

    They were pr opposites.

    It was filled with the will of those who had survived harsh environments.

    Thanks to this, Theo found himself stepping into a new realm of swordsmanship once again.

    He felt an overwhelming urge to rush outside and swing his sword.

    Then, as the thoughts fast-forwarded again, a much younger Ray appeared.

    The young Ray, frustrated by her home, had tried to run away.

    But she soon regretted it.

    The snowstorm was so fierce that she lost her way.

    ¡®Why does this seem so familiar?¡¯

    Theo unconsciously furrowed his brow.

    He felt like he had seen something simr to this scene before.

    At that moment, a boy appeared.

    Bundled up in a thick scarf, mittens, a beanie, and a coat, the boy looked like a snowman.

    Yet, his face, visible above the scarf, was as pretty as a girl¡¯s.

    ¡®Ah.¡¯

    Theo recognized the face.

    ¨C Aren¡¯t you cold? Want to wear this?

    The boy loosened his scarf and offered it to the shivering girl.

    ¨C If you dress this lightly, you¡¯ll catch a cold. It¡¯ll be really bad. So, let¡¯s go back home, okay?

    The girl¡¯s gaze lingered on the boy for a long time.

    And with that, all of the thoughts stopped reying.

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    It felt as if he had just glimpsed an entire life in that moment.

    ¡®So Ray was that child back then.¡¯

    It was a memory Theo had long forgotten.

    What had been a simple act of kindness to him seemed to have meant much more to Ray.

    Thanks to this, Theo now understood why Ray had stayed close to him for so long.

    She had been trying to repay the favor from back then.

    Even the recent fight with the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons and the Plum Blossom Pce candidates was for that very reason.

    ¡°In that case, it¡¯s like I¡¯m the one who¡¯s received help,¡± Theo muttered softly as he looked down at his palm.

    Was there a way he could use what he had just learned to help Ray?

    As Theo saw it, this skill was unquestionably powerful.

    He hadn¡¯t known that reading thoughts meant he could also read the memories imprinted in objects.

    If this ability continued to work, couldn¡¯t he activate it on weapons of master swordsmen and learn their techniques?

    If so, he could master countless secret sword arts.

    But if you looked at it another way, it also meant that he could quickly identify their weaknesses.

    Hwaaak!

    Theo focused his spiritual essence into his Aura hall, sharpening his thoughts rapidly.

    He spent a long time contemting.

    Trying to uncover the w in the Ice-White Martial Arts.

    Whish, whish, whish¡­!

    His brain grew so hot, he wondered if it might burn up at this rate.

    Then, something shed through his mind, quick as lightning.

    It was a revtion.

    Without hesitation, Theo ced his hand on Ray¡¯s shoulder, pouring magic power into her.

    He had to act fast before this revtion slipped away.

    Truth and falsehood.

    The ws and strengths of the Ice-White Martial Arts alternated before him.

    The ws swelled like a snowball, while the strengths disassembled and piled neatly in one corner of his mind.

    Theo¡¯s eyes shed with a sharp glint as he looked at Ray.

    * * *

    ¡°Where¡­ am I?¡±

    Ray opened her eyes, startled by the lightness of her body.

    She clearly remembered that her body had been unbearably heavy before she passed out.

    Puzzled, she examined the wound on her side.

    ¡®The wound¡­ it¡¯s gone.¡¯

    The injury had been neatly healed.

    The other wounds, too.

    They had all closed up as if several months had passed since she¡¯d received them.

    What on earth had happened?

    Just as Ray wondered this and lifted her head¡ª

    Whish, whish-

    The sound of a sword cutting through the air came from outside the cave.

    Who could have arrived here?

    With tension building, Ray grabbed her sword from the ground and slowly walked toward the sound.

    There, she saw him.

    Theo, drenched in sweat, training in swordsmanship.

    ¡®What I saw before passing out¡ªit wasn¡¯t a dream.¡¯

    But the sword path he traced felt strangely familiar.

    It was the Ice-White Sword.

    However, Theo¡¯s movements were different, though they resembled the Ice-White Sword.

    His sword was faster, more dazzling, sharper.

    It looked as if a dragon was coiling in a grand disy.

    But to Ray¡¯s eyes¡ª

    It was like the pretty boy who once looked like a snowman had grown tall and strong, shedding all the prejudices and misunderstandings surrounding him.

    He looked so magnificent that¡ª

    Ray could do nothing but stand there in a daze, watching Theo for a long while.

 Chapter 41

    Chapter 41: The Secret of the Totem (1)

    ¡®The foundation of Ice-White Martial Arts lies in its coldness and sharpness. Thanks to that, I was able to enhance the cutting edge of the Three Fangs of the Dragon.¡¯

    The biting wind of midwinter blew fiercely.

    In the blink of an eye, it blinded his vision and buried him in a snowstorm.

    If one wasn¡¯t careful, they could easily suffer frostbite.

    Theo thought that the Ice-White Martial Arts resembled such a midwinter wind.

    A fierce wind that could drive an enemy to death in an instant.

    He had strived to embody that principle in the Three Fangs of the Dragon.

    And to some extent, he had seeded in refining his sword path.

    Crunch¡ª

    Even frost remained where his sword had passed.

    ¡®With this, I might be able to strengthen the shing strike as well.¡¯

    Theo smiled lightly.

    While treating Ray, he had gained a deeper understanding of the Ice-White Martial Arts and wanted to organize it in this way.

    As expected, after organizing it, his sword path seemed much sharper and cleaner than before.

    The ability to continuously improve and strengthen his own swordsmanship.

    Theo regretted how he had missed out on something so enjoyable all this time.

    Just then¡ª

    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±

    Theo suddenly felt a gaze fixed on him from somewhere and turned his head.

    Ray was watching him.

    ¡®Oh no.¡¯

    When had she woken up? He had been too absorbed in his training to notice.

    How much of his training had she seen?

    She wouldn¡¯t have missed the traces of the Ice-White Martial Arts, and as he was about to offer an excuse¡ª

    ¡°That¡¯s not how you do it.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±

    Ray suddenly stood up, holding her sword, and swung it a few times in the air.

    Swish, swish¡ª

    Her movements were much more concise and faster than Theo¡¯s.

    Yet, they were so sharp that even the mere wind from her sword left marks on the cave floor.

    ¡°Swinging it like you¡¯re throwing the sword is fine, but your pulling motion is unnatural. The Ice-White Sword isn¡¯t just about sharpness. Look at the traces left on the ground.¡±

    Was she exining the secrets of swordsmanship to someone who had stolen and learned her style?

    Theo couldn¡¯t understand Ray¡¯s intentions, but he did as she said and examined the marks her sword left behind.

    They were immacte.

    As if carefully carved.

    ¡°Now, look at the marks you left.¡±

    In contrast, Theo¡¯s marks were jagged and rough in some way.

    ¡°Ah¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°See the difference?¡±

    When Theo nodded, Ray smiled faintly.

    At that moment, Theo was quite surprised.

    In both his past and present lives, it was the first time he had seen her express her emotions like this.

    ¡°Recovering the sword is just as important as swinging it. Swing it like you¡¯re throwing it, and then pull it back as if you¡¯re retrieving it. Make sure these movements flow smoothly, without sharp breaks.¡±

    Theo pondered her words for a brief moment, as if he had found a clue to something.

    Ray continued to watch him, still smiling faintly.

    She believed that he would understand.

    ¡®If I can help him in any way, even like this.¡¯

    For the first time, Ray felt encouraged by the fact that she was able to assist Theo.

    After a short while, Theo ended his brief contemtion and once again gripped Drake¡¯s de in his hand.

    ¡°Would you mind watching me one more time? I know it¡¯s a bother.¡±

    Ray shook her head, assuring him that it wasn¡¯t bothersome at all.

    Swish, swish¡ª

    Theo began swinging his sword again.

    * * *

    ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s around here?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you! I left a knife wound in her side, so she definitely couldn¡¯t have gone far!¡±

    Orien stroked his chin and smiled coldly.

    He had received the news of Ray¡¯s injury while diligently hunting monsters alongside Axion.

    Orien believed this was the perfect opportunity for Axion to solidify his position as the top contender.

    ¡®If we make sure she¡¯spletely incapacitated here, no one will ever challenge Axion again.¡¯

    Currently, Axion had amassed 431 points.

    Considering that the average score of the other candidates didn¡¯t even reach 100 points, the gap was overwhelming.

    This wasrgely thanks to Orien and the rest of the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons who had channeled most of their points to Axion.

    The problem was that the second ce contender, Ray, had quickly closed the gap with a score in the 300s.

    Despite working alone without a team, she was still moving at a rapid pace.

    But now, they had an unexpected opportunity to force Ray out of thepetition.

    ¡®Besides, the ce where they said she was spotted happens to be where traces of Haid¡¯s group were found¡­ That means Theo is probably nearby too.¡¯

    Not long ago, Ed had discreetly passed on a message through one of the examiners:

    ¨C Make sure Theo Ragnar doesn¡¯t fall into the Elder¡¯s clutches.

    Orien couldn¡¯t quite understand why they were suddenly being told to help that guy.

    Because of this, Orien had parted ways with Axion and was currently on his way to find Theo.

    And now, their paths had coincidentally aligned.

    If he could take out Haid¡¯s group and force Ray to retire from thepetition, there couldn¡¯t be a more perfect scenario.

    ¡®No, if I think about it, it¡¯s more like killing three birds with one stone. I just have to break that bastard Theo¡¯s arms and legs while I¡¯m at it.¡¯

    Orien still hadn¡¯t forgotten that moment when Theo had cut off his friends¡¯ right arms and wrecked the banquet hall, nor how Theo had dared to look him straight in the eye, unaware of his own ce.

    The humiliation he had suffered back then¡ªhe was determined to avenge it somehow.

    Even though Ed had ordered him to save Theo, he hadn¡¯t said anything about keeping him unharmed, had he?

    All he had to do was keep him breathing.

    Just breathing.

    ¡®Looks like the Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce¡¯s men are after you too¡­ Heh! There¡¯s no way you¡¯ll make it out of this exam in one piece, you crippled fool.¡¯

    Orien felt pleased, imagining Theo on his knees, desperately begging for his life, clutching at his ankles.

    ¡°Where is it? Lead the way.¡±

    * * *

    Was it thanks to their conversation about swordsmanship?

    Theo and Ray had quickly grown close, without any awkwardness between them.

    ¡°There are a lot of people targeting you. You need to be careful,¡± Ray said, her expression serious.

    Since they had already shed with the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons, it was only a matter of time before they would return with more reinforcements. That was Ray¡¯s thought¡ªpreparing for what was toe.

    ¡°Luckily, this is still a safe zone that hasn¡¯t been discovered yet, so we can buy some time for the moment¡­¡±

    Ray trailed off, tilting her head in confusion.

    Theo had smiled faintly, almost cryptically, and began walking deeper into the cave.

    There, beneath a giant magic circle, stood a totem shaped like a horse.

    A totem meant to block the approach of monsters.

    Around it, arge number of supplies were gathered, including food and weapons.

    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±

    Was he just trying to grab something to eat?

    Ray tilted her head, unsure of what Theo was doing.

    But then¡ª

    Thud!

    Suddenly, Theo yanked the totem out of the ground and smashed it.

    ¡°You¡­!¡±

    Ray couldn¡¯t believe what she was seeing. She couldn¡¯tprehend Theo¡¯s actions at all.

    The totem created a safe zone where they could avoid monsters and receive supplies.

    By destroying it, the magic would be nullified¡­!

    In their current situation, where they needed to seize every opportunity, this was pure madness.

    But Theo didn¡¯t immediately exin himself to Ray.

    His eyes were fixed on a navy blue orb left behind after the totem was destroyed.

    ¡°What is that?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a magic tool for summoning monsters. Or maybe I should call it a guiding tool? Whatever. The point is, it works differently when it¡¯s embedded in the totempared to when it¡¯s outside.¡±

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    Ray¡¯s eyes widened in shock.

    Was there really such a device hidden inside the totem?

    At that moment¡ª

    Rumble, rumble¡ª

    The ground began to tremble faintly.

    A chill ran down Ray¡¯s spine. Her instincts, honed through years of swordsmanship training, were screaming at her.

    A terrifying monster was approaching the area.

    At least 6th grade, with a navy color or higher¡­!

    ¡®Navy? Could it be?¡¯

    Ray looked at the orb in Theo¡¯s hand. It was navy.

    ¡°Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, navy, violet. Out of the seven colors, the further you go, the higher the monster¡¯s rank, but the points you get increase exponentially too. This is meant for that. To earn points.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    Ray finally realized what Theo was aiming for.

    Though she didn¡¯t know what he had been doing up until now, Theo had zero points since he hadn¡¯t hunted a single monster.

    But if he could selectively hunt only powerful monsters in the remaining time?

    A swift turnaround would be possible.

    And if he had a method to summon monsters whenever he needed, it would be even more convenient.

    However, there was one problem.

    ¡°But¡­!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re wondering how the two of us, without any preparation, could possibly defeat a navy-grade monster, right?¡±

    Ray nodded heavily at Theo¡¯s question.

    As he said, a 6th-grade monster was so powerful that even a group of seasoned swordsmen couldn¡¯t easily take it down.

    However¡ª

    ¡°Who said we¡¯re unprepared?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°A hidden piece like this means there¡¯s also a way to ovee it. The Blossoming Ceremony is meant to test the candidates¡¯ abilities, not kill them.¡±

    Theo rummaged through the piled-up supplies and pulled out a few items.

    ¡°See?¡±

    Ray let out a small, incredulousugh when she saw the items.

    Theo was right.

    Who would have thought that, besides essentials, these kinds of weapons would be hidden here as well?

    ¡°¡­But even with these, won¡¯t it still be difficult for just the two of us?¡±

    Ray still had plenty of worries, but Theo merely gave a calm smile.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We¡¯re not the only ones who¡¯ll be fighting the monster.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±

    Ray tilted her head, unable to grasp the meaning of Theo¡¯s words.

    Just then¡ª

    ¡°Aaargh!¡±

    ¡°W-What is this¡­?¡±

    ¡°Why is a navy-grade monster here, all of a sudden?!¡±

    ¡°Stop it! Hurry!¡±

    Loud noises erupted from outside the cave.

    ng, ng¡ª

    Along with the sound of the bell signaling the monster¡¯s arrival.

    Ray¡¯s eyes widened once more.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to watch. Wannae with me?¡± Theo asked, standing up with a cold smile.

    * * *

    ¡°Shields! Raise your shields first!¡±

    ¡°I-I left my shield back in the safe zone because it was too hard to carry up here¡­!¡±

    ¡°What the hell are you talking about?! Then how are we supposed to stop that thing?! Damn it!¡±

    Orien¡¯s group, who had been tracking Ray¡¯s trail, was now in utter chaos.

    It was because of the Sandworm that had suddenly burst through the ground.

    A Sandworm!

    No one could understand why a monster that lived in the desert would appear in the frigid winter mountains.

    To make matters worse, it had surfaced right beneath them as they passed through the area.

    As a result, three of their fifteen members had been swallowed into the Sandworm¡¯s stomach, and seven others had tumbled down the slope with various injuries.

    Nearly two-thirds of their team had been knocked out ofmission from the start.

    The remaining five members scrambled to form a formation and tried to resist, but the sheer ferocity and terror of the Sandworm made them hesitant to act.

    A single mistake in their defense could result in even more severe injuries.

    The problem was, the longer they hesitated, the greater the damage they would sustain.

    Roooar¡ª

    Fortunately for them, the Sandworm didn¡¯t seem immediately interested in hunting the remaining five. It quickly withdrew its massive body into the hole it had created.

    Gulp!

    Orien and the other candidates nervously swallowed dryly, tension etched on their faces.

    The fear that the Sandworm could reappear at any moment weighed heavily on them, heightening their sense of dread.

    They hoped it had disappeared for good, but the slight tremors in the ground hinted that the creature was lurking below, waiting for the perfect moment to strike¡ªlike a shark, poised to snatch its prey from beneath the surface.

    ¡°D-D-Damn it¡­! We came here to catch Ray, and now this happens¡­!¡±

    Orien¡¯s legs trembled uncontrobly as he struggled to keep himself standing.

    ¡°This is a disaster¡­! The examiners¡­! They shoulde and save us at least¡­!¡±

    He screamed, hoping the examiners, who might be somewhere nearby, would hear him and intervene. But no response came.

    ¡°Sh-shit¡­!¡±

    As his fear deepened, Orien¡¯s pants grew damp.

    Boom!

    Suddenly, the ground in front of Orien exploded, and the Sandworm shot out.

    Crunch, crunch, its jaws moved as chunks of flesh from the two candidates it had already devoured spilled out.

    Kaaah¡ª

    The Sandworm lunged at Orien next, its jaws gaping wide, revealingyers of sharp, menacing teeth.

    ¡°A-Aaaah!¡±

    Orien, pale with terror, squeezed his eyes shut, preparing for the end.

    Crack-boom!

    In that instant, a bolt of lightning crashed down from the sky, striking the Sandworm¡¯s head and smashing it to pieces in a single blow.

    Thud¡­

    The massive body, now headless, copsed to the ground.

    A faint white steam rose from the dark, jagged edges of the creature¡¯s severed head.

    Sh-shiver¡­

    Orien, still sitting on the ground, looked up in shock at the fallen Sandworm.

    Standing atop its corpse, like a conqueror, was a familiar face.

    It was Theo.

 Chapter 42

    Chapter 42: The Secret of the Totem (2) >

    The item Theo found among the supplies was an artifact.

    A ring engraved with a one-time-use spell, but its power was guaranteed.

    ¨C Thunder Calling.

    This spell summoned a thunderbolt from the sky, not only delivering immense destructive power but also generating a fierce shockwave.

    Even if something could somehow withstand it, it was still enough to ¡®paralyze¡¯ a Sandworm.

    However¡­

    Theo had another hypothesis.

    ¨C What if I awaken the artifact¡¯s will using [Hatchling Synchronization]?

    Hatchling Synchronization awakened the essence, or ¡®will¡¯, of an object.

    Just as he had experienced Ice-White Swordsmanship through Ray¡¯s sword, Theo thought he might be able to read the will of the artifact and amplify the power of the Thunder Calling spell embedded within it.

    And the result was¡­

    ¡®I didn¡¯t expect it to take down the Sandworm in a single hit.¡¯

    The Sandworm didn¡¯t even have time to resist. Not only its head but also its entire body had been split in half.

    Crackle, crackle¡­

    The ground was scorched ck, and sparks flickered incessantly before fading away.

    ¡®Hatchling Synchronization¡­ This is going to be really useful from now on.¡¯

    If even a one-time-use artifact could show this much power, what if he could amplify the likes of Drake¡¯s weapons or the Moon-White Sword?

    Just imagining it sent a shiver down his spine.

    Amplification Technique.

    He had truly received an absurd favor from the Guardian Dragon.

    ¡°M-m-m-m, impossible¡­!¡±

    Orient was still staring at him, his voice trembling.

    But Theo paid no attention to him, instead sifting through the charred remains of the Sandworm¡¯s body.

    Thunder Calling shouldn¡¯t have destroyed that.

    As he worried over this, he finally found the item he was searching for.

    ¡°Although it¡¯s a bit damaged, fortunately, it should still be usable.¡±

    What Theo found was a magic bell.

    A dark blue magic bell that had been hanging around the Sandworm¡¯s neck.

    The Inquisitor had said that simply ¡®retrieving¡¯ this item would earn him points, but¡­

    ¡®There was a hidden piece here, just like with the totem.¡¯

    Having a keen eye for hidden pieces concealed in various ces was also one of the evaluation criteria for the Blossoming Ceremony.

    Theo turned the bell over.

    Dots and lines with indiscernible meaning were engraved along the inner surface of the bell.

    At first nce, they seemed like ordinary patterns.

    But to Theo, who had been trained in the intelligence department, they appeared entirely different.

    It was a cipher¡ªa type of code created by breaking down letters.

    ¡®If Ibine these dots and lines¡­ they be the runes that ancient Dragonkin used.¡¯

    And when those runes were arranged in a line, they formed a sentence.

    ¨C Lightning, being the fastest and most destructive force between the sky and the earth, if mishandled, could severely damage the body¡­

    ¡®Thunder Breathing Technique. Found it.¡¯

    One corner of Theo¡¯s mouth curled up.

    As the House of Ragnar boasted a tradition of over a thousand years, it possessed countless types of breathing techniques.

    However, among them, the highest-ranked breathing techniques were in a ss of their own.

    ¨C Elemental Affiliation Breathing Technique.

    Commonly known as the Attribute Breathing Technique.

    Just as ancient Dragonkin had unique attributes based on their various colors, Attribute Breathing Techniques granted a specific attribute to magic power.

    Thunder.

    Frost.

    me.

    Water.

    Wood.

    Poison.

    There were a total of six attributes.

    However, due to its importance, Attribute Breathing Techniques was only bestowed upon those who were either highly ranked in the direct lineage or those who had achieved remarkable feats.

    But there was one unique way to acquire these Attribute Breathing Techniques.

    That was through the Second Blossoming Ceremony.

    ¡®The six Attribute Breathing Techniques have been fragmented and engraved into various magic bells. If I can decipher them, I can obtain the techniques.¡¯

    Of course, the process was designed to be anything but easy.

    ¡®Each Attribute Breathing Technique is divided into nine segments. That alone makes 54 fragments. But they¡¯re all scattered across different bells, and the number of segments for each varies, making it almost impossible tobine them into one.¡¯

    Even if someone acquired one segment, if the next bell contained segments from different Attribute Breathing Techniques or duplicated ones, all of it would be useless.

    ¡®Moreover, the magic bells that contain hidden pieces only appear in creatures summoned through totems.¡¯

    It was a hidden piece within a hidden piece.

    ¡®The one I just found is the fourth segment, right? There are a total of nine segments, so I still need to find eight more.¡¯

    It was clear that obtaining aplete Attribute Breathing Technique during the Second Blossoming Ceremony was nearly impossible.

    But nearly was the key word¡ªbecause it wasn¡¯t entirely impossible.

    In fact, there were individuals who had aplished it from time to time.

    ¡®The monsters known to be closest to the true session rights.¡¯

    One of the most famous examples was Torkel Ragnar of the ck Iron Cavalry.

    Fortunately, Theo, relying on the memories from his past life, knew exactly how tobine the cipher.

    And he had already decided which Attribute Breathing Technique he wanted to acquire.

    Thunder.

    The Thunder Breathing Technique.

    Lightning was known for its exceptional speed and power.

    The breathing technique could not have been more suited for Theo, who sought toplete The Three Fangs of the Dragon.

    After reciting the passages by drawing upon his spiritual essence, Theo used his magic power topletely erase the words and then looked at Ray.

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    Ray tilted her head in confusion, wondering what was going on.

    ¡®For Ray, who is already practicing a sword technique with the Ice-White attribute, this would only be a detriment.¡¯

    Theo shook his head, indicating it was nothing, and slowly made his way toward Orien.

    Step, step-

    The boy continued to stare at him with a dazed expression.

    ¡°Orien.¡±

    ¡°U-ugh¡­! D-don¡¯te near me!¡±

    There were only eight examinees left who had survived the appearance of the Sand Worm.

    However, they were all in a state where fighting again would be nearly impossible, so it was essentially as if they had retired from thepetition.

    Still, Theo didn¡¯t feel the slightest bit of guilt.

    After all, they hadn¡¯t just targeted Ray, but him as well.

    ¡®The Gathering of the Hidden Dragons¡­ I¡¯ll take this chance topletely wipe them out.¡¯

    He was determined to uproot them so they would never run wild again.

    * * *

    ¡°Axion, where are you?¡±

    Boom¡­!

    The giant beast, a Giant Bear, boasted an enormous body but nowy on the ground, covered in blood.

    The examinees, who had been tense and gasping for breath, finally let out a sigh of relief.

    ¡°Haah! Yes, this is it!¡±

    ¡°We finally got it.¡±

    ¡°As expected of Axion. To take down something at a 7th-tier head-on.¡±

    ¡°Of course. The Dark Leopard¡¯s reputation is well-earned, after all.¡±

    While the examinees from the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons all praised Axion in unison, he remained expressionless as he ripped the magic seed from the beast¡¯s neck.

    A green magic seed.

    With this, he must have umted a fairly decent score by now.

    ¡®There¡¯s another pattern here¡­ what could it be?¡¯

    Axion noticed a pattern engraved on the inside of the magic seed, but after a moment of curiosity, he dismissed it, thinking it was nothing important.

    He didn¡¯t have time to worry about trivial things right now.

    ¡°You bastards! How can you even call yourselves human? Are you even human!?¡±

    At that moment, one of the captives tied up in the corner screamed in rage.

    He had lost manyrades and others were injured after being ambushed by the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons, who had summoned the beasts during their rest.

    And now, with Axion having destroyed their totem, they had lost their base as well.

    Naturally, he was filled with hostility, but¡ª

    Smack!

    Axion kicked the man in the stomach.

    ¡°Ugh¡­!¡±

    ¡°The so-called Sword of Ragnar¡ªwhere do you get off ming others just because you were too weak to handle it? Survival of the fittest, only the strong prevail. Don¡¯t you know that?¡±

    Axion pressed his foot down on the back of the man¡¯s head, which was already shoved into the ground.

    ¡°People like you, who only know how to harbor hatred, need to bepletely wiped out.¡±

    There was a glint of madness in Axion¡¯s eyes.

    He looked ready to kill at any moment.

    In his mind, the man beneath his foot was turning into someone else.

    Theo Ragnar.

    The fool who dared to im the top spot in the First Blossoming Ceremony, not knowing his ce.

    He was the one Axion nned to make bow his head to the ground just like this.

    After a while, Axion finally lifted his foot off the man¡¯s head.

    The man had already lost consciousness, barely hanging on to life by a thread.

    ¡°Take all these bastards away. Feed them if they listen, and if they don¡¯t, keep beating them.¡±

    ¡°You mean to keep doing what we¡¯ve been doing so far? Hehe, that¡¯s our specialty.¡±

    His subordinates chuckled darkly as they dragged the unconscious and trembling captives out.

    With this, the number of prisoners taken by the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons had reached around thirty.

    More than half of the participants in the Second Blossoming Ceremony had fallen into Axion¡¯s hands.

    ¨C The only ones still putting up a real fight are the Ranke siblings, Wellington, and Ray? This is too easy.

    ¨C Exactly. They¡¯ll all get caught soon enough. It¡¯s practically guaranteed that this Second Blossoming Ceremony is the stage for our Gathering of the Hidden Dragons.

    ¨C Even the guys from the Plum Blossom Pce have learned to bend to us. Heh!

    ¨C So, who¡¯s next on the list to beat down? I¡¯m dying of boredom since no one¡¯s putting up a challenge, haha!

    After Axion discovered that there were magical artifacts hidden in the totems that could summon beasts, the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons shifted their focus from hunting beasts to scouting out safe zones.

    Most of the safe zones had examinees resting, letting their guard down, making them easy to ambush.

    By breaking the totems, they could summon beasts effortlessly, allowing them to handle beast hunting, capturing prisoners, and resupplying materials all at once.

    It was an efficient way to kill two birds with one stone, so there was no reason to pass it up.

    Thanks to this tactic, Axion had quickly umted points, surpassing 500 and now aiming for 600.

    ¡°Ah,e to think of it, it¡¯s about time for the rankings to be announced, right?¡±

    Someone casually mentioned, andughter broke out all around.

    ¡°Do you really need to see it to know?¡±

    ¡°Who cares who¡¯s ranked first? That¡¯s obviously going to be the boss. What matters is how we¡¯re ranked among ourselves.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s true. Alright then, how about this: the lower-ranked one has to treat the higher-ranked one as an elder. Deal?¡±

    ¡°Deal, you bastard!¡±

    ¡°Haha! Looks like I¡¯m about to get myself an ugly little brother.¡±

    ¡°Talking nonsense as usual.¡±

    While the subordinates bantered about pointless topics, Axion remained silent, waiting for the examiner to appear.

    He had something he wanted to confirm as well.

    ¡®Theo Ragnar. Where the hell are you?¡¯

    Shouldn¡¯t he be showing up by now?

    As these thoughts crossed his mind¡ª

    Thud!

    The examiner suddenly dropped down to where Axion and the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons were gathered.

    Every evening at 6 PM during the Second Blossoming Ceremony, an interim score announcement was made. This was done to motivate the examinees to push themselves further.

    Naturally, all the examinees eagerly awaited this moment, wondering whether their rank had risen or fallen. If they had risen, how much higher did they need to go to reach their desired rank?

    All eyes from the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons turned toward the examiner.

    ¡°I will now announce the interim rankings. Pay attention.¡±

    The examiner, expressionless, scanned the wrecked surroundings before unfurling the scroll in his hand.

    Swish¡ª

    And then¡ª

    ¡°W-what is this¡­?¡±

    ¡°How did this happen¡­!¡±

    The examinees of the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons were all shocked, faces filled with confusion.

    Axion¡¯s expression hardened as well.

    The interim rankings were nothing like what they had expected.

    1st. Ray Ragnar (572 points)

    2nd. Axion Ragnar (561 points)

    3rd. Wellington Narcio (479 points)

    .

    .

    .

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°Examiner, there must be some mistake with the ranking!¡±

    Axion had dropped to second ce, while Ray had risen to first.

    What¡¯s more, Theo, who had been quiet until now, had also appeared on the rankings.

    36th. Theo Ragnar (82 points)

    In just one day, Theo had already climbed up to the middle of the list.

    Some began to protest the results, but¡ª

    ¡°Are you using the main administration of ipetence, just because you¡¯re trainee knights?¡±

    The examiner¡¯s cold gaze pierced through them, and their shoulders instinctively shrank back.

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant¡­!¡±

    ¡°Examiners scattered across the Winter Mountains record the scores regrly. These are then processed and distributed to us by the central administration. If you want to contest it, prove yourself through your skills.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    All the examinees fell silent.

    What in the world were Orien and his group doing?

    If they had gone after Ray, there should have been some word by now, right?

    Even if they had failed, it was hard to believe that someone could amass such a high score in just a single day.

    ¨C What¡¯s up with that score?

    ¨C The score increase for Snow-White Sword and that crippled fool is almost the same.

    ¨C Are they working together as a team?

    ¨C But what kind of monsters could they have killed to get such a huge boost in their scores¡­?

    The examinees of the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons whispered amongst themselves, all the while nervously ncing at Axion.

    Grit¡ª

    Axion clenched his teeth so hard his face was turning red, veins bulging in frustration.

    However, the shock that Axion and the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons were about to receive didn¡¯t end there.

    Momentster, one of their own, who had been missing from the gathering, came running up in a panic.

    ¡°Big¡­ big trouble! It¡¯s a disaster! Theo Ragnar and Ray Ragnar¡­!¡±

    The one who had been stationed to guard the safe zone the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons had secured.

    ¡°Th-they¡¯re raiding our base right now!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

 Chapter 43

    Chapter 43: The Secret of the Totem (3) >

    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±

    Axion asked with a hardened expression, demanding the truth from the guy.

    ¡°Th-that is¡­!¡±

    The response that followed was so frustrating that his teeth clenched hard enough to crack.

    Crunch!

    * * *

    After hearing that Axion had been going around destroying the bases of other factions, Theo and Ray decided to change their strategy.

    ¡°I just had a thought.¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    ¡°What if we turn the tables on them?¡±

    ¡°Turn¡­ the tables?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. If they realize their base is being hit repeatedly, they¡¯ll probably get really angry. And as a bonus, we can quickly raise our own score.¡±

    Ray nodded in agreement, thinking it was a good idea.

    She was already at the peak of hostility after nearly dying due to Axion and the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons¡¯ interference.

    Moreover, Axion had been maintaining his top position by stealing points that should have gone to the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons¡¯ candidates.

    Ray, who had been stuck in second ce, wanted nothing more than to drag Axion down by any means necessary.

    ¡°Plus, it¡¯s not just Axion who¡¯s targeting us, right? We don¡¯t know who or what else might pop up next. So, if we¡¯re going to clean up, we might as well sweep everything at once.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like you¡¯ve got a good n.¡±

    ¡°For now, yeah.¡±

    Theo nodded.

    What he sought wasn¡¯t just an ordinary victory.

    ¨C An overwhelming victory.

    A victory that would make everyone fear him, fall to their knees, and bow their heads without hesitation.

    A victory so undeniable that even those who didn¡¯t like him would have no choice but to recognize it.

    The Gathering of the Hidden Dragons, Plum Blossom Pce, the Central Intelligence, the Council of Elders¡­ even those who looked down on him would have to acknowledge it.

    And for that, the perfect sacrifice was Axion.

    If this n went well, the name ¡°Theo Ragnar¡± would no longer just be associated with the bastard son of the Rose Pce but would be firmly engraved in people¡¯s minds as the rightful heir to Camellia Pce.

    ¡°Alright. Whatever you do, I¡¯ll help.¡±

    Ray nodded as she watched Theo smile coldly.

    She had already made up her mind to repay yet another debt she owed him.

    Thus, the alliance between Theo and Ray began.

    And then¡­

    ¡°What, what the hell is this?!¡±

    ¡°Th-Theo Ragnar! Ray Ragnar¡¯s here too!¡±

    ¡°Damn it¡­! Why did they have toe here of all ces¡­!¡±

    From that point on, they started raiding the safe zones upied by the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons at a rapid pace.

    The minimal personnel left in these safe zones stood no chance against Theo and Ray.

    The totems were destroyed, and with them, the demonic beasts were always summoned.

    After hunting them down, all the stored supplies werepletely ruined as well.

    This was the exact reason why Theo and Ray were able to rack up points so quickly.

    Thanks to this¡ª

    With each passing day, their rankings soared at a rapid pace.

    1st. Ray Ragnar (611 points)

    2nd. Axion Ragnar (590 points)

    3rd. Wellington Narcio (526 points)

    4th. Theo Ragnar (500 points)

    .

    .

    .

    Before long, Theo, who had been lingering in the middle of the rankings, surged up to 4th ce.

    1st. Ray Ragnar (654 points)

    2nd. Axion Ragnar (600 points)

    3rd. Theo Ragnar (573 points)

    4th. Wellington Narcio (531 points)

    .

    .

    .

    Then, he advanced to 3rd ce.

    1st. Ray Ragnar (674 points)

    2nd. Theo Ragnar (612 points)

    3rd. Axion Ragnar (610 points)

    .

    .

    .

    Finally, he surpassed Axion and reached 2nd ce.

    ¡°Find him! Find this bastard no matter what!¡±

    From that point on, Axion began to rampage, doing everything he could to locate Theo and Ray.

    However, since they moved stealthily in such a small group, it was nearly impossible to track them down.

    Even if Axion managed to find a clue, by the time he arrived, they had long since left the area.

    Furthermore, Theo and Ray left mocking messages at the ces they had stayed, making Axion and the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons furious.

    As a result, nearly 70% of the bases that the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons had painstakingly built were destroyed, and arge portion of their forces were eliminated one by one, leaving many of them retired.

    But the bigger problem was that Axion had wasted so much time chasing Theo and Ray that he couldn¡¯t umte points properly.

    In the end¡ª

    1st. Theo Ragnar (721 points)

    2nd. Ray Ragnar (718 points)

    3rd. Axion Ragnar (622 points)

    .

    .

    .

    Before anyone knew it, Theo had taken 1st ce.

    ¡°Arghhhh!¡±

    Crash!

    In a fit of rage, Axion threw everything he could grab onto the floor.

    ¡°Theo Ragnar, Theo Ragnar, Theo Ragnar¡­!¡±

    His eyes were bloodshot as he gasped for breath.

    By now, the words of Ed, who had ordered him to somehow keep Theo safe from the hounds of the Council of Elders, hadpletely vanished from his mind.

    Axion felt like he wouldn¡¯t be satisfied until he caught and killed Theo.

    ¡°Uh, Axion¡­!¡±

    Just then, one of his subordinates called him cautiously.

    Axion shot him an irritated nce, and the man, drenched in cold sweat, barely managed to speak.

    ¡°Someone from Plum Blossom Pce¡­ is here¡­.¡±

    ¡°From Plum Blossom Pce?¡±

    Axion frowned, confused.

    ¡°Y-yes¡­ and from the Council of Elders as well¡­.¡±

    Both Plum Blossom Pce and the Council of Elders?

    It was an oddbination. They rarely interacted.

    But there was amon denominator this time¡ªTheo Ragnar.

    Axion stood up.

    ¡°Bring them in.¡±

    * * *

    ¡°I¡¯ve been hearing rumors that your face is a mess because of Theo Ragnartely. Looks like your face really is rotting.¡±

    Felix, a trainee swordsman from Plum Blossom Pce, was known for his considerable talent. If the Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce ever epted a disciple, it was widely believed that Felix would be the first candidate.

    But all those spections disappearedpletely with Theo¡¯s arrival.

    For that reason, Felix harbored immense hostility toward Theo.

    ¨C There¡¯s a high chance that the Council of Elders or the Director of Central Intelligence will move against Theo, so assist him from behind.

    Even the Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce¡¯s message, delivered through the proctor, was something Felixpletely disregarded.

    This was precisely why Felix hade to find Axion.

    Swish! Swish!

    des hovered near Felix¡¯s neck from both sides.

    The eyes of the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons candidates, who had drawn their swords, were fierce.

    ¡°Hey, take it easy. Take it easy. You pull this trick twice, and you might not have a head left.¡±

    But Felix wasn¡¯t particrly bothered by their threats.

    Overshadowed by the genius of the Four Lords of the North, Felix was still recognized as one of the top talents in his own right.

    And across from him¡ª

    ¡°Enough with the small talk. Let¡¯s get straight to the point. Isn¡¯t everyone here trying to stop Theo Ragnar?¡±

    At those words from Morgan, a representative of the Council of Elders¡¯ faction, both Axion and Felix turned their attention to him.

    ¡°Now that we¡¯re sure all of Haid¡¯s men are dead, we absolutely must catch Theo Ragnar. It¡¯s uneptable that some filthy bastard is threatening the rightful lineage.¡±

    Morgan spoke with a cold, hardened expression.

    ¡°So, I want to confirm if you¡¯re willing to join forces. Of course, the targets for our retribution aren¡¯t just Theo Ragnar, but also those aiding him¡ªRay Ragnar and Wellington Narcio.¡±

    Morgan looked ready to rush out and catch Theo at any moment.

    ¡®These fanatical lunatics,¡¯ Axion thought, scoffing openly as he watched the man.

    Axion held a deep-seated contempt for those who called themselves the ¡°Guardians of Ragnar¡¯s Order,¡± the pureblood supremacists.

    Of course, Axion himself took great pride in being a direct descendant of the great House of Ragnar.

    But that pride came from the fact that he possessed the skills and talents befitting his lineage, not just because he was born with pure blood.

    If he had exceptional blood butcked the ability and talent?

    He would have been the first to dispose of himself. After all, there was no greater disgrace than that.

    The pureblood supremacists, however,cked such perspective.

    To them, what mattered was only their origin, status, and bloodline. That was all they could boast about, and Axion viewed them as nothing more than fools.

    This was exactly why Axion also held Felix in contempt.

    Felix didn¡¯t even understand his own standing. He was driven solely by jealousy, harboring resentment against Theo out of nothing more than blind envy.

    A hunting dog should know its ce. It shouldn¡¯t try to be the master.

    If Felix truly desired to stand in that ce, he needed to live with some form of ¡°thought,¡± but Felix had none.

    However, the current situation was such that even borrowing the hands of a cat would be helpful.

    For now, Axion decided to sit back and watch, even if Felix and Morgan ran wild without knowing their ce.

    But after everything was over?

    ¡®I¡¯ll have to deal with them. They need to learn their ce.¡¯

    Axion¡¯s eyes gleamed menacingly for a moment.

    But it passed quickly.

    Soon, one corner of his mouth curled up into a grin.

    ¡°So, in the end, regardless of everyone¡¯s individual goals, we can cooperate for now. Alright, it seems like you¡¯ve called this little gathering with something in mind. Care to share what that is?¡±

    Felix swallowed dryly for a moment.

    He could feel Axion¡¯s malice directly.

    Knowing full well what happened to people who fell out of favor with Axion, Felix carefully continued.

    ¡°You already know what the hidden piece of the totems is, right?¡±

    Axion and Morgan didn¡¯t respond. Their silence signaled for Felix to continue.

    ¡°I heard that you have the totem that can summon a monster with a purple demonic seed. Let¡¯s set a trap with it.¡±

    Felix then motioned to one of hispanions who hade with him.

    Thud!

    As soon as the bundle he¡¯d been carrying was opened, Morgan let out a small exmation of admiration.

    The bag was filled with a dozen totems.

    ¡°We¡¯re offering these as our contribution,¡± Felix said.

    Axion read Felix¡¯s n instantly and let out a mockingugh.

    ¡°So, you want to lure that bastard with the totem that can summon a purple-marked monster, and then summon a whole bunch of monsters with these totems to gang up on him?¡±

    ¡°Exactly.¡±

    Felix nodded heavily, and Axion pped his hands, bursting intoughter.

    ¡°Wow! Our Felix, when did your guts grow this big? I never would¡¯ve guessed!¡±

    Theo and Ray had been rapidly umting points not only by stealing the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons¡¯ totems but also by specifically targeting higher-ranked monsters.

    In other words, if a totem that could summon a purple-marked monster was ced as bait, Theo would undoubtedly be tempted.

    Felix¡¯s n was to nt a bomb, figuratively speaking, in that exact spot.

    No matter how skilled Theo was, once he found himself surrounded by a horde of monsters, there wouldn¡¯t be much he could do.

    ¡°Our goal is to catch Theo Ragnar, no matter what. So, what¡¯s your answer?¡±

    ¡°Alright. We¡¯ll contribute some of our remaining totems too. The more monsters, the better,¡± Axion replied with a satisfied grin, then turned his gaze toward Morgan.

    ¡°These guys are putting in so much effort, shouldn¡¯t you do something as well, Morgan?¡±

    He tapped his sword hilt with his finger, sending a subtle message. If Morgan refused to cooperate, Axion would deal with him on the spot.

    This conspiracy couldn¡¯t be allowed to leak; it was an invitation to join them or face the consequences.

    Morgan frowned, clearly displeased, but soon twisted one corner of his mouth and replied, ¡°Fine. We¡¯ll contribute twelve totems as well. That should give us more than thirty monsters.¡±

    ¡°Big spender, huh?¡± Axion smirked.

    ¡°And,¡± Morgan added.

    ¡°There¡¯s more?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m thinking of bringing in two more people for this operation.¡±

    ¡°Who? If you¡¯re talking about bringing in random nobodies, forget it. We don¡¯t need unnecessary numbers making things moreplicated.¡±

    ¡°No need to worry. You¡¯ll like these guys, Axion.¡±

    ¡°Who are they?¡±

    Axion tilted his head, unable to think of anyone who fit the bill.

    ¡°Huh¡­¡±

    Just as Morgan was about to say something with a cold smile¡ª

    Suddenly, they all flinched.

    A chilling sensation ran down their spines.

    At the same moment, all three of them looked up.

    As if on cue.

    * * *

    ¡°It¡¯s no fun when everything goes exactly as expected, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    Theo stood at the edge of a hill, overlooking the forest clearing where Axion, Felix, Morgan, and their group were conspiring below. A faintugh escaped his lips.

    They seemed to think they were being cautious, carefully guarding their surroundings, but to Theo, who had spent a lifetime executing information operations, their efforts looked embarrassingly amateurish.

    More importantly, his vision, enhanced by spiritual essence, was far superior to any ordinary telescope. Even from this distance, he could observe their every movement in detail.

    ¡°Pl-please¡­ let me go already! I-it¡¯s enough, isn¡¯t it¡­?!¡±

    From behind, a desperate voice whined. It was Orien, tied up tightly with ropes. He had been the one who had spilled the secrets, revealing the hidden safe zones of the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons to Theo.

    His fear of Theo had shattered any sense of loyalty he once held for Axion. And now, Orien had even given away Axion¡¯s location.

    All he wanted was to escape this nightmare. The problem was whether someone like Theo, who hardly seemed human, would actually let him go¡­

    ¡°Alright. A promise is a promise, so I¡¯ll let you go.¡±

    Contrary to Orien¡¯s expectations, Theo cut through the ropes binding him with the de of his Drake¡¯s de without hesitation.

    Orien stood dumbfounded for a moment, unable to believe his luck, before bolting in the opposite direction, terrified Theo might change his mind at any moment.

    ¡°Is it okay to let him go like that?¡± Ray asked, watching Orien¡¯s retreating figure with a tilt of her head.

    Theo just smirked and waved off her concern. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He won¡¯t get far. Even if Axion spares him, the head of the Central Hall won¡¯t.¡±

    Ray nodded quietly. She knew Ed well enough to understand¡ªhe wasn¡¯t someone who forgave traitors.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re going to use that now?¡± Ray asked, her gaze shifting to Theo¡¯s feet.

    Theo nodded and opened the sack at his feet.

    ¡°Let¡¯s show them. They¡¯re not the only ones who can set traps.¡±

    The bag was filled with more than thirty disposable totems. These items were originally meant to be used for hunting the summoned monsters, but Theo¡¯s totems were all brand new, untouched.

    They¡¯ll be overjoyed when a barrage of fire rains down from the sky like fireworks, won¡¯t they?

    With that thought, Theo reached his hand into the bag.

 Chapter 44

    Chapter 44: The Secret of the Totem (4)

    Thunder Calling.

    Theo chose the magic that had defeated the Sandworm in one blow as his first spell.

    Lightning falling from the sky without warning was impossible to anticipate or prepare for in advance.

    ¡®The first strike must be fast and intense, enough to terrify them. After that, I¡¯ll surround them so they can¡¯t escape¡­¡¯

    Theo had already decided the entire sequence of magic he would use.

    Holding the artifact in his left hand, he slowly closed his eyes.

    The moment the Hatchling Synchronization aligned with the artifact, various thoughts shed through his mind.

    ¨C Lightning is strong¡­

    ¨C Falling from the sky¡­

    ¨C Thunderbolt. ..

    ¨C Firebolt¡­

    Within the artifact, the image of an old man, who appeared to be its creator, came into view.

    A magic circle being painstakingly engraved inside the artifact.

    Perhaps because he had already summoned Thunder Calling once, he could clumsily ¡®understand¡¯ the image embedded in the magic circle.

    ¡®Maybe if I study it a little more, I might actually be able to use real magic.¡¯

    Slightly surprised by this unexpected realization, Theo slowly opened his eyes.

    At the same time, he aimed his other hand, shaped like a gun, in the direction of Axion¡¯s group.

    ¡°Unleash it.¡±

    Bang!

    With a motion as if pulling the trigger,

    Boom!

    Lightning shot vertically down from the sky.

    * * *

    The lightning strike happened in an instant.

    Boom!

    ¡°Aaaah!¡±

    ¡°What the hell is this?!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s an ambush, an ambush!¡±

    A deep crater formed.

    Clouds of dust scattered in all directions.

    The shocked candidates screamed, and some tried toe up with a defense.

    Boom!

    Rumble!

    But the sessive strikes of lightning were not something that could be defended against.

    In the end, the candidates panicked and attempted to scatter in all directions.

    Morgan and Felix, pale with fear, sprang up from their seats.

    The smell of burning filled the air, and fire sparks had turned the surroundings into a sea of mes.

    ¡°This is¡­¡±

    ¡°It seems like either Theo or Wellington caught wind of something.¡±

    ¡°We have to get out of here and regroup for a counterattack¡­!¡±

    However, their thoughts were cut short.

    Lightning fell precisely on top of them.

    ¡°Ugh!¡±

    Boom!

    Morgan, who had tried to block the lightning by swinging his sword infused with magic power, took a direct hit and was thrown back.

    ¡°Drop your swords! You idiots! Let go of your swords, now!¡±

    Felix, who had narrowly avoided harm because he had gripped his sword a momentter than Morgan, screamed at the top of his lungs.

    The candidates had determined that their metal equipment posed the greatest danger.

    In response, they began hurriedly throwing away their swords, armor, and any other metal gear they had been carrying. This included the candidates from the Plum Blossom Pce, the Elder Council factions, and even those from the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons.

    ¡°You idiots¡­! What are you nning to do if you drop that?!¡±

    Axion tried to control the panicked candidates, but his voice didn¡¯t reach those who were already gripped by fear.

    At that very moment, lightning, ice arrows, and fireballs continued to rain down on them one after another.

    Axion realized that this attack was a tactic by their assants to force them to disarm. However, it was already toote.

    Whoosh!

    ¡°No, no!¡±

    ¡°The path is blocked!¡±

    ¡°Damn it, where should we go¡­?!¡±

    As expected, the mes had already drawn arge circle, blocking all escape routes for the fleeing candidates.

    The fire was so intense that no one even dared to think about trying to break through it.

    ¡°What should we do¡­?!¡±

    Everyone was panicking and shifting anxiously in ce when it happened.

    Rumble¡­!

    The ground began to tremble faintly.

    What is this?

    Felix and the other candidates instinctively looked down at their feet, and at that moment, a scorching hot wind surged up from the ground.

    And then¡ª

    It exploded.

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    Boom!

    Like a volcanic eruption, pirs of fire shot into the sky, followed by a series of explosive spells.

    Cascade of mes, Chain Explosion, Sea of Fire, Firestorm, Demon of mes, and more.

    Artifacts that Theo had never used before¡­ all detonated at once.

    And this time, they were significantly more powerful due to the amplification from Hatchling Synchronization!

    Screams and shrieks of agony echoed from everywhere, but the deafening noise of the explosions drowned them all out.

    Moreover, the location itself was too disadvantageous for any escape. The damage could only continue to worsen.

    From the sky came lightning, and from the ground, fire.

    It was hard to believe this was the same wintry mountain range, where snowstorms usually raged throughout the year. The intense heat and mes were overwhelming.

    Hell on earth. That phrase perfectly described the scene.

    And then¡ª

    Tap!

    Theo quietly descended onto the chaotic battlefield,nding softly among the debris.

    Standing in front of him, drenched in blood, was Axion.

    He had barely managed to survive the explosions and bombardments, but one of his arms and a leg were twisted in unnatural, grotesque directions.

    ¡°You¡­ you!¡±

    Tremble!

    Axion¡¯s fists quivered violently. His face, half-covered in burns, was horribly disfigured.

    ¡°If you try to target me, you should know that you¡¯ll be targeted as well.¡±

    Theo calmly brushed off Axion¡¯s rage.

    ¡°You think¡­ you¡¯ll get away with this¡­?¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you check your own situation first before you speak?¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    The Cripple of the Rose Pce dares to mock me?

    Axion¡¯s face contorted in anger as he tried to shout something back. But¡ª

    Swoosh!

    Before he could, Drake¡¯s de shed fiercely across his neck.

    Splurt!

    Blood gushed high into the air.

    ¡°As expected of one of the Four Lords of the North. Your dodging is impressive.¡±

    Theo sneered at him.

    Axion had acted like he was going to block Theo¡¯s sword head-on but then suddenly retreated in panic.

    He must have realized instinctively that shing head-on wouldn¡¯t end well for him. His reflexes were certainly sharp.

    Because of that, he only ended up with a shallow wound on his shoulder.

    Still, Axion¡¯s face flushed with humiliation. He had narrowly ¡®dodged¡¯ an attack from the Cripple of the Rose Pce, a fact that wounded his pride deeply.

    ¡®It¡¯s over.¡¯

    Theo knew that Axion was no longer a match for him.

    It was best to finish him off quickly.

    Just as he took a step forward to do so¡ª

    Whoosh!

    Suddenly, the cloud of dust surrounding them scattered, and six candidates burst out from within.

    ¡°Theo Ragnarrrrr!¡±

    ¡°You think you can do this to us?¡±

    ¡°Dieeeeee!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll kill youuuuuu!¡±

    They were members of the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons, all bearing various injuries.

    It seemed they hade to rescue Axion.

    [Skill: Hatchling Synchronization activated.]

    Theo unleashed his telekinesis.

    His targets: the scattered pebbles and stones lying at his feet.

    The sharp fragments whirled in arge vortex before shooting out like daggers.

    ¡°Ugh¡­!¡±

    ¡°Argh!¡±

    Thud!

    The candidates,pletely unprepared for the flying debris, were struck down before they could properly defend themselves.

    Even those who managed to block the stones were helpless against Theo¡¯s swift follow-up sword strikes.

    Swoosh!

    To make matters worse, Ray had now joined the battlefield.

    In an instant, thebined forces of the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons, the Elder Council, and the Plum Blossom Pce were rendered incapable of fighting.

    ¡®Did he run?¡¯

    Theo let out a scoffingugh as he nced at the spot where Axion had been. He had escaped in the chaos while Theo was distracted.

    He sacrificed all of his subordinates just to save his own skin.

    It seemed the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons wasn¡¯t built tost after all.

    Tap-tap.

    Theo activated Lark¡¯s Wing, speeding after Axion.

    Given how badly injured he was, Axion wouldn¡¯t have gotten far.

    * * *

    ¡®Theo Ragnar¡­! I¡¯ll kill you! Somehow, I¡¯ll kill you!¡¯

    As he fled the scene, Axion ground his teeth over and over in frustration.

    When had things gone so wrong?

    Everything had been prepared perfectly.

    But once the situation started spiraling out of control, it snowballed to the point where he couldn¡¯t stop it.

    ¡°Felix, Morgan¡­! Yeah, it¡¯s their fault. If those idiots had just done their jobs properly¡­!¡±

    No, it wasn¡¯t just them.

    The fools from the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons and even Orien had held him back as well.

    In the end, it was all because everything around him¡ªeveryone except him¡ªwas too stupid to perform their roles.

    ¡®Once I get out of this exam site, I¡¯ll fix everything. I¡¯ll restart the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons from scratch, and Theo Ragnar¡­! Whether I hire an assassin or whatever it takes, I¡¯ll make sure he¡¯s dead.¡¯

    Ed¡¯s orders?

    The Ancient Dragon¡¯s artifact he hadn¡¯t retrieved yet?

    What did any of that matter?

    His pride came first, before anything else.

    At that moment, Axion jerked his head up.

    He spotted a small ridge ahead.

    Beyond it was the boundary between the exam site and the outside world.

    It was also the ce where the Central Intelligence Bureau examiners were stationed.

    It was the meeting point where he was supposed to receive Ed¡¯s orders.

    If he could just reach that spot, there would be no more danger.

    ¡®I¡¯m almost there¡­!¡¯

    But Axion¡¯s hopes didn¡¯tst long.

    ¡°So this is where you ran off to?¡±

    ¡°¡­How did you¡ª?¡±

    A calm voice.

    But it sent chills down Axion¡¯s spine.

    He stiffened and quickly spun around.

    There, standing with his long hair blowing in the mountain breeze, was Theo.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have many ces to go, do you? Like a kangaroo that can¡¯t leave its mother¡¯s pouch. That¡¯s exactly who you are, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Axion¡¯s face twisted in humiliation.

    Grit!

    ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s see how long you can keep mocking me.¡±

    Axion pulled out all the totems he had stashed inside the pockets of his winter coat and smashed them one by one.

    Rumble!

    As the ground shook, various types of beasts and monsters erupted from the area around Theo and Axion.

    ¡°These were originally meant to trap you¡­ but what difference does it make whether I use them here or there?¡±

    Groooowl¡ª

    Among the summoned creatures was a fifth-grade monster with a purple demonic aura.

    A Minotaur, three meters tall with the head of a bull.

    ¡°People who can save me are close by, but what about you? Cripple of the Rose Pce, curse the mother who gave birth to you in that pathetic state.¡±

    What Axion had kept on him, just in case, turned out to be quite useful at this moment.

    He was certain Theo would die here.

    When chaos erupted, the examiners stationed nearby would soon arrive and rescue him, so he had little to worry about.

    But¡ª

    ¡°It seems like being pushed to this point has made you stop thinking, Axion.¡±

    Theo, even as he stood surrounded by the monsters, showed no signs of tension.

    Instead, he stabbed Drake¡¯s de into the ground and reached for the Moon-White Sword at his waist.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°You never wondered why I didn¡¯t use the single-use artifacts while attacking you all this time? Why I saved them up?¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    For a split second, the worst possible scenario shed through Axion¡¯s mind.

    But it was already toote.

    Click¡ª

    With the sound of the Moon-White Sword being unsheathed¡ª

    sh!

    From the bottom right to the top left, the sword drew a diagonal sh through the air.

    Roar!

    Theo awakened the sentience within the Moon-White Sword through Hatchling Synchronization.

    The deep, dormant nature of the griffin residing within it was stirred.

    Hunger. Thirst. Gluttony. Ferocity.

    The beast, always craving more, roared as it awoke, never satisfied.

    The sword trembled more violently than ever before.

    This was the reason Theo had been able to hunt countless summoned monsters without using single-use artifacts.

    No matter what type of monster they were, they all ended up being mere prey in front of the griffin.

    The very griffin that had once traumatized Theo beside the ck Dragon was now his most loyal weapon.

    And that wasn¡¯t all.

    Thunder Breathing Technique.

    Because Theo had gathered five fragments, he was now able to imbue his sword with a faint trace of lightning.

    Lightning was intense, fast, and brutal.

    It perfectlyplemented the griffin¡¯s ferocity.

    And finally, the Three Fangs of the Dragon¡ª

    The Full Blooming Plum Blossom technique of the Lord of the Plum Blossom Pce, and Ray¡¯s Ice-White Stream.

    These powers converged, forming the terrifying core of Theo¡¯s strike.

    The two opposing attributes mixed, creating a reinforced beam of light.

    sh!

    The first w, drawn in a diagonal sh, wiped out the majority of the monsters.

    The second w, striking down vertically, targeted the Minotaur¡¯s crown.

    Roar!

    The Minotaur barely deflected the beam of light with the club in its hand, but in doing so, it lost one of its arms.

    And then¡ª

    The third w, sweeping horizontally, brutally tore through the Minotaur¡¯s skull and continued its path toward Axion, who stood behind with a horrified expression.

    ¡°You¡­ you¡¯ve already awakened the artifact¡­?¡±

    That¡ªthe thing even his uncle hadn¡¯t been able to obtain?

    But Axion¡¯s thoughts didn¡¯tst long.

    A blinding wave of light filled his vision.

    Terror-stricken, his pupils turned white as the light overwhelmed him.

 Chapter 45

    Chapter 45: The Secret of the Totem (5)

    Rumble¡ª

    Dust clouds soared high into the sky.

    Theo approached Axion, who had copsed in a bloody mess.

    His breathing was faint.

    The whites of Axion¡¯s eyes had rolled back, and it seemed like he could die at the slightest touch.

    Wooong, wooong¡ª

    The Moon-White Sword hummed, as if urging him to cut Axion down.

    It whined, as though it were hungry.

    Theo narrowed his eyes.

    In both his previous and current lives, there were many things he wanted to ask Axion.

    Was it really you who harmed my mother?

    Were you involved with those who attacked me in my past life?

    But all those questions were pointless to ask here, so he quietly raised the Moon-White Sword.

    Just as he was about to strike down¡ª

    ¡°Stop your hand¡ª!¡±

    A sharp voice rang out from the sky, and four shadows suddenly descended.

    ng, ng, ng!

    Two of them drew their swords and blocked Theo¡¯s path, while the other two checked Axion¡¯s condition.

    ¡®They¡¯re examiners from the Central Intelligence Bureau faction.¡¯

    Theo nced over the group, a glint of interest briefly flickering in his eyes.

    At that moment¡ª

    Ding!

    [A quest has arrived.]

    +

    [Tutorial Quest #16]

    Eliminate ¡®Axion Ragnar,¡¯ who is currently being protected by the enemies blocking your path.

    ¡¤ Difficulty: B

    ¡¤ Reward: 1 Coin

    ¡¤ Failure Penalty: ¡ö¡ö

    +

    ¡®Another quest with a coin reward? And this time, the objective is to kill Axion Ragnar¡­ It means I must see it through.¡¯

    The difficulty was B-rank, no small feat.

    But Theo actually found it quite convenient.

    He had no intention of letting Axion go anyway.

    ¡°What is the condition of Applicant Axion Ragnar?¡±

    ¡°His condition is critical. We¡¯ve detected signs of magic power backflow. He needs to be transported to the medical room immediately.¡±

    The examiner checking Axion¡¯s pulse spoke with a shaky voice.

    Axion¡¯s condition was clearly dire.

    If left unattended for a few more minutes, he would certainly die.

    The fact that Axion Ragnar, known as one of the strongest among the Four Lords of the North, was gravely injured would surely cause an uproar if word got out.

    ¡°Do you n to continue blocking my path? As far as I know, the test is not yet over.¡±

    Theo¡¯s indifferent tone cut through the air as he addressed the two examiners still standing in his way.

    The faces of the examiners hardened immediately at his words.

    ¡°The purpose of this test is to assess how well applicants cooperate, strategize, and n while hunting monsters. I don¡¯t recall anything about having applicants kill each other.¡±

    Heh¡ª

    Theo let out a briefugh.

    He could see right through their intentions.

    ¡°There wasn¡¯t anything about not fighting either, was there?¡±

    ¡°What¡­?¡±

    ¡°And, if I recall correctly, one of the evaluation criteria of this test is not just the teamwork among members, but also how teams gain an advantage over others throughpetition.¡±

    ¡°So, you tried to harm Applicant Axion for that?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just a conflict that urred in the midst of teampetition.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t justify murder.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m simply the type to avoid leaving anything behind that could someday hold me back. This was merely a way to confirm that.¡±

    ¡°But the conflict between you and Applicant Axion has already ended in your favor. With the test still ongoing, there¡¯s no way Applicant Axion could cause any further harm to you.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that for me to judge, not you?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    The examiner furrowed his brow.

    It was infuriating enough that a mere illegitimate child dared to talk back without backing down, but now he was even challenging the examiner¡¯s authority.

    ¡¸Captain!¡¹

    At that moment, a subordinate holding Axion sent a telepathic message that snapped the examiner back to his senses.

    His only priority now was saving the nephew of his lord.

    ¡°Immediately transport Applicant Axion Ragnar to the medical room!¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir¡ª!¡±

    Just as the subordinate began to stand up, carrying Axion¡ª

    Saak!

    He froze mid-step, stumbling back in shock.

    A sharp w from the Moon-White Sword had grazed right in front of him, blocking his path.

    ¡°The final decision regarding this incident has yet to be made. No one is allowed to leave until a conclusion is reached.¡±

    Swish, swish¡ª

    Theo lowered the Moon-White Sword, from which steam was rising, and red menacingly.

    The examiner¡¯s face flushed bright red with rage.

    ¡°The right to make judgments about unforeseen incidents during the test lies solely with the examiners. If you wish to contest this, follow the proper procedures after the exam has concluded. But if you continue to interfere, I will disqualify you for obstructing official duties and transfer you to the Judgment Hall.¡±

    ¡®That should shut him up for good.¡¯ Disqualification would be a crushing blow for any Blossoming Ceremony applicant, after all.

    The examiner shot a look at his subordinate, signaling him to move Axion.

    Whoosh!

    [¡®Skill: Lesser Drake¡¯s Fear¡¯ is confronting those with hostile intent.]

    ¡°You dare¡ª!¡±

    Theo¡¯s murderous intent, sharp enough to make their skin tingle, froze them in ce.

    Cha-cha-chang!

    In the end, all four examiners drew their swords, determined to leave despite Theo¡¯s presence.

    ¡°Calling your interference ¡®official duties¡¯ in the sacred Blossoming Ceremony, where external involvement is supposed to be minimized? You lot have certainly overstepped your bounds.¡±

    But Theo, refusing to back down, unleashed even more killing intent.

    At that moment, he wasn¡¯t just a mere applicant but a sessor facing them with full authority.

    And then¡ª

    ¡°Well said.¡±

    That was the signal. Three new shadows appeared behind Theo.

    There were only three, but their aura was far more imposing than that of the Central Intelligence Bureau¡¯s examiners.

    ¡®The White Armored Dragon Cavalry¡­!¡¯

    Theo immediately recognized their affiliation by their presence.

    They exuded a simr air to Julius¡ªcalm and lofty, like the vast skies, yet sharp and formidable, much like the aura of a dragon.

    ¡°Selperd! Are you seriously going to cross swords with us?¡±

    A man with white hair, Selperd, an examiner from the White Armored Dragon Cavalry, sneered coldly.

    ¡°Why not? Didn¡¯t you just say with your own mouth that the judgment of incidents is the legitimate right of an examiner?¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°I judge that your involvement has exceeded the allowable limit of examiner authority and has be an abuse of power. So, put him down and step back. If you have objections, follow the proper procedures after the test concludes.¡±

    Tyrone, the examiner from the Central Intelligence Bureau, flushed even redder.

    Having his own words thrown back at him infuriated him.

    The problem was that Selperd wasn¡¯t the only one challenging his decision.

    ¡°We agree with Examiner Selperd.¡±

    More figures descended quietly, like falling petals.

    This time, it was the examiners from the Plum Blossom Pce.

    There were four of them in total.

    ¡°When there¡¯s a disagreement between examiners, the protocol is to determine the situation through a majority vote from the examiners in the vicinity.¡±

    Natasha, an examiner from Plum Blossom Pce, cast a cold gaze over Tyrone and his group.

    ¡°It seems that Examiner Selperd¡¯s argument holds more credibility. I advise you, Examiner Tyrone, to put down Applicant Axion and step back. That is, if you wish to avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings.¡±

    Though it was framed as advice, it was nothing short of a threat, implying that force would be used if he refused.

    Even if few adhered to it strictly, examiners were still bound by a duty of neutrality.

    Grind!

    Tyrone clenched his teeth, weighing his options.

    He couldn¡¯t simply leave Axion and retreat as Selperd and Natasha suggested. Doing so would almost certainly lead to Axion¡¯s death, and they would bear the full responsibility.

    But fighting the seven of them head-on would be just as reckless.

    They might as well kill everyone to silence them if they wanted to seed, but realistically, they were no match for thebined strength of Selperd and his group.

    So what could they do?

    ¡®Damn it! Is death the only way out?¡¯

    Tyrone made his decision¡ªthey would sacrifice themselves. Their goal was to somehow let Axion and the subordinate carrying him escape.

    Even if they died here, their lord would protect their remaining families. And one day, they would avenge this loss.

    They had unwavering faith in Ed Troyban.

    The three exchanged quick nces.

    ¡°Now!¡±

    sh¡ª

    Tyrone and the other two rushed at Selperd and Natasha with all their might, while the subordinate carrying Axion bolted in the opposite direction.

    ¡°Do they seriously think they can take us on?!¡±

    Selperd¡¯s face twisted in a sneer before hardening, realizing something was off about Tyrone¡¯s desperate charge.

    ¡°Examiner Selperd! Activate your Aura Shield, now!¡±

    Natasha, sensing Tyrone¡¯s true intent, shouted urgently.

    Her face had gone pale, veins bulging beneath her skin.

    The signs were unmistakable.

    It was the precursor to Reverse Blood Explosion, a suicidal technique where one forcibly reverses their magic flow, pushing their strength several levels beyond its limit.

    ¡°For the eternal Troyban!¡±

    Selperd gritted his teeth, expanding his aura into a wide shield in front of him, while Natasha and the other Plum Blossom Pce examiners unleashed sword energy at Tyrone and his group.

    They tried to stop their advance at all costs.

    But Tyrone and hisrades, already prepared to die, paid no heed to their injuries and closed the distance rapidly.

    Tat-tat-tat-tat-tat¡ª

    Sharp gusts of wind swirled violently, cutting through the air and scattering snow in all directions.

    Boom, boom, boom!

    Then¡ª

    Swiiiish¡ª

    Suddenly, Tyrone, just moments from colliding with Selperd, abruptly shifted his trajectory, veering to the side.

    It was only then that Selperd realized Tyrone¡¯s true target, and he let out a scream.

    ¨C Tyrone was charging directly toward Theo at full speed.

    ¡°Damn it! Protect Theo Ragnar!¡±

    Natasha and the others quickly turned their attention toward Theo, hurling sword energy in his direction. But it was toote.

    ¡®No matter what, I must take him down! If I let him live, he¡¯ll surely be an obstacle to Troyban¡¯s grand ambitions¡­!¡¯

    Tyrone¡¯s eyes were bloodshot with rage.

    ¡°Die, Theo Ragnar!¡±

    Tyrone¡¯s sharp de closed in on Theo in an instant.

    Despite suffering multiple injuries from the sword energy that Selperd and Natasha had frantically sent his way, nothing could stop his charge.

    And yet, even with death looming before him, Theo showed no sign of fear. It was as if he didn¡¯t consider the situation to be his problem at all.

    Instead, he calmly reached out his empty hand in front of him.

    What¡¯s this?

    Tyrone had that fleeting thought just moments before he realized why.

    ¨C Theo wasn¡¯t looking at him.

    Theo was pulling at the empty air, as if grasping something invisible.

    Almost like there was an unseen hook in his hand.

    [¡®Skill: Hatchling Synchronization¡¯ has fiercely pulled the target marked by telekinesis!]

    At that moment, Theo visualized his telekic power as the hand of a giant, invisible to all.

    Just as Tyrone¡¯s de was about to strike, Theo imagined that giant hand reaching far into the distance, grabbing the necks of Axion and the Central Intelligence Bureau¡¯s examiner who was carrying him.

    With immense force, the two were violently yanked backward, tumbling across the cold snowy ground.

    Fwoosh¡ª

    Using the momentum from that powerful telekic pull, Theo soared into the sky, swiftly passing over Tyrone and the others.

    sh!

    Tyrone¡¯s sword narrowly missed the spot where Theo had just been standing.

    It was a miraculous maneuver, so extraordinary that even those watching¡ªincluding Tyrone and the other examiners¡ªwere momentarily dumbfounded.

    ¡°Noooo!¡± Tyrone¡¯s anguished cry echoed through the air.

    As Theo descended in an arc, hended precisely where Axion and his subordinate had fallen.

    The Moon-White Sword gleamed once more, radiating light as it unleashed another brilliant strike.

    Saak!

    * * *

    ¡®Captain¡­! I will never forget your sacrifice!¡¯

    The subordinate, carrying Axion on his back, gritted his teeth, holding back the tears threatening to fall.

    One day, he would repay this humiliation.

    With that vow in mind, he continued running when¡ª

    ¡°Huh? Wh-what¡­?¡±

    Suddenly, it felt as though an invisible force had seized him, pulling him violently backward.

    Before he could even react, he and Axion were tumbling through the cold snow, unable to resist the overwhelming force.

    ¡®What on earth¡­!¡¯

    His thoughts were cut short.

    Even before he couldprehend the situation, the sky above was already filled with blinding white light.

    Rumble¡ª

    The Dragon¡¯s w didn¡¯t just aim for the heads of Axion and his subordinate¡ªit tore through the snowy ground as well, sweeping it with terrifying force.

    Steam rose from the intense heat of the impact, billowing into the air.

    Thud!

    Theonded gracefully on the now bloodstained snow, his feet touching the ground without a sound.

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°No, no, no! Axion, nooooooo!¡±

    The scene of Theo standing on the white and red-streaked earth was so chilling and alien, yet, at the same time, mesmerizingly beautiful.

    People were left in a daze, staring at him for what felt like an eternity.

    As Selperd and Natasha stood frozen, speechless, Tyrone was overwhelmed with shock and despair, letting out a desperate scream.

    In that moment, the effects of Reverse Blood Explosion began to wear off, and Tyrone¡¯s body rapidly aged, his face bing withered.

    ¡°This can¡¯t¡­ be¡­ happening¡­¡±

    Meanwhile, Theo was calmly checking his new rewards.

    Ding!

    Ding!

    [Congrattions! You have sessfullypleted Tutorial Quest #16 by oveing overwhelmingly unfavorable odds.]

    [Evaluation: A+]

    [Your level has increased.]

    [You have surpassed Level 20.]

    [You have earned 1 Coin as a reward.]

    [As an additional reward based on your evaluation, you have unlocked ess to the .]

    ¡®The shop?¡¯

    Theo¡¯s thoughts lingered on the connection between the coin and the shop. It seemed the two were linked in some way.

    Curious, Theo reached out to open the shop menu.

 Chapter 46

    Chapter 46: Overwhelming Gap (1) >

    [Opening the Shop window.]

    +

    [Shop]

    ¨C Current Coin Count: 3

    ¨C List

    ¨C Items under 10 coins (¡÷)

    ¨C Items under 50 coins (¡÷)

    ¨C [Unavable for viewing]

    ¨C [Unavable for viewing]

    ¨C [Unavable for viewing]

    +

    ¡®There are so many things that are locked here, too.¡¯

    Theo chuckled. Why did there have to be so many secrets everywhere?

    It was clear that the unavable items likely belonged to the 50 coins and above category. In any case, since Theo¡¯s current coin count wasn¡¯t nearly enough, he wasn¡¯t particrly curious about those.

    Instead, he was more intrigued by the two essible categories.

    Items under 10 coins and under 50 coins.

    What on earth could be in there?

    +

    [Items under 10 coins (¨‹)]

    ¨C Weapons

    ? One-handed weapons (¡÷)

    ? Two-handed weapons (¡÷)

    ? Ranged weapons (¡÷)

    ? Secondary weapons

    ¨C Armor (¡÷)

    ¨C essories (¡÷)

    ¨C Collectibles (¡÷)

    +

    ¡®So, it¡¯s categorized by type.¡¯

    Just as [Weapons] were divided into subcategories like ¡®One-handed weapons¡¯ and ¡®Two-handed weapons,¡¯

    [Armor] was divided into ¡®Upper body¡¯ and ¡®Lower body¡¯ categories,

    [essories] into things like ¡®Nes¡¯ and ¡®Rings,¡¯

    and [Collectibles] into subcategories like ¡®Potions¡¯ or ¡®Talismans.¡¯ The list went on and on.

    ¡®This is pretty interesting.¡¯

    However, Theo decided to set aside exploring the Shop window for now.

    That was because Selperd and Natasha were approaching him.

    ¡°How¡¯s your body holding up?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, thanks to you.¡±

    Theo nodded casually in response to Selperd¡¯s question, but he didn¡¯t forget to keep the Moon-White Sword pointed at Natasha, who was following behind.

    ¡°What are you doing? I¡¯m the one who helped you.¡±

    Natasha looked slightly offended.

    She had risked even going against the Central Intelligence Bureau to assist him under the orders of the Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce.

    And yet, she was being met with hostility in return.

    ¡°Are you asking because you truly don¡¯t know?¡±

    ¡°What don¡¯t I know?¡±

    ¡°Ask Felix directly.¡±

    ¡°Felix¡­?¡±

    What in the world was he talking about?

    ¡®Could it be¡­?¡¯

    Suddenly, Natasha came to a realization.

    Felix had been found in critical condition in the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons¡¯ territory. Up until now, she thought it was because Felix had fought with them and ended up like that. But if that wasn¡¯t the case¡­

    ¡°Hurry and confirm it. If it¡¯s true that we made a mistake¡­ I¡¯ll formally apologize. Just know this has nothing to do with the Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce¡¯s intentions.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Theo didn¡¯t respond hastily.

    Although he knew the true intentions of the Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce, now was not the time to recklessly reveal his feelings.

    This, too, was merely an extension of politics.

    Natasha bit her lower lip tightly, then bowed her head once again to Theo before quickly leaving the ce.

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know exactly what¡¯s going on, but don¡¯t hate them too much. Just like ourmander, they¡¯ve been thinking of you fondly for a long time.¡±

    At Selperd¡¯s words, Theo quietly nodded.

    ¡°By the way, I¡¯ve beente in introducing myself. I¡¯m Selperd Gardner. If youe to join our White Armored Dragon Cavalry, I¡¯ll be your direct senior. I look forward to working with you.¡±

    As Theo grasped Selperd¡¯s outstretched hand, he was a little surprised inside.

    If he was a Gardner, that meant he belonged to one of the Six Snow Families, a house renowned for its exceptional unity, often referred to as the ¡®House of the Wolf.¡¯

    Because of this, they rarely sent people outside, yet someone had been assigned to the White Armored Dragon Cavalry¡­!

    Crunch!

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    Theo nced at Selperd in response to the pressure being applied to his hand.

    What is this guy doing?

    Selperd was grinning.

    ¡°You¡¯lle, right? To the White Armored Dragon Cavalry?¡±

    Theo gave an awkward smile.

    ¡°When our big-heartedmander would go on and on about you, I always wondered why. But now that I¡¯ve met you in person¡­ I can see why. Even I want you now.¡±

    Even when Theo tried to pull his hand away, Selperd wouldn¡¯t let go.

    As if he had no intention of ever releasing it.

    ¡°You¡¯ve got not only the skills but also the personality I like. Anyway, you¡¯d bettere. Got it? Hm? Hm?¡±

    Selperd leaned in closer, his eyes gleaming, making Theo take a step back in difort.

    At that moment, a hand reached out and yanked Selperd by the nape of his neck.

    ¡°Stop forcing him. Just looking at your repulsive face is enough to make someone lose any interest.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my face?!¡±

    ¡°Look in a mirror before you talk and until he officially bes our junior, Theo Ragnar is still a legitimate sessor. Did you bite your tongue or something? Show some respect and use honorifics.¡±

    The one pulling Selperd back was a woman of a somewhat smaller build.

    She, too, wore the examiner¡¯s uniform with the symbol of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry.

    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to properly discipline this rude idiot. Please forgive his behavior.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. Thank you for your help today.¡±

    Theo offered a polite greeting.

    The woman, Arin Negative, looked slightly surprised.

    She had never seen a Ragnar of Theo¡¯s age with such good manners before.

    ¡°Is that why the Captain is so protective of him? Evelyn took him in as a swordsmanship disciple, and he¡¯s got such a great personality too? Almost too good, really.¡±

    For Arin, who admired Evelyn more than anyone in the world, her affection for Theo was quickly growing.

    ¡°Geez, you¡¯re not my mom, stop nagging¡­¡±

    ¡°What did you say, punk?¡±

    ¡°Hehehe, nothing! I didn¡¯t say anything at all, really.¡±

    Selperd brushed off Arin¡¯s sharp gaze yfully, then turned back to Theo.

    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll be waiting for you to join us as our junior¡­ once the Blossoming Ceremony is over,e find us right away. You understand? Oh, don¡¯t worry about the cleanup, we¡¯ll handle it all.¡±

    Selperd, who was about to drop the formal speech again, quickly switched back to politenguage after receiving another sharp re from Arin.

    Theo couldn¡¯t help but burst into a smallugh.

    With such a free-spirited atmosphere, he began to think that the White Armored Dragon Cavalry might not be a bad fit after all.

    Although he wasn¡¯t entirely convinced yet.

    ¡°I¡¯ll think about it positively.¡±

    ¡°Not just positively, why don¡¯t you decide right here and now¡­¡±

    ¡°Please ignore him, we¡¯ll be off now.¡±

    Arin, sensing that the conversation was dragging on too long, offered a brief farewell and dragged Selperd away from the scene.

    ¡°Whew¡­¡±

    Left alone, Theo took a long, deep breath.

    The ce, which had been filled with chaotic battle just moments ago, was now eerily quiet.

    He had a lot to organize as well.

    * * *

    Theo not only gathered up all the demonic seeds from the monsters Axion had summoned, but also managed to seize the demonic seeds that the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons had been collecting.

    Their base had been piled high with the seeds.

    Thanks to this,

    He not only earned points but also arge number of ciphers for the Attribute Breathing Techniques.

    ¡®They figured out the hidden piece regarding the totems, but it seems they didn¡¯t know about the one for the mantras.¡¯

    The fewer people who knew about the Attribute Breathing Techniques, the better it was for Theo, so this was a fortunate turn of events.

    Theo had now collected a total of seven mantras for the Thunder Breathing Technique.

    Only two more remained.

    In addition to this, he also managed to gather quite a few mantras from the me and Frost breathing techniques, which would prove to be useful.

    And finally¡­

    ¡®I¡¯ve reached level 20 and unlocked new privileges.¡¯

    [Observing ¡®Theo Ragnar¡¯.]

    +

    Theo Ragnar (Age: 15 / Male)

    ¡¤ Level: 20

    ¡¤ Stats (¨‹)

    Strength: 102

    Agility: 42

    Stamina: 26

    Magic Power: 228

    Intelligence: 24

    Luck: 5

    ¡¤ Skills (¨‹)

    ¨C Lesser Drake Fear

    ¨C Hatchling Synchronization

    ¡¤ [ess Restricted]

    ¡¤ Current Coin Count: 3

    +

    Theo silently rejoiced over the fact that he had finally surpassed level 20.

    It was simply a change in the leading number, but even that gave him an immense sense of aplishment, one that couldn¡¯t be easily described.

    The feeling of growing step by step was invigorating for him.

    Especially since his [Agility] had increased by a significant margin.

    He had funneled all his additional stats into Agility, thinking he should make it his next stat to reach a 100 coefficient after Strength.

    ¡®The more agile my body bes, the faster my attack and movement speed will be.¡¯

    But the most eye-catching part of his status window was elsewhere.

    [Current Coin Count: 3]

    Coins.

    The coins he had received as rewards thus far were meant to be used in the shop window.

    +

    [One-handed Weapons (¨‹)]

    ¨C Gem-Crafted Dagger

    ¨C Asadal¡¯s Dagger

    ¨C Folded Nine Times Dagger

    .

    .

    +

    The item list appeared in the lowest category.

    Theo tapped on the item at the top of the list with his hand.

    +

    [Gem-Crafted Dagger]

    ¡¤ Type: Dagger

    ¡¤ Attack Power: 5~10

    ¡¤ Equip Requirement: Strength 5

    ¡¤ Effect: 15% durability loss at a fixed probability

    ¡¤ Price: 1 coin

    +

    ¡®As I thought, these coins are currency. I can buy whatever items I want.¡¯

    It seemed that beginner-series weapons and equipment were mostly given as quest rewards, but from now on, it was up to him to buy the items he wanted.

    For Theo, this was a wee development.

    Most of the equipment he had been given so far, except for essories, had be too worn or damaged to be of any use.

    And it seemed like the quality of the weapons sold in the shop wasn¡¯t bad either.

    Even the dagger he was looking at now had attack powerparable to the [Beginner¡¯s Training Sword], and its effects were superior.

    A forced reduction in equipment durability.

    Depending on how it was used, it could destroy the opponent¡¯s equipment and give Theo an advantage in battle.

    Compared to actual artifacts, acquiring an item of this quality would normally require a significant amount of gold.

    If this was the lowest-grade item, what about those above it?

    There was no need to look further to see their potential.

    ¡®I have a total of 3 coins left. Should I buy something decent with this? Or should I save up more coins?¡¯

    Or was there another way to earn coins besides quests?

    ¡®A shop usually allows you to buy things, but you can also sell items¡­!¡¯

    With that thought, Theo opened his inventory for the first time in a while.

    Theo tapped on one of the items he had secretly collected while hunting monsters, thinking it might be useful as artifact material.

    +

    [Sap of a Sandworm]

    ¡¤ Description: The sap of a unique sandworm found in cold regions, where perennial snow piles up. It seems to be a good material for crafting cold-resistant items.

    ¡¤ Price: 2 coins

    +

    ¡®So, I can sell these too.¡¯

    Theo proceeded to sell all the materials he had gathered over time, along with the beginner-series items that were no longer of use to him.

    Some items were valued at 0 coins, indicating they had no market value, but despite that, Theo managed to increase his coin count significantly to a total of 19 coins.

    This allowed him to browse items priced under 50 coins.

    ¡®I hope I can find something good.¡¯

    Fortunately, while scrolling through the list, he found an item he had been looking for.

    +

    [Death-bit]

    ¡¤ Type: Throwing Dagger, Dagger

    ¡¤ Attack Power: 25~30

    ¡¤ Equip Requirement: Level 20

    ¡¤ Effects

    ¨C A certain chance to inflict ¡®Critical Injury¡¯

    ¨C High probability of triggering the ¡®Bleeding¡¯ curse

    ¨C uracy +36%

    ¨C 15% chance to pierce through armor

    ¨C Automatic recovery of position

    ¡¤ Price: 4 coins

    +

    [Would you like to purchase ¡®Death-bit¡¯?]

    ¡®This is it.¡¯

    Telekinesis had already proven to be incredibly helpful in battle, acting like an invisible hand in various ways.

    From his hidden techniques involving pebbles to capturing Axion¡¯s fleeing party with the ¡°Invisible Giant Hand.¡±

    However, it had its limitations.

    Theo¡¯s current weapons, like the Moon-White Sword and Drake¡¯s de, were too heavy for effective use with telekinesis.

    ¡®So, for smoother use, I needed a decent-sized dagger¡­ and this is even better than I imagined.¡¯

    The options on the Death-bit were exceptional.

    With Critical Injury and Bleeding effects, it was perfect for hunting monsters and killing enemies.

    And the fact that it automatically returned to its position meant Theo wouldn¡¯t have to go through the hassle of retrieving it.

    How convenient was that?

    It was as if this weapon had been made specifically for him at this moment.

    [You have purchased ¡®Death-bit ¡Á4¡¯ for 16 coins.]

    [Remaining Coin Count: 3]

    Though it was a considerable expense, the satisfaction outweighed the cost.

    ¡®Now that I¡¯ve bought them, I should test them out.¡¯

    Theo pulled the four Death-bits from his inventory and activated his telekinesis.

    Whishhh¡ª

    The Death-bits rose into the air with a soft ttering sound, floating steadily in the space around him.

    With a few more adjustments, the daggers began spinning in a neat line around Theo, circling him smoothly.

    This was the result of the constant telekinesis practice he had done with pebbles whenever he had the chance.

    Theo¡¯s gaze shifted to a nearby patch of grass, where nothing seemed to be.

    Swish!

    One of the Death-bits shifted horizontally, then shot forward like an arrow.

    The rest of the Death-bits followed closely behind.

    Theo¡¯s eyes gleamed more intensely than ever, like a child who had just discovered a new toy.

    * * *

    A few more days passed, and finally, thest day of the second Blossoming Ceremony arrived.

    1st. Theo Ragnar (1,321 points)

    2nd. Ray Ragnar (1,002 points)

    3rd. Erika Ranke (826 points)

    4th. Wellington Narcio (789 points)

 Chapter 47

    Chapter 47: Overwhelming Gap (2)

    The number of applicants who reached the final evaluation hall had nearly halvedpared to the beginning.

    This was because many had retired during thepetition, which spanned over the past two weeks.

    As a result, the atmosphere among the remaining applicants was one of collective shock.

    For the first time, they were experiencing firsthand the oue of apetitive society.

    Some of them even had fierce, murderous looks in their eyes.

    However, the examiners showed little reaction to this.

    It was something they went through every year.

    They were surprised, but for different reasons.

    The number of final survivors was significantly higher than the average in previous years.

    ¡°They said this batch has the highest talent in history¡­¡±

    ¡°In any normal year, the scores of the Four Lords of the North would¡¯ve easily secured first ce, but now they¡¯re trailing behind.¡±

    ¡°Theo Ragnar is no child to be underestimated¡­¡±

    ¡°Even Ray Ragnar, who was known as the weakest of the Four Lords of the North, is in second ce.¡±

    ¡°And that¡¯s not all. You should also keep an eye on Erika Ranke, Holcus Ranke¡¯s sister. There¡¯s no doubt she¡¯s a talent.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s like Axion Ragnar¡¯s death isn¡¯t even a loss at all.¡±

    As such opinions were exchanged,

    The applicants were once again stunned when they saw the final results.

    ¡°Theo Ragnar is in first ce again?¡±

    ¡°I heard rumors that Axion and the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons retired, but¡­ was it true?¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t just retirement, some are saying that a few even died.¡±

    ¡°Even the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons was there. This is insane.¡±

    ¡°How are we supposed to beat that guy?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m already worried about the third test¡­¡±

    ¡°But the official announcement for the top scorer hasn¡¯te out yet. Let¡¯s just wait a little longer.¡±

    ¡°There hees!¡±

    At someone¡¯s words, all the applicants turned their eyes toward the entrance.

    Theo and Ray were walking into the evaluation hall.

    Both of them were covered in dust and dirt, as if they had just returned from a battle.

    But no one dared to dismiss them.

    The sharpness in their eyes was too intense.

    Even some of the examiners flinched.

    ¡°They¡¯ve bothpletely transformed from this test¡­¡±

    Theo bowed his head toward the judge who stood on the tform.

    ¡°I was a bitte because I was handling thest monster.¡±

    The judge silently nodded, while the examiner standing near the scoreboard quickly corrected the scores after listening to a whisper from another examiner.

    1st. Theo Ragnar (1,521 points)

    2nd. Ray Ragnar (1,102 points)

    3rd. Erika Ranke (926 points)

    ¡°W-What? They just raised the score by two hundred points at once?¡±

    ¡°Even Ray Ragnar¡¯s score jumped by a hundred points¡­!¡±

    ¡°This is insane¡­!¡±

    ¡°What the hell did they do in the meantime?¡±

    As the murmuring spread through the crowd, the judge¡¯s booming voice silenced everyone.

    ¡°Quiet, all of you-!¡±

    The room went as still as if someone had poured ice water over the crowd.

    Sword Tiger, until just moments ago. The supervising examiner has confirmed that there was no procedural issue, so no objections will be epted-!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    The Demon Sword Tiger was a notorious 5th-ss monster, known for having bones and skin so tough that even des couldn¡¯t prate them. It was also extremely fast, making it one of the hardest monsters to hunt in its ss.

    Moreover, since they typically hunted in packs of three or four, the difficulty of taking them down was said to rival that of a 4th-ss monster.

    That they had sessfullypleted the hunt meant that they had likely taken down a group of them all at once.

    It was such an impressive feat that even the judge, who was obligated to remain impartial, couldn¡¯t help but express admiration.

    ¡°Theo Ragnar and Ray Ragnar, stand in your ces.¡±

    Theo and Ray bowed their heads and moved to their designated spots.

    At that moment, Theo¡¯s eyes briefly met Wellington¡¯s.

    ¡®You¡¯ve grown even stronger, haven¡¯t you? As expected of Lord Theo. You¡¯re unbelievable, truly beyond words.¡¯

    Wellington let out a hollowugh at the sight of Theo, who had widened the gap between them even further.

    ¡®He¡¯s changed. Did something happen?¡¯

    Theo, for his part, was equally surprised by Wellington¡¯spletely transformed demeanor.

    He had been puzzled by how low Wellington¡¯s score waspared to his skill level, wondering if something had happened.

    It seemed clear now that Wellington had been up to something unrted to the exam.

    ¡®What kind of opportunity did hee across?¡¯

    Theo was already curious about the secret weapon his closest friend in this life had obtained.

    ¡°Now that everyone is here, we will begin the final evaluation-!¡±

    At the judge¡¯s words, Theo and the rest of the applicants turned their attention to him.

    However, the more observant applicants sensed something was off and tilted their heads in confusion.

    -The final evaluation?

    -So the rankings posted over there aren¡¯t the end?

    ¡°When I announced the content of this second test, I mentioned that the results would be based on the total umted score. However, the truth is, this test consisted of two parts. Does anyone know what the second part is?¡±

    At that moment, confusion spread across the faces of the applicants.

    A sudden mention of another test?

    ¡°Those who know, raise your hand.¡±

    A few people raised their hands.

    Theo and Wellington.

    ¡®Was the opportunity rted to the Attribute Breathing Technique?¡¯

    Theo looked slightly surprised when he saw Wellington.

    Wellington, too, looked over at him and let out a hollowugh.

    ¡®What¡¯s going on? In my past life, Wellington definitely never unlocked the hidden piece.¡¯

    It was rare for someone to uncover the secret of the Attribute Breathing Technique¡ªperhaps one person in an entire cohort might figure it out.

    It had been the same in Theo¡¯s past life.

    Even in the cohort that was hailed as the most talented in history, only one person had discovered it.

    And now, there was one more.

    Wellington.

    What had changed?

    ¡®Could this be¡­ the butterfly effect?¡¯

    As Theo pondered this, two more people suddenly raised their hands from elsewhere in the room.

    One was right beside him.

    ¡°Ray?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re so sneaky, Theo. You hid this from me? Did you think I wouldn¡¯t find out?¡±

    Ray narrowed her eyes slightly, grumbling as she spoke.

    Theo gave her a wry smile.

    It seemed that after examining the patterns inside the cave multiple times, she had picked up on the secret to some extent.

    ¡®I should have just exined it to her in advance. Now I¡¯ve caused a misunderstanding. Meanwhile, things on the other side are just as I expected.¡¯

    As Theo pondered how to soothe Ray¡¯s irritation, he nced to the side.

    There, standing next to Holcus Ranke, was a woman with a simr face, also raising her hand.

    ¡®Erika Ranke.¡¯

    Holcus Ranke¡¯s older sister.

    The next head of the Ranke family and a prodigy once known as the ¡°White Bear.¡±

    She was originally the only person who had uncovered the Attribute Breathing Technique.

    ¡®The future I know is slowly starting to shift.¡¯

    Theo was unsure how to interpret this.

    He had anticipated that the future might change after he revealed his abilities and Axion¡¯s death shifted the course of events.

    But now, as he witnessed unexpected developments, he felt a strange mix of emotions.

    Would these changes lead to something good in the future, or would they turn into a disaster?

    There was no way to tell.

    ¡°So, four people have uncovered the secret? This cohort is definitely different.¡±

    The judge, unaware of the significance of this situation, smiled at the unexpected result.

    From his perspective, as someone managing the House of Ragnar, the emergence of new talents was always a wee development.

    The judge then began pointing at the individuals who had raised their hands, asking each one.

    ¡°Erika Ranke, you first. What did you gain? Depending on your answer, there may be additional points.¡±

    Erika stepped forward and answered.

    ¡°¡®me,¡¯¡± Erika answered.

    ¡°And how many?¡± the judge asked.

    ¡°Four.¡±

    ¡°Show us.¡±

    The applicants who were unaware of the hidden piece looked back and forth between the judge and Erika, only for their eyes to widen in shock.

    Whirl, whirl, whirl!

    Crackle, crackle¡ª

    A gust of magical wind swirled around Erika, and soon, small sparks of fire began to leap into the air.

    And then¡ª

    Fwoosh!

    The sparks linked together, forming arge me, like a will-o¡¯-the-wisp, spinning rapidly around Erika.

    ¡°Elemental manifestation¡­!¡±

    The ability to imbue magic with an elemental attribute was something only granted to high-ranking officials or those considered extraordinary talents within the House of Ragnar.

    Naturally, the astonishment in the room grew.

    ¡°Erika Ranke, you pass. For each hidden syble, you are awarded 100 points, for a total of 400 points.¡±

    With the judge¡¯s deration, the scoreboard swiftly updated.

    1st. Theo Ragnar (1,521 points)

    2nd. Erika Ranke (1,326 points)

    3rd. Ray Ragnar (1,102 points)

    .

    ¡°The rankings have changed¡­!¡±

    The applicants murmured in surprise, but Erika didn¡¯t seem pleased.

    Even after this, reiming the first ce was impossible for her.

    ¡°Ray Ragnar, what did you gain?¡±

    ¡°¡®Frost.¡¯¡±

    ¡°And how many?¡±

    ¡°Two.¡±

    ¡°Show us.¡±

    Ray nodded and unsheathed her sword.

    As soon as she took a light breath and activated her magic, the temperature in the room plummeted, and a fierce snowstorm erupted.

    Crack, crack¡ª

    Where Ray swung her sword, the ground froze solid, and jagged spikes of ice erupted from the surface.

    At that moment, Erika¡¯s eyebrows twitched.

    Thebination of Ray¡¯s Ice-White Sword technique and the Frost attribute was far more impressive than Erika had expected.

    If Ray had even one more syble¡­

    Erika¡¯s mes likely wouldn¡¯t have been able to withstand the frost.

    ¡°Ray Ragnar also passes. You are awarded 200 points.¡±

    ng¡ª

    Ray quietly sheathed her sword.

    Her final score was 1,302 points, just 20 points behind Erika, cing her firmly in third ce. However, her expression remained calm and indifferent.

    ¡°Next, Wellington Narcio. What did you gain?¡±

    Wellington, with an unreadable expression, responded, ¡°¡®Water.¡¯¡±

    ¡°So, Stream, then. And how many?¡±

    ¡°Eight.¡±

    Erika and Ray¡¯s heads turned sharply toward him.

    Erika, in particr, looked as though her eyes might burst into mes.

    She had nearly given up on monster hunting to gather a mere four sybles.

    And now, he had double that?

    ¡°Oh? Is that true? Finding more than five is nearly unheard of, even in other cohorts. So you¡¯re missing just one, making it eight?¡±

    The other applicants were abuzz with murmurs.

    If what was said was true, it meant that a fifteen-year-old trainee had nearly mastered the Attribute Breathing Technique¡ªsomething that could change the entire trajectory of his future.

    The very starting point would be different for himpared to everyone else.

    ¡°If you¡¯re lying, you¡¯ll face the consequences.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll show you the results.¡±

    Schring¡ª

    Wellington slowly drew his broadsword.

    He briefly nced in Theo¡¯s direction, then calmed his breathing and closed his eyes.

    Mental focus.

    Then¡ª

    Fsssh¡ª

    Water streams started to manifest around Wellington one by one, swirling and gathering into water spheres.

    ¡°Not only elemental manifestation, but also elemental control¡­?¡±

    ¡°Wait, they said he just discovered the Attribute Breathing Technique! How is that even possible?¡±

    The shock among the applicants had now turned to utter confusion.

    Among the five stages of elemental mastery¡ªInfusion, Manifestation, Control, Expansion, and Sword of Qi¡ªWellington had already disyed three stages, a clear sign of extraordinary talent.

    The water spheres he formed numbered six in total.

    At that moment, Wellington opened his eyes.

    Simultaneously, the water spheres dispersed and formed into a massive vortex.

    Each stream of water within the vortex was so tightlypressed that it was as sharp as a de, emitting a sinister whistling sound that echoed in the applicants¡¯ ears.

    Whirl, whirl, whirl¡ª

    sh, sh, sh, sh!

    ¡°Well done.¡±

    The judge softly uttered his praise while observing Wellington¡¯s creation.

    Swish¡ª

    Suddenly, the judge propelled himself off the tform, arriving in front of Wellington in an instant.

    It was as if he had teleported, his movement lightning fast.

    Without warning, the judge thrust his right hand into the de vortex.

    His target: Wellington¡¯s face.

    Wellington was caught off guard by the judge¡¯s unexpected reaction, but he remained calm and responded swiftly.

    Like a lion sinking its fangs into its prey¡¯s neck, Wellington attempted a thrust with his broadsword.

    A simple motion, but with the de vortex coiling around his sword, it was apletely different story.

    The sharpness was beyond anything ordinary.

    The judge¡¯s palm collided with the tip of Wellington¡¯s broadsword.

    Boom!

    The de vortex shattered, sending water flying in all directions, and Wellington was forced several steps back, coughing up blood.

    He had suffered internal injuries.

    ¡°Straighten your stance!¡±

    At that moment, two waiting examinersnded behind Wellington.

    One of them helped support Wellington, while the other ced a hand on his back and channeled magic to help treat his internal injuries.

    Fortunately, as time passed, the pale color began to fade from Wellington¡¯s face, and hisplexion slowly returned.

    ¡°It seems I got a bit too carried away and forgot my role. I apologize for causing unnecessary trouble.¡±

    The judge offered a sincere apology, sping his hands behind his back. Wellington, now steady on his feet, offered a formal sword salute in return.

    ¡°No, not at all. Thanks to you, Judge, I¡¯ve gained a key insight into the breathing method. I¡¯m truly grateful.¡±

    Wellington¡¯s words were genuine.

    What might have seemed like a simple attack to others had been a revtion for him. From the judge¡¯s footwork to the precise angle of his hand strike¡­ Wellington had gleaned a sh of inspiration from it.

    All he could think about now was returning to his quarters and reflecting on that insight. If he could properly refine it, he would surely advance by at least one level.

    The judge¡¯s smile deepened.

    He, too, was a master of the Waterflow Breathing Technique, and it was Wellington¡¯s potential that had excited him enough to give a personal demonstration. But now, he realized he might have seen even more potential than he expected.

    ¡®A prodigy, truly¡­ It¡¯s a shame such a child was born into the House of Narcio instead of Ragnar. But perhaps¡­ Narcio will soon flourish. Or, maybe¡­?¡¯

    The judge¡¯s eyes gleamed as he looked at Wellington.

    For a brief moment, a small desire rose within him¡ªthe temptation to take on a disciple, even in hister years.

    ¡°Wellington Narcio, you pass. Not only have you gathered the hidden sybles, but you also demonstrate a profound understanding of the elemental attribute. Therefore, I will award you an additional 900 points.¡±

    Once again, the scoreboard changed.

    1st. Wellington Narcio (1,689 points)

    2nd. Theo Ragnar (1,521 points)

    3rd. Erika Ranke (1,326 points)

    4th. Ray Ragnar (1,102 points)

    .

    ¡°The top rank has changed!¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t even know the score could be overturned like that¡­¡±

    ¡°In other cohorts, they say reaching 1,000 points guarantees the top spot, but our cohort is just¡­ what¡¯s going on?¡±

    The applicants were now beyond shock, descending into a state of disbelief.

    But then, following the judge¡¯s lead, all eyes turned to Theo.

    After all, his final tally had yet to be revealed.

    The judge spoke.

    ¡°Theo Ragnar! What did you gain, and how many did you gather?¡±

 Chapter 48

    Chapter 48: Overwhelming Gap (3)

    Theo pondered for a brief moment.

    The number of ciphers he had obtained was eight in total.

    It was the same number as what Wellington had acquired.

    He had gained one more cipher at thest moment when he captured the Demon Sword Tiger.

    So, even as things stood now, he could reim the top spot with the additional points.

    However, his real concern wasn¡¯t about securing the top position; his focus was on something entirely different.

    ¡®Is there no way to plete¡¯ the thunder Breathing Technique, which is missing one cipher?¡¯

    If the second test concluded like this, the chance toplete thest cipher would vanish forever.

    He would have to either seek out a master of the thunder Breathing Technique and receive personal instruction or achieve great feats to earn the missing cipher as a reward.

    But how much time that would take was impossible to predict.

    And once the Blossoming Ceremony ended, he would be thrust into the fiercepetition for the grand throne, which meant this would be a critical weakness.

    More than anything else¡ª

    Theo needed overwhelming results.

    Even among this generation full of prodigies, he had to achieve extraordinary scores.

    ¡®The uing power struggle is already solidly centered around five candidates. If I want to force my way into that, I need to excel in every aspect.¡¯

    Thus, achieving overwhelming results andpleting the Breathing Technique would undoubtedly bring Theo tremendous fame.

    But the problemy in how difficult it was to achieve thatpletion.

    Even though he was just one cipher short, the depth of the Breathing Technique was such that a novice like him couldn¡¯t easily touch it.

    Fortunately, Theo had a method topensate for what hecked.

    [¡°Skill: Hatchling Synchronization¡± will rey the past memories you¡¯ve seen.]

    Theo concentrated his consciousness.

    The fragmented memories of the Thunder Breathing Technique that he had glimpsed before began to surface one by one.

    A swordsman who had engraved ciphers into fragments in order to create disposable artifacts.

    A master who gazed at the stormy sky, waiting for lightning to strike.

    A training beast who endlessly practiced the downward sh with a wooden sword in a forest.

    A dragon knight who was ecstatic while watching a dragon unleash a fiery downpour.

    .

    .

    The brief and fragmented memories, each containing different aspects, intersected.

    The aspirations of the people in those memories were conveyed to Theo.

    Though Theo, who stillcked full understanding, could onlyprehend so much from them¡ª

    He still managed to glean a few clues to deduce the missing link between the ciphers.

    ¨C It was the memories he had seen in various artifacts, like the ¡®Thunder Calling¡¯.

    ¡®Theponents of lightning are light and heat. These two elements inevitably expand and therefore cannot be controlled. The same applies to lightning. If you apply this concept to the nature of thunder¡­!¡¯

    At that moment, Theo, as if possessed by something, unfastened the de of Drake from his back and held it in his hand.

    ¡°Hm?¡±

    The Judge, noticing Theo¡¯s strange behavior without answering the question, tilted his head in curiosity.

    It was then that he realized Theo¡¯s gaze wasn¡¯t fixed on him, but somewhere else.

    Somewhere much higher, steeper¡­ far beyond.

    ¡®Damn it!¡¯

    ¡°Instructors, move all candidates back and set up a perimeter! Do not, under any circumstances, disrupt Theo Ragnar¡¯s train of thought!¡±

    No one knew what had triggered Theo.

    But it was clear that, for a swordsman, this was a crucial moment.

    Following the Judge¡¯s orders, the instructors quickly moved the other candidates away and took their positions, keeping vignt watch over the surroundings.

    Standing by Theo¡¯s side, the Judge thickened the sword barrier around them, enclosing the space inplete silence.

    In the soundless void.

    Theo swiftly worked to fill in the missing cipher.

    ¡®If I can¡¯tplete the perfect cipher, I¡¯ll fill the gap with something simr. If I can use the absence as a stepping stone to elevate it into something even moreplete¡­¡¯

    Crackle, crackle!

    Yellow sparks began to rise, following the flow of magic wind surrounding Theo.

    And then¡ª

    Thump, thump, thump, thump¡ª

    His heart pounded fiercely.

    Neurotransmitters, which stimted and excited his nerve cells, were delivered through electric signals.

    Naturally, this led to the umtion of Thunder Energy.

    The more the thunder attribute was infused into the magic, the more enhanced his physical abilities became.

    ¨C Enhancing physical abilities.

    At this point, Theo recalled the Dragon¡¯s Heart.

    After all, wasn¡¯t the Dragon¡¯s Heart also used to channel magic into the bloodstream, strengthening the body in a controlled manner?

    If he could connect these two simr characteristics¡ª

    ¡®Not only will I enhance my body, but I¡¯ll also be able to control the Thunder Energy that manifests externally.¡¯

    The missing part of the thunder attribute would be filled by the Dragon¡¯s Heart from within.

    And the external domain, which the Dragon¡¯s Heart originally couldn¡¯t reach, would be supplemented by the thunder attribute.

    Inside and outside.

    The Dragon¡¯s Heart and the thunder attribute.

    As the two fused together, an entirely new Thunder Breathing Technique could be born.

    ¡®They say the dragon of the East summons storms and strikes lightning.¡¯

    Theo gave the new, improved breathing technique a different name.

    ¨C Thunder Dragon Breathing Technique.

    This conceptual breakthrough soon manifested itself clearly in his body.

    Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom!

    His heartbeat grew so loud that even the Judge and the instructors could hear it.

    The ground trembled slightly.

    And at the same time¡ª

    Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump!

    The pounding sound spread outward, like drumsticks fiercely striking a drum, causing ripples to form beneath Theo¡¯s feet.

    A ripple brimming with yellow Thunder Energy.

    The ripple soon became a wave, rising like a tidal surge and spreading in all directions.

    Crackle, crackle, crackle!

    The Thunder Energy that had been hovering in the air intensified, andrge and small bolts of lightning began to leap up and down without pause.

    ¡°Hah¡­!¡±

    The Judge couldn¡¯t help but express his admiration.

    Just the magical aura that Theo was radiating was already far beyond what any of the other candidates could produce.

    A perfect score.

    He could assign that grade right now, just by seeing Theo¡¯s current performance.

    It wasn¡¯t about how many ciphers he had collected.

    What mattered was how well he understood them.

    However¡ª

    It seemed even that wasn¡¯t enough for Theo.

    At that moment, Theo opened his eyes.

    sh!

    The intense lightning shing from his eyes made even the Judge flinch.

    And then¡ª

    Swish¡ª

    An electromaic field formed around him, and something floated into the air from within his robes.

    Four Death Bits.

    Thebination of telekinesis and maism had allowed his control to evolve even further.

    ¡®Mastering the thunder attribute alone is impressive enough, but when did he learn telekinesis? What is he nning to do now?¡¯

    The Judge realized he was eagerly anticipating whatever Theo would show next.

    Smirk!

    For a brief moment, a mischievous smile appeared on Theo¡¯s lips.

    Fwoosh¡ª

    The four Death Beats, which had been aiming in different directions, shot forward into the air.

    Three of them headed straight for the three candidates who had previously demonstrated their breathing techniques.

    Erika, Ray, and Wellington.

    ¡°You bastard?¡±

    ¡°Huh!¡±

    ¡°Hah¡­!¡±

    Each of them responded in a different way.

    Erika, thinking that Theo was testing her, furrowed one eyebrow and swung her sword violently downward.

    A sh infused with the me attribute.

    Boom!

    The sound of the dagger and the sword shing wasn¡¯t a metallic ng but a deafening explosion.

    The Thunder Energy imbued in the Death Bit reacted violently with the mes, causing it to shoot upward.

    Crackle, crackle!

    At that moment, the yellow Thunder Energy seemed to swirl and suddenly took on a new shape.

    A dragon.

    The phantom beast, formed by the concentrated Thunder Energy, struck down with its ws toward the crown of Erika¡¯s head.

    It was the Dragon¡¯s w.

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    Erika, unable to predict this new attack utilizing Thunder Energy, had a sh of shock in her eyes¡ª

    Kwoooom!

    Soon, a massive shockwave erupted, raising a huge cloud of dust that swallowed Erika whole.

    ¡°Thunder Dragon!¡±

    The Judge let out an involuntary exmation.

    A new form of attack using attributes requires tremendous control.

    It was an expansion.

    This alone made it clear that Theo¡¯s technique was far superior to what Wellington had demonstrated.

    Ray and Wellington fared no better than Erika.

    The Thunder Dragon¡¯s ws tore through the blizzard Ray had conjured, and Wellington¡¯s water stream only served to create a pathway for the dragon to surge forward.

    The three candidates, who had previously received the highest scores in the second Blossoming Ceremony, were all overwhelmed simultaneously.

    An absurd level of skill disparity.

    With this single move, Theo was showing¡ª

    who the true ruler of this ce was.

    Both the candidates and the instructors were left speechless, stunned by the sheer power they had just witnessed.

    ¡®Wait, what about the fourth one?¡¯

    At that moment, the Judge recalled that Theo had unleashed a total of four daggers into the air.

    Boom!

    He soon noticed thest dagger, rocketing towards him with immense destructive power.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re testing me? Asking if this old man is truly qualified to judge you all? Very well!¡±

    Though it could be seen as a challenge to the Judge¡¯s authority, he burst into loudughter instead.

    Just as Wellington¡¯s skills had piqued his interest earlier, now he was eager to cross swords with this young prodigy.

    The challenge of an ambitious junior was always thrilling.

    Swish¡ª

    ng!

    The Judge sharply flicked his hand upward.

    Due to the overwhelming difference in magical power, the Death Beat lost its force and bounced into the air before the Thunder Dragon could even form.

    Fwoosh¡ª

    Taking advantage of the brief moment when the steam cloud obscured the view, Theo appeared, swinging the Drake de.

    But the Judge, who had already sensed Theo¡¯s presence, countered with ease.

    ¡°Water Breathing Technique ¨C Water Pressure Severing!¡±

    Boom!

    As the edge of the Judge¡¯s hand shed with Theo¡¯s de, Thunder Energy scattered in all directions.

    Theo quickly gathered the dispersed energy back into an electromaic field, drawing it toward his sword as he traced an arc in the air.

    ¡°The thunder attribute is the most powerful of the six attributes, but it consumes an enormous amount of magical power in return.¡±

    A brilliant pir of yellow Thunder Energy surged into the sky, following the de¡¯s edge.

    Rumble¡ª

    Then came a series of three consecutive strikes.

    Three shes of lightning were added to the sky, driving the Judge back.

    It was the Three Fangs of the Dragon.

    Or perhaps now it should be called the Three Fangs of the Thunder Dragon?

    Boom! Boom! BOOM¡ª

    The Judge calmly faced Theo¡¯s fierce onught.

    The first attack, he deflected to the side with a knife-hand strike.

    A sharp, tingling pain ran through his fingers, causing the Judge¡¯s eyes to flicker with interest.

    ¡®Impressive.¡¯

    Just before the second strikended¡ª

    The Judge, wearing a satisfied smile, reached toward the sky.

    The Death Bit, which had been swirling high above his head, was sucked into his hand.

    ¡°The Judge¡­ he¡¯s drawn his sword¡­?¡±

    ¡°T-The upsurging Dragon has grabbed his sword!¡±

    The instructors were more shocked than the candidates as they watched the Judge raise the Death Beat and swing it downward.

    BOOM!

    For the first time, Theo¡¯s assault was blocked.

    Gulp!

    Blood trickled down the side of Theo¡¯s mouth, but he forced it down.

    Using his [Monstrous Strength], he refused to be pushed back and instead pressed forward with renewed vigor.

    He was ready to strike with the final, third w.

    Swish¡ª

    ¡°As a senior swordsman, it¡¯s only right to respond to a junior¡¯s determination with my full effort,¡± the Judge said with a rxed smile as he drew a shape in the air with the dagger in his hand.

    At that moment, Theo instinctively realized what was happening.

    Just like the Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce had done before¡ª

    The Judge, one of the Nine Dragons, the Upsurging Dragon, was about to reveal a fragment of the mental image he had spent his entire life honing.

    ¡°Like the other Nine Dragons, I too have created a masterpiece by following the path of our House¡¯s sword. I call it the .¡±

    Time seemed to slow down.

    Theo could see a world blurred like a watercolor painting.

    Andscape painting filled with dense forests and towering mountains.

    At its center, a colossal waterfall poured down, clearing Theo¡¯s mindpletely.

    Shhhhhh!

    ¡°I hear both the Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce and the Commander of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry went to great lengths to show you something simr. I¡¯m curious to see what you¡¯ll take from me as well.¡±

    With a soft chuckle, the waterfall poured down upon the Thunder Dragon¡¯s head, which had been encircling Theo.

    And then the world returned to normal.

    As Theo struggled to gather his thoughts, still overwhelmed by the intense impression the Judge had left on him¡ª

    The Judge, now with his hands behind his back again, turned toward the crowd and shouted.

    ¡°Theo Ragnar, pass! Not only a perfect score of 1,000 points, but an additional 500 points for aplete understanding of the Breathing Technique!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    Both the instructors and the candidates widened their eyes in disbelief as the scoreboard was finalized.

    1st. Theo Ragnar (3,021 points)

    2nd. Wellington Narcio (1,689 points)

    3rd. Erika Ranke (1,326 points)

    4th. Ray Ragnar (1,102 points)

    .

    Three thousand points!

    It was a moment when an unbelievable score was recorded.

    And then¡ª

    ¡°Would you, by any chance, be interested in bing my disciple?¡±

    A short but significant proposal followed.

 Chapter 49

    Chapter 49: Overwhelming Gap (4)

    Upsurging Dragon.

    Among the nine dragons that symbolize the Ragnar family, he was the least known.

    This was because he rarely engaged in outside activities, spending the majority of the year in seclusion, even within Winterer.

    However¡­

    The nine dragons knew.

    That if the Upsurging Dragon were to emerge into the outside world, it would bring about significant upheaval.

    Even the sinister ck Dragon respected and feared him the most.

    That was the Upsurging Dragon.

    ¡°It¡¯s about time for him to arrive.¡±

    Julius and the Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce were waiting for the appearance of the Upsurging Dragon.

    In fact, they were quite shocked when it was announced that the Upsurging Dragon would serve as the Overseer for this year¡¯s Blossoming Ceremony.

    Despite the family head¡¯s repeated requests over the years, the Upsurging Dragon had remained in seclusion.

    They had no idea what had suddenly changed his mind.

    However, everyone was well aware of the Upsurging Dragon¡¯s skills and keen insight.

    Moreover, since he was politically neutral, there was confidence that he would evaluate the candidates objectively.

    ¡°How can the Nine Dragons, esteemed as they are, lower themselves to the point of participating in something as trivial as testing a bunch of kids?¡±

    At that moment, Wolfgang, the Elder Council President, clicked his tongue in disapproval, arms crossed.

    Since Ed had silently departed after cradling the body of his deceased nephew,

    Wolfgang had repeatedly attempted to downy the significance of this year¡¯s candidates.

    Of course, no one was unaware that this was due to the fact that most of the Elder Council candidates he had backed had also retired early from thepetition.

    ¡°He¡¯s arriving.¡±

    At the words of the Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce, all the officials¡¯ gazes turned toward the door.

    Creak!

    Step-

    The door opened wide, and the Upsurging Dragon slowly walked in, hands sped behind his back.

    As usual, his face was expressionless.

    All the officials except Wolfgang, including Julius and the Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce, rose from their seats and bowed their heads.

    It was a gesture of respect for their great predecessor.

    The Upsurging Dragon gave a silent nod in response.

    ¡°How did it go?¡±

    Julius cautiously asked.

    At that moment, a faint smile appeared on the stern face of the Upsurging Dragon.

    ¡®The Upsurging Dragon¡­ is smiling?¡¯

    Julius was momentarily stunned.

    He had known the Upsurging Dragon for over twenty years, but this was the first time he had seen such an expression.

    ¡®Wait. This situation feels oddly familiar¡­¡¯

    Suddenly, a warning bell rang in Julius¡¯s mind.

    ¡°I made a proposal to a child that I found very promising.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    * * *

    ¡°Upsurging Dragon! That¡­!¡±

    -Another person has broken through the 3,000 points of the Demon!

    The rumor, which began to spread through the lips of the Overseer, the Upsurging Dragon caused a stir in Winterer.

    The 3,000 points of the Demon.

    This term had been frequently mentioned in Winterer for a long time.

    It was because there hadn¡¯t been a single examinee who surpassed 3,000 points in the secondary Blossoming Ceremony, held annually.

    The retrieval of the purple demon species,

    The acquisition of hidden ciphers,

    And a deep understanding of the attributes.

    These were essential challenges that had to be ovee to reach 3,000 points, which is why no one had been able to achieve it.

    For that reason, examinees usually took the top spot even if they surpassed just 1,000 points, and that alone was enough to earn them the title of ¡®prodigy¡¯ and allow them to choose whichever unit they wanted to join.

    But what if someone scored more than 2,000 points?

    They would be given the title of ¡®near-genius¡¯ and ssified as a key pir responsible for Ragnar¡¯s future.

    Thus, the 3,000-point barrier was referred to as an unexplored domain that no one could break through.

    Then, 14 years ago, the 3,000-point barrier of the Demon was broken for the first time.

    A true ¡®genius¡¯ had appeared.

    -Torkel Ragnar.

    The youngest candidate among the top five contenders, who were considered closest to bing the next head of the family.

    Themander of the ck Iron Cavalry, who had made remarkable contributions on numerous battlefields and gained the greatest support from young swordsmen¡ªthat was him.

    So people thought,

    No one else would ever be able to break through this demonic barrier after Torkel.

    Themon opinion was that no other examinee stood a chance.

    But then,

    That evaluation was shattered once again.

    And.

    -The top scorer is Theo Ragnar once again.

    When it was revealed that the protagonist of the rumor was none other than the Cripple of the Rose Pce, everyone fell silent.

    They didn¡¯t know how to react.

    Or how to respond.

    But that silence didn¡¯tst long before it was broken once again.

    Around that time, a formal statement was made on behalf of Torkel by the ck Iron Cavalry.

    -A friend I¡¯d like to meet at least once.

    No further words were needed.

    That was enough.

    ¡°We need to find out how the third and final test will turn out!¡±

    ¡°What about the head of the family? How does the head feel about this friend?¡±

    ¡°Camellia Pce! They said Theo Ragnar¡¯s mother is in Camellia Pce, right? Send someone there quickly, hurry!¡±

    ¡°I heard Theo Ragnar carries a Zweihander. Wasn¡¯t it made at the Vasque Workshop? Ask them if they can make another sword like that, quickly!¡±

    Everyone began moving in a flurry of activity.

    And all eyes were focused on the final third test.

    * * *

    The third Blossoming Ceremony began immediately after a brief break.

    ¡°The content of the third test is very simple.¡±

    All the examinees fixed their eyes on the Upsurging Dragon, who had returned to his role as the Overseer.

    They were currently on the move to the next test location.

    Gulp!

    The sound of someone nervously swallowing echoed unusually loud.

    ¡°It seems some of you already have an idea,¡± the Overseer said with a smallugh.

    ¡°It¡¯s a one-sword duel with the head of the house.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­D-Do you mean we will meet the head of the house directly?¡±

    To the training swordsmen of Ragnar, the existence of the head of the house was like a distant, unreachable star¡ªtoo far and too high to grasp.

    And now, they were going to see such a person face-to-face?

    Of course, they couldn¡¯t help but feel nervous.

    In fact, some were already gazing ahead with eyes filled with admiration.

    ¡°Yes. For now.¡±

    However, the Overseer¡¯s tone was somehow peculiar¡ªaffirmative, yet with a touch of bitterness.

    But only Theo noticed that subtle shift.

    ¡®The conflict between the Upsurging Dragon and the head¡­ It was quite famous. Even though people don¡¯t talk about it openly.¡¯

    While Theo smirked to himself, the Upsurging Dragon continued his exnation.

    ¡°But most of you won¡¯t even get to see the tip of the head¡¯s foot. You must break through the murderous intent exuded by the head and stand before him.¡±

    Wellington and Erika swallowed nervously, tense.

    But most of the other examinees tilted their heads in confusion.

    Even if the head¡¯s aura of killing intent was frightening, it wasn¡¯t an actual attack¡ªjust an aura. Could it really be so hard to withstand?

    ¡°If you seed in getting that far, the head will personally bestow upon you a single sword strike. What you gain from that moment is entirely up to you. The scoring will depend on the gap in enlightenment, so keep that in mind.¡±

    The examinees clenched their fists tightly.

    If evaluations were based on the changes they underwent after the one-sword duel, it meant they still had a fair chance to take the top spot.

    ¡®I might get to meet my father again?¡¯

    Theo recalled the moment he had encountered Kyle, the head of the house, a few months ago.

    The joy, the thrill, the tension he had felt then.

    And,

    The ecstasy he experienced when he first faced the light shard.

    He found himself longing to relive that moment.

    But.

    At the same time, another thought crossed his mind.

    ¨C Kyle.

    He remembered the answer he received when he had asked who had stolen the Dragon¡¯s Heart from the guardian dragon, Lodbrok.

    ¨C Yet despite all that, he is one of the few who shattered and tore through every shackle to rise to the position of head of the family. Even though he¡¯s the wicked man who made me like this, I have to admit that his ability and willpower deserve recognition.

    ¨C So, as a human, you can be proud of your father. Your father¡­ Yes. He has a human body, but he is not human. And yet, he is the most human of all, a monstrous man gazing at the realm of gods.

    Lodbrok had a high regard for Kyle. He was a true monster who, despite having a crippled body, broke through the limits of humanity.

    ¡®If I stand before him again, what should I do?¡¯

    Of course, Theo would still have to hide the fact that he was the Dragon¡¯s Heart contractor, so he wouldn¡¯t reveal it just yet.

    But, someone like Kyle could easily see through the mindset of his opponent.

    ¨C Is the head an enemy, or an ally?

    Since the hidden truth about Kyle was unknown, Theo hadn¡¯t yet solidified his stance.

    It was at that moment.

    ¡°Alright, the third test begins now.¡±

    Suddenly, the Overseer, who had been walking forward, threw out the words nonchntly.

    The examinees, focused on the approaching building, didn¡¯t even get a chance to ask what he meant.

    Boom¡­!

    A heavy pressure descended over the heads of Theo and all the examinees.

    It felt as though their shoulders were being crushed, their lungs squeezed tight.

    ¡°Ugh!¡±

    ¡°Gurk¡­!¡±

    Most of the examinees foamed at the mouth and copsed, unconscious.

    Only five remained standing.

    Theo, Wellington, Ray, Erika, and Holcus.

    ¡°Damn it! What the hell is this?!¡±

    Holcus seemed to be trying to shake off the pressure with sheer force, but the more he struggled, the more it pressed down on him, crushing his shoulders.

    Thud!

    In the end, one of his knees couldn¡¯t hold out and hit the ground.

    ¡®It¡¯s simr to¡­ Dragon Fear.¡¯

    Theo realized that the oppressive force squeezing the air around him was quite simr to what he had experienced in the dungeon.

    Of course, this was iparably more destructive, but understanding the principle behind it helped Theo grasp how Kyle could exert such a power.

    ¡®My father consumed Lodbrok¡¯s Dragon¡¯s Heart!¡¯

    The mountain lodge where Kyle resided, atop the ridge, now looked to Theo like a dragon¡¯s nest, coiled and waiting.

    Just then¡ª

    Ding!

    [A quest has arrived.]

    A new message appeared.

 Chapter 50

    Chapter 50: Overwhelming Gap (5)

    +

    [Tutorial Quest #17]

    Gain recognition from the Dragon yer.

    ¡¤ Difficulty: S-

    ¡¤ Reward: 1 coin

    ¡¤ Failure: ¡ö¡ö

    +

    ¡®Dragon yer? And the difficulty is S-?¡¯

    For a moment, Theo felt an indescribable wave of intense anxiety.

    Dragon yer.

    It literally meant someone who ys dragons.

    For Ragnar, who prided himself on being a descendant of dragons, was there any title more ominous than this?

    However¡ª

    Theo thought there wasn¡¯t a more fitting title for Kyle.

    Yet, the level of difficulty, which he was seeing for the first time, bothered him.

    ¡®I¡¯ve already earned Father¡¯s acknowledgment through our sword duel. I¡¯ve even witnessed Dragon sh. And yet, recognition is supposed to be this difficult?¡¯

    Could there be another secret in this Third Blossoming Ceremony that he wasn¡¯t aware of?

    ¡®In my past life, I didn¡¯t make it to the third round, but¡­ from what I know, unlike the second round, which had several hidden pieces, the third shouldn¡¯t have any.¡¯

    He was certain of this because he had been involved with ck Snow.

    The very reason the Third Blossoming Ceremony was established was to give the head of the family a chance to personally select suitable candidates.

    If a candidate wasn¡¯t chosen by the head here, other units would step in to recruit the remaining hopefuls.

    ¡®There could be an error in the message¡­ For now, I should head up.¡¯

    In that moment, a sharp gleam appeared in Theo¡¯s eyes.

    Yellow lightning crackled in his gaze.

    [You activate ¡®Skill: Lesser Drake¡¯s Fear¡¯ to ovee the Curse of Fear!]

    Ba-dump, ba-dump, ba-dump-!

    His heart began to pound faster, and his magic power started rotating at a rapid pace.

    As his Dragon¡¯s Heart resonated with his dantian, he unleashed Dragon yer Aura from his body.

    Rrrrrr!

    The Dragon yer Aura shed with another of its kind.

    While the gap between them was too great to fully ovee, it was enough for Theo to create a space where he could move freely.

    ¡°Hoo¡­!¡±

    Theo took a deep breath and quickly scanned his surroundings.

    Wellington and Erika were holding up, but just barely. Their struggle was clear.

    Both of them showed signs of extreme exhaustion.

    However, there was someone suffering even more than those two, and it was none other than Holcus.

    Quietly, Theo stepped to stand beside Ray.

    Her already paleplexion had turned even paler than usual.

    Sssss-

    Even uncontrolled cold energy was leaking from her body.

    It looked as if she was experiencing a seizure from the Nine-Syble Pulse again.

    Ray¡¯s face was drenched in cold sweat before they knew it.

    ¡°Close your eyes and focus on your magic cirction.¡±

    Ray tightly closed her eyes as Theo instructed.

    Theo ced his palm on Ray¡¯s back and infused her with his magic power.

    He was using Thunder Qi to forcibly stimte the nerve cells paralyzed by fear.

    The symptoms resembling the Nine-Syble Pulse were a side effect of poor magic control.

    Crackle!

    As the thunder-attribute magic permeated her, Ray¡¯s hunched back straightened up.

    Soon, color returned to her previously pale face.

    ¡°Haa¡­!¡±

    Ray exhaled a long sigh, and her breathing became much more rxed.

    Theo quietly withdrew his hand, staying by her side to help her gather her scattered magic fully.

    There was also something he wanted to ask her privately.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me about getting the Attribute Breathing Technique?¡±

    ¡°¡­I wanted to surprise you.¡±

    ¡°Did you think I¡¯d believe you were hiding it on purpose?¡±

    ¡°I did.¡±

    ¡°And what did you think?¡±

    ¡°Opportunities like that aren¡¯t something you usually share with others.¡±

    ¡°So, you thought I was hiding it?¡±

    Ray shook her head.

    ¡°Then?¡±

    ¡°At first, I thought that way¡­ But then I realized it wasn¡¯t true. Because you¡¯re a kind person, Theo.¡±

    Theo let out a bitter smile.

    What would the dead Axion say if he heard this?

    After regressing, Theo had only acted for his own benefit.

    Yet, it seemed Ray still didn¡¯t see him that way.

    ¡°So, I figured you¡¯d tell me when the time was right.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Boundless trust and goodwill.

    Theo wasn¡¯t sure how to react to this.

    In both his past and present lives, there had rarely been anyone like this.

    However,

    Theo felt the distance that had lingered between him and Ray gradually melt away.

    ¡®But what if I¡¯d had bad intentions?¡¯

    His temples throbbed.

    ¡°Haa¡­! So, you were hiding the truth all this time to surprise me?¡±

    Nod.

    Seeing Ray nodding innocently, he felt an unexpected mischievous urge.

    Flick!

    In the end, Theo couldn¡¯t hold back and flicked her on the forehead.

    ¡°Ow! Theo¡­ you hit me.¡±

    ¡°Well, you deserved it.¡±

    Theo grumbled yfully.

    ¡°Listen carefully. The Ice-White Martial Technique is already a top-tier technique with a powerful attribute on its own. On top of that, you¡¯ve ovee the Nine-Syble Pulse, giving you unparalleled potential with the frost attribute that no one else can match.¡±

    Ray nodded.

    She knew this well, which is why she had chosen the frost attribute among the many breathing techniques.

    ¡°But as with anything, too much can be as bad as too little.¡±

    ¡°Are you saying the breathing technique is dangerous for me?¡±

    ¡°Yes. The Water breathing and Frost Breathing Technique condenses magic power to alter the flow of surrounding air. It seems like it wouldplement the Ice-White Martial Technique, which focuses magic only on the sword, but they¡¯ll inevitably sh.¡±

    Theo sighed deeply and continued.

    ¡°And fundamentally, you shouldn¡¯t practice two techniques of different origins at the same time. What if the paths of your magic power get tangled?¡±

    ¡°But, Theo¡­!¡±

    ¡°Are you going to say that I¡¯ve been mastering the forms of the Ice-White Martial Technique that you taught me?¡±

    Nod!

    Ray nodded again.

    It wasn¡¯t just the Ice-White Martial Technique, though.

    Theo had also absorbed the Full Blooming Plum Blossom from the Lord of Plum Blossom Pce and even mastered Julius¡¯s swordsmanship.

    On top of that, he had recently received part of the sword intent from the Overseer.

    Yet Theo continued to grow stronger without much difficulty.

    He let out a bitter smile.

    The reason he could handle so many different techniques and sword arts wasn¡¯t because of any inherent talent but due to the power¡ªno, the authority¡ªof the Dragon¡¯s Heart he possessed.

    But he couldn¡¯t exin that to her, could he?

    So, he had no choice but to shamelessly say something like this.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°¡­Just because.¡±

    ¡°¡­.¡±

    ¡°It just¡­ works.¡±

    ¡°¡­.¡±

    ¡°¡­.¡±

    Ray narrowed her eyes at him.

    For the first time, her expression seemed to cool downpletely.

    ¡°Theo, you¡¯re really obnoxious right now.¡±

    ¡°¡­Anyway, you need to be extra careful. There¡¯s no technique more sensitive than the Ice-White Martial Technique.¡±

    Ray nodded silently, though she felt a little regretful.

    Even if it was only for a moment, the sensation she had felt when the Water and Frost Breathing Technique and Ice-White Martial Technique had merged was incredible.

    If she could just manage it well, it seemed like she could advance the Ice-White Martial Technique even further¡­!

    ¡°So, from now on, memorize what I¡¯m about to tell you.¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    Ray widened her eyes, wondering what Theo was talking about.

    ¡°At dawn, when the frost settles on the leaves, it reflects the color of the water but carries the weight of the earth¡¯s moisture¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    Ray quickly pulled herself together and focused on memorizing the incantations Theo was reciting.

    It was the form for the Water and Frost Breathing Technique.

    However, the content was slightly different from what she had learned before.

    There were also more incantations¡ªabout four in total.

    ¡®Did he revise it himself to give to me?¡¯

    Modifying an already perfected technique was impossible without profound expertise in martial theory.

    It was impressive enough that Theo had managed to pull it off, but Ray was even more grateful for the effort he put into it, going out of his way to help her.

    ¡®I¡¯m always just receiving from this child.¡¯

    With that thought, Ray becamepletely absorbed in the incantations.

    In her Aura Hall, her magic began to stir naturally, merging with the new technique .

    It was a perfect match with the Ice-White Martial Technique.

    Fwoooosh¡­!

    A cool breeze circled around Ray.

    * * *

    ¡®Good thing I read her thoughts.¡¯

    Theo let out a light sigh.

    Of course, modifying the Water and Frost Breathing Technique hadn¡¯t been easy for him either.

    But if he had left Ray as she was, the conflict between the Water and Frost Breathing Technique and Ice-White Martial Technique would have only worsened over time, so he had no choice but to step in.

    Fortunately, he had already collected quite a few incantations, and since he had read Ray¡¯s thoughts, the revision had been swift.

    ¡®With this, I¡¯ve repaid the debt of being taught the Ice-White Martial Technique.¡¯

    With a small smile, Theo stood up.

    Ray opened her eyes soon after.

    Her gaze, now calm and focused, no longer showed any sign of being oppressed by Dragon Fear.

    Her eyes softened as they met Theo¡¯s.

    ¡°As expected.¡±

    ¡°As expected?¡±

    ¡°Theo is kind.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Flick!

    ¡°You hit me¡­ again.¡±

    Ray groaned, holding her forehead in pain, but she couldn¡¯t help noticing that Theo¡¯s ears had turned red as he turned his back to her.

    ¡°Yes, Lord Theo is quite the gentle soul,¡± came a sly voice.

    Wellington approached them with a grin.

    ¡°¡­What are you here for?¡±

    ¡°To tease?¡±

    Theo¡¯s eyes narrowed sharply.

    ¡°Oh my, scary. Don¡¯t re at me like that. Besides, you might want to do something about that red face of yours.¡±

    Sigh!

    Theo let out a deep sigh as he looked at Wellington¡¯s smug grin.

    However, even through the banter, Theo noticed Wellington had ovee Dragon Fear without any particr assistance.

    ¡®He¡¯s much stronger than he was at this time in my previous life. With the insights he gained from his secluded training and the addition of the breathing technique, his growth has been explosive.¡¯

    Wellington¡¯s presence was now beyond that of an ordinary training knight. He had reached the level of a practical knight, a title reserved for those who had surpassed the average knight.

    It was hard to believe that he had only opened his Aura Hall two weeks ago.

    At this rate, Willington will catch up in no time.

    A rival.

    Theo recalled what Wellington had said earlier.

    ¡®I can¡¯t afford to lose focus now.¡¯

    ¡°Theo.¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    ¡°Do you have a way to get us up there?¡±

    Wellington asked in a serious tone, staring at the lodge perched atop the mountain.

    While the three of them were currently managing to resist Dragon Fear, the pressure would only increase the closer they got to the lodge.

    Wellington was asking how they would ovee that and reach the top.

    ¡°You said we should move separately during the Blossoming Ceremony since we¡¯re rivals, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°In the face of great obstacles, even sworn enemies join hands. Why wouldn¡¯t friends do the same?¡±

    Theo¡¯s teasing remark was met with a bold, shameless response from Wellington.

    Theo couldn¡¯t help but chuckle.

    ¡°Well, you¡¯re not wrong.¡±

    ¡°So, do you have a n?¡±

    Theo nced at the Overseer and the examiners. They were watching the group with keen interest, waiting to see how they would ovee this challenge.

    ¡®Who said the final trial would end quicker than the second one?¡¯

    It might end faster, but it seemed twice as difficult.

    Just as Theo clicked his tongue, about to say something¡ª

    Fwoosh!

    Theo swiftly drew Drake¡¯s de from his back and swung it in the opposite direction.

    ng!

    Ray and Wellington turned their attention in the same direction.

    ¡°Hey, top student.¡±

    It was Erika and Holcus Ranke, the siblings who had already ovee Dragon Fear, watching them from a distance.

    No, to be precise, it was Erika Ranke who was ring at them.

    Her hostility was unmistakable.

    With a height and buildparable to her brother Holcus, Erika cut a fierce figure, her tangled hair resembling a lion¡¯s mane. The aggressive air she exuded was as if she was ready to start a bloody brawl at any moment.

    Shing!

    Ray and Wellington also quietly unsheathed their swords.

    However, Erika¡¯s gaze wasn¡¯t fixed on them. It was locked firmly on Theo.

    One corner of her mouth twisted upwards.

    ¡°You¡¯re pretty good, huh?¡±

    ¡°So what?¡±

    It seemed she was referring to the previous battle during the second trial, where Theo had faced the Thunder Dragon.

    From her perspective, Theo had ended up taking the top spot, reducing her role to that of a mere bystander. It was only natural for her to be furious.

    Theo was well aware of Erika¡¯s personality, notorious for her reckless nature even within the House of Ranke.

    With a quiet resolve, Theo raised Drake¡¯s de.

    If it came down to a confrontation, he had no intention of backing down.

    Seeing his stance, Erika¡¯s expression grew even more savage, seemingly pleased by his defiance.

    Between Erika¡¯s slightly parted lips, her bear-like fangs gleamed unusually.

    But then¡ª

    ¡°So, you pass.¡±

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    Out of nowhere, she said somethingpletely unexpected.

    What did she just say?

    Theo tilted his head in confusion, but Erika¡¯s grin only widened.

    It was a mischievous smile, almost yful.

    ¡°As my future husband.¡±

    ¡°¡­!?¡±

    Theo was left speechless.

 Chapter 51

    Chapter 51: Kyle Ragnar (1)

    The northern families, including the House of Ragnar, were oftenpared to animals.

    Ragnar was represented by a dragon,

    Narcio by a lion,

    Hanabi by an eagle,

    Gardner by a wolf,

    and finally, Ranke by a bear.

    Contrary to the image of a bear as a slow-witted creature, its immense strength,rge size, omnivorous diet, and ferocity made it an object of totemism in ancient societies.

    So, when Theo looked at it, no family resembled a bear more than the House of Ranke.

    Not only did they have massive strength and size, but they were also clever. This was the reason why the Ranke family had managed to make a name for themselves under the towering presences of Ragnar and Narcio for so long.

    ¡®And Erika was practically the incarnation of Ranke itself.¡¯

    Currently, the one who represented the Ranke family among the Four Lords of the North was the ck Bear, Holcus.

    However, in the near future, someone far more talented than Holcus would appear and rise to the position of head of the family.

    That person was none other than the White Bear, Erika.

    ¡®She was also called ¡°Erika the Cmity,¡± wasn¡¯t she? It was said that nothing remained intact wherever she passed, everything was left in ruins.¡¯

    While Theo had been in ck Snow, he had worked alongside Erika on missions, so he remembered her tendencies well.

    She was straightforward, yet fierce.

    Because of her reckless nature¡ªcharging headfirst without considering the consequences¡ªthe Ranke family had often suffered greatly.

    ¡®Like Ray, she had been in seclusion for quite some time, training behind closed doors. Because of this, she wasn¡¯t well-known to the public, and only a few who knew her anticipated her greatness. She made her first appearance at this Blossoming Ceremony.¡¯

    And she was destined to be the first to uncover the secret of the Attribute Breathing Technique, marking the beginning of her rise¡­ or at least, that was supposed to be the case.

    ¡®But thanks to me, that future no longer exists.¡¯

    Thus, from the moment Theo encountered Erika, he had been paying close attention to her every move.

    He couldn¡¯t precisely predict how she would react to him.

    But then¡­

    ¡®¡­She wants me to be her husband?¡¯

    What kind of nonsense was this?

    ¡°Oh¡­! Damn it, she actually said it. This crazy woman¡­¡±

    Holcus groaned, covering his face with hisrge hand. He seemed utterly embarrassed by the situation.

    Ray and Wellington, too, were at aplete loss for words, staring back and forth between Theo and Erika, unable to follow the conversation.

    ¡°¡­What exactly are you trying to say?¡±

    Theo furrowed his brows as he looked at Erika.

    Erika chuckled mischievously as she spoke.

    ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve been keeping an eye on you ever since I heard you beat this guy up.¡±

    Holcus flinched for a moment under his sister¡¯s gaze.

    Watching thatrge figure shrink back, Theo couldn¡¯t help but feel something strange.

    ¡°This guy may look stupid, but he¡¯s not the type to just get beat up anywhere. I¡¯ve trained him thoroughly since he was young.¡±

    ¡°Who are you calling stupid-looking¡­!¡±

    ¡°But then, this guy got beaten up. And that greedy Axion brat is grinding his teeth trying to catch you, right? On top of that, you left a clean sh on the stone b. Now, tell me, wouldn¡¯t anyone be curious?¡±

    Erika casually dismissed Holcus¡¯s protest and slowly drew her sword.

    Srrrng¡ª

    A two-handed sword.

    It was arge sword simr in shape to the Zweihander Theo carried.

    ¡°So, I wanted to spar with you when we met but I couldn¡¯t even catch a glimpse of your face. Then, during the settlement ceremony, you suddenly threw a dagger at me.¡±

    Erika shivered as if recalling the scene from back then.

    A smile crept onto her lips.

    It was pure exhration.

    ¡°And yet, my skin tingled way more than I expected, and the adrenaline was pumping like crazy, right?¡±

    ¡°I think I understand.¡±

    ¡°Right? I knew you¡¯d get it.¡±

    Erika beamed, her expression one of intense delight at finding a kindred spirit.

    Theo nodded calmly as he replied.

    ¡°I understand. You¡¯re aplete pervert.¡±

    ¡°What did you say, you brat?¡±

    ¡°Puhaha!¡±

    Erika¡¯s face crumpled in an instant, and Holcus burst outughing beside her.

    Only when he caught his sister¡¯s fierce re did he manage to stifle hisughter, though his face remained flushed red, unable to hide his amusement.

    Theo gripped Drake¡¯s de and assumed a stance.

    ¡°In the end, you¡¯re just saying you want to fight me, but you¡¯re going about it in such a roundabout way. Is that really necessary?¡±

    ¡°Exactly. I like how straightforward you are.¡±

    For a brief moment, Theo and Erika¡¯s eyes met in midair.

    Paaah¡ª

    In the blink of an eye, the two vanished from their spots, shing in the center.

    Chaaaaang!

    With a resounding metallic crash, the tworge swords collided with such force that just watching it made it hard to breathe.

    Erika nced down at the few steps she had been forced back and let out an admiring sigh.

    To think she would be overpowered in strength.

    In the North, when one thought of ¡°strength,¡± the first family that came to mind was undoubtedly the House of Ranke, so Erika¡¯s surprise was genuine.

    ¡°Hey.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Are you seriously not considering bing a son-inw for our family?¡±

    The House of Ranke revered strength above all else.

    And with Theo¡¯s level of ¡°strength,¡± he would undoubtedly rank among the top even within the Ranke family.

    ¡°I¡¯m a total sucker for good looks, you know? But you¡¯re also strong? Then, of course, you¡¯d be the perfect candidate for a son-inw, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    Judging by her expression, it seemed she waspletely serious.

    Theo let out a faint chuckle.

    After his regression, he felt like he was encountering all kinds of strange situations.

    ¡®I heard that she never found a man who caught her eye, and that she turned down countless suitors.¡¯

    Just like with Wellington, it felt good to be recognized by someone who had once been a figure of admiration.

    Of course, he had no intention of epting her proposal.

    ¡°Sorry, but I¡¯ll have to decline.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Why? Is it because you¡¯re embarrassed by the idea of being a son-inw? Come on, think it over. You might not know this, but I¡¯m about to be the head of my family. Being the lord of the House of Ranke¡¯s consort¡ªdoesn¡¯t that sound like a pretty decent title?¡±

    Snicker¡ª

    Theoughed lightly.

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not the reason.¡±

    ¡°Then what?¡±

    ¡°How could the head of Ragnar be the consort of Ranke? We¡¯re still a noble family, after all.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±

    For a moment, Erika didn¡¯t understand Theo¡¯s words and blinked, but soon after, she burst intoughter.

    ¡°What? Pahaha! Are you telling me you¡¯re aiming for the session?¡±

    Ray, Wellington, and Holcus, who were present, all widened their eyes in shock.

    And it wasn¡¯t just the three of them.

    Even the judges and examiners who had been quietly observing Theo and Erika¡¯s sh had expressions of pure astonishment.

    Especially,

    Ray was the most surprised.

    Usually, even if someone was a contender for session, they wouldn¡¯t openly reveal their ambitions until they had built a solid foundation.

    The stress of constantly being under the watchful eyes and interference of other siblings was immense.

    ¡®Theo, being an illegitimate son, should be well aware of that¡­ yet he still said it.¡¯

    This was a deration.

    A deration that he intended to be the head of the family.

    Considering that he had already attracted significant attention by securing the top spot and surpassing the seemingly impossible barrier of 3,000 points, such a bold deration would undoubtedly stir up immense chaos if made public.

    Moreover, it wasn¡¯t just judges and examiners present at this moment.

    ¡®Father¡­!¡¯

    Up on the distant summit.

    Father¡ªKyle¡ªwas seated, waiting for them.

    If it was him,

    The one who was the incarnation of a dragon, a being who didn¡¯t seem human, then it was certain he had already heard Theo¡¯s resolution.

    ¡®We¡¯ll be seeing Father soon¡­ What¡¯s your n, Theo?¡¯

    Ray¡¯s thoughts deepened.

    Meanwhile,

    ¡°The great power of Ragnar¡­ So, you¡¯re after that, huh?¡±

    Erika wasughing.

    Herughter could be seen as mocking, but at the same time, it seemed full of astonishment.

    ¡°Every sessor of Ragnar dreams of that much, don¡¯t they?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s one thing to dream. But there¡¯s a huge difference between just dreaming and actually achieving it.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡°Of course. But from what I can see¡­¡±

    Erika¡¯s eyes sparkled as she licked her lips with her tongue.

    Churp!

    ¡°It seems like you¡¯re actually going to do it.¡±

    Theo responded with nothing more than a smile.

    A silent affirmation.

    ¡°But I heard you¡¯re an illegitimate son. Are you sure that¡¯s alright?¡±

    ¡°Is there a rule that says an illegitimate son can¡¯t im the session?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no rule against it, but it¡¯s difficult, realistically. To seize the great power, you need the backing and foundation to do so, but youck those.¡±

    ¡°Foundation, huh?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±

    Tap, tap¡ª

    Theounched his body forward again.

    ¡°I¡¯ll just build it from now on.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    Sweeeaaa¡ª

    Drake¡¯s de shed fiercely in a wide arc.

    Chaechaechaechaeng¡ª

    Cheng! Cheng! Cheng! Cheng!

    Without a trace of tension, Erika smiled as she swiftly met Theo¡¯s strikes with her own de.

    A greatsword versus a greatsword.

    Strength against strength.

    The impact of their blows was so intense that the ground beneath them seemed to hum with the vibrations.

    ¡°At this rate, I think I¡¯m qualified enough to build it, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Theo shed a confident grin.

    By then, Erika¡¯s smile had grown even wider.

    It was a madugh¡ªgwangso.

    ¡°Puhahahaha¡ª! Look at that confidence! That¡¯s amazing! Yeah! A person should have a grand ambition or two. Hey, Holcus! You should learn from him. Every time I ask for a match, youe up with someme excuse!¡±

    Caught off guard by the sudden jab, Holcus seemed like he had a lot he wanted to say, but he chose to keep his mouth shut.

    Erikaughed gleefully, then suddenly clicked her tongue in regret.

    ¡°Ah, this is really a shame. I thought I¡¯d found a good candidate for a husband.¡±

    ¡°Look somewhere else.¡±

    ¡°I was going to, anyway. But still¡­!¡±

    Chuuuuong!

    Erika deflected Drake¡¯s de with a fierce sh and smiled wickedly as she blocked the strike aimed at her throat.

    ¡°A good drinking buddy, though¡ªI think we could at least manage that. What do you say?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m underage, so I haven¡¯t had a drink yet.¡±

    ¡°No wonder your tone is so proper. What do you even do for fun? Well, how about just being friends, then?¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s that, I¡¯d wee it.¡±

    As Theoughed along with her, Erika¡¯sughter grew even louder.

    ¡°Great! Then let¡¯s first see who¡¯s on top!¡±

    ¡°Can you really call it friendship if you¡¯re ranking each other?¡±

    ¡°Stop yapping and swing your sword already! The duel¡¯s not over yet!¡±

    Paaaah¡ª

    Erika and Theo shed once more.

    * * *

    ¡°So, the great power, huh? The great power! Hahaha!¡±

    Kyle, the dragon¡¯s incarnation,ughed brightly as he gazed out the window.

    It was augh filled with joy¡ªor perhaps amusement.

    Hoooorrr!

    At that moment, the ck skrk perched on Kyle¡¯s left shoulder let out a cry.

    (E/n: A skrk is a type of little bird)

    A sound full of concern.

    ¡°I know what you¡¯re worried about.¡±

    Hoooorrr¡­

    ¡°But how can anyone stop someone from dreaming? Especially when it¡¯s between parent and child.¡±

    Kyle truly liked Theo.

    Just as he cared for Torkel and his other five children whom he cherished deeply.

    Of course, that affection was different from what one might expect from an ordinary father and son.

    It was about the family¡¯s revival.

    The prosperity of Ragnar.

    He cherished them because they were ¡°swords¡± for that purpose.

    Kyle was always meant to be the one gripping the hilt of those swords. But if those des ever turned towards him, he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to break them.

    And now,

    Theo was dering it.

    That he would be one of those swords.

    Though whether he would be the hilt or the de remained to be seen.

    One thing, however, was certain.

    That de¡ª

    Would be incredibly sharp.

    ¡°Weren¡¯t you and I like that in our younger days? No one can stop youthful passion. So, let¡¯s see what happens.¡±

    The ck skrk finally mped its beak shut.

    ¡°Even if he meets a towering wall, will he break, or will he endure?¡±

    Kyle¡¯s gaze sharpened, his eyes shing dangerously as he looked out the window.

 Chapter 52

    Chapter 52: Kyle Ragnar (2)

    ¡°Kya-ha-ha! My daughter! My adorable youngest daughter! Where are you! I heard she was here!¡±

    The Camellia Pce suddenly became noisy.

    It was because of Majang Kirsion¡¯s visit.

    Naturally, the maids¡¯ chatter increased as well.

    -Oh my, it seems like the Lady is here again. She¡¯s been showing up often these days.

    -Indeed.

    -The rumors about Lady Cecilia being the adopted daughter of the Lady must have been true.

    -I know, right? No wonder Lady Cecilia has such discerning taste.

    -Oh,e on, when did you stop criticizing her behind her back? You always said she was too strict, yet here you are.

    -Was it just me?

    -Of course not, I was criticizing her with you too. Ho ho ho!

    As Kirsion briskly marched through the gossiping maids and stewards, she shouted loudly.

    ¡°My daughter! Where is my daughter!¡±

    But there was no answer in return.

    Eventually, Kirsion began to forcefully open every door in the Camellia Pce.

    ¡°Are you here?¡±

    Bang!

    ¡°Not here. Then what about here?¡±

    Bang!

    ¡°Or here?¡±

    Boom!

    After barging into about a dozen innocent doors,

    Bang!

    ¡°Here you are!¡±

    Kirsion finally found her precious youngest daughter, Cecilia, whom she had been desperately(?) searching for.

    At that moment, Cecilia was busy with some clothing designers, discussing designs for formal attire for Theo.

    Her face was full of irritation.

    She had nned to finish her work as quickly as possible since one day was enough for the third test, but now she had been interrupted.

    ¡°¡­Could you all leave for a moment, please?¡±

    The designers quickly left, reading the atmosphere.

    Cecilia then red at Kirsion with zing eyes.

    ¡°What is the meaning of this rudeness, Mother? I¡¯ve asked you to please maintain your dignity while in the pce!¡±

    Kirsion flinched slightly, but soon, a huge smile spread across her face.

    It seemed like her nostrils might start spewing fire.

    ¡°Dignity? Isn¡¯t it strange to maintain dignity in a situation like this? Your mother is about to be filthy rich!¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you already rich, Mother?¡±

    ¡°Not just rich! I mean filthy rich! Kyahaha!¡±

    Cecilia shook her head in disbelief as she watched Kirsionughing half-madly.

    Ever since Theo gained fame.

    Kirsion had been showing up like this more often.

    She kept saying that the advertising effect of Theo was beyond imagination.

    Thanks to this, it was said that the Vasque Workshop¡¯s orders were fully booked until the end of next year.

    Despite this, orders continued to flood in.

    As expected, an elf who was a ve to capitalism, the type to jump out of bed at the mere mention of money, couldn¡¯t help but go wild with excitement.

    However, Cecilia didn¡¯t like Kirsion¡¯s attitude at all.

    It wasn¡¯t just because of the uneasy feeling that came with the thought of making money by exploiting her son¡¯s name.

    Her greatest concern was whether Theo had sustained any serious injuries during the Blossoming Ceremony.

    ¡®When he was only confined to the Rose Pce, I used to constantly push him. But now that he¡¯s making such a name for himself outside, I feel even more frustrated¡­ I must truly be unfit as a mother, my son.¡¯

    Looking back now,

    Cecilia realized she hadn¡¯t been a very good mother to Theo.

    She was always scolding him for not doing things properly.

    ¡®A tool to win back the affection of my drifting husband.¡¯

    Sometimes, she had even viewed him that way.

    She thought that if Theo could make a name for himself, Kyle¡¯s visits to the Rose Pce would increase again.

    But Theo hadn¡¯t lived up to Cecilia¡¯s hopes.

    And as a result, the distance between mother and son had only grown.

    Their awkward rtionship began to improve, however, thanks to Theo¡¯s courage.

    As Theo began to stand out, Cecilia¡¯s heart started to open, and Theo began to walk in step with her.

    At the time, she hadn¡¯t realized this at all.

    All she could think about was how she could help Theo spread his wings,

    how he could endure the pressure and opposition that would inevitablye his way from others.

    She was too preupied with those concerns.

    But.

    Now that Theo had been away for so long, she realized something painfully clear.

    She had been cruel to her son all this time.

    Theo was still only fifteen, still just a child.

    At an age where a mother¡¯s warmth was more important than ever, she had let him grow up too quickly, and that pained her.

    ¡®The third Blossoming Ceremony is approaching soon¡­ will he be okay?¡¯

    His meeting with his father wouldn¡¯t be the warmest reunion.

    That worried her as well.

    ¡°Kya-ha-ha-ha!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    The problem was, that immature woman had no idea what was going on in her daughter¡¯s conflicted heart.

    ¡®¡­I¡¯ll have to send her away first and thinkter.¡¯

    Cecilia, eyes zing with frustration, red at Kirsion.

    Suddenly, a passingment from the stewards came to her mind.

    ¨C There have been many inquiries recently about finding a swordsmanship master for the young master.

    ¨C Did the young master have a swordsmanship teacher? I didn¡¯t even know¡­! Who could it be?

    ¨C Someone named Evelyn Nerevil, who manages the Fourth Training Hall. In the past, she was themander of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry¡­.

    He still found her irritating, but a memory of his mother, who admitted that her skills were the best in the North, came to mind.

    ¡°Mother.¡±

    ¡°Yes, what is it?¡±

    ¡°Have you ever made a prosthetic hand before?¡±

    * * *

    ¡°Ugh¡­!¡±

    After the sparring between Theo and Erika had ended.

    Erika grimaced due to the throbbing pain from muscle aches.

    She hadn¡¯t noticed it while they were fighting, but now her entire body was screaming in agony.

    A Ragnar defeating a Ranke with brute force?

    How could that even be possible?

    ¡¸Heh heh! See? Not as easy as you thought, right?¡¹

    At that moment, Holcus¡¯s sneeringughter echoed in her ears.

    One of Erika¡¯s eyebrows twitched.

    ¡¸¡­Could you just shut up? I¡¯m about to die from exhaustion.¡¹

    ¡¸I told you, didn¡¯t I? I said you wouldn¡¯t be able to do it. You didn¡¯t listen, and look at you now. Puhahahaha!¡¹

    ¡¸You little bastard.¡¹

    If he kept egging her on like that, he¡¯d really get hit. Sensing this, Holcus quickly stifled hisughter.

    However, his twitching lips were impossible to control.

    Twitch, twitch-

    ¡®Should I kill this little brat or not?¡¯

    Erika wanted to smack her annoying younger brother across the head, but she had no strength left in her body. She sighed and gave up.

    Even getting up was a struggle now.

    Seeing her like this, Holcus was thoroughly pleased.

    It felt like a ten-year burden had been lifted off his chest.

    ¡®Puhahahaha! I should use this trick more often!¡¯

    In fact, Erika had charged at Theo because of Holcus¡¯s ¡°scheme.¡±

    Even though his sister was formidable, he had subtly provoked her, implying she wouldn¡¯t be able to win against him.

    Naturally, Erika, who had a strongpetitive spirit, wasn¡¯t going to just sit by and let that slide.

    And the result was what they saw now.

    ¡®Still, to think that my sister, who seemed invincible, was defeated. Is he even human?¡¯

    Unlike Erika, Theo seemedpletely fine, only slightly out of breath. His stamina still seemed intact.

    ¡®Good-looking, great at fighting, excellent stamina, and he even beat my sister. Is there anything that guy can¡¯t do?¡¯

    Above all,

    The words Theo had said during the sparring still buzzed in his head.

    ¨C How could the head of House Ragnar be the consort of House Ranke? After all, we are a prestigious family.

    ¨C Anyone with Ragnar¡¯s inheritance rights could dream of such things, right?

    ¡®That was so cool.¡¯

    He hadn¡¯t said it in any dramatic or desperate way.

    He had said it very calmly.

    As if he was just doing what needed to be done.

    And because of that.

    Because of that, it hit Holcus even harder.

    He had known Theo was cool.

    But this time, it felt different from before.

    It wasn¡¯t just because he was handsome or dressed well; it was his tone of voice and every action he took. He exuded the presence of a hidden dragon, quietly aiming for a grand title.

    It was the kind of presence filled with ambition that any man could dream of.

    Thump, thump!

    Remembering that moment¡­ his heart began to race again, pounding madly.

    ¨C As if he had somehow been swept up in Theo¡¯s resolve.

    ¡®My sister always said she would be the head of the family¡­ a leader who wouldn¡¯t fall short of Ranke. Someone who would ce Ranke far above Ragnar.¡¯

    When he was younger, he dismissed it as nonsense, wondering how a vassal family could surpass a great family. He thought his sister was talking nonsense.

    But now, looking back, he understood.

    He understood just how grand her dreams had been.

    And Theo, too, had equally magnificent dreams.

    So now came the question.

    What was his dream?

    Was it simply to be cool?

    Or was it just to be strong?

    ¡®I don¡¯t know¡­ not yet.¡¯

    Holcus¡¯s mind was tangled with many thoughts.

    ¨C He wanted to find a dream.

    Up until now, he had spent each day just looking for things that seemed fun or cool without much thought.

    But now, he wanted to throw himself into something bigger.

    Something like what Theo or Erika had.

    Thump, thump, thump-

    His heart raced even faster.

    ¡®If I keep watching those two, maybe I¡¯ll figure out what I want to do?¡¯

    As Holcus, despite hisrge build, fidgeted restlessly, someone from afar watched him.

    ¡®Young Master Theo has pulled in another one.¡¯

    Wellington chuckled lightly, realizing that another member had been added to the dawn training group at the Fourth Training Hall.

    There was no way he couldn¡¯t understand what Holcus¡¯s reaction meant.

    He had been exactly the same once.

    The power to draw people into one¡¯s dream.

    That might just be Theo¡¯s greatest strength.

    * * *

    ¡°Ugh¡­ I can¡¯t just sit here moping forever.¡±

    Erika slowly stood up and looked over at Theo.

    Her body still ached all over, creaking with every movement, but she was in the middle of the third and final test.

    There was no way she¡¯d let herself retire, not even if it killed her.

    ¡°Hey, Sparky.¡±

    ¡°¡­Are you talking to me?¡±

    Theo looked at her with an incredulous expression, as if he couldn¡¯t believe the nickname was meant for him.

    However, Erika just nodded like it was the most natural thing in the world.

    ¡°Yeah. You¡¯re Sparky, he¡¯s Old Man, and thisdy is Ice Queen.¡±

    Wellington let out a chuckle.

    ¡°And why exactly am I the ¡®Old Man¡¯?¡±

    ¡°You look way too proper.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the reason¡­?¡±

    ¡°And your way of speaking is way too grown-up.¡±

    ¡°¡­.¡±

    ¡°Are you really fifteen?¡±

    While Wellington was still reeling from her remark, Ray blinked her eyes in confusion.

    ¡°Why am I the Ice Queen?¡±

    ¡°You shoot ice everywhere.¡±

    ¡°¡­.¡±

    ¡°Why? Do I need another reason?¡±

    In the end, it seemed like she just called them whatever she found convenient.

    ¡®So, I¡¯m just Sparky because of my lightning attribute? Still, why did it have to be such a ridiculous nickname like Sparky?¡¯

    Theo thought of a character from aic he had seen back on Earth and sighed lightly.

    ¡°Well, anyway. So?¡±

    ¡°How are we going to get up there? It¡¯s way too hard to meet your father.¡±

    Erika was probably the only person who had the guts to speak so casually about the head of House Ragnar.

    ¡°The presence of the Head will grow more intense the closer we get to the mountain lodge. You should give up any idea of oveing it.¡±

    ¡°Then what?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll need to synchronize your magical wave patterns.¡±

    ¡°Wave patterns?¡±

    Erika tilted her head, clearly not understanding what he meant.

    Holcus and Rey also wore puzzled expressions.

    But Wellington seemed to have grasped something.

    ¡°You mean to use reverse-phase interference to neutralize the discement?¡±

    ¡°Yes, exactly.¡±

    ¡°Hm! Easier said than done¡­.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s difficult, but it¡¯s probably the only way. Controlling and adjusting magic will be the key to this third test.¡±

    ¡°That makes sense.¡±

    Erika, who had been standing there clueless, suddenly frowned.

    ¡°Reverse-phase? Waves? Interference? What are you even talking about? Can you exin it so I can understand?¡±

    Holcus and Ray nodded in agreement beside her.

    Wellington gave her an amused smile as he looked back at her.

    The expression on his face seemed to say, How do you not know this?

    Erika found Wellington¡¯s attitude somewhat irritating, but instead of snapping at him, she quietly listened to his exnation.

    ¡°Magic power functions as a type of wave. It possesses the properties of vibration. Naturally, the head of the family¡¯s aura is also made up of waves, so in order to get through it, we need to reverse-engineer and create magical waves that will cancel out his.¡±

    ¡°¡­So, you¡¯re saying we just need to create a force that¡¯s the opposite of this damn pressure and release it?¡±

    ¡°In simpler terms, yes, that¡¯s the gist of it.¡±

    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you just say that from the start, you bastard! You used all thoseplicated words just because I called you Old Man, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    Wellington simply shrugged his shoulders without answering.

    Erika red at him, but then frowned deeply.

    Even though his exnation made sense, it was still far too difficult.

    They had only been using magic openly for less than a month. Even though they had mastered the Breathing Technique, this level of fine control was beyond them.

    However¡ª

    ¡°Don¡¯t focus too much on just trying to cancel out the waves. No matter how hard we try, we won¡¯t be able to fully block the head of the family¡¯s aura. Even if one of the Nine Dragons were here, it would be impossible.¡±

    Theo spoke calmly as he stepped forward.

    Boom!

    The pressure, much stronger than before, bore down on his shoulders.

    He staggered slightly but quickly regained his bnce.

    Something even the Nine Dragons couldn¡¯t do.

    At his words, the eyes of the other four naturally shifted toward the Overseer.

    The Overseer stood there with his hands behind his back, just smiling.

    ¡°We only need to create enough space to move around. That much should still be possible.¡±

    Step, step¡ª

    Theo began walking forward slowly.

    With each step, faint ripples formed across the ground where his feet touched.

    His bnce was stable, and his pace gradually quickened.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll go ahead.¡±

    Whoosh¡ª

    Theo started ascending the slope first.

    ¡°You should hurry as well. The scores for the third test will be distributed based on who reaches the top first.¡±

    The Overseer¡¯s casual remark sent the other four into a frenzy of movement.

 Chapter 53

    Chapter 53: Kyle Ragnar (3)

    ¡®It¡¯sing again!¡¯

    Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh¡ª

    Theo encountered several invisible des as he sprinted up the slope.

    Not only were arrows raining down from the sky, but daggers aimed at his blind spots also came rushing in.

    All of it was the result of Kyle¡¯s overwhelming aura.

    It wasn¡¯t just about oveing the aura; he had to break through the threats as well.

    ¡®This is insane difficulty¡­!¡¯

    Ratatatatang!

    Theo infused his Drake¡¯s de with magic power and swung it forcefully.

    As the invisible des caught in the wild trajectory were all deflected,

    Crack!

    Theo finally arrived at his destination, the front of the mountain lodge.

    Covered in dust, he looked nothing short of a beggar.

    But his eyes were flickering brilliantly, as if they were infused with lightning energy.

    ¡®Father¡­!¡¯

    Suppressing all the questions he wanted to throw at Kyle, Theo slowly advanced.

    Coo¡ª

    At that moment, a ckrk sitting on the lodge¡¯s roof noticed Theo and chirped lightly.

    Squeeeak¡ª

    At the same time, the tightly shut door of the lodge swung wide open.

    As if inviting him in.

    Gulp¡ª

    Swallowing dryly, Theo slowly stepped inside the lodge.

    Thud!

    As soon as he did, the front door mmed shut behind him.

    Whoosh¡ª

    The previously dark surroundings suddenly lit up brightly.

    In that instant, Theo unconsciously drew in a sharp breath.

    The lodge was filled with countless swords embedded in the floor.

    Each one had a different shape and use, but every single one of them was a masterpiece.

    However, there was onemon characteristic among them.

    Every single one of them was broken somewhere.

    And they all seemed to be wailing.

    As if they were vomiting out their grudges.

    Wooooong¡ª

    Wuuuuuung!

    ¡°Do you know what all this is?¡±

    Kyle was walking through the graveyard of swords.

    With his hands behind his back.

    ¡°These are the swords of the swordsmen you personally broke, Lord.¡±

    Kyle had one particr hobby.

    He collected the swords of those he defeated and disyed them like trophies.

    As a result, the lodge was known by another name among the people of Winterer.

    The 0126Sword Graveyard.

    A graveyard for swords that had been broken in half.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. The foes I¡¯ve defeated to reach this position, the masters who once threatened this seat, and the challengers who sought to take this ce¡­ The position of the head of Ragnar is this lonely. It¡¯s a ce where you are constantly threatened and challenged¡­ a position where you must never, for even a moment, let your guard down.¡±

    Kyle turned to look at Theo.

    A faint smile appeared on Kyle¡¯s lips.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard you¡¯re aiming for this position as well. Is that true?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡±

    In an instant, the smile vanished from Kyle¡¯s face.

    His eyes locked onto Theo¡¯s, resembling the eyes of a dragon before its prey.

    ¡°Don¡¯t answer thoughtlessly. After seeing the resentment these swords hold, can you still say the same?¡±

    Theo scanned the graveyard of swords once more.

    Because of the Hatchling Synchronization, the grudge that these swords carried was even more vividly clear to him.

    ¨C Kill¡­ I¡¯ll kill you¡­

    ¨C Kyle! Kyyyyle!

    ¨C You, who put me in this state¡­

    ¨C One day, I¡¯ll take that position. One day¡­ someday¡­

    The malice and resentment pricked at his skin like needles.

    If he stayed in this ce too long, he felt he might suffocate.

    In some ways, it was more threatening than Kyle¡¯s aura.

    If he wanted to be the head of the family, he¡¯d have to face this kind of evil energy constantly.

    And he¡¯d have to carry this karma on his back as well.

    But¡­

    ¡°Even so, my resolve doesn¡¯t change.¡±

    So what if it was difficult?

    ¡°Therefore.¡±

    Theo¡¯s determination wasn¡¯t something that had been formed overnight.

    ¡°Please give me a chance.¡±

    As Theo took a step forward and said this, a smile once again appeared on Kyle¡¯s stiff face.

    ¡°Very well. If this is my son¡¯s dream, then it¡¯s only right for me as his father to grant it.¡±

    Kyle unfolded his arms and extended his hand forward.

    At that moment, one of the swords embedded in the floor ttered and shot up,nding firmly in his grasp.

    Thunk!

    ¡°From now on, I will treat you not as my son but as a challenger.¡±

    Rooooar¡ª

    Once again, the Dragon Fear intensified.

    It felt as though a massive dragon had opened its eyes behind Kyle.

    Gulp.

    Theo swallowed hard and assumed his stance.

    He knew instinctively.

    The sword duel that was about to begin would be far more intense than any single sword strike Kyle had shown before.

    Since he was being treated as a true challenger, this fight would be unlike what other candidates had faced.

    There was a real chance he could die.

    With that thought, Theo¡¯s tension rose.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see how well her teachings served you.¡±

    Her?

    Who could he be referring to?

    Could it be¡­ Lodbrok?

    ¡®Has he figured out that I visited her nest? But how¡­?¡¯

    Crash¡ª

    But Theo didn¡¯t have time to ask any questions.

    The broken sword in Kyle¡¯s grasp trembled violently as an overwhelming amount of magic power gathered within it.

    It was a light sword of such immense intensity that Theo couldn¡¯t even begin toprehend it.

    Kyle¡¯s magic power infused it.

    A single strike shed.

    A beam of light descended towards Theo¡¯s head.

    ¡°If you truly wish to seize this position, you must prove to me that you can fully utilize everything you possess.¡±

    Though the words still felt like cryptic riddles, Theo had no time to respond.

    It was a cmity.

    Like a typhoon or a tidal wave¡ª a natural disaster, something no mere human could hope to defy¡ª and it wasing for his life.

    Seriously!

    ¨C At this rate, I¡¯m really in danger.

    With that sense of urgency, Theo pushed his Dragon¡¯s Heart, his dantian, and his magical resonance to their maximum limits, raising his Drake¡¯s de to intercept the blow.

    Thump, thump, thump, thump¡ª!

    His heart pounded wildly as electric energy surged explosively around him.

    Crackle!

    At that moment.

    Theo recalled the impressions he¡¯d caught from the high masters he had observed.

    The Hatchling Synchronization activated like mad.

    His brain began to heat up.

    He remembered.

    The soft petals of the Lord of Plum Blossom Pce.

    He brought to mind.

    The sharp strike of Julius.

    He retraced.

    The relentless sword force of the Judgment Knight.

    A thunderous dragon coiled around Theo, its massive ws tearing fiercely through the air.

    Graaa!

    It sounded as though the dragon¡¯s roar was aimed at the heavens.

    But,

    aaash!

    Kyle¡¯s light beam mercilessly severed the dragon¡¯s ws and head, and it came crashing down upon Theo.

    Then¡­ it cleaved through both Theo and his Drake¡¯s de.

    Squeak¡ª

    A very brief slicing sound.

    Silence descended in an instant.

    As darkness enveloped his vision, all of his senses vanished at once.

    ¡®Did¡­ I die?¡¯

    That was Theo¡¯s first thought.

    It was the same as when he had faced death before.

    When he had been struck by that eyeless arrow and died, darkness hade.

    He had wandered aimlessly in an unknown space, only to be sucked into somewhere, and that¡¯s when the regression had urred.

    But regression had always been a miracle created by that mysterious first artifact.

    He couldn¡¯t hope for that again.

    So this time, he must really be dead.

    .

    .

    .

    After a moment of stillness,

    ¡®Don¡¯t be ridiculous.¡¯

    Theo grit his teeth, though they weren¡¯t really there.

    ¡®Don¡¯t mess with me. After all I¡¯ve been through to get here¡­!¡¯

    Hadn¡¯t he sworn this wouldn¡¯t happen?

    This life, he would never bow.

    So.

    He wouldn¡¯t bow this time, either.

    Theo brought his left hand to his waist.

    There was no physical sword, but he believed there was.

    Right there, the Moon-White Sword was waiting.

    Wooong, wooooong!

    * * *

    Kyle stared at Theo with an indifferent expression.

    It was hard to believe those eyes were that of a father looking at his son.

    Theo stood there nkly, holding Drake¡¯s de.

    Like a stone statue frozen in ce.

    His eyes had lost all focus.

    A lost soul.

    That¡¯s what Kyle usually called someone in that state.

    In truth, Kyle hadn¡¯t cut Theo¡¯s body.

    He had severed the soul within.

    With his Heart Sword, Kyle had sliced through Theo¡¯s mind.

    The Heart Sword was a technique only those who had glimpsed the realm of gods could wield. Without the mental fortitude of a Nine-Dragon level master, it was nearly impossible to withstand.

    Even so, Kyle hoped Theo would ovee it.

    Only then would he be worthy of the single strike Kyle had bestowed, of the teachings from her, and of the various fortunes he had gained.

    More importantly, if Theo wanted to defeat countlesspetitors and seize true power, he would need to ovee challenges like this.

    The true heirs he would face would be far more formidable.

    p!

    However, the ckrk perched on Kyle¡¯s shoulder seemed to think differently.

    ¡°¡­Seems it can¡¯t be helped. I suppose this is as far as the boy goes,¡± Kyle murmured, his voice betraying a hint of disappointment as he turned away.

    Grooooar!

    Suddenly, a fierce surge of energy pulsed, and Theo¡¯s eyes regained their electric glow.

    A faint smile formed on Kyle¡¯s lips as he turned back.

    A beast-like roar echoed violently.

    Theo stood there, surrounded by swirling smoke, his right hand gripping Drake¡¯s de and his left holding the Moon-White Sword.

    Woooooong! Wooooooong!

    Both swords cried out, as if they refused to lose.

    ¡°Hah¡­ Hah¡­! Don¡¯t you think I¡¯ve shown enough to prove my worth?¡±

    Though Theo was breathing heavily, his gaze never wavered from Kyle.

    Those eyes, filled with a determination to never yield¡ª

    Kyle liked that.

    ¡°Good. You pass.¡±

    The smile on his lips deepened.

    * * *

    ¡®¡­What exactly was Father trying to confirm in me?¡¯

    Theo left the lodge, lost in deep thought.

    He wanted to ask his father so many things¡ªwhat he knew, why he went so far as to use the Heart Sword.

    But¡ª

    ¨C Next.

    Kyle simply called for the next person without giving any notable response.

    It was as if he was saying, ¡°You don¡¯t yet deserve to ask that kind of question.¡±

    In the end, Theo was kicked out of the lodge, burdened with nothing but questions.

    Still,

    ¡®I¡¯ve been acknowledged by my father.¡¯

    The fact that Kyle didn¡¯t say anything further¡ª

    It was practically a sign of agreement, implying he wouldn¡¯t ce any restrictions on Theo now that he was seriously entering thepetition for the seat of power.

    [Congrattions! You have sessfullypleted Tutorial Quest #17 after gaining the acknowledgment of the Dragonyer.]

    [Evaluation: A+]

    [You have earned 1 coin as a reward.]

    [As a bonus reward for your high evaluation, your control over your owned items has been strengthened.]

    [From now on, you will be immune to mental attacks of A-rank or lower.]

    Wooong!

    Wooooong¡ª

    As both Drake¡¯s de and the Moon-White Sword resonated deeply, their cries growing louder after oveing Kyle¡¯s Heart Sword and strengthening their bond with Theo, the smile on Theo¡¯s lips deepened even further.

    With this, all the Blossoming Ceremonies hade to an end.

    Now,

    It was time to dive fully into thepetition for the seat of power.

    * * *

    That evening.

    With thepletion of the third and final Blossoming Ceremony, the final results were announced.

    Overall First ce: Theo Ragnar

    ¨C First Trial: First ce, Second Trial: First ce, Third Trial: First ce

    ¨C Report from the Judge: The candidate disyed exceptional scores across all areas, including skill, talent, capability, and determination. The new record set during the Second Trial will be remembered throughout Ragnar¡¯s thousand-year history¡­

    A newly emerging heir had appeared.

    The beginning of a storm.

 Chapter 54

    Chapter 54: Kyle Ragnar (4)

    Hoorooroo¡­!

    A ck skrk chirped.

    Kyle let out a light chuckle.

    ¡°Why? Are you feeling uneasy about letting him go just like that?¡±

    Hoorooroo¡­

    The ck skrk¡¯s chirping softened, as if it was truly concerned.

    ¡°I know. I understand what you¡¯re worried about.¡±

    Hoorooroo?

    ¡°You¡¯ve been watching him yourself from the moment you let him take that sword, haven¡¯t you? You know how he has been.¡±

    ¡­

    For the first time, the ck skrk¡¯s chirping ceased.

    ¡°So I thought it¡¯d be alright to watch a little longer. Is there really any need to take away hope from a child who is just about to set off? Besides¡­¡±

    The corner of Kyle¡¯s mouth twisted dramatically.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t there be someone chasing from below for those kids to feel tense? After all, nothing spurs a person on like the appearance of a talentedpetitor. Lately, they¡¯ve all be too dull. It was the right time for a new stimulus.¡±

    The ck skrk scratched its head with its wing.

    ¡®Those kids.¡¯ He was referring to the current ¡°Five Candidates,¡± the heirs to the session.

    Each of them possessed enough exceptional talent to have easily be the next head of the family if they had been born in a different generation.

    But Kyle was still not satisfied with that level.

    He wanted them to grow even greater.

    Even fiercer.

    He intended to push his children into an even more ruthlesspetition.

    Through the emergence of a newpetitor, Theo.

    The ck skrk considered bringing up the potential side effects that could result from this, but decided against it.

    Kyle was surely aware of such things.

    Hoorooroo¡­!

    Still, it pointed out a few concerns.

    ¡°If you¡¯re that worried, why don¡¯t you step in yourself?¡±

    Hoorooroo?

    The ck skrk tilted its head in confusion at Kyle¡¯s suggestion.

    ¡°I¡¯m talking about the uing designation ceremony. Why not personally bring Theo there?¡±

    ¡­!

    For a moment, the ck skrk¡¯s eyes widened.

    And then, after a brief pause¡­

    Hoorooroo¡­

    The ck skrk seemed to mull something over for a while before pping its wings and soaring into the sky.

    Watching that, Kyle smiled.

    ¡°This is going to get interesting again.¡±

    Life within the family, which had been a bit dull, was about to be exciting once more.

    All thanks to the arrival of a new child.

    * * *

    Whispers and Chatter¡ª

    The area in front of the Central Hall, where the first Blossoming Ceremony had been held two weeks ago, was once again crowded with people.

    ¡°There are so many people here, as expected.¡±

    ¡°Well, of course. They¡¯re all going crazy over it. People can¡¯t help but be drawn in when they hear it was the best Blossoming Ceremony in history.¡±

    ¡°Sigh¡­ I really hope we can secure some proper talent this time.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s not going to be easy, but we have to try.¡±

    The Designation Ceremony.

    It was the event held after all the Blossoming Ceremonies, where the graduates were assigned to their respective units and organizations.

    Naturally, each unit and organization fiercelypeted to recruit the best talents, and all of Winterer¡¯s residents and officials watched the event with keen interest.

    However, this time, there was only one thing that people were truly focused on.

    ¡ªWho would take Theo Ragnar?

    Not only had he graduated at the top of all three rounds of tests, but he had also set a new record that nearly rivaled Torkel¡¯s, marking him as a prodigy.

    Any unit or organization that managed to recruit him would practically gain wings to soar.

    ¡°But don¡¯t you think it¡¯s strange?¡±

    ¡°What is?¡±

    ¡°The fact that the family head said he wouldn¡¯t take this year¡¯s top graduate. That¡¯s what¡¯s making thepetition even fiercer.¡±

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right. He did say that.¡±

    ¡°Why do you think he chose not to? Every one of the Five Candidates has at least spent a year under the family head¡¯s tutge.¡±

    ¡°How could we know what the family head is thinking? He must have his reasons.¡±

    ¡°I guess so.¡±

    ¡°Still, it¡¯s not entirely urate to say Theo hasn¡¯t been under the family head¡¯s wing. He did personally bestow him a sword, after all.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ It¡¯s a difficult situation.¡±

    As people¡¯s expectations, questions, and curiosity intertwined, the atmosphere became moreplex.

    Creak¡ª

    A carriage pulled up in front of the Central Hall.

    Though it wasvishly adorned, it felt more elegant than gaudy.

    As the door opened, someone slowly stepped down.

    Click¡ª

    ¡°Is this where my son is? I hope he¡¯s alright,¡± Cecilia said as she lifted her gaze to the Central Hall.

    This was where Theo would soon appear.

    She was more nervous than she had been during the first Blossoming Ceremony, wondering if he was injured or if his handsome face had been scarred.

    ¡°Who¡¯s ¡®not alright¡¯? Surely you¡¯re not talking about that monster of a boy? You¡¯re worrying for nothing,¡± Kirson said with a burst ofughter as she followed down, holding her long pipe.

    Hoo¡ª

    Each time sheughed, cigarette smoke billowed around her.

    Cecilia shot her mother a sharp re.

    ¡°Monster? Where would you find anyone as delicate as our son¡­!¡±

    ¡°Delicate? Are you sure the meaning of ¡®delicate¡¯ hasn¡¯t changed without me knowing?¡±

    If the boy who subdued the Moon-White Sword with one hand and blew off the roof of a workshop with a single strike is considered delicate, then there wouldn¡¯t be a child in this world who isn¡¯t delicate.

    ¡°If you¡¯re going to keep making snide remarks, perhaps you should head back to the workshop, Mother?¡±

    ¡°Hahaha! It was just a joke, dear, a joke.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you stop with those jokes that aren¡¯t funny at all?¡±

    ¡°Oh dear! The crowd¡¯s growing. At this rate, there won¡¯t be any seats left. Let¡¯s hurry inside.¡±

    Kirson quickly hooked her arm around Cecilia¡¯s left arm and led the way.

    Only immediate family members and onepanion per graduate were allowed to attend the Designation Ceremony.

    If Cecilia left without Kirson, it would ruin Kirson¡¯s n to promote the Vasque Workshop once more during the ceremony.

    ¡®How many gold coins did I spend on that wretched woman just to get in here? No way can I let that go to waste! Absolutely not!¡¯

    Considering all the money and time she had invested in creating a functional prosthetic arm for the first time in her life¡­ getting thrown out now was simply not an option!

    Since this Designation Ceremony was bound to be another stage for Theo, just like the Blossoming Ceremony, Kirson¡¯s eyes were already gleaming with visions of mountains of jewels and gold.

    Sparkle, sparkle!

    Cecilia shook her head.

    With a displeased expression, Cecilia let herself be pulled by her foster mother as they headed toward the Central Hall.

    * * *

    Meeting Theo wasn¡¯t difficult.

    The graduates were waiting for their families in front of the hall.

    A reunion after two weeks.

    Everywhere, parents and mentors could be seen embracing their wounded or newly dignified children.

    Cecilia was one of them.

    ¡°My dear, what in the world happened to you? It¡¯s only been two weeks, but you¡¯ve be so gaunt! Your once smooth skin and silky hair have be so rough¡­!¡±

    Cecilia jumped in shock as she looked at Theo, whose features had sharpened since shest saw him.

    ¡°His skin¡¯s just a little tanned from the sun, that¡¯s all. If anything, he looks better than ever, so what¡¯s the fuss about?¡± Kirson muttered, shaking her head in disbelief behind her, but her words fell on deaf ears.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Mother. Please calm down.¡±

    ¡°How can I possibly calm down? Look at you, looking like this! Who was it? Who made my precious son suffer like this?¡±

    ¡°Haven¡¯t all the ones who did that already been killed?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll grab those bastards by the hair right this instant¡­!¡±

    ¡°The Styx River will be noisy with this one causing amotion,¡± Kirson muttered.

    ¡°Mother, please! Just be quiet!¡± Cecilia snapped.

    Cecilia was seething with anger at Kirson, who had been making snide remarks ever since they arrived.

    However, Kirson had already gained entrance to the Central Hall as Theo¡¯s family. She no longer needed to be mindful of her daughter¡¯s res.

    ¡°Try to understand your mother. Even if she¡¯s fussing a lot today, you¡¯d say nothing if you knew how much she worried over the past two weeks. Not to mention the ¡®gift¡¯ she prepared for you¡­¡±

    ¡°Gift?¡± Theo tilted his head in confusion, but Cecilia cut in sharply.

    ¡°Mother!¡±

    ¡°Ahem! Anyway, you should know it was exhausting even for me to watch her from the sidelines.¡±

    Kirson chuckled, puffing on her long pipe.

    Theo felt a strange mix of emotions. His mother¡¯s endless love still made him feel a bit ufortable, but¡­ he was grateful for it nheless.

    ¡°I really have been fine. I¡¯ve even made a lot of friends.¡±

    ¡°Friends¡­?¡± Cecilia¡¯s eyes widened slightly.

    Theo had never been one to make friends since he was a child. He had always yed alone, preferring books and solitude.

    While he had always been kind to the servants and maids, they could never truly be called ¡®friends.¡¯ He was a boy who kept emotional walls up, which had always worried her.

    But now, it seemed like he had finally opened his heart to others.

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll introduce them to you next time.¡±

    At the moment, everyone was too busy catching up with their families to be introduced.

    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful. I¡¯d love to meet any friends of yours, my dear. Just let me know in advance, and I¡¯ll make sure to put my skills to work as a hostess.¡±

    Cecilia finally felt her worries ease, and a smile spread across her face.

    At that moment, Kirson seized the opportunity to throw out the bait. She had a different reason for tagging along with her daughter today.

    ¡°But before that, foolish girl, shouldn¡¯t you bring out the gift you worked so hard to get?¡±

    ¡°Oh!¡± Cecilia pped her hands as if she had just remembered.

    ¡°How thoughtless of me¡­ I was so caught up in our conversation that I forgot I brought a gift for your graduation, my dear.¡±

    ¡°A gift?¡± Theo looked a little surprised as Cecilia pped her hands lightly.

    In response, the waiting servants stepped forward with a wooden box. They opened the lid and presented it to Theo.

    Inside was a male ceremonial robe, its fabric shimmering with a deep navy blue like a sapphire.

    On top of ity a delicate red brooch.

    The robe was clean, elegant, and adorned with small, sparkling jewels, giving it a subtle yet beautiful design.

    ¡°Now that you¡¯ve officially be a Training Knight and will be appearing more in public, you can¡¯t just present yourself carelessly.¡±

    Theo carefully lifted the ceremonial robe and ran his hand over it.

    Once again, Cecilia¡¯s thoughtful care was evident.

    However, the brooch was a bit concerning.

    ¡°This doesn¡¯t seem to be your taste, Mother.¡±

    ¡°Oh ho ho! So you¡¯ve finally developed an eye for my preferences? I¡¯m d the lessons on taste weren¡¯t for nothing,¡± Ceciliaughed lightly but shot a nce at Kirson.

    Kirson grinned broadly.

    ¡°Well, we recently acquired a fine jeweler for our workshop. I thought this brooch would suit you perfectly, so I had it made specifically for you. Don¡¯t feel burdened¡ªthink of it as a graduation gift from your grandmother.¡±

    Theo inspected the brooch closely.

    ¡°I¡¯ll continue to give you lovely essories whenever Ie across them. Just like Cecilia, they¡¯ll suit you wonderfully¡ª¡±

    ¡°2% of the Kanaka Archipgo¡¯s mine shares.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    An unexpected response.

    Kirson tilted her head in confusion.

    Theo smiled as he spoke.

    ¡°That¡¯s the sponsorship cost for all major products from the Vasque Workshop moving forward.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    For a brief moment, Theo¡¯s smile appeared devilish in Kirson¡¯s eyes.

    Sweat beaded on her forehead.

    ¡°Ha, hahaha¡­ I, I think you¡¯ve¡­ seriously misunderstood. This is simply a generous gift from a grandmother to her grandson¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh, is that so? I¡¯m sorry. I must have been mistaken about your deep intentions, Grandma.¡±

    ¡°N-no, it¡¯s not like that¡­ It¡¯s just¡ª¡±

    ¡°Since it¡¯s the first gift you¡¯ve ever given me, I¡¯ll have to keep it safe for now.¡±

    Theo moved to take out only the robe and began closing the box, but Kirson quickly reached out, flustered.

    ¡°W-wait! Stooop!¡±

    ¡°Is something wrong?¡±

    ¡°W-well, wouldn¡¯t it be better to¡­ use the gift properly?¡±

    Theo¡¯s eyes narrowed into a gentle arc.

    ¡°Still, with the uncertainty of the Designation Ceremony ahead, it¡¯s not the right time to bring it out carelessly. I¡¯ll keep it safely stored and use it when the asion calls for it.¡±

    His words were perfectly polite.

    Yet somehow, to Kirson, it sounded like, ¡°I¡¯ll bury it forever.¡±

    ¡®Just as cunning as her mother!¡¯

    It seemed her attempt to poke around subtly had failed yet again.

    It was just like what happened with the Moon-White Sword.

    ¡°Of course, no wonder he graduated as the top student in that wretched Blossoming Ceremony!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you gold! Or do you not need any more precious swords? You¡¯ve probably used one already, but the swords made by the Tao Tie Crest forge are so highly sought after that even the Nine Dragons wait years for them¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m quite satisfied with Drake¡¯s de and the Moon-White Sword, thank you. But I¡¯d really prefer the mine shares in the Kanaka Archipgo.¡±

    ¡°¡­How about a mine in the Deanan region instead? The iron ingots from there are of excellent quality.¡±

    ¡°Kanaka.¡±

    ¡°Or¡­ perhaps a stake in the jeweler who made the brooch you saw earlier?¡±

    ¡°Kanaka.¡±

    ¡°Must you be so firm? As you can see, we¡¯ve got a highly skilled jeweler. I could give you up to 5%¡ª¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re unwilling, then I suppose there¡¯s no helping it. I¡¯ve heard good things about the Turkan Trading Company and the Georg Workshop. Maybe they¡¯ll be interested.¡±

    Kirson was furious! She wanted nothing more than to smack Theo across the face with her pipe.

    ¡®How did he find out about that? I took so many precautions not to let those ck Snow bastards discover it!¡¯

    The Kanaka Archipgo¡¯s mine was one of Kirson¡¯s most prized assets. Adamant was mined there¡ªa treasure of iparable value. Yet here was Theo, pinpointing it with precision!

    ¡®2%? Just how much would that be?¡¯

    Kirson quickly ran the mental calctions in her head. She knew that negotiating with this grandson of hers, who had likely learned all of Cecilia¡¯s worst habits, wouldn¡¯t lead to any concessions.

    While giving up a share of that mine meant losing a tremendous profit, she also had to weigh the value of Theo himself. When she had provided Drake¡¯s de, she had swallowed her pride, and the result had been nothing short of spectacr.

    Her conclusion?

    ¡®¡­It¡¯ll take some time, but it¡¯ll be worth it.¡¯

    Still, the thought of giving up the shares made her stomach turn. Every time she dealt with this mother and son duo, she felt like she was being outwitted, with her pockets emptied.

    But what choice did she have?

    Grit!

    She clenched her teeth.

    ¡°¡­F-fine. Deal.¡±

    Who knew that finishing the word ¡°deal¡± would be so difficult?

    ¡°Thank you, Grandmother. I¡¯ll put it to good use.¡±

    Theo¡¯s bright smile as he expressed his gratitude was insufferably smug.

    ¡°As expected of my son! It seems I have nothing left to teach you. You¡¯re ready to descend from the mountain! Oh ho ho!¡±

    Cecilia nodded in agreement, looking utterly pleased with her prized student.

 Chapter 55

    Chapter 55: Kyle Ragnar (5)

    Kirsion, who had been boiling with anger, immediately calmed down when Theo returned, now dressed in ceremonial robes.

    ¡°Hah!¡±

    ¡°As expected, our son¡ªwhoever he takes after¡ªhis appearance is truly exceptional.¡±

    Cecilia, with a constant smile on her lips, helped Theo tidy up his attire.

    Her smile remained because she was so pleased with the masterpiece she had crafted.

    The way his clothes enhanced his figure,

    his hair pulled up neatly, exposing his white neck,

    his confident gaze,

    and his solid shoulders.

    In just six months, Theo hadpletely transformed.

    If he had previously been closer to a delicate pretty boy, now there was a hint of wildness mixed in.

    Even Kirsion, who had a hobby of viewing and collecting countless works of art, couldn¡¯t help but express admiration.

    ¡®As expected from his mother¡¯s son¡ªhe¡¯s just like his mother in her younger days.¡¯

    Kirsion felt a bit bitter as Cecilia, always so confident and lively, came to mind.

    It was as if the time lost between the two women was standing right before his eyes.

    ¡®¡­Though I don¡¯t like it, I can see traces of Kyle in his face, too.¡¯

    Of course, Kirsion quickly erased such thoughts from his mind.

    After all, Kyle was the scoundrel who had taken away her dear daughter.

    ¨C Oh my, oh my, look at that person¡­!

    ¨C That¡¯s right, it¡¯s Theo Ragnar.

    ¨C Was he always this handsome? I mean, I knew he was good-looking, but dressed up like this, he looks just¡­!

    ¨C Damn it! He¡¯s got the looks, the talent, the skills. What doesn¡¯t he have?

    ¨C There are rumors that he¡¯s caught the patriarch¡¯s eye. Maybe it wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea to bring him into our family in advance.

    Theo could hear the whispering voices around him.

    However, his expression remained awkward as ever.

    ¡®Just like when I wore a tailcoat, it still feels ufortable. Can¡¯t they make this a bit morefortable?¡¯

    At least, having worn this once before, it was much better than before.

    ¡®Well, thanks to this, I¡¯ll have ess to the mines of the Kanaka Archipgo, so a little difort is nothing.¡¯

    Theo suppressed the urge to smile.

    It wasn¡¯t widely known yet, but the mines of the Kanaka Archipgo didn¡¯t only contain adamant.

    There were other valuable minerals, some even more precious, scattered throughout the area.

    In the near future, the mines would be the gship source of the Vasque Workshop¡¯s materials, and now he had secured a foothold there¡ªit was a deal worth every difort.

    ¡°We will now begin the Designation Ceremony, so all the graduates should gather in one ce¡ª!¡±

    At that moment, the announcement of the Overseer,ced with magic, rang out.

    ¡°Well, then, I¡¯m off, Mother.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Do your best until the very end and return.¡±

    Leaving behind Cecilia¡¯s words of encouragement, Theo slowly began walking forward.

    * * *

    ¡°¡­The Designation Ceremony, is it? A Designation Ceremony without Axion? How could they hold such an event, brother?¡±

    Emil, the former Lord of Camellia Pce, ground her teeth as she looked out of the shabby window of the Rose Pce, staring at the Central Hall beyond.

    After Axion had returned as a headless corpse.

    For several days, Emil held her son tightly in her arms, refusing to let go.

    Even when the corpse began to dpose, emitting a foul stench.

    It was only after all the Blossoming Ceremonies had ended and the Designation Ceremony had begun that she finally came to her senses.

    But.

    ¡®Her eyes¡­ She¡¯spletely lost it.¡¯

    Ed clicked his tongue inwardly as he saw the madness flickering in Emil¡¯s eyes.

    It seemed that the once sharp and wise Emil was gone for good.

    ¡®Fool¡­! He never listened, always doing as he pleased.¡¯

    If Axion had followed Ed¡¯s instructions properly, he not only would have taken the relic that Theo possessed but also ended his life.

    Perhaps all the attention that Theo Ragnar was now receiving would have been Axion¡¯s instead.

    The trap that Ed had set in the Winter Mountains, using the Central Intelligence Bureau, was one no mere trainee swordsman could have escaped.

    The crime of ¡°treason¡± was that terrifying in the North.

    Yet all those traps had ended up being useless.

    It was because Axion had recklessly died before the n even began.

    ¡®Even if I try toy another trap, it won¡¯t be as easy now that he¡¯s be sharper. To learn more about the relic, I¡¯ll have to fundamentally change my approach.¡¯

    Ed had already decided how to handle Theo at this Designation Ceremony.

    It was an inevitable choice, not just for the family but for Troyban, who was surely waiting eagerly for news.

    ¡®Even if I don¡¯t like it, there¡¯s no choice. There will always be another opportunity.¡¯

    As Ed organized his thoughts, Emil suddenly grabbed his hand tightly.

    ¡°Brother.¡±

    ¡°Yes. What is it, mydy?¡±

    ¡°That bastard¡­ Kill that crippled wretch. Tear him apart in front of everyone. Make it so they can¡¯t even recognize him.¡±

    Once again, Ed clicked his tongue inwardly.

    Emil seemed incapable of rational thought now.

    ¡®She wants me dead as well.¡¯

    But the words he spoke were different from his thoughts.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    His tone was as if she could leave everything to him.

    However, Emil¡¯s hand, which gripped Ed¡¯s, refused to let go.

    ¡°You will¡­ do it, won¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Leave it to me.¡±

    After hearing Ed¡¯s assurance several more times, Emil finally managed to rise from her seat. She watched his back for a long time as he left, saying he had to participate in the Designation Ceremony. Then, Emil slowly opened her mouth.

    ¡°You must handle this properly, brother. If you don¡¯t¡­¡±

    Her eyes had suddenly turned cold.

    It was hard to believe that this was the same person who had been consumed by madness just moments ago.

    ¡°I won¡¯t be able to stay idle either.¡±

    * * *

    ¡°Ugh¡­! There are just way too many people here.¡±

    Holcus shivered.

    No matter where he looked around the building, people were everywhere.

    Though the number of observers had significantly decreasedpared to the Blossoming Ceremony, the sheer density of powerful magical auras around him was overwhelming.

    Not only were the Nine Dragons sitting high above, but the captains of various units representing Ragnar were also present.

    Heroes he had only heard about since childhood were gathered in one ce.

    For Holcus, who had admired them from a young age, it was enough to leave himpletely awestruck.

    ¡°You¡¯re huge as a mountain, so why are you so timid?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m timid, it¡¯s that you¡¯re too bold, sis!¡±

    Holcus snapped back at Erika, who was smirking beside him.

    ¡°Then what about him? He seems perfectly fine.¡±

    Erika tilted her chin in another direction, and Holcus turned to look before chuckling softly.

    Standing tall was Theo.

    ¡°Come on, our Theo is different.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡®Our¡¯?¡±

    For a moment, Erika¡¯s expression turned uneasy.

    ¡°Then should I say ¡®Lord Theo¡¯?¡±

    ¡°Did you eat something weird yesterday? Why are you acting like this all of a sudden?¡±

    ¡°I made a decision yesterday, sis.¡±

    ¡°About what?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve decided to stake my life on Theo.¡±

    It was something she hadn¡¯t expected to hear.

    Erika¡¯s eyes widened in shock, immediately snapping towards Holcus.

    ¡°What are you talking about¡­!¡±

    ¡°I spent the whole night thinking about it.¡±

    Holcus¡¯s voice was serious.

    ¡°Theo, he¡¯s definitely someone who¡¯s going to make big waves in the future. He has ambition, the capability to back it up, and most importantly, his straightforward personality really appeals to me.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°As you know, our lives in the Ranke family are pretty much set in stone, right? We are Ragnar¡¯s swords. And not just any swords, but blunt and powerful ones. If we¡¯re going to be wielded by someone anyway, it¡¯s better to be imed by someone before others take all the good spots.¡±

    Erika pressed her lips tightly together.

    ¨C Ragnar¡¯s sword.

    To the Ranke family, that was both an honor and a chain.

    It could bring them glory, but it could just as easily lead them to hell.

    If they met the right master, they would shine brilliantly; otherwise, they would end up broken.

    This was the fate of all those born into the Ranke family.

    But it wasn¡¯t just the Rankes.

    Everyone in the Six Snow Families shared the same fate.

    They were meant to rise and fall for Ragnar alone.

    If one became the head of the Ranke family, the story could change.

    But Holcus couldn¡¯t do that.

    From the beginning, that position was meant for his twin sister, Erika.

    Though, if he had harbored even a little ambition, he could have challenged her for it. But¡­ Holcus didn¡¯t.

    He knew just how much Erika longed for that role.

    ¡°You know, sis, I don¡¯t really have any desires, as you well know. I just want to eat tastier food, sleep in a morefortable ce, get stronger, and look cooler¡­ That¡¯s all I need. I didn¡¯t have any dreams. But that guy nted one in me.¡±

    ¡°¡­There¡¯s no one else who would proim they¡¯ll take the throne in front of so many examiners.¡±

    ¡°Right? That really shocked me. So I made a decision. Even if I break, I want to stand somewhere where I can burn brightly for once.¡±

    Erika silently stared at her brother, who, for the first time, was showing real ¡°ambition.¡±

    ¡°And that¡¯s Theo Ragnar?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. That guy will probably handle me roughly, but doesn¡¯t that sound like fun? Hehe!¡±

    ¡°You idiot, who decides their life based on fun?¡±

    ¡°Come on, sis. Do you think I¡¯m that much of a fool to decide just like that? Even you admitted it, right? That with Theo, it won¡¯t be hard to establish a foundation.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°So, I¡¯ve decided to bet on that.¡±

    Erika shook her head in disbelief.

    ¡°Ugh! I don¡¯t know. Do whatever you want.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve already fallen for our Theo, haven¡¯t you, sis?¡±

    ¡°Shut up, you idiot. And stop with the ¡®our, our.¡¯ It¡¯s making my skin crawl. You look like a mountain bandit, for crying out loud.¡±

    ¡°Sis, people say we look alike. So that¡¯s like spitting in your own face¡­¡±

    ¡°You wanna die?¡±

    Erika subtly drew her two-handed sword, effectively shutting Holcus up.

    But the grin hanging on his lips didn¡¯t disappear.

    ¡°By the way, does Theo know about your decision?¡±

    ¡°Huh? No, of course not. I only decided this at dawn today.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell him now.¡±

    ¡°¡­So, you¡¯ve been doing all this drumming and ying all by yourself without any actual emotional exchange, haven¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Haha! Who in the world would refuse the great Holcus Ranke¡¯s offer to be their sword?¡±

    Erika pressed her index finger firmly against her temple before shouting angrily.

    ¡°You idiot! You need to talk to Theo first if you want to be in the same unit as him! What if you end up being assigned to a different one? How are you going to be his sword then?¡±

    ¡°¡­Huh? Th-that¡¯s true, I didn¡¯t think of that.¡±

    As Erika scowled at Holcus, who blinked dumbly in realization, a voice echoed through the hall.

    ¡°We will now begin the Designation Ceremony¡ª!¡±

    At the Overseer¡¯s deration, all eyes, including those of the graduates, shifted toward the podium.

    The Nine Dragons and other high-ranking officers followed suit.

    Boom, boom, boom!

    With the thunderous sound of ceremonial drums, the hearts of the crowd beat just as heavily.

    ¡°First among all graduates, Theo Ragnar! Step forward!¡±

    Step, step¡ª

    The moment Theo stood on the tform, an intense silence fell over the room.

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    Even the previously restless Nine Dragons and the other officers fixed their burning gazes on him, unwavering.

    Their eyes glowed with determination to recruit Theo at any cost.

    ¡®As expected, the room is filled with madness.¡¯

    Erika chuckled silently as she observed the officers. It was all unfolding exactly as she had anticipated.

    Though she wondered if Theo might feel the pressure from the intensity of those stares,

    ¡®Wait, what? That bastard¡¯s actually enjoying this? Hahaha!¡¯

    Despite all the attention, Theo remainedpletelyposed. It was as if he was putting on a show, asserting that this was exactly where he belonged.

    ¡®My instincts were right. This guy doesn¡¯t just attract everyone¡¯s attention; he embraces it without any hesitation.¡¯

    A natural born king.

    Theo undoubtedly possessed the natural qualities of a ruler.

    ¡®Oh, my foolish brother, you want to be that guy¡¯s sword? You¡¯re going to have to work much harder than you think, rolling in the dirt to keep up.¡¯

    Erika couldn¡¯t help but smile, picturing her brother, Holcus, struggling to im a spot by Theo¡¯s side.

    The Dark Dragon, Julius,

    The Sword Dragon, Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce,

    The Gale Sword Unit, the ck Sword Unit, the Judgment Hall, the Security Bureau, and the ck Iron Cavalry¡ªall the prestigious units and organizations of Ragnar had their eyes on Theo.

    Even the impartial Overseer, Upsurging Dragon seemed intrigued.

    ¡®This ce already belongs to him.¡¯

    Amidst the awe-struck gazes of the other graduates directed at Theo,

    Creaaak!

    Suddenly, someone shot up from their seat.

    ¡®What¡¯s this?¡¯

    Erika¡¯s eyes narrowed as she locked onto the person who had risen.

    The Nine Dragons and the officers were no exception.

    Everyone turned their gaze in that direction, frozen in ce.

    The person who had stood up was none other than Soaring Dragon Ed.

    ¡®No way¡­?¡¯

    Julius and the Mistress of plum Blossom Pce immediately moved their hands toward their swords.

    Even though they didn¡¯t believe Ed, consumed by grief as he was, would be foolish enough to harm Theo in front of so many people, they couldn¡¯t be certain of his intentions. If anything seemed amiss, they were ready to intervene.

    However.

    Ed didn¡¯t care about their reactions. He simply stared at Theo with a nk expression.

    Theo, sensing the gaze, turned to face him.

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    A tense silence stretched between them.

    ¡°Director of Central Intelligence, whatever your reason, please take your seat. We haven¡¯t even begun exining the Designation Ceremony procedure to the first graduate yet.¡±

    The Overseer, clearly displeased with Ed¡¯s behavior, issued a warning.

    But.

    Ed paid no attention. Instead, he slowly opened his mouth.

    ¡°The Central Intelligence Bureau offers Theo Ragnar¡­¡±

    Though his voice was soft, the next words rang like a thunderp.

    ¡°¡­the position of Deputy Director.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    A massive ripple spread through the once-quiet assembly.

 Chapter 56

    Chapter 56: The Designation Ceremony (1)

    ¡®What is he thinking?¡¯

    Theo stared at Ed.

    Unlike Axion, whose intentions were transparent, Ed wore an indifferent expression.

    Theo couldn¡¯t grasp what was going on inside him at all.

    Soaring Dragon.

    The name signified the dragon rising to the sky, representing his position as the lord¡¯s sword, wielding unchallenged power.

    However, there was another nickname given to him by the public.

    Serpent Dragon.

    A dragon with the cunning nature of a snake.

    That name seemed perfectly fitting now.

    A snake, waiting for the right moment to snatch its prey in one bite.

    ¡°What are you doing right now, Director of Central Intelligence?!¡±

    Bang!

    At that moment, Julius shot up from his seat, mming the table hard.

    Despite being someone who always showed respect to others, even low-ranking inspectors, his voice was filled with intense anger now.

    As if he were facing an enemy.

    ¡°What am I doing? Offering a seat to invite a talent is an old tradition of the Designation ceremony, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    But Ed remained calm.

    ¡°Do you think everyone here is a fool? Who doesn¡¯t know that you¡¯re trying to vent your anger over your nephew¡¯s death right now?!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re wrong.¡±

    Ed firmly denied Julius¡¯ words and continued speaking.

    ¡°I, Ed Troyban, certainly bear personal anger towards Theo Ragnar. But as the Director of Central Intelligence, my perspective is different.¡±

    ¡°Different?¡±

    ¡°Yes. The Blossoming Ceremony is a long-standing tradition of the Ragnar family. The grudges and conflicts that ur within the ceremony are not to be questioned once they leave the grounds. In fact, it should be celebrated. After all, the Blossoming Ceremony signifies a rebirth as an official knight.¡±

    Ed¡¯s gaze shifted towards Theo.

    ¡°That¡¯s why I warmly wee the appearance of a new genius after the Captain of the ck Iron Cavalry. And my desire for such talent is just as strong.¡±

    Theo could see a faint emotion blooming in Ed¡¯s eyes.

    Greed.

    Or rather, desire.

    He was craving Theo.

    ¡®But that desire isn¡¯t purely for me.¡¯

    Somehow, Theo thought he knew what Ed truly wanted.

    ¡®Observation.¡¯

    [You are observing ¡®Ed Troyban¡¯.]

    Ed Troyban (46 years old / Male)

    ¨C Title: Soaring Dragon

    ¨C Talents: Cunning. Strategy. Schemes. Honeyed words with a dagger hidden beneath. Ambitious.

    ¨C Current State: Wants to take ¡®Theo Ragnar¡¯ under his wing, to use him as a hunting dog and uncover the secrets of the Ancient Dragon¡¯s relic.

    ¡®Just as I thought.¡¯

    It was just as Theo had expected.

    Ed was after the Ancient Dragon¡¯s Relic.

    And he had already sensed that Theo possessed a part of it.

    ¡®So, the relic of the Ancient Dragon is far more important to him than avenging his nephew, is that it?¡¯

    Originally, the relic of the Ancient Dragon was a mystical object passed down for Ragnar. Why was someone with Troyban blood so greedy for it?

    ¡°As you know, unlike those of you fighting on the frontlines, the Central Intelligence Bureau is responsible for assessing the overall situation and maintaining order in the center. For this reason, we are in dire need of talent to carry out our duties. That¡¯s why, although it may seem excessive, I¡¯m offering Theo Ragnar such a prominent position.¡±

    Even while Theo was pondering, Ed¡¯s exnation continued smoothly, like flowing water.

    To those unaware of the situation, it might have genuinely appeared that Ed was desperately in need of Theo.

    Julius¡¯s face twisted slightly in displeasure, but then, the Mistress of plum Blossom Pce, who had been sitting quietly beside him, slowly rose from her seat.

    Was she going to help him?

    Julius turned toward her, but the words she spoke werepletely unexpected.

    ¡°This time, I share the same opinion as the Director of Central Intelligence.¡±

    ¡°¡­My Lady?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Captain of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry. But I, too, am in desperate need of Theo.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    Julius¡¯s face stiffened.

    The Mistress of plum Blossom Pce deliberately avoided his gaze as she continued.

    ¡°If someone is truly needed, then they deserve the proper treatment. Therefore, I, Osa Ragnar Prunus, not only propose offering Theo Ragnar the position of disciple once more, but I also promise him the position of the Young Mistress of plum Blossom Pce.¡±

    The room erupted into chaos.

    ¨C Y-Young Lord¡­?

    ¨C But¡­ doesn¡¯t the Mistress of plum Blossom Pce have no children?

    ¨C So, does this mean¡­?

    ¨C She¡¯s practically saying she¡¯ll adopt him!

    ¨C The sessor to the First Lady!

    The weight the Mistress of plum Blossom Pce held within the House of Ragnar was immense.

    She was the Matriarch.

    The mother who cradled the vast world that was Ragnar.

    She was the first wife, a position of prestige, a swordswoman with such exceptional skill that even Kyle respected her, and she had a warm, generous nature.

    There was widespread opinion that, had she had children, thepetition for the position of sessor might never have fully developed.

    This was because the entire poption of Winterer would have supported her child.

    And now, was Theo about to be adopted by such a person?

    It would instantly eliminate the limitations that had quietly bound Theo as an illegitimate child.

    It was like giving wings to Theo.

    There had been rumors for some time that the Mistress of plum Blossom Pce coveted Theo, but now that it was publicly announced, the shock was immense.

    The faces of the five main candidates sitting in the executive seats stiffened at the news.

    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry. This is the best I can offer to help you. I was inadequate, and I made you suffer.¡¹

    Theo nced at the Mistress of plum Blossom Pce, who had sent the telepathic message.

    ¡¸I just wanted to make sure to tell you that.¡¹

    It was her way of apologizing for what Felix and his group had done.

    Even though it wasn¡¯t her fault, the Mistress of plum Blossom Pce didn¡¯t offer any excuses.

    She was the type of person who shouldered the mistakes of her subordinates without casting them aside.

    ¡¸I am fine. Please don¡¯t worry too much. In fact, I¡¯m just grateful that you¡¯ve considered my feelings.¡¹

    Theo shook his head and mouthed the words softly.

    The Mistress of plum Blossom Pce, surprised that Theo could already use telepathicmunication, nodded.

    ¡¸Don¡¯t feel burdened about making your decision. No matter what choice you make, I will always be on your side.¡¹

    Theo bowed his head again in gratitude.

    She said she would always be on his side.

    The sincerity in her words touched him deeply.

    ¨C So, the Soaring Dragon offers the position of Deputy Director, and the Mistress of plum Blossom Pce offers the title of Young Lord? They both practically want him as their sessor.

    ¨C Two of the Nine Dragons are already backing him¡­!

    ¨C Theo Ragnar announced he¡¯d join the power struggle, but it seems he¡¯s had an incredible backing from the very start.

    ¨C Indeed. It¡¯s unlikely that any other unit leaders or organization heads will even dare speak up now.

    The crowd whispered as they nced toward the executive seats.

    As expected, the faces of the Gale Sword Unit¡¯s captain and the Director of Security had bitter smiles.

    It was practically a concession.

    To bring Theo to their side, they would need to secure a position worthy of him first.

    ¨C So, the choice of where Theo Ragnar will go is now narrowed down to those two, then?

    Someone posed that question, and just then, a harsh echo resounded from the sky.

    ¡¸I¡¯d appreciate it if you included me as well!¡¹

    All eyes turned upward.

    Boom!

    A ck lightning bolt struck the top of the gpole that stood in the center of the tform, and soon, a figure dressed entirely in a pitch-ck robe appeared.

    His long white hair flowed down, and his face was hidden behind a jet-ck mask.

    ¨C It¡¯s the ck Dragon!

    ¨C The ck Emperor! The ck Emperor has appeared!

    ¨C There is a dragon in the sky, and the ck Emperor on the ground, and nothing will stop Ragnar¡¯s era froming¡­!

    The appearance of the figure who, along with Kyle, was said to have ushered in Ragnar¡¯s golden age, sent shockwaves through the gathering.

    Even Ed¡¯s expression stiffened in response.

    ¡®Why is he here?¡¯

    Theo was just as surprised.

    The image of the old man who had gone fishing with Griffin shed in his mind.

    Thump, thump, thump!

    His heart began to race wildly.

    ¨C The ck Emperor has appeared in person¡­!

    ¨C Is he here to recruit Theo Ragnar as well?

    ¡°Theo Ragnar.¡±

    It was only his name being called, but even so¡ª

    Thump, thump, thump, thump!

    For some reason, Theo¡¯s heartbeat quickened even more.

    It felt as if the cold gaze behind the pitch-ck mask was piercing through him, seeing everything.

    This feeling waspletely different from when he had faced Kyle.

    ¡®Stay calm. Stay calm. He knows nothing about me.¡¯

    Theo took a slow, deep breath.

    His heart rate began to slow down, but the tension still kept his spine stiff and alert.

    ¡°I have been watching you throughout the Blossoming Ceremony.¡±

    ¡®He¡¯s been¡­ watching me?¡¯

    Since when had he been observing?

    Had he also seen what happened with Lodbrok?

    ¡°And I am certain of one thing. Your nature closely resembles that of our ck Snow.¡±

    Having spent so much time within ck Snow, it seemed certain habits had unconsciously revealed themselves.

    ¡°That is why I am offering you the rank of No Snow.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°You understand what that means, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Theo knew very well the significance of No Snow within ck Snow.

    ¡®He¡¯s offering to let me walk in the sunlight.¡¯

    No Snow was a kind of elite agent.

    Unlike other agents of ck Snow, who were destined to live their entire lives in the shadows, those with the rank of No Snow were allowed to reveal their identity to the outside world.

    They could build reputations, umte merit, and even gain power.

    At the same time, they would continue to benefit from ck Snow¡¯s vast informationwork, making it an incredible privilege.

    There were only eight such individuals currently.

    It was the position Theo had longed for in his previous life.

    Thump, thump, thump, thump¡­!

    His heart raced with excitement at the realization that the position he had always dreamed of was now within his reach.

    ¡°So you do understand. It seems you like the offer, don¡¯t you?¡±

    From behind the mask, the ck Dragon¡¯s eyes curved slightly in a smile.

    It reminded Theo of the look a fisherman gives when spotting a fish about to bite the bait.

    ¨C That¡¯s already three of the Nine Dragons¡­

    ¨C He barely shows his face for the other candidates, but for this¡­!

    ¨C Will the other dragons join in as well?

    The crowd murmured excitedly.

    A tense and deadly atmosphere lingered between Ed, the Mistress of plum Blossom Pce, and the ck Dragon.

    ¡¸Both of you, step aside. No matter what happens, I will be the one to take Theo Ragnar.¡¹

    ¡¸Do you seriously believe that Theo will choose the Director of Central Intelligence?¡¹

    ¡¸He¡¯s a smart and ambitious child. He knows well enough which choice would benefit him the most.¡¹

    ¡¸If that¡¯s the case, wouldn¡¯t ck Snow be a better choice than the Central Intelligence Bureau or the Plum Blossom Pce, where betrayal could strike at any moment?¡¹

    ¡¸Director of ck Snow! How dare you say such things¡­!¡¹

    ¡¸Did I say something wrong, Osa?¡¹

    None of them were backing down an inch.

    It seemed like a fight could break out at any moment to determine who would prevail.

    ¡°The Soaring Dragon, the Sword Dragon, and now even the ck Dragon? I don¡¯t know if the weight of the Nine Dragons has ever felt this light,¡±

    Tsk!

    Watching the rising tension, the Overseer clicked his tongue.

    He could hear every bit of the unspoken insults passing between the three Dragons.

    Finally,

    Boom¡­!

    He stomped the ground fiercely.

    Rumble¡ª

    The force rippled outwards, not only pushing back the fierce auras of the three Dragons but also silencing the restless crowd.

    Whoosh!

    A tremendous bloodlust emanated from the Overseer, filling the space in front of the tribunal building.

    The oppressive silence that followed was so suffocating that even swallowing became difficult.

    ¡°What is this disgraceful behavior! In front of everyone, you¡¯re squabbling over a child, ring your killing intent like this. You who lead Ragnar¡ªhow dare you show such shameful conduct!¡±

    The Overseer, the eldest among the Nine Dragons and the senior-most figure among all the officers, didn¡¯t hold back his harsh rebuke.

    Naturally, even the high-ranking officials shrank back in response to his sharp scolding.

    The Mistress of plum Blossom Pce bowed her head deeply, filled with shame, while Ed averted his gaze. The ck Dragon remained silent.

    ¡°There are still other candidates waiting their turn, so instead of dragging this out, if anyone wants to take the top candidate, step forward now! The top candidate will make their decision!¡±

    Of course, no one dared to step forward in such an atmosphere.

    Everyone was too busy gauging the situation.

    ¡°Ahem! And unlike these disrespectful ones, I¡¯m not bound to any particr faction, which gives me the freedom to act independently. That means I can do plenty on my own to support you in the race for the throne, hmm?¡±

    Then, the Overseer cleared his throat and casually directed those words at Theo.

    The crowd, at first unsure of what was happening, soon realized with shock that the Overseer was attempting to sway Theo in his favor.

    ¨C Even the Overseer¡­?

    ¨C That¡¯s just unfair¡­!

    ¡°Although you refusedst time, I¡¯ll always leave the opportunity open for you, so take your time and think it over.¡±

    The Overseer gave a yful wink as he spoke.

    Theo scratched his cheek awkwardly, looking somewhat embarrassed.

    ¨C So, what¡¯s happening now? Four of the Nine Dragons¡­? Is that nearly half?

    ¨C No, wait. There¡¯s still one more.

    ¨C Oh!

    The crowd¡¯s gaze naturally shifted towards Julius.

    Everyone knew.

    It was Julius who had first discovered Theo.

    What kind of offer would he make?

    But then,

    ¡°Our White Armored Dragon Cavalry, of course, wishes to recruit Theo Ragnar more than anything. However, what we can firmly promise is our full support in helping him excel as a training knight and the pride thates with being a Dragon Knight. We cannot offer special privileges that would go against the fairness towards our other recruits.¡±

    He still desired Theo, but his firm stance was that the rules could not be bent.

    ¨C What? Does this mean the White Armored Dragon Cavalry is stepping back in this Designation?

    ¨C It seems that way.

    ¨C That¡¯s a shame. The captain of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry can be stubborn in situations like this. He could have just made a bold move.

    ¨C Exactly. If you want talent, you have to invest in it.

    ¨C But isn¡¯t he right, too? If he gave special treatment, it would only create resentment among the ranks. It seems he¡¯s trying to avoid that.

    The crowd, knowing how much Julius valued Theo, showed expressions of regret.

    A few, however, snickered in amusement.

    Yet, there wasn¡¯t a trace of hesitation on Julius¡¯ face.

    His expression held firm resolve, as if he would never yield.

    That attitude¡ª

    It only resonated more deeply with Theo.

    ¡®As expected¡­ If anyone¡¯s worthy of being called the Dark Dragon, it¡¯s him.¡¯

    Stubborn? Maybe.

    But Theo understood that Julius¡¯ decision was about preserving the organization¡¯s integrity and the unity among his subordinates.

    Julius cherished Theo, but he cared for the White Armored Dragon Cavalry just as deeply.

    Moreover, one particr word Julius had spoken kept echoing within Theo¡¯s heart.

    ¨C The pride of being a Dragon Knight.

    Dragon Knight.

    A position every knight of Ragnar aspired to. And it was right before Theo¡¯s eyes.

    ¡®It¡¯s also the true identity of Ragnar.¡¯

    After a long moment of contemtion,

    Theo made his final decision.

    ¡°I will¡­!¡±

 Chapter 57

    Chapter 57: The Designation Ceremony (2)

    Just as he was about to speak his choice,

    suddenly, a voice secretly crept into his ear.

    ¡¸You, you¡¯re a regressor, aren¡¯t you?¡¹

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    In that instant, Theo felt his whole body stiffen.

    A regressor.

    A secret he intended to take to his grave.

    Theo¡¯s gaze urgently shifted to one side.

    Toward the section where the higher-ups were seated.

    A woman was smiling slyly as she looked in his direction.

    Even though she was mixed in with the crowd, it felt as if she alone existed in a different world.

    Hilda Ragnar.

    The head of the Ragnar family two generations prior was staring right at him!

    Thump thump thump thump-

    It was at that moment.

    Ding!

    [A quest has arrived.]

    +

    [Tutorial Quest #18]

    Uncover the hidden secret of the family, resolve all the questions you¡¯ve been harboring, andplete the tutorial.

    ¡¤ Difficulty: S

    ¡¤ Reward: 1 Coin

    ¡¤ Failure: ¡ö¡ö

    This is the final tutorial quest.

    +

    Thump thump thump thump!

    The quest that suddenly appeared only made Theo¡¯s heart race even faster.

    The final tutorial quest.

    Just from reading it, he understood clearly.

    Facing Hilda was the key to unraveling the final mystery behind his regression and the messages he had been receiving.

    ¡®Calm down, calm down.¡¯

    Theo took a deep breath and slowly opened his mouth.

    ¡¸I¡­ I don¡¯t know what you mean.¡¹

    Theo desperately tried to hide the cold sweat trickling down his face.

    ¡¸Oh, so you still want to hide the truth, even now? I don¡¯t know what kind of life you lived in your previous round, but your acting is top-notch. Truly top-notch.¡¹

    ¡¸¡­¡­.¡¹

    ¡®Round? What does that mean? Is there a set number of regressions or reincarnations?¡¯

    His mind became more and more entangled.

    But one thing he was starting to understand.

    Hilda knew nothing about his previous life.

    ¡¸Why don¡¯t you juste clean? There¡¯s no point in hiding it till the end. We won¡¯t make any progress in our conversation that way.¡¹

    Hilda¡¯s smile deepened.

    And with that, Theo¡¯s thoughts became even more muddled.

    How on earth should he respond?

    ¡°Theo Ragnar? What¡¯s the matter? Is something wrong?¡±

    At that moment, the inquisitor touched Theo¡¯s shoulder, looking at him with concern.

    Theo had stopped right before naming his nominee, which naturally raised suspicions.

    ¡°Could I¡­ Could I have a moment to gather my thoughts?¡±

    ¡°Hmm. Indeed, it must be quiteplicated for you. But, as I mentioned before, there are still others waiting, so don¡¯t take too long.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Theo lowered his head slightly and once again nced towards Hilda.

    ¡¸How did you know?¡¹

    In the end, Theo decided not to hide the truth.

    No matter what excuse he made, it wouldn¡¯t work on someone like Hilda.

    In that case, facing it head-on was the best option.

    However¡ª

    ¡¸Well, it¡¯s because I¡¯m also a regressor.¡¹

    Her response was even more shocking.

    ¡¸¡­!¡¹

    ¡¸It¡¯s not that difficult for us to recognize each other, is it?¡¹

    ¡¸¡­¡­.¡¹

    ¡¸Though, my permitted rounds have all ended.¡¹

    Hilda shrugged her shoulders.

    ¡®Rounds¡­ she mentioned it again.¡¯

    Theo¡¯s eyes sank deeply.

    Thump thump thump thump!

    Meanwhile, his heart was pounding even harder.

    ¡¸Are you saying there¡¯s a limit to how many times one can regress?¡¹

    ¡¸Who knows?¡¹

    ¡¸¡­¡­?¡¹

    ¡¸Hm?¡¹

    Just as he was wondering what she meant by that,

    Hilda tilted her head, as if something suddenly seemed off to her.

    ¡¸Wait a minute. Don¡¯t tell me¡­ you didn¡¯t hear anything from Kyle?¡¹

    ¡¸I don¡¯t know why my father is being mentioned here.¡¹

    ¡¸Ha! You¡¯re going to y it like that? Suddenly? That man, who¡¯s obsessed with regressors, didn¡¯t say a single word to you? There¡¯s no way.¡¹

    Hilda crossed her arms with a puzzled expression.

    ¡¸Or¡­ could it be? Ha! Look at this kid. Trying to y mind games with me?¡¹

    She muttered something unintelligible, then looked back at Theo.

    ¡¸Well, to put it simply, there¡¯s still so much we don¡¯t know about the power of regression. Its activation principles, the specific conditions, or even the reasons behind its use. The only thing that¡¯s known is that it¡¯s somehow tied to the relics of the Ancient Dragon or this damned body of Ragnar.¡¹

    One word stuck in Theo¡¯s ear.

    The relics of the Ancient Dragon.

    ¡®As expected, the effect of the first relic I unknowingly possessed was regression. But for it to be rted to the body? What does that mean? Is this also connected to the family secret mentioned in the quest?¡¯

    The corner of Hilda¡¯s mouth curled up.

    ¡¸You seem to have a lot of questions.¡¹

    ¡¸To be honest¡­ yes. There¡¯s too much I don¡¯t know.¡¹

    ¡¸I see. Is that so?¡¹

    Hilda¡¯s smile deepened.

    Whisper whisper¡ª

    As the conversation between Hilda and Theo dragged on, murmurs began to rise among the onlookers.

    ¡¸Well, it seems this isn¡¯t the ce to continue this conversation. We¡¯ll talkter.¡¹

    Without specifying when they¡¯d meet again, Hilda abruptly disappeared.

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    Theo felt as though he had just experienced a long daydream in an instant.

    ¡®But soon, I will uncover all these secrets. Not just the message, but also about my father and Lodbrok.¡¯

    For now, he decided to focus on the task at hand until Hilda arrived.

    Thinking this, Theoposed himself again and said,

    ¡°I¡­¡±

    Atst, he could voice his choice.

    * * *

    Theo¡¯s decision sent ripples throughout the room, stirring not only the senior officials but also the Nine Dragons.

    ¡°I choose the Upsurging Dragon Hall Hall.¡±

    And soon after, Wellington, who followed next, caused yet another uproar with his Designation.

    ¨C Upsurging Dragon Hall Hall? What is that? Does Winterer even have such a ce?

    ¨C What are you talking about! It¡¯s that ce, the Upsurging Dragon Hall Hall!

    ¨C That ce? Where exactly?

    ¨C The academy run by the Upsurging Dragon!

    ¨C Ah!

    ¨C How could you forget that, you fool!

    Around ten years ago, Kyle had personally established an institute to coax the Upsurging dragon out of seclusion.

    The Upsurging Dragon Hall Hall.

    Kyle had permitted the creation of the ¡®academy,¡¯ suggesting that it would be lonely in his old age and that he should take on some disciples. However, the Upsurging dragon ignored the idea, making it practically defunct.

    Now, it had been revived.

    ¨C Wait, doesn¡¯t that mean he¡¯s be the Upsurging dragon¡¯s disciple?

    ¨C Probably the only disciple, too¡­ And that position went to Narcio¡¯s heir?

    ¨C What does this mean? Is the Upsurging dragon¡¯s secret art going to Narcio?

    ¨C Is that even allowed?

    ¨C The secret art of a great house being passed down to a vassal family? Surely, it can¡¯t be! Then again, wasn¡¯t the Upsurging dragon never part of Ragnar to begin with?

    Spections swirled around the room.

    Wellington looked at the arbiter, who smiled with satisfaction and nodded.

    With that, it became certain.

    ¨C The Upsurging dragon has finallye out of seclusion!

    This too was a shocking development.

    ¡°The next, Erika Ranke!¡±

    When Erika¡¯s name was called, Wellington swapped ces with her, and as he stepped down, his eyes met Theo¡¯s.

    ¡°Congrattions.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ only thanks to the fact that Master has favored me. Thank you.¡±

    Wellington seemed ufortable with the word ¡®Master,¡¯ as if it had yet to settle naturally on his lips.

    ¡°But aren¡¯t you going to ask? Why I didn¡¯t follow Sir Theo?¡±

    He asked yfully, smiling mischievously.

    Theo chuckled in response.

    ¡°I think I already know.¡±

    ¡°What do you think it is?¡±

    ¡°The same reason as during the second evaluation, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Wellington smiled as well, as if d Theo understood him.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. I still believe I will surpass Sir Theo in my own way.¡±

    ¡°Did you see that path in the Upsurging Dragon Hall Hall?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Wellington¡¯s eyes gleamed.

    Theo could see a new world reflected in his gaze.

    Not just a world of Ragnar and Narcio, but something beyond that.

    What kind of world had the Upsurging dragon shown him?

    ¡°I wish you sess.¡±

    ¡°And I wish you good fortune as well, Sir Theo.¡±

    Theo and Wellington exchanged wishes of luck as they passed each other.

    ¡®History has changed again.¡¯

    In fact, Wellington bing the disciple of the Upsurging dragon had never happened in his previous life.

    Back then, as soon as the Blossoming Ceremony ended, Wellington returned to the Narcio family and steadily prepared to be the head of the family. Once he became the head, he promptly initiated a rebellion against Ragnar.

    But this time was different.

    He had grown closer to Theo and had be more deeply intertwined with Ragnar.

    No one could predict how this new path would unfold.

    However, there was one thing Theo was certain of.

    The ripple he had caused was now beginning to create a significant change.

    And it was something he could no longer control.

    It would be great if everything went as nned, but people were never puppets on a stage.

    Everyone had their own capacities and dreams.

    They moved to find new paths for the sake of those dreams.

    ¡®Just like me.¡¯

    Theo couldn¡¯t help but smile, feeling as though he could see a massive wave of destiny unfolding before his eyes.

    Thump, thump, thump, thump!

    His heart pounded wildly in anticipation.

    * * *

    The Designation ceremony came to an end.

    Wellington headed to the Upsurging Dragon Hall Hall, and Ray returned to the Restoration Pce, where she had originally been.

    Ray, in particr, had been very reluctant to part with Theo.

    ¡°If you get bored,e visit Camellia Pce anytime.¡±

    ¡°Can¡­ can I really?¡±

    ¡°Of course. We¡¯re siblings, after all. And friends too.¡±

    ¡°Fri¡­ ends. Right. We¡¯re friends.¡±

    Only after hearing Theo¡¯s words did Ray finally smile and leave.

    And then,

    There were still some who couldn¡¯t let go of their lingering feelings toward Theo.

    ¡°You¡¯ll regret this.¡±

    The first to approach was Ed.

    ¡°Axion said the same thing.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°I doubt I¡¯ll ever walk the same path as Sir Soaring dragon.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­See you next time.¡±

    Ed red fiercely at Theo before leaving.

    Next came the Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce.

    ¡°It¡¯s a shame we won¡¯t be together. Such a shame.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for giving you a less-than-ideal answer as well.¡±

    ¡°You saw your dream in ¡®him,¡¯ didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s correct.¡±

    After hearing Theo¡¯s firm response, the regret in the Mistress of plum Blossom Pce¡¯s eyes faded away.

    Instead, a gentle smile appeared on her face.

    ¡°Alright. If that¡¯s your stance, then so be it. As long as there¡¯s no resentment left between you, me, and the Plum Blossom Pce, that¡¯s what matters. Rtionships can always be rebuilt.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±

    ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll see you again.¡±

    Somehow, her ¡°see you again¡± felt more specificpared to Ed¡¯s parting words.

    But the Mistress of plum Blossom Pce left with a mysterious smile, leaving Theo slightly puzzled.

    After several rounds of such encounters had passed,

    ¡°All new recruits, gather under the White g!¡±

    Theo moved towards the white g upon hearing the assembly order.

    The g bore the emblem of a white dragon roaring with a sword in its mouth.

    ¡®That¡¯s¡­ the insignia I¡¯ll wear on my left chest from now on.¡¯

    Thump-thump!

    For some reason, it made him feel like he was reliving a childhood dream.

    ¡°Ahem! Ahem, ahem!¡±

    Just then, Holcus approached Theo with a series of awkward throat clearings.

    ¡°Ahem, ahem, ahem! W-what a¡­ surprise! W-what¡¯s¡­ going on¡­? Theo¡­ you¡¯re¡­ here¡­ too? Ha, ha, ha! What a¡­ coincidence¡­ ha, ha, ha!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±

    Holcus extended his hand stiffly, his attempt at greeting painfully awkward, as if he were reading straight from a textbook.

    ¡°What are you talking about? We were just together at the Designation ceremony.¡±

    ¡°Ha¡­ ha¡­ ha¡­ right. T-that¡¯s¡­ what I said?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­??¡±

    Theo¡¯s face was covered in question marks.

    Sigh! Erika, standing nearby, covered her face with her hand and let out a deep sigh.

    ¡°This idiot¡­ seriously. Theo, just ignore him. He¡¯s just excited to see you.¡±

    Theo found it odd seeing the usually confident Holcus acting so strange, but he simply nodded, assuming there must be a reason.

    At the same time, another thought crossed his mind.

    These siblings had returned to their family in his previous life.

    But this time, they had chosen Ragnar¡¯s unit.

    Like Wellington, what kind of wind was blowing in their hearts this time?

    Pushing those questions aside¡ª

    ¡°The captain ising. Everyone, attention!¡±

    At the g bearer¡¯s shout, Theo and the Ranke siblings turned their attention to one side.

    Step, step, step.

    Julius was walking towards them.

 Chapter 58

    Chapter 58: Designation Ceremony (3)

    Even though Julius didn¡¯t disy any particr sense of force, the pressure from his very gait was not insignificant.

    ¡°Wow¡­ It¡¯s the Dark Dragon! The Dark Dragon ising! The hero of the Battle of Teonan and the Kazakh Annihtion¡­! Is this for real? Like, really real?!¡±

    ¡°Please, calm down already! You¡¯re going to embarrass us to death!¡±

    Erika tried to stop Holcus, who was fidgeting nervously, but his excitement didn¡¯t subside easily.

    For someone like Holcus, who had admired the Nine Dragons since childhood, this moment felt like a dreame true.

    The riders and soldiers chuckled at Holcus, finding his excitement somewhat adorable.

    ¡®This is¡­ the Dark Dragon.¡¯

    But Theo, despite not showing it on his face, was equally astonished.

    The true nature of Julius, who had always shown him the warmth of an uncle from next door, now appeared overwhelmingly grand.

    ¨C I want to be like him.

    With that thought, Theo¡¯s eyes gleamed brightly.

    ¡°I wee you all as part of the same family,¡± Julius said with a slight smile.

    Though his voice was soft, it carried a weight that gripped the entire crowd.

    This was the White Armored Dragon Cavalry.

    Unlike outside, here Julius naturally spoke informally as theirmander.

    ¡°Unlike other units, our White Armored Dragon Cavalry always refers to ourselves as ¡®family¡¯ or ¡®brothers.¡¯ It means we live believing that we can entrust our lives to one another.¡±

    Family.

    Or brothers.

    The word struck Theo¡¯s heart with unusual intensity.

    ¡°You might not grasp the meaning of it right away. But as you live and work here, you¡¯ll soon understand. So don¡¯t worry, and just follow the lead of your fellow brothers.¡±

    ¡°Yes, understood.¡±

    ¡°Yes, understood.¡±

    ¡°Yes, understood.¡±

    Theo and the Ranke siblings responded in unison, their voices booming.

    Julius smiled and nced at the rider next to him before asking, ¡°I tried to keep it short. Was that good enough?¡±

    ¡°It was on the verge of bing a bit tedious, but you managed to save it just in time.¡±

    ¡°Phew, that¡¯s a relief.¡±

    It was a lighthearted exchange, giving a glimpse into the usual atmosphere of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry, where discipline was maintained, but moments of freedom also existed.

    Julius ran a hand through his hair, surveying the three new recruits in turn.

    First, Holcus.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s enough of the old man¡¯s speech. Now, can you tell us how you came to be designated here?¡±

    Holcus swallowed nervously, nodding his head vigorously in response.

    Julius couldn¡¯t stopughing at the sight of therge, bulky Holcus trembling nervously.

    ¡°I-I came because it¡¯s cool!¡±

    ¡°Cool?¡±

    ¡°Yes! The White Armor, the White Sword, the White Dragon¡­ T-they¡¯ve all been my idols since childhood!¡±

    As Holcus spoke, he sneaked a nce at Theo.

    Theo¡¯s decision to designate the White Armored Dragon Cavalry had been a shock not only to Holcus but also to Erika and everyone else. After all, it meant rejecting all other good offers and choosing to start at the very bottom.

    However, Holcus felt a great sense of relief. Not only would he not be separated from Theo, but the White Armored Dragon Cavalry had actually been his top choice before he even made his vow to be Theo¡¯s sword.

    ¡°Standing alongside your idol¡­ That certainly sounds enjoyable.¡±

    Julius nodded while stroking his chin.

    ¡°But reality might be different. It¡¯s much more brutal and harsh. Especially since we¡¯re always at the frontlines, where death is a constantpanion. It¡¯s far from ¡®cool.¡¯ That illusion of yours might be shattered. Are you confident you won¡¯t regret it?¡±

    Julius¡¯s words continued.

    ¡°Moreover, our unit is different from the others in that we require an ¡®aptitude test.¡¯ We have , so it¡¯s unavoidable. If you fail to pass the suitability test, your designation will have to be withdrawn. What will you do if that happens?¡±

    Julius¡¯s sharp gaze seemed to pierce right through Holcus.

    Gulp!

    Holcus swallowed hard again, barely managing to speak.

    ¡°I¡¯ve¡­ prepared for that.¡±

    ¡°Prepared for it?¡±

    Julius raised an eyebrow, surprised.

    ¡°Yes¡­! The Dragon Knights, if you think about it, are like an air force. That means we usually travel by riding our dragon partners, and during that time, the rider must be light enough not to burden the dragon.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. But, as you can see¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m from the Ranke family. I¡¯m heavy, and there¡¯s no way around that.¡±

    ¡°Then you¡¯re aware that you might not pass the suitability test.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve thought about that.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Can I ask what your n is?¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡­¡±

    Holcus¡¯s eyes darted sideways.

    His gaze hinted that he was hiding something.

    ¡°You¡¯ll show us when the timees?¡±

    ¡°Yes! Exactly.¡±

    ¡°Very well. I¡¯ll look forward to it but are you prepared for when your illusion shatters?¡±

    ¡°This is where I believe you¡¯re mistaken, sir. My admiration for the White Armored Dragon Cavalry¡­ stems from their strength.¡±

    ¡°Strength, you say.¡±

    ¡°Yes! I believe the true ¡®coolness¡¯ of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry lies in their indomitable fighting spirit and willpower!¡±

    Atst, Julius smiled contentedly and patted Holcus on the shoulder.

    ¡°That¡¯s a good answer. Let¡¯s hope it wasn¡¯t just empty words.¡±

    Holcus let out a sigh of relief, feeling that he had managed to make a good first impression. Filled with pride, he clenched his fist tightly. This was only the beginning.

    ¡°Next is Erika Ranke.¡±

    Theo¡¯s gaze naturally followed to Erika as well. He, too, was curious why she, the young head of the Ranke family, had chosen toe here.

    Erika scratched her temple with her finger, as if unsure how to answer.

    ¡°There are two answers¡ªone that sounds good, and the real one. Which would you like to hear?¡±

    ¡°Haha! Two answers, huh? Can I hear the real one?¡±

    ¡°Because it seemed like it¡¯d be fun.¡±

    Her response came swiftly, like a bolt of lightning.

    ¡°That¡¯s quite the unexpected answer.¡±

    ¡°I figured being with these two anywhere would be fun. Plus, I think I¡¯ll get stronger quickly if I fight on the frontlines.¡±

    As the gleam of ambition shed in Erika¡¯s eyes, Julius nodded in agreement.

    ¡°Comradeship is indeed an important factor. Very well, I¡¯ll ept your designation for now. I hope both you and your brother do well in the test.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    With his hands sped behind his back, Julius turned toward Theo, his gaze sharper than ever.

    ¡°Now, the only one left is¡­ Theo Ragnar. Truth be told, I¡¯ve been most curious about why you chose this unit.¡±

    The rider and the other members of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry all nodded in agreement, as if they shared Julius¡¯s curiosity.

    ¡®What should I say?¡¯

    Theo pondered for a brief moment, but in the end, he made up his mind.

    He decided to speak with all his sincerity.

    ¡°Because this is the most certain shortcut to reach my desired destination.¡±

    ¡°Your destination¡­¡±

    Julius¡¯s eyes glinted. He knew exactly where Theo¡¯s destination was.

    The throne.

    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s why I¡­¡±

    Something within Theo¡¯s chest was stirring, rising to the surface.

    ¡°I n to be the Commander of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry. Within five years.¡±

    Five years.

    A time that could be considered long, or short, depending on the perspective.

    But for someone to be themander of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry¡ªone of the four pirs supporting Ragnar¡ªit was an absurdly short amount of time.

    Yet, Theo dered that he would do just that.

    It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that this was practically a deration of war against Julius, who currently upied that position.

    Naturally, the eyes of the rider and the other members of the unit gleamed sharply, and even the Ranke siblings stared at Theo as if he had gone mad.

    ¡®What¡¯s wrong with him¡­?¡¯

    ¡°Pahaha! He really is a madman!¡±

    The only personughing at that moment was Julius.

    ¡°Five years¡­ That¡¯s quite specific. Is there a particr reason for that?¡±

    A reason?

    Theo¡¯s reason was clear.

    He knew better than anyone what would happen to this world in five years.

    The Great War.

    When that timees, the entire order and structure known to everyone here, including himself, would copse.

    It would mark the beginning of an era where the strong devour the weak.

    If Theo wanted to seize the throne amidst that chaos, he needed to establish his foundation before everything unraveled.

    ¡°The White Armored Dragon Cavalry is the root of Ragnar.¡±

    ¡°The root¡­ True, after all, the cavalry originated from the knight order that Sigurd, our ancestor, first established when he pioneered the barren North, overrun by monsters from the Demonic Sea. So, yes, you¡¯re not wrong.¡±

    The Dragon Knights.

    Sigurd, who had made the contract with Lodbrok, built the Northern Great Wall and established the knight order to protect it.

    That knight orderter grew and expanded, eventually transforming into the great family known as Ragnar.

    The original mission of the Dragon Knights had been passed down and evolved into what is now the White Armored Dragon Cavalry.

    This legacy was why many of the residents of Winterer supported the White Armored Dragon Cavalry, seeing it as a symbol of tradition.

    It was also the source of the cavalry members¡¯ unshakable pride, even in the harshest of environments.

    However.

    The swordmasters of Ragnar in modern times were trying to diminish the pride of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry.

    They did so to elevate their own status.

    And this was precisely what Theo had pointed out.

    He was telling them that they, the White Armored Dragon Cavalry, were the true pir and root of Ragnar.

    ¡°Ahem! For someone so young, you¡¯ve got a sharp eye.¡±

    ¡°Hmph, hearing the truth like this makes me feel oddly embarrassed.¡±

    Thanks to that, the sharp gazes that had been directed at Theo softened considerably.

    Julius, finding his subordinates¡¯ reactions amusing, chuckled lightly.

    ¡°So, your goal is to seize those roots and establish your own foothold?¡±

    ¡°The Upsurging Dragon Hall, the Central Intelligence Bureau, and even the Plum Blossom Pce have all promised me positions and benefits far beyond what I deserve. However, in the long run, those offers would only poison me.¡±

    Julius nodded in agreement.

    It was natural that a fifteen-year-old novice who had just be a trainee knight receiving such a high-ranking position would only invite jealousy from those around him.

    ¡®He really is a thoughtful kid.¡¯

    Julius was satisfied to see that his judgment of Theo had not been wrong.

    ¡°But the White Armored Dragon Cavalry is a ce where I can rise based on my achievements and merits. Also, it is the root of Ragnar, which is why I chose to designate it.¡±

    Because the White Armored Dragon Cavalry fought on the frontlines more than any other unit, it prioritized skill over seniority. Even the most junior member could rise through the ranks if they proved their ability.

    In the chaos of the Great War toe, holding the title of leader of such a legitimate and deeply rooted force would undoubtedly be a solid foothold.

    ¡°So, you n to climb to the top from here? Hahaha.¡±

    Julius was impressed by Theo¡¯s confidence. To some, it might sound like arrogance, buting from Theo, it seemed entirely possible.

    ¡®I¡¯m going to have to stay on my toes, aren¡¯t I?¡¯

    Julius had thought he was recruiting a promising talent, but it seemed he had brought in the cub of a tiger instead.

    ¡°But still, that doesn¡¯t exin why you¡¯ve pinpointed the time frame of exactly five years.¡±

    This time, Theo smiled without answering.

    ¡°No response, huh? You must have a n. Well, if you¡¯re aiming for the throne of Ragnar, you¡¯re already behindpared to other candidates. It makes sense to secure your position before youe of age.¡±

    Julius, drawing his own conclusions, nodded.

    ¡°I like ambitious people. Those with ambition are always striving to improve, and they tend to motivate the people around them as well. But.¡±

    In an instant, Julius¡¯s gaze turned ice-cold.

    ¡°On the flip side, such people sometimes endanger theirrades for the sake of their own ambitions. If I even sense a hint of that in you¡­ I won¡¯t hesitate to eliminate you.¡±

    For a brief moment, a wave of killing intent washed over Theo.

    It was a clear warning¡ªif he tried any foolish tricks, Julius wouldn¡¯t let it slide.

    The intensity was enough to make his skin sting, but¡­ Theo simply smiled and nodded calmly.

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±

    ¡°¡­You really are a boring guy. Tch.¡±

    Julius retracted his killing intent as if it had been a lie, clicking his tongue in slight disappointment. He had teased Theo, hoping to see a reaction of surprise, but Theo remained unphased, deting the mood.

    As always, Julius thought, Theo was like an old man in a young body.

    ¡°Well, thanks to you lot, it seems I won¡¯t be bored for the next five years. That¡¯s something to look forward to. Selperd! Arin!¡±

    A white-haired man and a small-framed woman stepped forward.

    They were Selperd and Arin, the examiners Theo had met during the Blossoming Ceremony.

    ¡°Guide the new recruits to the ¡®Nest.¡¯ Go over everything they¡¯ll need for the unit, and prepare them to take the test immediately.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±

    ¡°W-Wait, we¡¯re taking the test already?¡± Holcus asked with a shocked expression.

    ¡°If you dy, it¡¯ll be harder for you to choose a backup unit if things don¡¯t work out. It¡¯s better for everyone to finish quickly. Best of luck to you all.¡±

    With a light farewell, Julius pushed off the ground and soared into the air.

    At that moment, a massive wyvern suddenly appeared from the sky, catching Julius on its back before disappearing into the clouds beyond.

    ¡°Oh?¡±

    ¡°So that¡¯s the famous dragon mount we¡¯ve heard about¡­!¡±

    As the Ranke siblings expressed their awe, Selperd chuckled.

    ¡°That¡¯s themander¡¯s partner, G. A creature with an immense appetite and¡­ well, a strong libido too. Naturally, its energy levels are off the charts. You¡¯ll eventually meet your own partner like that.¡±

    ¡°R-Really?¡± Holcus¡¯s eyes sparkled with excitement.

    ¡°Well, only if you pass all the aptitude tests first.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I see¡­¡±

    Holcus¡¯s shoulders slumped in disappointment. Selperd, finding his reactions amusing, let out a quietugh.

    Arin nudged Selperd with her elbow, telling him to stop scaring them, but he paid no attention, addressing the new recruits instead.

    ¡°Alright, it¡¯s time to head to the Nest. Get ready to mount the wyverns.¡±

    Whiiish!

    At that moment, Arin pursed her lips and let out a sharp whistle. Two wyverns descended from the sky. Though smaller than G, they were also d in white armor, perfectly embodying the name White Dragon.

    ¡°The aptitude test is simple. We¡¯re going to drop the three of you into the wyvern¡¯s nest. All you have to do is get chosen by a wyvern as its partner. Simple, right?¡±

    As expected, despite his tone, Selperd¡¯s lips were curled with mischief.

    Wyverns, even among lower dragon species, were notorious for their ferocious temper and immense strength. Even with regr training, they were not easy to handle.

    ¡°Alright, get ready.¡±

    While the Ranke siblings checked their equipment, the wyvernsnded quietly on the ground. But something had changed¡ªthe number of wyverns had increased from two to three.

    On one of them, someone was already mounted.

    A face that was all too familiar to Theo.

    ¡°Evelyn?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, young master.¡±

    Evelyn, dressed in the white armor of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry, gave a polite bow.

    ¡°Why are you here, Evelyn? No, more importantly, your arm¡­!¡±

    ¡°Oh, are you referring to this?¡±

    Evelyn stroked the left prosthetic arm she was holding tightly onto the reins connected to the wyvern¡¯s neck.

    ¡°Your mother gave it to me as a gift.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    At that moment, Theo recalled something Kirsion had mentioned before the designation ceremony.

    ¨C Try to understand if your mother seems overly emotional today. If you knew how much heartache she¡¯s had over thest two weeks, you wouldn¡¯t be able to say a word. Not to mention the ¡®gift¡¯ she¡¯s prepared for you¡­!

 Chapter 59

    Chapter 59: The Designation Ceremony (4)

    Even when the members of the 4th Training Hall were excitedly chatting about Theo¡¯s performance, Evelyn didn¡¯t bother to join in.

    She pretended not to notice even when Julius subtly approached her.

    ¡®Once the Blossoming Ceremony is over, they¡¯ll naturally find out everything.¡¯

    Evelyn believed Theo would achieve good results, so she deliberately distanced herself from the topic.

    She didn¡¯t want to hear any news about him getting hurt and feel anxious over it.

    However, one day during the third round of the Blossoming Ceremony, a woman suddenly showed up at the 4th Training Hall, iming to be Theo¡¯s birth mother.

    ¡°I came to offer my thanks.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to be so thankful for what I¡¯ve done for young master Theo. Honestly, even without me, he would have blossomed in his own time.¡±

    Evelyn¡¯s words were sincere.

    It was true that she had helped refine Theo¡¯s swordsmanship, but all she had really done was speed up the process a little.

    Eventually, Theo would have made a brilliant name for himself, just as he had now.

    However,

    ¡°So, this is why.¡±

    Cecilia smiled, a mix of understanding and something else.

    ¡°Now I think I know why my son was able to rise.¡±

    ¡°Pardon me for asking, but what do you mean by that?¡±

    ¡°I was just thinking¡­ Perhaps the reason my son shines so brightly now is not because of his swordsmanship or talent, but because of your mindset, Lady Evelyn.¡±

    Cecilia spoke with a bitter smile.

    ¡°You¡¯ve probably heard the rumors, but I¡¯m a sinner who has failed as a mother. I couldn¡¯t give my son the proper love he deserved. I was a disgrace of a mother.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°But, at some point, my rtionship with my son began to improve. It was like magic. Looking back, I wonder if that time was exactly when he met you, Lady Evelyn.¡±

    Evelyn suddenly felt something unseen weighing heavily on her heart.

    Salvation.

    Cecilia was telling her that she had saved Theo.

    Even though, in reality, it was Evelyn herself who had been saved¡­

    ¡°That¡¯s why I wanted to thank you like this.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m just a one-armed swordswoman. You don¡¯t need to go this far¡ª¡±

    As Evelyn tried to stop Cecilia, who had bowed her head in gratitude, suddenly¡ª

    Thud!

    Cecilia furrowed her brows as if something displeased her and grabbed the sleeve of Evelyn¡¯s left arm.

    ¡°No, you mustn¡¯t say it like that.¡±

    ¡°W-What do you mean¡­?¡±

    Evelyn blinked in confusion, not understanding what was happening.

    ¡°My son is someone who will shine even brighter in the future and rise to great heights. Someone who is his teacher should not humble herself like this.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°And¡­ I also don¡¯t understand why someone as radiant and beautiful as you would try to hide yourself.¡±

    Thump!

    For the first time, Evelyn felt her heart pound loudly.

    ¡°You too, are beautiful.¡±

    Those words left her feeling entranced.

    ¡°This won¡¯t do. Do you have some time? I would like you toe with me somewhere.¡±

    ¡°Where to¡­?¡±

    ¡°Where else would it be? Naturally¡­¡±

    Cecilia smiled warmly.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take you to a ce where you can shine even more brilliantly. I, Cecilia, will make sure to show you just how beautiful and magnificent you truly are.¡±

    * * *

    Looking back now¡­

    Evelyn realized she had always been preupied with hiding herself.

    She had been taught that humility was the virtue of a swordsman.

    And¡­

    That mindset only grew stronger after she lost her left arm.

    So, the path she chose was to run away¡­

    ¡°I hope you realize just how beautiful and dazzling you are¡­¡±

    That¡¯s what Cecilia had said, as she presented Evelyn with this new left arm.

    Whooosh¡ª

    Evelyn¡¯s partner, Rangus, soared gracefully through the blue sky, its wings fluttering magnificently.

    It seemed to be enjoying the time spent with its rider after such a long while.

    Thanks to that, Evelyn was able to release the pent-up frustration and anger that had been silently building inside her for so long.

    ¡°¡­And that¡¯s how I was able to hold the reins again.¡±

    Theo, sitting behind Evelyn, stared nkly at her iron prosthetic arm.

    A bitter smile formed on his lips.

    ¡®I should¡¯ve been the one to help her first. This was my mistake.¡¯

    He had only thought about receiving help from Evelyn, never once thinking about giving her help in return. As a disciple, he had failed.

    At the same time, he felt deeply grateful to Cecilia for providing such assistance.

    ¡°So, have all your senses returned?¡±

    Evelyn focused on her left prosthetic hand as she held the reins. Her fingers wiggled slightly.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m still clumsy in many ways. But I¡¯m continuing the work of connecting the nerves, and they¡¯ve told me that soon I¡¯ll be able to regain about 80% of the original functionality of my arm.¡±

    There was a hint of a smile in Evelyn¡¯s voice.

    It was hope.

    ¡°That¡¯s great, really great news.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to Lady Cecilia and Lady Kirsion. Especially Lady Kirsion¡¯s skills, they truly live up to the reputation.¡±

    Although it was supposedly their first time making a prosthetic arm, the master artisan of the Vasque Workshop was unmatched.

    ¡­She did grumble about losing too much money because of Theo and his mother, though.

    Theo decided to pretend not to hear that.

    ¡°Rather than continuing my story¡­ what kind of wyvern do you n to use for the test?¡±

    Evelyn, feeling embarrassed about going on and on about herself, changed the subject.

    Currently, Holcus was with Selperd and Erika was following Arin, each conducting their aptitude tests.

    ¡°Well.¡±

    Theo looked down at the ground.

    Along the sharp, towering peaks that rose like a giant sword stabbed into the earth, dozens of wyverns were nesting.

    ¡®That¡¯s the White Dragon¡¯s Nest.¡¯

    At Ragnar, the wyverns trained by the White Armored Dragon Cavalry were called ¡®Flying Dragons¡¯ or ¡®White Dragons.¡¯

    In other words, all the wyverns there belonged to Ragnar.

    But that didn¡¯t mean they were all ¡®trained.¡¯

    Most of them were wild.

    ¡°Which one would be good?¡±

    ¡°Well, they all have different traits depending on the species¡­ Ultimately, young master¡¯s preference is what matters the most. Do you see the ones with the red bands around their necks?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, not just red, but there are blue and ck ones too, right?¡±

    ¡°Exactly. Wyverns are generally ssified into four major species.¡±

    ording to Evelyn¡¯s exnation, the names and characteristics of each of the four species were as follows:

    ¨C Optirex, the Monstrous Dragon Species.

    Among the various types of wyverns, this one boasted thergest size and was also called the tyrant of the skies.

    It could grow up to 15 meters long, and with its strong bite force and ws, it could crush anything it caught in an instant.

    Its bronze-colored scales and hide were particrly tough, easily deflecting most ordinary des.

    ¨C Avii, the Venomous Dragon Species.

    It was much smaller, but it had a long, snake-like body and tail. With its fierce nature, it was notoriously difficult to handle.

    The venomous sting at the end of its long tail was powerful enough to bring down a bull, and sometimes it even used its tail like a whip.

    In times of danger, it could release a purple poisonous mist from its skin.

    ¨C Sigia, the de Dragon Species.

    The only species of wyvern known for its gentle nature, it preferred nts over meat. It had a habit of digging burrows, making its nests underground.

    Normally, the wings were used like front legs, but their membrane could be sharpened and used like des. asionally, they would hide underground like assassins and slice through their prey.

    ¨C Velociraptor, the Swift Dragon Species.

    Among the four species, it was the smallest, never growingrger than 3 meters. Because of this, it had a tendency to move in packs, and it was known for being quite intelligent.

    With its rapid speed and the ability to breathe fire, it was called a natural hunter. It also boasted thergest poption among the species.

    ¡°To distinguish between the dragon species, we also color the bands around their necks differently. The Monstrous Dragon Species has a red band, the Venomous Dragon Species has a ck band, the de Dragon Species has a blue band, and the Swift Dragon Species has a yellow band.¡±

    Theo nodded.

    He already knew that the White Armored Dragon Cavalry organized their squads based on the traits and types of wyverns.

    ¡°So, young master¡¯s preference is the most important. Usually, one¡¯s preference is closely rted topatibility, which increases the chances of a good match.¡±

    ¡°My preference, huh.¡±

    Theo narrowed his eyes again as he scanned the wyverns on the ground.

    ¡®Still can¡¯t see it.¡¯

    In fact, ever since he arrived at the White Dragon¡¯s Nest, there was a particr wyvern he had been looking for.

    ¡®The Shadow Wyvern. That thing should be around here around this time¡­ Its appearance is so distinct that it should be easy to spot.¡¯

    About six years after the onset of the Great War, a major disaster suddenly struck Winterer.

    A mutant wyvern attacked the White Dragon¡¯s Nest, wiping out over a hundred wyverns that the White Armored Dragon Cavalry had carefully raised over the years.

    Many swordsmen of Winterer set out to hunt down the mutant, but they all failed.

    The mutant had a trait of hiding in the shadows, which made it difficult to deal physical damage.

    Not only that, but it was extremely intelligent, as vicious as it was cunning, and ended up causing enormous damage to Ragnar.

    In the end, on that day eight viges burned and dozens of swordsmen perished.

    Ragnar eventually ssified the mutant as a second-grade disaster beast and issued an extermination order.

    The nickname it earned was Shadow Wyvern¡ªa wicked dragon that hid in the shadows.

    ¡®And it wasn¡¯t until themander of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry and the Lord of Plum Blossom Pce personally stepped in that they were able to capture it.¡¯

    It was so powerful that it required the mobilization of two of the Nine Dragons.

    And,

    After that, ck Snow began to backtrack to find the source of the Shadow Wyvern to prevent such a disaster from happening again.

    In the process, they were able to uncover a few facts.

    The first thing they found was that the Shadow Wyvern had, in fact, once escaped from the White Dragon¡¯s Nest.

    ¡®That thick ash-gray hide and scales, and a body evenrger than most Monstrous Dragon species¡­ It¡¯s not here. I don¡¯t see it. What on earth happened?¡¯

    Theo was searching for the Shadow Wyvern partly because he wanted his chosen partner to be strong,

    but mostly, he simply wanted to see it in person at least once.

    The second fact they discovered about the Shadow Wyvern was this:

    Back when it was still in the White Dragon¡¯s Nest, it had been ostracized by its pack.

    ¡®Am I remembering something wrong? No. That can¡¯t be.¡¯

    Theo had been the one who wrote the tracking report at the time, so there was no one who knew the habits of the Shadow Wyvern better than he did.

    ¡®The reason it escaped from the nest wasrgely because its peculiar appearance made it unable to blend in with the others¡­!¡¯

    Suddenly, something came to mind.

    ¡°Evelyn, can we check the outer areas as well?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s possible, but¡­ if we go too far out, we¡¯ll get close to the Demonic Sea, so we can¡¯t go far.¡±

    ¡°Even so, let¡¯s try.¡±

    Evelyn tilted her head at Theo, who was still undecided, but eventually nodded and gripped the reins tightly.

    Partners were usually chosen based on instinct.

    Rangus soared even higher, swiftly heading toward the outer edge of the White Dragon¡¯s Nest, and

    as they passed several rocky nests below, Theo¡¯s eyes lit up.

    ¡®Found it.¡¯

    In the distance,

    surrounded by a dozen wyverns, an ash-gray wyvern was snarling and hissing.

    Kaaarrrgh!

    ¡°Those things again¡­!¡±

    At that moment, Evelyn¡¯s expression twisted slightly.

    She seemed to know the creature well.

    ¡°Do you know anything about that ash-gray wyvern?¡±

    At Theo¡¯s casual question, Evelyn nodded heavily.

    ¡°It¡¯s the one that¡¯s been ostracized since before I left the White Armored Dragon Cavalry. The unit tried to iste it several times and even changed its pack¡­ but¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been like that all this time, huh.¡±

    Evelyn sighed deeply before continuing.

    ¡°It¡¯s a pitiful one. It lost its mother when it was too young to protect itself, and because of its unusual appearance, it¡¯s always been rejected by the pack. It¡¯s had plenty of close calls, nearly dying several times. If not for its natural size and abilities¡­ haah!¡±

    Theo didn¡¯t need to hear the rest to understand what she meant.

    However, there was one thing Theo learned for the first time.

    ¡°Lost its mother?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It was due toplications during birth. Normally, it would have been impossible for it to be born.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±

    ¡°The father of that child¡­ it wasn¡¯t another wyvern. It was a Biffer.¡±

    In an instant, Theo¡¯s eyes widened.

    ¡°A Biffer? The first-ss disaster beast that lives deep within the Demonic Sea? But how could it mate with a wyvern¡­? No, they¡¯re not even the same species to begin with.¡±

    A first-ss disaster beast is considered akin to a natural disaster, like a typhoon or torrential rain.

    If even one were to cross the Great Wall, it would cause immense damage, much like a natural disaster.

    The Biffer, among them, is a ghostly creature that lives in the shadows of forested areas, wandering without a fixed form and stealing the lives of living beings.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know the details either. I only know that when that child was born, it caused quite a stir within the White Armored Dragon Cavalry.¡±

    Theo quietly gazed at the Shadow Wyvern.

    The creature¡¯s head was noticeablyrger than the other wyverns, but despite that, its body was covered in wounds from constant abuse by the pack.

    Some of the wounds were already healing.

    This meant it had been mistreated for a very long time.

    ¡®Still the same.¡¯

    That sight hit Theo particrly hard.

    It reminded him of himself in his previous life.

    Unable to blend in anywhere, always circling around the outskirts, just like this wyvern.

    ¡®¡­That¡¯s why, back when I was investigating it, I couldn¡¯t help but be drawn to it.¡¯

    Gritting his teeth, Theo slowly activated his telekinesis.

    ¡®So this time¡­¡¯

    Swish¡­

    Four Death Beats rose into the air.

    ¡®I¡¯ll help it live a different life.¡¯

    ¨C Just as I¡¯m doing now.

    ¡°What¡¯s its name?¡±

    Evelyn, who had been about to urge Rangus forward to rescue the Shadow Wyvern, stopped and turned around hurriedly.

    Theo¡¯s eyes had darkened, just like when they were at war with the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons.

    ¡°¡­¡®Umbra.¡¯ Its name is Umbra.¡±

    It was an ancient word that meant shadow.

    ¡°Shadow¡­ That¡¯s a good name.¡±

    ¡°Young master, don¡¯t tell me¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m going to take it. I¡¯ll go first.¡±

    There wasn¡¯t even time to ask what he meant by that.

    Theo had already leaned to the side and was plummeting toward the ground.

    And then,

    Pabababak!

    Theo began sprinting through the sky at incredible speed,

    using the Death Beats as stepping stones.

 Chapter 60

    Chapter 60: The Naming Ceremony (5)

    With every step Theo took, Death Beat naturally spread beneath his feet.

    Telekinesis and his physical movements had seamlessly be one.

    Thanks to this, Theo could now truly ¡°sprint¡± across the sky.

    Whoosh-

    ¡°What is that¡­?¡±

    The most shocked by this was Evelyn.

    She had heard from Julius that Theo had awakened to telekinesis during the Blossoming Ceremony for some unknown reason.

    A supernatural ability that could only manifest through innate talent.

    However, she had thought his ability would be at a rudimentary level¡ªnever imagining it would be so natural!

    ¡°Hurry up, we can¡¯t let young master Theo leave us behind, that would be embarrassing, right?¡±

    But her surprisested only for a moment.

    Evelyn quickly urged Rangus, pping its rear, to chase after Theo at full speed.

    Roaaaar!

    Rangus responded with a long roar, pping its wings violently as if it understood Evelyn¡¯smand.

    * * *

    As Theo closed the distance between him and Umbra.

    He stomped hard on Death Beat,unching himself high into the air, manipting the other Death Beats in the process.

    ¡®Go.¡¯

    Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop!

    Four daggers shot forth like arrows, apanied by the burning friction of the air, bursting with lightning.

    Boom-

    At the same time, four Thunder Dragons appeared.

    Kiaaa?

    Screech!

    Even the wyverns that had been harassing Umbra finally sensed the presence of Death Beat, hurriedly turning their heads in Theo¡¯s direction.

    In that instant, the four Thunder Dragons twisted violently, shing downward with their savage ws.

    sh!

    Screeee!

    Blood sprayed in all directions as the wyverns were dealt severe wounds.

    Most of them belonged to the poisonous and low-tier dragon species, so they were easily overwhelmed.

    However, there was one monster dragon among them.

    Realizing that Theo was the problem, the monster dragon bared its teeth and lunged toward him.

    But¡ª

    By then, Theo was already descending, Drake¡¯s de gripped tightly in his hand.

    Shing! Shing! Shing!

    The power imbued into his Zweihander by his magic was so strong that even the monster dragon couldn¡¯t easily approach.

    sh-

    In the end, when the de roughly grazed the monster dragon¡¯s neck, it writhed in pain and pped its wings furiously, attempting to flee into the sky.

    If it had been a wild wyvern, it would have attacked Theo until the end, but this one had undergone some level of training and had mistaken Theo for a member of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry.

    It knew that attacking someone from that unit was forbidden.

    In the end, the others also chose to flee in a hurry.

    Only then was Umbra able to finally catch its breath.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    Theo, who was now standing on top of the Death Beat that had returned to its dagger form, attempted to approach Umbra.

    But¡ª

    Growl¡­!

    The creature revealed a sharp wariness towards Theo, who had suddenly appeared. Even though Theo had helped it moments ago, Umbra still couldn¡¯t understand his intentions.

    What should I do?

    As Theo hesitated for a moment, Umbra swiftly turned in the opposite direction and bolted.

    ¡°Ah¡­!¡±

    Theo tried to chase after it again, but Evelyn quickly stepped in and ced him back on Rangus.

    She had realized that Theo didn¡¯t have much time left to stay airborne.

    ¡°Right now, it¡¯s too on edge to approach. Maybe it¡¯d be better to get closer slowly?¡± Evelyn advised, concerned.

    But Theo shook his head.

    ¡°No. That¡¯s why I need to stay by its side even more right now.¡±

    ¡°But¡­!¡±

    Umbra had never opened its heart to anyone, not even to the highly trained members of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry.

    Evelyn thought that there was no way it would open up to Theo, someone it had just met.

    However, Theo understood. He knew what it was like to be an outcast, just like Umbra.

    What Umbra needed right now was ¡®warmth.¡¯

    How could he not recognize the loneliness hidden behind those sharp eyes?

    ¡®Even though it¡¯s been rejected by the group, it still lingers around the White Dragon¡¯s Nest¡­ It¡¯s lonely. It¡¯s suffering. Emotional scars are always harder to endure than physical ones.¡¯

    He recalled his own past, when he had been shunned by his siblings just because he was a bastard, and nearly driven out of his own family.

    ¡°Please. Follow it. It¡¯s exhausted and won¡¯t have gotten far.¡±

    Evelyn sighed lightly and urged Rangus to move again.

    Theo¡¯s eyes sank deeply.

    * * *

    As Theo had predicted, finding Umbra wasn¡¯t that difficult.

    It hadnded on a rocky area not far off, breathing heavily.

    Growl¡­!

    But the creature remained on guard, even as Theo and Evelyn slowly approached. No matter how cautiously they neared from a considerable distance, Umbra refused to let its guard down.

    Should they try to lure it with food?

    Frustrated, Evelyn looked at Rangus for help, but her partner seemed uninterested, scratching the back of his head with his hind leg instead.

    ¡°Wait here. Let me try. After all, this is also part of my aptitude test.¡±

    Without waiting for Evelyn¡¯s reply, Theo slowly approached Umbra.

    Hisssss!

    Umbra bared its fangs, threatening to bite if Theo came any closer.

    It was clear that, with its monstrous dragon blood, its enormous 10-meter frame radiated a deadly aura. This was Wyvern Fear.

    ¡®Its neck has been badly mauled. If I don¡¯t treat it soon, it could be dangerous.¡¯

    Fortunately, Theo quickly found a way to treat the wound.

    ¡®Shop window.¡¯

    [essing the shop window.]

    He soon found the healing item.

    [Tamer¡¯s Healing Potion]

    ¨C Type: Healing Medicine, Potion

    ¨C Usage Requirement: Level 5

    ¨C Effects:

    ¨C Rapid healing of severe wounds

    ¨C Partial recovery of stamina

    [You have purchased ¡®Tamer¡¯s Healing Potion ¡Á2¡¯ for 2 coins.]

    ¡®The problem is, how do I apply this to that creature¡­?¡¯

    The distance between him and Umbra was only about 20 meters. But its wariness hadn¡¯t diminished, making it hard to get closer.

    ¡®¡­I have no choice.¡¯

    Although he didn¡¯t want to resort to this, he figured it was best to treat the wounds first.

    [Activating ¡®Skill: Lesser Drake¡¯s Fear¡¯ to push back Wyvern Fear!]

    Whoosh!

    The draconic aura radiating from Theo instantly neutralized the Wyvern Fear. Umbra flinched in surprise. However, its eyes were still filled with defiance, a sight that made Theo inwardly impressed.

    But Theo used this moment to close the distance between them in an instant. He grabbed Umbra¡¯s front leg just as it tried to flee again.

    With [Overwhelming Strength] applied, not even Umbra could resist.

    Screech!

    Umbra struggled, demanding to be released.

    ¡°Stay still, you! You¡¯re just making the wound worse.¡±

    Of course, Theo had no intention of letting go. Instead, he applied even more pressure and poured the potion onto the wound.

    Sizzle!

    The bleeding stopped, and the wound began to heal slowly. Sensing the change, Umbra finally stopped struggling, its eyes darting around in confusion.

    ¡°Feels good now that the pain¡¯s gone, right?¡±

    Theo found Umbra¡¯s response endearing and, with a light chuckle, opened the remaining potion to treat the other wounds.

    Squeak¡­

    Umbra¡¯s body twitched from the stimulus as the wounds healed rapidly, but it no longer resisted.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    -¡­

    For a brief moment, a peaceful silence settled between the two.

    Thump! Thump! Thump!

    Boom¡­ Boom¡­ Boom¡­

    Umbra¡¯s heartbeat, which had been racing with wariness, gradually slowed down, syncing with Theo¡¯s own rhythm.

    Sensing this change, Theo smiled.

    Umbra¡¯s breaths, like its heartbeat, also slowed. As Theo listened to those calming breaths, he began to feel the emotions that Umbra had experienced up until now¡ªloneliness, sorrow, suffering, anger, yearning,ment, regret, and lingering attachments.

    There was frustration and sadness directed at the group that had driven it away, and the tension and istion that came from living alone for so long. Even though Umbra was confused by Theo¡¯s sudden warmth, Theo could sense an ironic desire: it didn¡¯t want him to leave.

    Theo didn¡¯t say a word while tending to its wounds. Conveying his sincerity directly through the heart was far better than using words a hundred times over.

    ¡°How¡­ how did you do that?¡± Evelyn, amazed by the scene, approached and asked in disbelief.

    It was the first time she had ever seen Umbra so calm. In fact, many riders of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry had tried to make Umbra their partner. Despite being ostracized, no one could resist the allure of a creature with the size, strength, and traits of a monstrous dragon with Biffer¡¯s characteristics.

    Yet, Umbra had rejected all those attempts. It loathed being saddled or bridled. And now, it was quietly submitting to Theo, which was nothing short of extraordinary.

    ¡°Who knows,¡± Theo replied with a cryptic smile.

    ¡®Maybe it was easier because of the contract with Lodbrok.¡¯

    Dragons instinctively recognized other dragons, after all. But Theo couldn¡¯t share that spection, so he quickly changed the subject.

    ¡°More importantly, Evelyn, could you get this one something to eat? It looks like it hasn¡¯t eaten properly for days.¡±

    Theo pointed to Umbra¡¯s abdomen, where its ribs were painfully visible.

    Evelyn nodded heavily. ¡°Yes, understood.¡±

    She urged Rangus into the sky once more, flying off to find food.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve put out the immediate fire, but I wonder if the scars will fully heal.¡±

    Theo gently stroked the back of Umbra¡¯s neck, but then he noticed the creature¡¯s gaze was fixed on something near his chest.

    More precisely, it was staring at the brooch hanging there¡ª the one Kirsion had given him as a graduation gift.

    ¡®What¡¯s this now?¡¯

    Curious, Theo unfastened the brooch and held it up high.

    Umbra¡¯srge eyes rolled upward, following the movement of the brooch.

    Theo waved the arm holding the brooch to the right.

    Umbra¡¯s eyes rolled that way again.

    Now to the left.

    Roll¡­

    Sure enough, the eyes followed it left.

    Up, down, up, down, diagonal¡­

    Each time Theo shifted the brooch, Umbra¡¯s eyes darted around, struggling to keep up.

    ¡°Hahaha! What is this? So, you¡¯ve been calm not because of Lodbrok¡¯s scent but because of this?¡±

    Though that might not be the entire reason, the old saying about dragons loving treasure seemed to hold some truth. The brooch¡¯s beautiful design and the countless gemstones glittering on it were clearly appealing.

    ¡°Do you want it?¡±

    Whine¡­

    Umbra briefly made eye contact with Theo, then sheepishly turned its head to the side, as if pretending to be uninterested in the brooch. However, its quick, sidelong nces toward it were adorably out of ce for such arge creature.

    Theo chuckled, amused, and purchased a five-meter iron chain from the shop window. He attached the brooch to the end of it and wrapped it around Umbra¡¯s neck, fashioning it into a makeshift ne.

    ng¡ª!

    As Theo released the brooch, it clinked against Umbra¡¯s scales, making a loud sound.

    Whimper¡­?

    Umbra gingerly touched the brooch with its front paw, clearly pleased, then looked at Theo with a questioning expression, as if to ask, ¡°Why are you giving me this?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a gift.¡±

    Whine?

    ¡°If you follow me, you can get a lot more treasures like this¡­ What do you think?¡±

    Theo didn¡¯t miss the subtle tremble in Umbra¡¯s pupils.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t the only one. Have you ever seen a ruby as big as your paw? It¡¯s a beautiful, radiant red. You could probably have it polished and attached to your ws. And then there¡¯s my mother¡¯s headband¡­¡±

    As Theo spun each tale, Umbra¡¯s pupils gradually widened.

    ¡°You can even cover the reins and saddle you hate with all those treasures.¡±

    Whine!

    Suddenly, Umbra leaped up and let out a long cry toward the sky, as if it were urgently insisting that they go fetch those treasures right away.

    Ding!

    [You have sessfully been recognized as the master by the Biffer Wyvern.]

    [A new skill has been created.]

    [Wyvern Taming]

    ¨C Rank: C-

    ¨C Mastery: 1%

    ¨C Effect: As mastery increases, you gain deeper trust from the tamed dragon species. When riding,bat power increases by 10%.

    Theo couldn¡¯t help but burst intoughter.

    With this, Theo hadpletely seeded in winning over Umbra¡¯s favor.

    The new skill he acquired would prove to be an enormous asset for his future as a Dragon Knight.

    A 10% increase inbat power¡ªthis was no small boost. It wasn¡¯t just a simple stat increase, but an overall enhancement in abilities and skills.

    ¡®And the fact that this applies not only to wyverns but to all ¡°dragon species¡±¡­ Does that mean it could extend to other creatures, too?¡¯

    If so, it wasn¡¯t limited to wyverns alone. It could mean taming creatures like the desert¡¯s Death Worms, thend¡¯s Drakes, or even the sea¡¯s Sea Serpents. If true, this would significantly boost hisbat power.

    Of course, there always seemed to be certain conditions that needed to be met for taming, but Theo wasn¡¯t too concerned about that. While Umbra¡¯s demands for treasure wouldn¡¯t be trivial, he already had a n in mind.

    ¡®Well, Lady Kirsion will take care of all that, won¡¯t she?¡¯

    Theo had already decided to pass on the task of treasure procurement to the capitalist-enved elf.

    Perhaps it was because of this very decision that, at that exact moment¡ª

    Shiver!

    Kirsion, in the middle of counting her gold coins, suddenly shuddered as a chill ran down her spine.

 Chapter 61

    Chapter 61: The Old Chosen One (1)

    ¡®Have they met by now?¡¯

    Julius smiled as he wrapped his hands around the warm cup of coffee.

    When Theo had dered at the nomination ceremony that he wanted to join the White Armored Dragon Cavalry¡­

    Julius had epted it as ¡®fate.¡¯

    It was because, just the day before, Evelyn had appeared before him, fully healed.

    -Evelyn, your arm¡­!

    -Yes, well, I somehow ended up receiving a gift.¡±

    A gift.

    That¡¯s how Evelyn described her new left arm.

    But she didn¡¯t know.

    That it was also a gift to Julius.

    The mere fact that Evelyn Nerevil had returned was enough to fill Julius¡¯s heart with contentment.

    The guilt he had harbored for not being able to take care of her over the past few years had lifted, even if just a little.

    And¡­

    The one who had given such a gift had followed Evelyn into the White Armored Dragon Cavalry.

    That was also why Julius hadn¡¯t mentioned Evelyn to Theo.

    He hoped that just as he had received a gift, Theo would also experience a pleasant surprise.

    Theo and Evelyn.

    They were soon to be the pirs and foundation of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry.

    ¡°You seem happy.¡±

    Julius, lost in thought, was brought back to reality by a voice calling out to him.

    When he recognized the person in front of him, he smiled.

    ¡°An unexpectedly precious dragon has jumped right into my arms. Wouldn¡¯t it be stranger if I wasn¡¯t happy?¡±

    ¡°I came to meet you because I thought it would be good to discuss this dragon.¡±

    Across from him, the Mistresses of plum Blossom Pce wore a faint smile on her lips.

    ¡°May I ask exactly what your intentions are?¡±

    ¡°You intend to make Theo, that boy, the core of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry in the future, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Julius responded with nothing but a smile.

    As if to say he couldn¡¯t provide any answer.

    ¡°As expected, you¡¯re careful with your words. It suits themander of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry.¡±

    ¡°The mouth is the source of all misfortune, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Julius always referred to the White Armored Dragon Cavalry as his brothers and family.

    But they weren¡¯t truly family. No matter how tightly bound they were by camaraderie, there was always the chance they could be torn apart in one way or another.

    And usually, the cause of such conflict and division was the leader¡¯s words.

    That¡¯s why Julius believed that rumors of favoritism or preferential treatment should never be allowed to spread.

    He couldn¡¯t promise Theo anything at the nomination ceremony for the same reason.

    However.

    That didn¡¯t mean hecked personal evaluations or ns for talented individuals.

    The Mistresses of plum Blossom Pce saw right through that.

    ¡°¡­It seems I was wrong. Not just a central figure, but you¡¯re nning something far bigger than I imagined.¡±

    ¡°As always, I¡¯ll exercise my right to remain silent.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine. I only came to convey my own intentions in the first ce. In fact, seeing the expression on your face has given me even more confidence.¡±

    ¡°And what would that be?¡±

    Julius tilted his head in curiosity.

    The dragon she had referred to was already within the White Armored Dragon Cavalry¡¯s grasp.

    There was no way it could return to the Plum Blossom Pce.

    So he couldn¡¯t guess what the Mistresses of plum Blossom Pce could possibly be proposing in this situation.

    Then, she spoke:

    ¡°A joint disciple.¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    ¡°What do you think?¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    Julius¡¯s eyes widened in surprise at thepletely unexpected suggestion.

    * * *

    As soon as Evelyn returned with the two dead bulls, she couldn¡¯t help but let out a hollowugh.

    ¡°¡­How on earth did this happen?¡±

    Umbra was nuzzling its massive head against Theo.

    It was a disy of affectionate warmth.

    Knowing just how closed off the creature usually was, she found it hard to believe what she was seeing.

    But there was only one albino among the white dragons, so she hadn¡¯t seen wrong.

    ¡®Well, in a way, it makes sense.¡¯

    Evelyn scratched her cheek as she recalled how Theo had managed to bring together the members of the Fourth Training Hall, people who seemed impossible to unite.

    Perhaps his greatest strength was that terrifying ability to bond with others.

    Crunch¡ª

    Umbra began tearing into the two bulls with its forepaws, devouring them.

    It was clearly starving, eating so frantically that it almost made her feel bad.

    ¡°Take your time. No one¡¯s going to take it from you, and you might choke if you eat that fast.¡±

    Theo spoke as he patted Umbra¡¯s neck, and the dragon paused for a moment.

    Then, it lifted its head and stared intently at him.

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    Theo tilted his head, wondering why it had suddenly stopped.

    And then¡ª

    Slowly, Umbra pushed thergest piece of meat, the one with the most flesh, toward Theo.

    ¡°Haha! Are you telling me to eat this?¡±

    Umbra nodded eagerly.

    ¡°No thanks. You eat up. I¡¯ve already had my meal.¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°I mean it. I¡¯m not refusing because I don¡¯t want your gift¡ªI¡¯m genuinely full!¡±

    Umbra finally seemed to rx and buried its head back into the meat.

    Crunch, crunch!

    Theo found Umbra so endearing that he continued to pat its neck affectionately.

    It took Umbra about thirty more minutes to finish its meal.

    Burp.

    Feeling re-energized, it let out a light belch and stood up. When it spread its wings wide, its enormous size became even more evident.

    Wow.

    Theo watched Umbra¡¯s actions with amusement, but then his eyes widened as the dragon suddenly lowered its body slightly in front of him.

    ¡°Are you telling me to ride you?¡±

    Umbra shifted its body, as if saying, What are you waiting for? Hurry up and get on.

    ¡°When a wyvern shows you its back and neck, it means it trusts you. It¡¯s acknowledging you as its partner¡­ but wait a moment. I need to get a bridle and saddle first¡­!¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll just ride like this. It looks like it¡¯s impatient to go.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s dangerous! You can¡¯t!¡±

    Evelyn tried to stop Theo as he climbed onto Umbra¡¯s shoulder.

    Even if the wyvern had epted him as its partner, Theo was still a novice who hadn¡¯t undergone proper flight training.

    Attempting to fly without basic safety measures like a saddle and bridle was practically suicide.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ve got a way.¡±

    But by then, Theo was already fully seated on Umbra¡¯s back.

    Though Evelyn couldn¡¯t see it, there was an invisible bridle connecting Theo and Umbra.

    Telekinesis was binding the two together.

    Moreover:

    [¡°Skill: Hatchling Synchronization¡± has enabled telepathic linkage between the caster and the wyvern Biffer.]

    [You can now read the thoughts of the wyvern Biffer.]

    [¡°Skill: Wyvern Taming¡± is activated,pensating for insufficient riding skills.]

    [Your abilities as a rider have been awakened.]

    With these skills automatically applying, there was no longer any fear of making a mistake.

    This is way too easy, Theo thought, gripping the invisible bridle tightly before calling out.

    ¡°Alright then, shall we go, Umbra?¡±

    Kaaargh!

    Umbra rose to its feet and let out a long, thunderous roar.

    The entire rocky mountain area echoed with the powerful reverberations, creating a roaring windstorm.

    Then¡ª

    p!

    With a strong beat of its wings, the massive body began to rise into the air.

    Evelyn didn¡¯t even have time to stop them.

    ¡°Young Master!¡±

    By the time Evelyn ran over, Theo and Umbra were already soaring high into the sky, leaving a cloud of dust in their wake.

    Evelyn, brushing her wind-blown hair back into ce, could only watch them in stunned silence.

    He wasn¡¯t usually so reckless¡­!

    It seemed that something had changed in Theo after his encounter with Umbra.

    Still, there was no way Evelyn could just sit back and watch him engage in such a dangerous stunt.

    She quickly mounted Rangus and took off in pursuit of Theo.

    Two wyverns cut across the blue sky.

    * * *

    Bing one with a wyvern and freely soaring through the sky was apletely different experience from merely riding in the back seat.

    Refreshing.

    That was Theo¡¯s first thought.

    His chest felt wide open, and he was ovee with a sensation of freedom that he had never experienced on the ground.

    Kieeeek!

    Umbra let out a long cry, as if reading Theo¡¯s mind.

    ¡°Are you enjoying this?¡±

    Kiek!

    ¡°Yeah, me too. It¡¯s great.¡±

    Kiek! Kiek! Kieeek!

    ¡°Thanks. I¡¯m really getting to experience something special because of you.¡±

    Keeeeek.

    There was no troublemunicating between Theo and Umbra.

    Although the skills were enhancing their connection, they were deeply in sync with each other¡¯s emotions. Theo¡¯s joy naturally made Umbra happy as well.

    Umbra probably wanted to show Theo this very view¡ªthe feeling of seeing the world from above, of gliding freely through the vast, empty sky. Up here, all the worries and burdens from the ground seemed to melt away.

    Just as Umbra had experienced this freedom, it must have thought that Theo deserved the same.

    Such a thoughtful creature.

    Theo found himself growing even fonder of Umbra¡¯s kind-hearted nature.

    How had such a warm and gentle being turned into a monstrous creature like the Shadow Wyvern?

    For it to be a monster like that, something extraordinary must have happened.

    Theo pondered for a moment but soon shook his head.

    There was no point in overthinking it.

    Whatever had happened, his resolve was simple: he would make sure such a tragedy never urred again.

    That¡¯s what he swore to himself.

    ¡°More importantly, Umbra, where are we headed?¡±

    Theo hadn¡¯t tried to control Umbra; he was letting it fly wherever it wanted.

    Keeek!

    Umbra¡¯s response was simple: there¡¯s something I want to show you.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what it is you want to show me, but¡­ sure. Let¡¯s go. Can you go a little faster?¡±

    Kieeeek!

    Umbra snorted as if to ask Who do you take me for? before pping its wings even faster.

    This guy¡¯s a bit full of himself, huh?

    He seemed to think that even dozens of swift dragons couldn¡¯t catch him.

    Was he forgetting how he was surrounded by other wyverns just a while ago?

    Still, just as Umbra had confidently imed, they reached their destination incredibly quickly.

    They had left the White Dragon¡¯s Nest far behind and now flew into a valley nestled within the winter mountains, near the Demonic Sea.

    It was a valley covered withyers of eternal snow.

    Tall coniferous trees grew densely, forming a forest, and icicles hung from branches everywhere.

    A river, lightly frozen over, flowed calmly but dramatically plunged at a certain point, creating a massive waterfall.

    Theo and Umbra were greeted by the sight of the enormous cascade.

    It was a breathtaking view.

    Kiiiee?

    Umbra asked, full of pride, How do you like it?

    ¡°It¡¯s incredible.¡±

    This was a ce Theo had never seen before.

    As vast and expansive as the winter mountains were, he thought he had explored most areas.

    But here, there was no trace of human presence¡ªno signs of anyone evering here.

    Kieeek!

    As if saying that this wasn¡¯t the end, Umbra slightly folded its wings and began gliding downwards.

    Its target was the waterfall.

    ¡°Wait¡­!¡±

    Before Theo could react, Umbra swooped down in a wide curve and moved behind the waterfall.

    Revealing a hidden cave entrance.

    It was located so cleverly that no one would ever find it from the outside.

    Thud!

    ¡°Wow¡­¡±

    Theo let out a sigh and couldn¡¯t help but express his amazement.

    The scenery outside was beautiful, but the inside of the cave had a different kind of beauty.

    Crystals embedded in the ceiling and walls glittered, and a thin sheet of ice on the floor was so clear that it reflected faces like a mirror.

    Kiek! Kieek!

    Umbra puffed up its chest with pride, eager to show off its secret hideout to its new partner.

    Theo, genuinely impressed, patted Umbra¡¯s neck and began walking deeper into the cave.

    It¡¯s exactly the kind of ce Umbra would like.

    The cave was filled with shimmering light from top to bottom, which must have drawn Umbra here.

    However, the deeper he went, the more he could feel a cold wind blowing from inside. The cave seemed to be connected to somewhere else.

    And mixed in with that cold wind was a faint, ominous energy.

    Demonic energy.

    It was the energy of the Demonic Sea.

    Could this be why Umbra turned into a monster?

    Theo thought he needed to investigate further, so he ventured to the deepest part of the cave.

    And that¡¯s where he found it.

    At the very back of the cave.

    The corpse of an old man with white hair, his arms bound by chains, lying dead.

 Chapter 62

    Chapter 62: The Old Chosen One (2)

    The old man¡¯s body was horrifyingly emaciated, as if he had starved to death a very long time ago.

    ¡®Judging by the rusted chains, it looks like he¡¯s been dead for at least a decade¡­ yet the corpse has hardly decayed. It means he possessed an incredible amount of magic power when he was alive.¡¯

    Why had such a powerful person been trapped in a ce like this?

    Screech?

    Umbra tilted its head, wondering what was going on, but Theo cautiously moved closer to the old man¡¯s corpse.

    His eyes scanned every corner of the chamber.

    He soon discovered a few puzzling details.

    ¡®The chains¡­ the way they¡¯re connected to the wall is uneven. Even the materials aren¡¯t consistent.¡¯

    If this cave had been designed to restrain this old man, the connections wouldn¡¯t have been so clumsily arranged.

    Though they were firmly fixed to the wall, there were still many parts that seemed haphazardly done.

    There were only two possible exnations for this.

    They either had to restrain the old man in a hurry and improvised the setup.

    ¡®Or he bound his own hands like this.¡¯

    Theo¡¯s eyes glinted sharply.

    ¡°Did he survive by consuming this stuff?¡±

    On the inner walls, various mushrooms bloomed in vibrant colors among the transparent crystals.

    Theo plucked one and sniffed it lightly.

    As expected, the scent was familiar.

    Demonic energy.

    ¡°¡­Why is ¡®Ghost Mushroom¡¯ growing here?¡±

    ¡®Ghost Mushroom¡¯ was a nt that grew only in the deepest parts of the Demonic Sea, in dark, shadowy areas where sunlight barely reached.

    It thrived solely on pure demonic energy infused with moonlight, making it a rare elixir for demons and demonic beings.

    The problem was that such ¡®Ghost Mushroom¡¯ had formed a whole colony here.

    ¡®It seems like demonic energy evaporated from the nearby Demonic Sea, drifted through the valleys, and gathered here, condensing within the crystal cave to create an ideal environment for the ¡®Ghost Mushroom¡¯ to grow¡­¡¯

    He understood how such conditions could theoretically form, but seeing it actually happen was still astonishing.

    ¡°So, this is why you became a Shadow Wyvern.¡±

    Screech?

    Theo let out a bitter smile as he stroked Umbra¡¯s jaw, and the creature tilted its head, still confused.

    However, Theo didn¡¯t say anything more.

    From now on, he only had to make sure Umbra wouldn¡¯t consume any more ¡®Ghost Mushroom.¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯ll have to burn everything here.¡¯

    While it could be used as a valuable medicinal ingredient, such cases were extremely rare.

    The same went for any thoughts of consuming it directly.

    Even though the bodies of the Ragnar were highly resistant, their essence was that of a dragon.

    Dragons were natural enemies of demonic energy, so it would act as a lethal poison to them.

    Crackle, sizzle!

    Theo extended just his index finger and channeled the Thunder Dragon Breathing Technique.

    Sparks leapt from his fingertips, soon producing arge burst of bright yellow lightning.

    Screech?

    Umbra flinched in surprise, spreading its wings wide.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll only blow up this part, so the crystals you like won¡¯t get damaged.¡±

    Theo reassured Umbra and was just about to summon the fire magic when¡ª

    SCREECH!

    Suddenly, Umbra lunged forward.

    Theo was about to convince the creature, thinking it still misunderstood his intentions, when he btedly realized there was an attack from behind.

    The corpse of the white-haired old man, which he thought was long dead, was moving!

    ¡°Kaaiiiill!¡±

    The old man¡¯s mouth gaped open, emitting a stench of rotting flesh as he lunged toward Theo, as if intending to bite him.

    Umbra quickly darted in between them.

    Thud!

    The old man¡¯s bony ws snapped as they failed to prate Umbra¡¯s tough scales.

    Boom¡ª

    Theo swiftly stepped back a few paces and unleashed a burst of lightning.

    A bright yellow bolt crashed down from the cave¡¯s ceiling.

    Thunder Calling.

    Though it was far less powerful than the magic he had used during the Second Blossoming Ceremony, the principle behind it was simr.

    The bolt struck the old man¡¯s head with a fierce blow.

    It didn¡¯t destroy him, but it was enough to cause a concussion, making him hesitate momentarily.

    Even so, the old man¡¯s sharp teeth narrowly grazed Umbra¡¯s neck during the attack.

    And then¡ª

    A new ally appeared on the scene.

    ¡°Young Master!¡±

    Evelyn, who had finally located Theo, looked quite shocked by the suddenbat situation.

    However, proving she was a seasoned master swordsman, she calmly drew her sword and confronted the monstrosity.

    ¡°White Armored Dragon Cavalry Secret Art ¨C Barrage of Sword Strikes¡±

    sh! sh!

    Each swing of her magic-infused sword emitted a brilliant gleam, far more dazzling than the surrounding crystals.

    It was a Sword Aura.

    ¡®This is¡­ an Aura de.¡¯

    The sword energy, said to be capable of cutting through iron, instantly sliced through the old man¡¯s arms.

    ¡°Kaiil! Kaiiil! Roberr! Roberrr! I¡­ I hate you all!¡±

    ng, ng, ng!

    Every time the old man struggled violently, the chains attached to his arms nged loudly.

    But then¡ª

    Slice¡ª

    Splurt!

    Evelyn¡¯s sword relentlessly drove the old man back until she cleanly decapitated him.

    Even though she had lost an arm, her swordsmanship, once hailed as the right hand of the Dark Dragon, was still among the best even within the House of Ragnar.

    ¡®That was still dangerous. If this creature had been able to think and act properly, it wouldn¡¯t have been such an easy fight.¡¯

    Hoo¡ª

    Evelyn caught her breath as she watched the old man¡¯s lifeless body copse.

    Her sword was still trembling violently.

    The magic power contained in the old man¡¯s touch was that intense.

    Moreover, the corpse emitted a deadly toxin that one would expect from a rotting body; even a slight scratch would have been catastrophic.

    A corpse toxinced with demonic energy.

    It was one of the deadliest poisons, something to be absolutely avoided, even in the Demonic Sea.

    ¡°Young Master, are you alri¡ª¡±

    As Evelyn brushed off the corpse toxin from her sword and turned to Theo, she froze, her eyes widening.

    Screech! Screech!

    Umbra pped its wings wildly, unable to keep still, and stomped its feet anxiously.

    Theo was slumped on the ground, drenched in cold sweat.

    ¡°Y-Young Master!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. There¡¯s no need to make such a fuss.¡±

    Theo spoke as calmly as he could, but he didn¡¯t look fine at all.

    Arge portion of his left forearm had been bitten, and it was already starting to decay. Hisplexion had turned rmingly pale.

    If not for the thunder attribute of his magic, he might have passed out long ago.

    ¡°What happened to you¡­?!¡±

    Evelyn rushed to Theo, immediately opening her emergency kit.

    The problem was that they hadn¡¯t brought proper antidotes, as today¡¯s mission didn¡¯t involve exploring the Demonic Sea.

    ¡°It¡­ was my¡­ mistake.¡±

    In truth, this had happened when he tried to block the old man from attacking Umbra¡¯s neck just before Evelyn arrived.

    But he chose not to mention that.

    ¡°I will take you back to the base right away. Please, endure it just a little longer.¡±

    Evelyn swiftly finished the emergency treatment and prepared to carry him on her back.

    However¡ª

    Screech!

    Umbra suddenly pushed Evelyn back with its head, preventing her from taking Theo.

    ¡°I¡¯m not trying to hurt your partner! I¡¯m trying to help! I need to take him to safety!¡±

    Screech! Screech!

    ¡°Umbra!¡±

    Screeeeech!

    No matter what Evelyn said, Umbra reared up and screamed even louder.

    Was it because it was just a beast, unable to understand?

    Given the urgency of the situation, Evelyn didn¡¯t waste time trying to persuade it and instead reached for her sword.

    But at that moment¡ª

    ¡°Evelyn¡­! Wait! Stop¡­ for a moment¡­!¡±

    Theo suddenly stopped Evelyn.

    Her gaze shifted back to him.

    ¡°Umbra¡­ it seems like it wants to say something. Please, just wait¡­ a moment.¡±

    Evelyn thought they should use this time to get Theo out of there, but he was so serious that she couldn¡¯t refuse.

    By then, his breathing had bebored.

    ¡°What¡­ are you nning to do, Umbra¡­?¡±

    Screech! Screech! Screech!

    ¡°Really¡­ is that¡­ possible?¡±

    Screech!

    Theo exchanged a few iprehensible words with Umbra, then slowly nodded with a heavy expression.

    ¡°Alright¡­ I¡¯m trusting¡­ my life to you¡­¡±

    Screeeeech!

    Umbra nodded and then moved deeper into the cave, biting down on arge amount of Ghost Mushroom.

    Thud! Thud! Thud!

    ¡°What exactly are you nning to do?¡± Evelyn asked.

    ¡°Anyway¡­ if we¡­ return to the base¡­ in this state¡­ it¡¯ll only be more dangerous. So¡­ for now, let¡¯s trust¡­ Umbra. It seems¡­ to have an idea¡­!¡±

    For a moment, Evelyn felt a tightness in her chest.

    Even the White Armored Dragon Cavalry, who operated in the depths of the Demonic Sea, always took care to avoid infection by toxins mixed with demonic energy.

    If someone did get poisoned, the procedure was to secure a safe zone first and then use the antidote while paying close attention to sterilization and hygiene.

    Even then, the fatality rate was as high as 70%¡­ yet Theo was proposing to rely on an unthinkable solution.

    But Theo had his own reasoning.

    Umbra had grown into a second-rank demonic beast by consuming Ghost Mushroom.

    Was it possible that there had been no conflict with the old man during that process?

    Certainly not.

    ¡®There must be a solution to the corpse toxin within the Ghost Mushroom. Some countermeasure that we don¡¯t yet know.¡¯

    So, he decided to trust Umbra.

    With that thought in mind,

    Thud¡ª

    Theo slowly lost consciousness.

    * * *

    Umbra¡¯s mind was filled with only one thought¡ªto save Theo, no matter what.

    The friend who was the first to open his heart to it, who had saved it when it was in danger.

    It could not afford to lose such a human friend.

    Screeeeech!

    Umbra first ced the Ghost Mushroom it had bitten off onto the ground, then crushed the ice crystals hanging from the ceiling, sprinkling them over the grass and mixing them together.

    The crystals in this cave were pure condensations of vital energy.

    By mixing these two substances, the toxic properties of the Ghost Mushroom were diluted, and the vital energy increased significantly.

    This was also the secret that allowed Umbra to grow to such a size even without consuming proper food.

    ¡°You want me to feed this to the Young Master?¡±

    Screech!

    Evelyn hesitated as she looked at the recipe Umbra had presented, but there was no other choice. It was already toote to take Theo back to the base. Reluctantly, she melted the herbs with her magic power and carefully let it drip into Theo¡¯s mouth.

    ¡®Young Master, please¡­!¡¯

    She could not bear the thought of delivering bad news to Cecilia, the one who had helped her regain her arm.

    Right then,

    Thump¡­ Thump¡­ Thump¡­

    Theo¡¯s heart, which had been corrupted by the corpse toxin, began to pound heavily.

    Even Evelyn could feel it clearly.

    Slow, but strong pulses.

    It was as if the very sound of his heartbeat resonated throughout.

    Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump!

    Then, as his heartbeat quickened, blood surged powerfully throughout his body.

    The toxic energy was purged, reced by the pure essence of the Ghost Mushroom and the crystals.

    Color began to return to Theo¡¯s pale face.

    ¡°How¡­?¡±

    Evelyn¡¯s eyes widened, struggling toprehend the situation.

    She could see that he was recovering, but the mechanism behind it was beyond her understanding.

    Nevertheless,

    The healing continued smoothly, and¡ª

    Crackle, sizzle! Sizzle!

    Suddenly, bright yellow lightning energy started to burst across Theo¡¯s body,

    Crack¡ª

    His skin began to split like a turtle¡¯s shell, and dark impurities seeped out.

    ¨C The moment the ¡®Shadow Demon Poison¡¯, which had once created the Shadow Wyvern, took root in Theo¡¯s body.

    It marked the beginning of the ¡®Moulting of the Shedding Serpent¡¯.

 Chapter 63

    Chapter 63: The Old Chosen One (3)

    Purge Cleansing Technique.

    It was an ancient secret art that artificially expelled impurities from the body, transforming it into a constitution suitable for umting magic power.

    Originally, it was an ancient secret technique attempted by famous martial families to enhance the talents of their direct descendants. However, it required several elder experts, rich in magic power, to dedicate themselves for days, making it an impossible task in most ces.

    Even if attempted, it was usually done on children under five years old.

    And yet¡ª

    Such a technique was happening to Theo.

    In truth, this was a miraculous coincidence, a series of fortunate events ovepping.

    When Theo was bitten by the old man, it wasn¡¯t just a simple venom that infiltrated his body.

    If that had been the case, Theo¡¯s immune system, strengthened by the Dragon¡¯s Heart, would have naturally activated.

    But this time, the toxicity was so severe that it instantly overwhelmed his immune system.

    Not only did it contain a portion of the immense magic power the old man, a master whose skills were unrivaled in the North during his lifetime, had umted, but also the Magic Essence he had gathered over decades of crossing the boundary between life and death, sustained only by consuming Ghost Mushrooms.

    With so many alien energies mixing together, it became impossible for Theo to withstand it.

    Shadow Demon Poison.

    It was the same extreme poison that, in his previous life, had given birth to the Shadow Wyvern.

    And¡ª

    Just as this Shadow Demon Poison was about to push Theo to the brink of death, Umbra stepped in.

    Umbra had regrly consumed Ghost Mushrooms as a delicacy, and whenever the addiction left it with unbearable thirst, it would eat crystals to detoxify itself. This was a process it had repeated numerous times.

    Because of this, Umbra instinctively knew how much crystal was needed to purge the poison of the Ghost Mushrooms.

    Thanks to this, Theo achieved a delicate bnce between the Shadow Demon Poison and the antidote.

    At that moment, his immune system received a boost, and the Dragon¡¯s Heart, which had been slowly halting, began to beat again.

    Thump thump thump thump!

    His heart pounded violently.

    Bzzzzt¡ª

    His Dantian trembled fiercely.

    The two types of magic power mixed together, surging through Theo¡¯s entire body uncontrobly.

    They were chasing after the Shadow Demon Poison and the antidote.

    From the perspective of his immune system, it was impossible to distinguish between the two.

    Thus, a choice had to be made.

    Would it absorb the Shadow Demon Poison and the antidote, or expel them?

    The decision Theo¡¯s immune system made was simple.

    ¨C Devour.

    The instinct engraved into the blood of the Dragon, filled with greed and desire, refused to let go of the vast amount of energy.

    As a result, the magic power swelled instantly, breaking through the blood channels and meridians that Theo had been unable to open until now.

    The magic circuit connecting the Dragon¡¯s Heart and the Dantian expanded several times over in an instant.

    It was around that time when lightning energy started to surge up.

    To fully devour such an immense amount of magic power, his elemental magic had to strengthen in order to control it.

    Crackle!

    Lightning energy erupted over Theo¡¯s body, burning away impurities and further fortifying his muscles.

    As the lightning energy intensified to the point where it seemed to fill the entire cave with its brilliance¡ª

    Ssssss¡ª

    The color of the lightning slowly began to change.

    From yellow to ck.

    But it wasn¡¯t a dull ck.

    It was a jet-ck hue, as if it had captured the darkness of the night sky itself.

    ck Thunder.

    ¡°What is¡­?¡±

    Evelyn was astonished, having never heard of elemental magic changing color before.

    Even so, she didn¡¯t attempt to interfere.

    Anyone could tell, even someone with no knowledge, that Theo was standing at a critical juncture.

    Whoooosh¡­!

    As time passed, the heat of the ck Thunder gradually subsided. Soon, all the energy was drawn inward, absorbed into Theo¡¯s body.

    That was when Theo opened his eyes.

    sh!

    A fierce gleam cut through the surrounding darkness.

    ¡°Are you¡­ alright, Young Master?¡±

    Theo smiled faintly and nodded calmly.

    ¡°Sorry for making you worry.¡±

    Only then did Evelyn let out a sigh of relief, filled with deep relief.

    He was the same Theo as usual.

    * * *

    [¡°Observing ¡®Theo Ragnar¡¯.¡±]

    +

    Theo Ragnar (15 years old / Male)

    ¨C Title: sh Tiger, Greatest Prodigy of the Millennium.

    ¨C Talents: Ragnar, yer, Observation, Inventory, Shop ess, Companion of the Guardian Dragon, Purge Cleansing Technique, Shadow Wyvern, [ess Denied], [ess Denied].

    ¨C Status: Feeling dazed due to an unexpected fortune. Gained the Shadow Demon Poison that gave birth to the Shadow Wyvern in the first round, which can be considered a fortunate event. However, without careful management, it could lead to the birth of a second Shadow Wyvern, so caution is necessary.

    +

    The word Shadow Wyvern caught Theo¡¯s eye immediately.

    The power of the Shadow Wyvern.

    Unconsciously, he swallowed dryly.

    Theo quickly scanned the rest.

    +

    ¨C Level: 21

    ¨C Stats (¨‹)

    Strength: 112

    Agility: 62

    Endurance: 38

    Magic Power: 238

    Intelligence: 36

    Luck: 21

    ¨C Skills (¨‹)

    ¨C Lesser Drake Fear

    ¨C Hatchling Synchronization

    ¨C Wyvern Taming

    ¨C [ess Denied]

    ¨C Current Coin Bnce: 1

    +

    As Theo gained the Shadow Wyvern¡¯s talent, the additional stat boost alone amounted to a total coefficient of 85¡­ an absurd level.

    All six of his stats had increased by more than 10 points each, which was an impressive result.

    By simple calctions, this was an amount that would normally require raising his level by 17.

    Of course, if one only considered the talent of the Shadow Wyvern, the increase in stats might seem lower than expected.

    However, Theo wasn¡¯t simply focused on the numbers.

    There had also been a change in his constitution.

    ¡®The body of a Ragnar is alreadyplete in itself. But now, not only did I undergo the Purge Cleansing Technique, but I also strengthened it. My growth will only elerate from here.¡¯

    Theo was very satisfied with the current situation.

    Though there was a warning that if he didn¡¯t properly manage the remaining traces of Shadow Demon Poison inside his body, it could result in the birth of a second Shadow Wyvern, such warnings didn¡¯t faze him.

    After all, in the battle for the throne, self-control was the highest priority. To Theo, it wasn¡¯t even worth considering as a warning.

    ¡®What¡¯s more important is figuring out who this old man really was.¡¯

    Theo turned to Evelyn, who had been inspecting the old man¡¯s corpse and the surrounding area.

    ¡°Have you found anything?¡±

    ¡°Please take a look at this.¡±

    Evelyn pointed to an area beneath the wall, where chains were connected.

    Narrowing his eyes, Theo approached the spot.

    ¡°It¡¯s a journal.¡±

    ¡°Yes. It seems like he asionally regained his senses.¡±

    The wall bore a brief inscription that appeared to be a journal left behind by the old man.

    It was proof that the old man had possessed remarkable skill, enough to carve fine letters into the hard stone wall of the cave.

    One of the entries went like this:

    I was defeated by Kyle and Robert, and I have hidden here, a ce that seems suitable for preparing for the future. But I wonder if revenge will ever be possible. My body is already ruined¡­

    The name Kyle caught Theo¡¯s attention.

    ¡°Young Master.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. It seems this man was defeated by my father in the past. Was he a former heir?¡±

    ¨C Kyle! Kyle, Kyyyyle! Robert! Robeerrt! I hate you¡­! I hate you all¡­!

    The old man¡¯s dying words suddenly came to Theo¡¯s mind.

    At the time, he had been too preupied with the battle to pay it much attention.

    It seemed like those words had been referring to this.

    ¡®Robert? Why is the ck Dragon¡¯s nameing up here?¡¯

    Tilting his head in confusion, Theo quickly scanned the rest of the journal.

    My body is deteriorating rapidly. Is it because Robert injured my Dantian? I¡¯ve tried to recover, but it¡¯s not easy. The Ghost Mushrooms I consume to survive are instead pushing me toward death.

    I had started to lose consciousness. It seemed far from being a simple case of sleepwalking. What in the world was happening to my body?

    I finally began to understand the reason for the changes in my body. It was Demonic Nature. I had fallen into Qi Deviation. Damn it, damn it, damn it! I haven¡¯t even begun his revenge yet! Why was this happening?

    While unconscious, I can¡¯t predict what I might do. If I tried to leave this ce, everything would fall apart. With no other choice, I melted down my beloved sword, Noksa Sword, with magic and forged it into chains. They would restrain me. Bind me. I had bound myself.

    However, even though he had done this to himself, it wasn¡¯t truly his doing. The chains had been given to him by the ones he swore to tear apart¡ªKyle and Robert. The day he broke these chains would be the day he killed those two.

    He cursed the heavens for giving him such trials¡­

    It seemed that the time he spent losing and regaining consciousness was getting longer. Perhaps soon, he would never wake up again.

    Opportunity. If only there had been any chance left. Regret came flooding in like a tide.

    Now, it was time to make a decision. He had to admit it. There was no hope left for him.

    He prayed desperately that someone would find this ce, fulfill his desire, and seed in his revenge. He left his legacy here, hoping his sessor would surpass them¡­

    Below the diary, which was filled with resentment, there was a significant amount of script written in jagged handwriting.

    Even a quick nce revealed they were techniques no less valuable than top-tier secret arts.

    ¡°Vicious Sword Techniques, Wind Thunder God¡­? Could it be, W-Wind Lord?¡±

    Evelyn¡¯s eyes widened as she quickly turned to the corpse of the deceased old man.

    Theo felt his head throb.

    ¡°If it¡¯s the Wind Lord, isn¡¯t he the one who fought against my father for the throne until the very end, about 40 years ago?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I believe so.¡±

    ¡°I thought he had died. But he was here all along?¡±

    In the distant past, there was someone who resisted Kyle¡¯s im to the throne until the very end.

    The Wind Lord, Hector Ragnar.

    His achievements and fame were so great that he even surpassed Kyle in some aspects, but he was ultimately defeated¡ªan ill-fated hero.

    Known for freely controlling the wind, he was said to be as fierce as a storm when facing enemies, as swift as a gale when moving, and as warm as a spring breeze when with his allies.

    Who could have imagined that such a legendary figure would end up in such a pitiful state?

    Had he never been able to forget his desire for revenge, even to his final moments?

    One of Hector Ragnar¡¯s final wishes was for a sessor to gather his legacy and defeat Kyle. It was a testament to his enduring resentment.

    At that moment, Evelyn suddenly approached Theo, knelt before him, and bowed her head low, as if offering her neck like a prisoner condemned to the guillotine.

    Theo frowned.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°It is a grave sin for a vassal of Ragnar to harm an heir, regardless of the reason. Therefore¡­!¡±

    ¡°Stop spouting nonsense.¡±

    Theo cut her off without hesitation.

    ¡°The one you harmed wasn¡¯t a Ragnar. He was a deranged madman who had lost his senses.¡±

    ¡°But¡­!¡±

    ¡°And besides, you did it to save me. What other choice did you have in that situation?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°If you still feel guilty about it, take those two secret arts for yourself.¡±

    Evelyn¡¯s head shot up in surprise.

    ¡°The Wind Lord¡¯s techniques are revered as absolute arts,parable even to the Nine Dragons¡¯ techniques. How could you possibly give those to me¡­?!¡±

    ¡°As payment for saving my life.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°Be the sessor of the Wind Lord. Inherit his legacy. That way, Hector Ragnar can finally rest in peace. You¡¯ll be his disciple, and no one will question your actions any longer.¡±

    Evelyn realized the deeper meaning behind Theo¡¯s words.

    The Wind Lord¡¯s legacy.

    It was a request for her to bring down Kyle.

    Oveing that obstacle was a necessary step to im the throne.

    In other words¡ª

    ¡°Won¡¯t you be my sword, Evelyn?¡±

    Theo¡¯s intense gaze pierced through Evelyn¡¯s eyes¡ªno, through her very spirit, her soul.

    ¡°¡­!!¡±

    Evelyn¡¯s body trembled slightly.

    Theo had given her a sword once more.

    His mother had restored the arm she had lost.

    The dreams she thought she had abandoned forever were nowid out at her feet once again.

    And now¡ª

    He was offering her wings to soar above them.

    Evelyn rose from her kneeling position, changing to a bowing stance, lowering her head in respect.

    It was the gesture of a vassal pledging fealty to their lord.

    The formal salute of a knight swearing loyalty to their sovereign.

    ¡°I, Evelyn Nerevil, High Swordsman of Ragnar, Protector of the Great Northern Wall and Lord of the Winter Mountains, hereby pledge my loyalty to Lord Theo Ragnar as his vassal¡­¡±

    Evelyn¡¯s voice carried strength and conviction.

    ¡°I humbly ask that my great and noble lord epts the oath of this humble vassal.¡±

    ¡°I, Theo Ragnar.¡±

    Theo raised the de of the Drake and lightly tapped it on Evelyn¡¯s head and both shoulders in turn.

    ¡°ept Evelyn Nerevil¡¯s oath, etching it into my heart and soul, and swear to make her my first sword on this long journey.¡±

    In that moment, here and now¡ª

    The first vow of what would be a great legend was made.

 Chapter 64

    Chapter 64: The Old Chosen One (4)

    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about what happened today for a while.¡±

    The secret techniques of the Wind Lord.

    Theo¡¯s Purge Cleansing Technique.

    Oaths of loyalty and pledges.

    None of these were things that should be revealed to the outside world immediately.

    ¡°Yes, I understand. Considering the morale of the unit, it¡¯s probably for the best.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. So, while you¡¯re in the unit, Evelyn, treat me casually. And drop the formal speech.¡±

    ¡°Excuse me? But how could I possibly¡­!¡±

    ¡°In the unit, you¡¯re the superior, right? And I¡¯m the subordinate. It only makes sense.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll catch up to you in no time.¡±

    He was implying that he would somehow achieve a promotion soon.

    ¡°Do you really think you can?¡±

    Theo smirked. ¡°Why? You don¡¯t think I can?¡±

    ¡°It won¡¯t be easy.¡±

    ¡°I still have to do it. Didn¡¯t I say it? That I¡¯d be themander of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry within five years.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t an empty promise.¡±

    ¡°Yes. I understand.¡±

    ¡°So.¡±

    Theo looked directly into Evelyn¡¯s eyes as he spoke.

    ¡°First, stop speaking so formally to me¡­ I mean, to ¡®me¡¯ senior.¡±

    * * *

    Theo and Evelyn cleaned up everything around them and returned to the base.

    By that time, the sun was already sinking low in the west.

    ¡°Hahaha! Theo, you were thest to arrive! As a newbie, you should be moving quickly! How can you be so slow right after joining the unit?¡±

    Holcus was overflowing with pride, realizing that there was finally a field where he had beaten Theo.

    He and Erika had alreadypleted the aptitude test and returned earlier.

    ¡®Now Theo will understand my true capabilities!¡¯ Holcus thought as he approached Theo, who had justnded on the ground.

    ¡°Huh, huh¡­?¡±

    He suddenly froze without realizing it.

    ¡®Isn¡¯t this¡­ huge?¡¯

    The wyvern Theo had brought back was significantlyrger than Holcus¡¯s new partner.

    Holcus¡¯s partner was also a monster dragon species, a ratherrge one among wyverns, yet it seemed smaller inparison.

    The bear-sized creature drooped its shoulders slightly.

    Growl?

    At that moment, Holcus¡¯s partner, ¡®Spatium,¡¯ bared its teeth at ¡¯Umbra.

    ¡°H-Hey, what¡¯s gotten into you all of a sudden?¡±

    Holcus panicked, confused as his normally well-behaved partner refused to listen to him.

    ¨C What¡­ what is that?

    ¨C Is that¡­ Umbra?

    ¨C What? Did he make Umbra his partner? That unruly beast?

    ¨C No way!

    ¨C How on earth did he do it?

    The members of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry, who had btedly noticed Umbra, erupted into amotion.

    Everyone in the White Armored Dragon Cavalry knew the tragic story of ¡®Umbra¡¯.

    Despite that, the wyvern¡¯s stubborn refusal to choose a partner had caused endless concern within the unit. Who would have thought that the neer would be the one to tame Umbra?

    ¨C So this is what it means to be the greatest genius in a thousand years, huh? Wow, talent matters even here. I¡¯m feeling pretty crushed right now¡­

    The unit members stared nkly at Theo and Umbra.

    The murmurs about his dyed return and whether his aptitude test needed to be re-evaluated vanished in an instant.

    Meanwhile, Theo and Evelyn approached Julius.

    ¡°Senior Knight Evelyn Nerevil reporting, alongside Trainee Knight Theo Ragnar, havingpleted his aptitude test. Theo Ragnar has been deemed suitable and has been assigned as the partner to Umbra of the Third Nest.¡±

    ¡°I see. Good work. It seems our unit¡¯s biggest troublemaker has finally found a match.¡±

    At Julius¡¯s words, Evelyn nodded.

    ¡°Fortunately, Theo and Umbra appear to be a very good fit.¡±

    ¡°Oh, is that so?¡±

    Julius stroked his chin, a gleam in his eyes.

    The record holder of the ¡®Blossoming Ceremony¡¯ paired with the notorious troublemaker of the White Dragon Nest.

    Thisbination was sure to be a major asset to the White Armored Dragon Cavalry.

    It also meant that the range of tactics they could deploy had significantly widened.

    ¡°Seems like assigning unit cements will be much smoother.¡±

    Julius grinned as he looked at Evelyn, as if a brilliant idea had just urred to him.

    Gulp!

    Evelyn instinctively straightened her back.

    ¡®What is he nning this time¡­?¡¯

    She knew all too well that whenever Julius smiled like that, trouble was sure to follow.

    She quickly tried to cut him off, but¡ª

    ¡°Alright, it¡¯ste, so we¡¯ll conclude the meeting here! Everyone, disband! I¡¯ll give details on unit cements tomorrow. That¡¯s all!¡±

    ¡°Good work, sir!¡±

    ¡°Good work, sir!¡±

    ¡°Oh, and don¡¯t drink too much tonight. If I hear someone¡¯s struggling with a hangover again¡­ you know what happens.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll be mindful, sir!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll make sure that doesn¡¯t happen again!¡±

    ¡°As always, all talk. Anyway, disband!¡±

    ¡°See you tomorrow, sir!¡±

    ¡°Have a good night, Commander!¡±

    And with that, the noisy day¡ªfilled with the designation ceremony and the aptitude test¡ªcame to an end.

    * * *

    Once the unit assignments were finished, the next step, naturally, was the neer¡¯s weing party.

    ¡°Hey, junior! Hey! I can drop the formal speech now, right?¡±

    As Theo stood there, still unfamiliar with his surroundings, Selperd quietly approached him with a mug of beer in hand.

    Theo couldn¡¯t help but smirk to himself.

    ¡®Didn¡¯t he already drop the formal speech before the aptitude test even began?¡¯

    Of course, that was probably because Erika and Holcus had been around as well.

    Selperd¡¯s gaze remained mostly fixed on Theo.

    ¡°While I¡¯m here, my status as a member of the White Armored Dragon Cavalryes before my position as a sessor.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right? Hahaha! I like how straightforward you are. See, Arin! He said it¡¯s okay to drop the formal speech now!¡±

    At Selperd¡¯s shout, Arin, who had been sitting with otherrades, sighed and shook his head.

    ¡°But how did you end up making ¡®Umbra¡¯ your partner? Everyone¡¯s dying to know.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡±

    Theo exined what had happened with Umbra, leaving out the parts rted to the Wind Lord, and embellishing the rest slightly.

    Soon enough, more curious members gathered around, eager to hear his story.

    Before long, every time Theo spoke, the crowd would erupt in admiration.

    ¨C Ohhh!

    ¨C That really happened?

    ¨C Is that so?

    ¨C Sob! It¡¯s a story that brings tears to your eyes!

    Some, already heavily intoxicated, were even brought to tears as they listened.

    Watching them, Theo started to grasp the overall atmosphere of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry.

    ¡®I knew this unit was moreid-backpared to others, but they sure are expressive with their emotions.¡¯

    In Ragnar, where meritocracy reigned due to the strong preference for survival of the fittest, the hierarchical structure was extremely rigid.

    However, in the White Armored Dragon Cavalry, while there were ranks, at least there was no sign of personal belittlement or insult.

    ¡®That must be because of Julius¡¯s belief that everyone should live like siblings.¡¯

    Thanks to this, Theo, Erika, and Holcus didn¡¯t experience any kind of hazing or hostile treatment.

    Though not much time had passed since his aptitude test, Theo found himself naturally blending into their atmosphere.

    After the weing party hade to an end, and after saying goodnight to the members who told him they¡¯d see him tomorrow, Theo headed towards the Camellia Pce.

    The night had grown deep, and the moon was now high above his head.

    ¡®The unit¡­¡¯

    Theo paused in his steps and looked up at the moon.

    A feeling difficult to put into words filled his heart.

    A sense of fulfillment he had never experienced in his previous life.

    His mind was consumed by the thought of just how different this life waspared to the one before.

    ¡°What are you doing standing there all gloomy? You didn¡¯t even drink.¡±

    At that moment, Theo turned his head at the sound of a voiceing from behind.

    Holcus and Erika were approaching with slightly flushed faces.

    ¡°Weren¡¯t you two supposed to go back to the dorms?¡±

    Erika grinned and shook the beer can in her hand.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it too disappointing to end it after just the first round on a day like this?¡±

    Theo chuckled lightly in response.

    He always felt this way.

    Just seeing this pair of siblings was enough to make him feel an immense sense of warmth.

    Just like with the members of the 4th Training Hall.

    ¡°Actually, I know a good ce. Shall we go there?¡±

    ¡°Oh! If it¡¯s one of our young master¡¯s favorite spots, we¡¯re always more than wee.¡±

    ¡°Alright. But this is confiscated.¡±

    Theo swiftly snatched the beer can out of Erika¡¯s hand.

    Erika red up.

    ¡°What? Why!¡±

    ¡°I guess you forgot, but we¡¯re still minors.¡±

    ¡°Damn it! You old geezer! Don¡¯t you know it¡¯s fine to drink after the Blossoming Ceremony?¡±

    ¡°To be exact, they just turn a blind eye to drinking after the Blossoming Ceremony. It doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re allowed to drink.¡±

    Erika¡¯s face crumpled instantly.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, stay behind.¡±

    ¡°Ah, let¡¯s just go! Let¡¯s go! Where is it?¡±

    Grumbling, Erika followed behind Theo.

    Holcus, fascinated as always by how his sister was constantly being bossed around by Theo, moved his feet as well.

    The ce Theo arrived at was, of course, the pub that served as the 4th Training Hall¡¯s hideout.

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯ve finally arrived!¡±

    ¡°Hey everyone, gather around! The young master has returned!¡±

    ¡°What? Where, where?¡±

    ¡°Ha ha ha! Wee, young master. We¡¯ve been itching to hear your tales of heroism!¡±

    Erika and Holcus were dumbfounded for a moment by the crowd rushing toward them.

    Why are there so many people here?

    But Theo, smoothly engaging in various conversations with them, gestured for the two siblings toe in.

    They hesitantly stepped inside.

    There, Wellington and Ray were already seated.

    ¡°You¡¯re here? You¡¯re quitete.¡±

    ¡°Yes. I had to take the aptitude test. You¡¯re here too, Ray.¡±

    ¡°Y-yes¡­¡±

    For some reason, Ray¡¯s nose was slightly flushed, as if she was embarrassed by the crowded atmosphere.

    It waspletely different from the rumors about the Ice de Sword, who was said to rarely show any emotion.

    Wellington chuckled and spoke.

    ¡°When I saw her hovering outside, unable toe in, I gave her a little push and brought her in.¡±

    ¡°When did I ever do that?!¡±

    ¡°Or maybe let¡¯s just say I invited you in, and you came.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re mocking me, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    When Ray red at him with sharp eyes, Wellington onlyughed harder.

    At that moment, Erika and Holcus approached from behind Theo.

    When the tworge figures appeared, the pub suddenly felt cramped.

    ¡°What¡¯s all this? Why are all the bookworms and the ice queen gathered here?¡±

    ¡°Why do you think? Everyone¡¯s here to celebrate after the Blossoming Ceremony. Anyway, would you like a drink? The whiskey here is pretty good.¡±

    When Wellington shrugged and held out a ss, Erika¡¯s face lit up.

    ¡°Oh, I thought you were just some bookworm, but it turns out you¡¯re a bookworm with some sense?¡±

    ¡°Could you stop with the bookworm nonsense already?¡±

    ¡°How about a thug bookworm, then?¡±

    ¡°¡­So, you¡¯re not nning to stop using the word ¡®bookworm¡¯ at all, are you?¡±

    ¡°Ha ha ha. If a nickname changes too easily, it¡¯s no fun, is it?¡±

    Just as Erika was about to take the ss of whiskey, a hand suddenly blocked her.

    It was Theo.

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    ¡°Minors are not allowed to drink.¡±

    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s just drink. It¡¯s from your friend, after all.¡±

    ¡°Still no. If you don¡¯t like it, leave.¡±

    ¡°Ugh! You¡¯re worse than an old geezer!¡±

    ¡°Pfft! Didn¡¯t you say it¡¯s no fun when nicknames change too easily? Seems like Sir Theo¡¯s nickname did change.¡±

    ¡°Wellington, the same goes for you.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Confiscated.¡±

    ¡°Wait, no! Sir Theo! Can¡¯t you be a little flexible on a day like this¡­?¡±

    Wellington, who had been mocking Erika, now cried out in despair as Theo took away his whiskey as well.

    Of course, neither of them stood a chance against Theo¡¯s resolve.

    ¡°You¡¯d be better off just drinking orange juice. I don¡¯t get why anyone would want to drink something so bad.¡±

    Slurp, slurp.

    Right beside them, Holcus, whose appearance hardly matched the sight of him sipping a children¡¯s orange drink through a straw, shook his head in disbelief.

    ¡°Young master!¡±

    ¡°Tell us about your adventures!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, with all the top-ranking people gathered like this, you¡¯ve got to give us some stories!¡±

    The other members had already gathered around the five of them, their eyes gleaming with excitement.

    Even though Ray felt ufortable with all the attention, fidgeting slightly,

    ¡®¡­It¡¯s fun.¡¯

    she didn¡¯t leave her seat.

    To Ray, who had always spent her life in solitude, this ce seemed like a whole new world.

    Ever since she was very young.

    For Ray, who had always lived alone, burdened by illness, the very concept of spending time with others had been foreign.

    But now¡­

    After meeting Theo and slowly getting to know the people around him, she found herself thinking,

    ¡®I want to belong.¡¯

    She wanted to be a friend.

 Chapter 65

    Chapter 65: The Old Chosen One (5)

    By the time the drinking session with the members of the Fourth Training Ground hade to an end, it was already dawn.

    Though everyone felt it was a shame to part ways, they had no choice but to disperse, as the unit assignment announcement was scheduled for early the next morning.

    Thest person left at the table was Ray.

    ¡°Theo.¡±

    ¡°Hm?¡±

    ¡°Can I¡­e again?¡±

    For some reason, Ray couldn¡¯t meet Theo¡¯s eyes properly as she shyly asked that question.

    Was she afraid he might say no?

    Theo could tell that Ray had put a lot of thought into asking him.

    ¡°Do as you like.¡±

    ¡°Re¡­ really?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. We¡¯re friends now, aren¡¯t we? Friends are always wee.¡±

    ¡°Friends¡­¡±

    Ray repeated the word to herself a few times, then her face brightened and she nodded energetically.

    ¡°Yeah! Thanks!¡±

    Her smile was brighter than ever before.

    * * *

    Theo quietly entered Camellia Pce.

    It was sote that everyone was likely asleep, so he carefully watched his steps. However, he noticed that the dining room lights were still on.

    ¡®Did someone forget to turn off the lights?¡¯

    Thinking he would go and switch them off, Theo headed to the dining room, only to be slightly surprised.

    ¡°Oh my, young master. Justing in now? You have to be up early tomorrow morning, and yet you¡¯reing in sote¡ªhow do you n on managing your condition for the day?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t drink at all, so I¡¯ll be fine. But, aren¡¯t you asleep yet?¡±

    Cecilia was sitting alone at the table, without a maid or butler in sight.

    Her slightly flushed face made it seem like she had been enjoying some drinks by herself.

    And indeed, there was a bottle of wine submerged in an ice bucket on one side of the table.

    She picked up the wine bottle and shook it in front of Theo.

    ¡°I was in such a good mood today that I decided to have a drink. Why? Does it seem strange to you?¡±

    ¡°No. It¡¯s just¡­ I¡¯ve never seen you like this before.¡±

    ¡°Hahaha! Well, I suppose I¡¯ve never shown you this side of myself before. Because I couldn¡¯t¡­ afford to show any weakness, not even for a moment.¡±

    Thest part of her murmuring somehow sent a sharp pang through Theo¡¯s heart.

    Then, Cecilia shed him a wide smile and spoke.

    ¡°So, what do you think? Won¡¯t you be your mother¡¯s drinkingpanion tonight?¡±

    Theo had nned not to touch a drop of alcohol until he turned twenty.

    ¡®This much should be fine, right?¡¯

    For some reason, Theo wanted to talk more with his mother.

    He thought this might be the perfect opportunity to discuss all the conversations they hadn¡¯t had, the misunderstandings, and their true feelings. He also needed to thank her for helping with Evelyn.

    ¡°Yes, if it¡¯s a drink from you, Mother.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been my dream to sit down and have a drink with my son, and now that dream is finallying true! Won¡¯t you sit here?¡±

    Theo took a seat across from Cecilia.

    tter!

    Late into the night, the mother and son¡¯s drinking session continued.

    * * *

    The next day, at 6:11 AM.

    Wellington entered the Fourth Training Ground with a long yawn, just like any other day.

    He couldn¡¯t skip dawn training, after all.

    ¡®It¡¯s amazing how habits stick like this. I thought I¡¯d take a break today, but that¡¯s even harder to do.¡¯

    The afterparty had continued even after Theo left, going on to a third and fourth round as some people gathered in small groups.

    In particr, Wellington and Erika had been the worst offenders, since they hadn¡¯t been able to drink due to Theo¡¯s presence earlier. They drank in a rush, thinking they had to make up for lost time, and it led to some serious overindulgence.

    The other members also fueled the atmosphere, repeatedly calling Theo the hero of the Blossoming Ceremony, which kept the drinking going.

    As a result, Wellington¡¯s head was now pounding with a brutal hangover.

    ¡®In the North, we traditionally considered anyone over fifteen as an independent adult and warrior. That custom is what led to the Blossoming Ceremony as aing-of-age ritual¡­ Ugh, my head.¡¯

    He hade to the training ground out of habit, but now he wasn¡¯t sure if he could even hold his sword properly.

    He seriously considered going back to his dorm to rest when¡ª

    Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

    The sound of the wind slicing through the air reached his ears.

    It was an all-too-familiar sound.

    ¡®No way.¡¯

    Wellington turned to look and couldn¡¯t help but let out a chuckle.

    ¡°That stubborn bastard¡­¡±

    Just like every other day.

    Theo had shown up the earliest and was slowly swinging a Zweihanderrger than his own body, warming up.

    Though his movements were slow, each swing contained a profound depth, as if he were mimicking and sparring with an unseen opponent.

    Wellington realized that Theo was revisiting the insights he had gained from the Blossoming Ceremony.

    ¡°Even after setting a new record, what more could he possibly need to train for¡­ Haha, unbelievable.¡±

    But what made Wellingtonugh the most was something else.

    ¡®Does that guy not even want to rest?¡¯

    ¡®Was it the fourth or the fifth round¡­?¡¯ Wellington wondered. ¡®That¡¯s when Sybil went to call for Lord Theo and saw him drinking with Lady Cecilia at Camellia Pce, didn¡¯t he¡­?¡¯

    In other words, even after drinking all night, Theo was now training at the crack of dawn.

    Wellington couldn¡¯t help but marvel at how someone could be this relentless. How could a person have such unyielding willpower?

    Or perhaps, it was precisely this level of tenacity that allowed Theo to grow so quickly.

    Wellington, regaining his resolve from just moments earlier, decided to join in the training as well.

    Meanwhile¡­

    Swish, swish, swish¡ª

    Theo¡¯s sword movements were getting faster and faster.

    He was so focused on his swordsmanship that he hadn¡¯t even noticed Wellington¡¯s presence. Theo was in a state ofplete immersion.

    ¨C Son, what is it that you wish to see?

    The question his mother had asked himst night shed through his mind.

    ¨C I heard from the maids. They said you¡¯ve officially dered your intention topete for the throne. I wanted to hear more about that. Knowing you, I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a reason you¡¯ve made such a decision.

    Theo had gradually shared his thoughts, revealing what was on his mind.

    Cecilia listened quietly for a long time before smiling softly.

    ¨C I see. If that¡¯s truly what you¡¯ve decided¡­ I understand. If it¡¯s like that.

    The smile Cecilia had worn then carried an ambiguous meaning. It was as if she was conveying that she wouldn¡¯t stand in the way of the path Theo had chosen.

    Her eyes sparkled with more vitality than ever before¡­

    ¡®She¡¯ll tell me more when the time is right.¡¯

    Theo now had unwavering faith in Cecilia.

    So, he no longer worried about that. What mattered to him now was only one thing.

    The new path he was about to embark on.

    ¨C And for that, what¡¯s most important is achieving the necessary growth and mastering swordsmanship.

    Fwoosh¡ª

    Fortunately, he was steadilyying the foundation for that goal.

    ¡®The Flying de Technique is built on swift, sharp strikes and free-flowing movements that aren¡¯t confined to fixed forms. It¡¯s the perfect technique for someone like me who ns to use Death Beat.¡¯

    Theo was currently focused on mastering the Flying de Technique and wind God, the techniques of the Wind Lord.

    Of course, since he had passed on the Wind Lord¡¯s true legacy to Evelyn, Theo¡¯s training was slightly different from hers.

    He was focused on the thoughts and will contained in the Wind Lord¡¯s Nine Incantations, the personal history the Wind Lord had umted over time.

    ¡®The wind God¡¯s technique isn¡¯t much different from the Flying de Technique. The traces left in the Crystal Cave all carried the wind. Sometimes swiftly, sometimes intensely, sometimes explosively, and sometimes softly¡­ Before losing his mind, the Wind Lord tried to enhance this somehow.¡¯

    Using Hatchling Synchronization, Theo analyzed the Wind Lord¡¯s movements in detail, dividing them into five distinct stages.

    A gentle breeze.

    A gust of wind.

    A squall.

    A storm.

    And¡­ a typhoon.

    The vigorous movements of the wind, which changed in strength and direction, harmonized perfectly with magic power of the thunder attribute.

    In particr, it seemed like a perfectplement to Theo¡¯s swordsmanship, which paradoxically involved both a heavy greatsword and swift strikes.

    ¡®It¡¯s clear. If I can fully master these two techniques and the Wind Lord¡¯s realization, I¡¯ll be able to take an even greater leap forward.¡¯

    Theo was currently training in the first stage, the ¡®Gentle Breeze.¡¯

    It was the stage of drawing the wind flowing through the air and wrapping it around his body.

    When mastered, it would allow his body to move faster with little burden.

    And next¡­ he would be able to envelop his sword with the wind.

    Naturally, his attack speed would increase as well.

    It would be as if he gained a new secret weapon.

    Theo wanted to master the Gentle Breeze before receiving his official deployment and mission.

    Tadadak!

    Shhh-

    Whiii-

    The wind began to gather around him.

    * * *

    ¡°Ugh, my head¡­¡±

    ¡°Who told you to drink so much, huh? Seriously.¡±

    ¡°Could you be quiet¡­! Urgh!¡±

    Erika, her face pale, couldn¡¯t even argue with Holcus and had to forcibly stifle her dry heaving.

    Even though she kept circting her magic power to alleviate the hangover, it wasn¡¯t fading, and she felt miserable.

    Just as Holcus clicked his tongue and patted Erika¡¯s back, Theo suddenly held something out to her.

    ¡°What¡­ is this?¡±

    ¡°A remedy. It¡¯ll help with your hangover. It tastes awful, though.¡±

    ¡°Ugh, thanks.¡±

    Without thinking, Erika took it and drank it, only to immediately spit it out.

    ¡°Waaagh!¡±

    ¡°Hey! What are you doing?! That¡¯s disgusting!¡±

    Holcus leaped up in shock, but Erika, her eyes zing with fury, red at Theo.

    ¡°You¡­ y-you¡­ were trying to a-assassinate me, weren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I told you it would taste bad.¡±

    ¡°Still, how could anyone drink this¡­!¡±

    What Erika had just drunk was ¡®special celery juice.¡¯

    It was an alchemical concoction that Theo, the future Blood Sword Emperor, always made and drank. However, to others, it was nothing more than food with an entric taste.

    ¡°If you keep drinking it, you¡¯ll eventually find it tolerable.¡±

    ¡°Ugh, no thanks.¡±

    ¡°Well, if you don¡¯t like it, that¡¯s that.¡±

    Theo shrugged. He had given it to her because it was genuinely effective against hangovers, but since she didn¡¯t like it, he had no intention of forcing her.

    ¡°More than that, I wish they¡¯d just hurry up with the deployment already¡­¡±

    Erika mumbled quietly, ncing towards the entrance of the waiting room.

    The three of them were currently waiting for the announcement of their assignments. The White Armored Dragon Cavalry wasposed of five squads, and each squad, consisting of around 70 to 150 members, performed different missions and had different goals.

    For instance, the second squad focused on The Demonic Sea exploration missions, while the third squad specialized in guarding the Great Wall. Each squad had its own unique specialties and characteristics.

    Because of this, the cement of new recruits was a matter of careful consideration.

    Erika and Holcus hoped they¡¯d be assigned to the same squad, but knowing that it was nearly impossible, they just wished they wouldn¡¯t be separated too far from each other.

    ¡®I¡¯d really like to be assigned to the first squad.¡¯

    Unlike the siblings, Theo hoped to be ced in the first squad, which was considered the pride of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry.

    The first squad was known as ¡°The Dark Dragon¡¯s Guard¡± and often worked directly with Julius, the heart of the force. Naturally, Theo, who aimed for a rapid rise in rank, saw it as his ideal assignment.

    Most importantly, Evelyn was also part of that squad.

    ¡®I wonder what¡¯s going to happen.¡¯

    Since the nature of their new recruit training would also differ depending on which squad they were assigned to, Theo couldn¡¯t help but feel curious.

    Creak!

    At that moment, the door to the waiting room swung open, and Evelyn entered.

    Behind her followed familiar faces¡ªSelperd, Arin, and others.

    ¡®¡­¡­?¡¯

    Theo tilted his head in confusion. Evelyn was in the first squad, while Selperd and Arin were in the fifth, each belonging to different squads. The others who entered were in the same situation.

    But the biggest question was that all of them wore somber expressions.

    ¡°Nice to meet you. I am Evelyn Nerevil, newly appointed as the leader of the fifth squad. From now on, I will also be your superior, in charge of the three of you.¡±

    Erika and Holcus¡¯s faces brightened instantly.

    They had gotten their wish to be ced together in the same squad.

    However, Theo¡¯s expression darkened considerably.

    ¡®The squad leader was changed? All of a sudden? At this time, the leader of the fifth squad should have been Trainer Isben, shouldn¡¯t it?¡¯

    Trainer Isben was the oldest knight in the White Armored Dragon Cavalry.

    He even had more experience than Julius, and when problems asionally arose within the unit, Julius himself would seek his advice. Other squad leaders and Dragon Knights treated him with the utmost respect.

    Moreover, he still had more than five years left before his retirement.

    If someone had reced him in such a position?

    It clearly meant something significant had happened.

    ¨C Something Theo wasn¡¯t aware of.

    ¡°Under normal circumstances, you would undergo basic education and training for the next three months to acquire the essential qualities of a Dragon Knight¡­ but due to urgent matters, all of that has been skipped.¡±

    At that moment, Erika and Holcus exchanged nces, and Theo¡¯s eyes sank deeply.

    Evelyn slowly opened her mouth.

    ¡°Three days from now, all of you will be deployed into actualbat.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

 Chapter 66

    Chapter 66: White Armored Dragon Cavalry (1)

    ¡°What did ck Snow say about the report we sent?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯vepleted cross-verification, and they estimate with approximately 89% certainty that it is true.¡±

    ¡°¡­This is really driving me mad.¡±

    Julius frowned at his subordinate¡¯s report.

    The emergency report that had suddenlye through the hotlinest night was sitting on his desk, abandoned.

    The contents detailed how Trainer Isben, themander of the 5th unit, who had held a position in the White Armored Dragon Cavalry even longer than Julius himself, had been killed in action, along with 15 of his subordinates who had gone on the mission with him.

    Though Julius had asked ck Snow for confirmation, he had to endure their sorrowful response.

    It was the most painful loss they had suffered in the countless battles over the past three years.

    ¡°As per your orders, Senior Inspector Evelyn Nerevil from the 1st unit has been temporarily appointed as the 5th unit¡¯smander, and three new recruits have been assigned under her. They are scheduled to be deployed on a mission three days after their provisional training ends.¡±

    ¡°To think we have to deploy green rookies on missions¡­ we¡¯re truly on the edge.¡±

    The subordinate had many things he wanted to say in response to Julius¡¯ sigh, but he kept them to himself, tightly sealing his lips.

    After all, Julius was undoubtedly feeling even more frustrated than he was.

    In truth, this was one of the chronic issues guing the White Armored Dragon Cavalry.

    ¡®If it weren¡¯t for the damned Intelligence Bureau and the Senate¡­!¡¯

    The White Armored Dragon Cavalry was part of the Air Force.

    This meant their operational range was much widerpared to other units, which were heavily influenced by the terrain.

    Because of this, the White Armored Dragon Cavalry was always overwhelmed, barely able to handle the never-ending flood of mission requests.

    The 1st unit handled special missions.

    The 2nd unit was tasked with scouting and monitoring the movements in the Demonic Sea.

    The 3rd unit protected the Great Wall and scouted the surrounding areas.

    The 4th unit safeguarded Winterer and monitored the Six Snow Families of the North.

    The 5th unit was responsible for responding to various incidents and aid requests happening across the northern regions.

    Each unit was responsible for a vast area asrge as the missions they had to handle.

    From the Demonic Sea to the Great Wall, and across the entire northern expanse.

    With fewer than 500 people to oversee such an immense region, the manpower was woefully insufficient.

    No matter how often they requested reinforcements, the Central Intelligence Bureau and the Senate always reacted with reluctance.

    Although they imed a shortage of talent as the official reason,

    everyone knew that political maneuvering was the true cause.

    Because of this, the White Armored Dragon Cavalry constantly struggled with ack of manpower.

    And right now, it was no different.

    Despite the death of themander of the 5th unit, instead of mobilizing the entire force for revenge, they simply replenished the unit with new recruits and prepared for a counterattack.

    If something simr had urred in another unit, people would have been gossiping about how the discipline of the entire force was crumbling.

    ¡°You know this well, but we can¡¯t entrust major responsibilities to the recruits just yet. For this mission, make sure they only engage in reconnaissance or support. Even with that, they¡¯ll learn a lot after experiencing realbat at least once.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    After the subordinate bowed and left, Julius turned his chair around and looked out the window.

    The blue sky seemed especially indifferent today.

    ¡°An 89% probability¡­ So, there¡¯s still an 11% chance he¡¯s alive. Even if he¡¯s hurt, just stay alive, old man.¡±

    Julius thought of Trainer¡¯s face, who used to constantly nag him with stubbornments, then suddenly, Theo came to mind.

    Wouldn¡¯t the young master from the Camellia Pce, who had always shown surprising miracles, perhaps disy another one this time¡­?

    But that thought onlysted a moment.

    Julius let out a soft chuckle.

    ¡®Seems like I¡¯m feeling quite hopeless too.¡¯

    Even if it was Theo, there were limits to what could be expected.

    It was an absurd hope, even by his own standards.

    What was he expecting from a trainee who had just turned fifteen?

    And yet.

    What if¡­ What if a miracle did happen?

    Click!

    Julius unlocked the tightly sealed drawer in his desk and pulled out a booklet from inside.

    It was the secret manual the Lord of Plum Blossom Pce had handed him, speaking of a shared destiny.

    ¡®I hope this could somehow help that miraclee to pass.¡¯

    He gently rang the bell on his desk.

    Ding!

    A knight who had been waiting outside entered the room.

    ¡°You called for me?¡±

    ¡°Bring Evelyn to me.¡±

    * * *

    ¨C By three days before the official mission begins, all assigned snipers must ensure that basic training ispleted for their assistants.

    Evelyn¡¯s orders, given along with the mission announcement, caused an uproar in the 5th unit.

    No matter how rushed the situation, the instructions seemed utterly unreasonable this time.

    However, orders were orders.

    Even if there was dissent, amand that had not been rescinded had to be followed.

    Thus, the designation of supervisors for the three new recruits was swiftly made, and Theo followed his own supervisor to the training grounds located in one part of the White Dragon¡¯s Nest.

    ¡®What on earth could it be? A mission urgent enough to involve recruits who haven¡¯t even received proper training yet?¡¯

    Evelyn, citing security reasons, had not shared any details about the mission until it officially began. As a result, Theo could only keep sifting through the knowledge from his previous life.

    However, nothing significant came to mind for this particr time period.

    This only deepened his concerns.

    The one thing that did seem to stand out was just one incident.

    ¡®The Northern hostage crisis involving the Ceres Trading Company.¡¯

    The Ceres Trading Company had shed with Theo about six months ago during the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons banquet. It was, in fact, closely linked to Ed Troyban and the House of Troyban from behind the scenes.

    Still, outwardly, it appeared to be a northern trading group that pledged loyalty to Ragnar.

    But around this time, while engaged in business, they suddenly became involved in a hostage situation with a band of thieves known by the unfamiliar name ¡°ck Skull.¡±

    At that time, the 5th unit of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry had been deployed, rescuing all the hostages and wiping out the band of thieves, concluding the matter.

    In the harsh northern territories, it was one of the manymon incidents that urred due to the tough living conditions. Neither Ragnar nor the White Armored Dragon Cavalry paid much attention to it.

    However,

    ¡®Muchter, ck Snow discovered something. Among the goods the Ceres Trading Company was transporting during that business trip was none other than the Dragon yer Sword. Because of this, the House of Ragnar was forced to deal with a major crisis.¡¯

    A few years from now, Ed Troyban would attempt a coup.

    By putting his nephew, Axion Ragnar, forward as the new head of the family, Ed, with the help of the Central Intelligence Bureau, would cause massive administrative paralysis, cutting Winterer offpletely from the outside world and causing irreparable damage.

    At that time, several elders and senior members residing in Winterer stepped up to subdue Ed, but all of them lost their heads.

    This wasn¡¯t just due to Ed¡¯s skill, but also because of the weapon he wielded, which was a natural enemy to the Ragnar family.

    The Dragon yer Sword, Balmung.

    A cursed sword with history and mystery, said to have been used to y a Dark Dragon during ancient mythological times.

    With this sword, Ed had managed to push the coup to the brink of sess.

    ¡®Though my father and the ck Dragon eventually subdued him¡­ the damage was undeniably great.¡¯

    There had even been spection afterward that if ck Snow had uncovered the existence of the Dragon yer Sword during the hostage crisis, much of the damage causedter could have been avoided.

    ¡®But unlike my past life, Axion is no longer here. The pretext for a coup has vanished¡­ So, what kind of change has this caused?¡¯

    Ed Troyban was so insidious in his schemes and plots that even the ck Dragon found him chillingly cunning.

    Therefore, with his pawn, Axion, gone, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if he had altered his original ns in a different direction.

    In fact, when Theo had refused the position of Deputy Director, the look in Ed¡¯s eyes had been anything but ordinary¡­

    ¡®If this really is a butterfly effect caused by that refusal, I need to see how things have changed with my own eyes.¡¯

    Theo knew he was bound to sh with Ed Troyban again, repeatedly. He needed to keep track of Ed¡¯s every move. Perhaps, depending on the situation, he might even need to strike first.

    ¡°Alright, now I¡¯ll teach you how to mount the saddle and fix the reins.¡±

    At that moment, Theo was pulled back to reality by his supervisor¡¯s loud voice.

    ¡°No matter how much training they¡¯ve had since they were young, wyverns inherently hate being restrained. Being weighed down makes flying harder for them. That¡¯s why a ¡®partnership¡¯ with a wyvern begins with the saddle and reins.¡±

    Selperd Gardner.

    Theo¡¯s assigned supervisor was fully focused on his exnation, his usual humorpletely gone. He knew that if they didn¡¯t take this basic training seriously, it could lead to a crisis in actualbat.

    And not just for themselves¡ªotherrades could be put in danger as well.

    ¡°Alright, give it a try.¡±

    Theo nodded, picking up the saddle and approaching Umbra.

    Umbra immediately backed away, squinting in displeasure.

    Grrrr¡­!

    A low growl, like the sound of phlegm bubbling in its throat, rumbled from the wyvern.

    But for some reason, Theo got the strong impression that Umbra wasn¡¯t grumbling about the saddle in his hands, but rather at him.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you mad because I left you alone yesterday without staying with you?¡±

    Keeek!

    Umbra spread its wings wide, pping them noisily.

    It looked like it was about to lunge at Theo, prompting Selperd to move in, but Theo held up a hand, signaling that it was fine.

    ¡°So that¡¯s it, huh? You¡¯re sulking because I left?¡±

    Kek! Keeek!

    Umbra pped its wings even more furiously, as if demanding, ¡°Do you even need to ask?¡±

    Pfft!

    Theo couldn¡¯t help but let out a smallugh.

    Keeek!

    Umbra protested again, as if asking, ¡°Are you seriouslyughing right now?¡±

    ¡°Oh, my bad, my bad. Haha!¡±

    Keeek!

    Theo simply couldn¡¯t stopughing. The contrast between Umbra¡¯s menacing appearance and its adorably pettyints was just too amusing to resist.

    Of course, Umbra was utterly exasperated.

    But at the same time, Theo could understand why Umbra was upset.

    Having spent its whole life without family or friends, Umbra had finally made a friend, only to have him suddenly leave and go home without saying anything.

    It must have worried all night, wondering if it had been abandoned again.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I should have been more considerate. I won¡¯t leave you behind like that anymore.¡±

    Keeeek!

    Umbra let out a screech and turned its head sharply to the side, visibly sulking.

    ¨C Do you think a simple apology is enough?!

    Theo realized he would need to bring out his secret weapon to soothe Umbra¡¯s anger.

    ¡°Oh no, this won¡¯t do¡­ I actually brought a gift for Umbra, but I guess I¡¯ll have to take it back now.¡±

    With an overly theatrical tone, Theo turned his back, pretending to rummage through something.

    Flinch!

    Umbra, who had turned away, twitched slightly.

    ¡°It¡¯s a really expensive pearl ne. What should I do with it, huh?¡±

    Trying to pretend it wasn¡¯t interested, Umbra¡¯s pupils secretly darted toward Theo.

    Theo held the pearl ne that Cecilia had given him.

    Shiver!

    Umbra¡¯s pupils trembled slightly at the sight.

    ¡°Oh, I heard the Commander¡¯s G likes things like this. Should I just give it to them ins¡ª¡±

    Keeeek!

    Suddenly, Umbra pped its wings in a panic.

    No! Stop!

    Theo turned back with a mischievous grin.

    ¡°Or¡­ would you rather have it?¡±

    Keeek! Keeek!

    Umbra nodded vigorously, as if worried Theo might change his mind.

    Still smiling, Theo hung the pearl ne alongside the one already draped around Umbra¡¯s neck.

    Umbra¡¯s mood immediately brightened, and it spent a long time ying with the ne using its ws.

    In the meantime, Theo sessfully fastened the saddle and reins onto Umbra¡¯s shoulders.

    ¡°¡­What on earth did you do?¡±

    Selperd, who had been watching the whole scene, waspletely dumbfounded.

    Even for partners, it normally took at least two weeks to get a wyvern ustomed to a saddle and reins.

    Yet, Theo had managed to do it within just a few hours.

    Because of that, Selperd couldn¡¯t help but drop his serious demeanor and revert to his usual self.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. It just worked.¡±

    Theo quietly shrugged his shoulders.

    ¡°¡­Haven¡¯t you heard people say that to you before?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°That you¡¯re annoying.¡±

    Theo just smiled silently in response.

    After that, Selperd continued with the rest of the basic training.

    Theo absorbed the tactical strategies unique to the White Armored Dragon Cavalry, theirmand structure, the characteristics of each unit, formation theories, and emergency protocols at an impressive speed. Fortunately, thanks to his past life experience working with ck Snow, he didn¡¯t face any significant difficulties.

    On the other hand, Selperd, who had no idea about Theo¡¯s previous life, could onlye to one conclusion.

    ¡®This kid is a genius! And not just any genius¡ªone born specifically for the White Armored Dragon Cavalry! I have to protect him no matter what! I can¡¯t let anyone else take him! You¡¯re mine, Theo Ragnarrrrr!¡¯

    The arrival of such a talented assistant would significantly boost the supervisor¡¯s performance and evaluation scores.

    Already, Arin and the other recruits were practically drooling over Theo, eager to snatch him up.

    But Selperd had made up his mind¡ªno matter what happened, he had to keep Theo as his assistant.

    Fwoosh!

    Selperd¡¯s eyes zed with determination, the intensity almost palpable.

    Theo, feeling an unexpected chill, instinctively flinched.

    And so, time flew by in a sh.

    Three dayster.

    ¡°We¡¯re moving out.¡±

    At Evelyn¡¯smand, the 5th unit of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry, including Theo, began their deployment.

 Chapter 67

    Chapter 67: White Armored Dragon Cavalry (2)

    Cecilia visited the Vasque Workshop first thing in the morning.

    ¡°What brings you here at this hour?¡±

    Lately, their interactions had increased suddenly, though it wasn¡¯t always this way.

    For over ten years, Cecilia and Kirsion had barely exchanged even a simple greeting, their rtionship entirely severed.

    This unexpected visit, therefore, came as a surprise.

    ¡°Could we have a quick chat, Mother?¡±

    ¡°A chat¡­?¡±

    Kirsion flinched instinctively.

    ¡®What are they nning to do this time?¡¯

    Having been relentlessly tormented by Cecilia and her son over the past year, it was a natural reaction.

    Seeing through Kirsion¡¯s thoughts, Cecilia smirked.

    ¡°It¡¯s not what you¡¯re thinking, so don¡¯t worry. But if you¡¯re too busy, I cane back when you have time.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. Everyone, step outside for a moment.¡±

    Kirsion ordered the researchers to leave and put her smoking pipe in her mouth.

    Hoo¡ª

    Only then did Kirsion realize that her adopted daughter hade with a firm resolve.

    ¡°Alright, what¡¯s this about?¡±

    Cecilia waved away the smoke with her hand and spoke.

    ¡°I need to borrow some money.¡±

    ¡°Money¡­?¡±

    Her attitude was as confident as if she were simply retrieving something that was already hers.

    Though Kirsion was baffled, she decided to hear more.

    ¡°What do you need it for?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m thinking of starting a business.¡±

    ¡°A business? You?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°For over ten years, you¡¯ve livedfortably as Kyle¡¯s concubine. What makes you think you have the skills for that?¡±

    Kirsion still felt a sense of guilt towards Cecilia.

    But for that very reason, she was harsher with her.

    To Kirsion¡¯s eyes, it seemed like Cecilia had gotten swept up in the excitement over her son¡¯s rise, pursuing some reckless idea.

    She even suspected that a swindler might have influenced her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t mock me. It¡¯s true I¡¯ve been preupied with raising my son, but I¡¯ve worked hard not to lose my touch during all that time.¡±

    Cecilia answered confidently, then opened the bag she had brought and pulled out a stack of papers, handing them to Kirsion.

    ¡°It¡¯s a business n.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°Please take a look and decide whether or not to lend me the money.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    With a deep-set gaze, Kirsion began reviewing the proposal thoroughly.

    Cecilia¡¯s business idea was quite simple.

    A boutique shop.

    A store offering high-end fashion items, such as expensive clothes and essories.

    ¡°I think you¡¯re well aware of my eye for these things, Mother. I¡¯m nning to personally travel to various ces for this.¡±

    It was clear from the clothes Cecilia chose for Theo that her discerning eye had not dulled.

    However, the rest of her words surprised Kirsion.

    ¡°Directly¡­?¡±

    ¡°Yes. There are many talented but unknown people all across the Empire. I n to meet them personally, talk to them, and support those who have potential. After that, I will arrange the dresses ording to the path the guests will walk through the shop¡­¡±

    Cecilia continued her exnation in a calm tone.

    It was an exnation as smooth as if she had rehearsed it dozens or even hundreds of times.

    ¡°And the items I¡¯m nning aren¡¯t just limited to extravagant dresses. Would you like to look at thest chapter?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m even thinking about creating haute couture. I¡¯ve already scouted designers and couturiers (high-ss tailors) who are willing to work with me.¡±

    Haute couture.

    It refers to custom-made clothing for the nobility and the upper ss.

    Of course, it requires exceptional fashion sense and insight.

    The skills of the tailors and designers were particrly crucial, and the list of 20 people written in the n was made up of figures Kirsion had at least heard of before, each one quite reputable.

    Among them were people Kirsion had personally tried to recruit but failed to.

    ¡®How on earth did she manage that¡­?¡¯

    ¡°You¡¯re sure this isn¡¯t a lie?¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you send someone to verify it yourself?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Since you¡¯re so doubtful, let me give you a hint. The people listed there were originally my team members.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Although I had retired, I didn¡¯t sever all ties with them.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°We stayed in touch asionally, and when they needed advice or help, I¡¯d give them a little support. Fortunately, since they were talented, they grew well. And thankfully, they expressed their willingness to work with me again.¡±

    It might have sounded easy, but these people had each already secured their own positions.

    The fact that they were willing to leave such solid foundations toe back to her was proof that Cecilia¡¯s influence remained as strong as ever.

    ¡°I think this business will benefit Mother as well. You could even promote the jewelry store you acquired recently through this. I also believe it wouldplement the reputation the Marquisate holds. And more than anything¡­ hasn¡¯t Mother always been interested in high-end fashion?¡±

    Kirsion clenched her pipe tightly between her teeth.

    To think she still remembered the words she had casually mentioned so long ago¡­

    ¡°¡­¡­You¡¯ll be using Theo as the model to promote this, won¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. And it¡¯s not just because he¡¯s my son. Right now, there¡¯s no one who¡¯s making more headlines than my son, is there?¡±

    Kirsion couldn¡¯t find a reason to argue.

    ¡®The brooch Theo wore at the appointment ceremony sold out in a single day.¡¯

    Though Theo and his mother were certainly giving Kirsion headaches, there was no denying their influence.

    Looks, fashion sense, and public appeal.

    They had it all.

    ¡°Well, every outfit I wore to society events always became the talk of the town, too.¡±

    ¡®¡­Ugh, she¡¯s my daughter, but she¡¯s so insufferable.¡¯

    ¡°What I¡¯m saying is that the boutique I¡¯m going to create will set the trend. Doesn¡¯t that make this business promising?¡±

    At that moment, Kirsion felt that Cecilia was radiating brilliance.

    It reminded her of the first time she had discovered her, shining like a prima donna on the stage in her youth, and the awe she had felt then.

    ¡®Yes, she was always such a dazzling child.¡¯

    The clothes she wore, the songs she sang¡ªshe could still vividly recall them when she closed her eyes.

    ¡®A child I was always so careful with, afraid she might crumble if touched¡ªlike the most beautiful gem in the world. But Kyle, you¡¯re the one who ruined her.¡¯

    Kirsion ground her pipe between her teeth.

    ¡®But now, you¡¯re starting to shine again. No, you¡¯re about to shine even more brilliantly.¡¯

    Kirsion closed her eyes tightly.

    The more she thought about it, the more she felt something stirring and rising within her chest.

    ¡°¡­Mother?¡±

    Unaware of Kirsion¡¯s thoughts, Cecilia cautiously called out to him, wondering if she had made some mistake in her business exnation.

    Eventually, Kirsion slowly opened her eyes and stood up from her seat, as if making a firm resolution.

    ¡°Wait here for a moment.¡±

    Without waiting for Cecilia¡¯s reply, Kirsion disappeared somewhere.

    A short whileter, she returned, dragging tworge chests from the corner of the room.

    Thunk!

    ¡°What is this?¡±

    ¡°Open it.¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    Cecilia tilted her head in confusion, wondering what this was all about, and opened the first chest¡ªonly to be shocked.

    ¡°T-These are¡­!¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re the things you left behind when you left home.¡±

    Inside the chest were all the jewelry and elegant dresses Cecilia had used during her acting days.

    She had kept them all this time without selling or discarding them.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing in here that isn¡¯t valuable. If you sell even a portion of it, you could gather a decent sum of money. While you¡¯re at it, open the second chest as well.¡±

    Cecilia swallowed nervously and opened the lid.

    Creeeak¡ª

    It was filled to the brim with gold coins.

    ¡°That was originally an inheritance meant for you.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°I had been saving it separately, but it seems it¡¯s being used this way. I¡¯ll give you part of it in advance, so use it. Does it make any sense for the daughter of Majang Kirsion to go around borrowing money?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s still not enough, just tell me. I¡¯ll invest as much as you need.¡±

    Cecilia pressed her lips tightly together.

    It felt like emotions she had long buried were starting to stir once again.

    ¨C Mom.

    ¨C Mom!

    ¨C Mom¡­

    A word she had never once spoken since they had cut ties.

    Why was that word, which she had always called out with a bright smile, suddenly lingering at the edge of her lips?

    ¡°¡­¡­Why go this far?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re just here to borrow money, so why help you this much, right?¡±

    Cecilia nodded silently.

    Her eyes reddened slightly.

    Kirsion, pretending not to notice, turned her head slightly as she ced her pipe in her mouth.

    ¡°Where in the world is a mother who wouldn¡¯t help her only daughter, even if she¡¯s a bit wild?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    At those casually spoken words, something surged within Cecilia, causing her to lower her head even further.

    Hoo¡ª

    Kirsion lowered her pipe and left the room with a light step.

    ¡°You must be busy if you¡¯re about to start working, so go on.¡±

    Left alone in the room, Cecilia¡¯s shoulders trembled a few times.

    * * *

    White armor, white sword, white dragon.

    The snow-white armor, sword, and iron-d wyverns symbolized the White Armored Dragon Cavalry.

    To the people of the North, they brought hope.

    To their enemies, they brought fear, as they soared through the sky inrge numbers.

    A special unit of 33 members.

    ¡¸I will now exin the outline of the mission we will be undertaking.¡¹

    At that moment, Evelyn¡¯s voice transmission rang in the ears of the members of Unit 5.

    The members who remembered Evelyn, such as Selperd and Arin, all wore astonished expressions.

    ¡®She said she¡¯did down her sword, but instead of getting weaker, she¡¯s gotten even stronger¡­!¡¯

    ¡®Her use of magic power is so smooth. How can she send such a clean voice transmission while on the move?¡¯

    ¡®As expected of the Captain¡¯s former right-hand!¡¯

    Evelyn, who had not only regained her former prowess but was now even mastering the Wind Lord¡¯s secret techniques, was growing at a frightening pace.

    ¡¸Seven days ago, former Unit 5 Captain, Trainer Isben, was killed during an operation to rescue hostages of the Ceres Trading Company, along with 14 other members of the special unit.¡¹

    The members who were already aware of the situation pressed their lips tightly together, while those who didn¡¯t know were struck with shock.

    Erika and Holcus were no different.

    The news of theplete death of the elite forces, which Ragnar prided itself on, was not something to be taken lightly.

    ¡®So the hostage situation had indeed escted.¡¯

    Meanwhile, Theo¡¯s thoughts deepened as his prediction turned out to be correct.

    ¡®How can I retrieve Balmung?¡¯

    In the middle of an ongoing operation, taking independent action was impossible, so he needed toe up with another solution.

    Despite this, the orders continued to be ryed.

    ¡¸Thus, there is only one mission we mustplete without fail.¡¹

    Everyone¡¯s gaze turned toward Evelyn.

    ¡¸Annihtion.¡¹

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡¸There will be no survivors. We will not negotiate with the enemy. The top priority of this mission is to exterminate and eliminate everyone involved in this matter.¡¹

    Beneath Evelyn¡¯s calm tone, anger was deeply rooted.

    The fury directed at the enemies who dared to harm herrades.

    The members clenched their fists tightly.

    ¡¸Thus, rescuing the hostages is the secondary objective. If, for any reason, the rescue of the hostages conflicts with the annihtion of the enemy, focus more on thetter.¡¹

    At that moment, a holographic map projected by a magical device appeared before the members¡¯ eyes.

    A fortress standing tall on a hill.

    Several points were marked in red at various spots.

    ¡¸The enemy is currently entrenched in the old nky Fortress. These marked points are the key positions of the enemy that ck Snow has identified. We willunch an assault on these locations and cut off the enemy¡¯s lifeline in one swift strike.¡¹

    ¡®To gather such intelligence through espionage¡­ ck Snow truly lives up to its name.¡¯

    Theo clicked his tongue lightly to himself.

    Just then, an additional blue point appeared on a corner of the inner fortress.

    ¡¸Additionally, this is where the hostages are currently being held. Taking advantage of the enemy¡¯s confusion, we will rescue them. Selperd, Arin! The two of you will carry out this mission with three of the new recruits.¡¹

    Selperd and Arin nodded heavily.

    ¡¸As I¡¯ve said, the annihtion of the enemy is the top priority of this mission. Make sure to show them clearly.¡¹

    At that moment, far in the distance, the lone, dpidated fortress standing on the hill came into view.

    nky Fortress.

    A once-grand old stronghold, now abandoned.

    ¡¸Show them exactly who we are.¡¹

    ¡¸For the name!¡¹

    ¡¸For the name!¡¹

    ¡¸For the name!¡¹

    At that instant, beneath her deeply worn helmet, Evelyn¡¯s eyes gleamed coldly.

    ¡¸Attack!¡¹

    All 33 members of the White Armored Dragon Cavalryunched their assault in unison.

 Chapter 68

    Chapter 68: White Armored Dragon Cavalry (3)

    The white dragons simultaneously released the devices attached to their feet.

    Magic bombs.

    Gunpowder bombs engraved with explosion magic, frequently used in air raids by the White Armored Dragon Cavalry.

    Boom!

    Rumble!

    As soon as the magic bombs dropped onto their designated points, tremendous explosions shook the fortress.

    The shattered fortress crumbled down, and mes erupted in various ces.

    The deafening roar echoed in all directions.

    ¨C It¡¯s an enemy raid!

    ¨C Block¡­! Aaaagh!

    ¨C W-Where is iting from?

    ¨C The sky! It¡¯s from the sky!

    The soldiers guarding the fortress were thrown into a state of panic by the sudden attack.

    Although they had anticipated that the White Armored Dragon Cavalry would be dispatched soon, they never expected an attack to beunched like this¡ªfrom the sky, barely within sight.

    ¨C Those lunatics¡­! Do they really not care that there are hostages?

    As the officers btedly realized the intent of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry, their faces turned pale.

    Rumble!

    The relentless dropping of magic bombs continued, and in an instant, nky Fortress was half-destroyed.

    Then¡ª

    Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

    Taking advantage of the chaos, the airborne assault operation began.

    Thirty-three members of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry simultaneously attempted a descent.

    Each time a membernded on the ground, a tremendous shockwave spread out.

    Dust and smoke billowed up from the ground where theynded as if cannons had exploded, while the ominous gleam of their eyes beneath their white helmets shone eerily, like ghostly mes.

    ¡°Kill them all.¡±

    Fwoosh¡ª

    Following Evelyn¡¯smand, the members began moving along their assigned routes.

    It was a swift, decisive strike aimed to reach themand center in one fell swoop.

    Swoosh!

    Every time a pure white sword shed like lightning, screams echoed from all around.

    ¨C Aaaaagh!

    ¨C It¡¯s the White Armored Dragon Cavalry!

    ¨C Block the entrance, hurry!

    ¨C But they¡¯re just charging straight through¡­ Guh!

    The terrorists of ck Skull were helplessly cut down.

    Some tried to use the hostages as leverage for threats, but what they received in return was nothing but ruthless strikes.

    Wherever the members passed, pools of red blood formed.

    The white storm filled the fortress.

    * * *

    ¡¸As you¡¯ve already heard from the squad leader, I¡¯ll exin it once more. Our objective is to rescue the hostages. However, the lives of the members take priority over the hostages. If the situation bes unfavorable, abandon the hostages without hesitation.¡¹

    Selperd¡¯s voice transmission reached the ears of the three new recruits.

    Erika was smiling, seemingly excited at being deployed to the field right after her unit assignment.

    On the other hand, Holcus tightly gripped his sword, trying to calm his pounding heart.

    And then,

    Theo remained expressionless.

    ¡®This is really his first deployment, right? He seems like he¡¯s been through this a few times¡­!¡¯

    Arin, watching Theo from the side, let out a small, awkwardugh.

    Usually, new recruits had one of two reactions on their first mission.

    They were either excited like Erika, or so nervous, like Holcus, that they couldn¡¯t disy their full potential.

    But Theo was too calm.

    His cold gaze¡­ It reminded Arin of the seasoned squad leader.

    ¡®Come on, what am I thinking? That doesn¡¯t even make sense. As if he has as much experience as Evelyn. He must just be the type to get less nervous.¡¯

    Arin, who normally admired Evelyn as her role model, shook her head.

    ¡¸Alright, deploy.¡¹

    In the meantime, Selperd¡¯s order came down,

    Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

    The five of themnded on top of the fortress wall.

    They were on the upper floor of the blue-marked area, where the hostages were believed to be located.

    ¡°The enemy has appeared here too¡­!¡±

    The soldier guarding the area had his head lopped off by Selperd¡¯s merciless hand.

    ¡°Arin and I will clear the way at the front. You three cover the rear.¡±

    Swoosh-

    Selperd and Arin took the lead, with Theo and Erika covering the nks, and the burly Holcus taking up the rear.

    It was the wedge-shaped formation (¡Ä) they had practiced relentlessly over the past three days.

    It was effective for breaking through in the shortest distance.

    Bang! Bang! Baaang-

    Selperd and Arin destroyed everything in their way, whether it was a person or a wall.

    ¡®They¡¯re relentless.¡¯

    Theo clicked his tongue lightly as he observed their attacks from right behind them.

    Having only served in the ck Snow, this was also his first time observing the White Armored Dragon Cavalry carrying out a mission.

    And now, he understood why so many forces in the North, even the Six Snow Families, feared the White Armored Dragon Cavalry.

    Veterans who infiltrated the battlefield and carried out operations, undeterred by the terrain or obstacles.

    Naturally, they appeared as reapers of hell to their enemies.

    And the wrath of these reapers, having lost theirrades, was even more terrifying.

    [You observe ¡®Selperd Gardner¡¯.]

    +

    Selperd Gardner (27 years old / Male)

    ¡¤ Title: The White-Haired Monster Sword

    ¡¤ Traits: Illegitimate child. Free-spirited. Dissatisfied with the system. Despises authoritarian figures. Rogue. Rebel.

    ¡¤ Status: Enraged over the death of the captain he deeply respected.

    +

    [You observe ¡®Arin Negative¡¯.]

    +

    Arin Negative (26 years old / Female)

    ¡¤ Title: The Whirlwind Sword

    ¡¤ Traits: Squall. Specialized in fast sword techniques. Reckless. Promotes teamwork. Self-sacrificial.

    ¡¤ Status: Worried that the three recruits, nervous on their first mission, won¡¯t perform well and may end up harming theirrades.

    +

    In the status window, Selperd¡¯s [Rogue] and Arin¡¯s [Reckless] traits stood out.

    It seemed like these were the perfect words to describe the two.

    ¡®Selperd¡¯s style is straightforward, while Arin¡¯s is more fluid. So, is it Selperd breaking through and Arin supporting him? Their coordination is wless. Do they always work together this well?¡¯

    The swordsmanship they were using was clearly the shared secret technique of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry, .

    It was a unique sword technique that unleashed over ten strikes in a single breath.

    Although Theo had not yet received enough training to learn it, he was already gaining various insights into how it could be applied.

    Their swordsmanship, forged through intense battles, was a brilliantly shining masterpiece in itself.

    Shwack-

    In no time, the five of them had reached their destination, and¡ª

    Bam!

    The wall was shattered entirely by Holcus¡¯s brute strength, revealing the room where the hostages were held.

    ¨C The White Armored Dragon Cavalry is here!

    ¨C Ragnar! Ragnar hase!

    ¨C Hurray! We¡¯re saved!

    The hostages, who had been confused by the sudden situation, greeted the team with faces full of relief.

    However, Selperd¡¯s expression hardened.

    ¡®The number of hostages doesn¡¯t add up.¡¯

    He had been informed that there were supposed to be over twenty hostages.

    But there were only twelve people here.

    This meant that others had either been taken elsewhere or had already died resisting.

    Nevertheless, there was no time to dwell on it.

    ¡°Please do not rush. Follow us one by one in an orderly manner.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ but some others were taken somewhere else¡­!¡±

    ¡°A rescue team has already been dispatched there as well. There¡¯s no time. Please hurry.¡±

    ¡°Y-yes, of course!¡±

    It was, of course, a lie.

    But the part about not having time was true.

    Until now, the ck Skull had been regarded as nothing more than a small, newly formed terrorist group.

    However, considering they had killed Trainer Isben and hisrades, they were clearly not an organization to be underestimated.

    Although they were currently in disarray from the ambush, once they regrouped, it was uncertain what kind of resistance they might face.

    Therefore, they had to act before that happened, no matter what.

    [¡®Skill: Hatchling Synchronization¡¯ has expanded its detection range!]

    Fwoosh!

    While guiding the hostages with Selperd, Theo heightened his senses.

    ¨C Balmung might be somewhere around here.

    In the short time they had infiltrated the fortress, he needed to locate and retrieve Balmung somehow.

    ¡®It¡¯s not in this room. Did they store the items somewhere else? Or were they disposed of?¡¯

    There was no time to search.

    Should he just ask the hostages?

    Maybe he could pretend recovering the items was part of the mission?

    No, that wouldn¡¯t work.

    There were too many eyes on him, like Selperd and Arin. Even if he got away with it now, they¡¯d definitely ask about the retrieved itemster.

    He had to do it in secret.

    Without anyone knowing.

    ¡®Or should I just copse the entire fortress ande back to find itter?¡¯

    That could be an option.

    But then, how would he copse the fortress? He¡¯d have to figure that out first.

    Meaning it wasn¡¯t possible right now.

    ¡®Damn it. There has to be a way¡­!¡¯

    Just as Theo¡¯s mind was racing¡ª

    Thump thump thump¡ª

    His heart suddenly pounded wildly.

    A chilling sensation ran down his spine.

    ¡®¡­What is this?¡¯

    The feeling from Dragon¡¯s Heart was sometimes as instinctive as a wild animal¡¯s intuition.

    That instinct was telling him something.

    ¨C There¡¯s something here!

    Following his gut, Theo swung Drake¡¯s de abruptly at the side wall where nothing appeared to be.

    Erika, standing nearby, was about to ask him what he was doing when¡ª

    As if on cue, the wall exploded like a firecracker.

    Boom!

    ng¡ª

    A massive war hammer that had been aimed at the hostages shed with Drake¡¯s de and was pushed back.

    ¡®Ugh! What ridiculous strength¡­!¡¯

    Even Theo staggered backward, losing his bnce.

    To push back [Superhuman Strength] like that¡­

    Who was it?

    ¡°Tsk, too bad! I was aiming to take you all out in one strike. Seems like someone here has senses as sharp as mine, huh?¡±

    Pushing aside the dust swirling in the air, a massive figure appeared.

    With a war hammer in one hand, the man licked his lips and scanned the area. The hostages turned pale, trembling in terror.

    ¡°That¡¯s him! That¡¯s the man who locked us up here¡­! He¡¯s the one who took the others away!¡±

    One of the hostages pointed at the man and screamed.

    Selperd quickly positioned himself between the giant and the hostages, cutting off any chance of harm.

    ¡°Bald Hammer?¡±

    In an instant, the giant¡¯s face twisted in utter displeasure.

    ¡°You son of a¡ª! Of all the nicknames, why the hell do you have to call me that? Damn Ragnar bastards, the only way to stop hearing crap like that is to kill everyst one of you!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s someone like you doing here? Were you the hidden ally of ck Skull?¡±

    ¡°Who knows? Why don¡¯t you smart Ragnar brats figure that out, huh?¡±

    The giant smirked, curling one side of his lip in mockery.

    Selperd didn¡¯t respond. He silently assumed his stance.

    ¡®Bald Hammer¡¯ Slow Gang.

    Despite the ridiculous nickname, he was an infamous terrorist and anti-establishment figure in the North. His skills were so formidable that Selperd couldn¡¯t guarantee victory if he fought him alone.

    Arin stood beside Selperd, gripping her sword tightly.

    ¡¸When we sh, run immediately.¡¹

    Arin¡¯s warning reached the ears of the three new recruits.

    ¡°Why? nning to sneak the hostages away while I¡¯m distracted? Not happening!¡±

    Slow, as if reading their every thought, let out a mockingugh and suddenly changed direction,unching himself towards the hostages.

    More precisely, toward Theo and Erika.

    ¡°Damn it¡­!¡±

    Selperd and Arin, realizing their mistake, quickly turned toward that direction, but¡ª

    Slow was already almost upon the three recruits.

    Swoooosh!

    He charged with the force of a battering ram, like he was about to break through a fortress gate.

    But then¡ª

    ¡°Thanks. You¡¯ve made finding the item a lot easier.¡±

    ¡°¡­!?¡±

    Facing him head-on, Theo wasughing instead.

    Crackle!

    The Moon-White Sword was drawn.

    It sparked with pitch-ck lightning.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 69

    Chapter 69: White Armored Dragon Cavalry (4)

    Flinch!

    Slow, who had been aiming for Theo, suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.

    He sensed something unsettling in Theo¡¯s confident smile.

    Kwaaa-rururung!

    But by then, the Moon-White Sword was already tracing the Dragon¡¯s w.

    The beam of light, filled with the wrath of the griffin, passed Slow¡­ and struck the ceiling with a deafening roar.

    ¡®The ceiling?¡¯

    So, he wasn¡¯t aiming for me?

    Slow looked up abruptly.

    A powerful shockwave had cracked the ceiling.

    Creak¡ª

    And then,

    It copsed.

    Crash!

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    Seeing Slow buried under the falling debris like a mole, Theo smiled.

    ¡®Controlling my magical power is so much easier than before. The density has deepened unbelievably, and the output is immense.¡¯

    The Purge Cleansing technique he had achieved after swallowing the Shadow Demon Poison had definitely caused significant changes to his body.

    If his previous output was a 1, now it was at least 1.5.

    He hadn¡¯t realized it during training, but using it in realbat, he could clearly feel the difference.

    At this level, he felt confident he could hold his own against a 3-star, no, even a 4-star swordsman.

    It was a sign that he was finally being recognized as a true ¡®swordsman,¡¯ more than just a trainee.

    Of course, he wasn¡¯t satisfied with just that.

    ¡°¡­¡­You!¡±

    Erika approached, her face full of surprise.

    She was astonished that Theo had defeated the swordsman who had made both Selperd and Arin tense up.

    But.

    ¡°Step back. It¡¯s not over yet.¡±

    Theo stopped her.

    Before Erika could even ask what he meant, the pile of debris exploded.

    Boom!

    ¡°You damn brat!¡±

    Slow¡¯s eyes were burning red with fury.

    His clothes were torn to shreds, and dust settled over his head, making him look like a beggar.

    Fortunately, his sturdy physique meant he wasn¡¯t seriously injured.

    But the fact that he had been toyed with by a mere child who appeared to be nothing more than a trainee swordsman¡ª that deeply wounded his pride.

    If hisrades found out, wouldn¡¯t he be mocked for the rest of his life?

    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you¡­!¡±

    However, Slow¡¯s resolve didn¡¯tst long.

    Above his head, in front, to the left, and to the right.

    Those cursed, thunder-infused ck dragons had appeared, all four of them, wing at him.

    ¡°Gah!¡±

    Slow gritted his teeth and swung his warhammer fiercely.

    It was a secret art, utilizing the sheer strength inherited from his ancient bloodline.

    .

    Bam! Bam! Bam!

    With a single sweep of his warhammer, Slow instantly crushed the heads of three of the thunder dragons.

    However, one of the dragons, skillfully slipping into his blind spot, shed his left shoulder as it passed.

    sh¡ª

    ¡°I hope you haven¡¯t forgotten that we¡¯re your opponents?¡±

    Selperd, now sneering, had approached Slow while unleashing a barrage of sword strikes.

    On the opposite side, Arin moved in.

    Front and back.

    Sword energy rained down from both sides!

    It was sharp.

    Slow instinctively knew it would be difficult to block both attacks at the same time.

    So, he unleashed arge portion of his magical power all at once.

    A transparent shield made of magic formed, deflecting the sword energy.

    Boom!

    Screech¡ª

    Slow took advantage of that opening.

    His warhammer tore through the air with a menacing sound.

    ¡°Die!!¡±

    His fighting style had no special technique.

    He relied solely on his overwhelming strength to crush his enemies in a single blow.

    And that alone had been enough to pulverize not only opponents of simr skill but also stronger ones.

    ng! ng! ng!

    However, Selperd and Arin weren¡¯t going to fall that easily.

    They were swordsmen who had crossed countless battlefields and escaped death time and time again.

    They had experienced situations like this too many times.

    Without directly shing with the warhammer, they deflected it to the side and only targeted its openings.

    Because of the weapon¡¯s weight, every time the warhammer swung, Slow¡¯s defenses were left wide open.

    When Selperd faced him head-on, Arin attacked his blind spot, and when Slow moved to follow Arin, Selperd would dart behind him to exploit another weakness.

    Their coordination, like interlocking gears, was wless.

    ng! ng! ng!

    Swoosh! Swoosh!

    ¡°You cowardly bastards! Fight me properly!¡±

    Slow¡¯s frustration was at its peak.

    ording to the original n, he should have killed the rescue team and rejoined hisrades by now.

    Instead, he was stuck here, held down.

    Worse, while none of his attacks werending effectively, his own injuries kept piling up.

    The numerous small wounds were causing him to lose so much blood that he was starting to feel dizzy.

    ¡°Who cares about being ¡®cowardly¡¯ in a battle?¡±

    Selperd snorted dismissively.

    Slow¡¯s face twisted in anger.

    ¡°If you¡¯re a warrior with honor, you should face me head-on¡­!¡±

    ¡°That so-called honor, you can keep it for yourself.¡±

    ¡°You! Don¡¯t you have any pride, calling yourselves the Dragons of the North?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, none. Winning¡¯s all that matters.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s such a vile¡ª!¡±

    ¡°If you want a fair fight, offer something worthwhile.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°We have no reason to follow your orders when there¡¯s nothing in it for us, right?¡±

    ¡°What kind of bullshit are you spouting¡­!¡±

    ¡°Asking us to do something for free? You sure like handouts.¡±

    Selperd casually nced up and down at Slow¡¯s bald head, then nodded as if realizing something.

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s why you went bald, huh?¡±

    ¡°You bastard, are you trying to die!?¡±

    Listening to Selperd¡¯s constant taunts, Slow felt like he might just die from sheer rage before anything else. Selperd kept poking at his insecurities, jabbing at hisplex over and over.

    At the same time, Slow desperately searched for a way to turn the situation around.

    Then, his eyesnded on the debris from the ceiling he had broken through earlier.

    ¡®Use the terrain¡­!¡¯

    An idea shed in Slow¡¯s mind as he raised his warhammer and mmed it down onto the floor with all his strength.

    Kwaaaang!

    Rumble¡ª

    In an instant, a cloud of dust billowed up, concealing Slow from view.

    Whoosh!

    Selperd¡¯s sword cut through the spot where Slow had been standing.

    But Slow wasn¡¯t there anymore.

    ¡°Damn it!¡±

    Instead, there was only a copsed floor and a gaping hole leading to the level below.

    Selperd immediately realized what Slow was nning.

    ¡°Arin! Move!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    By the time Arin turned around, Slow was already emerging from the hole in the floor like a mole, aiming directly for her.

    ¡°If I take out one of them, things will get a lot easier!¡±

    Slow¡¯s warhammer shattered Arin¡¯s sword, and he aimed to take off her head in the same strike.

    ¡°Shave that head.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±

    Out of nowhere, a voice transmitted directly into his ears.

    ¡°Oh, wait, you can¡¯t shave it, can you?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    For just a brief moment, Slow¡¯s movements halted.

    The voice was simr to Selperd¡¯s but slightly different.

    And in that brief opening, something heavy collided with Slow.

    Kwaaaang!

    ¡°Gah!¡±

    Slow gasped as he was thrown back, crashing into the opposite wall.

    Thud¡ª

    ¡°I heard bald men are supposed to be strong, but I guess not?¡±

    The one who had sent Slow flying was Theo.

    He had charged in andnded a shoulder attack just before the warhammer could strike Arin.

    ¡®Looks like Selperd¡¯s taunts worked even better than I thought.¡¯

    ¡°You¡­?¡±

    Arin was dumbfounded. How could Theo, with his slim build, muster enough strength to send Slow flying like that?

    ¡°He¡¯s mine.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±

    What did he mean by that?

    ¡°I was fighting him first.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°So,¡±

    Theo raised Drake¡¯s de high.

    ¡°Please do not interfere with my fight.¡±

    Thump, thump, thump, thump¡ª!

    His heart pounded wildly.

    The sound of his heartbeat, resonating as his Dragon¡¯s Heart and dantian synchronized with his magical power, echoed through the room.

    It was like the sound of a war drum, signaling the start of battle.

    ¡®If I use this guy, I can find out Balmung¡¯s location.¡¯

    Theo sharpened his focus again.

    ¡¸Erika, Holcus. While I buy time with the seniors, get the hostages out!¡¹

    He sensed the flinch from the Erika siblings, but there was no time to convince them.

    ¡®He¡¯sing!¡¯

    Boom!

    The ground in front of Theo crumbled as Slow appeared.

    His face, now covered in blood from a wound on his forehead, was twisted in a furious roar.

    ¡°Yeah, you! The brat! I¡¯ll feel a lot better once I crush you!¡±

    Theo swung Drake¡¯s de, now darkened by ck lightning, in a rough arc.

    The Three Fangs of the Dragon.

    The first fang.

    ng!

    Slow flinched as his warhammer was blocked for the first time.

    ¡®How can he¡­ with that small frame¡­?¡¯

    He had felt the same shock when Theo had knocked him back earlier. He couldn¡¯tprehend the overwhelming strength Theo was disying.

    This time, Theo didn¡¯t even stumble. He wasn¡¯t being pushed back.

    Their strength was nearly equal.

    But Slow¡¯s astonishment didn¡¯t end there.

    The next movement of Drake¡¯s de was even faster.

    Screech¡ª

    The second fang aimed for his neck.

    ng!

    Slow barely blocked it again.

    Crack!

    But the sheer force was so immense that cracks began to form in his warhammer.

    Then, the third fang gleamed.

    The target was Slow¡¯s heart.

    Slow brought his warhammer down vertically.

    The two weapons crossed, and a tremendous shockwave burst forth.

    Both Theo and Slow were knocked back slightly.

    Then,

    Crackle¡ª

    Fragments of Slow¡¯s shattered warhammer flew into the air.

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    Theo¡¯s Moon-White Sword shed across Slow¡¯s stunned face.

    It was the fourth fang.

    Kwaaa-rururung!

    The ck lightning exploded.

    The deafening sound of thunder filled the room, echoing like the roar of a griffin.

    St¡ª

    A fountain of blood filled the air,

    sh!

    as Selperd and Arin delivered additional strikes.

    A dozen sword strikes rained down on Slow¡¯s head like bolts of lightning.

    Crash! Crash! Crash! Crash!

    The ceiling copsed once more, burying Slow under the rubble.

    Fsss¡ª

    One arm stuck out from the pile of debris, trembling for a moment before falling limp.

    A pool of blood slowly spread outward.

    ¡°Hah¡­ hah¡­ I thought¡­ I was dead¡­¡±

    Selperd exhaled heavily, panting from the exertion.

    Slow had definitely been a tough opponent.

    ¡°Thanks, rookie. You saved me back there.¡±

    But the person who yed the most significant role in this victory was Theo.

    ¡°It was nothing.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so modest. Hey, this is when you¡¯re allowed to brag a little. Are you really a Ragnar?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s definitely a Ragnar.¡±

    Arin chuckled lightly as she approached.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear what he said? He told us not to interfere with his fight.¡±

    ¡°Ha! Yeah, that was bold as hell.¡±

    Theo scratched his cheek awkwardly, feeling a bit embarrassed by the praise from his seniors.

    ¡°By the way, where are the hostages? I haven¡¯t seen them since earlier.¡±

    ¡°I asked Erika and Holcus to take them to the fortress.¡±

    ¡°Good job. While our primary mission was to annihte the enemy, rescuing the hostages is just as important. You were more considerate than us in thinking about that.¡±

    Selperd genuinely liked Theo. He was the kind of subordinate who did his job well without needing constant supervision. How could you not appreciate that?

    Theo gave a silent smile as he nced around the wreckage.

    ¡®It seems like the mission was almost a sess¡­ but isn¡¯t this too easy?¡¯

    Of course, fighting Slow hadn¡¯t been easy.

    Theo himself had nearly died.

    But the overall strength of ck Skull was far weaker than expected.

    Was it really possible that this group had killed Trainer Isben and the dozen other skilled members?

    At that moment, Theo¡¯s eyes fell on a fragment of the shattered warhammer.

    ¡®This should give me some answers.¡¯

    He picked up a piece of the warhammer and activated his skill.

    [Skill: Hatchling Synchronization has been activated. You read the lingering thoughts in the item.]

    This was why Theo had been excited the moment he first encountered Slow.

    If he could read the thoughts of a high-ranking member, he might be able to track down Balmung¡¯s whereabouts.

    Additionally, it could solve many of the questions surrounding ck Skull.

    ¡®They must have moved throughout the fortress. Now I don¡¯t have to search the entire ce myself.¡¯

    But then,

    ¡®¡­Nothing.¡¯

    No matter how thoroughly he searched the remnants of Slow¡¯s thoughts,

    Balmung wasn¡¯t anywhere in the fortress.

 Chapter 70

    Chapter 70: White Armored Dragon Cavalry (5) >

    ¡®What exactly is going on?¡¯

    Theo was deep in thought, trying to figure out how to interpret the situation.

    Then, several ideas shed through his mind.

    The hostage incident that had spiraled out of control.

    The previous rescue team that had been wiped out.

    The disappearance of Balmung.

    The unexpectedly weak power of ck Skull.

    Ed Troyban¡¯s unknown motives.

    .

    .

    ¡®What if, unlike in my past life, Soaring Dragon was trying to ¡°use¡± this incident for his own benefit?¡¯

    One hypothesis came to mind.

    While secretly transporting Balmung, a terrorist group called ck Skull suddenly took control of the situation.

    Originally, they should have moved to rescue him, but coincidentally, the rescue team turned out to be the White Armored Dragon Cavalry.

    This unit was led by Julius, Ed¡¯s political rival, and it included Theo, the enemy of his nephew.

    Ed, who was always fond of plotting, might have quicklye up with an idea.

    Killing two birds with one stone.

    Using someone else¡¯s de to take out both his political rival and his enemy.

    ¡®If Balmung has already been retrieved, and if he¡¯s using ck Skull as bait to maximize the casualties of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry¡­!¡¯

    Suddenly, Theo felt a chilling sensation run down his spine.

    ¨C A reverse trap.

    This ce was a Venus flytrap that Ed had created.

    A hell meant to devour the entire 5th squad of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry.

    Theo¡¯s mind snapped back to attention.

    ¡°Selperd, Arin!¡±

    ¡°Whoa! What¡¯s gotten into you all of a sudden?¡±

    ¡°Evelyn! Where are Captain Evelyn and the other squad members? We need to find them immediately!¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re probably still engaged in the suppression. Why¡­?¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t stay here! We need to escape quickly!¡±

    Theo shouted urgently.

    ¡°The fortress! The fortress is about to be attacked!¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    * * *

    A forest not far from nky Fortress.

    ¡°Huff, huff, huff¡­!¡±

    Kiran, a member of ck Skull, was running with something tightly wrapped in a ck cloth in his arms.

    ¨C You must, you must protect this, Kiran! This is the treasure carrying the hopes of the vigers who died because of those Ragnar bastards. You must¡­!

    Just before they left the fortress.

    The captain had entrusted it to him, emphasizing it over and over again.

    He had ordered him to escape from the enemy¡¯s grasp by any means necessary.

    To get as far away from the fortress as possible while they distracted the Ragnar forces.

    He didn¡¯t know what this object was.

    Ever since they had taken it from the Ceres Trading Company, it had remained wrapped in this mysterious cloth.

    Judging by its long shape, he could only guess that it was a sword.

    He would find out its true nature when he reached his destination¡­!

    ¡°Uh? Why is the world¡­?¡±

    Kiran¡¯s thoughts didn¡¯tst long.

    All of a sudden, his vision began to spin as he ran.

    It was thest thought he ever had while alive.

    Puhuu¡ª

    Thud!

    Kiran¡¯s headless body copsed to the ground.

    And then,

    Tap!

    Around the corpse, about twenty figures cloaked in ck robes silently descended.

    One of them retrieved the object buried beneath the body and unwrapped it from the cloth.

    A sword with a dark blue scabbard and a golden hilt.

    Sreung¡ª

    He slightly unsheathed the de to check its condition before sliding it back into the scabbard and turning to one side.

    ¡°This is indeed Balmung, the target. The retrieval isplete.¡±

    ¡°Well done.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    At the captain¡¯s words, the subordinate bowed sharply and returned to his position.

    ¡°All this trouble over just one sword. Well, thanks to it, we¡¯ll get to knock the White Armored Dragon Cavalry down a peg.¡±

    The captain pushed back the hood of his robe.

    He looked quite simr to Ed, but also had the distinctive crimson eyes of the Ragnar family.

    Sidra Evoyle.

    A first-ss agent of the Central Intelligence Bureau, and one of Ed Troyban¡¯s closest confidants.

    ¡°Everyone, to your positions.¡±

    Fwoosh, fwoosh¡ª

    The twenty cloaked figures scattered in all directions.

    Each of them swiftly assembled the parts they had brought with them.

    Magic Cannons (Ä§»ð³h).

    An artifact of war, imbued with explosive magic, it was said to be over ten times more powerful than ordinary cannons.

    Sometimes even referred to as the Grim Reapers of the battlefield.

    A total of ten barrels were all pointed directly at nky Fortress in the distance.

    ¡°The explosives we nted in the fortress should be going off any moment now.¡±

    Tick, tick¡ª

    The captain checked his pocket watch, then quietly lowered it.

    ¡°Fire.¡±

    The order was given in a calm voice.

    But the result was far from calm.

    Bang! Bang! Boom!

    Rumble¡ª

    All the barrels erupted with mes simultaneously.

    Like the roaring cry of a dragon.

    * * *

    Thunk!

    Emil Troyban, the former Lady of Camellia Pce, frowned deeply as the stem of the golden orchid she was wiping with a dry cloth snapped.

    And then,

    Crash!

    She shattered all the flower pots on the shelf.

    The blue porcin and orchids she had imported from the East at great expense were nowpletely destroyed, yet the maids and butlers waiting on her remained expressionless.

    They had grown ustomed to this sight, which urred nearly every day.

    ¡°Damn it, damn it, damn it!¡±

    Bang! Bang! Bang!

    Emil pounded the shelf with her fists for quite some time, then kicked the remaining flower pots with her foot before she finally managed to calm herself.

    She then turned to the butler with a crazed look in her eyes.

    ¡°Huff¡­ Huff¡­ By now.¡±

    ¡°Yes, mydy.¡±

    ¡°By now¡­ Theo Ragnar and his rabble, they must all be buried alive, right?¡±

    The n to lure the 5th squad of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry into a reverse trap and bury them alive was entirely Emil¡¯s creation.

    A masterpiece she had devised to exact brutal revenge on the man who killed her beloved son, Axion.

    There was a considerable risk that Balmung could be damaged in the chaos, but¡­

    Who cared?

    Without Axion, any n was meaningless.

    ¡®To think she turned a coincidental theft into such an borate scheme¡­ In the end, Emil too carries the blood of the Troyban family.¡¯

    The butler swallowed hard, nodding at her question.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s likely.¡±

    ¡°They must be dead, right? Hm?¡±

    ¡°The Central Intelligence Bureau handled it. The ones who inherited Soaring Dragon¡¯s legacy would never make a mistake.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Of course. The children touched by my brother¡¯s hand, blessed by the Troybans, wouldn¡¯t make mistakes.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    ¡°What? Is something bothering you?¡±

    ¡°N-no. Nothing at all.¡±

    The butler suppressed the urge to ask, ¡®How should we report that we moved the Intelligence Bureau without Ed¡¯s authorization?¡¯

    Asking that question now would almost certainly cost him his head.

    Emil finally seemed to rx, a faint sneer forming on her lips.

    ¡°So then.¡±

    The butler tensed again.

    ¡°Let¡¯s wait until his head arrives. Ohohoho!¡±

    Thatugh always meant something ominous was about to happen.

    * * *

    Before Selperd and Arin could even ask Theo what was going on, the sound of cannons firing erupted all around them.

    ¡°What the¡­?¡±

    Both of them quickly turned their gazes toward the window.

    They could see cannonballs arcing through the sky, falling in long parabs.

    Bang! Bang! Boom!

    The cannonballs began pounding various parts of the fortress.

    And then the tremors started.

    Rumble¡ª

    The walls of the fortress crumbled, and thick, billowing smoke rose into the air.

    ¡°Damn it! I¡¯m going ahead!¡±

    ¡°Theo!¡±

    Before Selperd and Arin could stop him, Theo kicked off the ground at lightning speed.

    The wind wrapped around him.

    Gentle Breeze.

    The power of the Wind Lord had been activated.

    Fwoosh¡ª

    ¡®I have to save Evelyn no matter what!¡¯

    Theo didn¡¯t want to lose the first sword that had brought him this far in such a meaningless way.

    No, he didn¡¯t want to be crushed like this by Ed.

    ¡®I¡¯m running low on magic power. What should I do?¡¯

    The problem was that he had exhausted most of his magic power in the battle against Slow Gang. Tracking down Evelyn and the squad members while navigating through the fortress, and even trying to sense if any explosives were nted in the area, made his body feel like it was about to copse.

    Still, gritting his teeth, he somehow managed to endure.

    Then,

    Whoosh!

    Suddenly, a vitality he hadn¡¯t felt before began to awaken little by little throughout his body.

    ¡®¡­Shadow Demon Poison!¡¯

    Theo realized that his body was undergoing a transformation, fueled by the energy of the Shadow Wyvern, which had dispersed through his magic circuits.

    Whirl, whirl!

    That energy quickly melted into his magic power, spinning in unison.

    As a result, the wind that had been enveloping Theo reacted as well, bing stronger and stronger.

    (E/n Wind Lord is the person, Wind God is the technique)

    The second stage had opened wide in an instant.

    Fwoosh¡ª

    Thanks to this, Theo was able to find and reach Evelyn in no time.

    ¡°Captain!¡±

    ¡°Theo Ragnar? Why are you here¡­?!¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s an ambush! This whole ce is a trap! We need to escape immediately!¡±

    Evelyn didn¡¯t hesitate to question him.

    Just hearing Theo¡¯s words was enough for her to grasp the situation.

    ¡°Everyone, retreat imm¡ª!¡±

    But Evelyn¡¯s order to withdraw was cut off.

    The explosion from a cannonball hitting the top of the building they were in drowned out her voice.

    And then,

    Rumble¡ª

    Even the floor they were standing on started to tremble for some unknown reason.

    It wasn¡¯t the aftershock from the cannonball.

    It was an earthquake caused by an explosion much deeper underground.

    mes were shooting up everywhere.

    ¡°Did they nt explosives inside the fortress too?¡±

    Evelyn¡¯s eyes trembled violently.

    If explosions were happening inside the fortress and cannonballs were falling from the outside, there was no way to escape.

    At that moment, Theo quickly ced his hand on the sword of a dead ck Skull member.

    What was he trying to do?

    Evelyn didn¡¯t ask.

    Theo¡¯s expression was far too serious.

    [¡®Skill: Hatchling Synchronization¡¯ is reading the lingering thoughts of the object.]

    As Theo continued to read the lingering thoughts of the ck Skull member, he rapidlypared them to the thoughts he had read from Slow Gang.

    ¡®Slow Gang understood theyout of this fortress too well. That means ck Skull must have used this ce for quite a while.¡¯

    And ces like that usually always had one thing.

    ¡®A shelter. I found it.¡¯

    Theo suddenly stood up.

    ¡°Captain, we need to hurry and head down.¡±

    ¡°What? Down?¡±

    Evelyn was about to question what Theo meant, but another squad member next to her shouted in frustration.

    ¡°What are you talking about, rookie! Are you trying to get us all killed?¡±

    The other squad members nodded in agreement.

    From a logical perspective, Theo¡¯s suggestion didn¡¯t make any sense.

    But he couldn¡¯t reveal the details of his skill.

    He had to persuade them in another way.

    ¡°It¡¯s more dangerous outside! Think about why there¡¯s been no word from ck Snow, who was stationed on the outer perimeter!¡±

    ¡°¡­But we could fly out on the wyverns!¡±

    ¡°They would¡¯ve nned for that too! Captain!¡±

    ¡°Captain! This is reckless! Are you really going to trust a greenhorn with no experience?¡±

    Both Theo and the other squad members turned to Evelyn at the same time.

    Their gazes pressed her to make a decision.

    Boom!

    Explosions continued to rumble in the background.

    Crack!

    A disturbing sound of something breaking echoed through the building.

    Evelyn had to make a decision.

    ¡°We follow Theo Ragnar¡¯s suggestion.¡±

    ¡°Captain! This is too dangero¡ª!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s an order.¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes, understood.¡±

    The protesting squad member nodded.

    In a crisis, following the chain ofmand was an absolute rule.

    From that moment on, their fates were bound together.

    ¡°Theo, remember, the lives of all 33 of us are on your shoulders.¡±

    Looking into Evelyn¡¯s deeply serious eyes, Theo realized she was testing him.

    This was his chance to prove himself to the squad.

    ¨C A chance to demonstrate if he truly had the ability to one day take the throne.

    If he performed well here, it would greatly help pave the way for his future.

    ¡®She¡¯s trusting me without a shred of doubt.¡¯

    Evelyn¡¯s eyes were telling him:

    Wield your first sword freely.

    And win over their hearts.

    ¡®¡­I can¡¯t afford to show any weakness.¡¯

    Thump, thump, thump!

    Theo¡¯s heart began to pound wildly.

    ¡°Follow me.¡±

    Theo took the lead, clearing the way.

    Evelyn followed right behind, while the rest of the squad maintained their positions, forming a wedge-shaped formation.

    Whoosh¡ª

    ¡°Huh? Wait, Captain? Where¡¯s everyone going?¡±

    ¡°Shut up and follow! There¡¯s no time to exin!¡±

    ¡°Alright, damn it!¡±

    Selperd and Arin, who ran into themter, quickly joined up as well.

    ¨C Aah!

    ¨C Why are things suddenly exploding¡­?!

    ¨C We have to get out of here!

    ¨C Move to the shelter! Head to the shelter, quickly!

    The remnants of ck Skull, still not dealt with, were visible in the chaos, stumbling around in confusion.

    The 5th squad swiftly eliminated only those who got in their way as they ran.

    Meanwhile, Theo quickly located and called back any squad members who had not yet joined the group.

    Boom! Boom! Boom!

    Rumble¡ª

    The chain of explosions continued without pause.

    Cracks spread all over the ceiling, walls, and pirs, with debris falling everywhere.

    The copse had begun.

    Rumble¡­!

    ¡°Theoooooo!¡±

    ¡°Just a little more! We¡¯re almost there!¡±

    Theo¡¯s mind was racing hotter than ever before.

    So hot, it felt as if his crown was on fire.

    ¡®Left, right¡­ no, is it diagonal from here? No, there¡¯s a cannonball flying that way. And over there, explosives are nted¡­ I need to turn in a different direction. Once I find the path, where should we go?¡¯

    With his heightened senses, granted by Dragon¡¯s Heart, Theo quickly absorbed the surrounding information. He thenpared it with the internal map of the fortress that he had grasped through Hatchling Synchronization.

    Even though Theo¡¯s information assessment skills, learned from ck Snow, were remarkable, making the right decision in such an urgent situation wasn¡¯t easy.

    Luckily, after enduring the Purge Cleansing Technique, his mental faculties had sharpened, allowing him to keep up. But even a small mistake here could lead to the entire squad being wiped out.

    ¡®Where is it? Which way¡­!¡¯

    Then, as he reached a confusing junction, Theo¡¯s ability to make decisions hit its limit.

    Snap!

    A sound of something breaking echoed in his mind.

    Zzzzt!

    At that moment, the Shadow Demon Poison surged up his spine, past his neck, and into his brain.

    Boom!

    With a loud explosion ringing in his ears, his skull buzzed with a sharp resonance.

    And then, the heat that had overwhelmed him reached a critical point, turning his mind blindingly white.

    It was white heat.

    Ding!

    [¡®Skill: Hatchling Synchronization¡¯ proficiency has greatly increased, and the skill¡¯s grade has been upgraded.]

    [Skill Grade: C+]

    [You have attained White Heat.]

    [Your thought process will now elerate.]

    [Yourputational processing speed has improved.]

    [Your judgment has increased.]

    Theo had no time to fully grasp the changes happening within his body.

    However, thanks to his drastically enhanced mental acuity, he quickly assessed the surrounding information and shouted,

    ¡°Over here!¡±

    Boom!

    He led them to the underground shelter just in time.

    And the moment thest person entered and the shelter door was sealed,

    Rumble¡ª

    The fortresspletely copsed.

 Chapter 71

    Chapter 71: One Branch of Plum (1)

    ¡°What, what do we do now, sis?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know! How the hell would I know, damn it!¡±

    Not far from the copsing fortress, Erika gritted her teeth.

    Following Theo¡¯s orders, all the hostages had been safely evacuated to a secure zone. But at that very moment, the enemy began their bombardment. For some reason, the fortress was crumbling, and it seemed certain that Squad 5 would suffer heavy casualties.

    They had to go help the members, of course, but they were at a loss as to how to approach the situation. If they tried to assist recklessly, it might only worsen the damage.

    And with only three days of real battle experience, there was little these rookies could realistically do.

    ¡®Damn it, damn it, damn it! This isn¡¯t the battlefield I imagined¡­¡­!¡¯

    She had assumed she¡¯d be able to make a grand impact as soon as she was deployed to the frontlines. But the reality was absolute chaos.

    ¡°What about us! What¡¯s going to happen to us?¡±

    ¡°Where are the other members? It seems like the terrorists are nning another attack! Shouldn¡¯t we hurry and get out of here?¡±

    ¡°What are you standing around for? Get moving already!¡±

    ¡°Why are you messing everything up like this! If you came to rescue us, then do it right!¡±

    The bigger problem was that the hostages were panicking, adding to the chaos.

    Crunch!

    The stress made the blood vessels in Erika¡¯s eyes swell.

    Boom!

    Holcus mmed his sword into the ground with a loud crash.

    ¡°Shut up, you fucking bastards!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°Who do you think caused all this damage in the first ce! If you didn¡¯t want this to happen, maybe you shouldn¡¯t have gotten yourselves captured like idiots in the first ce!¡±

    Holcus¡¯ fierce eyes scanned the hostages. They recoiled, their heads shrinking down as they desperately avoided eye contact.

    ¡°Make one more fuss. Next time, I¡¯ll leave you right here and note back, got it?¡±

    Most of the hostages were merchants who only knew basic swordsmanship for self-defense. They didn¡¯t dare think of resisting.

    Swoosh.

    Holcus turned to Erika, a smirk on his face that seemed to ask, ¡®I did well, right?¡¯

    Erika was so taken aback she almostughed, but thanks to him, her previously clogged thoughts began to clear.

    ¡®If it were Theo. If it were Theo, what would he do here?¡¯

    She recalled the new recruit who, unlike her, never showed a hint of panic and always knew what to do. As she tried to recall that moment, she felt like she could see a way forward.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°What are you thinking? It looks like rescuing them will be difficult.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t need to rescue them. They¡¯re the White Armored Dragon Cavalry, the best in the North. They won¡¯t fall that easily.¡±

    ¡°Then what? Are we going to charge straight into the enemy lines?¡±

    ¡°No. The ones who set this trap must have prepared something to counter the wyverns.¡±

    ¡°This is driving me crazy. Just tell me straight. What¡¯s the n?¡±

    ¡°We strike when they think it¡¯s all over, when their guard is down.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±

    Holcus couldn¡¯t understand what his sister was saying, but Erika had already mounted her wyvern.

    As she did, she addressed the hostages.

    ¡°This ce isn¡¯t easily observed from the outside. Please wait here for a while. Do not, under any circumstances,e out.¡±

    Before the hostages could react or try to stop her¡ª

    Whoosh!

    Erika had already taken to the sky, soaring powerfully on her wyvern.

    * * *

    Meanwhile, Squad 5 of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry had encountered an unexpected situation inside the shelter.

    ¡°Captain?¡±

    ¡°You are¡­ Evelyn?¡±

    There were already other people in the shelter.

    Trainer Isben, the original captain of Squad 5, who was previously reported dead, along with four of his squad members. Among them were also the other hostages who hadn¡¯t been ounted for during the rescue.

    It seemed that the shelter had been used to detain people separately all this time.

    ¡°It¡¯s the captain!¡±

    ¡°The captain is alive!¡±

    The squad members, seeing Trainer alive, couldn¡¯t help but light up with joy.

    At that exact moment, ck Skull, who had been secretly observing the group, made his move. He aimed to exploit their moment of distraction.

    But¡ª

    ¡°You think you can mess around without your leader here?!¡±

    sh! sh!

    The ambush posed no real threat to Squad 5.

    Selperd easily flicked the blood off his sword as he approached Trainer.

    ¡°What on earth happened to you, really?¡±

    Though Selperd¡¯s words were grumbling, his tightly pressed lips betrayed his trembling emotions. The condition of Trainer and the other survivors wasn¡¯t good. None of them had escaped without losing at least one limb, and some were so feverish they couldn¡¯t even stand properly.

    ¡°Yeah¡­ I don¡¯t really know what kind of mess this is either. Haha. But it¡¯s good to be alive and to see you all again. And to see Evelyn back safe as well.¡±

    Trainer touched his severed left leg and gave Evelyn a smile.

    ¡°That arm¡­ is that a prosthetic?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it is.¡±

    Evelyn removed her glove, revealing her left arm made of metal.

    ¡°Wow, it¡¯s seamless.¡±

    ¡°It was made by Majang.¡±

    ¡°Majang¡­? I knew she had many hidden skills, but I didn¡¯t know she could do something like this.¡±

    There were indeed techniques in surgery, healing magic, or divine arts that could restore severed limbs. But those methods involved reattaching the lost limb and regenerating the tissue.

    There was no known method capable of creating a prosthetic that moved as naturally as a real hand or foot.

    If such a technique could be implemented, it would revolutionize the treatment of lost limbs, drastically enhancingbat effectiveness that had been previously deemed irrecoverable. Moreover, even severely injured individuals like them could dream of making a full recovery.

    ¡°I¡¯ll ask Majang personallyter,¡± Evelyn offered.

    ¡°Just the offer is more than enough, haha!¡± Trainer chuckled lightly, but his expression soon turned serious.

    ¡°But first, we need to escape¡­ Do you think that¡¯s possible? It looks like things are pretty chaotic outside.¡±

    Evelyn nodded solemnly, replying, ¡°It seems ck Skull was just a decoy. There¡¯s a real enemy behind all of this.¡±

    ¡°The real enemy¡­?¡±

    ¡°Do you have any ideas who it might be?¡±

    ¡°Now that you mention it, something doese to mind.¡±

    ¡°Please, tell me.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not for certain. I didn¡¯t get a clear look. After all, we were ¡®ambushed¡¯ ourselves.¡±

    Evelyn¡¯s eyes sharpened at his words.

    ¡°So, even you were caught in a counter-trap, Trainer?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. The problem is, those bastards knew the exact time of our arrival and the precise location of our descent.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­You think there¡¯s a leak somewhere?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no other exnation.¡±

    Evelyn pressed her lips together tightly. There could only be one meaning behind Trainer¡¯s words.

    ¡ªThere was a spy within their ranks.

    And it was likely someone deeply embedded. The White Armored Dragon Cavalry¡¯s operations were so secretive that even the members themselves were not informed until the day before the mission to maintain confidentiality.

    ¡°Moreover, they knew us all too well. It was as if they knew exactly how to take us down. They even had a clear understanding of our equipment.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    There couldn¡¯t be a clearer sign than this.

    ¡®We walked right into the lion¡¯s mouth without even realizing it.¡¯

    Evelyn gritted her teeth. The thought that her subordinates were almost harmed because of traitorous scum boiled her blood.

    ¡°ck Skull isn¡¯t the real threat. While we were here, the ones we encountered were an organized group, impressive for a new faction, but they didn¡¯t know much about Ragnar.¡±

    ¡°You mean a third force subdued you and Squad 5, then handed you over to ck Skull?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t be certain, but that¡¯s what it seems.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    ¡°From what you¡¯ve said, it sounds like that third force has now decided ck Skull has outlived its usefulness and intends to bury them with us.¡±

    Trainer let out a small chuckle as he nced up at the ceiling.

    Rumble¡ª

    Even though the fortress had copsed, the bombardment continued, causing the ceiling to tremble slightly, sending dust cascading down.

    ¡°They probably never imagined a shelter like this existed.¡±

    However, it wouldn¡¯t be long before they were discovered. The enemy would definitelye to finish them off soon.

    ¡°So, how did you manage to find this ce? It¡¯s underground, and in the chaos, it couldn¡¯t have been easy to locate.¡±

    Trainer shifted the topic slightly. Even if they were to counterattack, it seemed Evelyn¡¯s group needed some rest. He wanted to distract them for a moment and clear their minds.

    ¡°It¡¯s thanks to our new recruit.¡±

    ¡°Hm? A new recruit?¡±

    Trainer tilted his head, confused, as he noticed the smile forming at the corners of Evelyn¡¯s lips. She wasn¡¯t the only one¡ªSelperd, Arin, and even the other squad members were also grinning.

    Following Evelyn¡¯s gaze, Trainer turned his head. There stood a young boy, with a youthful face that suggested he had just earned the title of apprentice knight.

    What did this kid do?

    Trainer, puzzled, was about to ask when he suddenly realized that something was wrong with Theo. Hisplexion didn¡¯t look good.

    Just as he was about to say something¡ª

    Thud!

    Theo suddenly staggered and copsed to the side.

    ¡°Theo!¡±

    ¡°Hey! New recruit! Get a hold of yourself!¡±

    Evelyn and the other squad members hurriedly rushed to Theo¡¯s side.

    * * *

    ¡°Hah¡­ Hah¡­!¡±

    Theo was drenched in cold sweat, breathing heavily and erratically. The squad quickly made space for him to lie downfortably, loosening his armor and clothes so he could breathe easier.

    ¡°This kid¡­ took down Bald Hammer, figured out the enemy ambush, and led you all to the shelter? In the middle of that chaos?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right,¡± Evelyn confirmed.

    ¡°And during the Blossoming Ceremony, he broke Torkel¡¯s record?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Is that even possible¡­?¡±

    ¡°It seems so.¡±

    ¡°A monster, then.¡±

    ¡°Yes. A monster.¡±

    After hearing the full story about Theo, Trainer shook his head in disbelief. He hadn¡¯t heard any of the news, as he had been stationed outside during the Blossoming Ceremony.

    A monster.

    No other word could better describe him.

    Despite his flower-like appearance, as if he couldn¡¯t harm a petal, the boy had shattered expectations.

    ¡°But since he¡¯s such a monster, we need to make sure he survives. Isn¡¯t he a blessing to the White Armored Dragon Cavalry?¡±

    Trainer rolled up his sleeves.

    ¡°Let me check on his condition for a moment.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re counting on you.¡±

    Trainer hadpleted the medical course at the academy, making him the most skilled in medicine within the White Armored Dragon Cavalry.

    After a brief examination, he finally spoke.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± Evelyn asked, concerned.

    ¡°Captain! We must save him at all costs. He¡¯s the one who saved me and Arin,¡± Selperd added, his voice urgent.

    Trainer, noticing their worried expressions, calmly shook his head.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry that much. He¡¯s simply exhausted. With some rest, he¡¯ll recover fully.¡±

    The squad members finally sighed in relief. It made sense. After facing Slow and finding the shelter amidst constant tension, it wasn¡¯t surprising that Theo had been drained. They themselves had experienced simr fatigue at times.

    ¡°But¡­¡± Trainer paused.

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    ¡°Never mind. This is something that should be discussed after he wakes up.¡±

    Though Evelyn felt uneasy, sensing that Trainer was hiding something, it was a relief that Theo soon regained consciousness.

    ¡°Are you okay, Theo?¡± Evelyn asked.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine. I apologize for causing trouble.¡±

    Theo bowed his head low in response. In truth, his condition had been poor ever since they arrived at the shelter, and eventually, he hadn¡¯t been able to hold out any longer. Even now, his entire body ached.

    The Shadow Demon Poison had red up, allowing him to endure until now, but it had drained thest of his strength in the process. The most severe symptom was the headache.

    ¡®The poison prated my brain, causing my cognitive abilities to expand¡­ but the aftereffects are overwhelming.¡¯

    Theo felt as though he had be much ¡®smarter¡¯ than before. Most likely, this was due to the advancement of the Hatchling Synchronization, which directly linked to his brain. However, the problem was that this had massively increased the amount of information his brain processed from the outside world, resulting in excruciating headaches.

    If left unchecked, the pain would only intensify.

    ¡®What am I supposed to do?¡¯

    He needed to find a solution. Otherwise, it would be nearly impossible to escape Ed¡¯s clutches when the time came.

    ¡°Hey, you.¡±

    Just then, Trainer suddenly leaned in, his expression serious.

    ¡°How on earth did you open the Upper Dantian, something only top-tier experts are said to unlock?¡±

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 72

    Chapter 72: One Branch of Plum (2)

    Theo¡¯s eyes shot open.

    ¡®Did he notice the Hatchling Synchronization?¡¯

    No, judging by his expression, it didn¡¯t seem like that.

    However, it looked like he had figured out the cause of Theo¡¯s severe headache, though he pretended not to know.

    ¡°What is Upper Dantian?¡±

    ¡°Hm? You don¡¯t even know what Upper Dantian is, yet you¡¯ve opened it?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°Hah! How is such a thing possible?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that many of those born with the title ¡®genius¡¯ are born with the Upper Dantian already open. Could it be because of that? But even so, it seems like it hasn¡¯t been open for long¡­ How could you not know about it?¡±

    ¡°I would appreciate it if you could exin it so I can understand.¡±

    Trainer stroked his chin, organizing his thoughts before he spoke.

    ¡°Hmm. Simply put, it means that a portion of your brain¡¯s capacity has greatly expanded, or that the functionality of your brain has significantly enhanced.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°I see you seem to have some idea of what I¡¯m talking about.¡±

    ¡°Captain, are you saying that Theo has surpassed the ¡®Wall¡¯?¡±

    At that moment, Evelyn interrupted and asked.

    The ¡®Wall¡¯ referred to the line that separated ordinary humans from superhumans.

    It was a realm that anyone who wielded a sword longed to surpass.

    However, most failed, leaving it as an ideal they could never reach.

    Even within the House of Ragnar, only a few, including the Nine Dragons, had managed to surpass this ¡®Wall.¡¯

    Evelyn herself had yet to cross it.

    But since she had confronted the ¡®Wall,¡¯ she had a vague understanding of whaty beyond it.

    It was a ce that did not belong to ordinary people.

    In that ce, one could observe the world from an entirely different perspective.

    Additionally, they could perceive themselves from a different point in time.

    Furthermore,

    It was deeply connected to the brain, often referred to as the body¡¯s great .

    It seemed that the ¡®Upper Dantian¡¯ Trainer mentioned was the gate that led to that expanded area of the brain.

    ¡°That¡¯s impossible. Even the ck Iron Cavalry Captain only managed to surpass the Wall after turning twenty. Fifteen is far too early, especially for someone who just underwent the Blossoming Ceremony.¡±

    Trainer shook his head.

    ¡°Then¡­?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just that the order of things has changed.¡±

    At that moment, Evelyn felt as though she understood something.

    ¡°Typically, people open the Upper Dantian after they¡¯ve surpassed the Wall, but you¡¯re saying that Theo was born with the Upper Dantian already open.¡±

    ¡°Exactly. Typically, those born with their Upper Dantian open possess such exceptional qualities that they are often called geniuses. The ck Iron Cavalry Captain is a prime example. I heard he was like that when he was young as well.¡±

    ¡°Then it must be much easier for those kinds of people to surpass the Wall.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t say it¡¯s that simple.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±

    ¡°People born with their Upper Dantian open usually have significant side effects thate with it.¡±

    Trainer exined that if the Upper Dantian was ipletely open, the person might think differently from ordinary people, or their body could be unbnced, making them abnormally weak.

    For the person themselves, it could often be more of a curse.

    ¡°But¡­ this guy¡­ hmm, it doesn¡¯t seem like he was born that way. It feels like it opened suddenly. Even now, it¡¯s slowly opening, little by little.¡±

    At that moment, something shed through Theo¡¯s mind.

    ¡®As expected, it¡¯s because of the rank-up in the Hatchling Synchronization.¡¯

    And,

    The rank-up of the skill seemed to imply that he was getting closer to the level of a superhuman.

    ¨C Amon originally symbolizes the ¡®hidden being,¡¯ representing all things invisible. Another name for Amon is ¡®Om¡¯ the sound that resonated in the beginning and a sacred vibration that condenses the essence of the universe. Just chanting it is said to purify the soul.

    When one senses the sound that resonated in the beginning, it purifies their soul.

    This would naturally lead to the expansion of the Upper Dantian.

    ¨C Amon is the ¡®Sound of the Soul¡¯ and the ¡®Vibration of Truth.¡¯ It expands spiritual waves, allowing one to perceive the essence of things and hear the voice oftent thoughts within them. When you reach a certain level, you will be able to hear my voice as well.

    The expansion of spiritual waves signifies a rise in rank.

    Somehow, he felt as though he was getting closer to what Lodbrok had mentioned.

    Thump, thump, thump!

    His heart raced with excitement.

    The prospect of growing stronger was enough to make his heart pound.

    ¡°Your vessel has expanded tremendously. It¡¯s iprehensiblyrger than the amount of content you currently possess. What do you think happens then?¡±

    ¡°Many parts of it will be left empty.¡±

    Trainer nodded heavily and continued.

    ¡°Exactly. Because of that, the contents inside can¡¯t be properly contained and start wandering all over the ce. It¡¯s only natural that the confusion in your mind grows.¡±

    ¡°Then¡­ what should I do?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean ¡®what should you do¡¯? You just have to wait it out.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°There are only two ways to calm the contents,¡± Trainer exined. ¡°One is to quietly wait until the contents get used to the suddenly expanded vessel. Time will solve it. Even if the headaches get worse, all you can do is endure and wait.¡±

    ¡°¡­And the second?¡±

    ¡°This one is practically impossible, though.¡±

    ¡°Still, I¡¯d like to hear it.¡±

    ¡°Pour more contents into the vessel so that it matches its size.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°You need to achieve a significant level of enlightenment or absorb a vast amount of knowledge, but that¡¯s not something you can do immediately.¡±

    Theo gritted his teeth.

    ¡°But¡­ the headaches are getting worse. If this continues, I won¡¯t be able to fight in the uing attack.¡±

    ¡°Do you really need to step in?¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    What was he talking about now?

    ¡°From what I hear, you¡¯ve already done more than enough for a new recruit. Leave the rest to yourrades, to your seniors.¡±

    The other members nodded vigorously in agreement.

    ¡°Captain Trainer is right.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. You should rest.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard, kid. Take a good nap. When you wake up, we¡¯ll be in Winterer.¡±

    ¡°Come on, you gotta give us a chance to shine, huh?¡±

    Selperd humorously pounded his chest with a fist, grinning.

    ¡°What¡¯s a rookie doing trying to take everything on? Leave this kind of stuff to your senior, idiot.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    For a moment, Theo¡¯s mind went nk.

    ¡®¡­Comrades.¡¯

    An odd heaviness welled up in his chest.

    All this time, he had believed he had to step up and handle everything by himself.

    But now, he was slowly realizing that wasn¡¯t the case.

    He was already a part of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry,

    And the White Armored Dragon Cavalry was a unified shield¡ªa family.

    ¡®No¡­ that means I have to act even more.¡¯

    This battle had already be a fight against Ed.

    Without a doubt, the bombardment currently raining down from above was likely orchestrated by Ed¡¯sckeys.

    If they were to crush Ed¡¯s schemes, which were undoubtedly already in motion, they had to stop him here.

    ¨C Seizing Balmung.

    It had be an absolute necessity.

    ¡®I still can¡¯t tell them about Ed. There¡¯s no way to prove it, and I can¡¯t reveal my source of information either.¡¯

    Fortunately, the seed of doubt about a spy within Ragnar had been nted. He would have to build from that.

    Snap!

    Theo bit down hard on the inside of his cheek.

    The taste of blood filled his mouth, bringing an immediate sense of rity.

    Strength returned to his eyes.

    ¡°Indomitability and No Retreat, I was taught that this is the spirit of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry. So, I will fight.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­!¡±

    Indomitability¡ªnever yielding.

    No retreat¡ªnever stepping back.

    As soon as Theo mentioned the motto of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry, Trainer fell silent, and both Selperd and the other members were visibly taken aback by Theo¡¯s resolve.

    At that moment,

    ¡°Captain, does the ¡®contents¡¯ you¡¯re talking about also apply to the teachings of master swordsmen?¡±

    Evelyn suddenly asked an unexpected question, causing Trainer to tilt his head in confusion.

    ¡°Well, nothing fills an expanded vessel better than that. But getting such teachings right now would be nearly impossible¡­¡±

    ¡°No, it exists.¡±

    ¡°¡­!?¡±

    Trainer didn¡¯t even have time to ask what Evelyn meant.

    Suddenly, Evelyn pulled out a booklet from her chest.

    ¡°I thought it might be too early to give this to you, but perhaps this is the right time after all.¡±

    Theo took the booklet from Evelyn, his curiosity piqued as he looked it over.

    -One Branch of Plum (Ò»Ö¦Ã·).

    A plum blossom on the end of a single branch?

    Theo was unsure what it meant, but the moment he opened the booklet, his eyes widened in shock.

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    What he held in his hands was a collection of philosophical discussions.

    It was a treatise on swordsmanship exchanged between the Mistress of plum Blossom Pce and Julius, the Dark Dragon.

    The two had fiercely debated the principles of the sword, based on what they had each pursued their entire lives, even sparring with their swords when necessary, recording the entire process in the manuscript.

    Julius: What do you believe a sword is, Sword Dragon?

    Osa: I believe a sword is a flower.

    Julius: A flower?

    Osa: Yes. For a flower to bloom beautifully, it must go through a long and difficult process. The seed must sprout, the stem must grow strong, and the leaves must flourish, all while ensuring that the branch never breaks as it prepares for the flower bud to bloom¡­

    Their discussions analyzed andpared the swordsmanship of the Sword Dragon and the Dark Dragon in such detail that any slight misstep could expose their weaknesses.

    And yet,

    Neither of them cared about that in the slightest, engaging in profound conversation for the sake of Theo alone.

    Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!

    Theo¡¯s heart raced.

    -Do not feel burdened by your choices. No matter what you choose, I will always be on your side.

    The words spoken by the Mistress of plum Blossom Pce during the naming ceremony suddenly echoed in Theo¡¯s mind.

    She had kept her promise to stand behind him no matter what.

    ¡®I haven¡¯t done anything for them¡­ yet these people keep helping me.¡¯

    Julius was the one who taught Theo the joy of the sword.

    The Mistress of plum Blossom Pce was the one who taught him the basics of swordsmanship.

    They were always the ones who gave without holding back.

    Filled with gratitude, Theo unknowingly squeezed his eyes shut.

    [¡°Skill: Hatchling Synchronization¡± reads the lingering thoughts imprinted on the item.]

    Whoooosh!

    In that instant, the darkness in his vision flipped.

    A tranquil night under the moonlight.

    The Mistress of plum Blossom Pce and Julius stood facing each other, engaged in conversation.

    -Do you think this book will be of great help to Theo?

    -I only recorded our exchanges, but there are likely many parts he won¡¯t fully grasp.

    -Hmm? Then isn¡¯t there no reason to make this book?

    -There is, indeed.

    The Mistress of plum Blossom Pce gently smiled in response to Julius¡¯s question.

    -It can serve as a guide.

    -A guide, you say¡­

    -As the captain of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry knows, Theo moves too quickly. And when you¡¯re too fast, there are many things you miss.

    -True. There are many things you can only understand when you take your time.

    -Exactly. If you overlook such details, you¡¯re bound to end up with a fragile sandcastle that crumbles easily.

    -The captain of the ck Iron Cavalry has had to ovee such risks more than once.

    -That¡¯s why I believe this discourse willy a foundation that fills in thosecking details.

    The Mistress of plum Blossom Pce¡¯s smile was brighter than ever before.

    Her concern and care for Theo were more sincere than anyone else¡¯s.

    Julius, gazing intently at her, nodded heavily.

    -Indeed. That is true. Very well, I shall do my part with more diligence.

    -Speaking of which, isn¡¯t the captain of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry already going above and beyond? Theo has already been epted into your ranks, hasn¡¯t he?

    -You¡¯re saying something strange, not like the Mistress of plum Blossom Pce at all.

    Julius chuckled softly as he spoke.

    -Because he has joined my ranks, I cherish him all the more. He is family now, after all.

    Their conversation ended there.

    And then,

    Whooooosh¡ª

    The entirety of the ¡°One Plum Branch¡± rushed into Theo¡¯s mind.

    Since it was simply a record of their conversation, the lingering thoughts easily transferred everything as it was.

    Thanks to this,

    Theo immediately grasped the central focus of the ¡°One Plum Branch.¡±

    The branch symbolizes the sword.

    The plum blossom at the end of it represents swordsmanship.

    The Mistress of plum Blossom Pce said:

    To make a flower bloom splendidly, time and effort are required.

    Swordsmanship is no different.

    Without long training and research, one can never truly progress.

    Julius, agreeing, asked:

    So, is it over once the flower has bloomed?

    .

    .

    .

    Most of the conversation, which flowed seamlessly from one topic to another, was still beyond Theo¡¯s understanding, especially as it delved deeper.

    However, thanks to the guide they had created, many things that had previously felt overwhelming now unraveled with ease.

    He was even able to observe his recently developed  from a third-party perspective.

    At the same time,

    Whooooosh¡ª

    Theo felt the throbbing headache that had been nagging him quickly subside.

    It wasn¡¯t just the headache.

    The fatigue that had clung to him also disappeared.

    His mind felt as calm as if he had submerged himself in cold water.

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    In that profound silence,

    Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump!

    The only sound that echoed powerfully, like the steady beat of a ship¡¯s horn, was the sound of his heart.

    He could feel the flow of blood.

    Thanks to the blood coursing through his body, he was able to observe his entire physique in fine detail.

    At that moment, Theo realized something.

    The Purge Cleansing Technique hadn¡¯t been the end.

    As his transformed body followed the expansion of his Upper Dantian, everything had now filled to match the newly erged vessel. Only now did the bnce fall into ce.

    Mind. Energy. Body.

    That bnce was what mattered most.

    [You have obtained new insight into swordsmanship. A massive amount of experience has umted, and your level has risen.]

    [Your level has risen.]

    Regaining hisposure, Theo stood up.

    His mind felt refreshed, as if it had been washed clean with water.

 Chapter 73

    Chapter 73: One Branch of Plum (3)

    ¡°Are you awake?¡±

    ¡°Are you alright, Theo?¡±

    Trainer and Evelyn were the first to ask, their voices full of concern.

    Theo nodded in response.

    ¡°I feel refreshed. Thank you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a relief. Looks like it worked well!¡±

    Only then could the two of them let out a sigh of relief.

    Theo¡¯s words were not a lie.

    In fact, he felt far better than what he had said.

    ¡®Thanks to the One Branch of Plum Blossom, it feels like my brain¡¯s information processing speed has significantly increased. Even my heightened senses no longer feel unfamiliar.¡¯

    What particrly stood out was his understanding of the sword.

    The fifth w.

    It felt like something was just within his grasp, but not quite there.

    He had an urge to jump into battle as soon as possible.

    ¡°Well then¡­ It seems like we¡¯ve rested enough, so shall we get ready to move?¡±

    Evelyn, as if she could read Theo¡¯s thoughts, nced at the members and spoke.

    The team members nodded as they got up, their breathing more rxed than before.

    The sound of bombardment had ceased some time ago.

    It meant that the enemies were approaching nearby to assess the situation.

    Now was the time to strike back.

    Suddenly, Evelyn¡¯s eyes sharpened.

    ¡°5th Squad of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry! Who are we! Answer!¡±

    ¡°Indomitability! No Retreat! We are the White Armored Dragon Cavalry!¡±

    ¡°Who are we! Say it!¡±

    ¡°Unbeatable! Undefeated! We are the 5th Squad!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. We are the 5th Squad of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry. So from now on¡­¡±

    With disciplined responses, the eyes of the other squad members shone as brightly as Evelyn¡¯s.

    ¡°Let¡¯s show the enemy exactly who we are!¡±

    ¡°By yourmand!¡±

    ¡°By yourmand!¡±

    ¡°By yourmand!¡±

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s go.¡±

    Step.

    The White Armored Dragon Cavalry once again raised their swords.

    * * *

    ¡°Make sure they¡¯re all dead. We can¡¯t allow any survivors.¡±

    At Sidra¡¯smand, the agents of the Central Intelligence Bureau began their search.

    The area where nky Fortress once stood had been reduced to ruins.

    Dust filled the air, and all that remained were the remnants of structures barely holding together.

    Surviving here seemed utterly impossible.

    ¡°It¡¯s be a real mess.¡±

    ¡°If anyone survived this, you¡¯d have to acknowledge their survival skills.¡±

    ¡°Heh, can¡¯t disagree.¡±

    The human corpses scattered among the debris were all in terrible condition.

    Every body was either blown apart or broken in some way.

    They were methodically stabbing each one with swords to ensure they were dead, but it didn¡¯t seem like there was much else to check.

    Then suddenly¡ª

    ¡°So, when we get back, how about grabbing a beer¡­¡±

    One of the agents, chuckling as he casually chatted with a friend, suddenly coughed up blood.

    A sh of light surged up from beneath the ground.

    sh¡ª

    Splurt!

    ¡°M-Mmph¡­!¡±

    Hispanion, standing beside him, stared nkly at the blood fountain spraying into the sky. By the time he realized what was happening and reached for the signal re in his coat, his head had already been severed.

    Thud!

    Evelynnded silently on top of the two copsed corpses.

    Her eyes, sharp as ever, gleamed under the swirling dust that wrapped around her like armor.

    ¡°Eliminate them.¡±

    That word itself was the signal.

    A gust of dust swept across the area.

    Boom!

    Swish¡ªswish¡ªswish!

    The White Armored Dragon Cavalry burst out from the debris as explosions erupted all around.

    The agents of the Central Intelligence Bureau, unprepared for the unexpected ambush, could do nothing but fall helplessly.

    ¡°What¡­ what is this?!¡±

    ¡°How did they even survive¡­?!¡±

    ¡°Ugh!¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re still alive! Everyone, prepare for battle!¡±

    Sidra, who had been thest to arrive at the scene, stiffened as his expression hardened.

    ¡®The n¡¯s gone awry! How could they survive through that bombardment?¡¯

    The real problem was that it would be nearly impossible to defeat the White Armored Dragon Cavalry in groupbat¡ªthey were a unit that had undergone countless drills and battles.

    If their identities were exposed, it could trigger a severe political bacsh. Sidra thought about retreating and moved to blow his whistle, but¡ª

    ¡°So, you must be the leader, huh?¡±

    Suddenly, a chilling voice descended from above, apanied by a swirling cloud of dust.

    Startled, Sidra swung his sword upward in a rough arc.

    ng!

    As sword energy collided with sword energy, shattered fragments scattered in all directions.

    Simultaneously, the swirling dust that had blocked Sidra¡¯s vision began to form a vortex.

    It was a trap designed to bind him.

    Amidst the gusts of wind, more than ten sword energies shot out.

    It was the Squall of the Thunder Lord.

    And the piercing thrust of the Flying de Technique.

    For the first time in 40 years, the secret technique of the Wind Lord fully revealed itself.

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    Ch-ch-ching¡ª

    Sidra frantically parried the rapid strikes, his hands moving in a blur.

    ¡®Fast¡­! Just who is this?!¡¯

    In the blink of an eye, Evelyn had cornered Sidra.

    Originally, she had been a master swordsman who was said to be just one step away from reaching the ¡°Wall¡±¡ªthe highest level of swordsmanship. After acquiring the Wind Lord¡¯s secret manual, her skill had soared by several levels.

    In fact, she was even stronger now than when she had lost her left arm.

    Naturally, Sidra, who only knew her past strength, was caught off guard.

    However, he too was no ordinary swordsman, having personally learned swordsmanship from Ed.

    Regaining hisposure quickly, Sidra engaged Evelyn head-on.

    Boom!

    As their swords shed again, a powerful gust of wind shot high into the sky.

    ¡°As expected.¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    ¡°Your swordsmanship and even your footwork¡­ you know me far too well. You must be one of Ragnar¡¯s people, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°No matter what, I must capture you alive.¡±

    ¡®Damn it!¡¯

    Sidra gritted his teeth.

    This was the worst mistake he¡¯d ever made since bing a First-ss Agent.

    He tried to prioritize his next move.

    ¡®I don¡¯t know what trick they used to survive, but if they¡¯re still alive¡­ I have to get Balmung out of here first!¡¯

    However, before he could even finish that thought, a gust of wind grazed past his eyes.

    Swish¡ª

    ¡®No way!¡¯

    Sidra turned his gaze in that direction, his heart filled with dread¡ªand what he saw left him in shock.

    The head of the Balmung keeper, who had been stationed in the rear for an emergency, was flying into the sky.

    Ssh!

    Beneath the fountain of blood stood a boy wielding a massive Zweihander.

    It was Theo Ragnar, whom Sidra had seen during the Blossoming Ceremony.

    He was the one Ed had explicitly instructed to make sure was dead.

    ¡®How does he know about that!?¡¯

    The existence of Balmung was known to fewer than five people within the Central Intelligence Bureau.

    And all of them were among Ed¡¯s closest confidants.

    Yet, the fact that Theo had urately targeted that meant only one thing.

    ¡®There¡¯s a mole inside the Bureau!¡¯

    Grit!

    Who could possibly betray the Director?!

    But Sidra didn¡¯t have time to dwell on that thought.

    ¡°You¡¯ve got some nerve. To be distracted during a battle like this.¡±

    Swish, swish, swish¡ª

    Evelyn¡¯s sword, wrapped in a whirlwind, came shing toward his neck.

    Her movements were as sharp as if she were the embodiment of the wind itself.

    Meanwhile, Theo was already picking up Balmung from the fallen corpse.

    ¡°Everyone¡ª!¡±

    In that moment of desperation, Sidra was forced to make a decision.

    ¡°Protect ¡®the item¡¯ at all costs¡ª!¡±

    Protect it with your life.

    The agents, their faces grim, activated their inner strength and charged at Theo.

    Reverse Blood Explosion Technique.

    It was a forbidden technique used mostly by dark mages, one that drastically increased theirbat abilities at the cost of life force, making it extremely dangerous.

    But the agents didn¡¯t hesitate.

    The Central Intelligence Bureau operated under a different creed from the White Armored Dragon Cavalry¡ªthey carried out orders, even if it meant giving their lives.

    Swish¡ª

    More than twenty attacks converged on Theo.

    ¡°They¡¯re using Reverse Blood Explosion? What the hell are these people¡­! White Armored Dragon Cavalry, protect Theo!¡±

    Evelyn¡¯s voice trembled with urgency as she cursed the dark mage-like techniques, swiftly issuing hermand.

    sh! sh! sh! sh!

    In an instant, Selperd, Arin, and several other members of the squad stepped forward, positioning themselves in front of Theo.

    Selperd, who was at the forefront, shouted.

    ¡°We can¡¯t show a rookie something embarrassing! Let¡¯s show him just how great we seniors are! Let¡¯s go!¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±

    ng, ng, ng!

    The sh between the Central Intelligence Bureau agents trying to close in and the squad members blocking them was fierce.

    Sword energy shed with sword energy, and gusts of blood swept across the battlefield.

    Theo was right in the middle of it all.

    [The item has been stored in your inventory.]

    Amidst the chaos, Theo tossed Balmung into his inventory to avoid dropping it. Holding up Drake¡¯s de, he took a long, steady breath.

    ¡®My movements feel lighter than ever. My senses are sharper too.¡¯

    Theo recalled the teachings of the Mistress of plum Blossom that he had learned from the One Branch of Plum Blossom.

    Branches are the sword. Flowers are the swordsmanship.

    However, in Full Blooming Plum Blossom, there weren¡¯t just one or two flowers.

    The more flowers that bloomed, the deeper the realization one would attain.

    And within those flowersy Julius¡¯s swordsmanship.

    His sword, sharper than anyone else¡¯s ws.

    Theo tried to blend the two into one.

    Of course, it wasn¡¯t easy.

    The Mistress of plum Blossom and Julius had walked entirely different paths to reach the pinnacle of swordsmanship.

    ¡®But it should be possible.¡¯

    However, Theo didn¡¯t think it was impossible.

    After all, both of them had reached their current heights by following Kyle¡¯s sword.

    All Theo needed to do was create a link between the two methods.

    ¡®A link.¡¯

    Fwoosh!

    A sharp pain shot through Theo¡¯s head, but his mind was working faster than ever.

    White Heat.

    The overheating had begun.

    But unlike before, it didn¡¯te with a headache.

    In fact, he felt refreshed.

    His focus had sharpened, and his concentration was much greater than before.

    Thanks to that, it wasn¡¯t long before the answer he had been seeking came to him.

    ¡®Wind.¡¯

    With the Wind Lord¡¯s secret manual, it was possible.

    Lightning, flower petals¡ªeverything flowed with the wind in the end.

    ¡®What brings them forth¡­ is the Dragon¡¯s w.¡¯

    And to do that, speed was key above all else.

    [You have invested 10 bonus stat points into Agility.]

    [Agility: 62 ¡ú 72]

    [Your movements have be smoother.]

    [Your attack speed has increased.]

    Swish¡ª

    In that moment, Theo felt his body be lighter, and Drake¡¯s de gleamed brightly.

    First w. The head of a Bureau agent who had managed to push through the squad was split in two.

    Second w. Theo deflected a sneak attack aimed at Arin¡¯s blind spot.

    Third w. Theo surged forward, sweeping through the enemy lines like a storm.

    Boom, boom, boom!

    ¡°Ha¡­! Our rookie doesn¡¯t even stop to rest. What are we doing, then? Let¡¯s get moving too!¡±

    Selperd and the other squad members followed Theo¡¯s lead, pressing the agents even harder.

    The agents, disoriented, quickly found themselves overwhelmed, and the tide of battle reversed in an instant.

    ng, ng, ng!

    The Fourth w. Theo¡¯s sword shed diagonally, slicing through three agents, sending their blood spraying through the air.

    And then¡ª

    The Final, Fifth w.

    This time, the de, enveloped in pitch-ck lightning, struck the ground with explosive force.

    Crack-boom!

    sh! sh! sh!

    The ck lightning created a deep crater, its destructive energy spreading out across the ground in all directions.

    The enemies caught within the st were either flung backward by the shockwave or fell paralyzed from the electric charge, copsing to the ground.

    Above them, bolts of ck lightning rained down relentlessly.

    ¨C Thunder Calling.

    It was elemental magic that Theo had integrated into his swordsmanship with the birth of the Fifth w.

    Rumble, rumble¡­

    Thanks to this, the White Armored Dragon Cavalry gainedplete control of the battle.

    The Central Intelligence Bureau¡¯s formation crumbled in an instant.

    ¡°Retreat! Retreat!!¡±

    Sidra, realizing how dangerous the situation had be, screamed out in desperation.

    But at that exact moment, a dark shadow loomed over the agents¡¯ heads.

    ¡°Captain! We¡¯ve arrived!¡±

    ¡°Hahaha! These bastards are dead meat!¡±

    Erika and Holcus had appeared, riding their wyverns.

    Magical projectiles rained down on the agents who were attempting to flee.

    Boom! Boom! Boom!

    ¡°Gahhh!¡±

    ¡°Aaaah!¡±

    From the outside, a barrage of magic bombardments.

    From the inside, a counterattack by the White Armored Dragon Cavalry.

    The Central Intelligence Bureau was surrounded, with no escape in sight.

    Sidra¡¯s face turned pale.

    ¡®What do I do¡­?¡¯

    sh¡ª

    Splurt!

    ¡°Arghhhh!¡±

    Just as Sidra¡¯s mind went nk with fear, Evelyn¡¯s sword shed across his right arm.

    In the blink of an eye, her de was pressed against his neck.

    Evelyn spoke coldly, her gaze icy.

    ¡°Kneel.¡±

    Her eyes made it clear¡ªif he resisted, she wouldn¡¯t hesitate to kill him.

    Sidra clenched his teeth, debating whether he should end it all himself, but Evelyn read his intent first. She swiftly plunged her sword into his Aura Hall.

    Thud!

    ¡°Ghh¡­!¡±

    Sidra¡¯s magic power began leaking uncontrobly.

    ¡°Kneel! If you don¡¯t want all your remaining men to die!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    In the end, Sidra bit down hard on his lower lip and sank to his knees.

    ng!

    His sword ttered unceremoniously to the ground.

    The White Armored Dragon Cavalry had imed victory.

 Chapter 74

    Chapter 74: One Branch of Plum (4)

    It was precisely at that moment, as the pce of Emil, who had been anxiously waiting for Theo¡¯s severed head, began to stir.

    Bang!

    Suddenly, the doors of the pce swung open, and inspectors poured in all at once, upying the interior.

    A grim atmosphere pervaded the space.

    ¡°D-Director of Central Intelligence!¡±

    ¡°Why has the Director suddenly¡­!¡±

    The attendants and servants turned pale, their faces drained of color, as they fixed their gaze on Ed Troyban, who stood at the center of the inspectors.

    Yet, Ed didn¡¯t say a word. He silently stepped forward to stand in front of his twin sister.

    ¡°What is the meaning of this, brother?¡± Emil red at Ed with a venomous look, unwilling to back down.

    With a dry expression, Ed pulled out a document and held it up.

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t say you don¡¯t recognize this, would you, Lady of the Pce?¡±

    ¡°And what, pray tell, is that?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s an order bearing the seal, stamped without my authorization.¡±

    Emil flinched slightly but responded with even more brazenness.

    ¡°So what? What¡¯s the problem?¡±

    ¡°You impersonated me and recklessly mobilized agents from the Central Intelligence Bureau. And that, too, with a ludicrousmand to kill the White Armored Dragon Cavalry of our own house.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    Emil¡¯s eyes widened.

    To say such a thing in front of so many people?

    Sure enough, when she looked around, even the attendants and servants in the pce who overheard the conversation had turned pale.

    ¡°To say such a thing in front of mere subordinates¡­!¡±

    ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re aware that your honor has been tarnished in front of them?¡±

    His tone was dripping with sarcasm.

    Emil bit down hard on her lower lip.

    ¡°What are you trying to say exactly?¡±

    ¡°The crime of forging an official seal. No matter if you¡¯re the Lady of the Pce, it¡¯s an unforgivable crime. You¡¯ve privately mobilized the family¡¯s forces, which could very well lead to charges of treason. And you¡¯ve even harmed the White Armored Dragon Cavalry, the pride of House Ragnar? I¡¯m sure the family head will be delighted when he receives the report.¡±

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t seriously¡­ confess all of this to the family head, would you?¡±

    ¡°And why wouldn¡¯t I? Thanks to my foolish sister, my own life now hangs by a thread. Don¡¯t you think I¡¯d want to survive?¡±

    Finally grasping the gravity of the situation, Emil¡¯s expression hardened.

    ¡°Why must you take things to such extremes? If we just handle things properly, everything will turn out fine, won¡¯t it? Once the White Armored Dragon Cavalry is wiped out during their mission, the me will naturally fall on that group, the ck Skull, or whatever they¡¯re called¡­!¡±

    ¡°Your ridiculous n fell apart, and that¡¯s why you¡¯re in this mess, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°W-what did you say?¡±

    ¡°A report from the 5th Unit of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry just arrived at Central Hall. They found a third party in addition to the ck Skull, and they¡¯ve captured four of them alive. They¡¯re returning with the prisoners as we speak.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°And do you know what else they said? ¡®They appear to be closely linked to Ragnar. I¡¯ll deliver a detailed report in person.¡¯¡±

    ¡°¡­.¡±

    ¡°Do you realize now just how foolish your actions were?¡±

    Tremble tremble¡­

    Emil¡¯s hands started to shake uncontrobly, and her face turned pale.

    ¡®The n¡­ failed? And they were captured? How could this happen¡­?¡¯

    It was only now that Emil felt a sudden jolt of rity.

    The image of Kyle¡¯s face shed in her mind. The dictator with whom she¡¯d spent her whole life, yet whose true intentions were always a mystery to her.

    What would happen once he found out about this?

    There was no need to think twice.

    Not only she, but even her family, the Troybans, would be held ountable.

    Begging wouldn¡¯t work.

    Kyle was a man who always put Ragnar¡¯s safety and honor above all else.

    ¡°B-brother! Please help me! If it¡¯s you, brother, you can find a way, can¡¯t you? Please, help your sister!¡±

    Ed¡¯s lips twisted into a mocking grin.

    ¡°I always wondered why Axion turned out to be so impulsive and foolish. I suppose it runs in the family, doesn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Brother¡­!¡±

    ¡°My dear, foolish sister, why did you have to go and do something you couldn¡¯t handle? You could¡¯ve just remained as you always were, a beautiful, decorative doll. You could¡¯ve livedfortably, getting everything you ever wanted, all the things that I brought to you. But instead, you had to stir things up.¡±

    For a brief moment, Emil¡¯s gaze turned sharp. A surge of emotion welled up within her.

    ¡°Do you really not know? If only you had kept your promise to me! I wouldn¡¯t have had to resort to this!¡±

    ¡°What promise did I fail to keep?¡±

    ¡°Are you really pretending not to know? Theo Ragnar! That despicable, crippled bastard! Not only did you fail to kill him, you even tried to embrace him!¡±

    ¡°Heh¡­! So you did all of this over that? Over something so petty?¡±

    ¡°Petty, you say? Watch your words! Axion was everything to me! And yet, the one who took him from me¡­ of course, a mother would seek revenge! The enemy, and everything connected to him! I need to tear them apart and burn them to ashes, only then will my heart¡ªthis heart of Emil Troyban¡ªand Axion¡¯s spirit find any peace!¡±

    Tsk!

    Ed clicked his tongue.

    The madness flickering in Emil¡¯s eyes was beyond the point of being reasoned with.

    ¡°Did it never ur to you that embracing that enemy could have been part of a n for Axion¡¯s revenge?¡±

    ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Not just killing Theo Ragnar, but taking all of Ragnar¡ªiming everything that belonged to him. That would have been the most fitting revenge for Axion¡¯s soul. But because of your foolishness, even that final n has fallen apart.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°What I¡¯m saying is that you have ruined everything.¡±

    Emil couldn¡¯t meet Ed¡¯s gaze. The tender look that had always apanied his eyes when he looked at her was gone today. Instead of contempt, disgust, or fury¡ªemotions she could understand¡ªit was as if his eyes held nothing at all.

    There was no emotion.

    It was as if he didn¡¯t even see her as a person.

    Only now did Emil finally realize the truth¡ªthat this was Ed¡¯s real, innermost attitude towards her all along.

    ¡ªIt reminded her of someone.

    That gaze, cold and indifferent, was the same as the one that had controlled her heart and mind since childhood.

    ¡°Moreover, the most crucial piece of the n, the Dragon yer Sword, has been lost in this incident¡­ Father will no longer see you as his daughter.¡±

    Emil¡¯s face turned deathly pale.

    Father¡­

    The trauma of her childhood, which she had tried so hard to suppress, suddenly surged up again.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of the rest from here. But from now on, you¡¯ll have to be content as the canary in a cage.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by that¡­!¡±

    ¡°Escort her inside.¡±

    ¡°Brother! Brotherrrr! Let me go! I said, let go of me!¡±

    Emil was dragged away by the agents, her arms forcibly restrained, as they led her deeper into the pce.

    Thud!

    Ed didn¡¯t spare her another nce, instead scanning the room.

    He saw the maids and servants trembling, their faces drained of color.

    ¡°D-D-Director! Please spare me! I¡¯ll do whatever you ask, anything youmand, just¡­!¡±

    At that moment, the head butler clung to Ed¡¯s leg, desperate.

    He had heard something he should never have, and he knew what fate awaited him.

    ¡°If only you had properly taken care of the Lady of the Pce from the start, none of this would have happened.¡±

    Ed stared at the head butler with contempt as he spoke.

    ¡°Kill them all.¡±

    Swish, swish¡ª

    St!

    The agents¡¯ swords moved swiftly.

    Screams echoed through the pce, but they didn¡¯tst long.

    In an instant, the pce was drenched in blood.

    Deputy Director Morgan approached.

    ¡°Everything has been taken care of.¡±

    ¡°Rece all the vacancies with thoroughly vetted individuals. Something like this must never happen again.¡±

    ¡°Understood! I¡¯ll assign capable people.¡±

    ¡°And¡­¡±

    Ed paused, pressing his lips tightly together.

    Morgan immediately understood what Ed wanted to say and bowed his head.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of those captured as well.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s unfortunate. Especially Sidra, what a waste. Tsk.¡±

    Clicking his tongue, Ed began to walk away.

    ¡®Thanks to my foolish nephew and sister, the rebellion has already turned to dust. No matter what I try now, I¡¯m just ying into Robert¡¯s hands.¡¯

    Ed thought back to the image of the ck Dragon, which had been a constant thorn in his side, secretly hindering him at every turn.

    The Central Intelligence Bureau and ck Snow had been engaged in a covert power struggle for a long time, vying for control over the heart of Ragnar and the relics of the Ancient Dragon.

    Kyle had always stood by and watched, aware of the situation.

    But recently, the bnce of power, which had been on a knife¡¯s edge, had tiltedpletely in ck Snow¡¯s favor.

    To be precise, every operation the Central Intelligence Bureau undertook had been systematically thwarted.

    And at the center of it all was someone Ed had never expected.

    ¡®Theo Ragnar. Ever since I got entangled with him, everything has gone to hell.¡¯

    Ssh.

    The sound of Ed¡¯s foot stepping in a puddle of blood echoed softly.

    ¡®Yes. I should have acknowledged it from the start. Axion was never fit to deal with him. It was me, Ed Troyban, that should have confronted him. My mistake was not recognizing that sooner.¡¯

    The sharpness concealed beneath that young, handsome face still made it hard to believe he was just a fifteen-year-old boy.

    ¡®Therefore¡­¡¯

    Creak!

    As Ed opened the door and stepped outside, his eyes sank deeply.

    ¡°¡­From now on, I will treat you as my enemy.¡±

    * * *

    With the return of the 5th squad, a rumor quickly spread through Winterer.

    ¨C The 5th squad of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry returned from their mission after rescuing hostages.

    Normally, this would have been an unremarkable event, not worth any particr gossip.

    However, due to the circumstances involved, the rumor began to grow.

    ¨C It is said that the greatest merit was achieved by the sh Tiger.

    sh Tiger.

    Theo Ragnar¡¯s aplishments had spread like wildfire.

    The survival of squad members previously thought to be dead.

    The rescue of the hostages.

    An unexpected enemy ambush.

    Their counterattack and even capturing the enemy alive.

    Not only was Theo deeply involved in every aspect of this process, but it was also revealed that he had fought toe-to-toe with ¡®Bald Hammer¡¯ Slow Gang, causing an uproar.

    ¨C Bald Hammer? Isn¡¯t he a pretty famous terrorist? And they were evenly matched?

    ¨C Well, considering how rumors tend to grow, it¡¯s still impressive.

    ¨C I thought he was extraordinary since he set that record¡­ Hah! So, he¡¯s not just a training knight but at the level of a realbat knight?

    ¨C Seems like it.

    ¨C He¡¯ll likely take the test again. It looks like he¡¯s on track to be promoted tobat knight in record time. Hm!

    In the end, the conclusion drawn from all the rumors was just one.

    ¨C sh Tiger¡¯s growth is unusual.

    Considering he¡¯s only fifteen years old, his speed is astonishing.

    As everyone wondered where this rapid growth would lead, they missed something else entirely.

    The fact that there might have been a spy during this mission.

    * * *

    +

    [Dragon yer Sword: Balmung]

    ¡¤ Type: Broadsword, Mystical (Éñµz)

    ¡¤ Attack Power: ??? (Unknown)

    ¡¤ Usage Conditions: ??? (Unknown)

    ¡¤ Effects: ??? (Unknown)

    This item is currently sealed. The embedded mystery must be unlocked to ess further information.

    +

    Theo read the information window of Balmung and clicked his tongue lightly.

    ¡®Just as I expected.¡¯

    There existed something called .

    A legacy from the mythical era when gods and humans coexisted.

    However, such things were often like phantoms, elusive and difficult for humans to grasp.

    But once one managed to obtain it, they would gain, as the name implied, ¡®mysterious¡¯ power.

    Balmung, which bore the legend of ying an evil dragon, was one such item.

    ¡®Ed Troyban had unlocked the mystery of Balmung. The feat of ying a dragon¡­ That guy must know how to unseal this. But how exactly?¡¯

    Since Theo didn¡¯t know how to do that himself, his curiosity only grew.

    Just as Theo was about to run his hand along the de, hoping to gain at least a hint,

    Zing! Ziiing!

    Both Drake¡¯s de and the Moon-White Sword groaned in protest, vibrating violently in disapproval.

    Wiiiing¡ª

    Balmung reacted the same way.

    As if rejecting Theo¡¯s touch, it even emitted a forceful energy.

    A small cut appeared on his fingertip.

    ¡®As expected from a sword carrying the legend of dragon-ying, it¡¯s ipatible with someone like me who has deep ties to dragons.¡¯

    But instead of discouraging him, it fueled his determination.

    He wanted to subdue it and make it his own.

    ¡®It must have some connection to the Mystery¡­¡¯

    However, since he couldn¡¯t figure out a way to unlock it right now, he tossed it back into his inventory.

    After all, the most important thing was making sure Balmung didn¡¯t end up in Ed¡¯s hands.

    Knock, knock!

    ¡°Evelyn Nerevil and the 32 members of the 5th squad have arrived.¡±

    Theo snapped back to reality at his subordinate¡¯s voice.

    He was with the others, reporting back to Julius after their return.

    ¡°Let them in.¡±

    Clunk!

    As permission was granted from inside the room, the door swung open.

    Julius stood up and greeted them warmly.

    ¡°Wee back, my heroes! Haha!¡±

    ¡°We apologize. We couldn¡¯t prevent Trainer and the other members from getting injured.¡±

    Evelyn lowered her head slightly as she spoke.

    Julius shook his head.

    ¡°No, no. I¡¯m just happy that not only you but also the others made it back alive. Injuries can be healed, but those who are gone cannot return, can they? You all did well.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°More than that, I heard the neers did quite a remarkable job this time?¡±

    As Julius¡¯s gaze shifted, so did the others¡¯, turning toward Theo, Holcus, and Erika.

    ¡°They were amazing. Quick and sharp¡­ Honestly, Captain, you have no idea what could have happened if it weren¡¯t for them.¡±

    ¡°Captain, could you just bring in more recruits like these from now on?¡±

    ¡°Yes, please. Enough with the strange ones already.¡±

    Selperd and the other squad members, proud of the recruits, ruffled their hair in approval.

    It wasn¡¯t just Theo, but thanks to the efforts of the Ragnar siblings who appeared at the end of the battle, they managed to capture the agents from the Central Intelligence Bureau.

    ¡°They¡¯re all talented individuals who will be pirs of this unit.¡±

    When even Evelyn confirmed this, Julius¡¯s lips curled up into a satisfied smile.

    ¡°You¡¯ve all worked hard. Thanks to you, I feel much more reassured.¡±

    ¡®I¡­ I¡¯m being praised by the Dark Dragon¡­! Aah¡­! Is this a dream or reality¡­?¡¯

    Holcus was in a daze, overwhelmed by the fact that he was beingplimented by someone he admired. Erika smiled confidently, while Theo remained unreadable.

    ¡°Alright. Since you¡¯ve all worked hard, go and get some rest. We¡¯ll announce the details of the rewardster.¡±

    ¡°Understood!¡±

    ¡°Understood!¡±

    ¡°Oh, and I¡¯d like the 5th squad leader and Theo Ragnar to stay behind. I have something to discuss with you.¡±

    As the other squad members left the office, they patted Theo on the shoulder, congratting him for his efforts.

    Now, only three remained.

    Julius, wearing his usual mischievous grin, turned to Theo and asked,

    ¡°You saw it, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    Theo nodded.

    It wasn¡¯t hard to guess what he was referring to.

    The One Plum Branch.

    ¡°Yes. Thanks to that, I was able to draw the fifth w.¡±

    ¡°I remember you only had three during the Blossoming Ceremony, but now you have five already¡­ That¡¯s fast. Very fast.¡±

    Julius continued, folding his hands behind his back.

    ¡°Be mindful that being too fast isn¡¯t always a good thing.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be careful not to build a sandcastle.¡±

    ¡°As long as you maintain that attitude, you¡¯ll be fine. Now, let me ask you.¡±

    Theo straightened his posture.

    It seemed that the question Julius was about to ask was the core of their conversation.

    A strange gleam appeared in Julius¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°The sword within the One Plum Branch¡­ The Dark Dragon¡¯s sword you saw¡­ What did you think of it?¡±

    ¡®As expected. Finally¡­!¡¯

    Theo clenched his fist tightly.

    The moment he had long awaited.

    Julius was about to offer him guidance.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 75

    Chapter 75: One Branch of Plum (5)

    Gulp¡ª

    Theo unconsciously swallowed dryly.

    ¡®The Dark Dragon¡¯s sword¡­¡¯

    Theo¡¯s target had always been his father Kyle¡¯s sword.

    However, the person who made him resolve to walk the true path of the sword was Julius.

    It was by following the trajectory Julius carved that Theo could draft the framework for the .

    And now, that very same Julius, the Dark Dragon, was about to teach him.

    Theo tried his best to suppress the tension rising within him, but¡ª

    Thump, thump, thump!

    His heart refused to calm down.

    It showed just how much this moment meant to Theo.

    Hoo¡ª

    Theo took a deep breath and slowly opened his mouth.

    There was something that had alwayse to mind whenever he thought about Julius¡¯ sword.

    ¡°I believe the Dark Dragon¡¯s sword is ¡®violence.¡¯¡±

    Ho?

    Julius looked at him, his face showing unexpected interest.

    ¡°And why do you think that?¡±

    ¡°Because that is the essence of ¡®Demon¡¯.¡±

    A short answer.

    A brief silence descended over them.

    Then¡ª

    Pffft!

    Julius let out a bitterugh.

    ¡°¡­I think I now understand why the Mistress of plum Blossom Pce made such a suggestion about you. Your insight is truly exceptional.¡±

    It was at that moment.

    The world around Theo and Julius suddenly changed.

    Whoosh¡ª

    A ss-like space enveloped them.

    Julius had opened his signature technique.

    Theo found himself standing in the midst of a world reduced to ashes and ruins, everything burned ck.

    At first nce, it seemed simr to the world of the ck Dragon, which reeked of death.

    ¡®No, it¡¯s different.¡¯

    Theo¡¯s eyes could see that this was not the case.

    Its very essence was different.

    The ck Dragon¡¯s world, after all, still adhered to thews of nature.

    But this ce was different.

    Demon.

    It was a world where everything had been twisted into chaos.

    A world that could not, should not exist.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. The essence of ¡®Demon¡¯ is just that¡ªviolence, destruction, annihtion, the end¡­ Darkness that engulfs humanity in fear and anxiety.¡±

    Suddenly, Julius appeared, a sword in hand.

    Shhh¡ªshhhh¡ª

    He lightly swung his sword through the air.

    The path it cut was utterly simple.

    ¡°How did you find the Mistress of plum Blossom Pce¡¯s sword?¡±

    ¡°It was splendid and beautiful.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Her sword holds the essence of ¡®Life.¡¯ The process of a seed sprouting, growing tall, and eventually blooming into a magnificent flower is a reflection of life itself. It¡¯s gentle and swift. That¡¯s why her sword techniques areposed primarily of curves and circles.¡±

    Julius continued his exnation.

    The speed of his sword strikes gradually increased.

    ¡°But my sword is the opposite. It consists solely of straight and diagonal lines. There is no circling around. There¡¯s no dodging or deflecting. When it shes, there¡¯s only one oue. Either it breaks the opponent, or it breaks itself.¡±

    As his sword strikes grew faster, they carried a heavy force within them.

    Theo¡¯s skin began to sting slightly from the intensifying pressure.

    ¡°That¡¯s why my sword demands greater and more overwhelming strength. It unleashes everything at once. There is no retreat, ever.¡±

    Theo was suddenly reminded of the slogan used by the White Armored Dragon Cavalry.

    Indomitability. No retreat.

    That teaching was already embedded in his swordsmanship.

    ¡°This is the Dark Dragon¡¯s sword.¡±

    Swish! Swish! Swish!

    Julius¡¯ sword began to shimmer with light and fragment.

    Spectral Light.

    It looked as if the light itself was splitting into dozens of tiny pieces.

    sh! sh! sh!

    Rumble¡ª Rumble¡ª Rumble¡ª

    Each sh of light was apanied by a deafening thunderous roar, powerful enough to shake the ground, leaving behind overwhelming destruction.

    The earth was carved out, revealing deep gorges, and hills were split open, leaving only craters behind.

    It was as if the end of the world had descended upon them.

    Julius, now surrounded by a jet-ck dragon, exuded a terrifying aura.

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    Theo instinctively recoiled in shock, stepping back.

    The friendly and kind image of Julius he had seen so far was nowhere to be found.

    Only a malicious god who wielded violence and destruction stood before him.

    Rumble¡­!

    The pitch-ck aura exuded by the Dark Dragon now covered the crimson sky.

    Theo wondered if he might suffocate to death at this rate when¡ª

    Paahhh!

    Suddenly, a portion of the Shadow Demon Poison still lingering in his body stirred, clearing his mind.

    And with that, a new vision came into focus.

    ¡®¡­What is that?¡¯

    Theo began to see Julius¡¯ sword strikes more clearly, and they seemed oddly familiar.

    Though the momentum and destructive power were different, it resembled themon secret technique he had seen countless times during his mission with the White Armored Dragon Cavalry.

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    As Theo muttered to himself, the Dark Dragon¡¯s rampage came to a halt.

    Paahhhh¡ª

    A cloud of dust swept over where Theo had stood.

    Julius sheathed his sword and smiled.

    ¡°It seems you¡¯ve grasped the essence of ¡®Demon,¡¯ and now you¡¯ve seen this as well. It¡¯s called .¡±

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t that ¡®Flurry of Sword Strikes¡¯?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s correct, too.¡±

    His words were somewhat cryptic.

    But soon, Theo understood the meaning, and his eyes changed.

    ¡°¡®Flurry of Sword Strikes¡¯ was the foundation of the Six Arts of the Dark Dragon.¡±

    Julius shook his head.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s the opposite. The Six Arts of the Dark Dragon are the foundation of the Flurry of Sword Strikes.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    Julius seemed to find Theo¡¯s reaction amusing, as he let out a small chuckle.

    ¡°This is what the Six Arts of the Dark Dragon look like without mixing in magic power.¡±

    Swish, swish, swish¡ª

    Julius demonstrated several shes with his sword again.

    Only straight and diagonal cuts filled the air¡ªnothing more than the basics of swordsmanship.

    ¡°The Six Arts of the Dark Dragon are like a shell. The shape changes depending on what you put inside it. The men of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry pour their own swordsmanship into it, turning it into the Flurry of Sword Strikes.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Theo swallowed hard.

    Julius spoke as if it was nothing, but that was far from the truth.

    ¡®He just handed over a technique he spent his whole life creating to the entire unit?¡¯

    In most martial families, that would be unimaginable.

    ¡°Is it strange to you that I gave away my sword technique without asking for anything in return?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ It¡¯s just that there¡¯s never been a precedent for it.¡±

    ¡°Just because there¡¯s no precedent doesn¡¯t mean there¡¯s aw against it.¡±

    Julius¡¯s mischievous smile grew wider.

    ¡°In fact, it¡¯s not just me. The entire White Armored Dragon Cavalry does this.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s not a secret that must be guarded to maintain the family or sect, most of the members freely share their techniques and insights like this. Rather, they discuss the barriers they¡¯ve hit and work together to find new solutions. Sometimes, they even receive unexpected external stimtion and explore new paths.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°A technique shouldn¡¯t simply be hidden away. It needs to be shared, discussed, debated, analyzed, and improved by finding problems and solutions. And through that process, wee to know each other more deeply.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­!¡±

    ¡°The Six Arts of the Dark Dragon were created as a foundation for that kind of exchange. Each member incorporates their own insights into it and then shares those insights with others. That¡¯s how the Six Arts of the Dark Dragon continue to evolve, and the Flurry of Sword Strikes always triumphs. This is the reason the White Armored Dragon Cavalry remains invincible.¡±

    Theo felt like he¡¯d been struck hard on the back of the head by something heavy.

    ¨C Sharing a technique.

    It was a concept he had never even considered.

    A sword technique was supposed to be a swordsman¡¯s life¡¯s work, something not even shared easily between parent and child¡­ That wasmon sense.

    ¡®But perhaps because they share their lives like this, they¡¯ve built such strong camaraderie.¡¯

    In a way, every member of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry was both Julius¡¯s child and his disciple.

    Theo let out a dryugh.

    ¡°¡­Aren¡¯t you worried about betrayal?¡±

    ¡°Why? Because someone might leak our techniques, and a countermeasure to defeat us could be developed?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s possible, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Well, we haven¡¯t had any traitors so far¡­ But if it happens, let it happen. By then, the Six Arts of the Dark Dragon and the Flurry of Sword Strikes will have evolved into something entirely different. In fact, we might even wee it since it could push us to further improve thanks to the countermeasures. And besides.¡±

    Julius shed a yful smile.

    ¡°Just because someone has the secret recipe doesn¡¯t mean they can instantly be a great chef, right?¡±

    It was confidence¡ªor rather, arrogance¡ªthat even if all their secrets were exposed, they would never lose.

    No matter how kind Julius might be, in the end, he was still the swordsman representing the House of Ragnar.

    ¡°That¡¯s precisely why I rejected the offer from the Mistress of plum Blossom Pce in the past.¡±

    The Mistress of plum Blossom Pce¡¯s offer?

    What could that be about?

    ¡°She suggested this to me once. She proposed that we make you our shared disciple.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    Shared disciple. It meant taking on a disciple jointly.

    In other words, the Mistress of plum Blossom Pce had suggested that Theo be a mutual disciple of both her and Julius.

    ¡°You were already under my care, practically my disciple and family. So, what was the point? It would¡¯ve only disrupted the order within the unit. So, I told her if she really wanted you as her disciple, she should do so separately.¡±

    ¡°Then, the reason One Plum Branch came to me is¡­¡±

    ¡°You already received Full Blooming Plum Blossom, didn¡¯t you? I merely mixed in what I originally intended to pass down to you on your path to mastering the 24 Movements of the Plum Blossom Sword. Of course, with the two of us putting our heads together, it must have deepened in ways that are unique. That¡¯s your fortune.¡±

    Thump, thump, thump¡­!

    Theo¡¯s heart pounded violently.

    Even though Julius imed otherwise, passing down One Plum Branch was practically an agreement to make Theo the shared disciple of both him and the Mistress of plum Blossom Pce!

    Julius gripped his sword again.

    ¡°Starting today, I¡¯ll teach you the Six Arts of the Dark Dragon for an hour each day. But be cautious. Delving into the essence of ¡®Demon¡¯ will be an extremely arduous task.¡±

    Theo nodded heavily as he lifted Drake¡¯s de.

    This, too, was an unexpected opportunity.

    No matter what, he wanted to master Julius¡¯s sword technique.

    ¡°¡®Demon¡¯ is so ferocious that sometimes, it can even consume its master.¡±

    As soon as Julius finished speaking,

    Paahhhh¡­!

    A pitch-ck aura began to swirl around Julius.

    Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud!

    Theo tightly gripped Drake¡¯s de, igniting a resonance of magic power. It seemed clear that this training was going to be far from easy.

    * * *

    An hourter.

    Theo staggered out of Julius¡¯s office, utterly exhausted.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Evelyn asked.

    Theo shook his head weakly, his energy drained.

    ¡°I feel like I¡¯m dying¡­¡±

    ¡°The Captain¡¯s training can be pretty harsh. He even seems to enjoy it sometimes, so you¡¯d better brace yourself for the future.¡±

    It was true. Julius often looked delighted when Theo struggled during their training. If this was just the first session, how much harder would it get in the future?

    Theo let out a dryugh without realizing it.

    ¡®Still¡­ I¡¯ve grasped the basics of the Six Arts of the Dark Dragon. Even the parts that didn¡¯t make sense before are starting to clear up.¡¯

    Despite the physical exhaustion, his mood was incredibly good.

    More than anything, Julius¡¯s words from the training kept echoing in his mind.

    ¨C Why do you go to such lengths?

    ¨C Why do I go to such lengths¡­? Hmm, I¡¯ve never really thought about it that deeply. I¡¯m just following what I learned from the Patriarch, doing exactly what he did.

    This was Julius¡¯s answer when Theo had asked if there was a reason he shared his technique so freely.

    ¡®I never expected him to mention his father¡­¡¯

    ¨C Everything I have came from the Patriarch. I¡¯m simply returning it to where it came from.

    Julius¡¯s gentle voice had been filled with absolute trust and loyalty toward Kyle.

    ¡®I can¡¯t help but feel envious.¡¯

    Theo couldn¡¯t help but think.

    In the distant future, when he was seated on a throne of power, would he meet someone like Julius?

    Would he be able to earn the same kind of trust and loyalty?

    ¡®I¡¯ll have to work harder if I want to meet such a person.¡¯

    Fortunately, it seemed like he had already met someone worthy of that trust.

    His very own First Sword was standing right by his side.

    ¡°But Theo,¡± Evelyn interrupted, steering the conversation to a more pressing issue, ¡°I did as you asked. I¡¯ve locked up the prisoners in the underground cells without any interrogation. Are you sure we should leave them like that?¡±

    She was referring to the agents of the Central Intelligence Bureau captured at nky Fortress.

    The White Armored Dragon Cavalry had yet to uncover their true identities.

    After all, Sidra and the agents had meticulously hidden their affiliations from the start.

    Interrogating them was the obvious course of action.

    But Theo had opposed it.

    ¡°Just leave them be and keep watching. You¡¯ll see something interesting soon enough.¡±

    ¡°As expected. You know who the culprit is, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Theo simply smiled without answering.

    Evelyn let out a deep sigh, as if the ground beneath her had given way, and pressed her temple with her index finger.

    ¡°What in the world are you thinking¡­? Fine, I¡¯ll follow your instructions for now. But don¡¯t take too long. The members won¡¯t be able to make sense of it for too long.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry. They¡¯ll take the bait within three days at most.¡±

    Theo¡¯s eyes sank deeply.

    ¡®There¡¯s no way Soaring Dragon would leave anything that could be a potential weakness unattended.¡¯

    Theo was certain that Ed would make a move soon to clean up the situation.

    That¡¯s when everything would truly begin.

    The power struggle between Theo and Ed.

    ¡®Before this political battle kicks into full gear, I¡¯ll need to solidify the support of the Mistress of plum Blossom Pce as well.¡¯

    ¨C Once my swordsmanship training is over, head straight to Plum Blossom Pce. The Mistress of plum Blossom Pce must be quite restless by now.

    Theo still couldn¡¯t forget the spectacle of the Sky Flower Rain that the Mistress of plum Blossom Pce had shownst time.

    Just as he was about to make his way to Plum Blossom Pce¡ª

    Ding!

    Suddenly, several messages flooded his vision.

    [Tutorial Quest #18 has not yet beenpleted. Please proceed toplete it as soon as possible.]

    [If the quest is notpleted, it will be marked as a failure, and a penalty will be applied.]

    [In case of failure: ¡ö¡ö]

    [yer authority has increased, revealing previously hidden information.]

    [Failure penalty: Death]

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    Theo¡¯s eyes widened in shock.

 Chapter 76

    Chapter 76: The Joint Exhibition (1)

    A gorge within the Winter Mountains, where the secluded Elders mainly resided.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you just walking with a spring in your step?¡±

    Upon hearing the voice that pierced his ears, Upsurging Dragon turned his head with a grin.

    A young woman was sitting on a wall, gazing down at him with a sullen expression.

    ¡°If I had known how enjoyable it was to raise a disciple, I would have done it much sooner. Instead, I just ended up leaving the Dojo of the Upsurging Dragon abandoned and deste without an owner.¡±

    ¡°Oh really? Anyone who hears you would think you¡¯ve picked up a prodigy for the ages.¡±

    ¡°He certainly is a prodigy. If you teach him one thing, he understands ten. How could I not be pleased?¡±

    Upsurging Dragon sped his hands behind his back and let out a heartyugh.

    Wellington Narcio, the disciple he had taken under his wing as an overseer, was showing far greater talent than he had anticipated.

    He had already mastered an application of the Waterflow Breathing Technique¡ªsomething he had only vaguely demonstrated during the Blossoming Ceremony.

    It was clear that within a year or two, his growth would be remarkable.

    ¡°When was it that you were disappointed about not bringing Theo?¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s that, and this is this. It would have been ideal to bring both Theo and Well, but it¡¯s just unfortunate. Tsk.¡±

    Upsurging Dragon smacked his lips in genuine regret.

    The woman now had an incredulous expression.

    ¡°If you had done that, wouldn¡¯t you have ended up getting stabbed in the back?¡±

    ¡°Let them try. As long as they aren¡¯t caught, anything is permissible in the House of Ragnar, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    The woman shook her head from side to side.

    She found his arrogance to be so typical of someone from the House of Ragnar.

    ¡°And really, isn¡¯t it you, Lady Hilda, who regrets the most that I couldn¡¯t bring Theo?¡±

    ¡°Who knows?¡±

    At Upsurging Dragon¡¯s question, the woman¡ªHilda Ragnar, the former head of the House of Ragnar¡ªsmiled enigmatically.

    ¡®As always, she reveals nothing of her true intentions.¡¯

    Upsurging Dragon let out a bitter smile inwardly.

    In truth, the only reason he had descended from the Winter Mountains after more than thirty years of seclusion, avoiding Kyle, was one simple reason.

    Hilda¡¯s summons.

    ¨C The ¡®Shackle¡¯ has started turning again after a long time. Why don¡¯t youe down with me?

    Upsurging Dragon didn¡¯t know exactly what the Shackle was.

    He only understood that it was a kind of naturalw, something that magicians and shamans referred to as ¡®Heavenly Secrets.¡¯

    But as thest remaining retainer who still called himself Hilda¡¯s servant, there was no way he could refuse when his lord summoned him.

    At the time, he had thought it would simply be an opportunity to enjoy a long-overdue outing.

    Thanks to that, he had met a disciple, and encountered many talented individuals. There were no regrets.

    However, there was another, more significant connection.

    Theo Ragnar.

    A boy who mightpletely change the thousand-year history of Ragnar.

    He was also the only one Hilda kept her eyes on.

    ¡°Then, do you not intend to summon Theo here? Didn¡¯t you say that he was the child chosen by whatever that ¡®Shackle¡¯ thing is, for the first time in over 40 years?¡±

    ¡°I did.¡±

    ¡°Then why¡­?¡±

    ¡°Are you asking why I haven¡¯t called him yet?¡±

    Upsurging Dragon nodded.

    He was well aware that Hilda had exchanged private messages with Theo during the inauguration ceremony.

    At the time, she had spoken as if she would call for him soon. Why was she dying their meeting for so long?

    ¡°Just wait a little longer. There¡¯s still something I need to confirm.¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    Upsurging Dragon tilted his head in confusion, but seeing Hilda¡¯s deepening smile, he could only respond with a bitterugh.

    He could only hope that nothing out of the ordinary would happen.

    ¡®I just hope Ragnar doesn¡¯t act like Ragnar always does.¡¯

    Whether that hope woulde true was another matter.

    * * *

    [On failure: Death]

    Theo let out a hollowugh as he read the final message.

    ¡®I had a suspicion, but I didn¡¯t think it would actually be true.¡¯

    In truth, Theo had been guessing for some time that the contents of the ¡°¡ö¡ö¡± that had been redacted would turn out to mean ¡°death.¡±

    After all, there was no way he would have been given so many quests and rewards without some kind of severe penalty attached.

    Still, the pressure of suspecting something and having it confirmed werepletely different.

    ¡®She made it seem like we¡¯d meet soon, but I haven¡¯t heard anything yet. Could something have happened?¡¯

    Considering Hilda knew about the secret of his regression, it couldn¡¯t simply be a change of heart.

    ¡®Maybe it would be better if I sought her out first.¡¯

    There was no mention of when the penalty would be applied, but precisely because of that, Theo felt an urgent need to act.

    ¡®The problem is that it¡¯s hard to pinpoint exactly where Hilda is staying¡­¡¯

    There was only one piece of information Theo knew about Hilda from his past life.

    ¡°Captain, do you know how to get to the ¡®Ghost Castle¡¯?¡±

    Ghost Castle?

    Evelyn felt puzzled by the sudden change in topic, as they had been discussing the prisoners. But soon, she nodded.

    ¡°The Ghost Castle? You mean the old fortress ruins?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡±

    The current seat of Ragnar had been moved due to a rebellion that urred 300 years ago.

    The Ghost Castle referred to the site used before that, which was now designated as a restricted area for security reasons.

    It was surrounded by numerous magical formations and barriers, making it impossible to approach without a specific method.

    From what Theo knew, Hilda had made the Ghost Castle her residence.

    ¡°Since it¡¯s easy to spot while flying around the Winter Mountains on a dragon, I do know its location. But I don¡¯t know how to approach it.¡±

    ¡°Then, could you at least tell me the location?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what¡¯s going on, but¡­ alright.¡±

    Evelyn didn¡¯t ask for further details.

    Trusting one¡¯s lord and being able to silently observe his actions was a virtue that the First Sword must possess.

    Though their current rtionship was that of a captain and subordinate, Evelyn never forgot this important principle.

    * * *

    When Theo arrived at the Plum Blossom Pce, someone was already waiting for him at the front gate.

    It was a familiar face.

    ¡°Should I say it¡¯s been a long time? It hasn¡¯t even been a month, but it feels like forever.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you toe out to meet me.¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing worth mentioning.¡±

    Natasha¡ªthe one who had helped Theo during the Blossoming Ceremony and exposed Felix¡¯s wrongdoing when he disobeyed the orders of the Lord of the Plum Blossom Pce.

    ¡°You must have been eating quite welltely? Your face looks very healthy.¡±

    ¡°Does it? That¡¯s a relief.¡±

    ¡°¡­That response sounds like an old man¡¯s. How boring.¡±

    As Natasha grumbled, an old man standing beside her spoke up.

    ¡°Natasha, would you mind introducing this old man as well?¡±

    ¡°This is Sir Lang Frence, the head butler of the Plum Blossom Pce. And this is Theo Ragnar, who recently joined the White Armored Dragon Cavalry.¡±

    ¡°I am Lang Frence, the chief butler serving the First Wife.¡±

    The old man with short white hair and a monocle over one eye bowed respectfully.

    Theo, a bit surprised, quickly bowed his head in return.

    ¡°I never expected to meet the famed Spear Ghost in person. I¡¯m Theo Ragnar.¡±

    For a moment, Lang¡¯s eyes sparkled slightly behind his monocle.

    ¡°My¡­ I didn¡¯t expect the heir to know of me. I¡¯m ttered.¡±

    ¡°If someone didn¡¯t know of your great reputation, wouldn¡¯t that be a bigger problem?¡±

    The Spear Ghost was one of the few masters in the House of Ragnar who chose the spear over the sword as his primary weapon.

    ¡®He was even rmended for the position of Moonlight Sword Master at one point¡­ But I thought he had retired due to his age. I didn¡¯t expect him to be at the Plum Blossom Pce as a butler.¡¯

    The Moonlight Sword Master position had always symbolized nobility and mystery in the House of Ragnar, represented by aurel crown. Naturally, those who held the title, including the Nine Dragons, were regarded as symbolic figures of Ragnar.

    Declining such a prestigious position and staying by the side of the Lord of the Plum Blossom Pce certainly piqued Theo¡¯s interest.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since someone has praised me like this. I hardly know what to do with myself. Come inside. The First Lady is waiting for you.¡±

    Theo followed behind Natasha and Lang as they made their way through the Plum Blossom Pce.

    The interior of the pce, which Theo had never visited even in his past life, was filled with plum trees at every turn.

    ¡°It feels as though I¡¯m walking through a forest.¡±

    ¡°Haha. The First Wife loves plum trees so much. She oftenments that the plum blossoms bloom so rarely each year.¡±

    ¡°The plum blossom is naturally a spring flower, as you know. And Winterer has a very short spring.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I see.¡±

    As Theo chatted casually with the two of them, he couldn¡¯t help but notice the gazes that were following him from every direction, prompting a bitter smile.

    ¡®They really see me as an outsider.¡¯

    Every single gaze was filled with suspicion and wariness.

    They were surely aware of the Plum Blossom Lord¡¯s announcement at the Naming Ceremony that she would take Theo as her disciple.

    Given the situation with Felix, they had likely heard plenty of negative rumors as well.

    Some were even subtly releasing killing intent, trying to gauge Theo¡¯s strength.

    However,

    ¡®I don¡¯t need to bow down to them.¡¯

    Whoosh!

    [Activating the skill: Lesser Drake¡¯s Fear to counter all killing intent.]

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    The moment Theo activated the skill, those who had been releasing killing intent were shocked and instinctively backed away.

    Some turned pale, while others became even more openly hostile.

    Pfft!

    Lang chuckled lightly, clearly amused by Theo¡¯s reaction.

    Natasha also shook her head, as if thinking, He hasn¡¯t changed.

    Neither of the two said anything further. As expected of Ragnar, they seemed to believe that proving oneself through strength was the proper way to act.

    ¡°This is it. The First Lady is inside; you may go in.¡±

    Lang stopped in front of the training hall and gestured for Theo to proceed.

    Theo nodded in thanks and entered the hall.

    Inside, the Plum Blossom Mistress stood, gently touching the leaves of a tall plum tree.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you to arrive. I suppose I should be a little upset with the White Armored Dragon Commander for keeping you so busy.¡±

    She sped her hands behind her back and turned to face Theo.

    ¡°The gift. Did you like it?¡±

    She was referring to the One Plum Branch.

    Theo bowed, performing a sword salute.

    ¡°Thanks to you, I¡¯ve found a new path.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m d to hear it was of some help to you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯vee to realize that what can be drawn with a sword is not limited to just flowers.¡±

    At those words, a bright smile appeared on the Plum Blossom Lord¡¯s lips.

    ¡°As I expected. You¡¯ve truly grasped it. You¡¯re right. People only focus onpleting the ¡®flower¡¯ as quickly as possible, but they often neglect the process. Yet that part is far more important.¡±

    As the Plum Blossom Mistress stretched her hand forward, a sword embedded in the ground flew into her grasp.

    ck!

    ¡°I want to continue teaching you about the ¡®technique¡¯ and the ¡®art¡¯ that you might overlook. These two are the foundation of the sword.¡±

    As Theo silently nodded, the Plum Blossom Lord asked,

    ¡°Let me ask you again.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Will you be my disciple?¡±

    Thump!

    Theo¡¯s heart raced once more.

    Having seen all the memories of the One Plum Branch, he knew well how great a swordsman the Plum Blossom Lord was.

    If he could inherit her entire doctrine¡­ he would surely carve out a new path for himself.

    Furthermore, he could solidify his status, which had always been precarious due to his illegitimacy.

    But before that, there was something he needed to rify.

    ¡°May I ask you just one thing?¡±

    ¡°Ask as much as you like.¡±

    ¡°Why are you so fond of me?¡±

    Theo continued.

    ¡°I¡¯ve done nothing for you, mydy. On the contrary, I could put your honor at risk. And yet¡­¡±

    ¡°Because you remind me of Kyle.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    An answer he had never expected.

    Theo¡¯s body stiffened.

    ¡°Does that answer satisfy you?¡±

    The Plum Blossom Lord¡¯s smile deepened.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know it, but you resemble Kyle in his youth. By nature, you should be far removed from any im to power, and yet¡­ you try to ovee every trial and hardship. And even in doing so, you strive to uphold your principles. In all of that, you¡¯re very much like Kyle.¡±

    ¡®I resemble¡­ my father.¡¯

    That thought echoed loudly in Theo¡¯s mind.

    The Plum Blossom Lord continued her exnation.

    ¡°Not only that, but you also remind me of myself. Do you know what you look like when you hold a sword?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ know.¡±

    ¡°You always smile.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°That was just like me. I loved holding a sword so much, and I was so happy when I wielded it. You¡¯re the same.¡±

    Because he could chase the dream he hadn¡¯t been able to fulfill in his past life, every day was precious to Theo.

    That¡¯s why he held his sword more earnestly, and wielded it with even greater joy.

    It seemed that the Plum Blossom Lord had sensed Theo¡¯s thoughts.

    ¡°How could it not be natural for my heart to be drawn to a child who resembles both my husband and me?¡±

    Theo couldn¡¯t help but think that the Plum Blossom Lord¡¯s smile reminded him of Julius.

    ¡®In the end, these two are just people.¡¯

    Julius had once said that it was only natural to give back to the family what he had received from Kyle.

    And now, the Plum Blossom Lord said she felt an affection for Theo because he resembled both Kyle and herself, like a child.

    Could there be any answer more ¡°human¡± than that?

    However, to Theo, this felt far more genuine than any grand, lofty ideals or strange justifications.

    ¨C Will you be my disciple?

    Even the way she asked¡ªit was a proposal, not a demand.

    If he could learn the swordsmanship passed down by these individuals, it would certainly lead him to a position of power.

    ¡°Any other questions?¡±

    ¡°No, none.¡±

    ¡°Then, can I hear your answer?¡±

    Theo nodded and said something quietly.

    Upon hearing his response, the Plum Blossom Lord¡¯s smile deepened.

    Like a plum blossom blooming in spring.

 Chapter 77

    Chapter 77: The Joint Exhibition (2)

    ¡°You seem to be in quite a good mood.¡±

    After all the training was over.

    Theo, a bit exhausted, stepped out of the training grounds of the Plum Blossom Pce, and Lang Frence was waiting for him outside.

    Natasha was nowhere to be seen.

    ¡°Ah, do I? Actually, I¡¯m pretty tired from all the back-to-back training¡­¡±

    ¡°For someone who says they¡¯re tired, the smile on your lips hasn¡¯t left. Haha.¡±

    Theo scratched his cheek, slightly embarrassed.

    After all, Lang was right.

    Even though his body was exhausted, his mood was far fresher than ever before.

    He had received hints about many secret arts, martial techniques, and realizations that had previously been locked in his mind, unable to understand them.

    Even just reviewing what he learned today would help him see a new path.

    ¡°I¡¯m grateful to you, Lord Theo.¡±

    Lang, who had been watching Theo with satisfaction, suddenly bowed respectfully.

    Theo was startled, wondering why Lang was acting this way, but Lang continued speaking.

    ¡°You may not know, but ever since the Lord of Plum Blossom Pce first saw you at the Central Hall and after guiding you through Full Blooming Plum Blossom, she has been smiling much more often.¡±

    Theo¡¯s eyes widened slightly.

    ¡°So, please continue taking good care of her.¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes, of course¡­¡±

    Theo, caught off guard, bowed his head while awkwardly scratching the back of his neck.

    ¡®It seems like he naturally assumes I¡¯ve already be her disciple. What should I say?¡¯

    Lang¡¯s loyalty to the Lord of Plum Blossom Pce seemed exceptionally strong, making it hard for Theo to speak carelessly at that moment.

    ¡°Are you Theo Ragnar, the new recruit of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry?¡±

    Step¡ª

    Suddenly, a group of about a dozen people appeared in front of Theo.

    In an instant, Theo¡¯s eyes sharpened.

    Among the group, there were familiar faces.

    Felix.

    ¡°And what if I am?¡±

    However, Felix, who had his neck shrunk like a turtle, was merely blended into the group, and the real leader was someone else.

    Theo knew exactly who she was.

    A woman with long hair cascading down to her feet, her cold eyes piercing.

    Hazel Copel.

    A direct descendant of the Copel family, one of the Six Snow Families, and a practical sword master who had entered the Plum Blossom Pce in pursuit of the Lord of Plum Blossom Pce¡¯s sword techniques.

    ¡®In the original timeline, she was the one who became the true ¡°first¡± disciple of the Lord of Plum Blossom Pce, surpassing Felix.¡¯

    Her skills and talent were remarkable, andter, she even became the right hand of one of the five main candidates for session.

    It wasn¡¯t hard to figure out why she had appeared now.

    ¡®She must think I¡¯ve taken her ce. Just like Felix. Is she here to pick a fight?¡¯

    The head butler, Lang, found the unfolding situation so interesting that he quietly stepped back to watch. He showed no intention of intervening.

    ¡°Your words are curt. I don¡¯t see any respect for your superior.¡±

    Hazel, displeased with Theo¡¯s blunt response, frowned as she scanned him up and down.

    Tsk¡ª

    Theo let out a cold sneer, finding the situation absurd.

    ¡°Superior? To whom?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not even my direct superior, so why should I care?¡±

    Hazel¡¯s face hardened in an instant.

    ¡°You arrogant bastard, you¡¯ve been pushing it too far!¡±

    *Cha-cha-chang!*

    The swordsmen next to Hazel, enraged, drew their swords in unison.

    Meanwhile, Felix, who had already been beaten by Theo once before, turned pale with fear.

    A cold killing intent flickered in Theo¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°You understand what it means to draw your sword, right?¡±

    ¡°What nonsense are you spou¡ª!¡±

    The one who first shouted tried to say something more, but¡ª

    Swaaang!

    Drake¡¯s de was already out, cutting through the air with a streak of light.

    *Schk!*

    *St!*

    ¡°Ahh! My arm! My arrrrm!¡±

    ¡°Henry!¡±

    ¡°This crazy bastard actually used his sword¡ª!¡±

    The man, clutching his severed left arm, screamed in agony, while the others, shocked by Theo¡¯s sudden strike, tensed up, ready to attack him.

    However¡ª

    Gooooo¡ª

    [¡®Skill: Lesser Drake¡¯s Fear¡¯ dominates the battlefield.]

    For a moment, the killing aura that surged from Theo bound their feet in ce.

    ¡°Stop. Unless you want to die.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve only tolerated your insolent behavior out of respect for the Lord of Plum Blossom Pce. But if you really want to continue, go ahead. Just know it won¡¯t end with losing an arm next time.¡±

    Their expressions hardened instantly.

    Hazel ced her hand on her sword¡¯s hilt, her brow furrowing.

    ¡°You¡¯re already acting as if you¡¯ve be the sessor of the Plum Blossom Pce. Just because you¡¯ve be her disciple doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯ll all obediently follow your words.¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying you¡¯vee to gang up on a trainee swordsman because you can¡¯t handle me one-on-one?¡±

    ¡°¡­Seems like words won¡¯t get through to you.¡±

    ¡°So, what¡¯s next? Are we going to fight?¡±

    A tense standoff continued between Theo and Hazel, both locked in a deadly stare.

    The air was thick with killing intent.

    Then, suddenly, Hazel sheathed her sword back into its scabbard.

    *ck!*

    ¡°H-Hazel?¡±

    ¡°Why all of a sudden¡­?¡±

    The swordsmen, who had been ready to spring into action at Hazel¡¯smand, looked at her in confusion.

    Hazel, who had just moments ago exuded a deadly aura, now wore a faint smile on her lips.

    ¡°You¡¯ve got even more guts than Natasha told me about. No wonder the Lord of Plum Blossom Pce has taken an interest in you.¡±

    The sudden shift to a warmer atmosphere left the swordsmen of the Plum Blossom Pce even more bewildered. They hesitated, unsure of what to do next, clearly flustered by the abrupt change.

    ¡®As I thought. She¡¯s sharper than I initially realized.¡¯

    Hazel was someone who, much like the Lord of Plum Blossom Pce, would eventually garner the respect of many swordsmen in the distant future. Her earlier provocation hadn¡¯t seemed like her usual demeanor, which is why Theo had yed along. It seemed his hunch had been correct.

    However, Theo didn¡¯tpletely let his guard down. After all, another troublemaker like Felix could show up at any moment.

    ¡°Sorry for testing you. I¡¯ll make sure these idiots fix their sloppy discipler. But¡­¡±

    ¡°But what?¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t lying when I said I haven¡¯t acknowledged you as the Lord¡¯s disciple yet. Neither I nor the other swordsmen of the Plum Blossom Pce know anything about this Theo Ragnar. Your spirit, your character¡ªwe can¡¯t just ept you without question.¡±

    In that moment, Hazel¡¯s gaze sharpened fiercely.

    ¡°I hear you might be listed for the promotion exam soon as the youngest candidate? Even if not, you¡¯ll be there soon enough. When that timees, I¡¯ll make sure I¡¯m one of your examiners. Defeat me then. If you can do that, we¡¯ll all acknowledge you as the heir to the Lord of Plum Blossom Pce without a word ofint.¡±

    The promotion exam?

    Theo found it odd since this was the first he had heard of it, but he felt it was more important to clear up Hazel¡¯s misunderstanding.

    ¡°Do as you like. But there¡¯s something we need to get straight first.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°I have no intention of bing the sessor to the Plum Blossom Pce. Nor could I.¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    Hazel furrowed her brow, momentarily confused by Theo¡¯s words. Then, her expression shifted to one of shock as she raised her voice.

    ¡°You¡­ don¡¯t tell me¡­!¡±

    *Tsk!*

    Theo chuckled lightly and spoke.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure why all of you assumed I epted the Lord¡¯s offer, but I already turned it down. I was just leaving after informing her.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    Hazel and the other swordsmen gasped in disbelief. Even Lang, standing nearby, couldn¡¯t hide his shock.

    * * *

    ¡°How was your meeting with Theo?¡±

    Natasha arrived at the now-empty training grounds where only the Lord of Plum Blossom Pce remained, looking around at the remnants of the training session.

    The signs left behind were rather rough.

    ¡®As expected of the 24 Forms of the Plum Blossom Sword¡­ Has she already passed down all eight forms from the first half? That¡¯s too fast.¡¯

    Considering it had taken Natasha over a month to master just the first half of the forms, Theo¡¯s growth speed was extraordinary.

    As expected, a smile yed on the lips of the Lord of Plum Blossom Pce, who was gently touching a plum tree.

    ¡°It was enjoyable. Truly enjoyable.¡±

    ¡°Atst, the sessor to the Heavenly Dragon Sword Master has appeared. My deepest congrattions.¡±

    Natasha bowed her head deeply.

    The Heavenly Dragon Sword Master.

    This was the hidden identity of the Lord of Plum Blossom Pce.

    She was not originally from the House of Ragnar.

    She was the inheritor of a secret martial art lineage passed down by a single individual since ancient times.

    But the Lord of Plum Blossom Pce had been without a disciple or children for a long time, unable to find a worthy sessor to carry on this legacy.

    Naturally, Natasha assumed that Theo¡¯s appearance meant he was destined to be her sessor.

    However¡ª

    ¡°Originally, I had the same thought¡­ but, haha! It seems I¡¯ll need to find someone else for that role.¡±

    Natasha¡¯s eyes widened in shock at the Lord of Plum Blossom Pce¡¯s words.

    ¡°What do you mean by that? Are you saying Theo Ragnar¡­!¡±

    ¡°He refused my offer again. Now that I think about it, this is the third time. He¡¯s a stubborn child, without a doubt. Hahaha!¡±

    Despite being rejected, the Lord of Plum Blossom Pce looked far from upset¡ªshe seemed positively amused.

    Natasha, on the other hand, waspletely bewildered.

    ¡°Why this time? This is uneptable! I¡¯ll go ask him directly.¡±

    ¡°No need for that.¡±

    ¡°But¡ª!¡±

    ¡°He may not have be my disciple, but our bond hasn¡¯t ended. In fact, I¡¯d say it has deepened.¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    Natasha blinked, still unable to grasp the meaning behind the Lord¡¯s words.

    The sound of herughter grew even louder.

    ¨C *I¡¯m always grateful for your consideration, my Lady. But bing your disciple would be difficult. I already have someone I regard as my master in my heart.*

    ¨C Oh dear¡­

    ¨C However¡­

    Theo¡¯s gaze from that moment remained vivid in her mind.

    ¨C May I honor you as another mother to me?

    Another mother.

    The Lord of Plum Blossom Pce couldn¡¯t stop smiling.

    It was only natural that she would prefer a mother-child rtionship over a rigid master-disciple bond.

    While fate had not granted her the joy of having a child of her own, the fact that she could now wee a child in her heart brought her immense happiness.

    ¨C I have gained a child.

    That realization filled the previously empty space in her heart to the brim.

    The heat from the Blossoming Ceremony had barely cooled, and now this would likely be an even bigger issue.

    From that point on, the five main candidates for session would undoubtedly be on high alert.

    *Hoo-rroo¡­!*

    At that moment, therk perched on Kyle¡¯s shoulder chirped lightly.

    ¡°You¡¯re rmending him too?¡±

    Kyle looked at therk with a surprised expression.

    The bird nodded, continuing to chirp softly, *Hoo-rroo, hoo-rroo.*

    ¡°Indeed. That¡¯s a good idea as well. Very well, let¡¯s proceed with that.¡±

    With that, Kyle stamped his approval seal heavily onto the two documents.

    *Thud!*

    ¨C Approved.

    ¡°Alright then. You said with your own mouth that you¡¯d challenge the throne. Whether you soar high or get crushed, that¡¯s for you to prove.¡±

    A white fang gleamed between Kyle¡¯s parted lips as he grinned widely.

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 Chapter 78

    Chapter 78: The Joint Exhibition (3) >

    The evening had fallenpletely.

    Theo and Umbra were flying across the chilly night sky.

    ¡°Keeeeek!¡±

    Umbra, seemingly thrilled by the freedom of flight after such a long time, let out a screech.

    Theo, meanwhile, was reviewing a document as they flew.

    ¡°So, they want me to take the promotion exam already? This is much sooner than I expected.¡±

    Theo had always intended to qualify for the promotion exam as quickly as possible.

    However, he had assumed it would only be afterpleting three or four missions. He hadn¡¯t expected it toe this soon.

    In most cases like this, the Central Intelligence Bureau would typically suggest waiting a bit longer to observe, often dying such matters.

    But upon seeing the list of rmenders, he understood why it had been approved so quickly.

    ¨C Captain of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry, Dark Dragon Julius Ragnar.

    ¨C Lord of the Plum Blossom Pce, Sword Dragon Osa Ragnar Prunus.

    ¨C Leader of ck Snow, ck Dragon Robert Ragnar.

    .

    .

    .

    Three out of the Nine Dragons had stepped forward.

    Even the Central Intelligence Bureau would have found it hard to ignore a request like this.

    ¡°But why did the ck Dragon get involved?¡±

    Theo understood Julius and the Lord of the Plum Blossom Pce, but he couldn¡¯t quite grasp why Robert, the ck Dragon, was involved.

    Even during the nomination ceremony, there had been no notable connection between them. In this life, he hadn¡¯t had any significant interaction with Robert.

    ¡°Could it be because of the incorrect information ck Snow passed on?¡±

    From what he¡¯d heard, ck Snow was currently in a state of emergency, tracking not only the ck Skull but also the forces behind the sudden appearance of three factions.

    In that case, it wouldn¡¯t be strange for ck Snow to feel some favor towards Theo, who had helped prevent a major crisis.

    ¡°And then there¡¯s someone else whose presence on the list I don¡¯t understand.¡±

    The person Theo was most confused about was:

    ¨C Captain of the ck Iron Cavalry, Iron Puma Torkel Ragnar.

    ¡°Torkel¡­ I can¡¯t figure out what he¡¯s thinking.¡±

    Theo knew Torkel had been interested in recruiting him into the ck Iron Cavalry.

    He had even sent his vice-captain, Ayan Sosori, as a representative.

    But, during the nomination ceremony, there had been so many prominent figures that Torkel had seemed to step back, and Theo had assumed he had given up.

    Perhaps that wasn¡¯t the case after all?

    ¡°It might be worth meeting him if I get the chance.¡±

    Theo carefully folded the notification and tucked it into the inner pocket of his jacket.

    ¡°The promotion exam is in five days. I need to get myself in top condition by then.¡±

    The promotion test is conducted in front of three examiners: one selected from the candidate¡¯s own unit, one from the Central Intelligence Bureau, and one from another unit.

    The candidate passes the test by either breaking the sword of at least one examiner or receiving the approval of two or more examiners.

    When Hazel Copel said, ¡°Defeat me if you want to be recognized as the heir of the Plum Blossom Pce,¡± this was exactly what she was referring to.

    ¡®After I refused the position of disciple, she red at me like she wanted to kill me. I wonder what it takes to be an examiner?¡¯

    Theo chuckled as he recalled Hazel¡¯s intense gaze when he left the Plum Blossom Pce.

    ¡®More importantly.¡¯

    He slowly gathered his thoughts and lowered his gaze.

    ¡®Shouldn¡¯t I be arriving soon?¡¯

    Theo narrowed his eyes.

    The reason he took an impromptu nighttime walk with Umbra was simple: he was searching for the Ghost Castle.

    ¡®Found it.¡¯

    In that instant, Theo¡¯s eyes gleamed coldly.

    At first nce, the area looked like an ordinary coniferous forest, but he didn¡¯t miss the faint eerie presence lingering in the air.

    ¨C To find the Ghost Castle, you must pass through this area at precisely midnight.

    ¨C Midnight? Is there a particr reason for that?

    ¨C The exact location of the Ghost Castle is hidden by a barrier for security reasons. However, there¡¯s only one time of day when the barrier opens.

    ¨C And that¡¯s at midnight?

    ¨C Correct. Midnight, when one day transitions into the next, is known to be when yin energy is at its peak. It¡¯s also when the magic that forms the barrier is at its weakest. That¡¯s the time to strike.

    When Theo had requested information about the Ghost Castle, Evelyn had uncovered this secret after much investigation and shared it with him.

    And now, it was nearing midnight.

    ¡®Two minutes to go.¡¯

    Theo nced briefly at the pocket watch he had borrowed from Cecilia, then tightened his grip on the reins.

    ¡°Umbra, let¡¯s go.¡±

    Keeeeek!

    Umbra let out a sharp cry and swooped down toward the ground.

    Theo steadily checked the time as they approached the barrier.

    When the pocket watch hit exactly midnight, something faint and hazy appeared above the coniferous forest, only to vanish quickly.

    ¡®Now!¡¯

    Theo shot through the barrier with Umbra,nding smoothly on the ground.

    Thud!

    The air that had been flowing through the forest subtly changed.

    It became damp, oppressive.

    And eerie.

    Tsss¡­ Tsssss¡­

    Weeeee!

    The sound of the wind brushing against the tall conifer trees echoed strangely, as if it were a wailing ghost.

    The thick fog made it nearly impossible to see even an inch ahead.

    ¡®My senses feel blocked by something. I can¡¯t perceive things properly. Still, I guess I¡¯ve managed to find the right ce.¡¯

    Theo looked up at Umbra and spoke.

    ¡°Wait in the sky for now. We don¡¯t know what might happen, so keep watch and let me know if anythinges up.¡±

    Umbra shook its head wildly.

    Keeek! Keeek!

    ¡°¡­No, it¡¯s too dangerous to just go wandering here. We don¡¯t know what might jump out, and fighting on the ground would be difficult for you too. I¡¯m not saying I¡¯m leaving you behind.¡±

    Keeeek!

    No matter what Theo said, Umbra seemed unwilling to listen.

    It wasn¡¯t so much that Umbra didn¡¯t want to leave Theo¡¯s side, but rather it seemed worried that Theo might be in danger.

    ¡®What am I supposed to do about this?¡¯

    Theo scratched the back of his head in frustration. Just then¡ª

    Keeyeeek!

    Umbra spread its wings wide and let out a loud roar. Suddenly, its body began to dissolve.

    ¡°¡­!?¡±

    No, more precisely, its form sank down,pletely vanishing into Theo¡¯s shadow.

    Theo¡¯s eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected turn of events.

    A satisfied chuckle echoed in his mind.

    Kehehehehe!

    ¡®It awakened its Shadow Wyvern ability!¡¯

    Theo let out a faintugh.

    Originally, the Shadow Wyvern was a creature that used shadows as its nest, operating primarily within them. Its ability to manipte shadows was exceptional, though Theo had wondered if it could still be used in this lifetime without the Shadow Demon Poison. Apparently, it didn¡¯t seem to be an issue after all.

    Keeeek!

    The shadow rippled, and Umbra¡¯s triumphant cry resonated. Umbra was confident that it could help Theo more from within the shadows than from watching above.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. My thinking was short-sighted. Let¡¯s go together.¡±

    Keeeek!

    Umbra¡¯s cry echoed through the forest once more.

    Shiiiing¡ª

    Theo unsheathed the Drake¡¯s de slowly and began moving forward.

    It was time to find Hilda.

    * * *

    Rustle, rustle¡ª

    Theo continued wandering through the fog.

    Although it was difficult to keep his bearings due to the dense mist, Umbra guided him, signaling that they were nearing their destination.

    Before long, Theo spotted the faint outline of an old castle in the distance, perched beyond a ridge.

    It appeared hazy, like a mirage in the desert.

    The Ghost Castle.

    However, to Theo, it appeared slightly different.

    Fwoooosh¡ª

    A soft blue light emanated from the castle, the same kind he had seen whenever he encountered the relics of the Ancient Dragon.

    ¡®As I thought, it¡¯s here.¡¯

    Theo smiled briefly, satisfied that he had found the correct path, but suddenly froze as a chilling sensation crept down his spine. He quickly turned his head in the opposite direction.

    Swish, swish¡ª

    Kiaaah!

    From the opposite side of the forest, a ghostly wail echoed ominously, and something slowly emerged from the shadows.

    ¡®A girl?¡¯

    Was she twelve? No, maybe thirteen years old?

    A young girl was dragging a long sword across the ground as she walked toward him.

    Theo almost unleashed his aura, suspecting it might be a phantom creature, but he paused for a moment.

    The girl wasn¡¯t looking at him.

    With hollow eyes, she gazed into the empty air, staring at nothing, and soon after, she quietly dissolved into the wind.

    ¡°¡­What the¡­?¡±

    Theo wondered if she had concealed herself, preparing to strike from behind, but he couldn¡¯t sense any presence at all.

    Then, from another direction, a simr phenomenon appeared.

    This time, a girl around fifteen years old.

    It seemed as if the younger girl he had just seen had aged a few years. She was gritting her teeth, entirely focused on her training, swinging her sword again and again.

    The malice in her eyes was intense, filled with a burning rage.

    Then, just like before, she vanished into the wind.

    ¡®What is going on?¡¯

    Again, from another direction, a woman appeared, around neen years old, engaged in fiercebat with someone.

    She cut down her enemies relentlessly.

    Even when they surrendered, she mercilessly severed their heads, her face twisted with murderous intent like a demon.

    And again, she disappeared into the wind.

    And then¡ª

    ¡®There¡¯s more.¡¯

    From different directions, the woman appeared again, growing older each time.

    With each appearance, her aura became more murderous, her actions increasingly brutal.

    By the time she reached middle age, her face was devoid of emotion, as if she were wearing a mask.

    She killed without hesitation, not even flinching as she beheaded what appeared to be a longtimepanion, perhaps a loyal retainer.

    It was as if she were performing the most mundane of tasks.

    Finally, she aged into an old woman, seated on a throne.

    No one around her dared meet her gaze. They merely bowed their heads, trembling, only concerned with staying out of her way.

    It was the result of a life forged by ruthless power.

    Eventually, the pce caught fire. A rebellion erupted.

    The elderly woman, still seated on the throne, faced the rebel forces alone.

    Her expression seemed to say, Come at me if you dare.

    The rebels hesitated, too frightened to approach her. It wasn¡¯t until one brave soul took the first step that the others followed, rushing forward to attack.

    The woman let out a crazedugh as she swung her sword.

    The castle copsed alongside the raging fire.

    That scene looked eerily simr to the distant Ghost Castle.

    ¡®This is reflecting a life. A life that someone once lived.¡¯

    But a life that had been erased from this world¡­

    Realizing the nature of the illusions, Theo resumed his walk toward the Ghost Castle.

    The illusions began to show a new scene.

    The young girl, about twelve years old, appeared once more.

    This time, however, she wasn¡¯t holding a sword, but a mirror in her hand.

    She screamed, as if the reflection of herself in the mirror was something she couldn¡¯t ept.

    Then, as though she had resolved something, she abruptly stood up.

    From that moment, the girl¡¯s daily life changed drastically from what he had seen before.

    She began to adorn herself beautifully.

    Though she hadn¡¯tpletely abandoned the sword, she hade to realize that her beauty had a deadly effect on people, and she intended to wield it as a weapon.

    Men, women, young and old alike¡ªeveryone fell under her fatal charm.

    Those who had ruined or opposed her in her past life all died mysteriously, and a wall of irond power formed around her that no one could prate.

    She started to build a grand castle.

    A massive fortress that no one could approach.

    But the castle, surrounded by countless schemes and conspiracies, didn¡¯tst long before it crumbled.

    This time, it was due to a rebellion led by those who had once followed her in her past life.

    The most painful betrayal was from the man she loved the most.

    Thuck¡ª

    The woman looked up at her lover with a pained expression and asked why he was doing this.

    With a sorrowful face, her lover replied.

    ¡°Too many people have died because of you.¡±

    To this, the woman, her face contorted with rage, responded:

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll make sure they fear me even more.¡±

    She vowed to be so terrifying that no one would ever dare to meet her gaze again.

    Swish¡ª

    The illusion scattered and faded away.

    Then, the twelve-year-old girl appeared once again.

    This time, she didn¡¯t seem startled by her younger appearance.

    Instead, she calmly stood up, as if ustomed to it, and began to take action.

    She picked up the sword that she had nearly abandoned in her previous life.

    And then she moved on to somewhere else.

    .

    .

    As Theo walked, he continued to witness different moments from the woman¡¯s many lives.

    Each time she opened her eyes, she was a twelve-year-old girl once again.

    And each time, she tried something entirely different from her previous life.

    She had been praised as a genius, experienced nothing but sess,manded the obedience of many, eliminated traitors before they could betray her, and eventually became known as a viiness who sat upon the throne.

    Before the iron grip of her power, everyone held their breath and bowed their heads. It seemed the entire nation was within her grasp.

    But,

    the ending was always the same.

    Betrayal.

    No matter what kind of life she lived, the woman¡¯s fate ended in the same way each time.

    In misery.

    Or disgrace.

    ¡®It¡¯s a life of endless wandering. Even though she gains new opportunities with every return, achieving higher realizations, in the end, she always finds herself alone. Is this the life this woman lived?¡¯

    Theo felt a deep sense of pity for the woman, trapped in this endless cycle of repetition. Yet, as he watched her story unfold, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a chill run down his spine¡ªthere was madness woven into everything he saw.

    Madness.

    Yes, that¡¯s what this was¡ªpure madness.

    The kind that drives one to keep crashing into obstacles until something breaks. Even when her spirit was shattered, she would still charge forward, determined to destroy her opponent in the end.

    Even knowing that her surroundings would always fill with traitors, she sought to control them through sheer terror, determined to grasp whatever it was she desired.

    The kind of madness only a Ragnar could possess.

    ¡®If I were to repeat my own life endlessly, would I end up like her?¡¯

    With that thought, Theo lifted his head.

    Before he realized it, he had arrived in front of the Ghost Castle.

    Perched atop the half-copsed fortress wall, a woman sat, looking down at him.

    She had the same face as the woman he had seen throughout the visions.

    And she was smiling, a smile drenched in madness.

    ¡°How did you find the sights you saw on your way here? Did you enjoy them?¡±

    It was Hilda Ragnar.

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 Chapter 79

    Chapter 79: The Shared Enemy (4)

    Theo looked at Hilda.

    -You, you¡¯re a regressor, aren¡¯t you?

    -Well, I¡¯m a regressor too.

    The conversation they had shared during the nomination ceremony quickly shed through his mind.

    And there, Hilda had said something that could not be easily overlooked.

    -Well, even though all the turns granted to me have already ended.

    The word ¡°turns.¡±

    It meant that regression could be repeated multiple times.

    In fact, the visions Theo had seen also carried a nuance that the previous life memories persisted every time he turned twelve.

    ¡°How many times can regressions repeat?¡±

    It was only natural that Theo¡¯s first question would be this.

    There was a significant difference between regressing once and having multiple turns.

    A smile appeared on Hilda¡¯s lips as well.

    ¡°You ask that kind of question the moment we meet? You really are your father Kyle¡¯s son¡ªso cold. Come on in. Let¡¯s talk while we eat.¡±

    Hilda stood up and turned her body.

    Then, the tightly shut castle gate slowly opened.

    Creak¡ª

    The space beyond the gate was filled with darkness for some reason.

    Theo walked slowly into it.

    * * *

    In contrast to the ruined exterior, the interior of the castle was adorned withvish furniture and decorations.

    It was almost hard to believe that this was truly an abandoned old castle.

    It seemed Hilda had been living here, contrary to what was known.

    The ce Hilda led him to was the dining room.

    A long dining table, over 3 meters in length, was covered with a variety of steaming, luxurious dishes.

    ¡°Sit wherever you¡¯refortable.¡±

    Hilda sat at the head of the table and poured red wine into her ss.

    Theo cautiously sat across from her, scanning the surroundings. He was a bitte in noticing the chef who ced the main dish in front of him.

    It was a familiar face.

    ¡°Master Upsurging Dragon¡­?¡±

    ¡°Haha, have you been well? Didn¡¯t expect to meet like this, did you?¡±

    ¡°Why is Master Upsurging Dragon here?¡±

    ¡°Why, you ask? It¡¯s only natural for a sword to stay by its master¡¯s side, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t cooked in a while, so I don¡¯t know if it¡¯ll suit your taste. But there¡¯s plenty of food, so enjoy as much as you¡¯d like.¡±

    Upsurging Dragon winked at Theo as he filled his wine ss, then quietly left the room.

    ¡®So that¡¯s why he, who was supposed to be in seclusion, suddenly appeared as a judge¡­ Was this the reason?¡¯

    Theo was momentarily flustered.

    But as his thoughts began to settle, he had a feeling that his rtionship with Upsurging Dragon and Hilda would be even more intricate from now on.

    ¡°Even though he might look like a cranky old man, his cooking skills are so good that even I, who have lived twenty-one lives, keep him by my side. So, don¡¯t worry and enjoy it.¡±

    Hildaughed as she tore into a piece of meat.

    It could have looked rough, but somehow, the act suited her perfectly.

    However, Theo was focused on something else.

    Twenty-one lives.

    ¡°So, regression can indeed be repeated.¡±

    Theo spoke while cutting into the steak that Upsurging Dragon had brought over.

    He wasn¡¯t one forte-night meals, but it would have been rude to refuse the host¡¯s hospitality.

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know. Didn¡¯t I tell you thatst time?¡±

    ¡°What exactly do you mean by that? It¡¯s hard for me to understand.¡±

    ¡°Why should I tell you?¡±

    Hilda smirked, wiping the grease from her hands with a napkin before lifting her wine ss with her right hand.

    ¡°Why should I bother? You¡¯re the one who needs information, and I¡¯m only indulging you out of ¡®kindness.¡¯ I¡¯m not obligated to answer all your questions, am I?¡±

    The wine danced in the ss as she swirled it.

    Theo had a strong sense that Hilda was testing him.

    ¡®The eyes of a ruler.¡¯

    It was a gaze that only someone who had spent their entire life reigning over others could have¡ªa gaze that pierced through him.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m in a position where I must rely on your kindness, Lady Hilda. So, if you don¡¯t wish to answer, what can I do? I have no choice but to ept it.¡±

    ¡°Hm?¡±

    Hilda raised one eyebrow, seemingly surprised.

    Then, at Theo¡¯s next words, she let out a smallugh.

    ¡°In exchange, you, too, will be left in the dark. You won¡¯t know what the ¡®previous¡¯ world was like, or how the flow of time will proceed from here.¡±

    ¡°Hahaha! You think I would naturally be curious about the future? Why do you think that? I¡¯m already over 150 years old. If you count the past regressions, I¡¯ve lived for hundreds of years. Of course, I have no great attachment to life anymore. So, there¡¯s no reason for me to care about the future¡­¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re curious. Because you¡¯re a regressor.¡±

    The corners of Hilda¡¯s mouth lifted into a full smile.

    At that moment, Theo was certain.

    He had given the right answer.

    ¡°Regressors know the future. The information thates from that is the most critical factor when living life and making ns. In fact, regressors understand the importance and utility of time better than anyone else.¡±

    Hilda¡¯s smile grew deeper.

    Theo continued speaking.

    ¡°For someone who has experienced multiple regressions, they would inevitably be more ¡®dependent¡¯ on the future. However, you mentioned that all the turns granted to you have ended. This means you can no longer know the future¡­ and that must cause even more frustration, regardless of any lingering attachment to life.¡±

    ¡°Couldn¡¯t it be possible that I¡¯ve already lived through this period in a previous turn? If so, I wouldn¡¯t really need new information.¡±

    Theo shook his head.

    ¡°No, quite the opposite. You would need my information even more. The flow of history has likely beenpletely altered, thanks to the butterfly effect.¡±

    The time Theo had traversed was just over a decade.

    Yet, even in that short time, history had already begun to shift dramatically.

    One prime example was Wellington and Erika, who had not returned to their family but instead remained with Ragnar.

    What would happen if more time passed?

    Even if Theo stopped interfering with the course of history, the changes that had already urred would cause events to unfold in wayspletely different from what he knew.

    Ten or twenty years into the future, the history Theo was familiar with might no longer exist.

    Especially for Hilda, who had rewound time well over a hundred years ago.

    Even if she had lived as long in a previous turn, the trajectory of history would havepletely changed by now.

    ¡®There¡¯s no guarantee that the history I came from and the history Hilda lived through are the same.¡¯

    Thus, for a regressor¡ªespecially one who had repeated multiple turns¡ªfuture knowledge was like an addictive drug.

    A drug they could never quit.

    Theo was using this information as bait to propose a deal with Hilda.

    ¡°Hahaha!¡±

    Hilda burst intoughter.

    She seemed deeply satisfied.

    ¡°It seems this generation¡¯s regressor is quite the clever child. It looks like this is your first time regressing, but you¡¯ve already realized something it took me two turns to understand.¡±

    Hilda downed the wine in one gulp and mmed the ss onto the table.

    Crash!

    The winess shattered into pieces.

    Each sharp fragment reflected the glint in Hilda¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°I think I now understand why Kyle has only been watching over you.¡±

    This time, it was Theo¡¯s eyes that lit up.

    Once again, his father¡¯s name hade up.

    First Lothbrok, and now Hilda.

    What secret did they know about Kyle?

    ¡°What is the connection between my father and regressors?¡±

    ¡°There is a very significant connection. No one in this world hates¡ªno, despises¡ªregressors as much as your father does.¡±

    Hilda¡¯s words caused Theo¡¯s face to harden.

    ¡°Do you know how your father came to hold his current position?¡±

    ¡°I know that he seized the seat of the previous head¡­ through a coup.¡±

    There was only a five-year gap between the retirement of the previous head, Hilda, and the rise of the current head, Kyle.

    The reason for this was simple.

    Kyle had staged a coup and ousted his own father, the former head of the family, from power.

    Some called it an act of betrayal, but in Ragnar, where the victor took all, it was considered a natural event.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. But did you also know that the former head you speak of was a regressor?¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    Theo¡¯s eyes widened.

    Hilda smirked as she continued speaking.

    Red liquid, indistinguishable as either blood or wine, dripped from her hand, which had shattered the winess.

    Drip.

    Drip¡­

    ¡°The former head, who also happened to be my nephew, was utterly insane. To call him a tyrant or a mad emperor wouldn¡¯t even begin to describe how far gone he was.¡±

    Theo nodded.

    The Mad Dragon Emperor.

    That was the title given to the former head, now just a piece of history.

    The five years he ruled were considered one of the darkest periods in Ragnar¡¯s thousand-year history.

    Countless vassals and household members perished in wars, or were purged.

    The ¡°Nine Snow Families,¡± as they were once called, were reduced to the current six during this time.

    The most troubling part was that no one had been able to stop the Mad Dragon Emperor¡¯s rampage.

    He had been too powerful.

    ¡®If the Mad Dragon Emperor¡¯s strength was truly the result of regression, then it all makes sense.¡¯

    But that raised another issue.

    ¡®Then what exactly does that make my father, who overthrew such a grandfather?¡¯

    ¡°And so Kyle, unable to endure any longer, eventually staged a coup with his like-minded siblings. That¡¯s why your father hates and despises regressors so much.¡±

    ¡°So my father¡­¡±

    ¡°Are you asking if he¡¯s a regressor?¡±

    Theo nodded gravely.

    ¡°Yes. He is not.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°And that¡¯s what makes your father a monster. A man who hasn¡¯t regressed. A man who wasn¡¯t chosen by Lothbrok. A man who doesn¡¯t wield the relics of the Ancient Dragon. Yet, he defeated someone who had grown stronger through multiple regressions.¡±

    The image of Kyle shed through Theo¡¯s mind.

    The immense light that had once split the sky.

    That was not something any ordinary human could create.

    It was a miracle only achievable by those who dared to reach the realm of gods.

    ¡°Kyle¡¯s disdain didn¡¯t stop there. He even ruthlessly dealt with one of his siblings who was a regressor.¡±

    Theo had a person in mind.

    The Wind Lord!

    ¡°Kyle! Kyle, Kyyyle! Robert! Roooobert! I¡­ I hate you¡­ I hate you all!¡±

    The tragic hero who had been exiled by Kyle and the ck Dragon, barely clinging to life, only to fall into Qi Deviation.

    His journal had been filled with nothing but hatred and resentment.

    If this was the reason behind it¡­

    If the disdain for regressors that began with the Mad Dragon Emperor had extended to the Wind Lord, it all started to make sense.

    Kyle¡¯s words to Theo during the Third Blossoming Ceremony.

    -That¡¯s right. The enemies I defeated to reach this position, the masters who threatened this ce, the challengers who coveted this seat¡­ The position of the head of Ragnar is a lonely one. Constantly threatened and challenged¡­ It¡¯s a ce where one must never let their guard down for even a moment.

    -From now on, I will treat you not as my son, but as a challenger.

    -Let¡¯s see how well her teachings have shaped you.

    Kyle had already noticed that Theo had visited Lothbrok¡¯s Nest.

    And with the Heart Sword, Kyle had cut through Theo¡¯s very soul.

    A brutal strike, far too severe for what was supposed to be a simple test of the Blossoming Ceremony.

    What would have happened if Theo hadn¡¯t ovee it?

    I would have died. I probably wouldn¡¯t have even been able to regress, as my very soul had been cut.

    Kyle didn¡¯t dere Theo as having passed until he regained consciousness.

    At the time, it seemed like Kyle was merely keeping an eye on him, waiting for something more.

    ¡°I found it curious that he did nothing when he realized a regressor was born among his own children. That¡¯s why I wanted to have this conversation with you.¡±

    Theo fell silent at Hilda¡¯s words.

    The newly revealed secrets of his family were overwhelming, and he wasn¡¯t sure how to process them all.

    Suddenly, a question came to mind.

    ¡°You said you¡¯re a regressor too, Lady Hilda. Then why¡­¡±

    ¡°Why did your father leave me alone?¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±

    ¡°I already told you, didn¡¯t I? All of my turns have ended.¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    ¡°In Kyle¡¯s eyes, I¡¯m no longer a regressor. And, well, I¡¯m not someone who¡¯s easily trifled with, either. But remember this¡ªyour father¡¯s hatred for regressors isn¡¯t just an emotional response. He sees them as a hindrance to the prosperity of Ragnar.¡±

    Hilda waved her hand lightly in the air.

    At that moment, a wine ss that had been resting on a shelf behind her floated gently over tond in front of her.

    ¡°You know as well as anyone that your father is a madman, obsessed with Ragnar, right?¡±

    ¡°¡­Which is why I find it even harder to understand. Wouldn¡¯t he need information about the future even more if he truly cared about Ragnar?¡±

    Drip¡ª

    As Hilda refilled the ss with wine, she spoke again.

    ¡°Regressors are typically filled with arrogance and stubbornness. To them, the world revolves around them, a stage they can manipte whenever they please, like a puppet show.¡±

    Suddenly, Theo recalled the past vision he had seen of Hilda while passing through the forest.

    With each repeated turn, her humanity had eroded, leaving only madness in its ce.

    Perhaps¡­

    The madness disyed by the Mad Dragon Emperor was born from a simr situation.

    No matter how many times the cycle was reset, the oue didn¡¯t change.

    In fact, if things grew worse with each repetition, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising for someone to go mad.

    ¡®So, you believe that the path regressors inevitably pursue and the path you have set for Ragnar are irreconcble.¡¯

    Regressors would always prioritize their own benefit.

    As someone who ced the family above all else, Kyle had no choice but to eliminate them.

    ¡®Perhaps that¡¯s why he seized Lothbrok¡¯s Heart¡ªto ensure that no new chosen ones would appear.¡¯

    Theo clenched and unclenched his fists, continuing to think.

    ¡®And yet, despite all of that, he¡¯s left me alone¡­ Could it be that he¡¯s simply watching, waiting to see how things unfold?¡¯

    The idea that Kyle¡¯s sword could be aimed at his neck at any moment sent a chill down Theo¡¯s spine.

    And then, a thought urred to him.

    -Then why didn¡¯t the Mad Dragon Emperor or the Wind Lord return through regression to overthrow my father?

    It was a paradox.

    The conversation had dragged on, and the meat in front of him had grown cold.

    Theo¡¯s gaze fell on the blood from the steak pooling on his te.

    In its reflection, he saw his own face staring back at him.

    ¡°¡­What exactly is a regressor?¡±

    Theo realized that he needed to circle back to the core question.

    In order to understand the root of all these events and secrets surrounding his family, he had to get to the bottom of this.

    ¡°They are the chosen ones,¡± Hilda said, raising the wine ss to her lips.

    ¡°And they are also, in a way, relics left behind by the Ancient Dragon itself.¡±

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 80

    Chapter 80: The Joint Exhibition (5) >

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it really delicious?¡±

    Hilda smiled lightly, seeming to enjoy the wine.

    ¡°Are you saying the regressor is the relic of the Ancient Dragon?¡±

    Theo asked urgently.

    Lothbrok spoke.

    Theo was in possession of a total of four relics.

    However, the relics he remembered were only three.

    The dungeon, the Moon-White Sword, and Amon.

    So he spected that something else must be the one that triggered his regression,

    ¡°No. It¡¯s not the regression.¡±

    Hilda shook her head with an amused smile.

    Theo¡¯s eyes widened.

    ¡°Then¡­ what is it?¡±

    ¡°The blessed body that has been passed down exclusively through the Ragnar bloodline. That¡¯s the relic.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°Contrary to the legend, our Ragnar isn¡¯t even truly of Lothbrok¡¯s bloodline. We¡¯re merely sharing ¡®the blood of the dragon¡¯ through a pact, but even so, after passing down through over a thousand years, it¡¯s inevitable that the blood gets diluted. As a regressor and a chosen one, you must be aware of this much, right?¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±

    ¡°Then why do these traits continue to be passed down? Is it simply because the second ancestor, Sigurd, was good at refining these traits? Even if that were the case, it wouldn¡¯t make sense, right? There hasn¡¯t been a case where these traits have manifested in the coteral lines or other families. Even though there have been quite a few marriage alliances in the past.¡±

    ¡°Are you saying that¡¯s because of the relic?¡±

    ¡°Exactly. The blessing bestowed only upon the . A unique bloodline factor that only manifests in the direct line. That¡¯s the relic.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    The relic of the Ancient Dragon was a kind of .

    Although it was called a relic, its form could be a mere object, or it could be some specific phenomenon.

    ¡°And.¡±

    Was there more?

    Theo feltpletely drawn into Hilda¡¯s words.

    ¡°There are instances where the traits of the bloodline factors manifest even more prominently. That¡¯s exactly.¡±

    ¡°The chosen one¡­ regression ability.¡±

    ¡°Bingo.¡±

    Trickle¡ª

    Hilda refilled the empty wine ss as she spoke.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know the conditions that trigger the chosen one, or the regressor¡¯s abilities, that are dormant in our genes. The number of times one can regress, that too, I don¡¯t know. If we had known those things, the Ragnar family would¡¯ve already conquered the world by now.¡±

    Theo nodded heavily.

    Atst, his thoughts felt organized.

    ¡®So, those who awaken as chosen ones gain the ability to regress and the qualification to contact Lothbrok¡­ That¡¯s how it works. But beyond that, the detailed conditions or specifics are still unknown.¡¯

    So, here arises a question.

    ¨C How many times can I regress?

    And another questiones to mind.

    ¨C Why doesn¡¯t Hilda mention the ?

    ¡®It¡¯s as if she believes the bloodline factor¡¯s abilities are limited only to the blessed body and regression¡­¡¯

    Theo felt the need to probe a little.

    ¡°It could be that the number of regressions is limited to just one, right?¡±

    ¡°Maybe. There have been cases like that. Why? You seem eager to know how many chances you have?¡±

    Hilda twirled her wine ss with a mischievous smile.

    Theo, with a bitter smile, nodded.

    ¡°I can¡¯t say I¡¯m not curious.¡±

    ¡°Haha, of course. Each chance is an opportunity for you, so it¡¯s natural for it to be important.¡±

    ¡°Is there any way to find out?¡±

    Hilda shook her head.

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t know. But there¡¯s something like a ¡®feeling.¡¯ A sense that tells you whether you have a few more chances left or if you¡¯re running out.¡±

    ¡°A feeling¡­ So, it¡¯s not concrete.¡±

    ¡°Right. But isn¡¯t even that remarkable?¡±

    Theo nodded silently, but inside, he felt a sense of certainty.

    ¡®The ¡­ that¡¯s my ability alone. I¡¯m sure of it.¡¯

    Even if it wasn¡¯t unique, at least Hilda didn¡¯t have it.

    Her words about it being ¡°not concrete¡± were proof enough.

    At the very least, Theo would get information rted to it.

    Didn¡¯t a message appear the first time he regressed?

    ¡®It¡¯s not just the messages. The status window, information window, inventory, shop¡­ Everything rted to  is gone.¡¯

    Thump thump thump!

    Theo had to suppress his racing heart.

    Having an ability that no other chosen ones possessed was clearly a major advantage and a powerful weapon.

    It was something he needed to keep hidden from Hilda.

    Ding!

    [Congrattions! You have sessfully uncovered the hidden secrets of the family and solved the surrounding events,pleting Tutorial Quest #18.]

    [Evaluation: A+]

    [You have earned 1 coin as a reward.]

    [As an additional reward for your evaluation, all stats have increased by 5.]

    [All tutorials have ended.]

    [The beginner status has been lifted. All beginner perks will now disappear.]

    [You can now fully proceed with the scenario.]

    Seeing the messages pop up before his eyes, Theo let out a sigh of relief.

    His overall stats had increased by 30, bringing a change simr to what happened when he achieved the Purge Cleansing Technique.

    ¡®Scenario? What is this? It seems like a new stage of the tutorial.¡¯

    It was just as Theo was about to ask a question.

    [A scenario is a story that uncovers many hidden secrets in this tightly sealed world, leading towards ¡ö¡ö.]

    [Upon solving it, you will receive rewards and a portion of causal power.]

    [We wish you good fortune.]

    ¡®Causal power?¡¯

    Once again, the message wasn¡¯t very helpful.

    However, Theo could easily predict that this scenario would be closely tied to the other secrets of the family, the relic of the Ancient Dragon, and the messages.

    Especially, the newly introduced ¡°¡ö¡ö¡± felt like it would be the core theme running through this scenario.

    [The main scenario has begun.]

    [A quest has arrived.]

    +

    [Scenario Quest #1]

    Maintain your bnce amidst the temptations and threats from those who covet your talent.

    ¡¤ Difficulty: A

    ¡¤ Reward: 2 Coins

    ¡¤ Failure penalty: Death

    Important turning points will be generated depending on the oue of this quest.

    +

    As Theo read through the quest window, his posture stiffened.

    Maintain your bnce amidst the temptations and threats of various people?

    There could only be one reason such a quest appeared at this moment.

    ¡®Damn.¡¯

    Theo sensed something unsettling in Hilda¡¯s gaze as she twirled her wine ss while looking at him.

    The eyes of a dragon staring at its prey.

    Even a hint of madness that had been hidden until now was gleaming in her eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯ve answered all of your questions. Now, it¡¯s time for you to answer mine.¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes. What would you like to know? The life I¡¯ve lived isn¡¯t very long, but I¡¯ll answer with all sincerity.¡±

    ¡°No, there¡¯s no need for that.¡±

    Hilda raised one corner of her mouth.

    The sharpness of the fangs visible between her slightly parted lips was striking.

    ¡°Because there¡¯s a better way.¡±

    ¡°A better way, you say?¡±

    ¡°Be my disciple.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°I will pass on to you the sword I¡¯ve honed over hundreds of years. The sword that even your father dared not disce me for. Surely, you¡¯re tempted by that.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°And.¡±

    Thump! Thump! Thump!

    His heart pounded violently.

    The sword that Hilda had crafted, reaching a higher level than even Kyle in terms of mastery, was right in front of him.

    Hilda seemed to sense Theo¡¯s inner turmoil as she widened her smile and ced something on the table.

    Bang!

    It was a wooden box.

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you this as a gift.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Open it.¡±

    Hilda pushed the wooden box toward him.

    The wooden box slid across the table and stopped in front of Theo.

    Click!

    The moment he opened the lid, Theo¡¯s eyes widened involuntarily.

    A crimson heart, about the size of a human head, was pulsating within.

    Thump thump thump!

    Boom boom boom boom!

    In response, Theo¡¯s own heart began to race.

    ¡°Looks like a familiar sight to you. Do you know about it from your future knowledge?¡±

    Theo couldn¡¯t deny it.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this¡­ the Heart of Garuda?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    Theo swallowed dryly.

    When he had first seen Hilda during the Blossoming Ceremony, he had thought about wanting this, but now that it was right in front of him, his hands were trembling.

    Garuda was a divine bird with a legend of devouring only the hearts of dragons.

    It was one of the few entities considered a natural enemy of dragonkin, alongside the Dragon yer Sword.

    Of course, a heart imbued with such strength and spiritual energy would be an immense aid to Theo¡¯s future growth.

    ¡®It would essentially eliminate my greatest adversary.¡¯

    And now, Hilda was offering to give him this elixir along with swordsmanship if he became her disciple.

    It was an overwhelming offer.

    ¡°You seem to understand its value, which makes this conversation much easier. I am not like Kyle. I don¡¯t waste time making sessorspete against each other in futile games. I¡¯ll have only one proper disciple, whom I will fully support.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Come to me, Theo. I will grant you a power that no other regressor has ever attained.¡±

    Theo silently stared at the Heart of Garuda.

    Thump thump thump!

    The heart was still beating strongly, almost as if it were alive.

    It was said to be a creature that walked the line between life and death. The vitality it emanated seemed to reach him even now.

    However,

    Bang!

    Theo firmly closed the lid of the wooden box and bowed his head.

    Hilda¡¯s previously confident expression hardened.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°Why? Do you find my offercking?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s far more than I deserve.¡±

    ¡°Then why?¡±

    Theo lifted his bowed head.

    His eyes, calm and deep, reflected Hilda¡¯s face within them.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be dragged into the political conflict between the two of you as a pawn.¡±

    Hilda tilted her head, seemingly unable toprehend.

    ¡°Political conflict? I¡¯m not sure what you mean. As you know, I stepped down from the headship of the family decades ago. It¡¯s already Kyle¡¯s era. How could I interfere with that?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Even if you reveal yourself again, it would be difficult for you to reim the throne of Ragnar.¡±

    ¡°Then why¡­?¡±

    ¡°But sitting behind the throne is still a very real possibility, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Theo didn¡¯t miss the fact that Hilda¡¯s face was gradually losing its expression.

    Instead, another emotion that had been lurking beneath the surface began to rise.

    Madness.

    ¡°If you ce me on the throne as your disciple, it would be no different from having all of Ragnar in your hands.¡±

    ¨C Hilda still harbored a strong attachment to power.

    This was the conclusion Theo had drawn after observing the illusion outside the fortress, their previous conversations, and Hilda¡¯s various actions.

    He didn¡¯t know why she had stepped down from the position of head of the family in the past or why she was now trying to reim power.

    But all of it had one thing inmon.

    Greed.

    Just as the Emperor of the Mad Dragon had used his regression abilities for personal gain, trying to manipte Ragnar for his own benefit, Hilda also used her abilities for simr reasons.

    ¨C Could this be the very limitation of a regressor that Kyle had mentioned?

    It was inevitable that Hilda and Kyle would sh soon.

    Although Theo had not witnessed such a thing in his previous life, with these two powerful figures, it wasn¡¯t surprising that they would have already engaged in covert conflicts behind the scenes.

    ¡°Kyle will never let a regressor live. For now, he¡¯s letting you be out of whim, but eventually, that de will be aimed at your neck. However, under my protection, you¡¯ll be safe.¡±

    Hilda no longer hid her impending power struggle with Kyle, insteadying it out openly.

    Theo shook his head.

    ¡°I¡¯m someone who seeks to im the throne with my own hands. I¡¯ll stand on my own, without my father¡¯s favor or your protection, Hilda.¡±

    ¡°¡­Is that so. Now I see clearly why Kyle wants to keep watching you.¡±

    Hilda smiled bitterly, recognizing the unwavering determination in Theo¡¯s gaze.

    It was not something that could be broken with mere words.

    So,

    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped, then.¡±

    In an instant, Hilda¡¯s eyes werepletely overtaken by madness.

    Theo instinctively tried to move away from the table.

    But Hilda¡¯s hand mmed against the table first.

    Bang!

    Whoosh!

    The world around Theo flipped upside down.

    Complete, pitch-ck darkness.

    There was no table, no Heart of Garuda, no Hilda.

    Not even Theo himself.

    All of his senses were buried in the darkness, and even his own presence vanished.

    This was Hilda¡¯s ss realm.

    ¡¸There has never been a single thing I desired that I failed to acquire. Even if I had to try multiple times, even if it meant destroying my opponent, I always got what I wanted in the end.¡¹

    Hilda¡¯s voice echoed like a chilling reverberation from all directions.

    ¡¸So do you think I won¡¯t have you?¡¹

    She was dering that she would imprison him here until his will broke.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 81

    Chapter 81: Hilda Ragnar (1)

    In the underground prison of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry.

    Evelyn was using a concealment technique as she moved through the corridor, where the guards were busilying and going.

    ¡®They said the enemy would make a move to cut off loose ends¡­ Could that really be true?¡¯

    Evelyn had been waiting here for four hours with no definite oue.

    She was there under Theo¡¯s orders, but to be honest, she was still unsure if this was the right move.

    It wasn¡¯t just anywhere, after all¡ªit was the underground prison of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry.

    Could the spies really be bold enough tounch an assault on such a heavily guarded ce?

    But Evelyn figured there was nothing to lose by setting a trap. Even if nothing happened, it wouldn¡¯t be much of a loss, so she decided to wait.

    ¡®Thanks to that, I¡¯ve discovered a new way to use the Wind God technique.¡¯

    The Wind God was a secret art that epassed all kinds of body techniques.

    By using the wind to erase her presence and scent¡­ it became possible topletely erase her existence from the world.

    It was all thanks to the method Theo had taught her.

    ¡®There¡¯s no need to question my lord¡¯s insight in seeing through the core of secret techniques. All I need to do is continue improving myself, so I can rise even higher. So that when the timees, I can be the sword in his hand.¡¯

    Just as Evelyn was thinking this¡ª

    Whoosh¡ª

    A faint, cool breeze blew in from outside.

    It was a breeze that one should never be able to feel in the underground prison.

    ¡®They¡¯reing.¡¯

    In the darkness, Evelyn¡¯s eyes gleamed coldly.

    * * *

    ¡®The Three-Second Abyss¡­ That¡¯s what it was called, right?¡¯

    Theo swallowed dryly as he gazed at the darkness surrounding him.

    Or at least, he thought he swallowed.

    The ss Realm was a space where the caster¡¯s thoughts and emotions were manifested into the outside world.

    Hilda¡¯s ss Realm was infamous enough to earn her the nickname ¡®Demon Abyss,¡¯ and it was her signature technique.

    With this technique, she could trap her opponent in a ¡®Hell¡¯ within just three seconds.

    Once someone was caught in it, all their senses would be erased, making it feel like they were trapped in an eternal loop.

    The absence of senses meant the person couldn¡¯t even properly recognize what was happening.

    Without any external stimuli, one¡¯s consciousness would be left to repeat imagined scenarios over and over.

    And those scenarios would quickly spiral into fear and dread, turning into delusions that would eventually devour one¡¯s consciousness.

    Hilda had said:

    If he wanted to escape this ce, he had to be her disciple.

    If he agreed, she would even give him her sword and Garuda¡¯s Heart.

    Of course, Theo had no intention of being drawn into Hilda¡¯s schemes so easily.

    [¡®Skill: Hatchling Synchronization¡¯ has activated, and a mental barrier is protecting your consciousness.]

    [The severed senses return, allowing you to assess your body¡¯s functions.]

    ¡®It works as expected.¡¯

    As the darkness receded and his hands came into view, Theo let out a sigh of relief.

    During the Third Blossoming Ceremony, after oveing Kyle¡¯s Heart Sword, Theo had acquired a strong mental barrier that could easily deflect most mental attacks.

    Thanks to that, he hadn¡¯t resisted much when Hilda hinted at activating her ss Realm.

    ¡®From the moment I came to Ghost Castle, I didn¡¯t expect any goodwill from Hilda.¡¯

    Given that she had once solidified the foundations of the previous generation¡¯s Ragnar, it wasn¡¯t surprising if she harbored all sorts of malicious intentions.

    So just in case, Theo had prepared several backup ns¡­ and they had worked perfectly.

    The first was Hatchling Synchronization.

    And the second¡ª

    ¡°, summon Balmung.¡±

    The Dragon yer Sword.

    sh!

    Light flickered at Theo¡¯s fingertips, and soon, Balmung materialized before him.

    Perhaps due to the sword¡¯s legendary power, his fingers tingled as if pricked by needles.

    ¡®No matter how powerful the Three-Second Abyss is, it¡¯s ultimately a space derived from Ragnar¡¯s secret art. Itsws are formed by the power of the dragon. If that¡¯s the case¡­¡¯

    Theo gritted his teeth and poured all the magic from his Dragon¡¯s Heart and his dantian into Balmung.

    At the same time, he activated Hatchling Synchronization, trying to awaken some of the sword¡¯stent will.

    ¡®The Dragon yer Sword, Balmung, should be particrly effective against it.¡¯

    [You stimte the will of the ¡®Dragon yer Sword: Balmung.¡¯ Your qualifications are insufficient to fully awaken the will.]

    [The will cannot be fully awakened.]

    [To awaken the will, specific conditions must be met.]

    .

    [The enormous amount of magic enhances the skill¡¯s effect.]

    [A portion of thetent will is forcibly awakened and reveals itself momentarily.]

    [Effect: Dragon yer Strike]

    Ziiiiing!

    Balmung trembled wildly as beams of light appeared along its de.

    Though the power it emitted seemed weak given the amount of magic he had poured into it, it was enough for Theo.

    Screeech!

    Theo swung Balmung downward with all his might.

    Suddenly, he heard the sound of something shattering in the empty darkness, as if something unseen had been caught and was breaking apart.

    It was the sound of chains snapping.

    Rattatatat¡ª

    Crack!

    As the chains broke, a fissure formed somewhere in the space.

    Theo seized the opportunity, pouring all his remaining will into that gap.

    * * *

    ¡°¡­¡­What did you do?¡±

    Hilda frowned as she nced at Theo, who was trapped inside the pitch-ck sphere.

    She had assumed that after being locked up for a day or so, he¡¯d be a bit morepliant.

    But not long after he was imprisoned, strange phenomena began to ur.

    The chains of the abyss, which had tightly bound the ck sphere, were starting to break, and a crack had formed at the top of the sphere.

    Though the crack was minorpared to the full power of the Three-Second Abyss, the problem was the very fact that such a crack had appeared!

    At that moment¡ª

    Whoooosh!

    ¡°No way¡­!?¡±

    Hilda¡¯s eyes widened as she noticed a heatwave rising from the crack.

    She quickly realized what it was.

    ¡®Mental will? A mere trainee swordsman can already wield mental will? How did he unlock the Brain Gate?¡¯

    For Hilda, who had no knowledge of Theo¡¯s secrets, this was apletely unexpected mistake.

    And the purpose of that mental will, or perhaps willpower, was simple.

    A distress signal.

    It was sending a call for help to someone.

    Before Hilda could intervene, the ceiling suddenly copsed, and the ck sphere exploded along with it.

    BOOOOM¡ª

    Rumble, crash!

    Dust and debris filled the air, the tableden with all kinds of delicacies waspletely smashed, and a shockwave sent dust swirling everywhere.

    In the midst of all the chaos, a figure emerged¡ªdressed in ck with silver hair and wearing a mask.

    Step, step!

    ¡°Robert!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Grand Elder.¡±

    The ck Dragon gave a slight nod of greeting, his expression irritated as he nced towards the back.

    Theo was there, gasping for breath, his face exhausted.

    He had expended all his magic and stamina at once to break the Three-Second Abyss, leaving himpletely drained.

    ¡°Haa¡­ haa¡­! Luckily, my distress signal¡­ haa¡­ seems to have reached you¡­ just in time¡­¡±

    ¡°How did you know I was outside?¡±

    The ck Dragon¡¯s eyes gleamed sharply from behind the mask.

    In fact, he had secretly been tailing Theo all this time.

    His disguise and concealment techniques were so perfect that he could even deceive Kyle, so there was no way Theo could have detected him.

    If information had leaked from somewhere¡­

    He had to track down that source immediately.

    ¡°The ck Lark¡­ that¡¯s you, isn¡¯t it, ck Dragon¡­?¡±

    ¡°Answer the question. How did you know I was there?¡±

    The ck Dragon¡¯s killing intent felt as if it was about to graze Theo¡¯s neck.

    Hoo¡ª

    Theo took a deep breath and straightened his posture.

    His eyes glimmered with determination.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you give me the hint in the first ce, ck Dragon?¡±

    ¡°I gave you a hint?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I never had any significant connection with you or ck Snow to begin with. Yet, during the nomination ceremony, you made me an extraordinary offer. You even said I was a good fit for ck Snow. Doesn¡¯t that mean you¡¯ve been observing me for a long time?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not telling me that¡¯s the only reason you¡¯re so sure I¡¯ve been tailing you, are you?¡±

    ¡°There was also the reaction of the Patriarch.¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    ¡°The Patriarch seemed to know my every move. It wasn¡¯t just as though he had spies watching me from Winterer; it was as if he had eyes right beside me.¡±

    ¡°Hah!¡±

    ¡°And since you already knew I was a chosen one¡­ considering the importance of that information, I figured that you, ck Dragon, would have kept a close watch on me yourself. Most importantly¡ª¡±

    A faint smile appeared in Theo¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you personally put your name on the rmendation letter for my promotion exam? I¡¯d be a fool not to realize it by now.¡±

    ¡°¡­Hah! Looks like you¡¯ve figured everything out.¡±

    The ck Dragon muttered as if defeated, but somehow, his eyes behind the mask seemed to be smiling.

    ¡°Your talent in swordsmanship is remarkable, but your ability to connect fragmented pieces of information and grasp the full picture shows insight and judgment perfectly suited for ck Snow. As expected, you¡¯re someone we must take in.¡±

    ¡°You tter me.¡±

    ¡°Excessive modesty is just another form of deceit.¡±

    The ck Dragon gave Theo an approving look before turning away.

    Today, his suspicions were confirmed.

    Theo wasn¡¯t someone who could be limited to the White Armored Dragon Cavalry or the Plum Blossom Pce.

    Even though the fact that he was a regressor was a concern,

    ¡®That¡¯s something I can watch more closely. Now I understand why the Patriarch wanted to keep such a close eye on this kid.¡¯

    All of Theo¡¯s other strengths far outweighed that single w.

    ¡°Can you leave on your own?¡±

    The ck Dragon asked while keeping an eye on Hilda.

    Theo smiled.

    ¡°I¡¯m already grateful for the help you¡¯ve given me. If I couldn¡¯t manage this much on my own, how could I ever hope to im Ragnar¡¯s throne?¡±

    ¡°Your words are shy. Fine, show me what you¡¯ve got.¡±

    In that instant, Hilda unleashed her magic power.

    ¡°You dare say whatever you please in front of me¡ª!¡±

    Rumble!

    The overwhelming pressure swept across the surroundings.

    [¡®Skill: Lesser Drake¡¯s Fear¡¯ has been activated, partially dissipating the intimidation.]

    Just like during the third Blossoming Ceremony, Theo used the dragon-ying aura to regain his freedom of movement.

    ¡®Everything I¡¯ve learned from Father ising in handy.¡¯

    Internally marveling at Kyle¡¯s insight, he shouted.

    ¡°Umbra!¡±

    In an instant, shadows wriggled as Umbra appeared, carrying Theo and soaring powerfully into the sky.

    Keaaak!

    ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going¡­!¡±

    Hilda tried to stop Theo from escaping, but she had to fend off the interference of the ck Dragon.

    ng!

    Boom¡ª

    As sword auras shed, fragments shattered and crashed to the ground, copsing what remained of the dining hall.

    ¡°Grand Elder, wouldn¡¯t it be wise to withdraw for now? Failing to capture a mere child would only bring disgrace to your name, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±

    The eyes behind the mask gleamed politely but sharply.

    As if prepared to strike at any moment.

    That wounded Hilda¡¯s pride deeply.

    Crack!

    Her tightly clenched teeth revealed a re of madness.

    ¡°How dare you!¡±

    ¡°How dare I? Did you say that?¡±

    ng!

    The ck Dragon shoved Hilda far back, then raised his left hand toward the mask.

    ¡°Strange. Even the head of the House wouldn¡¯t dare speak to me that way.¡±

    Click¡ª

    With a chilling voice, the ck Dragon straightened his slightly askew mask.

    In that moment,

    Whoooosh!

    The aura around the ck Dragonpletely changed.

    The ck energy took on a distinct shape.

    It was as if a masked monster had emerged from the darkness.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see if you¡¯re truly worthy of saying such things, old specter of Ragnar.¡±

    Rumble!

    sh, sh¡ª

    As the two titanic forces collided, their powerful auras shed, causing natural disasters to erupt and ravage Ghost Castle.

 Chapter 82

    Chapter 82: Hilda Ragnar (2)

    [The functions of ¡®Dragon yer Sword: Balmung¡¯ have all ceased, returning to its sealed state.]

    The chill of the night breeze seemed to clear Theo¡¯s mind.

    ¡®As expected, it was a wise decision to get my hands on Balmung. It¡¯ll be a great help in securing the throne going forward.¡¯

    No matter what, Theo resolved to uncover the mysteries surrounding Balmung. In some ways, it could prove more useful than even the relics of the Ancient Dragon.

    ¡®And thanks to that, I also got my hands on this.¡¯

    Theo chuckled to himself as he examined the wooden box held in his left hand.

    ¡ª

    [Garuda¡¯s Heart]

    ¡¤ Type: Elixir, Material

    ¡¤ Effects:

    ¨C Significantly increases fire resistance.

    ¨C Enhances abilities by 150% during battles against dragons.

    ¨C Magic attribute specialization.

    ¨C Triggers the ¡®Frenzy¡¯ status, drastically increasing attack speed and agility.

    ¨C Grants the special perk ¡®Seed of Resurrection.¡¯

    ¡ª

    He had sessfully stolen it while the ck Dragon confused Hilda¡¯s mind. Hilda would undoubtedly be furious when she discovered this.

    But what could she do?

    Their rtionship was already irreparably broken.

    ¡®Besides, the appearance of the ck Dragon means Father will soon learn of this too. He¡¯ll start keeping her in check, so no matter how reckless Hilda is, she¡¯ll have to restrain herself for a while.¡¯

    Knowing how powerful Garuda¡¯s Heart was, Theo couldn¡¯t help but smile even wider.

    ¡®This will be the key to solving the mystery of Balmung.¡¯

    As soon as Theo stored both items in his inventory¡ª

    Keaaak!

    Umbra let out a long screech.

    It seemed like a warning.

    ¡®Of course, this is all for after I make it out of here safely.¡¯

    Narrowing his eyes, Theo infused spiritual energy into his gaze.

    At the top of a nearby mountain peak stood the Upsurging Dragon.

    ¡¸So, you managed to strike a blow against Lady Hilda and make it out, huh? As always, you never cease to amaze.¡¹

    Tense, Theo ced his hand on his Moon-White Sword. Most of his magic power had been drained while escaping the Three-Second Abyss, but he couldn¡¯t afford to show any weakness.

    However¡ª

    Click!

    The Upsurging Dragon calmly sheathed the sword he had been holding.

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    What is he up to?

    Theo widened his eyes in confusion.

    The Upsurging Dragon gave a smallugh.

    ¡¸There¡¯s no need to be so on guard. I have no intention of harming you.¡¹

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡¸Though I im to be Lady Hilda¡¯s vassal, isn¡¯t it the duty of a loyal subject to offer counsel when their lord makes a poor decision?¡¹

    The smile on the Upsurging Dragon¡¯s face deepened.

    ¡¸No matter how much pressure one applies to a strong-willed youth like you, even if you bend at first, you¡¯ll eventually turn your back in the end. Besides, I opposed this restriction from the start. It was only because our lord didn¡¯t ept my advice. Above all¡­ aren¡¯t you the dear friend of my one and only disciple? I could never harm you.¡¹

    Theo¡¯s lips parted slightly.

    ¡¸Are you sure about this?¡¹

    ¡¸About what?¡¹

    ¡¸If you let me go, Lady Hilda won¡¯t remain idle.¡¹

    ¡¸Ah, you mean the consequences. Don¡¯t worry. She may seem like a demon when she loses her temper, but she¡¯s not so narrow-minded as to hold a grudge over this. If that were the case, do you think she would¡¯ve let you take ¡®that¡¯ without a fight?¡¹

    ¡¸¡­!¡¹

    ¡¸Even so, it would be wise for you to reflect seriously when you¡¯re alone.¡¹

    The eyes of the Upsurging Dragon, looking up at Theo, sank deeply.

    They held the kind of profound wisdom one might expect from a sage.

    ¡¸I won¡¯t deny that the current head of the House is a wise ruler who led Ragnar to its peak. But he is also, at his core, a tyrant. A tyrant who, if unchecked, could drag Ragnar into ruin.¡¹

    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹

    ¡¸His iron-blooded rule, pushing even his children into extremepetition¡­ I fear what that may bring. That¡¯s why I¡¯m trying to use Lady Hilda to keep it in check.¡¹

    ¡¸But I don¡¯t believe Lady Hilda is the right answer either.¡¹

    ¡¸You¡¯re right. But you, Theo, have time on your side and the advantage of reincarnation. In the end, you will be the final victor. So, use Lady Hilda. Just as she ns to use you.¡¹

    To be advised to use one¡¯s own lord¡ªthis would be considered outright treason by most vassals.

    Yet, it was precisely because of this that Theo could feel the sincerity in the Upsurging Dragon¡¯s words.

    ¡¸For now, the head of the House favors you, so he¡¯s leaving you alone. But in such uncertain times, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to have a backup n. Lady Hilda could provide a solid foundation for your ambitions, no? And both Wel and I can serve as your hands and feet.¡¹

    The Upsurging Dragon winked at him.

    Theo nodded heavily.

    ¡¸Understood. With what you¡¯ve said, I¡¯ll give it some thought.¡¹

    ¡¸Thank you for saying that, at least. Ah, and don¡¯te to resent Lady Hilda too much over this.¡¹

    Leaving the Upsurging Dragon¡¯s words behind, Theo soared even higher into the sky.

    -Use Lady Hilda.

    The words of the Upsurging Dragon kept spinning endlessly in Theo¡¯s mind.

    Even the grandeur that Hilda had shown lingered.

    Ding¡ª

    [Congrattions! You have sessfullypleted Scenario Quest #1 by fully resisting external temptations and threats.]

    [Evaluation: A+]

    [You have received 2 coins as a reward.]

    [You have gained a significant amount of additional experience points as an evaluation-based bonus.]

    [Level up.]

    [Level up.]

    .

    .

    * * *

    In the early dawn, with the moon hidden behind the clouds, a wind shaped like a human figure slipped into the underground prison of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry.

    ¡®This should be the ce.¡¯

    Rank 1 assassin, Number 4, narrowed his eyes coldly and pulled a dagger from his cloak. His mission was to assassinate a prisoner being held here.

    Given that this was the headquarters of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry, the difficulty of an assassination or escape would naturally be high, but he wasn¡¯t worried. Every detail of the n was already imprinted in his mind.

    The patrol routes of the guards, the shift changes, the surveince angles, theyout of the prison, and the location of the prisoner¡ªall critical information that could only be obtained if someone from Ragnar provided it directly.

    ¡®Ragnar is really a mess when you think about it.¡¯

    Number 4 smirked to himself, having carried out simr tasks in the past.

    Click¡ª

    As soon as he arrived at the target location, he used a prepared key to unlock the firmly secured iron bars.

    Inside, four prisoners sat, their faces nk and vacant.

    ¡°Who are you¡­?¡±

    ¡°Are you Sidra Evoil?¡±

    At that moment, Sidra lifted his head, sensing a presence. Upon realizing what was happening, a bitter smile appeared on his face.

    He had understood the situation instantly.

    ¡°It seems the Director has sent you.¡±

    ¡°So, you are Sidra Evoil. Don¡¯t hold a grudge against me. I¡¯m just following orders.¡±

    Number 4 drew the dagger from his cloak.

    Swish¡ª

    ¡°Your family¡¯s safety and your promised reward are assured¡­ that was the message.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a relief.¡±

    Sidra closed his eyes tightly and leaned against the wall.

    It was as if he was ready to be killed at any moment.

    He had already predicted that Ed would move to silence him.

    ¡°W-wait a moment! I don¡¯t want to die yet! If it¡¯s money you want, I¡¯ll give you as much as you need¡­!¡±

    At that moment, one of the prisoners grabbed onto Number 4¡¯s pants, his attitude having clearly shifted during his time in captivity.

    But Number 4, his face devoid of emotion, simply lowered the dagger.

    Just as the de was about to touch the prisoner¡¯s neck, another wind blew into the room.

    A sharp and stealthy wind.

    ng!

    The dagger collided with something and was deflected.

    ¡®When did that happen¡­!¡¯

    Number 4 found himself on edge, his spine tingling at the sword¡¯s swift movement, which was so precise it had even deceived his own senses.

    Shhh, shhh, shhh, shhh¡ª

    Four gusts of wind swept in rapidly.

    ¡°Hup!¡±

    Number 4 deflected all of the air des with his dagger and leaped backward.

    He attempted to vanish again using his stealth technique, but¡ª

    ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡±

    Evelyn had already closed the distance between them.

    The true danger of assassins lies in their stealth, making them hard to detect. However, once their presence is sensed, everything changes.

    Moreover, Evelyn didn¡¯t rely solely on her physical senses to track Number 4.

    She was reading the movement of the wind.

    By following the paths of the wind around him, she could predict not only where he would move and which direction he would attack from, but also his habits and intentions.

    ¡®The ceiling to the right.¡¯

    Following her prediction, Evelyn swung her sword violently in that direction.

    The energy de at the tip of her sword crashed down like lightning, tearing through Number 4¡¯s body.

    sh!

    ¡°Urk!¡±

    Blood sprayed into the air as his hand, still clutching the dagger, was severed and sent flying.

    Thud¡ª

    Evelyn swiftly grabbed Number 4 by the cor and mmed him to the ground.

    Then, she gripped her sword in a reverse grip and thrust it into his Aura Hall.

    Stab!

    A technique to prevent him frommitting suicide.

    Not only that, but her de was already coated with a paralyzing poison.

    ¡®Even prepared for this¡­!¡¯

    Number 4¡¯s body shook violently for a moment, trembling like an epileptic, before finally copsing, limp.

    With an indifferent expression, Evelyn ripped open the fabric near his neck.

    A tattoo, hidden beneath his cor, was revealed.

    ¡°As expected. Theo was right.¡±

    It was a symbol of a snake biting the moon¡ªa mark of the assassination organization known as Season of the Snake.

    However, this particr group was more infamous for being a subordinate organization of a certain noble family.

    ¡®Atst, I¡¯ve caught the tail.¡¯

    Evelyn¡¯s eyes gleamed coldly.

    * * *

    Erika and her brother stood in front of the Camellia Pce.

    Normally, they would have simply entered, but this time, Holcus hesitated, unable to take a step inside.

    ¡°What are you doing? nning to stand here for eternity?¡±

    ¡°But, but¡­!¡±

    ¡°But what?¡±

    ¡°Just look at that! How am I supposed to walk in there with a stomach full of envy?! Theo Ragnar, that damn lucky bastard¡­!!¡±

    Holcus trembled as he pointed a shaking finger at the entrance of the Camellia Pce.

    Erika couldn¡¯t help butugh in disbelief, unsure how to process the situation.

    The entrance to the Camellia Pce was bustling with people.

    But those people were all women.

    And every single one of them was remarkably beautiful.

    Holcus bit at his sleeve, tears streaming down his face.

    ¡°It¡¯s obvious! That bastard Theo, he¡¯s clearly using his face and reputation to seduce all these women!¡±

    ¡°¡­Does that even sound like him? Since when does he have that kind of personality?¡±

    ¡°Th-that¡¯s true, but still!¡±

    ¡°And even if he was doing that, do you think he¡¯d line them all up like that? Does that make any sense?¡±

    ¡°Then what is all this?¡±

    ¡°They probably came for something else. Just look at them; they seem more like actresses or stylists.¡±

    ¡°Grrr! I still can¡¯t forgive Theo Ragnar! He¡¯s living in a world of happiness while I¡¯m left all alone!¡±

    As Holcus raged on, drumming up his anger by himself, Erika looked at him with a pitiful expression, shaking her head.

    ¡°Yeah, you go ahead with that. I¡¯m going in.¡±

    Erika shook her head once more and started walking towards the Camellia Pce.

    ¡°W-wait! Take me with you! Sis!¡±

    Holcus hurriedly chased after Erika.

    * * *

    Theo greeted Erika and her brother, looking a little worn out.

    ¡°What happened to your face? Did you stay up all night training?¡±

    ¡°I knew it! You were probably up all night with girls¡­!¡±

    Smack!

    ¡°Can you stop already? Aren¡¯t you tired of this?¡±

    Erika smacked Holcus on the back of his head, annoyed, and turned her concerned gaze to Theo.

    Theo smiled bitterly and shook his head.

    ¡°I was just really busy yesterday. And by the way, the women outside are visitors for my mother¡¯s business, so don¡¯t get the wrong idea.¡±

    Thinking of Cecilia, who had started a business after borrowing funds from Kirsion, Theo let out a tired smile.

    ¡®I¡¯m going to have to try on a ton of clothes again, aren¡¯t I¡­¡¯

    He could already feel how exhausting it was going to be.

    ¡°Anyway, what¡¯s up? Isn¡¯t today your vacation as a mission reward?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it was. But because of someone, that entire vacation got wiped out.¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    Theo tilted his head, confused by what she meant.

    Erika handed him a document she was holding.

    ¡°Take this.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±

    ¡°A new mission order. It¡¯s ssified as level-one security, and they told me to deliver it to you in secret.¡±

    ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°The captain.¡±

    Theo took the document and quickly scanned through it.

    ¡°Since it¡¯s a mess you caused, they figure you should be the one to clean it up, right?¡±

    As Theo reviewed the mission orders, his eyes gleamed sharply.

    ¡®As I thought.¡¯

    * * *

    Mission Report:

    At 1:51 AM today, Squad 5 Leader Evelyn Nerevil apprehended an assassin who had infiltrated the underground prison. The assassin was confirmed to be affiliated with Season of the Snake.

    Season of the Snake is a subordinate organization of the prestigious Eastern family, Troyban, and has deep ties to the Eastern region. The Troyban family is also the household of Soaring Dragon, the Director of Central Intelligence. Furthermore, there is a significant possibility that a traitor within the organization was involved in this incident.

    Due to these circumstances, the upper ranks have judged that this is a highly sensitive matter that cannot be easily resolved. Therefore, it has been determined that Season of the Snake must be swiftly attacked before the Troyban family can respond.

    As this mission was proposed by Squad 5 member Theo Ragnar, based on the report submitted by the Squad Leader, the mission has been assigned to Theo Ragnar.

    However, as Theo Ragnar was scheduled to take the promotion exam in four days, the exam has been canceled, and this mission will serve as its recement.

    Thus, upon receiving this order, the mission mustmence immediately.

    ¨C Captain of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry, Julius Ragnar.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 83

    Chapter 83: Hilda Ragnar (3)

    ¡°The Director of Central Intelligence has certainly been up to some covert activities in the shadows. However¡­ for something under yourmand, it seems a bit sloppy.¡±

    Julius muttered softly as he ced Evelyn¡¯s report down on the desk.

    There was a nagging feeling, something difficult to put into words.

    A feeling of unease.

    ¡°What do you think, Director of Information?¡±

    As Julius raised his head, a dark shadow fell in front of him.

    ¡°What is there to think about? Just arrest the culprit as the evidence points.¡±

    The ck Dragon scoffed lightly and threw another set of documents in front of Julius.

    ¡°The evidence is solid. The culprit is a first-ss assassin from ¡®Season of the Snake,¡¯ with quite a notorious record. In fact, he was the same one responsible forst year¡¯s assassination of the secondmander of the Gale Sword Unit.¡±

    Julius, about to review the new documents, tilted his head curiously.

    ¡°By the way, have you been injured? Your left arm seems ufortable.¡±

    ¡°¡­Don¡¯t concern yourself with my matters. Just focus on the documents.¡±

    Julius knew well enough that asking more questions would only lead to silence from the ck Dragon, so he returned his gaze to the documents.

    ¡°It looks like he¡¯s been in a big fight recently. Can even that monstrous man get injured?¡±

    But Julius¡¯s curiosity vanished the moment he began reading the document.

    There had been an incidentst year that shook Winterer to its core.

    While the Gale Sword Unit was out on an external mission, one of theirmanders was found assassinated at a safe house.

    It wasn¡¯t a battlefield death; he had been assassinated in the hideout. Without a leak from the inside, such an event would have been impossible.

    ¡°I thought this case was ssified as unsolved due tock of evidence¡­ but I guess that wasn¡¯t the case.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s how it was presented to the public. We needed to mislead the Serpent.¡±

    The Serpent¡ªanother hidden alias of Ed Troyban.

    ¡°At the time, the Gale Sword Unit was in the middle of a skirmish with Troyban over the ¡®White Tower Ruins.¡¯ They were bing quite a nuisance to Troyban.¡±

    ¡°So you suspected Troyban?¡±

    ¡°While the Director of Central Intelligence managed to mediate and bring the ruins under our jurisdiction, we received intelligence that the head of House Troyban was furious.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡±

    Julius let out a small sound of acknowledgment.

    Though the ck Dragon had put it vaguely, he had clearly pieced together all of Troyban¡¯s covert actions.

    Given the unparalleled intelligencework of ck Snow, they likely already knew everything.

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t all. More than once, Troyban and its subordinate organizations managed to beat us to the punch on several advantages we were either nning or considering. Some of those were such high-level information that it would have been impossible for them to know unless a spy had been nted deep within our ranks.¡±

    Behind the mask, the ck Dragon¡¯s eyes sank deeply.

    There was no trace of emotion in them.

    But that made his gaze all the more terrifying.

    ¡°So, who do you think would be the most suspicious?¡±

    ¡°The Director of Central Intelligence and the Third Wife, wouldn¡¯t you say?¡±

    The ck Dragon nodded.

    ¡°No matter how publicly they im to have severed ties with Troyban, there¡¯s always the chance they could be dealing with them behind closed doors. That¡¯s why we¡¯ve been conducting a covert investigation for over a year.¡±

    ¡°You managed to catch their tail, I see.¡±

    ¡®If ck Snow caught onto something, it means the Family Head must have been informed from the start. Yet, he left them in ce. Hmm.¡¯

    Julius couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that Kyle¡¯s ns extended much further than they appeared.

    He could almost smell blood already.

    A thick, fishy scent of blood¡­

    ¡°Yes. And to gather more definitive proof, we even ced our agents around the prisoners.¡±

    For a moment, one of Julius¡¯s eyebrows twitched.

    ¡°Are you telling me you nted shadows within the headquarters without even informing me?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s my job.¡±

    ¡°Ha!¡±

    It was an admission that he had doubted even Julius.

    The ck Dragon was a de that could cut down even loyal allies if necessary.

    That was why he never mingled with the other department heads or executives, living only in istion and fear.

    ¡°The problem is, our agents never even had a chance to act.¡±

    At this, Julius couldn¡¯t help but feel a little smug.

    ¡°Well, our Evelyn is rather good at her job.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? I hear it was Theo Ragnar who foresaw this situation.¡±

    ¡°Yes, it seeded thanks to the suggestion from your sharp-witted nephew.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    A soft chuckle escaped from behind the ck Dragon¡¯s mask.

    Julius¡¯s eyes widened.

    ¡®Is heughing?¡¯

    In all his decades of service to the Ragnar family, this was the first time he¡¯d seen such a reaction.

    ¡°Theo Ragnar¡­¡±

    ¡°I refuse.¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t even finished my sentence yet.¡±

    ¡°Whatever it is, it¡¯s obvious. You¡¯re about to ask if you can have Theo Ragnar transferred to ck Snow or at least sent on an assignment, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Well, yes, something along those lines.¡±

    ¡°Then, I refuse.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°That kid is mine. If you want to take him, you¡¯ll have to split open my belly first.¡±

    Julius abruptly thrust his stomach forward.

    The ck Dragon spoke with an incredulous expression in his eyes.

    ¡°Does the Demon Dragon of the world resort to such antics?¡±

    ¡°When the ck Dragon of the world tries to take away my precious kid, do you think I won¡¯t bare my fangs? Don¡¯t push me. I might just bite.¡±

    ¡°¡­Well, I guess there¡¯s no choice.¡±

    The ck Dragon clicked his tongue lightly.

    Inwardly, Julius shook his head in disbelief.

    He realized that, from now on, he¡¯d have to be even more vignt if he wanted to protect Theo from all these beasts.

    ¡®These guys won¡¯t let me sleep peacefully, will they?¡¯

    ¡°Well, we¡¯ve caught the tail, so it¡¯s time to start the hunt.¡±

    At the ck Dragon¡¯s words, Julius stopped joking and nodded seriously.

    ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s get started.¡±

    * * *

    Clip-clop, clip-clop¡ª

    A well-maintained carriage was running along a paved road.

    ¡°They say ck Snow seems to have caught the tail?¡±

    Inside the carriage, Ed casually lifted his head at the report from the ceiling.

    Then, more telepathic messages followed.

    ¡°¡­I see.¡±

    A smirk spread across Ed¡¯s face.

    ¡°Family Head¡­ you really are something.¡±

    But then his expression hardened as he gave further instructions.

    ¡°Have everyone hold their positions until further orders. Also, inform my father. Tell him that the dragon is finally beginning to stir. The n to drive the knife into its reverse scale has already failed, so we¡¯ll gather only what¡¯s necessary and meet him soon.¡±

    In an instant, all the presences on top of the carriage disappeared.

    Ed leaned back into his chair, half-buried, and closed his eyes.

    ¡°Now then¡­ how will you respond after seeing this? I¡¯m already curious, Theo Ragnar.¡±

    * * *

    At the far end of the Winter Mountains stretching to the east.

    Theo arrived at a small cabin that looked like an ordinary hunter¡¯s shelter from the outside.

    Erika and her brother had parted ways with him to carry out another mission.

    Creak¡ª

    As he opened the door and stepped inside, three pairs of eyes focused on him.

    Two of them were familiar faces, but one was a stranger.

    ¡°Last night¡ª¡±

    The unknown figure stood up and began to speak the password.

    ¡°The cuckoo cried.¡±

    ¡°Are you Theo Ragnar?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am.¡±

    ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Kleve, of No Snow.¡±

    Her speech was military-like, and her movements were precise.

    A woman with short, sharp-cut hair and strikingly fierce eyes.

    But what surprised Theo was something else.

    No Snow.

    The elite agent representing ck Snow stood right in front of him.

    ¡®ck Snow has really clenched its teeth for this one.¡¯

    Theo grasped Kleve¡¯s outstretched hand.

    ¡°I¡¯m themander of this mission and also your examiner. I¡¯ve heard a lot about you from the Director. I look forward to working with you.¡±

    ¡°Likewise, I look forward to working with you.¡±

    ¡°No need to introduce the other two, as you¡¯re already acquainted with them, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Theo nodded and looked at the other two.

    Evelyn let out a deep sigh before speaking.

    ¡°They told me once I take charge, I should see it through to the end.¡±

    ¡°Thanks to you, Captain, I feel like I¡¯ll be able to focus on the mission more easily.¡±

    ¡°Should I take that to mean that my presence will only get in the way?¡±

    Hazel, who was standing next to Evelyn, suddenly interrupted, looking displeased.

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant, but if it came across that way, I apologize.¡±

    ¡°No, I was hoping you¡¯d hear it that way. I n to thoroughly monitor whether you¡¯re properly participating in this mission.¡±

    Hazel made it tantly clear she didn¡¯t like Theo.

    ¡®She seems upset about my decision not to be the Lord of Plum Blossom Pce¡¯s sessor.¡¯

    Theo couldn¡¯t help but give a bitter smile.

    She had once said that she couldn¡¯t easily ept someone bing the Lord¡¯s disciple, but now that he had agreed, this was her reaction.

    ¡®Does she think the Lord was insulted or something? What a difficult person.¡¯

    Still, Theo acknowledged that Hazel¡¯s skills were genuine, which gave him a sense of reassurance.

    ¡®The White Armored Dragon Cavalry, the Plum Blossom Pce, ck Snow. Two Advanced Swordsmen and a Practical Swordsman at their level¡­ They¡¯re here to both watch over and support me. I absolutely have to seed.¡¯

    This mission wasn¡¯t just any promotion test. It was a preliminary step to cutting off Ed¡¯s influence.

    It was the start of a full-scale political struggle with Ed, and losing was not an option.

    ¡°Now that the introductions are done, let¡¯s move on to the briefing, as this is an urgent matter.¡±

    As Kleve began to speak, the other three turned their attention to her.

    ¡°The content of this mission is simr to what was informed beforehand. The four of us will infiltrate the headquarters of the Season of the Snake and attempt to wipe them out. The higher-ups have instructed that it¡¯s fine if there are no survivors.¡±

    A total annihtion order.

    Ragnar had no intention of letting any enemy who dared to step onto their territory live.

    ¡°Additionally, we are to retrieve any evidence rted to this incident¡­ especially any connections involving Troyban or the Central Intelligence Bureau, and return to Winterer. Any questions?¡±

    Theo raised his hand.

    ¡°Speak.¡±

    ¡°The Director of Central Intelligence is a meticulous man. Is there any chance that he¡¯s aware of our movements?¡±

    ¡°Good question. There¡¯s already another operation underway to address that concern.¡±

    ¡°May I ask what it is?¡±

    Kleve counted on her fingers.

    ¡°It¡¯s simple. First, we¡¯ve spread a rumor in secret that the prisoner has been found murdered, making sure it reaches the ears of the Director of Central Intelligence.¡±

    She folded one finger.

    ¡°Second, ck Snow has begun investigating the corruption within the Central Intelligence Bureau, something we¡¯ve only been monitoring until now.¡±

    Theo quickly pieced together ck Snow¡¯s strategy.

    ¡°A diversion. You¡¯re shifting the Director¡¯s attention elsewhere while tightening the to catch himpletely.¡±

    The n was to make Ed Troyban believe that ck Snow¡¯s true target was the Central Intelligence Bureau, while in reality, they would strike directly at the Season of the Snake to uncover the direct link between the Troyban family and Ed.

    ¡°Time is of the essence, then. We have to strike before the Director realizes that the assassin has been captured.¡±

    ¡°The Director was right about you. He said you¡¯d be a perfect fit for ck Snow. Are you really just fifteen?¡±

    Theo only smiled in response.

    Kleve let out a small, incredulousugh, shaking her head.

    Seeing it firsthand left her stunned. She¡¯d heard the rumors, but witnessing Theo¡¯s keen insight in action was astonishing.

    At the same time, she was somewhat relieved. Initially, the idea of including a mere Trainee Swordsman in such a critical mission seemed absurd, but with insight like his, Theo would be more of an asset than a hindrance.

    -Observe him closely. If necessary, persuade him to join us.

    The ck Dragon¡¯s words from before their departure shed through her mind.

    ¡®This is going to be interesting.¡¯

    Theo and Ed were said to have already crossed an unbridgeable river, making them mortal enemies. Watching how things unfolded promised to be quite the spectacle.

    ¡°Oh, and before we depart, take this.¡±

    Kleve tossed something to Theo.

    It was a small wooden box, about the size of a palm.

    A mystical aura emanated from it, and Theo¡¯s eyes sparkled with curiosity.

    ¡°What is this?¡±

    ¡°A reward for your contributions. It¡¯s *Purity Pill*. A rare elixir that purifies your magical power. And there¡¯s one more thing.¡±

    Kleve threw him a second item.

    It was an old, worn book, with no title written on the cover.

    ¡°The Meridian Enhancing Technique. It¡¯s an auxiliary breathing technique for the Thunder Breathing Technique. It enhances the original technique and helps you absorb the Purity Pill into your body.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°I am a master of the Thunder attribute. I¡¯ll guide you on its usage during our journey, so make sure to master it before we reach our destination.¡±

 Chapter 84

    Chapter 84: Hilda Ragnar (4)

    Kirsion was rubbing her temples once again, irritated by the unwee guests who had arrived at the crack of dawn.

    ¡°So¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°¡­Theo¡­ that damned¡­ No, I mean, our lo¡ªlovely grandson¡­ sent you, is that it?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right¡­¡±

    ¡°And he offered to do it for ¡®free¡¯?¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am¡­¡±

    Tremble!

    Kirsion¡¯s hand, which was gripping her long pipe, shook uncontrobly.

    She had heard vague rumors that the 5th unit of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry had suffered heavy casualties.

    But she never imagined those injured soldiers would be dropped right in front of her.

    And for free, no less!

    ¡®That brat¡­ does he think I¡¯m some kind of pushover?!¡¯

    The real problem was that she had no way to protest against Theo.

    His influence was still skyrocketing.

    Even her business ventures were riding the wave of the ¡®Theo syndrome,¡¯ growing steadily alongside it.

    Of course, that rascal knew all of this, which was why he had dumped the responsibility onto her.

    Meanwhile, the trainer and the injured soldiers, oblivious to these dynamics, exchanged uneasy nces.

    ¡®Is this really going to be okay?¡¯

    ¡®Let¡¯s just hold on and see.¡¯

    ¡®Right! Both Evelyn and Theo said it would be fine.¡¯

    On their way back after the battle to take nky Fortress, Theo had spoken to them as they worried about what mighte next.

    ¨C Thank you for your words, but do you really think the Vasque Workshop will help? It seems unlikely to me.

    ¨C Why do you say that?

    ¨C We don¡¯t have any money. And something like this would be expensive. If the master artisan takes it on¡­ well, it¡¯s way beyond the means of ordinary wage workers like us.

    ¨C Ah, so that¡¯s what you¡¯re worried about.

    ¨C Of course. It¡¯s a legitimate concern for us.

    ¨C Don¡¯t worry. Just go and tell her.

    ¨C What?

    ¨C Just say I promised to do it for free.

    ¨C ¡­?

    ¨C You¡¯ll understand what I mean once you tell her.

    At the time, they hadn¡¯t understood what Theo meant.

    But now that they were here, it all made sense.

    ¡®Who would¡¯ve thought that Lady Cecilia was the adopted daughter of Master Artisan Kirsion?¡¯

    ¡®So that makes Theo, the master¡¯s grandson?¡¯

    ¡®Who knows how this will turn out!¡¯

    As the trainer and the injured soldiers¡¯ eyes glimmered with anticipation,

    ¡°Haa¡­ I suppose there¡¯s no choice. Since you are my grandson¡¯s¡­ coworkers, I can¡¯t very well charge you, now can I? Haha¡­ Hahaha.¡±

    Kirsion eventually forced augh, a strained smile tugging at her lips.

    Watching this, the injured soldiers thought to themselves.

    ¡®The master artisan is known to love money and gold, but it seems her affection for her grandson is even more extraordinary, isn¡¯t it?¡¯

    A misunderstanding that wasn¡¯t quite a misunderstanding began to spread.

    Meanwhile, Kirsion was already calcting how to make the most of this opportunity.

    * * *

    ¡¸¡­What¡¯s wrong?¡¹

    ¡¸Oh, my apologies. My ear suddenly felt itchy.¡¹

    ¡¸I don¡¯t repeat concepts twice. Make sure to grasp it properly.¡¹

    ¡¸Understood.¡¹

    Swaaaang¡ª

    Theo and hispanions were swiftly traveling toward their destination.

    Along the way, Theo was receiving a lecture from Kleve.

    ¡®Is someone talking about me?¡¯

    Theo momentarily brushed off the strange feeling and focused on Kleve.

    After all, there were only a handful of swordsmen in the House of Ragnar who were qualified as ¡°instructors.¡±

    Evelyn was one of them, but her expertise was in a different field.

    ¡®This is also a gift from the ck Dragon. I can¡¯t let this slip by.¡¯

    ¡¸What do you think ¡®thunder¡¯ is?¡¹

    A fundamental question.

    ¡¸It¡¯s one of the most intense natural phenomena we can witness, or perhaps a natural disaster?¡¹

    ¡¸Let me ask more specifically. What do you think thunder isposed of?¡¹

    ¡¸Hmm¡­ Thunder and lightning?¡¹

    ¡¸Wrong. It¡¯s made of light and heat.¡¹

    Theo¡¯s eyes momentarily lit up.

    ¡¸Light is fast. The term ¡®speed of light¡¯ wasn¡¯t coined for no reason. The closer you get to that speed, the more destructive it bes. And if weight is added to it? It¡¯s perfect.¡¹

    ¡¸Light¡­¡¹

    ¡¸Heat is different. Unlike light, which moves in a straight line, heat spreads outwards. And the higher the temperature, the wider the area it affects.¡¹

    Kleve¡¯s exnation continued.

    ¡¸Light can only be mastered through discipline, as it¡¯s directly tied to swordsmanship. But heat is linked to magic power. The higher the purity and efficiency of your magic power, the higher the temperature you can emit. That¡¯s what ¡®heat resonance¡¯ (??) refers to.¡¹

    ¡¸In other words, it increases the efficiency of magic power.¡¹

    ¡¸Exactly. That¡¯s why I also gave you the Purity Pill, which enhances the purity of magic power.¡¹

    The Purity Pill and the principle of heat resonance¡ªthese two would undoubtedly strengthen the heat of the Thunderlight Breathing Technique.

    And that heat would trante directly into destructive power.

    ¡®How much stronger can I be?¡¯

    Why was he already so eager?

    ¡¸Now, take the Purity Pill.¡¹

    Following Kleve¡¯s instruction, Theo opened the wooden box and swallowed the Purity Pill in one gulp.

    As soon as the Purity Pill touched his tongue, it melted away and slid smoothly down his throat.

    ¡¸Since we¡¯re on the move right now, it¡¯ll be difficult to absorb the elixir efficiently. Let me assist you with the magic guide¡­ Hmm?¡¹

    A magic guide refers to someone helping another person optimize the absorption of magic power, either by directly guiding their pathways or by a simr means.

    Kleve had intended to do just that, cing her hand on Theo¡¯s back to assist. However, she tilted her head in confusion.

    Theo¡¯s magic, which had stirred within his Aura Hall, suddenly absorbed the energy from the Purity Pill, making it vanish entirely.

    Just like that¡ªgone.

    Thinking it must have been absorbed already, Kleve checked Theo¡¯s magic, but there was hardly any difference from before.

    ¡¸Is something wrong?¡¹

    ¡¸Ah, no. It¡¯s nothing. It seems the Purity Pill I gave you was defective. Here, take this one instead.¡¹

    Mass-produced elixirs like the Purity Pill sometimes turned out faulty due to incorrect ingredient mixing during manufacturing.

    Assuming this must be one of those cases, Kleve handed Theo another Purity Pill she had brought as a spare.

    ¡¸Thank you.¡¹

    Theo swallowed the second Purity Pill.

    Gulp.

    ¡¸Now this time¡­ Huh?¡¹

    ¡¸Is there a problem?¡¹

    ¡¸Hmm, it seems all the items I brought are subpar. I¡¯m sorry for the inconvenience.¡¹

    ¡¸Not at all. I¡¯m just grateful for your help.¡¹

    ¡¸Your manners are quite impable, especially for a Ragnar. This one should be fine.¡¹

    As the same thing happened again, Kleve internally cursed the assistant who had prepared the supplies and handed over a different elixir, this time a Cheonggwangdan, which was an even higher-grade elixir than the Purity Pill.

    ¡®Originally, I intended to reward him with this after sessfullypleting all the tasks¡­ but there¡¯s no choice.¡¯

    Right now, it was crucial to ensure the heat resonance took hold properly in Theo¡¯s body.

    However.

    The result with the Enlightenment Pill was exactly the same as with the Purity Pill. The moment it entered his body, it simply vanished.

    ¡®What in the world¡­!¡¯

    An elixir dispersing without leaving any effect was something Kleve had never heard of before.

    Her pupils trembled uncontrobly.

    ¡¸It definitely feels like an elixir. My head feels clearer.¡¹

    ¡®That¡¯s not even one of its effects¡­¡¯

    Kleve was momentarily dazed by Theo¡¯sment of admiration.

    She had no idea how to handle this situation.

    Meanwhile, Theo, sensing Kleve¡¯s confusion, smirked to himself.

    ¡®All three of them seemed genuine. I¡¯ll just pretend I don¡¯t know.¡¯

    In truth, even Theo hadn¡¯t anticipated this bizarre oue.

    [The Aura Heart has absorbed all external energy.]

    [Significant impurities have been removed, and the purity of your magic power has begun to clear. Fluidity has improved.]

    [Efficiency has increased.]

    [You have gained a hint regarding magic density.]

    [Your magic power has slightly increased.]

    .

    [Your muscle fiber structure has been reinforced.]

    Who could have predicted that the Dragon¡¯s Heart would immediately devour the magic power released as soon as the Purity Pill was absorbed into his body?

    Because of this, Kleve, unaware of what had transpired, ended up offering even more of her valuable elixirs for no reason.

    ¡®I was under the impression that neither the increase in magic power nor the reinforcement of muscle fibers were effects of the Purity Pill. I¡¯ve really hit the jackpot.¡¯

    It seemed likely that the Dragon¡¯s Heart and the Purity Pill had worked together synergistically, creating these additional benefits.

    Trying to exin all of this would certainly be no easy task.

    In the end, Theo decided to y innocent.

    ¡¸Please teach me the application method. I¡¯d like to try it.¡¹

    ¡¸Uh, uh, sure.¡¹

    Though still somewhat dazed, Kleve began her exnation.

    Yet, questions continued to swirl in her mind.

    * * *

    ¡®Heat dispersion. If I mix this with the Wind God technique, I could even create an artificial heatstorm, couldn¡¯t I?¡¯

    While Theo, after mastering the breathing technique, was contemting how to integrate it with his existing skills,

    ¡®He¡¯s a genius¡­! How can someone have such a deep understanding of this?¡¯

    Kleve was utterly astonished by Theo¡¯s extraordinary talent.

    Theo was already emitting heat from his body.

    The shimmering air rising above his skin was clear proof.

    ¡®He even broke down the principle of heat resonance and applied it to create a derivation of the Nine Incantations.¡¯

    Gulp!

    Kleve swallowed dryly.

    His judgment, his talent¡ªnow shepletely understood why the ck Dragon had been so agitated whenever mentioning Theo.

    She wished that someone like him could have been her apprentice.

    ¡®Our captain¡¯s about to get even busier. Even ck Snow will have his eye on him now.¡¯

    Meanwhile, Evelyn chuckled as she imagined Julius pulling his hair out in frustration after seeing this, and Hazel clicked her tongue in amazement, realizing that the talent she¡¯d only heard about was real.

    ¡®He really might pass the promotion test after all.¡¯

    However, she remained cautious.

    ¡®Still, it¡¯s too soon to tell. Let¡¯s watch him a little longer, at least until the mission isplete.¡¯

    As all the examiners marveled at Theo¡¯s abilities, the group finally reached their destination.

    The northeastern city of Kalhelm.

    Even at the crack of dawn, lines of merchants had already formed in front of the city gates.

    ¡°It¡¯s an artifact engraved with a perception-blocking spell. Everyone, put it on.¡±

    Theo and hispanions wrapped themselves in the robes handed out by Kleve. As soon as the embedded magic activated, it became difficult to distinguish one another.

    ¡°We can¡¯t leave any record of our visit to Kalhelm, so we¡¯ll sneak over the fortress wall. After that, we¡¯ll immediately storm the ¡®Breathing Hill¡¯ inn and kill everyone inside.¡±

    Theo, Evelyn, and Hazel nodded in agreement.

    Kleve pulled the hood over her head.

    ¡¸Then, let¡¯s begin.¡¹

    With a telepathicmand, the operation started.

    Fwoosh!

    * * *

    Scaling the fortress wall wasn¡¯t too difficult.

    Kalhelm was a remote city with few forces interested in attacking it, so it was generally peaceful.

    With the added benefit of the perception-blocking magic, they moved stealthily, unnoticed by anyone.

    They soon arrived at an old, run-down inn that looked as though it had no customers.

    Bang!

    Kleve was the first to violently kick the door open and step inside.

    ¡°Huh? What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°Who the hell are these people¡­?¡±

    The inn¡¯s clerk, who had been dozing off at the counter, woke with a start, only to be met with a sh of light.

    Shlick!

    ¡°Damn it, Antan! These bastards¡ª!¡±

    Apanion next to the clerk realized the intrusion and tried to draw his weapon, but Evelyn appeared and decapitated him before he could react.

    Sssshh!

    After that, Theo and Hazel darted forward, splitting off in opposite directions.

    Theo headed to the basement, while Hazel rushed upstairs.

    They had already coordinated their movements beforehand¡ªleaving no survivors was the objective.

    ¡°They¡¯re upstairs! Block them¡ª!¡±

    sh, sh!

    Theo mercilessly cut down the men trying to rush up the stairs. With every swing of his sword, a heatwave followed, leaving ck scorch marks on the walls and floor.

    The fact that heat was already radiating from his attacks was proof that Theo had sessfully integrated the heat resonance principle into the Thunderlight Breathing Technique.

    The improvement in magic efficiency seemed to have increased not only his speed but also his attack power.

    ¡®It even has explosive force.¡¯

    ¡°Kraugh!¡±

    ¡°Gah¡­!¡±

    ¡°Taken down by a brat like this¡­! Ugh!¡±

    The assassins that faced Theo fell like autumn leaves in a storm.

    What made assassins fearsome was their mastery of stealth and their ability to remain hidden. However, in directbat, they were no match for Theo.

    Especially not against someone wielding a Zweihander thatbined speed, strength, and range!

    Boom!

    Eventually, with an explosive st of heat, the door at the end of the basement hallway burst open, annihting the enemies in the vicinity.

    ¡°This¡­ this can¡¯t be happening¡­!¡±

    Shudder¡­

    The remaining assassins, paralyzed with fear, could not even think about approaching Theo.

    Amid the charred floor, Theo stood, his body enveloped in intense heat, surrounded by pale steam and crackling yellow lightning.

    He looked like a demon emerging from the inferno itself.

 Chapter 85

    Chapter 85: Hilda Ragnar (5)

    ¡®It feels like I¡¯ve just tossed a spark into a barrel of oil.¡¯

    It was scorching.

    Thebination of the Thunder Breathing Technique and the Meridian Enhancing Technique was far more effective than Theo had anticipated.

    The magical resonance that connected from the Dragon¡¯s Heart to his danjeon was igniting, and the heat was rising, fanning the mes even further.

    On top of that, the improved purity of his magic power, thanks to the Purity Pill and the Enlightenment Pill yed a significant role.

    If he didn¡¯t expel it from his body somehow, it felt like he would burn up.

    ¡®It¡¯s unbearably hot.¡¯

    So Theo channeled the heat through the ripples of energy leaking outward.

    As a result, a terrifying spectacle formed¡ªa swirling mix of hot wind, steam, and lightning.

    ¡®But it¡¯s not enough. I need to release more¡­!¡¯

    He was in a situation where he had to worry about his martial arts advancing too rapidly.

    However, the speed at which his magic was boiling up far outpaced the rate at which it was being released, so he had toe up with a solution.

    There was only one method that came to mind.

    ¡ªPush through the enemies in front of him as quickly as possible.

    ¡®There must be documents rted to Troyban or Ed in the vault nearby. I¡¯ll clear a path to it.¡¯

    Fortunately, the rising heat was bound to be apanied by destructive power.

    Theo moved based on his past life¡¯s memories.

    Back then, he was nothing more than a low-ranking soldier who merely followed orders, but now, he was moving ording to his own will.

    Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

    The Dragon¡¯s Heart thudded violently.

    As the tremendous reverberations spread out, heat mixed in, and the underground space was instantly engulfed in extreme heat.

    Bang!

    Shwaaak¡ª

    ¡°Block it!¡±

    Where Theo¡¯s feet had forcefully struck the ground, ck scorch marks were left, and in an instant, white steam trailed behind like a long tail in the air.

    A single beam of light streaked upward as it grazed the ground and soared into the air.

    The Drake¡¯s de began to rampage ferociously.

    ¡®Five trajectories in one breath.¡¯

    Theo decided to use everything he had learned from Julius and the Lord of Plum Blossom Pce in recent times.

    Straight lines and curves.

    Speed and illusion.

    Strength and softness.

    Destruction and harmony.

    The difference between the Six Arts of the Demon Dragon and the 24 Plum Blossom Sword was so vast, like water and oil, that they seemed impossible to mix.

    But there was one single point where the two intersected.

    ¡ªA beam of light.

    The One Sword that Kyle had imparted to each of the Nine Dragons in different ways.

    Theo wanted to interpret the Heart Sword that Kyle had demonstrated during the Third Blossoming Ceremony in the style of One Plum Branch.

    Rumble¡ª

    The flurry of sword strikes that poured down like a storm wasn¡¯t just fast.

    The scorching hot wind carried immense destructive power, backed by Theo¡¯s strength.

    Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

    Everything in Theo¡¯s path was shattered and scattered.

    Cracks formed on the walls, and dust fell from the ceiling.

    The assassins were flung aside, their bodies broken.

    Despite this, Theo¡¯s sword strikes didn¡¯t slow down. Instead, they gained more speed and momentum.

    Thanks to that, two more ws could be added to his sword technique.

    Seven destructive sword strikes unleashed in a single breath¡ªit was nothing short of a cmity.

    ¡°Who on earth is this man¡­?!¡±

    The assassins¡¯ faces turned pale in an instant.

    ¡®There it is.¡¯

    Atst, Theo reached his target.

    ¡°We, we must block him here!¡±

    ¡°Damn it! Don¡¯t let him through! Hold the line, no matter what!¡±

    The assassins guarding the vault moved desperately.

    To sweep them away, Theo unleashed another wave of sword strikes.

    sh¡ª

    Boom!

    But this time, for the first time, Theo¡¯s attack was blocked.

    A middle-aged man, draped in a deep red himation (a type of cloak) over his torso, was standing there.

    Heughed wickedly as he grabbed Drake¡¯s de with his bare hand, now ckened by some dark power.

    ¡°Master!¡±

    ¡°Master, you¡¯vee¡­!¡±

    The assassins brightened at the sight of the middle-aged man.

    However, the man¡¯s entire focus was fixed on Theo.

    An aura unique to monks radiated from him.

    ¡°Oh, how tragic. To gain enlightenment amidst ughter¡­ it must be the seed of a demon. I suppose I have no choice but to break my vow and open the Kill Precepts today.¡±

    Theo¡¯s eyes grew dark and cold.

    ¡°Blood Priest.¡±

    ¡°The youngyman seems to know who I am.¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t it feel strange to say such things while wearing the robes of the Sacred Demon Church?¡±

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re right. Haha, how sharp you are, youngyman.¡±

    Sacred Demon Church.

    A heretical group that preached the end of the world was near, and that a savior would descend from the heavens to establish a millennial kingdom.

    Their power was said to rival the great noble families of the Empire.

    In the future, they would be the primary force behind the Empire¡¯s copse during the Great War.

    While their sudden appearance could have been unexpected, Theo had anticipated their arrival.

    ¡®I¡¯ve heard they were active across thend long before the Great War. And they¡¯ve had a close rtionship with Troyban for quite some time.¡¯

    Though the connection between Troyban and the Sacred Demon Church was only uncovered long after the Empire¡¯s fall, it would be different this time.

    Theo had already altered the course of history significantly.

    He was determined to reveal everything about Troyban¡¯s ties with the Sacred Demon Church and Ed¡¯s schemes to the House of Ragnar.

    Ding!

    [A quest has arrived.]

    ¡ª

    [Scenario Quest #2]

    You have encountered the nemesis from your past life. Stop their schemes and im victory.

    ¨C Difficulty: A+

    ¨C Reward: 10 Coins

    ¨C Failure Penalty: Death

    ¡ª

    ¡®A nemesis from my past life¡­¡¯

    Theo narrowed his eyes.

    ¡®Was there something between Troyban and me that I didn¡¯t know about?¡¯

    His mother, Cecilia¡¯s false usation.

    His own death after leaving the family.

    Perhaps now, he was getting closer to uncovering the truth that had eluded him all this time.

    Theo tightened his grip on Drake¡¯s de.

    As his boiling magic exploded, it fused with the de.

    Zzzing!

    A clear sound of Sword Resonance rang out as steam began to rise from the sword.

    At the same time,

    [¡®Skill: Lesser Drake Fear¡¯ has been activated, sharpening your killing intent.]

    Hoooom¡ª

    The killing aura became even sharper, enveloping the Blood Priest.

    The Blood Priest narrowed his eyes.

    ¡°But you are a foolishyman as well. Even after recognizing who I am, you still intend to fight. That youthful arrogance will be your undoing. It is the will of the gods¡­!¡±

    In that instant, a crimson glow flickered in the Blood Priest¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Be an offering to the gods!¡±

    The Blood Priest twisted his upper body swiftly.

    His red himation fluttered in the wind, and his pitch-ck hand tore through the Drake¡¯s killing aura, aiming directly for Theo¡¯s neck.

    The Blood Priest held a high rank in the Sacred Demon Church, one granted permission to preach.

    Being a natural-born martial artist, he was often far stronger than most practical swordsmen of the House of Ragnar.

    He was not an opponent to be taken lightly.

    Boom!

    Crrrrack¡ª

    As Drake¡¯s de and the Blood Priest¡¯s ck hand collided, sparks flew.

    ¡°What an impressive sword. There aren¡¯t many weapons that can withstand my ck Iron Hand.¡±

    The ck Iron Hand was a special technique unique to the Sacred Demon Church, created by training on iron sand mixed with rare herbs.

    It gave the practitioner skin harder than most weapons, making direct exposure to it extremely dangerous.

    ¡°It seems far too dangerous for a youngyman like you to carry around, so I will take it for safekeeping.¡±

    Theo ignored the man¡¯s words and focused solely on attacking.

    ¡®Six Arts of the Demon Dragon.¡¯

    He recalled Julius¡¯s swordsmanship.

    What he needed now was the destructive power of the Demon Dragon, a force capable of bringing about the end.

    In an instant, the killing intent surrounding Theo became as vicious as that of a Demon Dragon.

    ¡°Hmm¡­?¡±

    Before the Blood Priest could fully register what he had sensed, another barrage of sword strikes rained down.

    Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

    As Theo deflected the ck Iron Hand to the side, a whirlwind of scorching wind erupted.

    A vortex stretched from the ground to the ceiling.

    Amidst the storm, lightning shot upward, unleashing bolts from the sky.

    Rumble! Rumble! Rumble! Rumble!

    ¡°Guh!¡±

    The Blood Priest¡¯s hands and feet iled as he deflected the attacks. His clothes tore apart, revealing a muscr body now riddled with wounds.

    And then, four thunderous Death Beats struck from the blind spots.

    Boom!

    Rumble¡ª

    With a massive explosion, the Blood Priest was forcefully thrown back.

    His bloodied form was so battered that one could hardly believe he was the same fearsome Blood Priest of the Sacred Demon Church, renowned for spreading terror throughout the world.

    ¡°You¡¯re not just a child after all. A Ragnar is truly a Ragnar, huh? Hmph¡­! If I let you live, you¡¯ll only keep hindering the god¡¯s great work!¡±

    Yet, rather than despair, the Blood Priest seemed to revel in the situation, grinning wickedly.

    Seeing this, Theo felt the urge to press the attack further.

    But this time, the Blood Priest moved first.

    He wanted to prove that he hadn¡¯t gained his position on a whim¡ªhis leaking magic power became even more distinct.

    The blood-red glow that had been flickering in his eyes now enveloped his entire body, shining brilliantly like a halo.

    His straight punch, aimed directly at Theo, resembled a battering ram meant to pierce through castle gates.

    Boom!

    As Drake¡¯s de collided with the punch, the ground beneath Theo and the Blood Priest caved in, leaving a deep depression.

    Almost as if they had agreed in advance, the two immediately turned in opposite directions, preparing for new attacks.

    Theo¡¯s sword cut from left to right, while the Blood Priest¡¯s fist mmed downward from above.

    Boom! Boom! Boom!

    As Theo shed with the Blood Priest several more times, he gradually sensed a shift in the energy surrounding his opponent.

    ¡®Bloodlight Convergence, huh? Meeting him in person makes it all the more irritating.¡¯

    What made the Blood Priest so terrifying wasn¡¯t just his fanaticism¡ªwilling to throw away his life¡ªbut also his martial skills, which continued to grow during battle.

    They possessed a secret technique known as Spirit Possession, which they imed allowed the god¡¯s spiritual and physical presence to descend into their bodies. As the fight dragged on, instead of tiring, their strength and magic power only increased.

    The mechanics behind it didn¡¯t matter to Theo.

    He suspected that it was simply the price they paid for offering their souls to their god as sacrifices after death, in exchange for the power they wielded now.

    However, in theory, as long as their mental strength held up, they could exert nearly unlimited stamina and magic power. This was why most forces were reluctant to engage with them directly.

    Theo activated his Spiritual Essence vision, allowing him to observe the flow of magic surrounding the Blood Priest.

    He saw the magic leaking from the Aura Hall, climbing up the spine and rushing toward the head.

    ¡®Is he knocking on the Brain Gate? Is he trying to strengthen his willpower? But normally, that would drive someone insane.¡¯

    Theo couldn¡¯t easily grasp the principle behind Bloodlight Convergence.

    When the quest appeared, he thought he might gain some insight into the sublimation of body, mind, and spirit, but what he saw was baffling.

    The Brain Gate was stillrgely a mystery. There was so much yet to be discovered about this mystical area.

    Theo himself only utilized the Brain Gate thanks to the Ammon¡¯s Magic Tome, but understanding it was a different matter.

    Battering it recklessly with magic? It was practically suicide.

    Yet, the Blood Priest was managing his magic this way, and the result was amplified stamina and magic power.

    There was some hidden secret there.

    ¡®Using the Brain Gate to control rampaging magic¡­ It seems like something that could help me too. Could I learn anything from this?¡¯

    For a moment, Theo thought about mimicking what the Blood Priest was doing, but quickly shook his head, realizing the danger.

    Perhaps the price for recklessly meddling with the Brain Gate was the fanaticism that consumed these cultists.

    ¡®Still, there might be a hint here.¡¯

    The amplification of magic could potentially help him devise a way to manage the overwhelming heat that was guing him.

    While lost in thought, a different idea struck Theo.

    ¡®Wait. If he¡¯s amplifying his will, doesn¡¯t that mean I could peer into it from my side?¡¯

    If he utilized Hatchling Synchronization, perhaps he could learn something about Bloodlight Convergence.

    Maybe he could even catch a glimpse of their true intentions.

    ¡®Let¡¯s give it a shot.¡¯

    With that thought, Theo pushed his body even harder.

    Shush shush shush!

    In an instant, he switched from the Six Arts of the Demon Dragon to the 24 Plum Blossom Sword, changing his energy flow.

    The sky was immediately filled with a wave of plum blossoms.

    Even the speed of his Dragon ws increased.

    ¡°You fool of ayman. Do you think pulling off such tricks will change anything¡­?¡±

    The Blood Priest sneered, assuming that Theo was making a desperatest-ditch effort in a losing battle. But just as he was about to scoff, Theo¡¯s figure suddenly vanished, leaving him stunned.

    The whirlwind of scorching winds and lightning had blurred the Blood Priest¡¯s vision, causing him to lose track of Theo¡¯s movements.

    [You have invested 10 additional stat points into Agility.]

    [Agility: 79 ¡ú 89]

    [Your movements be smoother.]

    [Your attack speed increases.]

    Theo had invested all the additional stat points he gained from leveling up afterpleting the first scenario quest into Agility, achieving explosive speed.

    And then,

    A fierce wind wrapped around Theo.

    By the time the Blood Priest btedly turned his body in the opposite direction to locate Theo, Theo was already closing in.

    Smack!

    Like a lightning strike, Theo¡¯s hand shot forward, grabbing the Blood Priest by the head.

    His eyes screamed through the gaps between Theo¡¯s fingers, as if to ask, What are you trying to do?!

    ¡°What do you think?¡±

    But before the question could even be fully formed, Theo smirked coldly.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to open up your head.¡±

    [Skill: Hatchling Synchronization reads thetent thoughts.]

    Theo locked eyes with the Blood Priest.

    In that instant,

    Whoosh!

    Theo felt as if he was sinking deep into the Blood Priest¡¯s consciousness, descending into the depths of his mental world.

    And then, from the deepest recesses of the Blood Priest¡¯s unconscious,

    A massive presence began to rise from the abyss.

    Thump¡­!

    Theo¡¯s heart sank.

    The sheer enormity of the presence was overwhelming.

    It felt as though he was staring at something on the same level as Kyle or Hilda.

    ¡ºWho are you? What are you, to disturb my slumber?¡»

 Chapter 86

    Chapter 86: ying Catch (1)

    [A new enemy has appeared.]

    [The difficulty of this quest has been adjusted from A+ to S+.]

    ¡°What? S+ difficulty¡­?¡±

    Considering that the final tutorial quest had been S-rank in difficulty, this was an unbelievably high level.

    This meant that the opponent was an exceptionally dangerous entity.

    ¡ºAnswer me. What are you?¡»

    His head rang as if it would burst.

    An overwhelming sense of dread consumed him.

    Only then did Theo realize.

    This being before him was the very ¡°god¡± worshipped by the Sacred Demon Church.

    The very culprit responsible for the Great War stood right in front of him!

    ¡®Bloodlight Convergence¡­ It wasn¡¯t a lie when they said it was a possession. If they were forcibly opening the Brain Gate with magic power to ept divine power, it makes sense that they¡¯d have that much physical strength and magic power.¡¯

    ¡ºThis energy feels familiar¡­ Ah, I see. You¡¯re a Ragnar, aren¡¯t you? So the descendant of a false chosen one dares to peer into my servant¡¯s mind and glimpse me.¡»

    The evil god, a fusion of fear, resentment, and malice, examined Theo closely and even deduced his identity.

    Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!

    Theo¡¯s heart pounded furiously.

    While it was a surprising gain to learn the secret behind the Blood Priest, right now, he needed to escape.

    But to where?

    How would he get out of here?

    This was different from the time he had escaped Hilda¡¯s grasp.

    Back then, he had the Dragon yer Sword and the ck Dragon nearby, but this time, he had neither.

    At the same time, Theo felt a strange sense of familiarity from the evil god.

    ¡®It¡¯s like something I saw in the Demonic Sea¡­!¡¯

    ¡ºYou, a mere Ragnar, should be honored to receive such a grand wee from me. As a reward, I shall grant you the grace of bing my loyal servant.¡»

    Something from the evil god approached Theo.

    A massive hand.

    As it reached out to engulf him, his heart beat even more erratically.

    Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump¡­!

    Suppressing the terror that gripped his heart, Theo tried to move his hand toward the Moon-White Sword.

    Wiiiiing!

    Suddenly, his head felt as if it were about to burn up, growing unbearably hot.

    White Heat.

    And at that moment, his Brain Gate opened wider.

    Just like the Blood Priest¡¯s gate during the possession.

    sh!

    ¡ºThough it¡¯s not yet the time, given the circumstances, I have no other choice.¡»

    Theo felt a massive presence emerge behind him.

    A familiar voice.

    He quickly turned to face it.

    A colossal dragon appeared, its jaws wide open.

    A dragon with a hollow left chest.

    ¡®Lothbrok!¡¯

    ¡ºMypanion. ¡®That thing¡¯ is not something you are yet prepared to face. Only when you have ascended to Sigurd¡¯s level might you barely be able to confront it. It is a being that summons ¡ö¡ö.¡»

    A fireball formed at the corner of Lodbrok¡¯s mouth.

    The zing heat radiating from it was so intense, it felt as if it could engulf a sun within its mes.

    ¡ºSo return. Gather more strength, and then call upon me.¡»

    And with that, the sun fell.

    At the same time, Theo¡¯s consciousness was severed.

    * * *

    Theo felt himself being forcefully flung backward, retreating several steps away from the Blood Priest.

    ¡°How¡­ how did you¡­!¡±

    The Blood Priest¡¯s face, staring at him, was overwhelmed with a whirlwind of emotions.

    Shock, astonishment, disbelief, yearning, regret.

    Despite devoting his entire life to serving a god, he had only ever faintly sensed the deity¡¯s presence.

    Yet here was an unbeliever, hearing the direct words of the god himself¡ªsomething the priest could hardly believe.

    Still, part of him was consumed by an overwhelming desire to witness more of the god.

    Just a little longer.

    If only he had just a little more time, he could finallyy eyes upon the god¡¯s true form¡­!

    Schick!

    But the Blood Priest¡¯s thoughts were abruptly cut short.

    In the blink of an eye, Theo had drawn the Moon-White Sword and sliced off the priest¡¯s head.

    It was an act meant to prevent him from being dragged back into the world of unconsciousness.

    ¡®The evil god worshipped by the Sacred Demon Church¡­ was the Nameless Sovereign Lothbrok spoke of.¡¯

    Lothbrok¡¯s words from their encounter in the Nest resurfaced in Theo¡¯s mind.

    ¨C Why do you remain here?

    ¨C Because of the Nameless Sovereign.

    ¨C The Nameless Sovereign¡­?

    ¨C A ¡°monster¡± that exists beyond the Demonic Sea, at the furthest edge of the world. For the past thousand years, I¡¯ve stayed here, bound by the duty to protect the world from it. The Winter Mountains are merely a forward base for that mission.

    The being that had kept Lothbrok tethered to the Winter Mountains for the past millennium.

    It was a name Theo had never heard before, but its image remained vividly imprinted in his mind.

    And now, he hade face to face with a fragment of that being.

    Lothbrok could have only appeared to deal with that very creature.

    The aura of the Demonic Sea that radiated from the enemy was yet another sign confirming that it was indeed the Nameless Sovereign.

    At the same time, a thought crossed Theo¡¯s mind.

    ¡®Lothbrok said she wouldn¡¯tst another two or three years. The Great War will break out five years from now.¡¯

    If the Nameless Sovereign was the true orchestrator behind the Great War that would engulf the continent in mes, then it meant that its activities would begin in earnest after Lothbrok¡¯s demise.

    ¡®Is this really a coincidence?¡¯

    Of course not.

    Theo was someone who firmly believed that there were no coincidences in the world.

    ¡®Ed and Troyban¡¯s conspiracy, the Sacred Demon Church¡¯s rampage, the outbreak of the Great War¡­ Events I thought werepletely separate were all connected in one grand scheme!¡¯

    He had a vague understanding of the reason behind the existence of the scenario quests.

    The duty of the Ragnar bloodline was to stop the Nameless Sovereign. Therefore, it wasn¡¯t surprising that the potential of the artifact, imprinted into the bloodline¡¯s genes, had awakened in alignment with this purpose.

    ¡®I should keep following the quests. That way, everything will be clearer.¡¯

    Luckily, the objectives of the quests were perfectly aligned with Theo¡¯s own goals.

    [You have leveled up.]

    As Theo organized his thoughts, he turned around.

    Swish!

    In that instant, something gleamed in the darkness.

    It was the assassin¡¯s dagger, which had been waiting to strike at Theo.

    However, the de never reached him.

    Suddenly, a shadow shot upward, and Umbra appeared, swallowing the assassin whole in one swift motion.

    Crunch, crunch!

    The death came so swiftly, not even a final cry could be uttered.

    ¡°Well done.¡±

    Creak!

    Umbra let out a pleased sound at Theo¡¯s praise.

    * * *

    ¡°This¡­!¡±

    Kleve and Hazel, rushing down to the underground, were stopped in their tracks, overwhelmed by shock.

    The traces of the fierce battle scattered throughout the area were incredible.

    Theo sat against one side of the corridor, his face tired, holding something in his hand.

    ¡°You¡¯ve arrived?¡±

    ¡°Did you¡­ capture the Blood Priest?¡±

    What shocked them most was the Blood Priest¡¯s head rolling at Theo¡¯s feet.

    Upstairs, two Blood Priests had appeared, and they had hurried to subdue them as quickly as possible, rushing down here with a sense of urgency.

    But to think Theo had already dealt with the Blood Priest down here, and even defeated him.

    ¡°Yes. It just happened.¡±

    ¡°Huh¡­ I don¡¯t know how something like dealing with a Blood Priest can just ¡®happen¡¯,¡± Kleve shook her head in disbelief but smiled at the same time.

    ¡°If you¡¯ve handled a Blood Priest on your own, I think that proves your capability as a Practical Swordsman. What¡¯s the opinion of the Plum Blossom Pce?¡±

    ¡°¡­I agree with ck Snow¡¯s assessment.¡±

    Hazel could only nod absentmindedly.

    She had barely managed to hold her ground when she had faced a Blood Priest and had needed Evelyn¡¯s help to defeat him.

    ¡°The White Armored Dragon Cavalry already acknowledged it, and now all three examiners are unanimous. Congrattions. You are now a Practical Swordsman. It¡¯s the fastest promotion in history.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Theo nodded calmly.

    He was happy, but it wasn¡¯t to the point of being overwhelmed.

    Was it because he had gone through such a significant event?

    Theo couldn¡¯t quite understand his own feelings.

    It just felt like he had merelypleted what was expected of him.

    However, to Kleve, that attitude made him all the more interesting.

    ¡®At that age, he should be boasting about his achievements, yet he remainsposed. He doesn¡¯t lose his cool. He¡¯s certainly a talent who would pair well with ck Snow.¡¯

    Theo asked,

    ¡°How did things go upstairs?¡±

    ¡°The suppression isplete. Captain Evelyn stayed behind to clean up. When we return, there will be plenty to report.¡±

    Kleve¡¯s gaze darkened.

    The alliance between the Sacred Demon Church and the Troyban family was something even ck Snow hadn¡¯t anticipated.

    If this situation were reported, it was certain that their strategy against Troyban would undergo major revisions.

    ¡°But, what¡¯s that in your hand?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I found a safe, and I discovered a few interesting things.¡±

    He had already opened the safe?

    How fast had he dealt with the Blood Priest?

    Kleve let out a faintugh and epted the documents Theo handed over.

    One was a document rted to the Sacred Demon Church.

    It appeared that the Season of the Snake was a front organization created by the Sacred Demon Church to conceal themselves from the eyes of the world.

    This could serve as evidence to link Troyban and the Sacred Demon Church.

    And the other¡­

    For a moment, one of Kleve¡¯s eyebrows raised.

    An entirely unexpected name was written on it.

    ¡°Ceres Trading Company?¡±

    The Ceres Trading Company was not only tied to the hostages from the current mission, but it was also a link between Ed Troyban and the Troyban family.

    The fact that this name appeared¡­

    As expected, the more Kleve skimmed through the document, the colder his expression became.

    ¡°The Director of Central Intelligence¡¯s trail leads here.¡±

    The document was a request sent from the Ceres Trading Company to the Season of the Snake.

    But rather than a request, the tone of the contents resembled an order.

    Someone had used the name of the Ceres Trading Company to issuemands to the Season of the Snake.

    ¡°We must strike the headquarters of the Ceres Trading Company immediately.¡±

    At Theo¡¯s words, Kleve turned his gaze back toward him.

    ¡°Just the two of us?¡±

    ¡°The opponent is the Director of Central Intelligence. I also understand that the Ceres Trading Company handles a lot of information. If we wait for reinforcements, our movements will only be exposed.¡±

    ¡°Even so, it¡¯s undoubtedly a risky n. While they might notpare to the Vassal family, the Ceres Trading Company¡¯s military power isn¡¯t something to be taken lightly.¡±

    ¡°Even so, I think it¡¯s necessary to take risks.¡±

    Kleve quietly gazed at Theo.

    Theo, too, met her eyes in silence.

    A brief moment of stillness passed between them.

    Pisik!

    Kleve finally let out augh.

    Some might think that Theo¡¯s counsel was the rashness of a young swordsman, but his gaze was colder and moreposed than ever.

    It was clear this was a conclusion reached after careful thought.

    ¡°If you were just a trainee, I might overlook it, but the opinion of a practical swordsman on a mission is worth considering. Hazel Copel, what do you think?¡±

    ¡°I fully agree with Practical Swordsman Theo Ragnar¡¯s opinion. If this information is true, it means the Ceres Trading Company has already been plotting rebellion.¡±

    Plotting rebellion.

    A serious matter that the great families could never ignore.

    Moreover, the Ceres Trading Company had long been a vassal force supported by the House of Ragnar.

    If they had repaid that grace by secretly plotting a betrayal, punishment was inevitable.

    ¡®Let¡¯s admit it. There¡¯s a reason why the Lord cherishes Theo Ragnar. He¡¯s the one who sees the situation most clearly right now.¡¯

    Hazel had now made up her mind to recognize Theo.

    His skills, his judgment¡ªthere was no room for her to challenge him anymore.

    On top of this, Theo added another point.

    ¡°And I believe ck Snow has prepared some sort of ¡®insurance,¡¯ don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°¡­How did you know about that?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no way you¡¯d handle a wild beast without putting it on a leash.¡±

    ¡°As expected, you¡­ Haha! You never fail to surprise me. Fine. I deem the opinions of both practical swordsmen valid, and we will initiate the next operation as an extension of this mission.¡±

    Kleve folded the documents and tucked them into her inner pocket before speaking to Theo.

    ¡°By the way, considering it¡¯s the Ceres Trading Company, these are the very people you saved just a few days ago. And now you¡¯re about to send them to their deaths. You have quite the dark taste, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Theoughed.

    It was theugh of a predator before its prey.

    ¡°If they interfere with the hunt, I¡¯ll simply get rid of them.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, that makes sense.¡±

    Kleve chuckled along with him and turned in the opposite direction.

    And that very day¡­

    An inn in the provincial town of Kalhelm was engulfed in mes from a mysterious fire, disappearing without a trace.

 Chapter 87

    Chapter 87: ying Tag (2)

    ¡°This confirms it.¡±

    The ck Dragon lowered the report he had been reading and spoke in a solemn voice.

    ¡®Why does this guy keep showing up here? How annoying.¡¯

    Julius silently furrowed his brow.

    Ever since the ck Dragon came, iming he wanted to discuss the current mission, he had been visiting Julius¡¯s office almost every day.

    The problem was that there were far more conversations about Theo than about Edna Troyban.

    Because of this, Julius was on high alert.

    The ck Dragon¡¯s greed for Theo was now tantly obvious.

    And it was the same now.

    Julius couldn¡¯t help but suspect that the report in the ck Dragon¡¯s hand wasn¡¯t just about the mission, but an observation log(?) on Theo.

    As expected.

    ¡°Theo is truly a talent suited for our ck Snow.¡±

    ¡°Are you insane, human?¡±

    ¡°You won¡¯t have anything to say once you see this report.¡±

    The ck Dragon, unbothered by Julius¡¯s irritation, handed over the emergency report submitted by Kleve.

    ¡­Even when suddenly confronted with the unexpected appearance of a Sacred Demon Church Blood Priest, he showed no signs of hesitation, and with sheer individual strength, he subdued the opponent with cold precision¡­ Based on fragmentary clues, he deduced the current route towards the Ceres Trading Company heading north¡­ He has shown a deep understanding of the ck Snow¡¯s operations¡­ Additional approval is required for this matter.

    ¡­As a result, the three examiners unanimously agreed to promote Trainee Swordsman Theo Ragnar to Practical Swordsman¡­

    ¡°This report is too long. So much formal nonsense. Summarize it.¡±

    ¡°It mentions the appearance of a Blood Priest.¡±

    In an instant, Julius¡¯s eyes sank deeply.

    This heretical group, which had long plunged the Empire and the continent into chaos, had been a persistent headache for Ragnar.

    Julius also had a deep, personal enmity with them.

    ¡°Are you saying the Director of Central Intelligence is secretly in league with the Sacred Demon Church?¡±

    The ck Dragon remained silent.

    The crease in Julius¡¯s brow deepened.

    ¡°You knew already, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°And yet you let it slide, waiting for something to fall right into your hands. Seriously, you¡¯re more cunning than I thought.¡±

    ¡°No. I didn¡¯t know.¡±

    The ck Dragon simply shook his head and continued.

    ¡°I only anticipated that something was lurking in the shadows. The Sacred Demon Church was just one of the possibilities.¡±

    This was confidential information he hadn¡¯t even shared with No Snow , information only he knew.

    Nothing had been fully uncovered yet, so it was too early to jump to conclusions.

    Well, at least it had been.

    ¡°Anyway, what does any of this have to do with Theo?¡±

    ¡°Three Blood Priests appeared in total, and Theo apparently captured one of them alone.¡±

    Julius¡¯s stern expression instantly dissolved, almost as if it had been a lie.

    His face split into a wide grin.

    ¡°As expected of our youngest. Causing a stir as soon as he joins. Do you know why that¡¯s possible? Because I personally taught him swordsmanship. That¡¯s right. He¡¯s a perfect fit for our White Armored Dragon Cavalry.¡±

    He deliberately emphasized the words ¡°White Armored Dragon Cavalry,¡± drawing out each syble.

    The ck Dragon pretended not to hear and continued speaking.

    ¡°And then, he found out that the Ceres Trading Company was the one who put in a request with the Season of the Snake, and even suggested an immediate attack. His judgment, decisiveness, and mission execution were¡­ wless. At this point, wouldn¡¯t it be the right thing, ethically, to transfer him to our ck Snow?¡±

    ¡°Ethically, my ass.¡±

    Julius scoffed and pped a report from Evelyn that had juste in on the desk.

    ¡°Enough nonsense. Take a look at this. The Director of Information won¡¯t be able to keep up that ridiculous talk after seeing it.¡±

    ¡°By applying an auxiliary technique, The Meridian Enhancing Technique, he has integrated it into his swordsmanship¡­ soon, his Aura will bloom¡­ judging from his deep understanding of Wyverns.¡±

    ¡°You mentioned he urgently moved to the Ceres Trading Company¡¯s headquarters for a surprise attack, didn¡¯t you? Well, do you know how he¡¯s doing it? We have a creature called Umbra in our stables. It¡¯s about two to three timesrger than your average wyvern. Theo tamed that thing, and now, he¡¯s flying No Snow and the Plum Blossom Pce¡¯s swordsman on it, all getting along just fine!¡±

    ¡°So?¡±

    ¡°His understanding of blitz tactics! His ability to utilize aerial forces! His capability as a partner for a Wyvern! This shows he¡¯s an inseparable talent for the White Armored Dragon Cavalry!¡±

    Bang!

    Julius mmed his palm onto the desk, stood up with a roar, and shouted.

    ¡°Above all, Theo willingly kicked aside all other petty offers and joined the White Armored Dragon Cavalry by his own choice! So why do you keep lurking around the edges?¡±

    ¡°What? Petty?¡±

    From behind the ck Dragon¡¯s mask, one of his eyes visibly twitched.

    ¡°Yes, petty! What else would you call it?¡±

    ¡°Do you want to die?¡±

    ¡°Well, kill me if you can!¡±

    Julius aggressively tore at the cor of his shirt and thrust his chest forward.

    A clear challenge, daring him to try.

    Julius looked ready to charge at him, and the ck Dragon, clearly annoyed, sharply turned his head to the side.

    ¡°It¡¯s so noisy here, maybe I should just issue an order and transfer him from the White Armored Dragon Cavalry to ck Snow¡­¡±

    Though he muttered to himself, it was obvious he intended for Julius to hear every word.

    ¡°This guy, seriously! I wasn¡¯t going to say this, but¡ªbrother! This really isn¡¯t right, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°This is not a private setting. Watch yournguage, Captain of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry.¡±

    ¡°Oh really? Then shouldn¡¯t our esteemed Director of Information also be speaking formally? By rank, we should be equals, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh? No answer?¡±

    ¡°The Information Bureau and ck Snow are independent institutions, established separately from other organizations, so the usual hierarchy does not apply.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re really shameless.¡±

    Sigh!

    Julius let out a deep sigh, staring at the white mask that revealed nothing of the ck Dragon¡¯s expression.

    ¡°Brother, let¡¯s stop this. Can we just have an open conversation for once? What¡¯s your reason? Why are you constantly trying to im Theo? Osa is already teasing me, saying she¡¯s going to adopt him as her son, and it¡¯s driving me mad!¡±

    Ever since they took on heavy titles in front of their names, they rarely addressed each other as brothers anymore.

    But in truth, Julius was the closest to the ck Dragon among all the members of Ragnar, including the Nine Dragons.

    At one point, they had even sworn an oath of brotherhood.

    Julius was also one of the few people who knew the ck Dragon¡¯s true identity.

    Kyle, the ck Dragon, Julius, and the Lord of Plum Blossom Pce.

    The four of them knew each other far too well.

    Too well.

    But now¡­

    ¡°You know one thing but not the other, little brother.¡±

    The ck Dragon, deciding to drop the formality, crossed his arms and chuckled.

    ¡°What don¡¯t I know?¡±

    ¡°When an older brother likes something his younger brother has, he takes it.¡±

    ¡°You son of a¡ª!¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s pretend I didn¡¯t hear that.¡±

    The ck Dragon burst intoughter right in Julius¡¯s face, then disappeared from the office in an instant.

    Whoosh!

    Once again, he¡¯d stirred up Julius and vanished just as quickly.

    ¡°Aaagh! These damned people are so infuriating!!¡±

    Julius grabbed his temples and twisted his body in frustration.

    * * *

    Theo and his group, mounted on Umbra and Rangus (Evelyn¡¯s partner), were moving swiftly toward the Ceres Trading Company¡¯s headquarters.

    In this mission, speed and timing were everything, leaving no room for hesitation.

    However, they still managed to review their n briefly during the journey.

    The heat that had been radiating from Theo, making it difficult to even approach him, was now gradually being restrained.

    ¡°¡­What on earth did you do?¡±

    Kleve, standing behind Theo, had a look of disbelief on his face.

    Theo had not only mastered The Meridian Enhancing Technique and immediately emitted heat, but he had also changed the nature of his Thunder attribute. Now, he had even learned how to conceal the heat within his magic power.

    More precisely, he had learned the method of trapping the heat inside his magic power.

    Since heat was energy in itself, simply containing it significantly reduced the inefficient waste of energy.

    This also eliminated the difort caused by overheating, which he had been suffering from.

    No matter how blessed the body of a Ragnar was.

    Wasn¡¯t this almost unfair at this point?

    ¡°I wonder.¡±

    But Theo could only respond with a smile, evading the question.

    He couldn¡¯t exactly admit that he had gotten a hint from the Blood Priest¡¯s method of manipting magic power.

    ¡®As expected, the key was to maximize the density of the magic power.¡¯

    Bloodlight Convergence worked in a simr way.

    It absorbed the vast amounts of divine power pouring through the Brain Gate, dissolved it into the magic power, andpressed it with extreme pressure, continuously rotating it within the body.

    Of course, since this technique relied on the unique properties of the Sacred Demon Church¡¯s divine power, it wasn¡¯t something Theo could directly imitate, but¡ª

    Theo had a simr trait, Spiritual Essence, which allowed him to increase the viscosity of his magic power, thereby raising its density.

    Thanks to that,

    the emitted heat was trapped inside the magic power, and the increased fluidity greatly enhanced efficiency.

    ¡®If I can make better use of this, I could create an excellent breathing technique and method of operation.¡¯

    For the time being, Theo decided to continue researching this subject.

    Of course, those watching him were left bewildered.

    ¡®Was the Head of House like this in his youth? The Commander must have witnessed it.¡¯

    ¡®The Pce Lord made the right choice. Theo Ragnar will write a new chapter in the history of the Plum Blossom Pce.¡¯

    Kleve and Hazel were now fully convinced that they had to bring Theopletely into their fold.

    ¡®ck Dragon and Sword Dragon are probably fuming right now. I regret not seeing that¡­¡¯

    Evelyn clicked her tongue, feeling disappointed she hadn¡¯t been able to witness Julius, who was likely grinding his temples in frustration by now.

    Tsk!

    At that moment¡ª

    p¡ª

    A ck bird swooped down over Theo and hispanions.

    It was a messenger bird, a spiritual creature raised by the ck Snow for emergencymunication.

    Kleve quickly reached out, retrieved the letter the bird carried, and, after reading it, let out a dry chuckle.

    ¡°Why are you doing this?¡±

    Kleve answered Theo¡¯s question as she burned the letter with her magic.

    ¡°A report just came in. Apparently, the Ceres Trading Company is involved in some interesting matters.¡±

    ¡°Interesting matters?¡±

    Confusion appeared on the faces of Theo and hispanions.

    * * *

    The Ceres Trading Company.

    For the past hundred years, this group had grown under the protection of Ragnar to be thergest tradingpany in the North. But its owner harbored one wish.

    For thepany to break free from the limitations of being just a merchant group and transform into a true family of horsemen.

    And to establish itself as a prestigious house,parable to the Six Snow Families!

    This was why they had allied with the Central Intelligence Bureau.

    No, this was the reason they had be the hunting dogs of Ed Troyban.

    ¡°But even that isn¡¯t enough. To be a family of horsemen¡­ we¡¯re stillcking in history. Lacking in strength.¡±

    The head of the tradingpany, Quadrach Ceres, murmured softly as he rubbed the two walnuts in his right hand.

    ¡°The fact that we were helplessly raided by a mere terrorist¡ªthat is the current reality ourpany faces. To change this, we need to umte more power.¡±

    The hostage incident that had urred not long ago had been a great shock to him.

    It had further fueled his desire to transform thepany into a military force.

    ¡°This marriage must seed, no matter what.¡±

    Thud!

    Quadrach¡¯s sharp gazended on the documents scattered across the table.

    They depicted the rtionships between various people and factions.

    At the center was Soaring Dragon Ed Troyban, with ¡®Kyle¡¯ and ¡®Ragnar¡¯ ced at opposing ends above him.

    Behind Ed, two branches extended¡ªone leading to ¡®Troyban¡¯ and the other to the ¡®Sacred Demon Church.¡¯

    Both of these were the sharpest daggers aimed at Ragnar¡¯s heart, thergest forces supporting Ed Troyban.

    The ¡®Ceres Trading Company¡¯ was depicted extending from Ed Troyban¡¯s right side, connected to a categorybeled ¡®Gathering of the Hidden Dragons.¡¯

    And,

    The Ceres Trading Company had a unique feature that couldn¡¯t be found elsewhere.

    It was linked by a branch to one of the Six Snow Families on Ragnar¡¯s side.

    The House of Bhus.

    Bearing a bull as their crest, they were known for their bold and vigorous image among the Six Snow Families.

    However, a question mark was attached to the branch connecting the Ceres Trading Company to the House of Bhus.

    Thud.

    Thud¡­

    Quadrach tapped his index finger on the question mark and muttered to himself.

    ¡°No matter what, this marriage must seed. Then, I¡¯ll devour them. Not only will ourpany be one of the Six Snow Families, but we¡¯ll even be able to rece Ragnar.¡±

    Quadrach had already decided to turn his back on Ragnar.

    Considering Ragnar¡¯s stance of never forgiving traitors, this was an incredibly risky move.

    But Quadrach, being a brilliant merchant, had already calcted everything.

    ¡°Troyban alone is already a great house, not inferior to Ragnar. On top of that, the Sacred Demon Church supports them, and various other forces have joined hands to carve up the North. A major upheaval is inevitable. There¡¯s no reason ourpany can¡¯t ride that wave. Moreover¡­¡±

    Quadrach¡¯s eyes glinted coldly.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t ¡®he¡¯ behind all of this? ¡®He¡¯ is the true sovereign of the North. There¡¯s no way we can lose this game.¡±

    Quadrach shuddered as he recalled the first time he had met ¡®him.¡¯

    The mental shock he had experienced back then still lingered intensely within him.

    How could anyone possibly go against him after seeing that¡­?

    It was at that moment.

    ¡°Master, a young member of the House of Bhus has arrived.¡±

    ¡°Has it alreadye to that time? Understood. I¡¯ll be out shortly.¡±

    Hearing the voice of the steward outside the door, Quadrach flipped the chart back over and stood up.

    ¡°The time is near. The time when the Ceres Trading Company will be reborn as the House of Ceres¡­!¡±

 Chapter 88

    Chapter 88: The Game of Catching Tails (3)

    ¡°No matter what happens, this engagement must seed. It is the only way you can prove your worth.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    Naban Bhus quietly looked at the knight assigned to him by his family¡ªor more precisely, the knight who was tasked with monitoring him.

    Sunken, hollow eyes.

    Even madness flickered within his pupils.

    It was easy to tell that the knight was in a severely abnormal state, clearly tormented by drugs.

    ¡°Ha! It seems Bhus has truly fallen. Even if you¡¯re treated as a cast-off bastard, selling your own child to beg for money¡ªwhat a wretched state.¡±

    ¡°Do you wish to die?¡±

    The knight¡¯s face twisted with anger.

    His hand reached toward the hilt of his sword, ready to draw it if need be.

    ¡°If you¡¯re going to kill me, then go ahead.¡±

    Naban, however, merely sneered in response.

    ¡°The leader of the Ceres Trading Company would be delighted to have a son-inw with his head chopped off. Oh, would he really be happy? After all, without the need to feed or house me, he¡¯d save quite a bit of money. I¡¯ve heard he¡¯s quite stingy when ites to spending, isn¡¯t that right?¡±

    ¡°You insolent¡­!¡±

    ¡°Rx your eyes before they pop out of your skull. Don¡¯t worry; I know my ce better than anyone. I¡¯ll offer my unwavering loyalty, scrape up everyst bit of the Ceres Trading Company¡¯s fortune, and bring it back to the family. Hah!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    The knight slowly withdrew his hand from the sword¡¯s hilt.

    Continuing this conversation any longer would only serve to irritate him.

    A marriage between the Bhus family and the Ceres Trading Company.

    Though both were technically vassals of the Ragnar family, the two groups couldn¡¯t be more different.

    The Bhus family, with its rich history and tradition, once led the Six Snow Families.

    On the other hand, the Ceres Trading Company, barely a century old, was nothing more than a merchant group.

    From the start, this union didn¡¯t match the Bhus family¡¯s ¡®status.¡¯

    Moreover, the daughter being offered by the Ceres Trading Company wasn¡¯t even their eldest; she was the fourth daughter, without any im to inheritance. To make matters worse, she had even suffered the humiliation of having her right arm cut off by Theo a few months earlier.

    Despite all this, the marriage proposal moved forward, a clear sign of how dire the Bhus family¡¯s situation had be.

    ¡®If only¡­ if we can ovee this crisis, the family can rise again. We just need to endure this humiliation one more time.¡¯

    The fourth daughter of the Ceres Trading Company was set to bring a substantial dowry.

    For the Bhus family, teetering on the edge of bankruptcy due to crushing debt, this marriage was a lifeline, providing enough to keep them afloat.

    ¡®Anyway, I¡¯m just a bastard child abandoned by the family. They said I barely have five years left to live, so there¡¯s no need to worry about consequences.¡¯

    Outwardly, Naban was known as the child of the first wife, but in truth, he was the son of the family head, born from a prostitute he had encountered by chance on the battlefield.

    If it weren¡¯t for his distinct gray hair, a unique trait of the Bhus family, he wouldn¡¯t have been acknowledged as a child at all.

    That¡¯s why they could push him towards the Ceres Trading Company without hesitation.

    After all, he had a fatal weakness¡ªwithout medication, he wouldn¡¯t survive more than five days.

    So, the n was to get rid of this nuisance and make some money on the side, all to restore the family¡¯s glory.

    The Guardian Knight was immersed in such dreams.

    ¡®Fools. Do they really think that¡¯s going to work? Does Quadrach, with his sharp mind, and Ed really not know what we¡¯re up to?¡¯

    Naban, on the other hand, scoffed at the family¡¯s foolishness, knowing they only knew how to swing swords but were utterly clueless about the ways of the world.

    If he had to guess, this marriage proposal was merely bait.

    A bait craftily designed to swallow the entire Bhus family whole.

    Once they bit?

    By the time they realized what was happening, they would already be inside the belly of Quadrach¡ªor rather, Ed Troyban.

    After all, it was Ed Troyban himself who had suggested this marriage to the family.

    It seemed like a gesture for their benefit on the surface.

    But Naban knew Ed¡¯s ambitions all too well.

    Most of the family¡¯s assets had already been mortgaged here and there to the front organizations that Ed Troyban had set up.

    Many of the household servants had also been swayed to his side, but only the direct members of the family remained oblivious to this fact.

    Naban had realized this a long time ago but had kept his mouth shut.

    ¡®There¡¯s no need to tell them, is there?¡¯

    He had less than five years left to live.

    Watching the family go up in mes during that time would at least be entertaining.

    ¡®Pushing a fifteen-year-old fledgling into marriage in the first ce is far from a sane act.¡¯

    Keh!

    It was then, as Naban let out a bizarreugh.

    ¡°The leader of the tradingpany has sent a message asking for you to be escorted inside. Please follow me.¡±

    The steward had appeared out of nowhere, bowing his head.

    Naban and the Guardian Knight quietly followed behind him.

    * * *

    ¡°They say a marriage alliance is being arranged between the fourth daughter of the Ceres Trading Company and the second son of the Bhus family.¡±

    A cold sneer formed on Kleve¡¯s lips as she ryed the confidential information brought from ck Snow.

    ¡°And tomemorate it, quite a few tradingpanies from the North have sent delegations to offer their congrattions, making the city rather noisy.¡±

    ¡°The Ceres Trading Company intends to swallow the Bhus family whole and, furthermore, secure aplete hold over the ¡®Northern Merchants¡¯ Association¡¯ as well.¡±

    At Theo¡¯s assessment, Kleve burst intoughter.

    His ability to grasp the intent from just the bare facts was truly remarkable.

    He wasn¡¯t receiving additional information from somewhere else, so how could he show such an extraordinary level of insight?

    ¡°Exactly. Power and wealth¡ªCeres will have it all. Ed Troyban is about to get himself a fine new sword.¡±

    ¡°And our job is to break that sword, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°It won¡¯t be easy.¡±

    ¡°You say that, but you seem to be enjoying it.¡±

    Theo merely smiled without answering.

    Kleve shook her head with a sigh.

    ¡°You¡¯re starting to seem like a real sly one, you know.¡±

    Theo scratched his cheek with his finger but remained silent, deep in thought.

    ¡®Was this around the time when Ceres began to devour the Bhus family?¡¯

    Theo knew the circumstances surrounding this matter very well.

    Ceres, reborn as a ¡°Sword House,¡± yed a crucial role in the rebellion led by Ed and Axion.

    After absorbing the Bhus family and securing the finances of the Northern Merchants¡¯ Association, Ceres had grown immensely powerful.

    ¡®If I can sever this link early, it would be as if Ed Troyban lost one of his arms.¡¯

    Theo felt that this unexpected opportunity hade at just the right time.

    ¡®Maybe I¡¯ll even get to see the ¡°Fleeting Phantom Sword,¡± that friend of mine.¡¯

    Fleeting Phantom Sword.

    The name, meaning ¡°the sword of a ghost with a short life,¡± wouldter be the title given to Naban Bhus, who had made significant contributions as the son-inw of the Ceres family.

    Naban Bhus had achieved such great deeds that even Theo could vividly recall his aplishments.

    Because of him, the captain of the Gale Sword Unit had died in battle, and many other forces had suffered considerable losses.

    However, due to a congenital illness, he passed away suddenly not long after.

    It was said that Ceres¡¯ family head, Quadrach, left a regretful final wish before his own death: ¡®How I wish my son-inw could have lived just six months longer.¡¯

    ¡®Perhaps, I might be able to pull him to my side in this situation.¡¯

    Theo¡¯s eyes gleamed sharply.

    By then, the city housing the main branch of the Ceres Trading Company hade into view in the distance.

    As Kleve had mentioned, the area in front of thepany¡¯s headquarters was bustling with people.

    Everyone seemed to be managing multiple wagons or carts, withrge bundles slung over the workers¡¯ shoulders.

    He couldn¡¯t even guess how many gs were fluttering above his head.

    The Northern Merchants Association.

    It was an association made up of northern merchants and trade associations, centered around the Ceres Trading Company.

    Originally, it was just a simple social gathering for exchanging information, but at some point, it had be a profit-driven organization.

    Even Ragnar took notice.

    ¡°They¡¯ve really decided to show off their power.¡±

    Hazel¡¯s gaze, looking down at them, was filled with clear discontent.

    Kleve nodded his head.

    ¡°None of that¡ªsitting in those high positions, enjoying that prestige¡ªwould have been possible without the power of Ragnar. How do they not realize that?¡±

    ¡°When things go well, people tend to mistake it for their own skill rather than luck,¡± Theo replied with the same sneer.

    Kleve, agreeing with his words, let out a smallugh before shouting loudly.

    ¡°Then everyone, descend!¡±

    At Kleve¡¯smand, Theo, Evelyn, and Hazel all hurled themselves toward the ground.

    ¨C Uh, uhh¡­?

    ¨C What¡¯s that?

    ¨C Something¡¯s falling from the sky!

    ¨C Pe-people? Why are theying this way!

    ¨C Run, run!

    The people of the Northern Merchants Association, who were lined up in front of the headquarters, looked up, only to scatter in a panic.

    Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

    Amidst the chaos, Theo and the othersnded with a deafening roar,

    ng ng ng ng!

    ¡°Who are you?¡±

    ¡°State your purpose!¡±

    The soldiers and mercenaries guarding the headquarters immediately pointed their swords at them.

    ¡°Theo.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    At Kleve¡¯smand, Theo pulled out the short staff he had been keeping, and swung it wide.

    As soon as the lock on the short staff was released, it grew rapidly, far exceeding his height.

    The fabric rolled up inside unfurled in the wind, revealing the banner with a mighty flourish.

    p¡ª

    A symbol of a dragon with nine heads, biting a sword.

    It was the banner of Ragnar.

    ¨C Th-that¡¯s¡­!

    ¨C Ra-Ra-Ragnar! Why have they suddenly appeared!

    Ragnar!

    Though the name represented the face of the North, to the people of the North, its arrival was no different from that of a grim reaper.

    The merchants¡¯ faces instantly drained of color.

    Squeeze.

    Theo¡¯s grip on the gpole tightened.

    The g was a symbol of the Great House¡¯s authority.

    It was also the face of the Great House.

    That they entrusted such a thing to Theo showed just how much Kleve and hispanions trusted him.

    Beneath the g,

    Kleve let out a thunderous roar.

    ¡°From this moment, we will begin Ragnar¡¯s event! Anyone who dares to interfere, hinder, or obstruct it will be considered as challenging Ragnar¡¯s authority and will be executed on the spot-!¡±

    Executed¡­ executed¡­ executed¡­

    Her voice echoed loudly in all directions in an instant.

    The merchants, overwhelmed by the imposing pressure, stepped back,

    while the chief steward of the Ceres Trading Company, who had been weing guests at the main gate, rushed out with a pale face, bowing deeply.

    ¡°Wh-what on earth brings the Great House to such a, such a humble pl-ce like th-this¡­!¡±

    Looking down coldly at the top of the chief steward¡¯s head, Kleve spoke.

    ¡°Are you the head of the Ceres Trading Company?¡±

    ¡°N-no! I, I¡¯m just the chief steward here¡­!¡±

    ¡°How dare a mere steward, not even the head of the tradingpany, presume to confront the executor sent to carry out the noble Lord¡¯smand¡ª! Since when did Ceres be so arrogant?¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    The chief steward¡¯s face, already pale, now seemed on the verge of copsing, as if his breath might stop at any moment.

    -When the Dragon of the North moves, everything around it turns into a sea of fire.

    This was a well-known proverb to anyone living in the North.

    A saying meant to warn against incurring Ragnar¡¯s wrath.

    And now, this was an event conducted by an executor bearing the ¡®Lord¡¯smand¡¯!

    ¡°I understand now how Ceres views the Great House. I will personally see the head of the tradingpany, so clear the way immediately.¡±

    ¡°Pl-please, wait¡­!¡±

    As Kleve began to walk forward, the chief steward hastily tried to plead for a moment,

    Swick-

    Splurt!

    But before he could finish, Hazel, who was standing beside him, darted forward and swiftly severed his head.

    Blood spurted into the air.

    ¡°I clearly said anyone who interferes with Ragnar¡¯s event would be executed on the spot, didn¡¯t I?¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    No one in the audience, who had not expected her to wield her sword so mercilessly, could dare approach them now.

    The soldiers and mercenaries of Ceres were no different.

    Klevemanded.

    ¡°Open the gate.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±

    Evelyn and Hazel leapt forward, blowing the main gate, along with the wall, away in one sweep.

    Boom¡ª

    Above it all, the g held by Theo fluttered powerfully.

    It was Ragnar¡¯s grand entrance.

 Chapter 89

    Chapter 89: ying Tag (4) >

    At that moment, Naban was meeting his future father-inw and the woman who would be his wife.

    ¡°Naban Bhus.¡±

    ¡°I am Quadrach Ceres. This is my daughter, Lily Ceres. Go ahead and greet her.¡±

    ¡°Nice to meet you.¡±

    Naban gave a brief nod toward Lily.

    To anyone watching, it was closer to a disrespectful attitude than a proper greeting.

    Instantly, the face of the knight standing behind turned red with fury.

    Had they not been in Quadrach¡¯s presence, he would have shouted at Naban right away.

    However,

    ¡°Ahem.¡±

    Lily didn¡¯t get angry. Instead, she looked Naban up and down, as if evaluating him.

    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±

    Naban tilted his head, wondering why she was acting like that.

    It was the first time he had encountered such a reaction.

    ¡°For a bastard, you¡¯re fairly decent-looking. Or maybe it¡¯s because you¡¯re a bastard? I was worried about how much of a pervert you¡¯d be, considering you¡¯re nine years older than me, but for now, I¡¯ll give you a passing grade.¡±

    The knight clenched his fists tightly.

    ¡®How dare this lowly merchant¡­!¡¯

    Only someone from the Bhus family had the right to look down on Naban for his birth.

    No one else had the right to speak ill of him.

    Moreover, this could be considered an insult to the marriage, so the knight was about to protest against Lily¡¯s rude attitude, but¡ª

    ¡°Pahahah!¡±

    Naban¡¯s sudden burst ofughter cut off the knight before he could say anything.

    Both the knight and Quadrach turned their gazes toward Naban.

    Lily asked with a curious expression.

    ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡±

    ¡°Well, at least I don¡¯t have to worry about beingbeled a pervert by my future bride.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­You¡¯re not angry?¡±

    ¡°Angry? Why would I be angry?¡±

    ¡°You just got called a bastard.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s true, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Naban let out a light scoff.

    To Lily, Naban¡¯s reaction only became more intriguing.

    ¡°Do you have no pride?¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t I someone being sold off? If I act out of pride and the marriage falls through, the whole family would be turned upside down. So, think whatever you want.¡±

    ¡°You know your ce, I see.¡±

    ¡°Knowing your ce is how you survive another day.¡±

    It was a meaningful statement.

    A smile slowly spread across Lily¡¯s lips, while the Bhus knight, on the other hand, now trembled with fury.

    ¡®These damn bastards!¡¯

    To him, the daughter of a merchant family and a bastard from his own house making light of the situation together was utterly disgraceful.

    It seemed as if the two had conspired to thoroughly mock him.

    However, the knight understood his and his family¡¯s position all too well.

    If this marriage fell through, the Bhus name would be utterly ruined.

    So, he had to endure it somehow.

    ¡®This humiliation¡­ I¡¯ll repay it someday¡­!¡¯

    Once the family was restored, no one would be able to stop him from crushing the Ceres family.

    p!

    Quadrach pped his hands loudly to break the tension.

    ¡°Luckily, it seems the first impressions between the two soon-to-be spouses aren¡¯t too bad, don¡¯t you think? There¡¯s nothing sadder than spending your life with someone you dislike. Hahaha.¡±

    The knight felt a cold chill run down his spine at Quadrach¡¯s meaningful words.

    ¡®Could it be¡­ does he know that Naban¡¯s life is on a time limit?¡¯

    But he couldn¡¯t bring himself to speak rashly.

    Regardless of his thoughts, Quadrach turned to his daughter and spoke.

    ¡°Lily, there are many guests outside who¡¯vee from all over the North to celebrate your engagement. We owe them our gratitude.¡±

    ¡°Yes, they are truly generous people.¡±

    ¡°Before we start the formal ceremony with such distinguished guests, is there anything you¡¯d like to say to your future husband, Naban? May I call you my son-inw?¡±

    ¡°Yes, please feel free.¡±

    ¡°If there¡¯s anything you wish to say to my daughter, now would be the time.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have much to say for now. I¡¯ll think about it slowly. After all, the wedding won¡¯t be for another five years, will it?¡±

    Five years.

    The number of years Naban had left as well.

    That, too, held its own meaning.

    Lily looked at Naban, who was steeped in cynicism, and asked,

    ¡°Will you love me?¡±

    Naban stifled augh internally.

    It was amusing to see a girl, only fifteen years old, heavily made up and pretending to act so fatally serious.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll try. But for now, it seems difficult. It¡¯s not easy to have affection for someone so young.¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying it¡¯s possible in the future?¡±

    ¡°For now, maybe.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯d like proof of that affection. Is that possible?¡±

    ¡°Proof? In what way?¡±

    Naban found his fianc¨¦e, who was more cynical and calcting than her age suggested, quite intriguing.

    It wasn¡¯t easy to find someone who was more cynical than himself.

    At that moment, Lily gripped her right arm tightly with her left hand, a pained expression crossing her face.

    ¡°Bring me the head of the man who made my arm¡­ made my right arm like this.¡±

    ¡°The head, you say.¡±

    Naban stroked his chin with his hand.

    He had heard about it too.

    A major incident that had taken ce a few months ago at the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons.

    It had caused quite a stir in the northern regions.

    And he also knew well that the main culprit had made a significant impact at the recent Blossoming Ceremony.

    ¡®Didn¡¯t Torkel mention being interested in that person too?¡¯

    Naban recalled the genius who belonged to the same Blossoming Ceremony ss as him and chuckled to himself.

    ¡°Daughter.¡±

    ¡°¡­That¡¯s not something to let slide easily.¡±

    This time, even Quadrach, who hadn¡¯t expected such words, looked surprised, and the knight¡¯s face visibly hardened with tension.

    However, Lily showed no signs of retracting the venomous glint in her eyes.

    ¡°That person, I¡¯ve heard, is the most promising genius in Ragnar right now. Even many of the Nine Dragons are paying attention to him. My life is already short enough¡ªare you asking me to make it even shorter?¡±

    ¡°As if I would.¡±

    ¡°Or is this a desperate ploy to cut off my family¡¯s neck? Something like that?¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t allow your inws to disappear even before the marriage happens. I promise you, that won¡¯t happen.¡±

    ¡°So, you must have something you¡¯re counting on.¡±

    Lily responded with a smile instead of words.

    Naban pretended to ponder for a moment before nodding his head.

    ¡°Very well. I¡¯ll prove it. Since my future wife wishes for it, I¡¯ll make sure to bring it along as part of the dowry.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡±

    A twisted smile spread across Lily¡¯s lips.

    It was at that very moment¡ª

    ¡°Master of the tradepany! There¡¯s an emergency!¡±

    Bang!

    Suddenly, the door burst open, and the chief butler came rushing in, his face full of urgency.

    ¡°How dare you act so recklessly with guests present!¡±

    ¡°S-Sir, it¡¯s¡­!¡±

    The butler hastily exined the situation outside, and for a moment, Quadrach¡¯s expression turned stony.

    On the other hand, Lily¡¯s smile grew even wider.

    ¡°Well now! It seems we¡¯re about to witness my future husband¡¯s love in action?¡±

    * * *

    Quadrach, Lily, Naban, and the others quickly stepped outside the building.

    Quadrach¡¯s face had be tense.

    ¡®The Dragon¡¯s banner¡­!¡¯

    Flying in the wind was the banner of Ragnar¡ªa g that every Northerner instinctively bowed their heads to.

    Standing beneath it was Theo and his entourage, their eyes filled with arrogance.

    They looked as if they were an upying force, radiating overbearing pride.

    Surrounding them were the soldiers and mercenaries of the tradepany¡¯s main headquarters, as well as the swordsmen of the Bhus family. However, their cautious demeanor was evident.

    More than a hundred men were being overwhelmed by just four.

    Naban observed the standoff with growing interest, while Lily¡¯s expression hardened upon recognizing an unforgettable face among the four uninvited guests.

    Suppressing the ufortable feeling churning inside him, Quadrach spoke in a measured tone.

    ¡°What brings the great House of Ragnar¡­ to such a humble ce? Ah, if you¡¯vee to celebrate the joyous asion between our tradepany and the Bhus family, I¡¯d be happy to lead you to a more suitable location.¡±

    ¡°Humble ce, you say? Indeed, we don¡¯t normally have any reason to visit such a ce,¡± Kleve sneered, causing Quadrach and the tradepany servants¡¯ faces to harden.

    Unbothered, Kleve pulled something from his coat.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be brief. Evidence was found linking your Ceres Trading Company to a group that attempted an assassination against the Ragnar family. As such, you¡¯re now under suspicion of treason, and we¡¯ll be investigating this matter thoroughly. Cooperate.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    The faces of the servants turned pale, and even the Bhus family swordsmen stiffened.

    Treason!

    Ragnar was, for all intents and purposes, the ruler of the North. No one could survive going against them.

    Naturally, everyone turned to look at Quadrach and Lily, fear creeping into their thoughts.

    ¡®It can¡¯t be¡­!¡¯

    Quadrach realized that the Season of the Snake had already slipped out of his control and into Ragnar¡¯s hands without his knowledge. He clenched his teeth.

    Lily¡¯s eyes also trembled.

    ¡®So this is why they boasted that even if Theo Ragnar¡¯s neck were cut, nothing would happen in Ragnar? What an amusing ce, my future inws are.¡¯

    Though the father and daughter quickly regained theirposure, Naban didn¡¯t miss that fleeting moment. He quickly pieced together the situation.

    It seemed that the Ceres Trading Company and Ed Troyban had been secretly plotting something behind the scenes, only to get caught by Ragnar.

    ¡°If you understand, step aside.¡±

    Kleve¡¯s sharp gaze sliced through the air as he took a step forward. The tradepany¡¯s soldiers hesitated, retreating a couple of steps.

    However,

    ¡°¡­Do not move.¡±

    At Quadrach¡¯s lowmand, their retreat came to a halt.

    Kleve narrowed his eyes.

    ¡°So, you refuse to cooperate with the investigation?¡±

    ¡°I deeply regret this situation. But no matter how powerful the great house may be, it is tyrannical to press a vassal without proper evidence. Bring forth your proof first.¡±

    ¡°Is the circumstantial evidence of your involvement not enough?¡±

    ¡°Such scraps of paper can easily be fabricated. It seems like we¡¯ve fallen victim to a plot designed to frame us.¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯re iming that the Ceres Trading Company is innocent?¡±

    ¡°Innocent, of course. Where else would you find vassals as loyal as us? We will conduct a thorough investigation ourselves and report the findings to the great house.¡±

    Quadrach crossed his arms behind his back and smirked coldly.

    ¡°Still, since you¡¯vee all this way, I won¡¯t let you leave empty-handed. Let¡¯s make sure you¡¯re properly received. What are you all waiting for? Escort our guests.¡±

    A few soldiers stepped forward and bowed with precision. Unlike the other, lesspetent soldiers, these seemed well-trained.

    But Theo didn¡¯t miss the reddish gleam in their eyes.

    ¡®Blood Qi.¡¯

    It was the same kind of Bloodlight he had seen from the Blood Priests.

    Their presence was so well-concealed that if Theo hadn¡¯t faced the Nameless Sovereign directly, he might not have noticed it at all.

    ¡¸Kleve, these are Blood Priests.¡¹

    Kleve¡¯s eyes immediately darkened.

    ¡¸Evidence?¡¹

    ¡¸Their aura feels exactly like the one I encountered during the Season of the Snake.¡¹

    ¡¸Any chance you¡¯re wrong?¡¹

    ¡¸None.¡¹

    A firm response.

    The priests and followers of the Sacred Demon Church were known to be excellent at hiding their presence, blending seamlessly into everyday life.

    Kleve briefly wondered how Theo had detected them, but he didn¡¯t doubt him. He had faith that Theo would always find a way.

    ¡¸Then let¡¯s strike immediately.¡¹

    After all, the fact that they had dared to obstruct the path of a g-bearing enforcer was already enough reason for the Ceres Trading Company to be punished. If they uncovered that Blood Priests were involved, the matter would be settled entirely.

    Kleve transmitted his intent to the other three members via sound transmission, and¡ª

    Click!

    Swishhh!

    In an instant, she unsheathed her sword, sending a sh of light toward the Blood Priest¡¯s head.

    It was swordsmanship at a speed only those who had reached the level of an advanced swordsman could perceive, imbued with aura, resembling the vicious fangs of a dragon.

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    The Blood Priest hurriedly tried to channel his magic to defend himself, but at that very moment¡ª

    Thud!

    A sword suddenly dropped from the sky in front of Kleve.

    Chaaang!

    Kleve¡¯s de, infused with sword energy, was knocked off course.

    She quickly regained her bnce and red at the unexpected intruder.

    ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡±

    ¡°What else?¡±

    The intruder, wearing an intrigued smile on his lips, replied casually.

    ¡°Saving my inws.¡±

    It was Naban.

 Chapter 90

    Chapter 90: ying Tag (5)

    ¡¸Naban! Have you lost your mind? Do you even realize where you¡¯re meddling?!¡¹

    The urgent voice of the Knight pierced Naban¡¯s ears.

    It was understandable. This was an event hosted by Ragnar.

    And not just any event, one tied to usations of treason.

    No matter how powerful the Ceres Trading Company might be in the North, if Ragnar decided to act, they could reduce it to ashes in a single day.

    So, for the Bhus family, it was wiser not to intervene.

    However,

    ¡¸You only know one side of things, why are you so clueless about the other? Foolish.¡¹

    Naban scoffed as he roughly deflected Cleve¡¯s de, which was aiming for his neck.

    ¡¸What nonsense are you spewing¡­!¡¹

    ¡¸Don¡¯t you desire money?¡¹

    ¡¸That¡¯s not something a scum like you should concern yourself with. If you¡¯re entangled in treason, you won¡¯t even be able to preserve the family, let alone your life.¡¹

    ¡¸And what if the Ceres Trading Company is framed for treason? Do you really think your main family will remain unscathed? The other factions won¡¯t like being linked to Ceres either. Not to mention, the creditors will start hounding you to pay your debts faster. Oh, and maybe Ragnar will get suspicious and investigate thoroughly. Are you confident you¡¯re squeaky clean?¡¹

    ¡¸¡­¡­!¡¹

    ¡¸Judging by your silence, I see you understand the situation.¡¹

    Only then did the Knight¡¯s face harden as he realized the severity of the situation.

    It was already widely known in the North that the Bhus family was pushing for a marriage alliance with the Ceres Trading Company.

    Naturally, the Bhus family couldn¡¯t avoid suspicion either.

    The problem was that the Bhus family wasn¡¯t entirely innocent.

    Over their centuries-long history, they had done plenty of things behind Ragnar¡¯s back.

    There were more than a few things that could be problematic.

    ¡¸The Ceres Trading Company and our main family are practically bound by fate at this point.¡¹

    ¡¸¡­But still, being caught up in treason¡­¡¹

    Even after exining things so clearly, it seemed the Knight was still terrified of Ragnar¡¯s name.

    Naban spoke with a tone full of disdain.

    ¡¸We just need to block them this one time.¡¹

    ¡¸What?¡¹

    ¡¸Don¡¯t you get it? Ragnar isn¡¯t even certain about these usations. If they had solid evidence, they would have brought more people.¡¹

    ¡¸Ah.¡¹

    ¡¸Whether they acted out of urgency or just to probe, we just need to hold them off this time. After that, the Ceres Trading Company will take care of all the suspicious evidence themselves.¡¹

    ¡¸Th-that¡¯s true¡­!¡¹

    ¡¸And have you forgotten who¡¯s backing the Ceres Trading Company? The Director of Central Intelligence, who fiercely protects his people, will certainly sort things out for us, won¡¯t he?¡¹

    The Knight was already wearing an entranced expression, captivated by Naban¡¯s words.

    ¡¸Judging by the fact that they brought ck Snow, it seems like a political fight has broken out between Soaring Dragon and ck Dragon. But do we really need to end up like a shrimp crushed in their struggle?¡¹

    ¡¸Hmm! You¡¯re right. I had thought something simr, but with the situation being so urgent, I almost acted rashly.¡¹

    ¡¸Of course, of course. I¡¯m sure you thought it through carefully. Now, before things get worse, shouldn¡¯t we start moving our people?¡¹

    Though the Knight was displeased by Naban¡¯s disrespectful tone, especiallying from a mere bastard, he decided to overlook it this time.

    More than anything, he sensed that if they resolved this crisis well, they could exploit the situation to gain more benefits.

    ¡°Bhus swordsmen, protect Quadrach¡¯s leader and his people!¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±

    ng, ng, ng!

    The Bhus swordsmen, who had hesitated earlier, now stopped showing reluctance and aimed their swords at Theo¡¯s group with murderous intent.

    ¡®Fools.¡¯

    Naban chuckled inwardly at the sight of those loyal retainers.

    ¡°¡­So, should I take this as the will of the Bhus family?¡±

    Cleve scanned the crowd with a cold, hardened expression.

    Hazel and Evelyn were the same.

    As Ragnar¡¯s swordsmen, they could not tolerate such insubordination.

    However, despite their wavering eyes, the Bhus swordsmen stood firm and refused to back down.

    ¡°Do not retreat! The Ceres Trading Company is nothing but a victim of false usations! I believe it would be wise for the great family to investigate the matter more thoroughly before intervening. Don¡¯t you agree?¡±

    Although the words were polite, the message was essentially an invitation to leave.

    ¡°I had heard that Bhus was going through tough timestely, but I didn¡¯t expect the person in charge to have gone mad.¡±

    Cleve¡¯s face hardened as he issued a newmand.

    ¡°Apply the same charges of treason to the Bhus family. From now on, anyone who interferes with this execution will be eliminated, no exceptions.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    Evelyn and Hazel immediately spread out to the sides, unleashing their sword energy.

    Though they were vastly outnumbered, there was no way they could back down in this situation.

    ¨C Even if casualties ur, we must never submit to traitors.

    It was in the nature of Northerners never to retreat.

    ng, ng, ng!

    In an instant, the courtyard erupted into a flurry of des.

    ¡°Subdue them all!¡±

    Though Quadrach initially questioned why the Bhus family, whom he expected to withdraw, had decided to help, he quicklyposed himself and skillfullymanded his soldiers, befitting a leader of a tradingpany.

    Naban had been talking about love to Lily, making it seem like he had fallen for her.

    ¡®Many among them are Blood Priests blessed by the Nine Apostles of the Sacred Demon Church! Ordinary swordsmen will be crushed without a doubt!¡¯

    Cha-cha-cha-chang!

    Theo¡¯s group shed with the Blood Priests, disguised as mercenaries of the tradingpany, along with the Bhus swordsmen. The scene became a chaotic tangle of des.

    In the midst of it all, Nabanughed.

    ¡°Pahahaha!¡±

    The sight of them all diving into the grave together, simply because he had used some clever words, was amusing.

    With this, the Bhus family had crossed the point of no return.

    ¡®I¡¯ll witness the fall of Bhus much sooner than I had nned.¡¯

    Just as he was thinking about how to fan the mes even further,

    ¡¸Do you really think it¡¯ll burn properly like this? You should at least take the head of one or two of the Executors to make it certain.¡¹

    A sharp voice pierced his ears.

    ¡®Who¡­?¡¯

    Naban felt a chill run down his spine.

    It felt as though someone had seen straight through the depths of his hidden intentions.

    Chaang!

    In the next moment, a sh of light shot toward him, and he barely managed to deflect it in time.

    The attacker was a young boy.

    A boy who appeared to be around the same age as his fianc¨¦e, Lily.

    However, the deep, sunken look in his eyes made it difficult to guess his true age.

    ¡®Theo Ragnar!¡¯

    Naban immediately realized who his opponent was.

    Trying to suppress his trembling lips, he spoke.

    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re nervous, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    But Theo¡¯s smirk indicated that he already knew everything Naban was thinking.

    And then, the voice once again echoed in his mind.

    ¡¸You may im to have no fond memories, but it was still the family that gave birth to you and raised you¡ª the very same that killed your mother.¡¹

    ¡¸¡­¡­!¡¹

    Naban¡¯s eyes widened in shock.

    ¡¸And despite knowing you had a congenital illness, your heartless father didn¡¯t treat it in time, leaving you with a limited lifespan.¡¹

    ¡°What are you trying to say¡­!¡±

    ¡¸Naban Bhus. The bastard son of the Bhus family¡¯s current head, born out of wedlock in a foreignnd. Overshadowed by Torkel, the captain of the ck Iron Cavalry, but a tragic genius who set the highest score in the history of the Blossoming Ceremony.¡¹

    ¡°¡­¡­!!¡±

    ¡¸Yet, for ten years, you wasted away, unable to do anything due to your family¡¯s restrictions. That¡¯s why you have no intention of keeping the family alive. You¡¯ve been nning its downfall, haven¡¯t you? And now, with the five years you have left, you¡¯ve carefully set your pieces, like ying chess.¡¹

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡¸You¡¯ve driven your family to the brink of copse, brought in a dangerous element like Soaring Dragon¡­ and now, with this decision, everything is perfect. Congrattions. The Bhus family is now officially a family of traitors.¡¹

    In that instant, all emotion drained from Naban¡¯s face.

    He became expressionless, like a puppet devoid of feelings.

    ¡°¡­Who are you? How do you know so much about me?¡±

    ¡°Does that even matter?¡±

    Theo¡¯s twisted smile grew wider.

    ¡°What matters now is how the person standing before you can help you, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you how to cure your incurable disease. And I¡¯ll take responsibility for the downfall of the Bhus family. In exchange¡­¡±

    Theo¡¯s eyes gleamed intensely.

    ¡°Be my second sword.¡±

    Naban couldn¡¯t quite grasp how to process Theo¡¯s existence.

    This boy had suddenly appeared, knowing everything about his past and even offering exactly what he needed.

    It felt as if he were being possessed by a ghost, or perhaps it was just ck Snow¡¯s way of toying with him.

    Yet, there was no reason for ck Snow to do such a thing. And Theo didn¡¯t seem like someone meant to be controlled by anyone, but rather someone who controlled others.

    Having lived his entire life as an outsider, Naban prided himself on being a good judge of people.

    Theo was sincere.

    ¡°You¡¯d better decide quickly. As you can see, this isn¡¯t a situation where I can give you much time.¡±

    Theo smiled.

    * * *

    ¨C The Ten Swords.

    When Theo first opened his eyes after his return, he identified ten talents essential to ascend to the throne.

    The first was Evelyn, and the second was Naban.

    Both possessed extraordinary talents and abilities, but they had the misfortune of being born in the wrong era, never fully blossoming.

    ¨C Much like Theo himself.

    ¡°You say you can cure me? How am I supposed to believe that?¡±

    Naban¡¯s initial moment of agitation passed.

    With a calm tone, he asked his question.

    It was as if the cynical attitude he had shown earlier was all a lie.

    ¡®As expected, he¡¯s cautious. But I figured he would be.¡¯

    Having lived his life suspecting everyone, and being clever enough to lead his family down the path of ruin in secret, it was only natural for Naban to be difficult to convince.

    Theo shrugged his shoulders.

    ¡°Follow me for a while, and you¡¯ll see for yourself. Then decide. Be my sword or don¡¯t.¡±

    However, Theo¡¯s confident attitude, as if he were certain that Naban could never refuse his offer, stirred something within Naban¡¯s heart.

    The hope that maybe, just maybe, he might be able to survive.

    And more than that¡ª

    ¨C The hope that someone might finally recognize ¡®him¡¯ for the first time.

    Faced with a situation he had never imagined he¡¯d experience, Naban furrowed his brow for a long while before finally nodding his head.

    ¡°¡­Fine. I¡¯ll trust you for now. But you¡¯ll have to exin how you know so much about me.¡±

    ¡°I will.¡±

    ¡°And.¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    ¡°I think I¡¯m a lot older than you, so you should speak respectfully. I may not look it, but I¡¯m a peer of the ck Iron Cavalry Captain from the Blossoming Ceremony.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll see about that depending on your behavior.¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯re checking if I¡¯m a sharp enough sword, huh?¡±

    In an instant, Naban¡¯s eyes gleamed coldly as he spun around.

    Then¡ª

    Whoosh!

    Sshhaaa!

    A sh of sword energy shot out, grazing the neck of the Knight who had been fighting Evelyn.

    ¡°You¡­ what is this¡­!¡±

    The Knight stared at Naban in disbelief.

    After convincing them to side with the Ceres Trading Company, was he now betraying them by stabbing them in the back?

    Naban¡¯s lips twisted into his characteristic sneer.

    ¡°I have to bring the head of a traitor at least if I want to survive, don¡¯t I?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°So, you should have chosen your side more carefully.¡±

    The Knight looked as if he wanted to protest, but only a faint wheezing sound escaped his lips as he struggled to speak.

    Thud!

    At that moment, as he lost thest of his strength, a red line appeared across his neck, and his head flew into the air.

    Pwooosh¡ª

    Thud!

    Naban kicked off the ground forcefully and charged toward the Bhus swordsmen.

    ¡°M-my lord!¡±

    ¡°Why are you attacking us?!¡±

    ¡°Because you¡¯re no different.¡±

    After all, these men were just as responsible for driving his mother to her death.

    There would be no forgiveness.

    Swish, swish, swish¡ª

    The sword energy Naban unleashed surged, quickly and ruthlessly cutting down the former swordsmen at an astonishing speed.

    It was a massacre.

    ¡¸You told me to be your second sword, didn¡¯t you?¡¹

    Naban¡¯s voice shot sharply into Theo¡¯s ears.

    ¡¸That means you already have a first sword. Perhaps I should make you rethink that decision.¡¹

 Chapter 91

    Chapter 91: Found It, Finally (1)

    Dozens of wyverns were flying across the sky in a long line.

    ¡°Hurry up!¡±

    ¡°By now, the Captain and Theo would have already charged into the main base of the Ceres Trading Company. There might be the Sacred Demon Church, so it¡¯ll be tough, but just push a little harder!¡±

    At the forefront of the formation, Selperd and Arin urged theirrades forward.

    The 5th Squadron of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry.

    Due to their wide activities across the northern regions, it was rare for them to gather in one ce, but now most of them hade together.

    ¡®I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m witnessing such a sight¡­!¡¯

    Holcus looked at his teammates with a face almost in a state of rapture.

    ¡®I helped bring all of them together like this!¡¯

    His grin spread wide.

    It seemed like his mouth might stretch all the way to his ears.

    Watching her brother, Erika shook her head.

    ¡®There he goes again.¡¯

    But even though she didn¡¯t show it, she was just as proud inside.

    The White Armored Dragon Cavalry was far more appealing than she had initially thought.

    ¡®Everyone¡¯s giving their best effort. They¡¯re united in mind and spirit. Even though the summons must¡¯ve been sudden, no one voiced anyints.¡¯

    After Erika and her brother had delivered the promotion test order to Theo, their subsequent task was simple yet challenging.

    ¡ªGather as many members of the 5th Squadron scattered across the northern regions and join up with Captain Evelyn.

    The goal of this mission was to catch Ed Troyban¡¯s tail.

    Naturally, this would inevitably lead to armed conflict, and depending on the situation, they might have to annihte several forces entirely.

    That was how influential Ed Troyban, as the Director of Central Intelligence, had be in the northern regions.

    From the start, this wasn¡¯t a mission that would end simply by attacking the headquarters of the Season of the Snake.

    ¡®But now, with the entire 5th Squadron gathered, the operation was supposed to start as a follow-up mission¡­ but thanks to Theo¡¯s suggestion, we¡¯ve moved much earlier than nned.¡¯

    Originally, this decision was made because both Kleve, the fieldmander, and Evelyn, the 5th Squad Captain, deemed Theo¡¯s suggestion reasonable.

    For the youngest member, who had to gather the squad members, however, the past few days had been nothing short of hell.

    Thanks to that, hadn¡¯t he memorized almost all the geography and terrain of the northern region?

    ¡®If what the reports say is true, and the Ceres Trading Company really has allied with the Sacred Demon Church, it won¡¯t be easy to face them. So¡­ we have to move faster.¡¯

    Selperd and Arin knew this well, which was why they pushed the pace even harder.

    Guiding the exhausted wyverns with whatever coaxing and calming they could manage.

    ¡°Nuna.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Erika watched her brother closely, wondering what nonsensical thing he would say next, knowing his head was filled with nothing but flowers.

    ¡°When we show up with a bang, Theo¡¯s going to be totally shocked, right?¡±

    ¡°Probably.¡±

    ¡°Hehehe¡­! What if he begs me to be his sword?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯d be so awkward. If I ept too easily, it wouldn¡¯t be very charming. But if Theo keeps pleading with me for help, hehe, I shouldn¡¯t give in so easily.¡±

    Holcus even twisted his body as if to contain his excitement.

    In the previous mission, he hadn¡¯t been much help and couldn¡¯t bring himself to offer to be Theo¡¯s first sword.

    But this time, he seemed determined to prove his worth.

    ¡°And, and¡­! I¡¯ll get introduced to someone who works for Theo¡¯s mother and marry a really beautiful bride! How about that? Isn¡¯t it the perfect life n?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡®Ugh, so in the end, he¡¯s more interested in getting a wife than anything else.¡¯

    Erika didn¡¯t bother to respond, just shook her head in exasperation.

    It wasn¡¯t worth engaging.

    Screeee¡ª

    Meanwhile, the formation elerated even more.

    * * *

    ¡¸What on earth are you doing, son-inw!?¡¹

    Naban¡¯s sudden betrayal was a major shock to the Ceres Trading Company.

    Though not widely known, Naban was also a master swordsman of the highest rank.

    On top of that, he had once been hailed as a genius, even considered Torkel¡¯s rival.

    Naturally, if he switched to Ragnar¡¯s side, the power imbnce would only widen.

    Whoosh¡ª

    Naban lightly flicked the blood off his sword and sneered at Quadrach and Lily.

    ¡°What reason would a weirdo have for doing something? He just lives as he pleases.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°Well, I feel bad for thedy. To be honest, she¡¯s not really my type. She¡¯ll have to find someone else to prove her heart to.¡±

    ¡°You¡­!¡±

    Lily¡¯s clenched fists trembled with rage.

    Quadrach shouted out.

    ¡°We have no choice. Now that it¡¯se to this, kill them all! Don¡¯t let a single one escape!¡±

    At that moment, the Blood Priests, who had been watching carefully, simultaneously unleashed their , sending a barrage of ck Iron Hands toward Theo and his group.

    The entire area was instantly enveloped in a blood-red glow.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re nning to kill us all and erase any trace that we ever came here? Bold move, advertising your rebellion so openly.¡±

    Kleve read Quadrach¡¯s intent, smirked, and adjusted his grip on the sword.

    However, he didn¡¯t let his guard down.

    Even a rough count of the number of Blood Priests present here easily exceeded ten.

    ¡®Could it be that an entire district hase over?¡¯

    If so, they were outnumbered.

    Even if Naban joined them.

    Kwaaaang!

    In an instant, a cloud of dust enveloped the surroundings, and Quadrach, taking advantage of the confusion, hurriedly spoke to Lily.

    ¡°Lily, you must quickly go to the 4th storage room and burn everything inside. We cannot let them find any of it.¡±

    ¡°But, Father!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say anything unnecessary. Go! Quickly!¡±

    Lily bit her lower lip hard, ring fiercely in the direction where Theo and Naban stood before turning the other way.

    ¡°Theo Ragnar.¡±

    As she controlled her magic power in the way she had been taught by the Sacred Demon Church, her right arm began to throb again.

    ¡°Please spare Theo Ragnar. I need to cut off his right arm too and throw it to the dogs.¡±

    ¡°I understand. I will remember that.¡±

    Paat!

    Only then did Lily¡¯s expression rx as she kicked off the ground.

    The 4th storage room, which Quadrach mentioned, held not only documents rted to Ed but also various precious items that must never fall into the hands of the Ragnar.

    ¨C But, there was a gaze watching this.

    ¡®There.¡¯

    Theo¡¯s eyes glinted coldly as he moved.

    Paaaat!

    Centered on his feet, a gust of wind began swirling around him, and in an instant, it kicked up dust as it propelled Theo straight towards Lily¡¯s location.

    ¡°Dammit¡­! Theo! Block that bastard, Theo Ragnar! Now!¡±

    Quadrach¡¯s face turned pale as he realized Theo had been waiting for the moment Lily moved.

    The position of the 4th storage room might be exposed!

    ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going¡ª!¡±

    ¡°How dare you!¡±

    Swaaaak!

    Two Blood Priests leaped in front of Theo, blocking his path.

    Their eyes were zing with madness, wrapped in a sinister aura.

    It was clear that their possession had reached a state just before rapture.

    [¡°Skill: Lesser Drake Fear¡± sharpens its killing intent and oveys it on the de.]

    [You can now infuse magic power into the de.]

    [The de burns with immense heat.]

    Tsss¡­

    In an instant, the Drake¡¯s de, as if it had been thrust into a furnace, grew red-hot, emitting steam.

    The Meridian Enhancing Technique was added, showcasing Theo¡¯s signature form.

    The de exploded in a sh of light.

    Kwaaaang!

    The powerful swing of his sword, empowered by his [Superhuman Strength], roughly pushed back the two Blood Priests.

    Even the ck Iron Hand, known for its hardnessparable to that of diamonds, was scarred, and a look of shock briefly passed over their faces.

    ¡°Evelyn! Naban!¡±

    At Theo¡¯s shout, two gusts of wind followed closely behind him, one moving to the left, the other to the right, trailing after the Blood Priests who had been flung aside.

    Both Evelyn and Naban were Advanced Swordsmen, the pride of the Ragnar.

    Taking down injured Blood Priests was hardly a challenge for them.

    Boom, boom!

    During the chaos, Naban nced slightly toward Evelyn.

    He could sense it instinctively.

    ¡®So, he wants me to be the second sword, huh? This person must be the first sword.¡¯

    Although the current chain ofmand may have ced Evelyn above Theo, there was something extraordinary about Evelyn¡¯s skill in supporting Theo.

    And then,

    Thanks to the path created by the two, Theo swiftly closed the distance to Lily.

    [Allocating 10 bonus stat points to Agility.]

    [Agility: 89 ¡ú 99]

    [Your movement speed increases significantly.]

    He poured all the bonus stat points he had earned during the fierce battle into [Agility] and reached out towards Lily.

    A look of shock crossed Lily¡¯s face as she nced back.

    ¡®Got her¡­!¡¯

    But just before his fingertips could grab Lily¡¯s neck, an unexpected intruder suddenly appeared between Theo and Lily.

    Kwooooooom!

    Boom!

    A single punch, so powerful it easily deflected even Theo¡¯s sword strike, which was brimming with heat.

    Theo was sent flying, struck by a shockwave so strong he feared his body might break apart. He clenched his teeth and barely managed to regain his bnce after being thrown back a considerable distance.

    ¡®Damn it! If only I had one more point in [Agility]!¡¯

    If that were the case, his agility stat would have surpassed 100, unlocking a new special ability that could have helped him avoid the interference.

    ¡°Haha! So the rumors about a promising young dragon appearing from Ragnar were true, and that must be you, huh?¡±

    The person who had knocked Theo back was drenched head to toe in blood, with crimson hair and eyes, as if soaked in it.

    Lily, barely surviving Theo¡¯s grasp, let out a deep sigh of relief, her face exhausted.

    ¡®A District Leader¡­!¡¯

    In the Sacred Demon Church, which ranked its members from Apostle ¡ú Cardinal ¡ú Archbishop ¡ú Bishop ¡ú District Leader ¡ú Blood Priest, the District Leader, who oversaw an entire district, wielded far greater power than three or four Advanced Swordsmenbined.

    On top of that, they were believed to hear the voice of the gods directly.

    Not someone to be taken lightly.

    However,

    ¡°If we let you live, you¡¯ll surely hinder the will of the gods in the future¡ªa seed of chaos that must be eradicated.¡±

    The real reason the District Leader was feared by the world was entirely different.

    ¡°Servants who hear the word of God, heed the call¡ª!¡±

    At the District Leader¡¯s shout, more than twenty Blood Priests and slightly weaker, yet still formidable, believers revealed themselves on the rooftops of the buildings that now surrounded Theo.

    Tss tss tss¡ª

    The Bloodlight they exuded stained the air crimson.

    -Deliver the message to us!

    -Deliver the message to us!

    Echoes resounded from all directions.

    So densely, they filled the headquarters of the Merchant Association.

    The Blood Demons¡¯ Night Parade.

    Wherever the District Leader went, dozens, sometimes hundreds, of crazed devotees followed him like a horde of monsters.

    And, as they always brought cmity and massacres wherever they went, people called them ¡®Blood Demons.¡¯

    ¡®Those, those madmen¡­! I specifically told them not toe out until I gave the signal!¡¯

    Quadrach trembled, his face pale.

    The appearance of the District Leader and the Blood Demons meant that the other merchants of the Northern Merchants Association, stationed around the headquarters, would now discover the true identity of the Sacred Demon Church.

    Originally, those fanatics had been summoned to brainwash all the association members once they gathered in one ce with the .

    After the brainwashing wasplete, they had nned to send one or two Blood Demons back with each merchant on their return to their respective branches to  them as well.

    If it had worked, the Northern Merchants Association would have fallenpletely into the hands of the Ceres Trading Company¡­!

    But the problem was that these impatient fanatics had jumped out without any warning.

    There was no way to reason with them, no matter how much he tried.

    After all, they were lunatics from the beginning!

    ¡°Kill all the unbelievers, ughter the dragon¡¯s spawn! Bring joy to God with their blood¡ª!¡±

    -Holy Demon Conquest!

    -Holy Demon Conquest!

    The Blood Demons, along with the Blood Priests, shouted in unison and were about to charge into the chaotic battle.

    Fwaaaaash!

    Suddenly, a thrilling sensation ran down Theo¡¯s spine.

    But that familiar feeling was trying to tell him something.

    Keeeek!

    Even Umbra seemed to sense it, causing the shadows to ripple violently.

    ¡°It¡¯s over.¡±

    Theo smiled broadly, raising his head high.

    Above them, and over the headquarters of the Ceres Trading Company, dozens of shadows began to descend.

    Theo raised the g he held in his left hand high into the air.

    As if to say, this is the ce.

    As if to wee them.

    The g in Theo¡¯s hand caught the attention of those in the sky.

    -Is that new recruit the one holding the g?

    -Yeah, looks like it. I¡¯ve never met him before either.

    -I heard rumors he¡¯s a genius with incredible talent. Let¡¯s go meet him.

    With a few brief exchanges,

    -All units, descend.

    Squad 5 of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry had arrived.

 Chapter 92

    Chapter 92: Found it, Finally (2) >

    Bang! Boom boom boom!

    The drakes of Unit 5 unleashed all the magic bullets embedded in their greaves at once.

    Arge-scale airstrike like this, which was nearly impossible to counter, was extremely difficult to defend against unless it was a great family on the scale of Ragnar.

    Especially for the Ceres Trading Company, which wasn¡¯t even a martial family, there was virtually no way to respond.

    Buildings copsed with the explosion, and mes soared.

    Thick ck smoke engulfed the sky, and the deafening noise and tremors turned the surroundings intoplete chaos.

    ¡°No, no¡­!¡±

    To Quadrach Ceres, the scene looked like the end.

    The end that signified the destruction of his family.

    ¡°Are the unbelievers daring to interrupt the work of God?! They are clearly possessed by wickedness! What are you waiting for? Bring them to God¡¯s embrace at once¡ª!¡±

    The district leader¡¯s face was twisted with fury as he roared.

    The blood priests collectively hurled massive amounts of fist strikes toward the sky, but the drakes, as if mocking them, gracefully dodged and freely roamed through the air.

    And then¡ª

    Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

    Unit 5 simultaneously attempted to break in.

    The drakes¡¯ airstrike was merely a cover.

    The real threat, the one that wouldpletely cut off the enemy¡¯s breath, always came from the sharp des of the riders.

    ¡°Prioritize protecting the team leader and Theo!¡±

    At Selperd¡¯s shout, the team members scattered in all directions.

    The melee had begun.

    ¨C I get that we need to protect the team leader, but why is Selperd giving that order instead of the leader?

    ¨C Huh? That¡¯s true. Does he want to be the leader that badly? Even though he¡¯s not even an Advanced Swordsman?

    ¨C Hey, he was the one who gave the order to descend earlier, too.

    ¨C Oh, really? I just let it slide back then, but now it seems suspicious. This Selperd guy is no good.

    ¨C Wow! Are we witnessing a subtle rebellion here?

    ¨C Look at his ambition. Let¡¯s make sure we don¡¯t end up like that disgraceful adult.

    ¨C Yeah. Let¡¯s.

    There were murmurs of discontent among the team members, but¡ª

    ¡°Shut up, you lot! If you have a problem with it, why don¡¯t you run around gathering the members yourself?!¡±

    Selperd scowled as he beheaded an enemy in front of him.

    He was ready to charge in at any moment, but the team members didn¡¯t even blink.

    ¨C Look at that, would you? There¡¯s no doubt he¡¯s hiding something. We¡¯ve raised a tiger cub, we have. We¡¯d better keep a close watch on him to make sure he doesn¡¯t stab our leader in the back.

    Only the sound that further confused him returned.

    Crack!

    Selperd knew that no matter what he argued, the response would be obvious, so he didn¡¯t say anything more.

    Right now, he had to focus on getting rid of the ones in front of him.

    Suppressing the Blood Demon¡¯s Night Parade was by no means an easy task.

    ng, ng, ng!

    ng, ng, ng¡ª

    In an instant, the surroundings were filled with chaos,

    [¡®Skill: Hatchling Synchronization¡¯ is tracking residual thoughts.]

    Theo fully opened his Brain Gate.

    As his mind began to burn white-hot with intensity, he quickly absorbed the situational information around him, tracking the traces of Lily that remained.

    ¡®There¡­!¡¯

    The moment Theo was about to step into a Gust of Wind, the bishop struck from the side, his cold Bloodlight gleaming fiercely.

    ¡°You youngest unbeliever! Son of Kyle! I¡¯ll kill you first¡ª!¡±

    .

    The high-level secret art of the ck Iron Hand, which hardens like a diamond, was aimed at smashing Theo¡¯s temple, but Naban intervened midway.

    ng!

    ¡°Sorry, but I haven¡¯t gotten what I¡¯m owed yet. If you want to kill me, do it after that.¡±

    ¡°What nonsense are you spouting¡ª!¡±

    Bang bang bang!

    In an instant, Naban and the bishop exchanged dozens of blows.

    Each time, Naban frowned from the pain, as if his sword was striking a solid rock.

    If this kept up, it felt like his sword might break.

    At that moment, the one who stepped in was Evelyn.

    She approached from the opposite direction as Naban, like the wind, unleashing a barrage of sword strikes.

    Her sharpness seemed to show off just how deadly thebination of the Wind Lord and Demon Dragon¡¯s secret arts could be.

    In the end, the bishop found himself trapped between the two, unable to move.

    Wounds multiplied on his limbs, and blood began to pour from the torn seams of his clothes.

    ¡°Uaargh!¡±

    The bishop let out a scream of frustration and struggled, but thebined attacks of Naban and Evelyn didn¡¯t falter.

    In the end,

    St!

    The bishop¡¯s head was severed by Evelyn¡¯s sword, and his torso was sliced in half by Naban¡¯s de.

    A pitiful death for someone of the bishop¡¯s status.

    ¡°Squad 5, protect Theo!¡±

    At that moment, Evelyn, drenched in the bishop¡¯s blood, shouted.

    With that, the morale of Squad 5 surged, and their formation shifted.

    They pushed the Blood Priests and the Blood Demons out, determined to secure victory.

    ¨C Avenge the bishop!

    ¨C Rip the unbelievers to pieces!

    Of course, the Blood Demons weren¡¯t easily driven back either.

    Rather than being scared, they shed even more fiercely.

    -Martyrdom! Martyrdom!

    -Martyrdom! Martyrdom! Martyrdom! Martyrdom!

    -Eradicate the heretics!

    -Eradicate! Eradicate! Eradicate! Eradicate!

    All that remained for them was nothing but madness, devoid of any reason.

    Because of that, there were quite a few blood demons that asionally broke through the protective of Squad 5 and clung to Theo.

    Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-

    No matter how many heads he cut off or flung aside, they tenaciously clung to him.

    Their bloodshot eyes were filled with nothing but hatred toward the unbelievers.

    It was difficult to pick up speed, causing Theo to grit his teeth.

    ¡°Out of the way, bastards! Make way! Lord Theo ising through, so why the hell are you standing around?!¡±

    Erika and her brother tried to help Theo in any way they could.

    Erika protected his rear while Holcus cleared the path ahead.

    ¡°Go! Hurry! You said there was someone to chase!¡±

    ¡°Th¡­ thanks.¡±

    Holcus suddenly gave a thumbs-up and grinned widely.

    ¡°If you¡¯re thankful, never, ever, eeeeever forget this favor!¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    Theo wondered what the hell Holcus was talking about, but¡ª

    ¡¸That idiot¡¯s been spouting nonsense since forever. Just go.¡¹

    After hearing Erika¡¯s telepathic message, Theo moved again.

    Just as she said, Holcus always said strange things, so Theo let it slide.

    Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!

    Dragon¡¯s Heart pounded wildly as he poured all his magic power into his lower body.

    At the moment when strength surged into his legs,

    [Agility has increased by 1.]

    The moment Theo had been waiting for finally arrived.

    [The Agility coefficient has surpassed 100.]

    [A hidden feature has been unlocked, allowing you to elerate your body¡¯s movements instantly.]

    +

    [eleration]

    ¡¤ Type: Special Ability

    ¡¤ Effect: Upon activation, significantly increases movement speed and attack speed for a certain period of time.

    +

    Kwoooosh!

    Theo stomped the ground with enough force to shatter it.

    A deep footprint was left where he stood, with heat rising from the spot.

    * * *

    Finding Lily wasn¡¯t all that difficult.

    He only needed to track the remnants of her thoughts through the narrow gaps between the tangled buildings.

    As expected.

    Lily was standing in front of a shabby warehouse when she suddenly sensed Theo¡¯s presence and her face hardened.

    ¡°You¡­!¡±

    ¡®What¡¯s that?¡¯

    On the other hand, Theo didn¡¯t even register Lily¡¯s appearance.

    Instead, his gaze was locked on the blue light spilling through the cracks of the warehouse door.

    The same blue light that was always found in the relics of the Ancient Dragon.

    ¡®So this is Ed Troyban¡¯s warehouse.¡¯

    Ed had been steadily collecting relics for a long time.

    He thought this might be one of them.

    ¡°Theo Ragnar, I will kill you. Because of you, all this time, I¡­! When I think about the humiliation I¡¯ve endured¡­!¡±

    Lily, gritting her teeth, fiercely drew her sword and swung it.

    A blood-red light appeared along the de.

    The magic of the Sacred Demon Church.

    She was clearly ignoring the fact that opening her magic power was forbidden since she hadn¡¯t participated in this Blossoming Ceremony.

    Her mind was solely consumed by the thought of avenging herself against Theo.

    Sssk-

    Without much resistance, Theo beheaded Lily with Drake¡¯s de.

    Last time, it had been her right arm; this time, her head.

    The heat rising from his de instantly incinerated her corpse, and¡ª

    Kwang!

    The tightly locked door of the warehouse shattered as well.

    The interior became fully exposed.

    Decorative swords, encrusted with all kinds of jewels, were lined up along the walls, and on the shelves and bookcases below, various documents were neatly arranged.

    Paaaah!

    Among them, Theo spotted a single ring glowing with a blue light.

    It was a in, worn-out ring, tinged with a reddish hue, as if it had rusted.

    But the fact that it was kept inside a magically secured ss case made it clear that it was treated as something precious.

    Moreover,

    Ziiiiing! Ziiiing! Ziiiiing!

    The Moon-White Sword and Drake¡¯s de began to tremble.

    At the same time, the ring was also shaking.

    It meant they were resonating with each other.

    And that wasn¡¯t all.

    In another ss case on the opposite side, a pair of earrings with butterfly decorations were also stored, glowing with the same blue light and resonating as well.

    ¡°Two relics, huh? If I take all of this, Ed will go absolutely mad.¡±

    Theo could already imagine Ed raging furiously, which made him smile with satisfaction.

    Then, he drew the Moon-White Sword and destroyed the security devices installed on both ss cases, cing the relics into his inventory.

    [Congrattions! You have sessfully thwarted the plot nned by your nemesis from a past life and secured two relics of the Ancient Dragon,pleting Scenario Quest #2 without any issues.]

    [Rating: S]

    [You have earned 10 coins as a reward.]

    [As an additional reward based on your rating, you have gained 5 bonus stat points.]

    Theo checked if there were any additional items in the warehouse worth taking, tossing everything he found into his inventory.

    Among them were some objects, like with Balmung, that gave Theo a sense of ¡°ominousness.¡±

    ¡®Items rted to dragon ying or connected to such legends¡­ He must have been secretly gathering them for quite some time to prepare all this. He was definitely nning something big.¡¯

    He realized once again that leaving things alone would be dangerous.

    As Theo was busy thoroughly inspecting the items, his footsteps came to a sudden stop for the first time.

    It was a ledger, worn from extensive handling.

    However, the title written on the cover was quite ominous.

    -Report on the Relics of the Rose Pce.

    ¡®Rose Pce¡­¡¯

    The suspicion he had always harbored¡ªthat his unexined death in his previous life and Cecilia¡¯s wrongful usation might be connected to them¡ªseemed to be on the verge of being confirmed.

    A chilling sensation ran through his blood.

    Keeek?

    Umbra asked if Theo was okay after noticing his reaction, but¡ª

    Theo had no time to acknowledge it as he immediately began to open the ledger.

    And then,

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    Thump-thump-thump!

    Theo¡¯s hand, gripping the ledger, trembled with rage.

    A few lines of record, seemingly left a long time ago.

    To avoid the ck Dragon¡¯s surveince, it is necessary to secure the relics¡­

    ¡­Currently, the most obstructive individuals are Cecilia and her son, Theo. Proceeding with ns to assassinate them¡­

    ¡®Found it, finally.¡¯

    His grip tightened around the ledger.

    Atst, he had found the truth he had been desperately searching for.

    Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!

 Chapter 93

    Chapter 93: Found it, Finally (3)

    ¨C Young Master.

    The distant memory of his previous life, now barely clear.

    He recalled his mother¡¯s face, looking down at him with sorrowful eyes, while his hands and feet were bound in rope.

    ¨C Young Master, please do not follow the path of this worthless mother. Find your own happiness.

    Thump thump thump thump thump!

    ¨C I should have¡­ I should have said this first. I¡¯m sorry for beingte.

    It was the first time his mother, who had always walked a distant parallel path, had offered an apology.

    Within it was a warm affection.

    ¨C So please.

    Her final request was,

    ¨C Leave this ce.

    It resonated deeply within Theo¡¯s heart.

    * * *

    It must have been around that time when Theo fled the family, as if running away.

    His mother¡¯s plea, urging him to leave the family and find happiness.

    He knew too well that it was sincere, and so he wanted to follow it.

    But, at some point, he had forgotten.

    Amidst the storms of life, in the passage of time, he had forgotten her words.

    And now they came back to him.

    In both his past life and his current one.

    His mother¡¯s every thought had always been about him, filled with concern.

    This wretched son had lived his whole life without realizing it¡­

    Theo bit down hard on his lower lip.

    ¡®The reason they framed my mother and killed her¡­ was it all just for some relic that might be in the Rose Pce?¡¯

    Thest remaining questions about his previous life were slowly fading away.

    ¡®But even after that, they couldn¡¯t find any trace of the relic, andter they even killed me, who had long since left the family.¡¯

    Creak-

    The fact that his beloved family members had to die unjustly because of that infuriated him.

    Their screams still seemed to echo in his ears.

    Then came a question.

    ¡®But Ed clearly died during the rebellion he started with Axion. My death came long after that. If that¡¯s the case¡­?¡¯

    Theo began to piece together several things.

    He started to carefully examine the remaining contents of the ledger with a calmer perspective.

    As a result, he was able to uncover a few more facts.

    ¡°As I thought. Even after Ed¡¯s death, Troyban¡¯s ws continued to reach out?¡±

    Troyban had been the final destination of all the schemes.

    It was their conspiracy to obtain the relic of the Primordial Dragon that had led to the deaths of both Cecilia and Theo.

    Moreover, Ragnar had to endure countless storms, both big and small.

    ¡®But what could possibly be the reason they were so desperate to collect the Primordial Dragon¡¯s relics?¡¯

    The relics of the Primordial Dragon were certainly a form of  that anyone would covet.

    The old man stroked his beard with his hand as he wrote a new letter, tying it again to the leg of the hawk.

    ¨C The Dragon yer Sword and the Dragon Spirit¡¯s Cursed de¡­ These two are twin swords, capable of rivaling each other. Make sure not to miss either. Send the word.

    p!

    The hawk took off with powerful wings once again, this time heading north.

    Northeast region. It was the headquarters of the Ceres Trading Company, where Theo currently was.

    Quadrach carefully received the hawk, his movements filled with caution.

    The vision ended there.

    ¡®So, there was another relic hidden within the family. Ed and Troyban are trying to take it.¡¯

    He didn¡¯t know exactly what the Dragon Spirit¡¯s Cursed de was.

    But from Ed and Granada¡¯s mutterings, he could tell that it was a twin sword paired with Balmung.

    ¡®Balmung is already in my hands¡­ and now that I know its location, I¡¯ll intercept that sword as well, before Ed makes his move.¡¯

    Theo¡¯s eyes grew cold.

    He couldn¡¯t let the relic of the Primordial Dragon fall into the hands of anyone outside the Ragnar family.

    Theo quietly slipped out after searching the warehouse for some time and finding no more clues.

    * * *

    Outside, the suppression of the Sacred Demon Church had already beenpleted, and Quadrach, along with the other criminals, was being arrested.

    ¡°Arrest everyone in the main headquarters of the tradingpany, leave no one behind. If they resist, you are authorized to kill them immediately.¡±

    Under Evelyn¡¯s sternmand, the members of Unit 5bed through the headquarters with sharp eyes.

    The ones who found themselves caught up in this unexpected storm were the members of the Northern Merchants Association.

    ¨C I-I have nothing to do with this incident! Please believe me!

    ¨C We had no idea what the Ceres Trading Company was plotting! It¡¯s true!

    ¨C Ourpany¡­ we were only invited to attend the engagement ceremony between the Ceres Trading Company and the House of Bhus, that¡¯s all¡­!

    ¨C Aah! We have nothing to do with this rebellion!

    They were, in fact, people Quadrach had gathered to carry out the Sacred Demon Church¡¯s indoctrination. If anyone were victims, it was them.

    But now, they found themselves unfairly branded as rebels.

    Their lives, and the fate of their affiliated tradingpanies, were in danger of being swept away in a bloody purge.

    However, Evelyn couldn¡¯t just let them go freely.

    There was a chance that among them were agents of the Sacred Demon Church or Troyban.

    ¡°I understand your unfortunate circumstances, and I will release you after a simple verification process. Please be patient.¡±

    This promise too would be difficult to fulfill immediately.

    The incident at the Ceres Trading Company could not yet be leaked to the outside world.

    The key to this operation was speed.

    It was a race against time to act before Ed and Troyban realized the truth.

    ¡°Lady Kleve, what about the House of Bhus?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The ck Iron Cavalry should be attacking them already. They¡¯re probably in chaos by now.¡±

    Despite it being an attack on one of the Six Snow Families, Kleve spoke as if it were no big deal.

    Kleve firmly believed that the recent cracks forming in the North were due to Ragnar being too lenient in his dealings.

    She thought it was necessary to directly pressure their vassals this way, to force them to snap out of it.

    Then, Kleve¡¯s gaze shifted to Naban.

    ¡°I¡¯m tied up because you said so, but keep in mind, I sided with you this time. Shouldn¡¯t that be taken into ount?¡±

    Naban raised his bound hands, grumbling in frustration.

    ¡°We did take it into ount, which is why you¡¯re only tied up. But Naban Bhus, you still haven¡¯t been fully cleared of suspicion, so stay where you are until then.¡±

    ¡°Ah, my luck¡­ That¡¯s just how it is for me, I guess.¡±

    He sighed heavily, grumbling, but Kleve didn¡¯t miss the faint hint of amusement in Naban¡¯s voice.

    ¡®He¡¯s facing the destruction of his family, and yet he¡¯s amused? There were rumors that the second son of Bhus, being born out of wedlock, harbored a deep grudge against the family. It seems they were true.¡¯

    Kleve¡¯s eyes glinted curiously.

    ¡®It¡¯s impossible topletely dismantle the structure of the Six Snow Families. If that¡¯s the case, it would be easier to remove the current leadership and ce someone like him, a rebel, in charge as head of the family¡­ That would be more convenient in the future.¡¯

    Kleve considered how best to seize control of the House of Bhus, but then her thoughts suddenly stopped.

    Naban had been opposing Ragnar, yet after a conversation with Theo, he had switched sides almost immediately.

    And now, he seemed quite close to Theo.

    What did that mean?

    ¡®Could it be¡­ was this all part of Theo¡¯s n?¡¯

    It felt as if Kleve had been struck hard in the back of the head by something heavy.

    Theo¡¯s bold deration at the Blossoming Ceremony, that he would challenge for the right of session, shed through her mind.

    For someone without much backing, the House of Bhus with a new head could be a very suitable business partner.

    If someone were to hear her spection, they might dismiss it as coincidence.

    But based on everything she had seen of Theo so far, it seemed entirely possible.

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    A sudden chill ran down Kleve¡¯s spine.

    She hurriedly shifted her gaze toward Theo.

    Just at that moment, Theo was approaching her.

    ¡°My daughter¡­ Lily¡­ What happened to Lily¡­!¡±

    Quadrach, whose dreams and ambitions had been shattered overnight, sat in a daze. But as soon as Theo passed by, he btedly yelled in fury.

    Theo nced at him with a cold, silent sneer.

    ¡°You¡­ my daughter¡­ again¡­!!¡±

    Sensing Lily¡¯s fate instinctively, Quadrach howled in despair.

    He tried to lunge at Theo, but barely made it a few steps before copsing again.

    At some point, Holcus had crept up behind him, forcefully pressing his head to the ground.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you stay still? You¡¯re giving me a headache with all that noise!¡±

    He then grinned at Theo, asking with his expression if everything was okay¡ªa smile that felt somewhat unsettling.

    ¡®¡­What¡¯s up with him? Did something happen?¡¯

    Theo, puzzled, nodded awkwardly.

    * * *

    ¡°Some of you may be seeing me for the first time, so I¡¯ll introduce myself again. I¡¯m Theo Ragnar, newly appointed as a Practical Swordsman. I look forward to working with all of you.¡±

    After the situation was mostly resolved, Theo politely greeted the members of Unit 5, who had gathered together.

    Those who knew him and even those who had only heard of him all wore surprised expressions.

    ¨C Huh?

    ¨C What? Did I hear that right?

    ¨C Practical Swordsman?

    Selperd, wide-eyed, urgently asked.

    ¡°Not a Trainee Swordsman, but already a Practical Swordsman? Is that true?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I passed the promotion exam during myst mission.¡±

    ¡°No way¡­!¡±

    ¨C What? Does that mean he got promoted after just his second mission?

    ¨C Even Torkel Ragnar wasn¡¯t this fast. This is crazy.

    ¨C He¡¯s a record-breaker! I¡¯ve heard stories, but this¡­ wow.

    ¨C I mean, it makes sense. Didn¡¯t you see him take down the Blood Priest on his own? That level of skill deserves recognition.

    ¨C True.

    Luckily, while the members were astonished, no one seemed envious or jealous. They all acknowledged Theo¡¯s achievement with respect.

    Of course, Theo couldn¡¯t fully understand their inner thoughts, but he believed most of them were sincere.

    After all, Julius had cultivated that kind of atmosphere.

    ¡°Wow¡­¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯ve already been promoted. Just when I thought I might catch up, you pull ahead again.¡±

    Holcus¡¯s jaw dropped so wide it looked like his chin might fall off, while Erika scratched the back of her head with a wry smile.

    Though they were peers, it felt like Theo was moving farther and farther ahead.

    Holcus, in particr, was starting to feel anxious.

    ¡®I need to get in line quickly¡­!¡¯

    The problem was that there hadn¡¯t been a chance to express his intentions.

    He needed some time alone to talk with Theo, even to drop a hint, but Theo had been way too busy these past few months.

    And now, with the sess of this mission, Theo was sure to be even busier for a while.

    p!

    At that moment, Evelyn pped her hands loudly to shift the mood.

    ¡°Now that everything¡¯s wrapped up, we¡¯ll return to the family. However, since the report is urgent and we have many prisoners, we¡¯ll split into two groups and travel separately. Theo, Selperd, Arin, Erika, Holcus¡ªyou five wille with me to Winterer first. That¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±

    Theo responded, then drew Umbra from the shadows.

    And just like that,

    his second mission hade to an end.

 Chapter 94

    Chapter 94: Found it, Finally (4)

    One rumor spread quickly throughout Winterer.

    ¨C Theo Ragnar had set a new record for the fastest promotion in history. He became a Practical Swordsman.

    At a time when Winterer was still boiling over the record Theo had set during the Blossoming Ceremony.

    The new piece of gossip(?) that was thrown into the mix was like pouring oil on a burning fire.

    ¨C Practical Swordsman? Is that even possible?

    ¨C It¡¯s not a lie, right?

    ¨C No. It¡¯s been officially announced.

    ¨C Crazy¡­! But, wasn¡¯t there no promotion exam announced during that time? When did this even happen?

    ¨C Apparently, it was the result of his achievements during a ssified mission.

    ¨C If you could get promoted just bypleting a few missions, I would¡¯ve already been an Advanced Swordsman. Are they pushing him because he¡¯s been in the spotlighttely?

    Of course, there were some who raised concerns about fairness.

    But their doubts quickly vanished.

    ¨C I heard he captured a Blood Priest.

    ¨C What?

    ¨C He captured a Blood Priest.

    ¨C ¡­!

    ¨C On top of that, he even fended off an attack from two Blood Priests working together¡­ There were a lot of witnesses, it seems. Not just the White Armored Dragon Cavalry, but even ck Snow and the Plum Blossom Pce took part in confirming the announcement. It¡¯s real.

    ¨C Even if he¡¯s a direct descendant of Ragnar, this kind of talent is just unbelievable¡­

    If it had only been the White Armored Dragon Cavalry making the im, people might have suspected them of protecting their own. But with other forces backing it up, the story changedpletely.

    Moreover, ck Snow, ruled by the ck Dragon, was a neutral organization that aligned with no faction.

    The weight of their recognition carried special significance.

    Questioning it at that point would be tantamount to challenging Kyle¡¯s authority.

    Thus, while people marveled, they also began to bring up new stories, one by one.

    ¨C An unbelievable talent.

    They focused on the talent that had made him a Practical Swordsman at the age of fifteen.

    It made them recall someone from the distant past, someone whom not many people remembered anymore.

    ¨C Kyle.

    Around sixty years ago, when Kyle first picked up a sword, didn¡¯t he also cause a simr whirlwind?

    And he grew at a terrifying pace, ultimately pulling the Mad Dragon Emperor down from his throne.

    Naturally, this led to a new topic of discussion.

    ¨C Could this be the start of a seismic shift in the session battle, which has been locked among the five candidates for over a decade?

    Until now, the five candidates, including Torkel, had not reached out to Theo.

    No, they hadn¡¯t even given off the slightest hint of interest.

    It was as if they knew nothing of his existence at all.

    Torkel was the only one who asionally sent favorable messages about Theo, but even he hadn¡¯t made any direct moves to meet with Theo.

    The general opinion among the public was that the five major candidates were simply watching Theo¡¯s progress from the sidelines.

    After all, there had been many talents, like Naban Bhus, who made a name for themselves during the Blossoming Ceremony but faded into obscurity afterward without leaving anysting impact.

    However, now that Theo¡¯s abilities had been proven effective in realbat, and with rumors spreading that his talent might rival Kyle¡¯s, they could no longer just sit back and observe.

    As expected, rumors began to circte that Torkel¡¯s ck Iron Cavalry was on the move and that other candidates had secretly summoned their high-ranking officials.

    Just as Winterer was about to stir in earnest, the protagonist of these rumors returned to the family estate.

    * * *

    ¡°sh Demon.¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    Upon his return to Winterer, Theo immediately went to the White Armored Dragon Cavalry¡¯s headquarters.

    Given the nature of the situation, he hadn¡¯t had a proper rest and had traveled the long distance in one go, leaving him visibly fatigued.

    But the moment he arrived, Julius threw out a cryptic word.

    Theo tilted his head in confusion, trying to figure out what he meant, and Julius¡¯s lips curled into a smirk.

    ¡°It¡¯s the new nickname people have given you. How do you like it?¡±

    ¡°¡­Didn¡¯t I already have a nickname?¡±

    ¡°You did. Something like ¡®sh Tiger¡¯ or whatever. But not many people knew about it, and it wasn¡¯t all that famous either. It only spread after the Blossoming Ceremony.¡±

    Julius¡¯s grin grew even wider.

    ¡°But this time, it¡¯s different. You took down a Blood Priest all by yourself, right? Plus, though it¡¯s still under embargo, you even raided the Central Intelligence Director¡¯s vault. And you got promoted to a Practical Swordsman in record time. People probably think that¡¯s not enough to describe you now.¡±

    Theo scratched his cheek awkwardly, unsure of what to say.

    If there was something he still hadn¡¯t gotten used to since his return, it was this sort of exaggerated praise¡­ no, ¡®enthusiasm.¡¯

    ¡°They say that whenever you swing your sword, yellow lightning crackles, white steam billows, and red mes re up. And afterward, you¡¯re soaked in the enemy¡¯s blood, looking like a demon straight out of hell.¡±

    ¡®Did¡­ rumors really spread that far?¡¯

    Theo¡¯s face turned slightly red.

    Seeing his reaction, Julius found it amusing andughed heartily.

    ¡°Why are you so embarrassed? When you first joined, you boldly dered that you¡¯d be the youngest captain ever. Where did all that bravado go?¡±

    ¡°Well, that was true, but¡­¡±

    ¡°Anyway, our White Armored Dragon Cavalry got their hands on an amazing treasure. An absolutely amazing treasure.¡±

    ¡°That is¡­.¡±

    ¡°Do you need anything while you¡¯re out on missions? If you do, I¡¯ll support you with my own money, no problem. If you need a sparring partner, I can help with that too.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, well¡­.¡±

    ¡°I may not brag about it, but don¡¯t forget I¡¯m still the Demon Dragon, the Demon Dragon. Just say the word. There¡¯s nothing I wouldn¡¯t do for my precious kid.¡±

    It was reaching the point where he seemed willing to give up his liver and galldder, so Theo subtly turned to Evelyn for help.

    However, Evelyn simply shook her head.

    As if to say there was nothing she could do either.

    ¡¸He¡¯s always had this goofy side, which doesn¡¯t suit his age¡­ Even if he¡¯s being silly, just let it slide. There¡¯s nothing we can do.¡¹

    It was around the time Theo was starting to step back, having discovered this new side of Julius he hadn¡¯t known before.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s thanks to the exceptional intelligencework of our ck Snow that we¡¯ve garnered such fame.¡±

    Swoosh!

    Suddenly, from the ceiling, ck Dragon descended with his arms crossed.

    In an instant, the grin on Julius¡¯s face turned into a fierce re.

    As if to say, ¡®How dare you show up here!¡¯

    It seemed like that¡¯s what he was shouting, but ck Dragon wasn¡¯t bothered at all. He just said what he wanted to Theo.

    ¡°Theo, don¡¯t you think this proves that our ck Snow¡¯s support is essential for your future endeavors? You and we make the best team in the world. If you ever feel inclined,e find me anytime.¡±

    Whoosh¡ª

    Theo instinctively caught what ck Dragon tossed to him.

    It was a wooden que engraved with a ck dragon.

    ¡°What is this?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the proof of No Snow.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    Theo¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.

    ¡¸This guy! What on earth is he doing!¡¹

    Julius urgently transmitted his thoughts telepathically.

    He was holding back for the sake of saving face in front of Theo, but otherwise, he looked ready to grab ck Dragon by the cor at any moment.

    ¡¸Brother, this is why you¡¯re still an amateur. Watch closely. This is how you win over someone you want on your side.¡¹

    ¡¸¡­¡­!?¡¹

    ¡¸Nothing works better than a bribe.¡¹

    Theo spoke up.

    ¡°I¡­!¡±

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry. I know full well that you¡¯re not thinking of leaving the White Armored Dragon Cavalry.¡±

    ¡°Then why are you going so far to help me? Just giving me the Purity Pill and helping me learn the Meridian Enhancing technique was already more help than I deserve.¡±

    Theo couldn¡¯t quite understand ck Dragon¡¯s behavior.

    The two of them had never really shared any emotional exchanges.

    Moreover, just like Kyle, ck Dragon despised reincarnators.

    So why was he being so kind?

    ¡¸What the? Since when did you get all buddy-buddy like a sneaky stray cat?¡¹

    ck Dragon, once again, ignored Julius¡¯s protests and answered.

    ¡°Just because.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­?!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve been carrying yourself with confidence and poisetely. So, I figured I could trust you a bit more.¡±

    ¡°Is that¡­ so?¡±

    Theo still couldn¡¯t understand ck Dragon.

    But it seemed that some aspect of how he had behaved so far had gradually softened the man¡¯s attitude toward him.

    ¡°If it¡¯s too overwhelming to ept, then¡­ well. How about we just say it¡¯s a gift from an uncle to his nephew?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    Theo was dumbfounded.

    It was true that ck Dragon was Kyle¡¯s younger brother, so biologically speaking, they were indeed rted as uncle and nephew.

    But Theo had never heard that ck Dragon had applied such a personal standard before.

    Regardless, ck Dragon continued to speak as if it was nothing.

    ¡°With that que, you¡¯ll not only be able to use any of ck Snow¡¯s safe houses scattered around the world, but you¡¯ll also receive full support from our branches. I¡¯ll have Kleve exin how to use it in more detailter.¡±

    It essentially meant that he was handing over privileges almost equal to No Snow itself.

    Theo still couldn¡¯t grasp ck Dragon¡¯s true intentions, but the man¡¯s eyes, visible through his mask, were clearly smiling.

    Meanwhile, Julius, who had been watching from the sidelines, felt like he was about to explode.

    ¡¸You¡¯re openly bribing him right in front of me? Do you take me for a fool?¡¹

    ¡¸Hahaha. You¡¯d better keep your wits about you from now on. There are plenty of people like me who¡¯ll rob you blind even while you¡¯re awake.¡¹

    ¡¸Are you seriously trying to pick a fight with me?¡¹

    ¡¸Do you think you can win?¡¹

    ¡¸Wow, seriously¡­!¡¹

    ¡¸If you¡¯re upset, why don¡¯t you try something too?¡¹

    ¡¸Just wait and see. Whether it¡¯s you or Osa, I¡¯m going to make sure anyone trying to drool over my kid shuts their mouth. Do you think I¡¯ll just sit back and do nothing?¡¹

    ¡¸Go ahead, try it.¡¹

    ¡¸Agh¡­!¡¹

    ¡¸Haha! Anyway, I¡¯m busy, so I¡¯ll be going now.¡¹

    Just like when he had appeared, ck Dragon vanished into thin air, leaving behind Julius fuming.

    It felt like being bewitched by a phantom.

    Theo stared nkly at the spot where ck Dragon had been, while Julius forced a strained smile, trying to suppress the simmering anger within him.

    But the corner of his mouth kept twitching.

    ¡®Our captain sure is having a rough day today.¡¯

    Only Evelyn, who could read Julius¡¯s true feelings, quietly chuckled to herself.

    ¡°It seems the Director of the Information Bureau was impressed with your performance and decided to give you a generous gift. Use it wisely. Depending on how you handle it, it could be an even sharper weapon than any sword.¡±

    Although Julius didn¡¯t mean a word of it.

    Theo nodded heavily, acknowledging the advice.

    ¡®I thought I¡¯d never get entangled with them again¡­ Well, now that it¡¯se to this, I¡¯ll ept it. Just like Julius said, there¡¯s no need to reject it.¡¯

    Theo made up his mind to acknowledge something he¡¯d been avoiding until now.

    ¨C The fact that his nature aligned very well with ck Snow.

    Despite the unpleasant memories from his past life, which made him consciously try to distance himself from ck Snow, some habits from that time were still deeply ingrained within him.

    The way he viewed the world,

    the way he thought,

    the way he strategized¡ªall of it.

    So he felt confident that he could make good use of the que.

    ¡®There must be a good reason why ck Dragon, who once despised reincarnators alongside my father, continues to show me kindness.¡¯

    As Theo quietly ran his fingers over the que, Julius cleared his throat loudly.

    ¡°Ahem! Ah-hmm!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±

    ¡¸You don¡¯t need to go that far. I understand perfectly well.¡¹

    Evelyn¡¯s quiet scolding came through, but Julius pretended not to hear it at all.

    ¡°In any case, you¡¯ve worked harding all this way. Now that we¡¯ve secured solid evidence of Soaring Dragon¡¯s treasonous activities, we just need to wrap things up.¡±

    Wrap things up.

    In that moment, Theo¡¯s eyes gleamed sharply.

    That was the phrase he¡¯d been waiting for.

    ¡°Are we going to remove the Director of Central Intelligence now?¡±

    Julius, no longer joking, nodded solemnly.

    ¡°Yes. Everything is already in ce. I¡¯ve even gotten approval from the Family Head.¡±

    Approval from the Family Head.

    In other words, Kyle had given his permission.

    ¡°The current Director of Central Intelligence is away on an external mission requested by ck Snow¡­ The Director of the Information Bureau will soon lead No Snow in an attempt to capture him.¡±

    ¡®So that¡¯s why ck Dragon left so suddenly.¡¯

    ¡°I, on the other hand, will lead our forces to upy the Central Intelligence Bureau with the cooperation of the Plum Blossom Pce.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re nning to strike while the leader is absent.¡±

    ¡°The loyalty toward the Director of Central Intelligence is well-known. We need to subdue him before that bes an issue. That¡¯s why we deliberately separated him from his base.¡±

    Theo nodded heavily.

    Julius and ck Dragon were thorough in their work.

    It was something Theo knew he needed to learn for the future.

    ¡°And your task is to take down the Rose Pce.¡±

    Theo clenched his fist tightly.

    ¡®Finally¡­!¡¯

    Julius patted his shoulder as he spoke.

    ¡°This entire operation would have been much harder without your contributions. So, you should be the one to finish it.¡±

    Theo realized that this was the gift Julius had prepared for him.

    ¡®He¡¯s setting the stage for me to establish my position and reputation properly.¡¯

    The Rose Pce was where Emil Troyban, the Third Wife, lived.

    A legitimate wife.

    And now, Theo, a mere illegitimate son, was going to arrest someone like Emil for treason?

    With Theo already gaining fame through the Blossoming Ceremony and his promotion to Practical Swordsman, this would be a massive event that would cement his name in people¡¯s minds.

    And since Ed and the Troyban family were involved, the issue would snowball further.

    If the situation escted into a war with the Troyban family, Theo would be at the center of the storm.

    It would continue to engrave his name in Winterer.

    But that wasn¡¯t all.

    Julius was one of the few who vaguely understood the bitter history between Theo¡¯s family and Axion¡¯s.

    By giving Theo the opportunity to end it himself, Julius was offering him a favor so great it could never be repaid.

    And that wasn¡¯t the only thing.

    ck Dragon had finally opened up to him.

    It meant that he no longer saw Theo as a ¡°reincarnator,¡± but as his ¡°nephew.¡±

    ¡®Julius, the Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce, and ck Dragon¡­ They¡¯re all giving me their strength. More than I could ever deserve.¡¯

    So,

    ¡®I must finish this properly.¡¯

    He couldn¡¯t let them down.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 95

    Chapter 95: Found it, Finally (5) >

    ¡®Theo Ragnar, the bastard who yed a crucial role in bringing down the Third Lady and the Director of Central Intelligence¡­ What apelling topic of conversation. Julius, that guy, he yed his cards very well.¡¯

    A ck skrk was vigorously pping its wings, cutting through the sky.

    ¡®Though there may be an issue of fairness with the other members of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry, even if they can¡¯t give him any significant support, they will ce Theo at the center of all the attention from now on¡­ It¡¯s as if they¡¯re saying Theo, who is eyeing the position ofmander of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry, will essentially be designated as the sessor¡­ That¡¯s what they¡¯re implying.¡¯

    Growling to tell others to stop salivating over their own offspring.

    Both the ck Dragon, who could be called his sworn brother, and the Mistress of the Plum Blossom Pce were also showing intense interest in Theo.

    ¡®Once this task is over and they learn that the eldest brother will call him separately, they¡¯ll panic even more.¡¯

    After the four sworn brothers took control of the family.

    They each focused on their respective duties, and their rtionships gradually became distant.

    It wasn¡¯t that their hearts had drifted apart.

    Their feelings for each other remained the same.

    However, they were no longer as close.

    It became awkward.

    It was no longer easy to drink together andugh without worries like before.

    Just gathering in one ce was enough to shake Winterer, the North, the Empire, and the world.

    But,

    ¡®He¡¯s slowly and subtly starting to bring us back together.¡¯

    Julius and the Mistress of the Plum Blossom Pce began to grow closer again, and now the ck Dragon was getting involved.

    Kyle, on his own terms, started to take an interest in Theo.

    Connections were forming.

    Although distrust and resentment towards the regressor still lingered somewhere in their hearts.

    Even so, this alone was a huge step forward.

    ¡®So, Theo. No, my dear nephew.¡¯

    The ck skrk had already arrived at its destination, enveloped in a halo of light.

    ¡®Please, don¡¯t make a wrong choice that forces me to cut you down with my own hands.¡¯

    sh!

    The ck skrk vanished, and in its ce, the masked ck Dragonnded on the ground.

    With a rustling sound, his clothes fluttered in the wind.

    Swoosh!

    All the agents of ck Snow and Kleve, who had been waiting, bowed their heads.

    The ck Dragon acknowledged their greetings with a slight nod, then looked down the cliff.

    There stood a shabby-looking hut.

    It was a safe house used by the Central Intelligence Agency.

    ¡°Is the Director of Central Intelligence in there?¡±

    ¡°Yes. We¡¯ve sessfully lured him under the pretext of coborating with Ranke for a covert operation concerning the Demonic Sea. The Director currently believes the head of the Ranke family ising.¡±

    ¡°How many forces did he bring with him?¡±

    ¡°Twenty first-ss agents.¡±

    ¡°Hmph, seems like he¡¯s got plenty to be worried about. He came fully loaded.¡±

    A smirk¡ª

    The ck Dragon sneered.

    If the agents were first-ss from the Central Intelligence Agency, they were an elite unitposed of advanced swordsmen.

    In other strike forces, these would be equivalent to squad leaders or higher.

    This clearly showed how much Ed Troyban cared about protecting himself, but it also hinted at how difficult this operation would be.

    However, the ck Dragon didn¡¯t care in the slightest.

    Srrrng¡ª

    In the end, they were nothing more than parasites that needed to be cut down.

    ¡°We move.¡±

    As soon as the ck Dragon gave the order,

    Fwoosh!

    The agents swiftly leaped down the cliff.

    * * *

    Tadak¡ª

    Theo, Erika, Evelyn, and Hazel were rapidly making their way across Winterer.

    Behind them were twenty soldiers dispatched by the White Armored Dragon Cavalry and thirty more from the Plum Blossom Pce.

    A force of over fifty people.

    Above them, the banner of Ragnar fluttered in the wind.

    They were acting under themand of the family head.

    Naturally, the residents of Winterer couldn¡¯t help but be shocked.

    ¡°Wh-what? What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°Y-yeah, seeing them rushing like that, something must¡¯ve happened¡­.¡±

    ¡°The White Armored Dragon Cavalry and the Plum Blossom Pce¡­ What could this be about?¡±

    ¡°C-could there be a rebellion?¡±

    ¡°Hey! What are you saying? Don¡¯t talk about such ominous things!¡±

    ¡°Ah, s-sorry. I wasn¡¯t thinking.¡±

    The word ¡®rebellion¡¯ was practically taboo in Winterer.

    Whenever a rebellion broke out, the North was always swept up in a bloody storm.

    Whether it seeded or failed, it didn¡¯t matter.

    However, Theo¡¯s group moved with such a grim atmosphere that everyone was quick to clear the way.

    Even the swordsmen who witnessed them rushed back to their units, eager to report the situation.

    ¡®Hmm, um¡­ When should I tell him¡­? It doesn¡¯t seem like the right time to bring it up¡­.¡¯

    Meanwhile, Holcus let out a sigh as he nced at Theo¡¯s back, the banner held high.

    Theo¡¯s fame was skyrocketing, a fact even Holcus couldn¡¯t deny.

    He had been looking for an opportunity to curry favor, but the right timing never seemed to present itself. It was difficult to approach someone with such a serious expression.

    ¡¸This isn¡¯t going to work. Push it to next time, you big oaf. If you bring it up today, you¡¯ll just ruin the mood.¡¹

    Erika, reading Holcus¡¯ thoughts, clicked her tongue and sent a telepathic message.

    ¡¸What about the mood?¡¹

    ¡¸You still don¡¯t know the history between Theo and Axion, do you?¡¹

    ¡¸I thought it was just bad¡­ Isn¡¯t it because the Third Lady is furious that Theo killed Axion?¡¹

    ¡¸Ugh, you really know nothing. How do you expect to be a sword like this? Tsk tsk.¡¹

    ¡¸Ah, damn. Stop beating around the bush and tell me properly.¡¹

    ¡¸Listen up and clean out your ears. What that woman¡ªno, that wench¡ªdid to Theo and his mother¡­¡¹

    Erika proceeded to exin everything the Axion family had done to Theo and his mother in the past.

    At that moment, Holcus¡¯ face flushed bright red with anger.

    ¡¸Are those bastards insane? How could anyone with a human facemit such things?¡¹

    ¡¸Exactly. No matter how much of a bastard Theo was, that¡¯s why the family had been gripped by prejudice all this time. Cecilia, his mother, was treated like a fox.¡¹

    ¡¸Axion, that son of a bitch! I should¡¯ve kicked his head off when he was still alive!¡¹

    Holcus fumed for a while, then asked Erika a question, puzzled.

    ¡¸But how do you know all of this, sister? You¡¯ve been in closed-door training all this time.¡¹

    ¡¸Oh, my foolish little brother, anyone who wants to wear a crown must be able to bear its weight.¡¹

    ¡¸What are you talking about? How heavy could that crown be? Will it break your neck or something?¡¹

    ¡¸¡­There¡¯s just no talking to a dumbass like you. No talking.¡¹

    Erika gave up trying tomunicate with her muscle-brained younger brother.

    Her ambitions extended far beyond simply bing the head of the Ranke family.

    ¡ªTo raise Ranke to the greatest family in the North, no, the greatest in the world.

    If that wasn¡¯t possible, then at least to assist in that process. That was Erika¡¯s ambition.

    Naturally, understanding Theo in detail¡ªwhom she was now sharing a boat with for the time being¡ªwas part of that n.

    At first, it was to measure the depth of Theo¡¯s abilities.

    But after learning all about his past, her thoughtspletely changed.

    ¡®As I expected, my instincts weren¡¯t wrong. Theo is apanion I must go with for life.¡¯

    This wasn¡¯t in a romantic sense.

    It meant someone she could stand shoulder to shoulder with, someone she could entrust her back to.

    ¡®Whether Theo intended it or not, his name will be stamped prominently on the downfall of the Third Lady and the Director of Central Intelligence. So naturally, I should be right beside him.¡¯

    This was also why she had warned Holcus not to act rashly.

    ¡¸Anyway, for now, it¡¯s enough just to stand by his side. Don¡¯t try to console him clumsily and ruin everything.¡¹

    ¡¸Do you think I¡¯m an idiot? Of course, I know that much!¡¹

    ¡¸I¡¯m worried because you are an idiot, little brother.¡¹

    ¡¸Ah, damn it!¡¹

    Holcus felt a bit wronged by Erika¡¯s words, but he didn¡¯t argue further.

    For now, as she said, simply standing by Theo¡¯s side was enough.

    Before they realized it, the group had arrived at the residence of the Third Lady, the Rose Pce.

    Theo¡¯s eyes sank deep.

    This ce, where he had spent decades in his past life, was all too familiar to him.

    And now, he had returned to reim it.

    ¡°Executors, all of you.¡±

    Theo raised the banner high.

    As per Julius¡¯ orders, Theo held the current authority.

    ¡°Arrest the rebels.¡±

    At that moment, the elites of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry and Plum Blossom Pce sprang into action.

    Fwoosh!

    Ssssh¡ª

    They became streaks of light as they vaulted over the walls, and at the front, Erika and Holcus unleashed their magic, obliterating the main gate in an instant.

    Boom!

    As the gate shattered, fifty elite troops rushed inside in one swift motion.

    ¡°W-what is this¡­?¡±

    ¡°T-the Ragnar banner! That¡¯s Ragnar¡¯s banner!¡±

    ¡°Why are they here¡­?¡±

    ¡°Aaaaah!¡±

    The butlers and maids in the pce turned pale, screaming in shock.

    ¡°Find the rebel Emil Troyban! Anyone who resists or refuses to cooperate may be killed!¡±

    Evelyn¡¯s thunderous voice echoed throughout the pce.

    ¡°R-rebel¡­?¡±

    ¡°The Third Lady¡­ what did she¡­?¡±

    As the troops began to scatter from the first to the third floor, a group blocked their path.

    It was Morgan, the Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, along with his subordinates, whom Ed had assigned to monitor Emil.

    ¡°What the hell are you doing? This is the residence of the Third Lady and part of the family head¡¯s harem! Show some respect¡ª¡±

    Morgan couldn¡¯t finish his sentence.

    A sharp gust of wind suddenly shed toward his throat.

    ng!

    Morgan barely deflected it in time, staggering back a few steps.

    Evelyn growled at him with fierce eyes.

    ¡°I believe I made it clear that anyone who defends the Third Lady will be treated as a rebel. Oh, and since the Central Intelligence Agency has already joined the rebellion, there¡¯s not much difference, is there?¡±

    ¡°What¡­!¡±

    For a moment, Morgan¡¯s eyes wavered.

    ¡®What is this¡­? How did they get our information?¡¯

    It was true that the Troyban family had long dreamed of using Ed and the Central Intelligence Agency as their hidden sword for a great ambition.

    But they had never once considered it an actual ¡°rebellion.¡±

    They had simply believed they were correcting a wrong.

    They thought they were putting everything back in its rightful ce.

    That¡¯s why they had prepared everything slowly and carefully¡­

    But where had the leake from?

    ¡®Could it have been¡­ the ck Dragon who tracked us?¡¯

    If anything made sense, it was that.

    Ed and the ck Dragon had been engaged in political warfare for a long time.

    Morgan¡¯s mind was in chaos.

    One thought kepting to him.

    ¡®The Director! The Director is in danger!¡¯

    His only concern was for Ed¡¯s safety, who had left his post at the request of the Ranke family.

    ¡°I won¡¯t listen to any excuses. No defense will work. The charges against you won¡¯t be mitigated in any way.¡±

    Sssswaaash¡ª

    Evelyn didn¡¯t care one bit about what was running through Morgan¡¯s mind.

    She pressed him again, turning into a whirlwind of des.

    Cha-cha-cha-cha-ng!

    Morgan¡¯s hands and feet became confused and uncoordinated.

    ¡°Agents of the Central Intelligence Agency, protect the Third Lady! Defend her with your lives¡ª!¡±

    Boom! Boom boom boom!

    Explosions echoed from every corner.

    It wasn¡¯t gunpowder.

    It was the sound of unleashed inner power¡ªReverse Blood Explosion Technique.

    The agents were burning their life force in a desperate attempt to block the suppression forces.

    ¡°For Troyban¡ª!¡±

    ¡°For the truth¡ª!¡±

    Boom, boom, boom!

    Sword energy shed fiercely from all directions.

    The chaos between those trying to suppress and those resisting intensified, as¡ª

    Step, step!

    Theo walked through the battlefield, holding the banner high, his steps heavy and unyielding.

    Erika and Holcus nked him, pushing back or deflecting every agent that attacked.

    Though none of the agents were simple trainee swordsmen, the sense of duty to protect the banner and the determination to help Theo with his vengeance gave them the strength to endure.

    ¡®There are only so many ces Emil can hide.¡¯

    Theo knew the structure of the Rose Pce better than anyone else in the world.

    He was fully aware of the few spots Emil might be using.

    Bang!

    He kicked open the first door.

    ¡®Not here.¡¯

    Bang!

    ¡®Not this one either.¡¯

    Crash!

    ¡®Not here.¡¯

    By the time he reached the third floor, blood already stained the paths Theo had crossed.

    ¡®That leaves only one ce.¡¯

    Theo stood before thest door.

    The top floor.

    The room that used to belong to Cecilia.

    Crash!

    With a powerful kick, the door shattered, revealing the scene inside.

    Among trembling maids and butlers, there was Emil, beaming as he hugged a framed picture of Axion, smiling brightly as if oblivious to the chaos.

    ¡°My baby, my dear baby¡­ Are you hungry? Yes, yes. Just wait a little longer. Mommy will make you something delicious soon. You liked mushroom soup, didn¡¯t you? Luckily, your grandparents sent us some very fine mushrooms.¡±

    ¡®She¡¯s gone mad.¡¯

    Was she trying to escape from reality?

    Emil didn¡¯t seem to be in her right mind anymore.

    Even though she was face-to-face with Theo, the person she had loathed so much, she didn¡¯t even nce in his direction.

    This¡­ This was the kind of person who had tormented his mother all these years?

    Theo swung his sword.

    sh¡ª

    Emil¡¯s severed head fell limply to the floor.

    Thud, thud¡­

    Watching it roll across the ground, Theo quietly closed his eyes.

    A whirlwind of emotions stirred within his chest.

 Chapter 96

    Chapter 96: sh Demon (1)

    The Camellia Pce was recently overwhelmed by a steadily growing crowd.

    It was all due to the business Cecilia had recently started.

    ¨C So, this part needs to be redesigned like this¡­.

    ¨C Tailor! Where¡¯s the tailor gone!

    ¨C The fit isn¡¯t right, is it? Get me some pins.

    ¨C You know the items on shelf C31? That¡­ What? Another team took them first? You idiot! I told you to secure them in advance!

    ¨C The model? Where¡¯s the model that was supposed to be here by now? Send someone to find them quickly! We¡¯re in a time crunch!

    With so many people rushing around the pce, it was hard to tell who was who.

    Even the butlers and maids, with half-dazed expressions, only moved around to replenish snacks and drinks so the guests wouldn¡¯t get hungry.

    ¡°¡­The ce just gets crazier as time goes by.¡±

    Kirsion, who was entering the Camellia Pce with people from the workshop carrying the ordered items, chuckled in disbelief.

    There wasn¡¯t even a single servant avable to greet new guests.

    The business hadn¡¯t even officially started yet, and it was already this chaotic?

    ¡®They did say it¡¯s because they¡¯re finalizing the dresses and formal wear for the uing social party at Sooseon Pce, so it must be extra hectic right now.¡¯

    Indeed, the clothes Cecilia had made, which Kirsion had glimpsed, were exceptional in both design and material.

    Even someone with Kirsion¡¯s discerning eye couldn¡¯t help but be impressed.

    The problem, however, was the marketing approach.

    No matter how high the quality of the product, if it wasn¡¯t properly advertised, it could spell disaster.

    Especially in haute culture , where word of mouth was everything.

    Securing that first customer was crucial.

    ¡®Considering Theo¡¯s recent reputation, there¡¯s little to worry about¡­ but that also makes the risk that much greater.¡¯

    It was just when Kirsion had ced his pipe in his mouth.

    ¡°You¡¯ve arrived, Mother?¡±

    Cecilia, looking a bit tired, noticed Kirsion btedly and approached.

    Though the dark circles under her eyes were evident, her gaze remained sharp and full of life.

    Vitality.

    The same gleam that Kirsion had fallen in love with when he first saw Cecilia take the stage so long ago.

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve brought all the items you requested¡­ but you do realize thatst payment was about the limit, don¡¯t you? I¡¯ve told you before, I don¡¯t do credit.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fully aware of that. There¡¯s a big social party in a few days, and the shop will open around that time as well. Once we start taking orders, cash flow should ease up a bit. We¡¯re already getting a few preliminary estimates.¡±

    ¡°Well, if you¡¯ve got everything under control, I don¡¯t have much else to say.¡±

    Cecilia was doing remarkably well for someone starting a new business.

    But wasn¡¯t it the universal trait of all parents to constantly worry about what their children were up to?

    Cecilia, knowing Kirsion¡¯s thoughts, smiled softly.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t push myself too hard. If I ever find myself in a real bind, I¡¯lle to you for advice.¡±

    ¡°Hmph! If you say it like that.¡±

    Anothermon trait of all parents was that no matter how old their children got, they could never dislike a little dependence from them.

    Kirsion, feeling a bit embarrassed, cleared her throat unnecessarily, but couldn¡¯t stop the corners of her mouth from twitching into a smile.

    ¡°Ah, but aren¡¯t you supposed to be somewhere else right now?¡±

    Then, as if something had suddenlye to mind, Kirsion quickly changed the topic.

    Cecilia tilted her head in confusion.

    ¡°Is something going on? Ah, has the treatment for the people my son asked you to help finished?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s all fine. They¡¯re in the middle of connecting the nerves right now, so there¡¯s no issue. I¡¯m talking about the news from the Rose Pce.¡±

    ¡°The Rose Pce¡­?¡±

    Cecilia¡¯s eyes trembled slightly.

    ¡°Looks like you haven¡¯t been keeping up with anything outside, have you? Even though your son¡¯s at the center of themotion.¡±

    ¡°Wait, did something happen to my son?¡±

    Cecilia urgently grabbed Kirsion by the cor.

    ¡°Keck, keck! Let go and talk! How many times have I told you? That kid has the cunning of a dozen snakes hidden inside him! Do you think something could possibly happen to him?¡±

    ¡°Then¡­!¡±

    ¡°That brat took off the head of the third wife this morning. He¡¯s also used the Director of Central Intelligence of treason.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    Kirsion took a light puff from her pipe before continuing.

    Whoo¡ª

    ¡°Because of that, there¡¯s chaos everywhere. You¡¯d better be careful. People are going to swarm around here like packs of dogs.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? But my son wasn¡¯t hurt, right?¡±

    ¡°Hm? That¡¯s what I heard.¡±

    Kirsion blinked her eyes.

    Cecilia¡¯s reaction was different from what she had expected.

    She had thought Cecilia would be happy, but instead, she looked surprisingly calm.

    ¡°That¡¯s fortunate. Thank you for telling me. Well then, I have another meeting, so I¡¯ll be heading inside now.¡±

    Cecilia gave a slight bow and returned to the pce.

    Her demeanor was no different from usual.

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    Kirsion stood nkly, pipe in his mouth, scratching the back of his head.

    * * *

    ¡®Emil¡­ is dead.¡¯

    Cecilia¡¯s mind was clouded with numerous thoughts as she walked towards the meeting room.

    Though she had acted as if nothing was wrong in front of Kirsion.

    She couldn¡¯t actually remain unaffected.

    In fact, there wasn¡¯t even a meeting scheduled.

    ¡®Emil is dead¡­¡¯

    Cecilia ordered that no one be allowed in, then sat alone in the empty meeting room, covering her face with both hands.

    The tribtions she had endured because of Emil and her son came flooding back to her mind.

    The vicious rumors that hadbeled her as a temptress, a fallen woman¡ªspread when Cecilia had severed ties with her mother and entered the Rose Pce, her eyes only for Kyle.

    The atmosphere that ostracized Theo, offering nothing but scorn and finger-pointing at him for being called a cripple.

    The constant assassination threats from the Central Intelligence Bureau, attempting to drive them out of the Rose Pce at every opportunity.

    She lived each day as if walking on a razor¡¯s edge, all to protect Theo.

    Perhaps that was why she had pushed Theo even harder.

    ¨C This powerless, worthless mother of yours¡­ When I die someday, there will be no one left to protect you. What will you do then?

    When had it started?

    Cecilia had instinctively realized that she didn¡¯t have much time left.

    Whether due to an assassination, or some unknown illness.

    A vague sense of her own death, thinking she might notst a few more years.

    That was how ominous the atmosphere surrounding her and Theo had be.

    Sometimes, she even had nightmares of herself falsely used, her neck on the guillotine.

    In those dreams, Theo would look at her with sorrowful eyes.

    Do not follow in the footsteps of your wretched mother. Find your own happiness.

    That¡¯s what I should have said¡­ I¡¯m sorry for being sote.

    So please, leave this ce.

    Run away, my son.

    ¡®¡­But it was you who changed the fate that seemed inevitable.¡¯

    Just how much suffering must you have endured to make it this far, my son?

    Tears welled up uncontrobly in her eyes.

    At that moment,

    ¡°Please, use this.¡±

    Suddenly, someone offered a handkerchief beside her.

    ¡°Head maid¡­? I thought I told you to let no one in.¡±

    ¡°Yes. That was my intention, too, but¡­¡±

    The head maid gave a slight smirk and nced toward the door.

    ¡°Lord Kirsion insisted that this be delivered to you, no matter what¡­¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    Only then did Cecilia recall thest image of Kirsion with a bitter smile on his face.

    Her mother.

    Her mother had understood the feelings of this foolish daughter.

    Cecilia epted the handkerchief the head maid handed her.

    Inside, there was a small note.

    Don¡¯t cry. It¡¯s a look that doesn¡¯t suit you.

    There¡¯s only one look that suits you. The one when you tease this old mother of yours. Like then, always act confident. And look down upon the world with arrogance. That¡¯s when you shine the brightest.

    That¡¯s why you are the one and only daughter of this Kirsion.

    A faint smile appeared on Cecilia¡¯s lips.

    And then, before she realized it, she let out a softugh.

    P.S. If you really feel like crying, cry out of pity for your poor mother, who always ends up penniless because of that wicked grandson of mine. I¡¯ll turn a blind eye to that.

    ¡®This part feels the most sincere, doesn¡¯t it?¡¯

    Atst, Cecilia was able to shake off the weight in her heart and rise from her seat.

    By now, all thoughts of Emil and her mother had vanished from her mind.

    * * *

    ¨C The Director of Central Intelligence tried to stage a rebellion!

    Just as rumors about Theo were beginning to stir Winterer, a new rumor hit the city like a storm.

    A rebellion by Soaring Dragon, one of the Nine Dragons.

    If it involved the Central Intelligence Bureau, the very core of Ragnar¡¯s power, this was a matter far too serious to ignore.

    Some tried to dismiss it as mere gossip.

    But soon, public opinion shifted drastically, thanks to the heads disyed at Ragnar¡¯s front gates.

    Among them was the head of Emil Troyban, the third wife.

    Also disyed were the heads of key officials from the Central Intelligence Bureau, including Deputy Director Morgan, and even the head of Quadrach from the Ceres Trading Company.

    Drip, drip¡­

    Fresh blood from the severed heads stained the ground bright red.

    And,

    The notice posted below the disy provided even more explicit details about the incident.

    These criminals were all in collusion with First-ss Criminal Ed Troyban, having stolen confidential information from the main family over an extended period¡­

    But the most shocking part was at the bottom of the notice.

    ¡­In this case of rebellion, it has been confirmed that the powerful Troyban family from the East and the heretical Sacred Demon Church were behind the conspiracy.

    ¨C W-What is this?

    ¨C Soaring Dragon conspired with Troyban and the Sacred Demon Church? No, that¡¯s not it. Soaring Dragon was just a puppet of Troyban and the Sacred Demon Church, wasn¡¯t he?

    -Disgusting¡­! How could hemit such acts despite having Ragnar¡¯s favor?

    ¨C It makes sense for Troyban, as it was Soaring Dragon¡¯s main family, but why the Sacred Demon Church all of a sudden? That¡¯s a cult that the Imperial Family officially dered heretical! Soaring Dragon must¡¯ve gone mad!

    ¨C What about the Lord? Has the Lord said anything?

    The area in front of the notice was crowded with people.

    The crowd continued to grow.

    ¡­Thus, Ragnar asks Troyban and the Sacred Demon Church:

    What was it that you sought to plot within Ragnar? We will give you a 72-hour reprieve. The extent of the Winter Mountain Lord¡¯s wrath will depend on your answer.

    People trembled all over at the deration, which was practically a deration of war.

    ¨C It¡¯s war!

    ¨C War could break out any moment!

    ¨C The Dragon¡¯s wrath will soon turn the East into a sea of mes!

    Somewhere.

    It felt like a bloody wind was blowing.

    * * *

    The person at the center of the rumors stirring up Winterer was, without a doubt, Theo.

    It was revealed that he had uncovered everything¡ªfrom dealing with Axion to Emil¡¯s execution and Ed¡¯s treachery.

    New rumors about him were already spreading far and wide.

    ¨C ¡®sh Demon¡¯ might get as close to the throne as the five major candidates.

    People were even starting to say they might need to start referring to him as the ¡®sixth candidate.¡¯

    However.

    Theo, the subject of the rumors, was receiving news he hadn¡¯t wanted to hear.

    ¡°Ed Troyban¡­ has gone missing?¡±

    Evelyn, with a heavy expression, nodded.

    ¡°The news came just a little while ago from Lady Kleve. The ck Dragon himselfunched a surprise attack on the ce where Soaring Dragon had been called, but he had already fled long before.¡±

    ¡°¡­So he threw his own sister as bait and ran.¡±

    They had intended to handle the situation swiftly, before Ed could realize it, but the sly man had already caught on and slipped away.

    He truly was a despicable person.

    No matter how urgent the situation was, how could he abandon his own sister and subordinates like that?

    ¡®Or, maybe it was because he did that, that no one on our side noticed his escape?¡¯

    That meant Ed had been prepared all along to use them as sacrifices for a time like this.

    Suddenly, a thought shed through Theo¡¯s mind.

    ¡®Wait. Then¡­?¡¯

    ¡°They¡¯re tracking him from ck Snow, so we should wait a little longer¡­ Why the sudden question?¡±

    ¡°What about the First Armory? The one that only the Lord is allowed to enter¡ªwhat happened to it?¡±

    Evelyn found Theo¡¯s sudden question odd, but assumed there was a reason, so she nodded.

    ¡°Let me check.¡±

    A momentter.

    ¡°¡­They¡¯re saying a fire has gotten out of control and it¡¯s causing chaos. How did you know?¡±

    Theo covered his face with his hand.

    ¡®It¡¯s toote.¡¯

    The First Armory was a ce Ed had spent a long time preparing.

    It was where the ¡°Dragon Spirit¡¯s Cursed de¡± he¡¯d heard about in his visions was located.

    Seeing that the situation had turned unfavorable, it seemed Ed had raided the ce to secure the relics.

    ¡®Fortunately, I recovered these earrings and the ring, but I¡¯ll need to get the rest as well.¡¯

    Just as Theo was thinking that¡ª

    [A quest has arrived.]

    +

    [Scenario Quest #3]

    An enemy from your past life has stolen a relic that should be yours. However, you currentlyck the ability to reim the relic. To level up, gain recognition from the two relics you have already recovered.

    ¡¤ Current Progress: 0/2

    ¡¤ Difficulty: A+

    ¡¤ Reward: Ownership of the two relics

    ¡¤ Failure: Death

    +

    At that moment, his inventory began to vibrate.

    As if something was urging him to take it out.

 Chapter 97

    Chapter 97: sh Demon (2)

    ¡°Receive recognition from the artifact to level up? Is a dungeon going to open?¡±

    Theo already had experience opening a dungeon, so he understood better than anyone the convenience of it.

    There weren¡¯t many ces where you could gain both practicalbat experience and experience points at the same time.

    ¡®The key I used when I opened the Lesser Drake¡¯s dungeon is still in my inventory.¡¯

    If not, he might get sucked into the unconscious world, just like when he first touched the Moon-White Sword.

    Theo opened his inventory wide.

    [essing inventory.]

    Among the items, he pulled out a copper ring and slipped it onto the index finger of his left hand.

    The ring fit as though it had always belonged to him.

    Click!

    At that moment, a sound like machinery interlocking was heard.

    [Equipped the ¡®Artifact of the Primordial Dragon: Ring of the Desert.¡¯]

    [Moving to the second dungeon.]

    Theo felt his mind being pulled somewhere.

    Fwaaah!

    When he opened his eyes again, the scene that appeared was a barren desert.

    The sunlight was so scorching that it felt like it might slice through his skin.

    The sand underfoot swallowed his steps with each movement.

    The heat was suffocating, making it difficult to breathe.

    It was an environmentpletely opposite to Winterer, where Theo usually resided.

    ¡°Of all ces to be dragged to¡­ why here?¡±

    In all his lives, it was his first time being in a desert, and he was at a loss for how to cope with it.

    [You have entered the scorching desert. Survive here for 72 hours.]

    [72:00:00]

    But the countdown had already begun.

    [71:59:59]

    [71:59:58]

    .

    .

    ¡°¡­This won¡¯t work. I need to find a ce to set up a base camp first.¡±

    In every quest or mission Theo had faced so far, whether real or illusory, failure always carried the penalty of actual ¡®death.¡¯

    So, it would likely be the same here.

    Even if it wasn¡¯t, Theo had no desire to recklessly use up his chances of regression.

    ¡®From the second regression onward, neither Father nor the ck Dragon will expect anything of me like they do now.¡¯

    Considering their hatred for regressors, it wasn¡¯t an unreasonable thought.

    Moreover, both of them possessed special abilities to deal with regressors.

    What if they used those on Theo?

    Everything would be over.

    ¡°So, I need to start moving.¡±

    With that thought in mind, Theo slowly began to walk.

    His feet sank deeply into the sand, and it felt as though unnecessary energy was being drained with every step.

    As soon as he started feeling thirsty, Theo bought water from the shop window and drank it several times.

    How far had he walked when¡­

    Rumble, rumble¡­

    ¡®What¡¯s this?¡¯

    Theo stopped in his tracks, sensing the desert trembling slightly.

    At first, he thought he was imagining it, weary from the heat, but the tremor grew steadily stronger.

    Something enormous¡­ was approaching this ce.

    At that moment, Theo noticed that the sand within a radius of several meters around him was forming a whirlpool, spiraling downward into the ground.

    The area expanded rapidly, growing from a few meters to over ten meters in an instant, and the shaking intensified.

    The situation unfolded so quickly that Theo had no way to escape.

    It felt like being sucked into a pit. The sand surged downward like a copsing mass.

    Looking down, he saw it.

    A massive, gaping void, more than ten meters wide, was opening its jaws.

    Rows upon rows of razor-sharp teeth, and beyond the void, a crimson tongue was visible.

    ¡®Desert Worm!¡¯

    The desert¡¯s ruler, a creature farrger and more imposing than a sandworm, had appeared.

    Just like drakes, griffins, and wyverns, it was considered a lower dragon species.

    Survive for 72 hours.

    It seemed that the mission was, in fact, about surviving this Desert Worm.

    ¡®This is insane¡­!¡¯

    Even Evelyn or Kleve, high-level swordsmen, would struggle to take it down alone.

    As the worm¡¯s jaws were about to close, Theo quickly used his telekinesis to maneuver the Death Beat swords.

    Shwick! Shwick! Shick! Shwick!

    He stepped rapidly on the four Death Beats, which created an invisible stairway, propelling him high into the air.

    ck!

    The Desert Worm¡¯s jaws snapped shut ferociously, just a fraction of a second toote.

    Its jagged teeth and deadly, acidic saliva sttered everywhere.

    Graaaaah!

    The Desert Worm, displeased that its prey had escaped, shot its massive body out of the ground and chased after Theo with incredible speed.

    ¡°Damn it.¡±

    Theo cursed under his breath, stepping faster on the Death Beats.

    But the Desert Worm moved much faster, closing the distance until it was nearly biting at his ankles.

    ¡®If only I could summon Umbra¡­ but I haven¡¯t been able to since earlier¡­!¡¯

    Realizing he was about to be caught, Theo swung the Drake¡¯s de down fiercely.

    Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom!

    He poured all the magical energy from the Dragon¡¯s Heart and his lower core into the de, unleashing a scorching whirlwind outward.

    With a burst of white steam, brilliant yellow lightning struck the Desert Worm¡¯s face.

    Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!

    Kaaargh!

    Althoughrge and small wounds appeared on the Desert Worm¡¯s tough hide, it wasn¡¯t enough to stop its movements.

    In fact, the attack only seemed to fuel its anger, making it pursue Theo even more ferociously.

    But Theo couldn¡¯t give up just because of that.

    He gritted his teeth and swung the Drake¡¯s de even faster, scattering beams of light.

    Boom! Boom! Boom!

    Each time his heart pounded, faint waves appeared in the air.

    ¡°¡±

    Bam! Bam! Bam!

    In an instant, the light beams tore into the Desert Worm¡¯s face, creating thick clouds of white smoke all around.

    Keaaak!

    The Desert Worm thrashed in pain, shaking the desert violently.

    Just as it was about to charge at Theo again, now covered in blood¡ª

    Theo had already vanished, disappearingpletely into the cloud of white smoke.

    Kaaaargh!

    The Desert Worm¡¯s enraged roar reverberated through the area as it thrashed about in frustration.

    ¡®As I thought¡­ As long as I stay still, it can¡¯t find me.¡¯

    Theo was hiding in a pile of rocks not far from the Desert Worm, observing it carefully.

    ¡®It¡¯s been tracking me through my footsteps¡­ No, it¡¯s been sensing the vibrations of my movements to locate me.¡¯

    From what Theo knew, worms, especially the ones that lived underground, had extremely poor eyesight.

    Their hearing wasn¡¯t much better, so he had been wondering how they could pinpoint his location. Then, it struck him:

    ¨C Could it have an organ that detects vibrations separately from its other senses?

    The sound of footsteps and the rustling of sand in the wind have different rhythms.

    If the Desert Worm could distinguish that foreign rhythm¡­

    Even if it couldn¡¯t pinpoint his exact location, it could just swallow the entire area, sand and all, making it incredibly efficient.

    And, of course, the Desert Worm had the mouth size to pull it off.

    So, with nothing to lose, Theo had tried to confuse its senses as much as possible and hide¡ªand his prediction had been exactly right.

    ¡®The problem is I can¡¯t stay hidden here forever¡­!¡¯

    Theo stared down at the ground with a grim expression.

    Thump¡­ Thump¡­ Thump¡­

    In various spots across the sand,rge and small concentric circles were forming.

    ¡®It¡¯s not just this one. There are more Desert Worms. At least a dozen.¡¯

    Sensing the vibrations, the other Desert Worms scattered across the desert were quickly converging on his location.

    Like sharks that had caught the scent of blood!

    Rumble, rumble, rumble!

    The tremors grew more intense.

    [69:44:38_66]

    Theo had to figure out how to escape the impending chaos, with a dozen Desert Worms about to entangle in a hellish frenzy.

    Once they converged, escaping would be nearly impossible.

    Then, suddenly, a thought crossed his mind.

    ¨C What happens if I activate another artifact mission without clearing the current one?

    In one corner of his retina, as if reading his thoughts, the inventory opened wide.

    ¡°Let¡¯s give it a try.¡±

    Instinctively, Theo reached for the inventory.

    He pulled out a butterfly-shaped earring and swiftly attached it to his left ear.

    Click.

    The prick of the needle piercing his earlobe stung sharply.

    Then¡ª

    [Equipped the ¡®Artifact of the Primordial Dragon: Butterfly of the Ice Flower.¡¯]

    [Moving to the third dungeon.]

    Theo¡¯s vision wavered.

    However¡ª

    [You are currently progressing through the second dungeon mission, so the third dungeon mission cannot be initiated.]

    [The two missions are in conflict.]

    [The two artifacts of the Primordial Dragon arepeting for priority.]

    Wuuung! Wuuung!

    Bzzt, bzzt!

    The ring and earring began to shake violently, as if they were asserting their dominance over each other.

    They had begun to sh.

    Crack! Craaack!

    At the same time, cracks appeared across the once-clear blue sky, spreading rapidly.

    [The dungeon has entered a state of chaos due to the mission conflict.]

    [Durability is decreasing rapidly.]

    ¡°Just as I thought!¡±

    Theo¡¯s lips curled into a smile.

    The artifacts he had encountered thus far all housed guardians that protected them and, with their arrogance, never granted ownership without their approval.

    But flipping that around meant one thing: the pride between artifacts was just as strong.

    If two missions were activated simultaneously, it was easy to predict that neither would back down or concede.

    [The two dungeons are repeatedly shing, attempting to invade each other.]

    [The dungeons are merging.]

    [The presence of the third dungeon is manifesting.]

    Through the cracks in the broken sky, cold air began to seep in,pletely out of ce in the desert setting.

    Fwoooosh¡ª

    The cold air filled the sky in an instant, cooling the desert¡¯s heat at a rapid pace. As mist and clouds swirled together, a storm began to brew.

    Boom! Boom!

    Rumble!

    Then, piercing through the vapor and emerging from the clouds, appeared a massive creature¡ªone shaped like a butterfly, but clearly a lower dragon.

    A Fairy Dragon, known for controlling the weather and bringing benefits to humanity, had appeared.

    Kiyaaak! Kiyaaak!

    At that moment, the dozen or so Desert Worms that had emerged from the desert floor all turned their vicious jaws towards their new adversary.

    Bam! Bam! Bam!

    In response, the Fairy Dragon showered them with icy hailstones, igniting a fresh battle.

    ¡ª

    [You have entered the Ice Mountain covered in eternal snow. Survive for 72 hours against the Fairy Dragon.]

    [72:00:00]

    Beyond the desert, an icy mountain flickered in and out of existence like a mirage.

    Whenever the mountain appeared, the wind, rain, and hail pouring from the sky intensified. When it disappeared, the Desert Worms became even more savage, as if they were about to tear the Fairy Dragon apart.

    Boom! Boom! Boom!

    As the lower dragon species, known for their formidable strength, shed violently, the dungeon was turned into a chaotic battlefield in an instant.

    It seemed that the monsters had lost all interest in Theo.

    Or perhaps they were waiting to test him after they imed victory.

    ¡°Either way, both artifacts are exhausting their strength, which works to my advantage¡­¡±

    Here, Theo faced a crossroads.

    Should he escape now?

    Should he wait to take advantage of the situation?

    Or¡ª

    ¨C What if I take them both down once they¡¯re weakened?

    Given that both missions were focused on ¡®surviving¡¯ rather than ¡®hunting,¡¯ it suggested that hunting them was originally supposed to be impossible. But in the current circumstances, it seemed possible.

    ¡®If they were real creatures, I could even try taming them with [Wyvern Taming]. That¡¯s the real pity here.¡¯

    As his eyes sank deep in thought, something caught Theo¡¯s attention.

    Bzzzt! Bzzzt!

    His waist began to tremble violently.

    The Moon-White Sword.

    No, to be precise, the griffin contained within it.

    It was calling out to him.

    Demanding to be unleashed.

    Just as Theo had once snapped its neck, it now wanted to break the necks of these creatures too.

    It was a matter of pride.

    It wanted to prove that it was far superior to the Desert Worms and the Fairy Dragon.

    ¡®Fine. Do as you wish.¡¯

    A faint smile tugged at Theo¡¯s lips as he reached for the Moon-White Sword.

    Bzzzzzzzzing¡ª

    As if it had been eagerly waiting, the Moon-White Sword trembled violently, scattering pale moonlight in all directions.

 Chapter 98

    Chapter 98: sh Demon (3)

    An overwhelming shock as if his hand was about to be torn off.

    The griffin residing within the Moon-White Sword seemed eager to break free and rampage.

    Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom!

    Magic power surged furiously from both the Dragon¡¯s Heart and his dantian.

    Yet, the Moon-White Sword seemed to think it wasn¡¯t enough, as it even began to draw in the moonlight that had been scattering from the sky.

    At that moment, as two dungeons collided, day and night intertwined, and the moon was shattering. The light spilling from the broken moon was absorbed entirely by the Moon-White Sword, creating a massive vortex.

    Fwoooosh!

    Ziiiiiing¡ª

    A sight as if the moon¡¯s glowing ring had descendedpletely to the ground.

    In that instant, Theo vaguely understood why this sword bore the name ¡°Moon-White.¡±

    [You have glimpsed part of the myth hidden within the Moon-White Sword.]

    [The Guardian Griffin¡¯s temper has further strengthened.]

    A tremendous power began to surge through the Moon-White Sword.

    ng, ng!

    ¡®No. Not yet.¡¯

    Theo pressed down the Moon-White Sword, which was ready to spring out of its sheath at any moment.

    Even as he did, his eyes calmly followed the movements of the Fairy Dragon and the Desert Worm.

    ¡®Just a little more¡­!¡¯

    ng, ng, ng!

    ¡®More!¡¯

    Ziiiiing!

    As the sh between the two forces heightened, Theo noticed that the battle between the Fairy Dragon and the Desert Worm had slowed considerablypared to the beginning.

    They were running out of stamina.

    ¡®Now!¡¯

    With all his might, Theo swung the Moon-White Sword upward.

    Fwoosh!

    From below to above, a massive beam of light shot up into the sky.

    The glowing ring followed the beam, intensifying its brilliance.

    The moonlight pouring down from the sky illuminated the sword, making it appear as though the moon itself was guarding the Moon-White Sword.

    Shhh, shhh, shhh¡ª

    The beam of light sliced through the head of the nearby Desert Worm with a sharp cut.

    The creature, already heavily injured from its sh with the Fairy Dragon, had no time to resist.

    Thud¡­!

    Its headless body crashed lifelessly to the ground.

    The severed area was so clean that no blood even leaked out properly.

    Kyaaaah!

    The other Desert Worms, realizing the beam¡¯s presence, assumed a defensive posture, but¡ª

    Slice! Slice! Slice!

    The Moon-White Sword, as if mocking them, swiftly shed through their heads.

    Where the beam of light passed, the phantom of a griffin appeared.

    The creature, with the body of a lion, the tail of a dragon, and the wings of an eagle, moved gracefully through the moonlight, biting and wing at the necks of the Desert Worms as it leaped and flew.

    Was it enjoying the thrill of the hunt after such a long time?

    Or perhaps it was relishing the act of devouring?

    The griffin let out a long roar as it gazed at the shattered moon.

    Crroooaaar!

    As if proiming this ce to be its territory.

    When most of the Desert Worms had disappeared, the griffin¡¯s gaze turned toward the Fairy Dragon.

    ¡¸Human. I came to assist you. Why do you engage in such actions?¡¹

    The Fairy Dragon, sensing the griffin¡¯s stare, turned to look at Theo, sending its thoughts directly into his mind.

    The voice was as calm and reprimanding as possible.

    But Theo couldn¡¯t miss the urgency beneath it.

    The Fairy Dragon, too, was severely injured and fatigued from the prolonged battle.

    ¡®Assist? Yeah, right.¡¯

    Theo responded with a sneer, recing words with the path of the Moon-White Sword.

    His magic was rapidly depleting.

    ¡¸Humaaaaan!¡¹

    The Fairy Dragon roared furiously, hurling all the wind and storms it could muster toward the griffin.

    Pababak!

    However, the griffin used the wind as a foothold, soaring effortlessly into the air before biting the Fairy Dragon¡¯s neck in one swift motion.

    Crunch!

    ¡¸Human. You are a chosen one, so you understand my value. I advise you to choose wisely. Among the guardians appointed by the Primordial Dragon, I am renowned for my sharp intellect. I am well-versed in magic, and I can assist you in critical moments¡­!¡¹

    ¡°Sorry, but I think you¡¯ve got the order wrong.¡±

    The Fairy Dragon, desperately trying to persuade Theo with its frantic voice, was cut short by Theo¡¯s mocking words.

    ¡°I am the solepanion of the Guardian Dragon. And I will be the king who inherits the will of the Primordial Dragon, Ragnar.¡±

    Theo¡¯s gaze, far more fierce than the griffin¡¯s, pierced through the trembling pupils of the Fairy Dragon.

    ¡°So, if you wanted to survive, you should¡¯ve spoken of submission first.¡±

    ¡¸¡­¡­!¡¹

    ¡°And yet, you dared to attempt a deal with your king. That¡¯s treason.¡±

    ¡¸N-no¡­!¡¹

    ¡°You¡¯ll repay it with your death.¡±

    The Fairy Dragon¡¯s protest didn¡¯tst long.

    Crunch¡ª

    The griffin tore off the neck it had mped down on.

    Gnash! Gnash!

    As the griffin chewed and swallowed the Fairy Dragon, there was even a trace of a smile on its face.

    [The Fairy Dragon has died.]

    [All Desert Worms have be incapacitated.]

    [You have achieved a remarkable feat that exceeds your current abilities. You have gained a substantial amount of experience points.]

    [Level Up.]

    [Level Up.]

    [Congrattions! You have sessfullypleted Scenario Quest #3 with a score far exceeding the presented dungeon mission.]

    [Rating: S+]

    [As a reward, you have obtained ownership of two relics.]

    [As an additional reward based on your rating, you have received 50 coins.]

    [The previously locked category has opened due to the amount of coins you possess. New features have also been updated. Please check.]

    .

    .

    * * *

    Theo snapped back to his senses, feeling as though his body had been forcefully ejected.

    Zing, ziiiiiing!

    The Moon-White Sword, now gripped in his hand, was violently trembling.

    And from its pitch-ck de, ominous energy was spilling out.

    Tsssss¡ª

    The energy wrapped itself around Theo¡¯s right hand, emanating a sinister aura.

    ¡°Theo?¡±

    Evelyn shouted, her face filled with rm.

    She had sensed the ominous change in Theo¡¯s demeanor.

    ¡°Stop!¡±

    Theo, forgetting that he should address Evelyn formally, forcibly halted her in her tracks.

    His entire focus was now fixed on the Moon-White Sword.

    Cold sweat trickled down his cheek.

    ¡°Just because you¡¯ve filled your belly, you think you can challenge me?¡±

    With a gaze imbued with spiritual power, Theo locked eyes on the sinister energy rapidly coursing toward his dantian and heart.

    The Moon-White Sword was, by nature, a cursed sword brimming with malevolent energy.

    It had a wicked disposition, craving to wield its master at will.

    In his past life, only the ck Dragon could barely control it.

    -I want you.

    -I want to consume you.

    -I shall follow the moonlight again.

    Now, the sword had finally satisfied its hunger and regained its primal instincts.

    Naturally, its next target was Theo.

    But¡ª

    ¡°Are you stupid, or are you just testing me?¡±

    Theo was all too familiar with the Moon-White Sword and the griffin¡¯s nature.

    He had never trusted it from the beginning.

    ¡°I told you, if you want to live, you¡¯d better submit first.¡±

    Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom!

    Theo¡¯s heart pounded harder than ever, sending his blood rushing through his body.

    Thanks to the Purge Cleansing Technique, the supply of magic power was effortless.

    Fwoooosh!

    At the same time, his earrings and ring gleamed with brilliant light.

    -You killed us before.

    -And now you seek us again when you need us?

    The voices of the Fairy Dragon and the Desert Worm echoed angrily in his mind.

    [¡®Skill: Hatchling Synchronization¡¯ is fiercely activated, awakening the guardians slumbering within the relics of the Primordial Dragon.]

    Theo¡¯s Brain Gate opened wider than ever before.

    Gooooo!

    And the zing white heat surged through him.

    [All additional stat points have been allocated to Intelligence.]

    [Intelligence: 42 ¡ú 57]

    [Your consciousness has expanded.]

    The consciousness of the Fairy Dragon and the Desert Worm had fused with his own.

    ¡®Let¡¯s get the facts straight. I¡¯m not the one seeking you out. You¡¯re the ones being given the chance to serve me.¡¯

    With his increased [Intelligence] stat, their thoughts became much clearer to him.

    -What¡­?

    -How dare you say that after defeating us through underhanded means¡­!

    ¡®I already told you. I am the onlypanion of Lothbrok. And I am the sessor of your creator, Fafnir. How I handle you is entirely up to me. Or do you disagree?¡¯

    -¡­!

    -¡­!

    As the number of relics in Theo¡¯s possession continued to grow, he realized he needed to establish a clear hierarchy.

    Otherwise, chaos would inevitably follow, just like the Moon-White Sword¡¯s attempted rebellion.

    A ruler and their subjects.

    A master and their tools.

    That rtionship had to be set from the beginning.

    ¡®If you don¡¯t like it, you¡¯re free to refuse. I don¡¯t intend to force anyone who dislikes me to serve as my vassal. And, of course, I won¡¯t be seeking you out again.¡¯

    -¡­.

    -¡­.

    ¡®So decide. What will you do?¡¯

    Will you fully submit to me?

    Or will you refuse and return to your slumber within the relic?

    Theo gave them no choice but to decide.

    -I will submit.

    -I have no desire to return to that endless slumber.

    The Fairy Dragon and the Desert Worm¡¯s responses came back simply.

    They had tried to resist, but from the moment they lost to Theo, they had acknowledged his strength.

    Even though he had used the griffin, Theo¡¯s victory was still his own, and they couldn¡¯t deny that fact.

    They believed it was worth lending him their power.

    [The ¡®Guardian: Fairy Dragon¡¯ has acknowledged you as its true master.]

    [As a reward, you have obtained the skill ¡®Fairy Buff¡¯.]

    [The ¡®Guardian: Desert Worm¡¯ has sworn its obedience to you.]

    [As a reward, you have obtained the skill ¡®Worm Eater¡¯.]

    Ding!

    Ding!

    ¡ª

    [Fairy Buff]

    ¨C Grade: C

    ¨C Mastery: 1%

    ¨C Effect: Increases immunity and resistance, and enhances magical talent through the blessing of the fairy.

    ¡ª

    [Worm Eater]

    ¨C Grade: C+

    ¨C Mastery: 1%

    ¨C Effect: Increases attack power in proportion to the opponent¡¯s remaining health.

    ¡ª

    ¡®Perfect.¡¯

    One was a buff-type skill, and the other was an attack-type skill.

    Theo actively activated both skills as he attempted to subdue the Moon-White Sword.

    Fwoooosh¡ª

    The cold light from his earrings and ring red up in unison.

    A light even colder than that of the Moon-White Sword.

    [¡®Skill: Fairy Buff¡¯ activated, using enhanced immunity to repel the malevolent energy.]

    [¡®Skill: Worm Eater¡¯ activated, increasing attack power.]

    Crack!

    Thebined assault of the two relics quickly pushed the malevolent energy out of the Moon-White Sword.

    A blue light soon enveloped the sword.

    -This can¡¯t be¡­!

    Crreeeeak¡ª

    With a voice full of regret, the griffin sank into the depths of Theo¡¯s unconsciousness.

    The turbulent thoughts faded away.

    [¡®Guardian: Griffin¡¯ has bowed its head once again.]

    Bzzzt! Bzzzzzt!

    The three relics trembled slightly as theypleted their submission.

    Now, they each kept the others in check.

    Even if one of them grew stronger, it would not be able to threaten Theo on its own.

    The others would tear it apart if it tried.

    Bzzzzzt¡­

    ¡°Haa¡­¡±

    Theo let out a sigh of relief, but a satisfied smile crossed his face as he realized he had fully brought the relics under his control.

    ¡°What¡­?¡±

    Only Evelyn, with a bewildered expression, was left staring at him in confusion.

    ¡ª

    Half-de Tomb.

    Kyle, with his hands behind his back, strolled leisurely through the graves¡ªor rather, the tomb-like space¡ªand chuckled as he looked back.

    ¡°You seem to have been caught off guard, quite unlike you.¡±

    Whooosh!

    A small ckrk was perched on the hilt of a sword.

    Its face looked rather sulky.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t seem pleased with how things turned out this time. Well, I can¡¯t me you. You practically had Ed by the throat, only to let him slip away right before your eyes. Hahaha!¡±

    Kyle burst into a rare, heartyugh.

    Therk¡¯s blunder had amused him greatly.

    But the ckrk was clearly furious.

    Whooo! Whoooosh!

    It pped its small wings furiously, tapping the ground in frustration. It was clearly enraged.

    ¡°You really don¡¯t need to be so upset. After all, you know better than anyone who¡¯s behind Ed, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Ed Troyban.

    Behind him stood the prestigious House of Troyban in the East, and beside them, the Sacred Demon Church.

    But there was an even greater power looming behind them, something both Kyle and therk knew very well.

    It was also the reason Kyle remained bound to Winterer.

    Whooo! Whooooosh!

    ¡°And you¡¯re asking why I¡¯ve left them alone all this time?¡±

    Whooo!

    ¡°Hmm¡­ Are you asking because you already know, or are you just pretending not to?¡±

    Whoo, whooo!

    Kyle stroked his chin, the yful expression he had while teasing the ckrk vanishing without a trace.

    ¡°Berry.¡±

    His voice had be solemn.

    The ckrk, which had been pping around wildly, immediately quieted down.

    Berry.

    It was the childhood name that hardly anyone remembered anymore.

    ¡°As you know¡­ I wish for this House of Ragnar to continue for eternity. I want it to shine brilliantly, just as it always has. The vow we made that day, beneath the peach tree¡ªbetween you, me, Julius, and Osa¡ªstill drives me forward.¡±

    Kyle sped his hands behind his back again, strolling between the graves in the Half-de Tomb.

    ¡°So, all of this is necessary for Ragnar to continue and to shine. A being without challenges is bound to decay eventually.¡±

    The ckrk remained silent.

    This man¡¯s perspective is truly unlike that of ordinary people.

    It had known this for a long time, but today, the feeling resonated with unusual intensity.

    ¡°Furthermore, you know as well as I do that their strength, in the long run, is also our strength. Ragnar¡¯s growth mirrors theirs.¡±

    ¡­¡­

    The ckrk chirped no further.

    ¡°So, even if we are in an adversarial rtionship, I could notpletely cast them aside. That would be akin to abandoning the Geass oath I swore long ago.¡±

    Kyle smiled faintly again as he nced at the ckrk.

    ¡°So, don¡¯t hold a grudge against me just because I didn¡¯t follow your wishes. Don¡¯t resent me for leaving them alone all this time. I don¡¯t want to be resented by you, too.¡±

    The ckrk turned its head sharply, unable to meet Kyle¡¯s gaze any longer.

    Whooo, whooo.

    Its small mannerisms looked almost like it was grumbling, and Kyle couldn¡¯t help but chuckle.

    ¡°Enough of these troublesome topics. Let¡¯s talk about Theo. It seems your previous worries about him have all but vanished. Julius has been grumbling, saying you¡¯ve bepletely captivated by him, in a way that¡¯s very unlike you.¡±

    Whoo¡­!

    At the mention of ¡°Julius,¡± the ckrk let out a light, derisive chirp, as if scoffing.

    Kyle, feeling delighted by the rare moment of lighthearted news,ughed cheerfully.

    The fact that the child who had so thoroughly captivated his sworn brothers was his own son brought Kyle immense satisfaction.

    ¡®For now¡­ yes. I suppose he¡¯s earned a passing grade.¡¯

    He hoped that Theo would continue to maintain his current mindset.

    Of course, he knew very well that it wasn¡¯t as simple as it sounded.

    Given the power of regression at his disposal, anyone would be tempted to use it freely.

    And, naturally, the moment that happened, the trust he and the ck Dragon had painstakingly built would shatter into pieces.

    ¡®Now that I think about it, it¡¯s been a while since Ist saw him.¡¯

    Perhaps it wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea to meet with him again, to have another conversation.

    As long as he didn¡¯t abuse the power of regression, Theo would be an invaluable weapon for the House of Ragnar.

    Kyle stroked his chin, his face full of intrigue.

    Because of this, he didn¡¯t realize that a faint smile had crept across his lips.

 Chapter 99

    Chapter 99: sh Demon (4)

    ¡°Father called for me?¡±

    As soon as Theo returned to reality, he stopped checking the various functions of the relics and was startled.

    It was rare for his father to directly summon him like this.

    ¡®Did something happen?¡¯

    The atmosphere within the family was already turbulent due to the situation with Ed.

    Because of that, Theo wondered if his father wanted to ask for his opinion, especially since he had been at the forefront of the recent events.

    ¡°Tell him I¡¯lle to see him right away.¡±

    The knight who had delivered the message from the family head bowed his head and quietly disappeared.

    ¡®As expected of the Azure Sword Guard¡­ truly my father¡¯s shadow.¡¯

    Though they always remained by Kyle¡¯s side, their skills were said to rival the White Armored Dragon Cavalry or the ck Iron Cavalry. Their prowess surprised even Theo.

    Theo quickly prepared to move to the mountain vi where the Half-Sword Grave was located.

    * * *

    -Heavy.

    That was Theo¡¯s first thought as soon as he arrived at the vi.

    It felt entirely different from when he hadpleted the third Blossoming Ceremony.

    The half-broken swords seemed to re at him, as if they were observing his every move.

    For a moment, Theo wondered if Kyle was testing him again.

    ¡®No, that¡¯s not it. This¡­ it¡¯s because I can sense far more than I could back then.¡¯

    However, Theo soon realized that Kyle wasn¡¯t even releasing as much pressure as he had before.

    The overwhelming malice created by the terrain of the Half-Sword Grave was the real cause.

    It was surprising that the area wasn¡¯t swarming with monsters.

    For someone who trained in demonic energy, there would be no better spiritual ground than this ce.

    Theo felt pleased, knowing that he could now ¡®sense¡¯ far more than during the Blossoming Ceremony, yet at the same time, cold sweat ran down his back.

    ¡®How much malice must Father be able to sense? And to handle it so casually, even enjoying it¡­ He must continue to train relentlessly, even after reaching that level.¡¯

    Endless training.

    An upward drive for improvement.

    A desire that knows no satisfaction.

    Perhaps all of this was the driving force that allowed Kyle to maintain his position as an absolute power for so long.

    That¡¯s why he felt even more awe towards his father.

    Once again, the desire to someday reach that level ignited in Theo¡¯s heart.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been working hard. Many who are called geniuses often getcent, gradually neglecting their efforts.¡±

    Kyle appeared at that very moment.

    His gaze, as he looked at Theo, who stood there as if entranced, was filled with amusement.

    Theo briefly wondered how he should respond, then soon decided to reveal his ¡°true¡± thoughts.

    ¡°I know very well that everything I have right now is due to pure luck, so I can¡¯t allow myself to bezy.¡±

    ¡°Luck, huh.¡±

    Pffft!

    Kyle let out a light chuckle.

    ¡°If others were to hear you, they¡¯d probably curse at you. To them, it would sound like you¡¯re being irritatingly humble.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care what others think.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a good attitude to have.¡±

    Kyle nodded in approval.

    The reason Theo referred to it as luck was because of his regression.

    The ability to challenge things anew.

    The ability to start again.

    In truth, that was a privilege.

    A privilege that others could never possess, no matter how much they wished for it.

    Theo, well aware of this, was determined to make the most of this opportunity. He worked tirelessly and never allowed himself to fall intocency.

    Even though he knew he could be given another chance, he clung desperately to this one, as if it were hisst.

    This was what Kyle praised.

    ¡®So this was a test after all.¡¯

    Theo instinctively realized that if he hadn¡¯t answered properly here, Kyle might have driven Drake¡¯s de and the Moon-White Sword into the Half-Sword Grave.

    It seemed Kyle¡¯s distrust and tests would continue for some time.

    How long would this go on?

    A slight unease crept into Theo¡¯s mind.

    ¡°No matter how many privileges and opportunities people are given, many fail to make good use of them. In fact, most people tend to use them to live asfortably as possible. And such people¡­ they will inevitably hit a ceiling when ites to how far they can rise.¡±

    Kyle unsped his hands from behind his back and stretched one out into the air.

    ¡°That, too, is a form of talent. So you should take pride in what you¡¯ve aplished.¡±

    With those words, Theo felt as though the lingering anxiety within him had been dispelled by magic.

    ¨C Atst, he was beginning to be acknowledged by his father.

    He was overjoyed by this realization.

    ng, ng!

    At that very moment, one of the swords surrounding Kyle suddenly began to tremble violently. It floated up into the air and flew into Kyle¡¯s hand.

    Was he about to test him with a sword?

    Just as Theo was reaching for Drake¡¯s de, thinking such a thing¡ª

    Kwuaduduk!

    Suddenly, the sword in Kyle¡¯s hand began to crumple.

    ¡°¡­¡­!?¡±

    Theo¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, unsure of what was happening.

    Before he knew it, the sword twisted inward, eventually bing arge metal sphere. The sphere emitted an intense malice that seemed to ripple through the air.

    ¡°Eat it.¡±

    Kyle extended the sphere toward Theo.

    ¡°This¡­ you want me to eat this?¡±

    ¡°Surprised because it¡¯s so sudden?¡±

    ¡°N-no, not at all.¡±

    At Kyle¡¯s light chuckle, Theo hastily shook his head.

    ¡°It¡¯s only natural to be surprised. To be honest, I¡¯ve been thinking about this for a long time. I knew I should give you something, but I wasn¡¯t sure what. It seemed like you already had most of the things you might need.¡±

    Kyle¡¯s gaze quickly scanned Theo from head to toe.

    All the relics, including the Moon-White Sword, trembled subtly.

    ¡®They¡¯re all on edge.¡¯

    Did they sense the presence of a dragonyer¡¯s karma?

    ¡°So, giving you something ordinary wouldn¡¯t help you climb any higher. That¡¯s why I¡¯m giving you something that can serve as a stepping stone. This is karma. A vessel that holds the karma of an absolute being who once dominated an era.¡±

    Theo felt as if Kyle¡¯s gaze pierced right through his soul.

    ¡°You have a natural strength. Not just in the sense of raw power, but in knowing how to wield it effectively. You overwhelm your opponents with explosive speed. You¡¯ve been constantly increasing your lung capacity to maintain faster, more sustained attacks¡ªpursuing a destructive form of swordsmanship.¡±

    It seemed Kyle already understood the nature of the swordsmanship Theo had been striving for.

    ¡°Because of that, your body can hold a lot of things. You¡¯ve already contained the Demon Dragon, and the Sword Dragon. Soon, you¡¯ll contain the ck Dragon too¡­ and many other things as well. I can even see traces of magic, though only a little.¡±

    Magic was a challenging domain for any swordsman who pursued the extreme depths of swordsmanship. It had to be handled carefully.

    Kyle added these words as he continued speaking.

    ¡°So, eat this. This karma will remain in your subconscious, and when the timees for the various things within you to merge into one, it will guide you. You could call it a pathfinder.¡±

    ¡°Who was the owner of this sword?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you. If I did, it would be too easy. Worse, you might trap yourself in preconceived notions and limit your potential. You¡¯ll have to discover for yourself whose karma this is.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    Theo silently stared at the sphere formed from the sword.

    The karma of an unknown absolute being.

    Within it, a subtle madness flowed, enticing enough to captivate anyone who gazed upon it.

    As Kyle had said, the sphere could guide Theo toward a shortcut to power, but it also contained a madness that could create limitations.

    It wouldn¡¯t provide a way to surpass the wall that the previous absolute being couldn¡¯t ovee.

    And that wall was right before his eyes.

    The wall named Kyle.

    ¡®He means for me to grow stronger quickly with this karma, but not to be trapped by it¡ªrather, to use it as a stepping stone.¡¯

    So, this was the true meaning behind the gift that could serve as a stepping stone.

    ¡°If I may add a small note.¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    ¡°Your older brothers and sisters have also each received a karma from the Half-Sword Grave.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°They all received something well-suited to the paths they pursued, things that could serve as perfect stepping stones.¡±

    Thump, thump, thump!

    For a moment, Theo¡¯s heart raced.

    When Kyle spoke of ¡°brothers and sisters,¡± he wasn¡¯t merely referring to those who shared his blood.

    The only thing that defined a child Kyle acknowledged was one thing:

    ¨C They were the most likely sessors to his legacy.

    These were the individuals Kyle deemed worthy to inherit his power. Not just talented children, but ¡®geniuses.¡¯

    These were the so-called five great candidates for session.

    Thump, thump, thump, thump¡ª

    ¡°That means¡­!¡±

    ¡°You asked for the chance to prove yourself worthy, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Give me a chance.¡±

    Theo¡¯s response to Kyle¡¯s question of whether he truly aimed for the throne.

    ¡°I will grant it. This is your first chance.¡±

    With trembling hands, Theo reverently epted the sphere.

    ¡°However, you must prepare yourself. Above you are many brothers and sisters who were born far earlier, who have already established their positions and foundations. You¡¯ll have to seriously think about how you¡¯ll break through their resistance.¡±

    A spiritual light shone in Theo¡¯s eyes.

    He could see the intense thoughts rippling across the surface of the sphere, spreading in soft waves.

    It was heavy.

    The weight of this karma.

    ¡°They aren¡¯t the only ones. There are still many who covet this position. Even if they aren¡¯t my direct descendants, there are cousins, former elders, and ancient figures from the previous generation who wish to sit on the throne. Even those who have left the Ragnar family, or appear to have no connection to Ragnar, could be aiming for it. Troyban, whom you cast out, falls into that category. And¡­ among them.¡±

    Kyle paused in his exnation.

    Theo looked up.

    Their eyes met.

    There, far more oppressive than the karma within the sphere,y an overwhelming weight of karma.

    ¡°I¡¯m also one of them.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    Kyle raised one corner of his mouth into a smirk.

    ¡°Eventually, you¡¯ll have to surpass even me.¡±

    Thump¡­ thump¡­ thump¡­ thump¡­

    Theo¡¯s heart pounded in his chest.

    A chill ran down his spine.

    The monster that even Lothbrok couldn¡¯t defeat. The one the Mad Dragon Emperor couldn¡¯t bring down. That very monster was telling him to surpass him.

    In a way, it could be seen as a tant threat.

    However,

    ¡°Yes. I absolutely will.¡±

    Theo was smiling.

    Kyle¡¯s eyebrow twitched.

    ¡°Someday, I will definitely surpass you, Father.¡±

    From the smile on Theo¡¯s lips, Kyle sensed only one emotion.

    The desire to win.

    ¡®The desire to win!¡¯

    Before this emotion, which Kyle couldn¡¯t remember thest time he had felt, he burst intoughter.

    ¡°Good. Go ahead and try.¡±

    Kyle withdrew his hand from the sphere of the sword and sped his hands behind his back again.

    Theo bowed his head in gratitude.

    Then, without hesitation, he brought the sphere to his mouth.

    Sssrrr-

    As if it had been waiting for this moment, the sphere melted instantly, sliding down Theo¡¯s throat.

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    Theo immediately sat cross-legged and began circting his magic power.

    Whoooosh-

    Crackle, crackle!

    Mist rose from the top of his head, followed by shes of yellow lightning sparking in the air.

    Kyle silently watched him.

    Rumble, rumble-

    Intense waves of energy began to radiate from Theo¡¯s body,

    Wuuuung! Wuuung!

    The half-broken swords that made up the Half-Sword Grave began resonating simultaneously.

    As if cheering for their new master.

    Or perhaps envying him.

    p!

    At that moment, a ckrk flew down and quietly perched on Kyle¡¯s left shoulder, watching Theo.

    Flutter!

    ¡°Why, of all the swords, did you give him that one?¡±

    The ckrk tilted its head in concern, its expression filled with worry.

    But Kyle appearedpletely unconcerned.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? You saw it too, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    A smile tugged at his lips.

    ¡°When I told him I acknowledged him as a sessor, he smiled.¡±

    Among all the children, including the five great candidates and even those who were no longer in this world, the ones Kyle considered ¡®worthy¡¯ had simr reactions.

    They were usually joyful or overwhelmed with emotion.

    But Theo¡¯s reaction had been different.

    The desire to win.

    The sight of a son wanting to defeat his father couldn¡¯t have been more gratifying.

    ¡°Out of all my children, he¡¯s the only one who smiled like that.¡±

    Kyle¡¯s lips curled into the same smile as Theo¡¯s.

    It was the desire to win against a son who, in the future, would be his rival.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 100

    Chapter 100: sh Demon (5)

    Around the time Winterer was teeming with the atmosphere of war with Troyban, a certain rumor began circting within Winterer.

    ¨C Theo Ragnar had been bestowed a half-sword by the family head.

    This didn¡¯t simply mean that he had engaged in another one-sword duel as before.

    Receiving the half-sword.

    It meant he had inherited a sword from the Half-Sword Grave.

    For those who didn¡¯t understand the significance of this, they dismissed it as merely a sign that Kyle favored Theo. However, for the elite swordsmen above the level of Practical Swordsman, they were filled with tension.

    ¨C Does the family head truly intend to make the five candidates into the six?

    Everyone knew that the current five candidates for session, who were all starting to make a name for themselves, had separately been called to the Half-Sword Grave and met with Kyle. Naturally, Theo being summoned in the same manner drew attention.

    Moreover, with the war clouds thickening and on the brink of an official conflict, Theo¡¯s reputation was bound to carry even more weight.

    ¡°Is this the same feeling my brothers and sisters had when I first showed up?¡±

    Torkel Ragnar was one of those candidates.

    Themander of the ck Iron Cavalry.

    In terms of fame alone, his unit could rival the White Armored Dragon Cavalry, the undefeated force of thend. Even though he was the youngest of the five candidates, his rise in status was far quicker than the others.

    But thistest rumor was not something he could easily overlook.

    ¡°To ce¡­ him before me¡­ What in the world is going on¡­!¡±

    Torkel¡¯s thoughts, however, were interrupted before they could continue.

    A voice was heard from below, out of nowhere.

    There stood a middle-aged man, covered in blood, his face weary.

    ¡°Oh, I forgot I had a guest. It was so boring, Ipletely forgot. Sorry about that, old man.¡±

    It was tant mockery.

    The middle-aged man¡¯s face twisted in anger.

    But he didn¡¯t protest.

    His opponent had far surpassed him.

    In fact, throughout his fight with Torkel, the middle-aged man hadn¡¯t even managed to leave a single scratch on him.

    There had been an overwhelming gap in skill.

    ¡°Why¡­ why are you doing this¡­! At least give me a reason¡­! For hundreds of years, our family has been absolutely loyal to Ragnar. Why would you do this to us now¡­!¡±

    The middle-aged man was Evan Bhus, head of the Bhus family. His rage surged.

    Just an hour ago, the ck Iron Cavalry had stormed into the Bhus household, and within moments, the family had beenpletely ruined.

    ¡°Seems like you haven¡¯t heard the story from the Ceres Trading Company yet, have you?¡±

    ¡°Ceres¡­?¡±

    Why bring up the inws now?

    Evan¡¯s eyes wavered, feeling that something was off.

    ¡°You¡¯re slow on the news. Ceres conspired with Troyban to start a rebellion. The Bhus family tried to kill the Ragnar enforcers sent to punish them.¡±

    Torkel sneered as he looked at Evan.

    Evan¡¯s eyes widened.

    ¡°There¡­ there must be some kind of misunderstanding! We have nothing to do with the Ceres Trading Company¡­!¡±

    ¡°If you have no connection, then why did you draw your sword?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because¡­!¡±

    ¡°Ah, there¡¯s no need to drag this out any longer.¡±

    Torkel cut off Evan¡¯s protest, pulling on the reins. His armored horse snorted and pawed at the ground roughly.

    Snort!

    ¡°Anyway, the main family has already decided on Bhus¡¯s fate.¡±

    Evan¡¯s eyes shook wildly.

    ¡°The Bhus family¡¯s loyalty over the past centuries has been appreciated, so you will not be exterminated. However, the head, Evan Bhus, and the key members must take responsibility for this incident. The guilty will submit to the order and be tried in Winterer. In the meantime, Naban Bhus will serve as interim family head.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°Decide, Evan Bhus. Will you ept your punishment, or will you refuse?¡±

    Evan clenched his fists tightly.

    Only now did he understand the full situation, but just being used of involvement in a rebellion left him with no options.

    ¡®That bastard¡­ He¡¯s going to close the door on our family¡¯s long history¡­! I should have cut off his head sooner.¡¯

    Evan deeply regretted his past mistakes and hung his head heavily.

    ¡°Seal off all the guilty¡¯s Aura Halls and transport them to Winterer.¡±

    In the end, Evan and the key members of the Bhus family became criminals, dragged away as prisoners.

    ¡°Ayan.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Captain.¡±

    Ayan Sosori, the vice-captain, nodded as she approached.

    ¡°You said Theo Ragnar made quite an impression on you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve told you many times, Captain. You¡¯d really like him. That guy¡¯s something special. It¡¯s a shame we couldn¡¯t bring him this time.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? Now I¡¯m even more intrigued.¡±

    Pfft!N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Torkel chuckled lightly and lowered the visor of his helmet once more.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s head back!¡±

    The hooves of the ck Iron Cavalry thundered powerfully across the ground.

    Thud thud thud thud-

    * * *

    Theo felt incredibly awkward seeing his reflection in the mirror.

    ¡°As expected of my son! You never fail to exceed your mother¡¯s expectations! You look so stunning, it¡¯s absolutely breathtaking! No youngdy would dare outshine you in beauty!¡±

    Cecilia¡¯s exaggeratedpliments made Theo feel even more ufortable.

    ¡®Really¡­ I should be used to this by now, but why is it still so hard?¡¯

    Theo was dressed in ceremonial robes.

    The deep navy-blue robes shimmered as if they had been dipped in seawater.

    The entire outfit was made of a luxurious design and silk material, which made Theo¡¯s face stand out even more.

    These were the clothes Cecilia had made for him during his absence.

    ¡®How many outfits have I gone through now¡­?¡¯

    He had worn so many that he couldn¡¯t even remember anymore.

    ¡°The earrings and ring you found are quite useful, aren¡¯t they? They¡¯re elegant without being too gaudy, and theyplement most formal attire. You said they were artifacts, right?¡±

    Cecilia gently touched the ring and earrings Theo was wearing.

    They were relics from the Ceres Trading Company.

    Theo nodded, confirming it.

    ¡®At least these things have finally calmed downpletely. That¡¯s a relief.¡¯

    After absorbing the orb from the sword Kyle had given him, Theo hadn¡¯t left the house for the past few days.

    He had been organizing the scattered thoughts that asionally surfaced in his subconscious and carefully inspecting the functions of the relics.

    As a result, Theo had alsoe to fully understand his newly transformed body.

    ¡®Gaining some insight into Aura was the biggest achievement.¡¯

    As a satisfied smile quietly spread across Theo¡¯s lips,

    ¡°But the details on these cuffs are a littlecking. The stitching needs to be pulled in a bit more, and the lines should fall like this¡­¡±

    Every time Cecilia said something, the maid standing beside her hurriedly jotted down notes.

    ¡®When is this going to end?¡¯

    Theo had changed clothes several times, but now he was finally on thest one.

    ¡®Atst¡­!¡¯

    He was ready to rest.

    Just as he was about to put on the top with that hopeful thought,

    Bang!

    The door to the dressing room suddenly flew open.

    It was the head butler.

    ¡°Urgent news!¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    Theo and Cecilia both turned their gazes toward him.

    The head butler, his face pale with shock, shouted.

    ¡°Troyban has rejected the response to the protest!¡±

    Ragnar had granted Troyban a 72-hour grace period regarding the matter involving Ed, but Troyban had refused it.

    There was only one thing that this could mean.

    ¡°¡­It¡¯s war.¡±

    At Theo¡¯s muttering, a cold wind blew through the dressing room from somewhere.

    * * *

    ¡°No, they said it¡¯s war, right? Do these people really have the time for this sort of thing?¡±

    Julius grumbled as he looked around with a baffled expression.

    ? ????

    The music of a grand orchestra, known to be one of thergest even in the capital, drifted through the air.

    Men and women danced to the music, or gathered around tables set throughout the garden,ughing and chatting merrily.

    The Lord of Plum Blossom Pceughed beside him.

    ¡°That¡¯s why we need to act even more rxed. Whatever you all may be plotting, we need to show Winterer¡¯s people that we¡¯re not bothered, not worried at all. We need to send that kind of message.¡±

    They were at Water Lily Pce.

    Among Ragnar¡¯s various pces, it was said to be the most beautiful.

    The garden was bustling with people.

    All of them adorned in morous attire.

    ¡°Besides, you know how much the Mistress of Water Lily Pce dotes on her daughter, right? The child who was once said to be unlikely to survive beyond ten years has grown up so well. It¡¯s only fitting that everyone is here to celebrate her together.¡±

    Julius nodded, though his expression remained far from satisfied.

    It was the fifteenth birthday party of Ray Ragnar, the only daughter of Niel Ragnar Tone, the Mistress of Water Lily Pce.

    The party wasrge enough that many, including Julius, the Lord of Plum Blossom Pce, and various members of the Nine Dragons, were in attendance.

    After all, the Mistress of Water Lily Pce held significant weight as one of the Nine Dragons, and she had ced great importance on this birthday celebration for her daughter.

    It was only natural that so many people had gathered.

    Julius, in his younger years when he was quite the notorious yboy, used to enjoy events like these.

    But as he grew older, such gatherings became nothing but a tedious affair.

    ¡®Evelyn probably won¡¯te either.¡¯

    He had told her to join him if she had time since being alone was dull, but knowing her personality, she was unlikely to show up in such a crowded ce.

    Another reason Julius felt he had no need to remain here any longer.

    ¡°And more importantly.¡±

    The Lord of Plum Blossom Pce continued as she took a wine ss offered by a waiter.

    ¡°Do you think the people here are really interested in the daughter of the Mistress of Water Lily Pce?¡±

    ¡°¡­Ugh. That¡¯s exactly what bothers me,¡± Julius groaned.

    Their real interest.

    There was only one person it could be.

    Theo Ragnar.

    The one who had been causing a stir in Winterertely, time and time again.

    ¡°I can¡¯t just lock him away where no one else can see him¡­ Ugh! When Theo arrives, I¡¯ll just have to stick by his side, I guess.¡±

    Julius grumbled, but suddenly, the Lord of Plum Blossom Pce tilted her head in curiosity.

    ¡°What are you talking about? Why are you acting as if you can just stick someone else¡¯s son by your side? Theo is going to stay with me.¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but the Commander of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry will have to wait for the next chance. This time, I¡¯ve already imed him first.¡±

    For a moment, Julius¡¯s face contorted with disbelief.

    ¡°imed¡­? Does that mean you¡¯ve already discussed this with Theo?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s strange. Why would I need prior arrangements between mother and son?¡±

    ¡°No, you¡¯re not even really mother and son¡­!¡±

    Just as Julius shot up from his seat, about to say something, it happened.

    p!

    The sound of powerful wings pping came from above the two.

    Julius¡¯s spine tingled as he looked up.

    And there, lightlynding on the ground, was a ck Dragon.

    ¡°I apologize to both of you. It seems I¡¯ll be taking my nephew with me. I need to exin how to use the insignia I gave him earlier.¡±

    A small chuckle could be heard from behind the mask.

    Julius¡¯s face twisted.

    ¡°So you came up with that scheme just for this?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you mean, Commander of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry.¡±

    ¡°No, brother! Are you seriously going to keep doing things like this?¡±

    ¡°This is an official asion. I¡¯d appreciate it if you could distinguish between personal and official matters, Commander.¡±

    ¡°I agree with the Director of the Information Bureau.¡±

    ¡°As expected of the Lord of Plum Blossom Pce. You truly understand.¡±

    The ck Dragon and the Lord of Plum Blossom Pce exchanged nces, as if they had already allied themselves.

    ¡°Ah, for real¡­!¡±

    He really felt like he was about to get stabbed in the back.

    As Julius stood there, fists trembling with frustration,

    ¡°Lady Cecilia of Camellia Pce and Theo Ragnar are entering!¡±

    The butler¡¯s announcement of the guests drew all three of their gazes in that direction.

    At the same time,

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    A deep silence fell over the garden, as if everyone had been waiting for this moment.

    All eyes turned toward the entrance.

 Chapter 101

    Chapter 101: The Sixth Candidate (1)

    The Lord of the Water Lily Pce.

    Niel Ragnar Ton, known more widely by the epithet ¡°Ice Dragon,¡± stood on the second-floor terrace overlooking the garden.

    Her face was partly hidden behind a folding fan, a trend from the East, but her displeasure was unmistakable.

    ¡°It appears your friend has yet to arrive. Even the other Nine Dragons are present, and here a young junior dares to be sote. He certainly has no manners.¡±

    In truth, Julius and the Mistress of plum Blossom Pce had arrived uncharacteristically early, but that hardly concerned Niel. She was preupied with finding faults in Theo.

    ¡°Mother.¡±

    Standing beside her, Ray looked at Niel calmly.

    Ray¡¯s face, as always, remained expressionless, almost nk, giving her a look that could be interpreted as either vacant or emotionless.

    ¡°Soon, this will be an official gathering. Be mindful of what you say.¡±

    ¡°Madam.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s my friend. Don¡¯t disregard him.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    For a moment, Niel was taken aback.

    The look that surfaced was that of a motherpletely charmed by her daughter.

    Smack!

    ¡°What are you saying! Doesn¡¯t it bother you at all? He¡¯s the one who took what should have been your ce!¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t my ce.¡±

    ¡°How could it not be! After all the hardships you¡¯ve endured¡­¡±

    Niel knew exactly how much Ray had suffered.

    Ray had been born with the Nine-Syble Pulse, a condition that meant a life marked by a countdown.

    The pain Ray had endured to ovee it had been so intense that even Niel, watching from the side, found it agonizing.

    Finally, it had seemed like she would have her moment.

    Then, out of nowhere at the Blossoming Ceremony, an outsider had swooped in and taken the very position that should have been Ray¡¯s.

    An illegitimate child who had previously shown no particr promise.

    ¡°And that¡¯s not even all! Just a few days ago, I heard that Kyle summoned that boy privately to the Half-Sword Grave. He granted him one of the swords from his collection! And you were right here all along¡­¡±

    Yet, what hurt Niel the most was something else.

    The gift of the sword.

    An incident that had left Winterer in an uproar.

    Even though Ray had yet to receive a single, proper one-on-one sword session with Kyle outside of her third Blossoming Ceremony.

    However,

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. I¡¯ve gone through unimaginable hardships.¡±

    ¡°Then¡­!¡±

    ¡°But Theo worked even harder than I did.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I know. Just how much of a training fanatic Theo is.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°So, I don¡¯t resent Theo. In fact, I respect him. Theo is amazing.¡±

    Ray remembered how, at the Blossoming Ceremony, Theo had been utterly absorbed in his sword training, never letting his thoughts stray for even a moment.

    ¡°That¡¯s why, don¡¯t hate Theo. If you do, then I¡¯ll start hating you too, Mother.¡±

    ¡°You¡­ you really mean that¡­?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m serious.¡±

    Niel felt a surge of emotion rise up once again, but seeing Ray¡¯s steady gaze left her at a loss for words.

    All she could do was let out a deep sigh.

    When her daughter, so simr to her, dug in her heels, there was simply no stopping her.

    ¡°Ahh! Fine. Alright, I understand.¡±

    With a smooth flick, Niel opened her folding fan again and covered her mouth.

    ¡°But don¡¯t expect me to pamper him just because he¡¯s your friend. I¡¯ll judge Theo in my own way, in my own time.¡±

    At that, a small smile finally bloomed on Ray¡¯s lips.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough for me. Once you get to know Theo, you¡¯ll like him too.¡±

    ¡°¡­Honestly, you little rascal.¡±

    Niel pursed her lips in mild frustration.

    ¡°Not long ago, it was all ¡®Mother, Mother, you¡¯re the only one,¡¯ but now all I hear is ¡®Theo, Theo, Theo.¡¯ Good grief.¡±

    In truth, Niel didn¡¯t only feel resentment toward Theo.

    If anything, she felt truly grateful.

    He was the first friend who had opened up to Ray, who always found it difficult to connect with others.

    ¡®But still, there¡¯s a line, and I won¡¯t cross it!¡¯

    As Niel¡¯s maternal feelings red up, the atmosphere of the banquet hall suddenly grew tense, quieting down with anticipation.

    All eyes turned toward the entrance.

    A hint of a smile crept across Ray¡¯s face as well.

    ¡°Oh, my.¡±

    Niel¡¯s expression turned intrigued as she watched Theo enter the hall.

    * * *

    ¡®Still ufortable.¡¯

    Theo entered the hall, his movements slightly restricted by his tight formal attire, though he refrained from showing it.

    ¡°Look around, Young Master. Everyone seems captivated by your impressive appearance. Hehe.¡±

    Cecilia, who escorted Theo into the hall,ughed softly, covering her mouth with a delicate fan.

    It was a fan made from the feathers of a duck¡¯s crest¡ªanother one of the products she had justunched in her new business venture.

    The formal suit Theo wore, as well as Cecilia¡¯s dress and jewelry, were all products of her new line.

    ¡°Some are looking at you with admiration, others with caution or curiosity. Ah, and over there¡­ well, someone seems to be ring at you. Perhaps they think you¡¯ve taken their ce? They must be quite the petty and narrow-minded person.¡±

    She spoke in a low voice, just loud enough for Theo to hear, ensuring no one else could catch her words.

    ¡°From now on, Young Master, you must turn all those gazes into a single one. Do you think you can?¡±

    A single gaze.

    Theo thought of the look of reverence that Kyle received from his followers.

    Reverence.

    Could he ever inspire that same feeling in others?

    It was clear he still had a long way to go.

    ¡°Theo, you¡¯re here.¡±

    ¡°Theo!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been a while. Have you been well?¡±

    At that moment, three people approached Theo.

    Though they weren¡¯t as borately dressed as Theo, they¡¯d put effort into their appearance.

    ¡°Young Master, who are these people?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re my friends, Mother. This is Erika and Holcus from the Ranke family, and this is Wellington from the House of Narcio.¡±

    Since this was Ray¡¯s birthday party, the peers from this year¡¯s Blossoming Ceremony had all gathered.

    It seemed they had already arrived and exchanged stories, as the atmosphere felt light and cheerful.

    ¡°So these are the friends you mentioned before. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you. I am Cecilia of Camellia Pce.¡±

    Wellington was the first to bow gracefully.

    ¡°Oh! I thought Theo had a hidden, lovely sister, but it turns out to be his mother. I nearly made a mistake. Please, call me Wel for short.¡±

    ¡°Oh my, I¡¯ve heard that the young master of Narcio is quite the charmer; it seems the rumors were true.¡±

    ¡°Ah, but it pains me to hear you say that.¡±

    ¡°Hmm? And why is that?¡±

    ¡°I meant every word, but you took it differently¡­.¡±

    ¡°Oh my. Hohoho!¡±

    Ceciliaughed brightly, genuinely pleased, and even Theo gave a slight chuckle at the exchange, thinking how fox-like she was.

    Then suddenly, Holcus, looking uncharacteristically nervous, stiffly extended a sketchbook and a marker toward Cecilia.

    Cecilia¡¯s eyes went wide in surprise, wondering what this was about.

    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m a fan! Could you please sign this?¡±

    ¡°A fan¡­?¡±

    Cecilia¡¯s eyes widened even more at the unexpected request.

    Theo and Wellington both turned their gazes toward him, while Erika only sighed deeply, clearly exasperated.

    ¡°Yes! I¡¯ve watched every single one of your performances from when they were digitally restored! Especially that final tearful scene in The Prodigal Returns, where you shed tears in the arms of the protagonist¡ªI¡¯ve watched it so many times. And The Spent Talent of the Magician and The Ranker Who Lived Thrice were also incredibly inspiring. And then¡­!¡±

    ¡°Oh dear. Those are all performances from over twenty years ago; how embarrassing.¡±

    Contrary to her words, Cecilia epted the sketchbook and pen with a warm smile.

    ¡°Holcus Ranke, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes! That¡¯s correct!¡±

    ¡°Please keep being a good friend to my son.¡±

    After signing her name, Cecilia added the phrase, ¡°Have a wonderful day today as well.¡±

    Holcus looked as if he¡¯d just gained the world when he received it.

    ¡¸¡­When did you even watch those performances?¡¹

    ¡¸Huh? I didn¡¯t mention it before? I¡¯ve always liked ssic masterpieces. I¡¯m actually a fan of Cecilia, you know. Ever heard of the Cecilia Aesthetic?¡¹

    ¡¸No¡­ I haven¡¯t?¡¹

    ¡¸Geez. Seriously, can you stop obsessing over swords for a second? Try paying attention to the world around you. Enjoy some culture and art once in a while, huh? I swear, your brain must be all muscle.¡¹

    Erika felt an intense urge to smack her oversized little brother over the head.

    ¡¸Look, back in the day, Cecilia was the ultimate trendsetter, alright? Everything she wore would sell out instantly, and essories she wore on stage? Stores couldn¡¯t keep them in stock! There were stories about husbands scrambling all over to buy those items for their wives. You couldn¡¯t hear them without shedding a tear¡­¡¹

    ¡¸Enough with the nonsense.¡¹

    ¡¸Anyway, just know she was the best, until she suddenly retired. I only recently found out she¡¯s Theo¡¯s mother.¡¹

    Holcus¡¯s encyclopedic knowledge of trends and celebrities was almost fascinating.

    ¡®And yet, with his behavior¡­ Isn¡¯t there a term for people like him? A wannabe popr guy who¡¯s actually a total¡­ what is it? Ah, an outsider pretending to be in the loop, or what they call a¡­ try-hard nerd, maybe?¡¯

    With mixed thoughts, Erika bowed respectfully to Cecilia.

    ¡°I¡¯m Erika Ranke.¡±

    While Theo¡¯s mother and friends exchanged greetings, the attention of others in the banquet hall was gradually drawn their way.

    -Is that Lady Cecilia¡­ or rather, the Lady of Camellia Pce now? Has she always been that beautiful?

    -Exactly. I remember when she always had a serious frown, so talking to her felt intimidating. Now, she looks¡­ radiant. Guess her son¡¯s sess has brightened her up too.

    -Now I understand why the Lord was so smitten with her back in the day.

    -True, who would guess she¡¯s over forty, just looking at her?

    -If it weren¡¯t for the Lord, I¡¯d try my luck with her myself¡ª

    -You men, where do you think you¡¯re looking?!

    -Agh! Ah! My apologies! Madam! Please, no¡ª!

    The men who had been staring nkly at Cecilia were each dragged away by their wives or girlfriends, ears pinched as they were pulled out.

    -That dress¡­ I haven¡¯t seen it before. Where did she get it?

    -Right? Should we ask?

    -I know, I know. I heard a rumor that the Lady of Camellia Pce has been looking at real estate to open a boutique shop. That dress must be from there.

    -Really?

    -And those essories look stunning. Do you think we could buy them too?

    Youngdies were captivated by Cecilia¡¯s dress and jewelry,

    -Quite impressive¡­

    -Her elegance is unparalleled. She must truly be in a league of her own.

    -Where could one find clothes like that?

    -I heard he¡¯s carrying an impressive sword too.

    The young noblemen, meanwhile, had their eyes on Theo¡¯s attire and his splendidly adorned sword.

    Everyone seemed to be examining Theo and Cecilia¡¯s every move for their own reasons.

    And among them,

    Some had entirely different motives.

    The matchmakers.

    -From what I hear, Young Master Theo has no fianc¨¦e. I also understand he¡¯s not seeing anyone.

    -So if we ask now, it could pay off immensely!

    Just having earned Kyle¡¯s recognition was proof enough that Theo¡¯s future was promising.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    On top of that, rumors were spreading that Theo might even be adopted as the Plum Blossom Pce Lord¡¯s heir, meaning his background was now beyond reproach.

    The nobles with marriageable daughters tried to find a way to approach Theo, while the matchmakers eagerly watched for any opportunity to speak with Cecilia.

    But with Julius and the Mistress of plum Blossom Pce also lurking nearby, waiting for their turn to speak with Theo, no one dared to make a move.

    -This¡­

    -When should we approach¡­?

    An unspoken game of waiting and watching ensued.

    Just then,

    Someone suddenly interrupted Theo¡¯s group, ignoring the tense atmosphere entirely.

    ¡°Hey.¡±

    -Wha, what¡­!

    -Who does he think he is?

    A man with anguid expression and decadent eyes stepped in.

    It was Naban Bhus.

    ¡°Mind if we chat? My lord?¡±

    At that, everyone¡¯s gaze turned to Theo,

    ¡®My lord?¡¯

    Holcus¡¯s eyes wavered intensely.

 Chapter 102

    Chapter 102: The Sixth Candidate (2)

    Theo told Cecilia and his friends to wait for a moment and moved aside with Naban.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d already arrived.¡±

    At Theo¡¯s words, Naban crossed his arms and scoffed coldly.

    ¡°Did you forget?¡±

    ¡°Of course not. How could I?¡±

    Theo flinched for a moment but answered calmly, trying his best not to reveal his unease.

    Exining that he¡¯d been preupied gathering the two relics and the Sword Sphere would likely only irritate Naban further.

    ¡°Judging by your reaction, you probably don¡¯t know about what¡¯s happening behind the scenes either. Well, it hasn¡¯t been officially announced yet, so that¡¯s understandable.¡±

    Naban seemed to have picked up on something, but he didn¡¯t press the issue.

    ¡°The Bhus family is finished. The family head and key vassals were all taken to Winterer on charges of rebellion. Thanks to that, I¡¯ve been gued by other rtives whining at me for the past few days.¡±

    ¡°You seem to be enjoying it, despite calling it ¡®annoying.¡¯¡±

    Naban casually touched the corner of his mouth with his forefinger and gave a faint smile.

    ¡°Was it that obvious?¡±

    ¡°Very much so.¡±

    ¡°Well, I never intended to hide the fact that the main family was a mess.¡±

    Naban snorted lightly and continued.

    ¡°Anyway, most of the charges against me were cleared while I was held as a hostage. Before long, I¡¯ll probably be reinstated with only a few restrictions, and I¡¯ll be positioned as the new head of Bhus.¡±

    Naban¡¯s gaze locked directly onto Theo.

    ¡°This is all what you wanted, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Theo smiled silently.

    Naban¡¯s brow furrowed slightly.

    ¡°Even though I showed I was leaning toward your side halfway through, it¡¯s well known that Ragnar¡¯s suspicion regarding rebellion is enough to drain a person¡¯s blood dry. Especially ck Snow¡¯s persistence¡ªthere¡¯s no need to even mention that. But I was released far too easily. Almost as if someone from above had issued separate orders.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°It felt like your hand was in it.¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s what it seemed like to you, then perhaps it¡¯s true.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not going to reveal anything too easily, are you?¡±

    Naban clicked his tongue, as if exasperated, and continued speaking.

    ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t really matter. Either way, thanks to you, I managed to get rid of my damned father and those old men. What could be more perfect than having a mere bastard seize control of the family? But.¡±

    Somehow, Theo had a feeling he knew what Naban was about to say.

    ¡°That means nothing if it¡¯s short-lived. The promise¡ªwhen do you n to fulfill it?¡±

    The promise.

    Naban was referring to Theo¡¯s promise to cure his incurable disease.

    Theo¡¯s eyes darkened deeply.

    Naban Bhus was, by nature, a rebellious spirit. To truly win this man¡¯s loyalty, the next steps would be crucial.

    Swish!

    Theo pulled something from his robe and tossed it to Naban.

    Naban caught it instinctively.

    It was a potion.

    ¡°What is this¡­?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a remedy. I¡¯ve written the preparation method on it, so you can check it yourself. Just a warning¡ªit tastes absolutely horrible.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    Naban examined the paper wrapped around the potion and his eyes widened.

    On it was a recipebining herbs that could easily be found in regr markets.

    ¡®The Blood Sword Emperor¡¯s special celery juice. This potent tonic, which strengthens vitality, should be enough to gradually alleviate Naban¡¯s incurable disease.¡¯

    Naban¡¯s illness slowly drained a person¡¯s vitality and, ultimately, sapped their life force as well. So, with a steady supply of vitality and an improvement in his constitution, the disease could be ovee.

    Theo¡ªor rather, ck Snow from his previous life¡ªhad only discovered this fact because there was a dy between Naban¡¯s death and the Blood Sword Emperor¡¯s emergence.

    Meanwhile,

    ¡®He¡¯s giving it to me so freely¡­?¡¯

    Naban was stunned. He had prepared himself to be used, thinking Theo would dole out doses gradually, leveraging the cure to control him.

    But he¡¯d been thoroughly wrong.

    ¡°What¡­ do you want from me? I know someone as sharp as you wouldn¡¯t naively think that handing me this will immediately win my favor.¡±

    ¡°In other words, if I did try to use the cure as leverage, you wouldn¡¯t genuinely follow me anyway, would you?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°And for all I know, you might feel so insulted you¡¯d ignore the cure and just stab me in the back.¡±

    ¡®This guy knows me all too well.¡¯

    It should¡¯ve been their first encounter back at the Ceres Trading Company.

    ¡®Did he start observing me long ago? Or did he read mepletely in that one meeting?¡¯

    Regardless of which it was, it didn¡¯t change the fact that Theo was an intimidating person.

    ¡°So I won¡¯t bother pressuring you, Naban. I thought it best to show you first that I¡¯m someone worth following.¡±

    ¡°Someone worth following¡­ How do you intend to prove that?¡±

    ¡°Continue watching me.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°And then decide whether or not to follow me. In the meantime, Naban¡­¡±

    Theo¡¯s eyes sank deeply.

    ¡°Rebuild the crumbling Bhus family upon solid ground. You¡¯ll need to make it a ce worthy of my support.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    Thump-thump-thump!

    Naban¡¯s heart began to pound fiercely.

    Once, it had felt cold and lifeless, as if he were already a dying man. But now, it beat as if waking from slumber, infusing his entire body with newfound vitality.

    His mind sharpened with rity.

    ¡®So you want¡­ proof, don¡¯t you? Proof of my worth. Or you¡¯ll cast me aside.¡¯

    It was arrogance born of confidence¡ªconfidence that he could aplish anything he set his mind to.

    Naban found himself liking Theo¡¯s attitude very much.

    ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll make Bhus minepletely¡ªso that you, my lord, won¡¯t be able to resist.¡±

    ¡°Excellent.¡±

    Theo and Naban bothughed.

    The smiles on the faces of the two men, now bound in a lord-servant rtionship, bore an uncanny resemnce to one another.

    * * *

    ¡°Elder, you¡¯ve had far too much to drink. It¡¯s time to call it a night¡­!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that? Are you mocking me as well?¡±

    The head of the Elder Council, ¡®Origin Dragon¡¯ Wolfgang, paused mid-drink, his face slightly flushed, and red at the elder trying to restrain him.

    ¡°N-no, no, how could I ever¡­! I wouldn¡¯t dare¡­¡±

    ¡°Then stop rattling my nerves and get lost!¡±

    ¡°Yes, understood¡­¡±

    The elder retreated, looking cowed and backing away timidly.

    Wolfgang snorted lightly at the sight.

    ¡°Hmph! All of them, everyst one of them, just waiting like jackals to tear at my throat! But they¡¯ll see¡­ I¡¯m not about to offer it up so easily.¡±

    The usual throng of people that once crowded around Wolfgang had long disappeared.

    Since the Troyban incident, suspicion had begun to fall on Wolfgang, who had been close to Ed, causing wary nces to be cast his way.

    No formal summons had been issued yet, nor had there been any announcement from ck Snow.

    But considering Wolfgang¡¯s frequent shes with the ck Dragon, it was as though the noose was ready to tighten at any moment.

    For Wolfgang, the entire situation was endlessly frustrating.

    He had even dethroned his older brother, the Dragon Emperor, with his own hands.

    After dedicating his life to the glory of Ragnar, it was infuriating to be the subject of such suspicion.

    Yet,

    No matter how he wished to vent his frustrations, there was no one left willing to listen.

    ¡®It¡¯s all because of Theo Ragnar, that lowborn bastard¡­!¡¯

    For this reason, Wolfgang harbored not resentment toward Ed, but a burning hatred for Theo, who had thrown the family into such turmoil.

    In his heart, he wanted to wring Theo¡¯s neck right then and there. However, the reality of Theo¡¯s current position made that impossible; he was now protected by Julius, the Lord of Plum Blossom Pce, and even the ck Dragon. It was infuriating to be unable toy a finger on him.

    ¡®You wretch¡­ make even a single misstep, and that day will be yourst.¡¯

    Just then, as a dangerous glint of murderous intent shed in Wolfgang¡¯s eyes, something caught his attention near the entrance.

    ¡°That girl¡­?¡±

    A familiar figure had appeared, standing there, though heavily made-up andvishly dressed.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Even with the borate attire, her crude nature could not be concealed.

    ¡®Well, isn¡¯t this perfect. At least I¡¯ll be able to release a little of this irritation.¡¯

    A sudden idea crossed Wolfgang¡¯s mind, and a cold sneer formed on his lips.

    * * *

    ¡®Is it really okay for me to¡­ show up like this?¡¯

    In front of the entrance to the banquet hall, Evelyn stood, unable to pull herself away from the full-length mirror provided forst-minute adjustments.

    She was wearing a dress¡ªa dress that shimmered in a deep, midnight ck as if it captured the dark sky before dawn.

    Its clean, flowing lines highlighted her figure beautifully. Cecilia had gifted it to her, insisting it would suit her perfectly.

    However, to Evelyn, it still felt foreign. After a lifetime spent only in training clothes and armor, she couldn¡¯t help but feel ufortable.

    And with the addition of the jewelry and makeup, she was beginning to wonder if it was all a bit too much.

    There was one particr thing that bothered her most.

    ¡®Cecilia said it wouldn¡¯t look strange at all if I showed it¡­ so I gathered my courage.¡¯

    Evelyn smoothed her fingers over the artificial arm that showed just below the sleeve, which only covered half her forearm.

    After repeated adjustments, it now had the full sensation of a real arm, yet the cold, metallic touch remained unfamiliar, especially in a setting as morous as this banquet hall.

    ¡®Maybe I should just leave.¡¯

    Yes. What was she thinking?

    She turned to leave, nning to head back to the training ground where she belonged, when Cecilia¡¯s words echoed in her mind:

    ¨C I¡¯ve told you many times, Evelyn, you need to truly recognize how beautiful you are. Do you understand? Be confident. When you¡¯re confident in yourself, others will see you that way too.

    Confidence¡ªCecilia had told her to have confidence in herself.

    Those words somehow urged Evelyn to turn her steps back toward the hall.

    ¡®Alright. I¡¯vee this far, so at least I¡¯ll go in and greet Theo and the Commander.¡¯

    Step by step, she moved toward the entrance, feeling a bit lighter with each stride.

    ¡°The entry of Evelyn Nerevil, leader of Squad 5 of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry, Advanced Swordsman-!¡±

    At the announcement, countless eyes turned toward her.

    -Evelyn?

    -The name sounds familiar, doesn¡¯t it?

    -Isn¡¯t she the one? Theo Ragnar¡¯s swordsmanship mentor.

    -Oh¡­! The one who supposedly shed with the head of the Elder Council and the White Armored Dragon Cavalry Commander?

    Though she overheard somements she¡¯d rather not have heard, Evelyn walked forward with confidence.

    ¡°Oh my, Evelyn! You look absolutely stunning.¡±

    Cecilia hurried over and took Evelyn¡¯s hands in hers.

    ¡°You¡¯re wearing the dress I gave you. Didn¡¯t I tell you? That it would look amazing on you. Seems my eye for style didn¡¯t fail me.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. Thanks to you, I got to try something like this.¡±

    ¡°Wear it often. Dress up however you like. I, Cecilia, will help you anytime.¡±

    Wellington and Erika, the sibling pair, chimed in as well.

    ¡°To be honest, I almost didn¡¯t recognize you, Captain. Right, Holcus?¡±

    ¡°H-huh?¡±

    ¡°Stand up straight and say something properly!¡±

    Erika nudged the absent-minded Holcus in the ribs with her elbow, and he finally snapped to attention, awkwardly nodding along.

    ¡°Y-yes! We should take a picture or something! The squad members would be¡­ really happy to see this!¡±

    ¡°Rx your face and give a smile.¡±

    ¡°L-like this¡­?¡±

    Although Holcus was a bit more preupied with Naban, who had dered himself Theo¡¯s vassal, believing he himself should rightfully be the first knight, he forced a smile as best as he could without letting on.

    Quiver-quiver

    His lips twitched as he struggled.

    ¡°Sh-should I have brought a camera or something?¡±

    ¡°Erika, Holcus. Don¡¯t even think about it. And especially, don¡¯t mention any of this to Selperd or Arin.¡±

    Evelyn warned Erika and Holcus, who seemed about to take things a step too far.

    yful Selperd would certainly make a running joke of it, and Arin¡­ well, that was a different matter. Actually, a very dangerous matter.

    ¡®Ah, should I take a picture secretly? I bet I could sell it for a high price to Senior Arin.¡¯

    Erika, recalling that Arin¡¯stest hobby was ¡°collecting Evelyn memorabilia,¡± began to seriously consider it.

    ¡°But where is Theo?¡±

    ¡°Oh! The young master is¡­!¡±

    Cecilia was just about to answer when¡ª

    ¡°It seems I¡¯ll have to have a word with the butler. Allowing a cripple to taint such a prestigious social gathering¡ªhow disgraceful. Hmph, tsk-tsk!¡±

    Evelyn turned her head, and her entire body went rigid.

    It was a voice she had thought long buried, a trauma she believed forgotten that now surged through her mind.

    -Hey, girl. Do you really think your Commander will protect you?

    -Don¡¯t kid yourself. In the end, what the world believes is my word, not yours.

    -If you want to live your whole life a cripple, then go ahead.

    -It seems lowly blood can¡¯t be concealed after all.

    The face of Wolfgang, who had once smirked in the dark, ovepped with the Wolfgang now standing before her.

    ¡°If you¡¯re a cripple, then act like one and keep yourself locked up at home. What gives you the right to wander around here? And that arm¡ªwhat do you think you¡¯re doing with it?¡±

    Wolfgang sneered, reaching toward her artificial arm.

    Just then, a hand shot out and grabbed Wolfgang¡¯s wrist.

    ¡°It seems the beating you receivedst time wasn¡¯t enough. Didn¡¯t I warn you? That if youid a finger on my subordinate again, I wouldn¡¯t let it go? Or have you forgotten? Perhaps you¡¯re showing signs of senility?¡±

    Both Wolfgang and Evelyn turned sharply toward the voice.

    Julius stood there, his eyes coldly shing.

    ¡°Are you looking to be beaten to death, Council Head?¡±

 Chapter 103

    Chapter 103: The Sixth Candidate (3)

    ¡°Hey, look who it is! Naban! It is Naban, right?¡±

    A sudden outburst.

    Just as Theo and Naban were about to return to the banquet hall after finishing their conversation, they halted at the sound.

    A man was approaching them.

    With hair tousled wildly like a lion¡¯s mane but with eyes that shone with a noble light¡ªa handsome man.

    ¡®Torkel Ragnar¡­!¡¯

    Theo clenched his fists tightly, unprepared for this encounter with a fellow contender for the throne.

    Naban greeted Torkel with a reluctant expression.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    ¡°Oh, yeah. Uh, long time no see.¡±

    ¡°How long has it been? Since the Blossoming Ceremony? I begged and begged to see you, but you didn¡¯t show your face even once. Weren¡¯t you upset?¡±

    ¡°Family issues, and, well, I wasn¡¯t in great health either, so¡­ yeah, something like that.¡±

    ¡°Still, you could¡¯vee to our gatherings asionally. You know how much I wanted to bring you into the ck Iron Cavalry.¡±

    ¡°You¡­ did? Me?¡±

    ¡°So, how¡¯ve you been? Meeting like this just makes me happier.¡±

    Though Naban always dealt with others cynically.

    When it came to Torkel, however, he seemed almost flustered.

    It was as if all his energy was being drained.

    Torkel was famous for his social skills, making Naban¡¯s usual demeanor seem ineffective.

    ¡®A cynic faced with a super socialite? Something like that? It¡¯s kind of amusing.¡¯

    Seeing a side of Naban he hadn¡¯t witnessed before, Theo was intrigued.

    ¡°¡­So, Ayan, that rascal, recently joined our ck Iron Cavalry. Isn¡¯t that hrious?¡±

    ¡°Oh, um, yeah. Seems like it.¡±

    ¡°Oh, here I am talking only about myself when I wanted to ask how you¡¯ve been. My bad, man.¡±

    ¡°No¡­ it¡¯s¡­ fine.¡±

    ¡°Anyway, who¡¯s this friend next to you? It looks like you¡¯ve chosen quite the famouspanion.¡±

    Torkel¡¯s gentle gaze shifted to Theo.

    ¡®As expected, he knows who I am.¡¯

    Theo was now certain that Torkel had been looking for him, not Naban, all along.

    With the rumors about a new sixth candidate and receiving the Sword Sphere, that alone would have been enough to unsettle the long-seated five candidates.

    Theo gave a polite bow as he greeted Torkel.

    ¡°Theo Ragnar. It¡¯s an honor to meet the distinguishedmander of the ck Iron Cavalry.¡±

    Torkel¡¯s smile widened as he extended his hand.

    ¡°I¡¯m Torkel. To finally meet the one I¡¯ve only heard about in rumors? I heard you joined the White Armored Dragon Cavalry. Too bad, really¡ªI wanted to bring you over to our side. Ah, well!¡±

    ¡°Thank you for the generous offer. However, the favor I received from the Demon Dragon is far too great.¡±

    ¡°Yes, it just wasn¡¯t meant to be. But we can still maintain a good rtionship, don¡¯t you think? Our ck Iron Cavalry and the White Armored Dragon Cavalry often join forces for joint operations, after all.¡±

    ¡°It would be an honor for me as well to maintain a good rtionship with you, Torkel.¡±

    ¡°Haha, you¡¯re quite the well-spoken one, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    Torkel seemed genuinely pleased with Theo¡¯s respectful yet confident demeanor.

    Thus, the hint of regret on his face lingered.

    ¡°I¡¯m still tempted, though. I¡¯d like to make an even better offer if I could¡­¡±

    Torkel nced toward the banquet hall with a wry smile.

    ¡°But if I did that, there¡¯d be too many people wanting to cook me alive right away¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    Theo didn¡¯t quite understand Torkel¡¯s words, but he decided there was likely more to it, so he started to release their handshake.

    But then¡ª

    Shiver-

    His hand wouldn¡¯t budge.

    Torkel was looking at him with a mischievous expression.

    ¡®It seems he wants to test me.¡¯

    He appeared to want to gauge Theo¡¯s reaction.

    There was no reason to refuse.

    Ragnar was a traditional warrior family from the north.

    At the core of every exchangey strength.

    Goooong¡ª

    Theo¡¯s magic power surged swiftly, pushing against Torkel¡¯s grip.

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    A glimmer of intrigue appeared in Torkel¡¯s eyes.

    It was a pressure that even most practical swordsmen would have had difficulty releasing, yet Theo had broken free effortlessly.

    What surprised Torkel more, however, was¡ª

    ¡®He released the constraint before even reading the essence of my magic power.¡¯

    His actual intention had been to gauge Theo¡¯s magic power and observe its traits and characteristics in detail.

    But it ended before he could gather anything at all.

    ¡®It seems there¡¯s a lot more he¡¯s hiding. He hasn¡¯t had the Orb of the Sword for long, so it¡¯s unlikely he¡¯s fully absorbed it yet¡­ My father must be thrilled.¡¯

    Though disappointed, there was still a modest gain.

    ¡®This is getting interesting.¡¯

    Until now, he¡¯d only needed to focus on the older, higher-ranked candidates, as he was in a position of pursuing them. But now, being in the position of being pursued brought a peculiar sensation.

    Not that he minded, of course.

    After all, struggle was the essence of Ragnar.

    To reject it and find it a hassle was to invite decline.

    ¡°I¡¯m grateful for your consideration, Torkel.¡±

    ¡°Why call me Torkel so formally? Among brothers, just call me ¡®hyung¡¯ in private from now on.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Understood, hyungnim.¡±

    ¡°Just call me informally, not ¡®hyungnim.¡¯¡±

    Theo didn¡¯t miss the fact that Torkel was acknowledging him.

    Torkel nced back and forth between Theo and Naban, steering the conversation in a new direction.

    ¡°Anyway, how did you two meet? It doesn¡¯t seem like a pairing that would cross paths naturally.¡±

    ¡°We met while investigating the Ceres Trading Company.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Back then? Naban, why were you even there? Wait, were you under suspicion or something?¡±

    It seemed Torkel was unaware of the detailed circumstances surrounding the matter.

    Naban nodded calmly.

    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s when I decided to serve this guy as my lord.¡±

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    Torkel tilted his head in confusion, unable to grasp what he¡¯d just heard, and Theo turned his gaze sharply in that direction.

    Yet, despite the bombshell statement, Naban¡¯s expression remainedpletely unfazed.

    He truly was an unpredictable character.

    ¡°It¡¯s as you heard. Nothing more to discuss, so I¡¯ll be going.¡±

    With a dismissive wave, Naban turned to leave, as if the conversation was too bothersome to continue.

    Torkel, caught off guard, tried to grab him by the shoulder.

    ¡°Hey! At least exin things properly¡ª!¡±

    Boom!

    Before he could finish his sentence, an explosion echoed from the direction of the banquet hall.

    Theo, Torkel, and the retreating Naban all turned their gazes to the source simultaneously.

    And at that moment, they saw it.

    Goooooo!

    A shockwave reverberated through the banquet hall, shook the sky above, and even rattled the entire Water Lily Pce.

    -Aaagh!

    -What¡¯s going on?!

    -Th-The Demon Dragon and the Origin Dragon have shed!

    -It¡¯s a battle of the Nine Dragons! A battle of the Nine Dragons!

    Without any further hesitation, the three of them sprinted toward themotion.

    * * *

    Crack! Crackle!

    Goooooo¡ª

    Two fierce auras shed repeatedly.

    The tables and furnishings around them had long since been shattered, and people had backed away from the range of the fight, watching with fearful eyes.

    It was as if a natural disaster was unfolding before them.

    If just the force of their auras alone caused this much devastation, could they really even be called human?

    Some couldn¡¯t help but question this in their minds.

    But regardless of the onlookers¡¯ thoughts,

    the ones who had caused this chaos, Wolfgang and Julius, appeared entirely indifferent.

    ¡°What¡­ did you just say, Captain of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry? Ha ha ha ha. This old man must be getting senile, hearing things like that.¡±

    ¡°Oh dear. If you¡¯re truly that old, you should be sitting back in a room somewhere, painting the walls with¡­ well, whatever it is old men do. What brings you here?¡±

    ¡°¡­Did you really just say that?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll say it again since you im not to have heard me clearly.¡±

    Julius¡¯s lips twisted in a sharp sneer.

    ¡°I asked if you wanted to get beaten to death.¡±

    ¡°How dare you!¡±

    Gooooo¡ª

    A fierce gust of wind erupted around Wolfgang, sweeping through the hall. His gaze seemed to spark with fury beneath his wrinkled eyelids.

    But then¡ª

    Boom!

    The immense force Wolfgang had unleashed began to crumble under an overwhelming pressure descending from above. It felt as though a colossal dragon was staring down at him from beyond a great wall.

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    Wolfgang¡¯s body went rigid.

    In an instant, the effects of the alcohol he¡¯d been enjoying vanished entirely.

    ¡®Damn it!¡¯

    At that moment, a memory shed through Wolfgang¡¯s mind.

    Years ago.

    The time when that insolent advanced swordsman from the White Armored Dragon Cavalry had lost an arm, and Julius stormed into the Elder Council alone.

    That day, more than half of the elders representing the House of Ragnar had left with their limbs twisted in the wrong direction.

    He himself had been among them!

    ¡°I¡¯m sure I made myself clear back then.¡±

    Julius¡¯s formal tone was gone, his low voice now reviving Wolfgang¡¯s buried memories of that day.

    -If any of you take this opportunity to harm that child, or if you try any underhanded schemes¡­ No! If a single tear falls from her eyes again¡­

    ¡°Back then, I held back for the sake of your dignity, but I won¡¯t spare you a second time.¡±

    -I¡¯ll rip your arms off from the shoulders, just like hers were.

    Why did the Julius of that day¡ªwhose savage threat had been as sharp as the dragon that summoned destruction¡ªovep so perfectly with the Julius standing before him now?

    ¡°Wai¡­!¡±

    Wolfgang tried to shout something out of desperation,

    Crack!

    But Julius had already grabbed Wolfgang¡¯s right wrist and was twisting it in the opposite direction.

    Crash! Crash!

    The powerful sh of auras erupted violently, enough to make one wonder if the pce itself would copse under the pressure of the two Laurel Sword Masters¡¯ confrontation.

    Cold sweat trickled down Wolfgang¡¯s forehead.

    But the struggle didn¡¯tst long.

    Crunch¡ª

    With a gruesome sound of bones dislocating and shattering,

    Splurt!

    his entire right arm was torn off from the shoulder.

    Whoooosh¡ª

    ¡°Aaaagh!¡±

    Wolfgang, now missing an arm, let out a bloodcurdling scream.

    Amidst the fountain of blood spraying in all directions, Julius¡¯s eyes glinted with a menacing gleam.

    -Elder Council Leader!

    -Protect the Elder Council Leader!

    -The Captain of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry has attacked the Elder Council Leader!

    The entire area descended into chaos.

    Step! Step!

    In an instant, several swordsmen descended from the sky, all pointing their des at Julius.

    ¨C It¡¯s the Judgment Knights!

    ¨C The Judgment Hall has arrived¡­!

    ¡°Captain of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry, we¡¯re here to arrest you as an offender caught in the act of injuring the Elder Council Leader. Pleasee with us.¡±

    The Judgment Knight who spoke had a rigid expression, though he attempted to mask his anxiety. Julius, however, didn¡¯t even nce their way, nor did he bother to respond.

    ¡®We have to contain him quickly before this esctes further¡­!¡¯

    The Judgment Knight bit his lip, bracing himself for the approaching storm.

    ¡¸Commander!¡¹

    ¡¸Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll handle this matter on my own.¡¹

    ¡¸That¡¯s not what I meant¡­!¡¹

    Evelyn couldn¡¯t understand Julius¡¯s behavior. While she knew he cared for his people, the way he was acting now was a strategic misstep, one that would leave him politically vulnerable.

    Outwardly, Evelyn had suffered no harm.

    The Julius she knew was a yful,id-back man, but he was also as shrewd as Ed when it came to strategy. Yet, now, she saw none of that depth¡ªhe was acting purely on emotion, almost as if it were his personal matter.

    ¡®¡­¡¯

    As she gazed at Julius¡¯s broad back, her eyes trembled.

    ¡°Ugh¡­! You¡¯re really going to leave me like this, over a mere woman? Captain of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry! You must be insane!¡±

    Wolfgang, who had been shielded by the Judgment Knights, straightened up and shouted in anger.

    The right arm represented a swordsman¡¯s pride and life. Today, he had lost both.

    ¡°Consider yourself lucky I didn¡¯t tear off what¡¯s above your shoulders as well.¡±

    ¡°You¡­ damn lunatic!¡±

    At Julius¡¯s audacious remark, Wolfgang¡¯s eyes red wide with rage.

    ¡°Captain of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry! You must properly exin this¡ª!¡±

    Swoosh!

    One by one, mighty presences began to reveal themselves in the sky, filling the air with intense energy.

    The Judgment Knights¡¯ expressions hardened as their worst fears were realized.

    One by one, the elders of the Elder Council had arrived, each exuding a powerful aura. While none of them matched Julius individually, together they were more than enough to fill the banquet hall with a suffocating pressure.

    Despite Wolfgang¡¯s degraded status, he was still the leader of the Elder Council. Such humiliation was tantamount to an open challenge against the Council.

    ¡°Well, perfect timing. You, you, you, and you.¡±

    But Julius remained unfazed, not even blinking as he pointed out several familiar faces, one by one, with his hand.

    The elders¡¯ faces twisted, trying toprehend what they¡¯d just heard.

    ¡°Those faces¡­ You were all there that time in the Elder Council, weren¡¯t you? Then you must remember what I said.¡±

    The more perceptive elders quickly stiffened.

    ¡°Let¡¯s make this simple. Stick out one of your arms. I¡¯ll cut it off for you¡ªnicely.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°Your arrogance knows no bounds!¡±

    Fwoosh!

    ng!

    The elders¡¯ auras surged, blending together into a sharp, menacing force.

    Unable to tolerate this any longer, they even drew their swords.

    Julius watched this with a cold satisfaction, unsheathing his own de in response.

    But just then¡ª

    ¡°At my daughter¡¯s birthday celebration, how dare you¡­ What is the meaning of this¡ª?¡±

    Crash!

    The murderous tension filling the banquet hall shattered in an instant, like ss breaking.

    Julius, the elders, and the crowd all turned their gazes to the roof of Water Lily Pce.

    There, standing against the moonlight with a cold expression, was Ice Dragon Niel, the mistress of Water Lily Pce, gazing down upon the banquet hall.

 Chapter 104

    Chapter 104: The Sixth Candidate (4)

    ¡®How dare they!¡¯

    Niel looked as though sparks would fly from her eyes at any moment.

    Today, she had only hoped for two things.

    Her daughter Ray¡¯s sessful Blossoming Ceremony and a birthday celebration.

    And to assess Theo¡¯s potential as well.

    Yet these worthless wretches were intent on ruining the celebration.

    ¡°We apologize to the Mistress of Water Lily Pce. But this is something we cannot simply overlook. So, if you would wait until we punish the White Armored Dragon Cavalry Commander¡­ Gaaah!¡±

    One of the elders, speaking curtly to Niel, suddenly found his right arm flung into the air.

    The expressions of the other elders grew tense and rigid.

    ¡°What is the meaning of this, Mistress of Water Lily Pce?!¡±

    ¡°Are you siding with the White Armored Dragon Cavalry Commander and trying to intimidate our Elder Council¡­?¡±

    ¡°Silence!¡±

    But their protests did notst long.

    Rumble!

    At Niel¡¯s explosive shout, the Water Lily Pce and the banquet hall shook as a whole.

    Crack, crack, crack¡ª

    Centered around her, a massive dragon emerged, forming in shape, and frost began to settle in all directions.

    The temperature dropped to the point where frost formed on skin, and one could see their own breath.

    ¡°If you dare open your mouth one more time, I¡¯ll cut off your heads, elders or not.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    The elders took a hesitant step back.

    For now, she was restraining herself to care for her ailing daughter.

    But in her younger days, she had been known for her fierce spirit that had shaken Ragnar more than once.

    Niel¡¯s gaze shifted to Julius as well.

    ¡°White Armored Dragon Cavalry Commander¡­ no, forget that. It¡¯s too aggravating, so I¡¯ll call you by name. Julius, the same goes for you. If you continue with these pointless antics, prepare to settle things with me, once and for all. Got it?¡±

    Instead of answering, Julius merely looked at Niel with an indifferent gaze.

    ¡°If you want to drink and raise hell, do it outside. Do you not have any sense of honor or courtesy?¡±

    Niel¡¯s cold eyes shifted between Julius and the elders.

    ¡°Grab your swords and get out right now. I¡¯m on the verge of wanting to cut all your heads off.¡±

    By now, even the elite swordsmen of the Water Lily Pce had gathered around them, their des drawn.

    Each one had been personally trained by Niel, forming her top echelon of warriors.

    They showed no concern for who they faced; at the slightestmand from Niel, they would charge without hesitation.

    But,

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t feel like it.¡±

    Julius answered with the same indifferent expression.

    One of Niel¡¯s eyebrows arched sharply.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re calling me by name, so I¡¯ll go ahead and speak to you just as casually as I did in my younger days. Niel, I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t leave. I still have some arms to pull off these old geezers, one by one.¡±

    ¡°White Armored Dragon Cavalry Commander!¡±

    ¡°How dare you!¡±

    The elders¡¯ faces twisted in fury, yet Julius didn¡¯t wipe the sneer from his lips.

    ¡°And besides, it doesn¡¯t look like they¡¯re nning on stepping down so easily either, does it?¡±

    ¡°Ah, you¡¯ve got a point.¡±

    Just then, Wolfgang, who had finally stopped the bleeding, stepped forward with a twisted expression.

    ¡°Right. I¡¯m not going to let it end like this. How dare¡­ you think you can leave after doing this to me¡­!¡±

    He had lost his right arm.

    The arm that, for a swordsman, was life itself.

    In nearly a century of life, he had never suffered such humiliation.

    Wolfgang intended to settle this once and for all with Julius right here.

    ¡®If I let this end here, my entire political career will be destroyed. I¡¯ve fought through so much to make it this far! That cannot happen¡­ not ever¡­!¡¯

    His position was already precarious due to the incident with Ed, and he was at constant risk of being purged.

    But he realized that if he used this moment wisely, he might actually solidify his standing even further.

    ¡®If I can frame the situation as one where the Elder Council, despite being innocent, is suffering under the oppression of the Demon Dragon¡­ and if we unify to defeat the Demon Dragon, even the ck Dragon won¡¯t be able to politically pressure me any longer.¡¯

    Kyle, the ck Dragon, Julius, and the Lord of Plum Blossom Pce.

    He would finally create a crack in the hold these four had over the family¡¯s power.

    And it didn¡¯t seem like failure was a likely oue.

    While Julius was certainly strong, the White Armored Dragon Cavalry wasn¡¯t present. Here, the Elder Council members overwhelmingly outnumbered him.

    If things took a turn, he was confident he could even bring Niel to his side.

    With all his political calctions finalized, Wolfgang took his stand.

    ¡®Is he¡­ smiling?¡¯

    But Julius looked back at him with an even deeper smile.

    As if he had been expecting this all along.

    A sudden chill ran down Wolfgang¡¯s spine, but he forced himself to ignore it.

    ¡°Alright, you want to go all the way, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Ssshhh¡ª

    Meanwhile, Niel, feeling utterly disrespected, stirred up a raging snowstorm.

    ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s do this. Once I tear all those mouths apart, there¡¯ll be no one left to ruin my daughter¡¯s birthday celebration.¡±

    Niel raised her sword high.

    Then, the blizzard quicklypressed toward that spot, forming a massive beam of light.

    Just as she was about to strike it downward,

    ¡¸Before unleashing your anger, would you mind hearing my thoughts?¡¹

    She paused.

    A voice familiar to Niel slipped into her ears as a whisper.

    It was a voice she recognized.

    Niel turned her gaze in that direction.

    Theo was walking over with Torkel and Naban.

    ¨C Theo Ragnar?

    ¨C What¡¯s this? Why did the Lord of the Water Lily Pce suddenly stop her attack?

    ¨C Looks like Theo Ragnar said something¡­?

    ¨C And why is he with the ck Iron Cavalry Commander?

    ¨C Isn¡¯t the other person that Bhus bastard? The one rumored to be taking over as the new family head?n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    As the crowd murmured about this unexpectedbination,

    ¡¸I¡¯m speaking not as a member of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry, but as Ray¡¯s sibling and friend who doesn¡¯t wish to see this celebration ruined.¡¹

    Niel¡¯s heart wavered slightly at Theo¡¯s words.

    Her daughter¡¯s friend.

    It was a word she thought she would never hear that moved her.

    ¡°¡­Very well. Go on, then. But know that if you try to waste my time with idle chatter, I will not forgive you.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Theo gave a brief nod to Julius and Evelyn, who had now rxed their auras, to let them know all was well. He ignored Wolfgang¡¯s gaze entirely.

    ¡°How about treating this conflict as a bit of entertainment to spice up the celebration?¡±

    ¡°Entertainment?¡±

    Niel frowned, unable to guess what he was implying.

    The crowd, too, tilted their heads in curiosity.

    Theo¡¯s smile deepened.

    ¡°In the ancient traditions of the North, it was often customary to end a banquet with a contest of strength to showcase the participants¡¯ abilities. Such events weremon in the traditions of Ragnar as well.¡±

    The Northernnds, with their harsh environments, had long harbored a strong reverence for the powerful.

    This mindset flourished vividly within Ragnar as the principle of survival of the fittest.

    Only then did Niel grasp the meaning behind Theo¡¯s words.

    ¡°So, you propose to settle this conflict as entertainment?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct. Representatives from the White Armored Dragon Cavalry and the Senate couldpete in teams of three-on-three or five-on-five to determine the winner.¡±

    ¡°And the prize is whatever the victor desires. Winner takes all.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s thew of Ragnar.¡±

    A small chuckle escaped Niel.

    A thinly veiled attempt, perhaps.

    Certainly, there was no better way to preserve both her and her daughter¡¯s pride while simultaneously quelling the conflict between the two distasteful factions.

    ¡®So that¡¯s why Ray fell for him so easily.¡¯

    Just then, she noticed Ray waving to Theo from the second-floor terrace, an action that seemed entirely out of ce in the current atmosphere.

    Theo returned her greeting just as calmly, undisturbed by the many eyes upon them.

    ¡®They¡¯re alike.¡¯

    It reminded her of someone from her youth.

    ¡°I¡¯m not thrilled that, once again, this celebration is shifting its focus away from the birthday itself, but it seems like the best option for now.¡±

    Pushing aside her brief sentiment, Niel returned to her fierce expression, ring back and forth between Julius and Wolfgang.

    ¡°This is as far as I¡¯m willing topromise. If you¡¯re not in agreement, speak now. I¡¯ll dly shove a sword down that mouth of yours.¡±

    Julius shrugged.

    ¡°I see no reason to refuse. Our boy proposed it, after all.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re in agreement.¡±

    Wolfgang and the elders, though clearly displeased with how the situation was being pulled to the other side¡¯s favor, nodded reluctantly.

    With that, Niel slid her sword back into its scabbard.

    Click!

    ¡°Fine. In thirty minutes, we¡¯ll continue this entertainment here. The White Armored Dragon Cavalry and the Senate will each select three swordsmen to participate.¡±

    * * *

    ¡®Phew! It worked.¡¯

    Theo let out a breath of relief.

    They had narrowly avoided what could have turned into arge-scale conflict.

    Meanwhile, beside him, Naban and Torkel, who had been watching Theo closely, couldn¡¯t contain their amazement.

    ¡®Just like before, his skill at talking is something else. That tongue of his is sharper than any de.¡¯

    ¡®Naban calling this boy his lord wasn¡¯t a joke.¡¯

    Torkel¡¯s evaluation of Theo was shifting in real-time.

    A dangerous individual, indeed.

    Boldness, eloquence, talent¡ªhe had it all.

    What would be of this child if he continued to grow like this?

    ¡°Theo!¡±

    At that moment, something suddenly jumped down from the second-floor terrace of the Water Lily Pce and came running over in haste.

    ¡°Ray. It¡¯s been a while.¡±

    ¡°Are you hurt anywhere?¡±

    Ray clung to Theo, meticulously checking him all over.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Not hurt.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m mad at Mom.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°She yelled at you.¡±

    ¡°The Lord of the Water Lily Pce was only doing her duty. She was actually trying to protect you.¡±

    ¡°Still, it was too much.¡±

    Watching Ray sulk, Theo couldn¡¯t help butugh.

    It seemed even they weren¡¯t so different from any ordinary mother and daughter.

    ¡°Ray, how long has it been? I heard your secluded training went well, but it¡¯s so nice to finally see you again after all this time!¡±

    On the way over, Torkel waved cheerfully with a smile, but Ray nced at him with a puzzled look before turning back to Theo.

    ¡°So, what¡¯s your n now? The Senate Leader is scary.¡±

    In that instant, Torkel, who was leftpletely ignored(?), looked a bit dumbfounded, while Naban smirked from the side.

    ¡°Even the mighty Torkel has times when he¡¯s overlooked, huh?¡±

    ¡°¡­Ha, haha. Well, Ray¡¯s always been a bit shy.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? She doesn¡¯t seem like the shy type, even if her personality is a bit unusual.¡±

    ¡°Hahaha. Come on, I¡¯m her older brother¡ªof course I know. Oh! Time really flies. I¡¯m supposed to meet Ayan. It was nice running into you, Naban. Let¡¯s grab a drink together sometime.¡±

    Naban gave a light wave as he watched Torkel depart, thinking to himself that even someone like him had people he found difficult to deal with.

    Meanwhile, Julius, Evelyn, Cecilia, Wellington, and the siblings Erika and Wellington approached Theo and Ray.

    Evelyn still looked ufortable, as if she med herself for the situation escting.

    ¡°Commander, Theo, there was really no need to make this into such a big issue¡­!¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t just a matter between you and that old man. It¡¯s about me and the White Armored Dragon Cavalry. Do you think he¡¯d pull this kind of stunt if he didn¡¯t have such disrespect for us?¡±

    ¡°I agree with the Commander. You¡¯re not at fault here, Captain. This is something we should all face together.¡±

    Julius turned his gaze to Theo, his lips curving into a smile, though his eyes were darkened with gravity.

    ¡°Suggesting a duel makes it seem like you have something in mind. Am I right?¡±

    ¡°Yes. My first objective was to prevent them from ganging up on us by numbers.¡±

    ¡°Why? Did you think I wouldn¡¯t manage if they outnumbered us?¡±

    ¡°Of course not. I simply don¡¯t want bloodshed on a day meant to celebrate a friend¡¯s birthday.¡±

    Julius broke intoughter again, impressed by Theo¡¯s way of addressing the matter with care while also respecting his pride.

    He knew it well himself: going head-to-head with the Senate would be an uphill battle, even for him.

    And whether they won or lost, the political aftermath would be severe.

    With just a few words, Theo had managed to prevent all of that.

    ¡®My poor subordinates have to work hard because of their foolish Commander.¡¯

    Although he felt grateful to Theo, part of him was curious¡ªwondering not only how this boy would manage to handle the situation but also how he might even turn it in his favor.

    Theo always had a knack for turning crises into opportunities.

    ¡°So, how do you n to set up the match?¡±

    ¡°The Senate Leader will certainly be thest one from their side. He¡¯ll want to restore his tarnished honor.¡±

    ¡°Does he even have any honor to restore?¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s a situation where even non-existent honor must be created.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true. Then I suppose I¡¯ll take thatst spot. And the two positions before that?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take them.¡±

    Apletely unexpected reply.

    Julius¡¯s eyes widened involuntarily.

    Theo simply nodded calmly.

    ¡°Both of the first two positions.¡±

 Chapter 105

    Chapter 105: The Sixth Candidate (5) >

    ¡°What are you talking about! This happened because of me. So it¡¯s only right for me to step forward¡­!¡±

    Evelyn gasped and stepped forward, but Julius reached out a hand to stop her.

    ¡°Wait a moment.¡±

    ¡°Commander!¡±

    ¡°Theo wouldn¡¯t have brought this up without reason. We won¡¯t be toote to share our thoughts after we hear him out.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    In the end, Evelyn took a hesitant step back.

    Clench.

    Veins bulged across the back of her clenched right hand.

    ¡°Theo, this has now be a fight, not between the Demon Dragon and the Origin Dragon, but between the White Armored Dragon Cavalry and the Council of Elders, in ordance with the frame you¡¯ve designed. In a position where the honor and name of the unit are at stake, defeat is simply not an option. It¡¯s something that cannot be permitted.¡±

    Julius, who usually wore a warm smile when he looked at Theo¡­

    Now, mes seemed to burn in his eyes.

    ¡°So if you¡¯ve brought this up just out of personal ambition, I won¡¯t forgive it. Exin exactly what you¡¯re thinking. Over there, the elders will surelye forward; by what means do you intend to ovee them?¡±

    The term ¡®elder¡¯ referred to a title given to swordsmen in Ragnar who had achieved illustrious aplishments in their youth and had served a long time.

    Naturally, this meant they were at least at the level of an Advanced Swordsman or a Dragon Gate Swordsman.

    And yet, Theo, who had just passed his Blossoming Ceremony, intended to defeat such figures?

    Even if he ranked high among Practical Swordsmen, it was an utterly impossible feat.

    However,

    ¡°No. In the first position, it won¡¯t be an elder, but likely one of their disciples.¡±

    ¡°¡­What do you mean by that?¡±

    As Julius tilted his head in puzzlement.

    Theo¡¯s lips curled into a mysterious smile.

    ¡°I¡¯ll make it that way.¡±

    * * *

    ¡°This has be a headache.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re telling me. All of a sudden, we¡¯re being dragged into a spectacle at the birthday party of a mere fifteen-year-old child.¡±

    The elders clicked their tongues as they exchanged words.

    They had nned to seize this opportunity to put Julius in his ce and elevate the prestige of the Council of Elders.

    But somehow, instead of delivering a ¡®rebuke,¡¯ the situation had degraded to a ¡®bnced¡¯ engagement, merely serving to bolster the status of the Water Lily Pce.

    The Council of Elders ended up looking foolish.

    The problem was, they couldn¡¯t avoid participating in the duel.

    Already, Wolfgang¡¯s right hand had been removed, and Julius had threatened to take the arms of other elders as well.

    If they remained silent after hearing that, they would be nothing but ridiculed ording to Ragnar¡¯s standards.

    On top of that, they had also lost the advantage of numbers.

    It was adding insult to injury.

    ¡®To think he turned the situation into this with just his three-inch tongue? As the Director of Central Intelligence said, that child must harbor dozens of sly foxes within.¡¯

    Grit!

    Wolfgang clenched his teeth, recalling something Ed had once said.

    Now, it was truly a matter of life or death.

    ¡°This entire matter arose because of me, so I¡¯ll take the final position. The Demon Dragon is sure toe forward on their side, too.¡±

    The elders gave a calm nod to Wolfgang¡¯s words, though a sense of relief was evident in their expressions.

    They didn¡¯t have the confidence to defeat Julius in a direct confrontation, after all.

    ¡°The issue is, who will step up for the first and second duels¡­ Does anyone have an idea?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s certain they¡¯ll send either an Advanced Swordsman or a Dragon Gate Swordsman.¡±

    ¡°I still don¡¯t see any other members around. It seems reinforcements will take some time to arrive.¡±

    ¡°Then for the first round, isn¡¯t Evelyn, that crippled arm, the only option?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll volunteer.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯ll go.¡±

    ¡°Please give me the chance to bring honor to the Council of Elders and avenge the Elder Chief.¡±

    Now, each of them began shouting to be the first.

    A good chance to make a name as the elder who subdued the White Armored Dragon Cavalry.

    Disgusted as Wolfgang was by their eagerness, he also saw this as the perfect moment to solidify the Council of Elders¡¯ control. He spoke up.

    ¡°The first position will go to¡­!¡±

    But Wolfgang¡¯s words trailed off.

    Suddenly, someone from the White Armored Dragon Cavalry side was walking forward at a slow, deliberate pace.

    ¡®Why that kid?¡¯

    Just as Wolfgang¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, murmurs began to ripple through the crowd.

    ¨C Didn¡¯t they say this duel was to uphold the organization¡¯s honor?

    ¨C Right? No matter how much his reputation has spread recently, that little brat who¡¯s barely just be a Practical Swordsman shows up here?

    ¨C Is he a disposable pawn?

    ¨C Come on, are you serious? He¡¯s even known as the sixth candidate for the session; would they really let him disgrace himself?

    ¨C Then does that mean he¡¯s genuinely confident?

    ¨C Hah¡­!

    At that moment, Wolfgang realized.

    ¡®I¡¯ve been had!¡¯

    He and the Council of Elders, as well as the Water Lily Pce and all the spectators here, had been reduced to nothing more than a tform for that brat to mboyantly showcase his own fame!

    Boom!

    Theo shattered any remaining doubts as he fiercely brought down Drake¡¯s de to the ground with a thunderous crash, unleashing a powerful deration.

    ¡°The Practical Swordsman of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry and the sessor of the House of Ragnar, ¡®sh Demon¡¯ Theo Ragnar, steps forward as the first challenger. Who dares to face me-?¡±

    [¡®Skill: Lesser Drake Fear¡¯ activates, unleashing the dragon-ying aura.]

    Goooo¡ª

    A surge of magic spread outward from Theo, filling the entire banquet hall.

    In that instant, everyone in the audience understood one thing.

    Rumors about Theo had, if anything, not done him justice.

    They now realized that Kyle himself had gifted Theo the sword orb, recognizing his remarkable skills.

    ¨C Isn¡¯t he just a new Practical Swordsman?

    ¨C An incredible growth rate¡­!

    ¨C No wonder the head of the family has taken notice. Even the rumors don¡¯t do him justice.N?v(el)B\\jnn

    But what shocked people the most was something else entirely.

    ¨C Not only is he representing the White Armored Dragon Cavalry, but he¡¯s also upholding the honor of his status as a sessor?

    ¨C Is he cementing himself as the ¡®6th candidate¡¯ for session once and for all?

    Now, all eyes were entirely focused on Theo.

    Wolfgang, fully aware of Theo¡¯s intentions, knew they had been cornered. Yet he couldn¡¯t figure out how to counter this move.

    ¡°¡­¡­Even if he¡¯s a sessor, should a Practical Swordsman really face me?¡±

    ¡°Hmph! For the sake of the greater good, I will relinquish my position as the first challenger. Let another elder take up the task.¡±

    ¡°Ahem! I¡¯ll yield as well.¡±

    ¡°So will I.¡±

    ¡°Hmph! I also will¡­.¡±

    For an elder to challenge a mere Practical Swordsman would be disgraceful.

    As each elder backed down, they cast nces at Wolfgang.

    Wolfgang felt as though he might explode with frustration.

    But venting his anger here would only make him look ridiculous.

    Eventually, his gaze drifted to another spot.

    There stood a middle-aged swordsman, not an elder but still affiliated with the Council of Elders.

    He was a former attendant who had long served Wolfgang¡¯s side.

    ¡°Beta. What¡¯s your rank right now?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­Practical Swordsman, sir.¡±

    ¡°Good. Then it¡¯s settled. You¡¯ll face him.¡±

    ¡°¡­Understood.¡±

    Beta¡¯s expression soured at the thought of facing such a youngster, but with the elders¡¯ eyes on him, he couldn¡¯t refuse.

    In truth, though his rank was that of a Practical Swordsman, his skill was nearly at the level of an Advanced Swordsman.

    ¡°You must not hold back in this duel.¡±

    At Wolfgang¡¯s words, Beta¡¯s expression hardened.

    ¡°Are you telling me to kill him?¡±

    ¡°If not kill, at least bring back his right arm. I¡¯ll handle the consequences, so don¡¯t worry about it.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I understand.¡±

    Beta bowed deeply and slowly stepped onto the dueling field.

    ¡®His killing intent¡­ It¡¯s impressive. So, it¡¯s true he¡¯s the sixth candidate.¡¯

    Feeling a slight sting from the dragon-ying aura that pricked his skin, Beta smirked.

    The thrill of possibly crushing someone with the potential to be a candidate gave him a jolt of excitement.

    Srrrng¡ª

    ¡°I am Beta Tetris, an escort swordsman under the Council of Elders. In the past, I earned the moniker ¡®Whirlwind de.¡¯ I¡¯ve heard much of the sh Demon¡¯s renown; I hope for a good fight.¡±

    With that brief introduction¡ª

    ng!

    Their swords met lightly in mid-air, signaling the start of the duel.

    Beta was the first to move.

    Swoosh¡ª

    ¡®They say the family head bestowed him with a sword. I should check just how¡­!¡¯

    Beta¡¯s thoughts abruptly ceased as his eyes widened.

    Rumble¡ª

    sh!

    In an instant, Theo¡¯s Drake¡¯s de became wreathed in a brilliant yellow lightning, crackling with a deafening thunderp as it unleashed a zing sh of light.

    From the ground to the heavens, a yellow column shot forth, smashing into Beta with brutal force.

    ¡°Gah!¡±

    Without time to deflect the blinding strike, Beta was violently thrown back, rolling unceremoniously across the ground.

    ¡®He¡¯s strong!¡¯

    It was then that Beta understood.

    This opponent was far stronger than he could ever hope to judge.

    Though they might share the same rank, those who had awakened the potential of Ragnar¡¯s blood could face much more powerful foes with ease!

    Boom! Boom! Boom!

    Rumble!

    Theo¡¯s relentless advance began, closing in on Beta.

    With each stroke of the Drake¡¯s de, thick, pale steam rippled through the air, and blinding yellow bolts struck down upon the ground.

    Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

    Each of Theo¡¯s steps shook the earth with thunderous explosions, leaving charred ck footprints in his wake.

    Now enhanced to a seven-hit strike, Theo¡¯s attack swept forth like a raging storm.

    Beta managed to deflect each onught, yet the sh felt as though he was colliding head-on with cannon fire, a bone-shaking agony wracking his body again and again.

    Just then, his stance wavered, leaving him entirely exposed¡ª

    And Theo seized the opening, kicking him squarely.

    Kraaa-boom!

    Betay sprawled on the ground again.

    But this time, he looked entirely different.

    His body was bruised and swollen from internal injuries, covered with burns and scorch marks. Even blood trickled from his mouth due to congestion in his chest.

    ¡°H-How¡­?¡±

    Struggling to his feet, he looked at Theo with a face of utter disbelief.

    No matter how exaggerated the rumors had been, the level of power Theo was disying was something far beyond what any ordinary Practical Swordsman could wield.

    It seemed as if this kind of growth could onlye from a rare encounter with a miraculous opportunity¡­!

    ¡®An encounter!¡¯

    Beta recalled that, after receiving the sword from Kyle, Theo had not left Camellia Pce for several days.

    Back then, Beta had thought Theo was simply recovering from the exhaustion of long missions outside.

    But what if, in reality, he had been absorbing and refining the opportunity Kyle had bestowed upon him?

    Of course, even with a miraculous encounter, such rapid growth seemed almost impossible. Yet, if not for something like that, this level of improvement was iprehensible.

    ¡°Lord! Just what have you done¡­?!¡±

    Wolfgang shot up from his seat, erupting with anger.

    His eyes were locked in protest toward where the Half-Sword Gravey, as if demanding an answer to the monster they were creating.

    The reactions of those around him varied.

    ¡°Huh.¡±

    Julius, stunned by how perfectly everything was unfolding ording to Theo¡¯s n, let out a low whistle of admiration.

    ¡°As expected of my friend¡ªhe¡¯s a monster, no doubt. How am I supposed to keep up with someone like that?¡±

    Wellington let out a dryugh and shook his head.

    ¡°What do I do, Sis?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, idiot. Find your own path.¡±

    ¡°Damn, he¡¯s gotten way too strong.¡±

    The sibling pair, Erika and her brother, exchanged uneasy nces.

    ¡°Oh, dear¡­.¡±

    Cecilia sped her hands, earnestly hoping Theo would make it through unscathed.

    And then,

    ¡°Bwahahaha!¡±

    The ck Dragonughed heartily, while the Lord of Plum Blossom Pce wore a faint smile.

    In their eyes, it was clear as day.

    ¨C The techniques they had taught him had seamlessly merged into Theo¡¯s swordsmanship.

    ¡°Now I understand fully why you and Julius can¡¯t stop fussing over Theo.¡±

    Even the ck Dragon, usually reserved, was openly impressed.

    He realized that all of Theo¡¯s recent transformation had stemmed from one source.

    ¡®The sword orb¡­ he must have drawn something out from the vengeful spirit within the sword Kyle gave him. Controlling that madness wouldn¡¯t have been easy, but he¡¯s managed to pull it off, hasn¡¯t he?¡¯

    It was true that the ck Dragon had once harbored concerns, knowing well the original owner of the sword Kyle had given Theo.

    But now, he felt there was no longer any need to worry.

    In this moment, the ck Dragon felt a firm conviction.

    Theo was different from other returnees.

    Unlike the other chosen ones, he would make an entirely different kind of ¡°choice.¡±

    He was someone who could truly be called a ¡®genuine¡¯ chosen one.

    ¨C The sixth candidate.

    That position was, without question, meant for Theo.

    Thump, thump, thump, thump¡­!

    The resonating heartbeat from Theo, the pulse of power, surged in waves, spreading forcefully in all directions.

    Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

 Chapter 106

    Chapter 106: A Cold Winter (1) >

    Ouch!

    Evelyn wrapped her left arm with her right hand, gripping it tightly against the resurgence of phantom pain she hadn¡¯t felt in ages.

    Her left arm throbbed painfully.

    After attaching the metal prosthetic¡ª

    Evelyn no longer suffered from phantom pain.

    Nor was she tormented by those relentless nightmares.

    ¨C It¡¯s you, the child who bore the Nerevil name.

    The nauseating stench of Wolfgang no longer resurfaced in her memories.

    ¨C Despite having such lowly blood, you certainly resemble that child from back then; your beauty is undeniable. Very well. From now on, you are my pawn. Just as your mother was, you too shall live for me.

    But now,

    ¨C This is the path by which you can repay the favor to me, the one who allowed you to be born into this world, gifted with even a sliver of noble blood¡ªa stroke of fortune in itself.

    That nightmare had begun to rear its ugly head once more.

    More than twenty years ago¡ª

    The child who had entered the House of Ragnar simply wanting to see her father turned away in disgust upon discovering his wretched nature.

    Then, she took up a sword, adopting her mother¡¯s surname as her own.

    Driven by the single-minded vow to one day avenge the man who abandoned her and her mother.

    But even after bing a member of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry, even upon bing an Advanced Swordsman, that man remained far out of reach.

    The fact was almost unbearable for Evelyn.

    Even Julius, Theo, Cecilia, and even Kirsion¡ªthey were all so readily fighting on her behalf.

    So, she could not let herself remain suppressed like this any longer.

    ¡°I have to¡­¡±

    ng!

    Her metal prosthetic hand clenched into a fist with renewed resolve.

    ¡°I have to ovee this, no matter what.¡±

    With that vow, Evelyn lifted her head.

    ¡ª

    [Observing ¡®Theo Ragnar¡¯]

    ¡ª

    Theo Ragnar (15 years old / Male)

    ¨C Level: 32

    ¨C Stats (¨‹)

    Strength: 119 Agility: 101

    Endurance: 45 Magic Power: 243

    Intelligence: 75 Luck: 27

    ¨C Skills (¨‹)

    ¨C Lesser Drake Fear

    ¨C Hatchling Synchronization

    ¨C Wyvern Taming

    ¨C Fairy Buff

    ¨C Worm Eater

    ¨C [ess Denied]

    ¡ª

    Theo¡¯s level had already surpassed 30, and his other stats were steadily climbing, forming a steep growth curve.

    Among these, the most remarkable progress was in [Intelligence].

    Value: 75.

    He was now on the brink of reaching 100.

    Every additional stat point he had gained so far had been invested into [Intelligence].

    The reason was simple.

    Recently, while absorbing the sword orb, Theo had fumbled with the status window and discovered a few additional features.

    One of those features was understanding how to make practical use of each stat.

    Just as [Strength] enhanced muscle power and [Agility] improved nervous system response time,

    [Intelligence] was essential for skill activation, making it the perfect target for his focus.

    Thanks to this,

    Theo achieved another substantial increase inbat power within just a few days.

    [Activating ¡®Skill: Hatchling Synchronization¡¯ to enhance thetent willpower within the sword orb.]

    In Theo¡¯s vision, countless sword trajectories were drawn before him.

    Swish¡ª

    ¨C Grip the sword.

    ¨C Swing the sword.

    ¨C Sword.

    ¨C Sword.

    ¨C Give me the sword.

    ¨C Wield me.

    Innumerable, unfiltered voices mored from all sides, intensifying his headache, but Theo held firm, focusing on maintaining the skill activation.

    The sword orb Kyle had given him, though its original owner remained unknown, contained an intense obsession and fervor for the sword.

    Because of this, its depth of knowledge in swordsmanship was considerable, allowing Theo to gradually blend the various fragments of sword techniques he had absorbed so far.

    The traces sketched in front of him served as proof.

    Simply following those trajectories would enable him to unleash Dragon¡¯s w with explosive power.

    In this process, Theo gained countless fragments of insight.

    ¡®So this is why Father told me to use this orb as my foundation.¡¯

    It was said that Kyle granted swords suited to the talents of only those candidates he acknowledged.

    For Theo, who had learned swordsmanship from various people, this orb was proving to be his most exceptional teacher yet.

    ¡®Who could the original owner of this sword be? Even if I¡¯ve only learned the basics, techniques like Six Arts of the Demon Dragon and 24-Style Plum Blossom Sword are too distinctive to easily merge.¡¯

    The fact that it integrated the swordsmanship of the Nine Dragons alone was enough to hint at the extraordinary skill level of its original master.

    Yet, no specific figure came to mind.

    After all, Kyle had defeated an enormous number of experts in his rise to power.

    Pushing such thoughts aside, Theo focused solely on the sword in his grasp.

    ¡®I suppose the day wille when I find out.¡¯

    Thump, thump, thump, thump¡­!

    [Activating ¡®Skill: Fairy Buff¡¯ to apply a powerful blessing.]

    [The hidden effects of the skill manifest due to the ¡®Powerful Blessing.¡¯]

    [Vitality is granted.]

    [Dynamic vision is enhanced.]

    [Reaction speed increases.]

    [Recovery rate of stamina and magic power is boosted.]

    Then, additional skills followed suit.

    [¡®Skill: Worm Eater¡¯ is applied, increasing attack power in inverse proportion to the opponent¡¯s stamina.]

    [¡®Skill: Lesser Drake Fear¡¯ is activated, and the dragon-ying spirit crushes the opponent¡¯s will.]

    [With enhanced intelligence, the efficiency of all skills increases!]

    With the Sword Orb and skill buffs nowbined¡ª

    And with the blessed physique of the Ragnar lineage added to it, Theo could not help but disy prowess far exceeding his current level.

    Boom¡ª

    ¡°Argh! I¡¯ll kill youuuuu!¡±

    Beta¡¯s face flushed red with rage.

    Not only was he losing in skill to a mere Practical Swordsman, but he¡¯d also been momentarily overwhelmed by Theo¡¯s sheer spirit¡ªa humiliation that stung unbearably.

    Returning to the Senate in disgrace like this was unthinkable.

    Desperate to prevent that oue, he rushed forward, shouting with all his might.

    Crash!

    Theo brought down a powerful diagonal strike that scattered thunder, not only shattering Beta¡¯s sword but tearing through his upper body in a vicious sweep.

    After the intense heatstorm swept past¡ª

    ¡°Ugh¡­ ugh¡­¡±

    Beta copsed, revealing a deep wound as if a dragon¡¯s w had raked across him.

    Thud!

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    An ordinary soldier had bested a Senate swordsman.

    The crowd, struck silent by the shocking scene, stood with mouths agape.

    Only Theo, lowering his sword indifferently, spoke a single word.

    ¡°Next.¡±

    His arrogance was undeniable, and Wolfgang, along with the elders, could only tremble with shame as they clenched their fists.

    Meanwhile, the crowd erupted into thunderous cheers.

    ¨C Did you see that?

    ¨C He actually won¡­!

    ¨C They call him a demon who summons thunder! If anything, the rumors fall short¡ªhe¡¯s a monster, a real monster!

    ¨C sh Demon!

    ¨C sh Demon!

    Acting as a mediator, Niel, who had been observing the situation, asked.

    ¡°Does that mean you¡¯re participating in the second match as well?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m not even tired,¡± Theo replied casually.

    At his words, Niel couldn¡¯t help but chuckle.

    He sounded just like Kyle in his youth.

    Wolfgang, on the other hand, was utterly exasperated.

    ¡®The mood¡­ it¡¯s all shifting to that brat.¡¯

    After all, the House of Ragnar has always revered strength.

    And they weed the bold demeanor of the strong.

    Theo embodied just that.

    Arrogance and confidence.

    The line between the two was razor-thin.

    To the crowd, it appeared as confidence; to the Senate, it seemed like sheer arrogance.

    Grit!

    Who knew how many times he had clenched his teeth today. It felt as if his mrs might shatter.

    ¡°Page.¡±

    ¡°Y-yes, sir?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re up next.¡±

    ¡°M-me, sir?¡±

    The elder called Page looked startled and stammered in reply.

    ¡°Is there anyone else here by the name of Page?¡±

    With Wolfgang¡¯s stern gaze and the other elders¡¯ icy stares fixed on him, Page swallowed nervously.

    -sh Demon!

    -sh Demon!

    Even now, the crowd was chanting Theo¡¯s name.

    What would happen if he stepped forward as the second duelist in an atmosphere like this?

    The Senate might im victory, but¡ª

    his hard-earned standing as an elder would be gone, irretrievable.

    But Wolfgang motioned with his chin, urging him forward, and the other elders averted their eyes from Page¡¯s silent plea for help, unwilling to take his ce.

    ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll go and restore the honor of the Senate, whatever it takes.¡±

    In the end, Page could only rise with heavy steps.

    ¡°Remember this¡ªdefeat him resoundingly. No, finish him for good, so he¡¯ll never raise his head again.¡±

    The whisperedmand in his ear made Page¡¯s back grow damp with sweat.

    At first, they had only ordered him to take Theo¡¯s right arm; now, they were openly telling him to kill him.

    The difference between the two was vast.

    This matter might even catch the attention of Julius or the Lord of Plum Blossom Pce.

    But he had to proceed.

    Refusing Wolfgang¡¯s order might lead to harming to his familyter.

    Resigned, Page took the dueling ground with cold determination and ced his hand on his sword.

    -Boooo!

    ¨C An elder stepping in against a Practical Swordsman? Really?

    ¨C Does the Senate have no pride left?

    Jeers erupted from all around, but Page ignored thempletely, acting as though he couldn¡¯t hear a thing.

    If anything, it only strengthened his resolve.

    ¡®The moment the duel begins, I¡¯ll strike within a single second.¡¯

    If he held back and gave Theo even a chance to defend, his intent would be exposed.

    That would invite not only rebuke toward the Senate but possibly intervention from Julius and the Lord of Plum Blossom Pce as well.

    ¡°I am Page Grason of the Senate. In my prime, they once called me ¡®The Exquisite de.¡¯ As an elder of my house, I will crush that arrogant attitude of yours.¡±

    ¡°I look forward to your guidance.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    ¨C And you call yourself an elder of Ragnar?!

    ¨C You should just go and hide in the back rooms!

    With an indifferent nod, Theo lightly shed swords with Page, signaling the start of the duel.

    In that instant, Page swiftly swung his sword to strike Theo¡¯s neck.

    Just as his de, infused with fierce sword energy, was about to sh¡ª

    ¡°Surrender.¡±

    Suddenly, Theo stepped back with his hands raised, as if he¡¯d anticipated everything all along.

    Page¡¯s face was filled with confusion.

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    ¡°I surrender. This second duel is a loss for our side. After all, how could a young, inexperienced junior like me dare to face a senior inbat? But you must feel quite pleased, having imed at least one win, right?¡±

    Theo shot a mocking smile at Page, who was still staring in shock, then turned around and exited the dueling grounds.

    ¨C W-what¡¯s going on?

    The crowd began to murmur at the sudden turn of events.

    ¨C He surrendered out of nowhere?

    ¨C From the look on his face, he nned this all along! Haha!

    ¨C Ah¡­! I get it. In the end, the final duel will be between the Demon Dragon and the Origin Dragon, right?

    ¨C Since they¡¯ve already secured one victory, the second duel doesn¡¯t really matter to them.

    ¨C Hahaha! So, what happened here? The Senate sent in an elder just to fight a junior swordsman and ended up as theughingstock?

    ¨C The Senate looks like a dog chasing after a chickenpletely in vain. Haha!

    ¡°Damn it!¡±

    Page¡¯s face flushed with rage, hisplexion turning red and blue as he realized he¡¯d been toyed with by Theo.

    The Senate had lost its honor in the first duel, and in the second, they had gained nothing but humiliation.

    Meanwhile¡ª

    It appeared that Julius of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry was preparing to stand as the third duelist.

    In a panic, Page looked back toward the Senate¡¯s side.

    Wolfgang, shaking with rage, sprang up from his seat.

    An intense killing intent surged from him.

    ¡°These little bastards¡­! Fine. If this is how you want to y it, then I¡¯ll have no choice but to respond in kind¡­!¡±

    Thud, thud!

    Wolfgang stormed forward with powerful strides.

    * * *

    shback

    -I¡¯ll make a fool of the Senate right in front of everyone.

    Recalling Theo¡¯s words when he¡¯d insisted on taking on the first two duels himself, Julius smirked.

    So this was what he meant.

    The entire Senate had ended up humiliated and mocked, caught in the palm of Theo¡¯s hand.

    This would be a story people would talk about for a long time toe.

    Theo¡¯s reputation would surely soar.

    The White Armored Dragon Cavalry, who had been quietly oppressed by the Senate all this time, would now be seen as standing above them.

    ¡®As expected, he¡¯s a sly one.¡¯

    That was precisely why Julius cherished Theo so deeply.

    ¡°Then I suppose I¡¯ll handle the final finish.¡±

    And if they could break thest arm of the Senate¡¯s leader here, the Senate would have no honor left to revive for some time.

    Right then, Wolfgang, visibly seething with rage, strode out into the arena.

    Julius, chuckling, was about to step forward himself when¡ª

    ¡°¡­Evelyn?¡±

    Suddenly, Evelyn extended her metal prosthetic, blocking Julius¡¯s path.

    Her gaze was intense, filled with a firm resolve.

    With a steady, somber look, Evelyn spoke.

    ¡°Please allow me to take the third duel.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    Julius¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.

    * * *

    When had it started?

    Julius often thought¡ª

    Evelyn was like a cocoon.

    A being that could, once shed, soar beautifully into the sky¡ªbut still, a cocoon not yet ready to break free.

    That child,

    the butterfly,

    was now struggling to emerge from its cocoon, preparing to spread her wings.

    At that moment, Julius realized something¡ª

    even his own feelings that had been stirred by watching her for so long.

    ¡®Yes. I¡¯ve always¡­ been moved by this side of her!¡¯

 Chapter 107

    Chapter 107: A Cold Winter (2) >

    ¨C If he went even a moment without romance, he¡¯d say his mouth would start growing thorns.

    It was something Julius used to say constantly in his younger days.

    In truth, during his youth, when he was a handsome man, he never took a break from enjoying romance.

    He flirted with countless noblewomen, and sometimes secretly took pleasure in watching youngdies fight over him.

    But when did it begin?

    Julius started to feel that all these romances were meaningless.

    Even though he had always managed to make time for romance, no matter how frantically busy he was.

    Suddenly, none of it felt enjoyable anymore.

    He burned all the love letters he¡¯d scratched out every night and cut off contact with the noblewomen he¡¯d been meeting in secret.

    At the time, he didn¡¯t understand why he¡¯d felt that way.

    But now, realizing his feelings clearly, he thought he understood.

    ¨C Hello! I¡¯m Evelyn Nerevil, the new recruit assigned to the White Armored Dragon Cavalry!

    When he first saw Evelyn.

    It had started right then.

    * * *

    ¡°You!¡±

    Wolfgang, who had been waiting for Julius toe up, frowned at the sight of the final opponent.

    ¨C What¡¯s going on?

    ¨C Isn¡¯t the Demon Dragon supposed to being up?

    The crowd began murmuring as well.

    It was because, instead of the anticipated Julius, Evelyn Nerevil¡ªthe cause of this whole situation¡ªwas the finalbatant.

    ¡°Captain?¡±

    Theo, on his way back, saw Evelyn and was equally surprised.

    ¡°You did well. And thank you. But this matter was originally mine to handle, so I¡¯ll finish it.¡±

    Evelyn nodded calmly and patted Theo on the shoulder, then walked past him to stand in thebat arena.

    Theo quickly turned to watch her retreating figure.

    The way she looked, as if she had resolved herself to something.

    It was like looking at a well-sharpened sword.

    ¡°Are you suggesting we y games?¡±

    Unfazed by Wolfgang¡¯s intense murderous aura, Evelyn calmly drew a dagger and ripped the hem of her borate dress straight up.

    Revealing a long, beautifully sculpted leg.

    Then she tied her hair back with a piece of the dress fabric.

    ¡°Whew! Now I¡¯m a bit morefortable.¡±

    Her eyes sparkled with life.

    And then she slowly raised her sword.

    ¡°So it¡¯s really you as the final opponent?¡±

    ¡°Why? Standing here, are you frightened, Father?¡±

    A single, casually tossed remark.

    But the shock that followed was anything but casual.

    ¨C What? The Elder Council Head is her father?

    ¨C What on earth does that mean?

    ¨C Now that I think about it, the two of them¡­ they do look a bit alike¡­?

    ¨C But wait, how old is the Elder Council Head to have a daughter her age?

    Wolfgang¡¯s face flushed red.

    The past he never wanted to reveal was about to be exposed in front of everyone.

    ¡°What nonsense are you spouting! When did I ever have a daughter like you?!¡±

    ¡°Did you already forget? You forced a marriage on a bastard just because she was decent-looking. When I refused, I lost one of my arms in the process. Seems like you forgot. It shouldn¡¯t have been so easy to forget.¡±

    ¡°How dare you spew lies in a ce like this¡­!¡±

    ¡°Oh, and you told me that, since my remaining ¡®value¡¯ as a product was gone, it couldn¡¯t be helped that I was now considered lowly. I apologize¡ªhow inappropriate of someone as low as me to stand before someone as distinguished as you.¡±

    ¡°You wretched girl! Shut your mouth!!¡±

    Crash!

    Unable to hold back any longer, Wolfgang stomped down fiercely.

    Even though Niel hadn¡¯t yet announced the start of the match.

    At that moment, all Wolfgang could think of was silencing Evelyn by any means necessary.

    ¨C A bastard child?

    ¨C The Elder Council Head is nearly a hundred years old now, so¡­ that means he must¡¯ve been in his seventies when¡­

    ¨C Has he lost his mind?

    ¨C Wait, can he even¡­ still¡­ function properly?

    Meanwhile, the crowd¡¯s shock was growing like a snowball rolling downhill.

    ¡®So that¡¯s what happened. That¡¯s why Evelyn¡¯s arm is¡­!¡¯

    Theo, equally stunned by this revtion, couldn¡¯t help but admire Evelyn¡¯sposure as she cast off her past so effortlessly.

    ng!

    Evelyn drew her sword calmly, parrying Wolfgang¡¯s fierce attack with precision.

    The fusion of Julius¡¯s swordsmanship and the Wind Lord¡¯s secrets created a fresh thrill for the crowd.

    ¨C Wind¡­?

    ¨C This isn¡¯t quite like the Demon Dragon¡¯s Six Arts. What is it?

    ¨C It¡¯s the Wind Lord! That¡¯s the Wind Lord¡¯s sword!

    ¨C What? She inherited the true legacy of the Wind Lord? That person?

    The fact that the sessor of the absolute master who once posed the greatest obstacle to Kyle¡¯s rise to power had appeared shocked many.

    ¨C But that aside, she deflected the Origin Dragon¡¯s strike! And she¡¯s just an Advanced Swordsman!

    ¨C Sure, the Elder Council Head may be injured¡­ but that means she¡¯s at least at Dragon Gate Swordsman level, right?

    ¨C I thought she¡¯d lost her skills after losing an arm.

    ¨C So, the sessor of the Wind Lord really is different!

    On the other hand, many were astounded at Evelyn¡¯s skills, now far beyond what she¡¯d disyed in the past.

    ¨C We were already surprised when Theo Ragnar and the Ranke twins joined as new recruits, but now their captain is the sessor of the Wind Lord? This is going to widen the power gap between the Four Great Units even further.

    Some envied the White Armored Dragon Cavalry for drawing in such talented individuals in droves.

    ¡°Ahem!¡±

    Julius reflexively cleared his throat, then quietly sent a message to Theo.

    ¡¸Did you know that Evelyn acquired the Wind Lord¡¯s secret techniques?¡¹

    ¡¸Yes. I was aware.¡¹

    ¡¸Then why wasn¡¯t there a report to me?¡¹

    ¡¸Captain wanted to inform you herself. She said she wanted to see the Commander¡¯s surprised reaction.¡¹

    ¡¸¡­¡­.¡¹

    Julius was momentarily at a loss for words.

    ¡®Could it be because¡­ I¡¯ve been sneaking a few bottles of wine from the dorms recently?¡¯

    Still, he found it irksome that Evelyn hadn¡¯t reported something of this magnitude to her superior.

    ¡­Well, it was true he¡¯d taken only the most expensive ones.

    For a long moment, Julius couldn¡¯t take his eyes off Evelyn. Behind her, he thought he saw the wings of a butterfly fluttering, ready to take flight in a dazzling disy.

    And then¡ª

    ¡®Could it be?¡¯

    Sensing something unusual in the way Julius was watching Evelyn, Theo subtly activated his authority.

    [Observing ¡®Julius Ragnar.¡¯]

    +

    Julius Ragnar (41 years old / Male)

    ¡¤ Title: Demon Dragon

    ¡¤ Talents: Leadership. Swordsmanship genius. Passion for talent acquisition. Pure devotion in love.

    ¡¤ Current Status: Recently realized his feelings for ¡®Evelyn Nerevil¡¯ and is flustered, unsure of what to do.

    +

    Theo had to stifle augh that almost slipped out involuntarily.

    ¡®So that [Pure Devotion in Love] talent¡­ was directed at Evelyn? No wonder he seemed particrly hard on her.¡¯

    What amused him the most was how that part alone was highlighted in bold.

    And the status description only added to the humor.

    Cha-ching!

    Meanwhile, Evelyn and Wolfgang¡¯s sh continued unabated.

    ¡°I¡¯ll kill youuu!¡±

    Ovee by his rage, Wolfgang raised his aura to its maximum, his eyes beginning to gleam with a crazed intensity.

    It was the onset of qi deviation.

    Recognizing Wolfgang¡¯s shift, Evelyn calmly gathered her magic power in preparation to counter.

    sh¡ªCrack!

    Just as Wolfgang¡¯s sword was about to descend upon Evelyn¡¯s neck,

    ¡¸That¡¯s enough.¡¹

    Something suddenly dropped between Evelyn and Wolfgang from above.

    Boom!

    Rumble¡ª

    Unable to withstand the energy contained within it, Evelyn and Wolfgang both staggered backward.

    They looked up sharply.

    A powerful spiritual presence was swirling in a vortex in the sky.

    It was the Master of the Six Harmonies.

    A supreme skill that allowed one¡¯s voice to echo over a vast area.

    ¡°What are you doing, Patriarch?!¡±

    Wolfgang, recognizing that the voice¡¯s owner was Kyle from Half-Sword Grave, roared in fury.

    The sword that had blocked his advance was the very same de embedded in Half-Sword Grave.

    But Kyle paid no mind, simply continuing with his message in an unruffled tone.

    ¡¸All Nine Dragons are to gather at the mountain lodge.¡¹

    With that, his presence vanished as he withdrew his spiritual intent.

    ¡°Patriarch!¡±

    Wolfgang let out a shout of frustration.

    The Patriarch¡¯s orders took precedence over everything else.

    Thus, the duel had to end here.

    ¡°Because of you¡­! You¡¯ve ruined me¡­!¡±

    But Wolfgang couldn¡¯t bring himself to stop here.

    Because of Theo, Evelyn, and Julius, his honor, his reputation¡ªeverything had been trampled into the mud.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    If things ended like this, even the Elder Council would be left defeated by the White Armored Dragon Cavalry.

    What woulde after that?

    Nothing.

    Nothing at all.

    Crackle¡ª

    Wolfgang¡¯s eyes finally filled with madness.

    A raw, bloodthirsty energy seeped into Water Lily Pce.

    ¡°How unsightly, Elder Council Head.¡±

    Clicking his tongue, Niel drew her sword with a look of contempt.

    Julius, the Lord of Plum Blossom Pce, and ck Dragon all followed suit, unsheathing their des.

    If Wolfgang defied Kyle¡¯s orders and moved to harm Evelyn, they were prepared to execute him on the spot.

    At that moment¡ª

    Thummm!

    The half-sword embedded in the ground emitted a fierce resonance.

    The resulting waves instantly spread in concentric circles, epassing the entire banquet hall and Water Lily Pce.

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    The wave forcibly neutralized all the magic and killing intent present.

    It dispelled not only the killing aura of Niel, Julius, the Lord of Plum Blossom Pce, and ck Dragon, but even the madness that had consumed Wolfgang.

    Everyone, including the crowd, turned their gaze toward the half-sword. Wolfgang, suddenly alert, stared at it in shock.

    ¡¸Gather. I won¡¯t say it again.¡¹

    A clear, final warning.

    Clenching his lower lip, Wolfgang shot onest re at Evelyn before swiftly vanishing in the direction of Half-Sword Grave.

    The rest of the Nine Dragons also vanished just as swiftly.

    The banquet hall, which had been filled with an oppressive bloodlust mere moments ago, fell silent, as if nothing had ever happened.

    ¡°Ha¡­¡±

    Only then did Theo feel like he could finally breathe again.

    And once more, he was reminded.

    The level Kyle had reached was something far beyond that of any ordinary human.

    * * *

    Wolfgang felt as if he would lose his mind, burdened byyers uponyers of anger piling up within him with no outlet.

    However, he couldn¡¯t allow it to show.

    This was the Half-Sword Grave.

    The sanctuary among sanctuaries where Kyle resided.

    ¡®One day¡­!¡¯

    While Wolfgang red at the profiles of Julius, the ck Dragon, and Niel¡ª

    Swish! Swish! Swish!

    Eight individuals had already gathered in the Half-Sword Grave.

    Each of them varied in gender, age, and the aura of dignity they exuded.

    All of the Nine Dragons had gathered, except for Ed Troyban.

    Yet, Kyle, who naturally should have been there, was nowhere in sight.

    Only a beloved sword of his remained embedded in the ground, vibrating softly.

    Bzzzt, bzzzzzzzt-!

    ¡¸¡®He¡¯ has returned.¡¹

    Kyle¡¯s presence could not be felt anywhere in the Half-Sword Grave.

    Meaning he was absent.

    Yet, regardless of the distance, his intention could still be conveyed wherever it needed to reach.

    A state beyond the limits of time and space.

    He stood at a ce where only mythical gods of legend were said to tread.

    And,

    The single sentence he threw out stirred every one of the Nine Dragons gathered here.

    In that moment, even Wolfgang forgot about Evelyn.

    ¡°What is the meaning of this, Master! Who do you mean by ¡®he¡¯!¡±

    The ck Dragon took the lead, shouting out.

    But the resonance of the sword didn¡¯t subside.

    ¡¸As I said. ¡®He¡¯ has returned. The heavenly energy is shifting. That¡¯s why I, too, am relocating urgently.¡¹

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°This cannot be¡­!¡±

    ¡°At that time, that man was¡­!¡±

    Unmoved by themotion among the Nine Dragons, the sword resonance continued.

    ¡¸Brace yourselves. This war will not end easily.¡¹

    The Nine Dragons fell silent.

    Julius clenched his eyes shut, while Niel clicked his tongue.

    The Lord of Plum Blossom Pce bit down hard, and the ck Dragon looked up to the sky, letting out his pent-up frustration.

    Wolfgang clenched his fists tightly.

    The Upsurging Dragon and two others let out sighs or trembled in fear.

    ¡¸The Northern winter will be bitterly cold this year¡­¡¹

    At that moment, Kyle¡¯s sword nted in the Half-Sword Grave quivered delicately, as if feeling the chill of the winter wind.

    Wooong, wooong-

 Chapter 108

    Chapter 108: Cold Winter (3) >

    Dagatdagatak-

    A lone carriage made its way into the deste vige.

    The aftermath of a war seemed to have swept through, leaving the crops ruined and not a single building intact.

    Creaaaak!

    The carriage halted in the middle of the vige, and slowly, the door opened to reveal Ed Troyban stepping out.

    ¡°Haa¡­¡±

    As he exhaled lightly, a voice called out from behind him.

    ¡°How does it feel to breathe the fresh air after so long?¡±

    Ed turned in that direction, lowering his head respectfully.

    Approaching him was an elderly man dressed in the silk robes popr in the East, his long beard giving him a sage-like appearance, apanied by two robust bodyguards.

    ¡°Father.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m curious to hear your thoughts.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a mess¡­ everywhere.¡±

    ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°I have a feeling something big is about to explode. It feels like apletely different world.¡±

    Ed recalled the viges he¡¯d seen while journeying from the northernnds into the eastern region.

    Almost all of them bore a resemnce to this ghost vige.

    A world where crops had been destroyed, and emaciated refugees wandered aimlessly.

    ¡°Was it this bad?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    The elderly man, Granada Troyban, nodded gravely with his hands sped behind his back.

    ¡°Recently, sudden natural disasters have ravaged everything across the world. Sea levels have risen, submerging lond areaspletely underwater, and melting ciers have triggeredndslides that buried entire mountain regions. In the southern ins, a sudden cold snap has hit hard, while in the east, swarms of locusts have devastated all the crops sown in spring.¡±

    Ed recalled the state of the empire he had once heard of through the intelligence agency.

    ¡°Ocean currents suddenly changed, disrupting once-thriving trade routes¡­ even an outbreak of disease devastated a city of hundreds of thousands. And yet the Empire.¡±

    Granada¡¯s tone was calm.

    However, Ed didn¡¯t miss the deep-seated anger underlying it.

    ¡°The so-called emperor spends his days surrounded by corrupt officials and eunuchs, throwing the entire administrative system into chaos. Thanks to this, signs of rebellion are sprouting all over the ce. Those with ambition are brazenly considering independence.¡±

    ¡°So that¡¯s why the influence of the Sacred Demon Church has been spreading rapidly.¡±

    ¡°In times of turmoil, religion is the only ce the people can find sce.¡±

    Granada and Ed had allied with the Sacred Demon Church out of necessity, though deep down, they both held it in contempt.

    ¡°Before long, the Great War will arrive.¡±

    The Great War.

    Just hearing those words pressed down hard on Ed¡¯s heart.

    ¡°And after that, arger¡­ unstoppable wave wille crashing down. From the north.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°We have a duty to set it right. A responsibility. That¡¯s why the House of Ragnar, outdated and irrelevant, must disappear, and Troyban must rise.¡±

    Granada¡¯s eyes gleamed with a dangerous intensity.

    ¡°The key to that lies in the Ancient Dragon¡¯s relic. An ancient mystery that those foolish Ragnars have failed to unlock. Did you bring it?¡±

    ¡°Here it is.¡±

    At Ed¡¯s signal, a subordinate who had been waiting nearby swiftly set down arge chest on the ground and threw open the lid.

    Inside, a long broadsword was coiled tightly in chains.

    Granada¡¯s eyes shed with interest.

    ¡°The Dragon Spirit¡¯s Cursed de.¡±

    ¡°So, this is it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve handled various relics before, but I assure you, nonepare to the value of this one.¡±

    ¡°Yet, it¡¯s also true that you¡¯ve been foolish enough to lose all the relics we¡¯ve gathered so far.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°We even missed out on securing the Rose Pce¡¯s relic. Losing Emil doesn¡¯t exactly make it a worthwhile trade.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­I have no excuse.¡±

    Ed bowed his head deeply.

    ¡°Enough. What¡¯s the use of dwelling on the past? It won¡¯t change anything.¡±

    Granada waved his hand dismissively in the air.

    Tadadadang!

    The chains shattered all at once, and the sword floated freely into the air.

    At the same time, Granada reached into the wide sleeve of his robe and pulled out a blue key.

    Ed¡¯s eyes lit up at the sight.

    ¡®That¡¯s the master key said to unlock the relic¡¯s seal¡­ the one he received from him!¡¯

    Thump-thump-thump!

    Would he finally catch a glimpse of the relic¡¯s mysteries that he had never been able to unlock?

    ¡°The Demon de of Dragonying¡­ it really wille to this ce, won¡¯t it?¡±

    Ed nodded heavily.

    ¡°I can say it in my name. That child is indeed the  of this era.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? He will be very pleased to hear it.¡±

    For the first time, a satisfied smile yed at the corners of Granada¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s begin.¡±

    Granada moved the blue key toward the sword.

    * * *

    After Kyle¡¯s summons of the Nine Dragons.

    Julius looked utterly exhausted.

    The sheer amount of work he had to handle was overwhelming.

    Preparing for war with Troyban, redistributing the White Armored Dragon Cavalry¡¯s forces, and handling the aftermath of disputes with the Senate¡ªthese tasks weighed heavily on him.

    The only satisfying piece of news was the statement the Senate had issued yesterday:

    ¨C The Senate will suspend all functions for the next year, and all senators will abandon their posts, assuming only the position of simple soldiers, akin to Trainee Swordsmen, in support of the war against Troyban.

    It was practically a deration of surrender.

    If the Senate wanted to maintain any respect in the future, they had to do something drastic.

    ¡°¡­And just when I thought I¡¯d finally get a break.¡±

    Julius narrowed his gaze as he looked over the document in his hand.

    On the cover, it read:

    ¨C Solo Operation n.

    ¡°You¡¯ve brought me yet another pile of work, haven¡¯t you?¡±

    He shot a pointed look in a particr direction.

    Theo stood there in a stance of attentive readiness.

    ¡°My apologies.¡±

    ¡°Are you really sorry? There¡¯s a smirk on your face.¡±

    ¡°My mistake. I¡¯ll correct it.¡±

    ¡°¡­I shouldn¡¯t have put you under Evelyn. You used to be so diligent, but in just a few months, you¡¯ve changed.¡±

    Lowering the document, Julius asked a question.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to read another word. Exin it simply. What is this solo operation you¡¯re proposing?¡±

    ¡°Do you know of ¡®Venota¡¯?¡±

    ¡°The shipping alliance in the autonomous region of the Northwestern Floating Archipgo?¡±

    ¡°More precisely, it¡¯s a free city run by the three major merchant families atop the shipping alliance: Spin, Grimahl, and Romellin.¡±

    ¡°Alright, but why there?¡±

    Julius¡¯s interests were restricted to the North, where the White Armored Dragon Cavalry operated.

    Other regions held no concern for him.

    This was typical of the Northern mindset, often seen as a separate civilization or kingdom within the Empire. The unique disposition of Northerners was distinct from other Imperial citizens.

    ¡°ording to information shared by ck Snow, the financial flow into ck Skull originated there.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Only then did Julius react.

    ck Skull¡ªthe terrorists responsible for the deaths of numerous members of Unit 5.

    ¡°So, I intend to investigate directly.¡±

    ¡°¡­Investigations fall strictly under ck Snow¡¯s domain.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve already received approval from the Director of Information.¡±

    ¡®That old man really¡­¡¯

    Julius gritted his teeth.

    So the ck Dragon had secretly met with Theo again.

    ¡°But isn¡¯t that all the information we currently have? It¡¯s too dangerous. And even if we needed to, it¡¯s difficult to send support to such a distant location. Wait until ck Snow gathers more intel.¡±

    ¡°The main role of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry¡¯s Unit 5 is, as I understand, conducting special missions. From the rank of Practical Swordsman, solo operations are also permitted, aren¡¯t they?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s only when themander has deemed the operation executable and given their approval.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    ¡°Commander.¡±

    ¡°No. It¡¯s too dangerous. Return.¡±

    Julius pushed the documents back toward him.

    ¡°The Archipgo is beyond our reach to begin with. It¡¯s so wealthy it¡¯s said to attract every coin in the world, yet it¡¯s also awless area teeming with escaped ves and exiles. Isn¡¯t it full of madmen bold enough to openly deploy pirates as their so-called navy?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°And besides, we still don¡¯t know ck Skull¡¯s true nature. Their strength is likely far greater than what we¡¯ve detected thus far. What do you think you¡¯ll aplish by going there alone?¡±

    Julius¡¯s gaze looked fierce enough to burst into mes.

    ¡°Sure. If it¡¯s you, you might pull something off. There¡¯s probably some n you haven¡¯t told me about. But dangerous is dangerous.¡±

    Theo could see the genuine concern in Julius¡¯s stern scolding.

    Worry.

    He was thinking of him truly as a disciple, as family, as a subordinate.

    But¡­

    ¡®That¡¯s why I have to do this.¡¯

    The moment Theo learned that ck Skull¡¯s funding source was in Venota, memories from his past life resurfaced, revealing the significance of the Shipping Alliance.

    ¨C The source of funding for the Sacred Demon Church.

    ¨C The center of uprisings and rebellions across the regions.

    ¨C The power behind the Great War.

    ¡®Is it really a coincidence that the terrorist ck Skull is somehow tied to Venota?¡¯

    Yet another thought struck him.

    ¨C If ck Skull was indeed one of the hidden weapons Venota kept, then why did Troyban and ck Skull end up coborating in the Great War, despite being sworn enemies since the nky Fortress Battle?

    There was surely a conspiracy he didn¡¯t yet understand.

    ¡®If I uncover this, I could gain an advantageous position.¡¯

    This was why Theo had stayed up night after night preparing the solo operation n.

    ¡®It may even lead to unlocking the secret behind the Dragon yer Sword.¡¯

    ck Skull.

    Tracking them down was urgent.

    ¡°This is necessary for me, Commander.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    Seeing Theo¡¯s determined gaze, Julius held his silence.

    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you everything, but this matter is undeniably tied to Troyban. Please, allow me to make my move.¡±

    Julius kept his tightly pressed lips sealed, still unwilling to answer.

    ¡°And this mission is also the first step in establishing my foundation.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    Finally, Julius¡¯s mouth opened, letting out a deep sigh.

    ¡°¡­Alright. If you¡¯re that determined, I suppose I have no choice. I¡¯ll approve this operation. However, information on this matter is extremely limited, so you must coborate with ck Snow.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±

    Click!

    Inwardly, Julius felt as if he were personally pushing Theo into the jaws of the ck Dragon.

    But what could he do? When a disciple sincerely pleaded for something essential to his growth, he had to allow it.

    The conviction that cing Theo as the next head of House Ragnar would serve the family was firmly ingrained in Julius¡¯s mind.

    In the end,

    Julius stamped his seal prominently on the document.

    Thud!

    ¨C Approved.

    ¡°And I¡¯ll assign you a guard as support.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t spare many. A full mobilization order has just been issued due to this operation.¡±

    ¡°Your consideration alone is enough. I¡¯ll be on my way, then.¡±

    Theo gathered his papers, bowed, and left the office.

    Creak¡ª

    Julius turned his chair around to gaze out the window.

    Snowkes were gently drifting down from the sky.

    ¡°By the time he returns, it¡¯ll be the new year, and he¡¯ll be sixteen.¡±

    How would Theo look with another year behind him?

    The thought alone made Julius smile to himself without realizing it.

    * * *

    Theo¡¯s preparations were swift.

    ¡®If Venota truly is behind ck Skull, there must be a substantial conspiracy for Venota to align with Troyban.¡¯

    He felt a sense of urgency.

    ¡®Since Troyban has made their move far earlier than in the original timeline, there¡¯s a strong chance the conspiracy involving Venota is already underway. I¡¯ll cut it off¡ªand if possible, bring Venota over to my side.¡¯

    The uncertainty about how much the butterfly effect had already taken hold was a concern, though Theo trusted he could adapt and manage somehow.

    ¡°Are you leaving already, my son? It¡¯s unfortunate, as we¡¯re about to open the shop soon, and the New Year is just around the corner.¡±

    Cecilia looked at Theo with regretful eyes.

    Theo smiled wryly.

    Since the recent banquet at the Water Lily Pce, orders had been flooding in for the ceremonial robes he had worn at the time.

    The same went for the dresses Cecilia and Evelyn had worn.

    Thanks to this, Cecilia was now preparing to open the shop much sooner than initially nned.

    The problem was that Theo¡¯s mission was starting even earlier than that.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Just as I have my responsibilities, so do you, my dear. I¡¯m sorry if I¡¯ve only added to your burdens as you head off on this journey.¡±

    Cecilia pulled Theo close, holding his head to her chest.

    ¡°But always remember this¡ªyour home is here. Whenever you¡¯re struggling, don¡¯t hesitate to return.¡±

    ¡°Yes. I understand.¡±

    Theo savored the feeling of Cecilia¡¯s hand gently stroking the back of his head for a long time.

    It was warm.

 Chapter 109

    Chapter 109: Cold Winter (4) >

    1:41 AM.

    Theo stepped out through a side door that had opened slightly, recing the firmly locked main gate of Winterer¡¯s fortress.

    ¡°The air is brisk.¡±

    Theo pulled up the fox fur scarf that Cecilia had thoughtfully provided, covering his mouth.

    The night wind of his first winter since his return was as cold as he remembered.

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯ve finally arrived, our youngest.¡±

    Waiting for Theo were two people: Selperd and Arin.

    These two had been assigned by Julius to be Theo¡¯s mentors.

    ¡®Didn¡¯t Evelyn mention she was busy preparing for the Dragon Gate Swordsman promotion test?¡¯

    Although he felt a slight pang of regret, he wished her the best results.

    Since she had put up a good fight against Wolfgang, catching the eye of many masters, it likely wouldn¡¯t be too difficult for her to seed in the promotion.

    ¡°Have you been waiting long? I apologize for the dy.¡±

    ¡°No, no, no need. We just arrived a little while ago ourselves. Besides, you came ten minutes early, didn¡¯t you? Nothing to be sorry about.¡±

    As Theo apologized, Selperd waved his hand dismissively and asked casually.

    ¡°So, our destination is the Autonomous Territory of the Floating Archipgo, huh? What mission are we on exactly?¡±

    ¡°Hmm? Didn¡¯t the Captain tell you anything?¡±

    ¡°He just kicked me and said to follow you, nothing else.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    That exined why Arin looked so grumpy without saying a word.

    Theo let out a small sigh.

    ¡°I¡¯ll exin in detail as we travel.¡±

    ¡°Sounds good.¡±

    Whistle!

    Selperd let out a short whistle.

    Two wyverns appeared in the sky, silhouetted against the moon as they descended.

    * * *

    Over the course of several days, Theo¡¯s group traveled toward the northwestern region.

    The northern pine forests gradually disappeared, giving way to ins, and as they crossed several mountains, the air began to grow warmer.

    ¡®Or maybe it¡¯s just that northern winters are especially cold?¡¯

    While Theo pondered these things, a low-lying area eventually came into view on the horizon.

    And beyond it¡ªthe vast blue expanse of the ocean stretched out in a single, breathtaking sweep.

    For a moment, his chest felt wide open.

    ¡°Ah! Even after years, it¡¯s still a great sight.¡±

    Selperd eximed in admiration at the ocean¡¯s blue expanse, then looked back at Theo.

    ¡°Oh, by the way, Theo, isn¡¯t this your first time seeing the ocean?¡±

    ¡°Well, yes, you could say that.¡±

    ¡°Huh. But you don¡¯t seem impressed? Other people are either astonished, like, ¡®Wow, is that much water even possible?¡¯ or scared, asking, ¡®Where does it end?¡¯ It¡¯s always one or the other.¡±

    In the north, although there were a fewrgekes, the region was mostly filled with ins and forests, so many northerners lived their entire lives without ever seeing the sea.

    It seemed Selperd had expected Theo to have a simr reaction.

    ¡®There was a time I lived near the ocean, after all.¡¯

    With his memories from a previous life, the sight of the ocean didn¡¯t astonish Theo. As a result, Selperd¡¯s enthusiasm quickly waned.

    ¡°Did you think everyone in the world would get all worked up like you?¡±

    Arin scoffed, prompting Selperd to smirk suddenly.

    ¡°Now, is there or isn¡¯t there a friend who, upon seeing the ocean for the first time, suddenly had to run to the restroom?¡±

    ¡°¡­Would you shut up?¡±

    ¡°There is?¡±

    ¡°Honestly, I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about.¡±

    ¡°There isn¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°You wanna die?¡±

    ck!

    Arin drew her sword and pursued Selperd, keeping pace with him.

    ¡°Pahahaha!¡±

    ¡°Hey! You¡¯d better stop right there!¡±

    Whooosh¡ª

    As the two engaged in an aerial chase, exchanging banter andughter, Theo quietly gazed at the tranquil blue waves.

    In the distance, he could make out ¡®Novaz¨¦,¡¯ the harbor city that led to the Floating Archipgo.

    Large and small vessels were docked at the port, with goods being loaded and unloaded, creating a lively and bustling atmosphere.

    There were workers unloading goods at the docks, auctioneers shouting bids, fishermen celebrating their full catches, traders sorting and packing fish, vendors setting up their stands, and the horns of ships sounding as they prepared to set sail.

    Unlike the north, where people fought fiercely to survive in a harsh environment, here was a ce bustling with a different kind of fierce intensity.

    ¡®It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve been here.¡¯

    A quiet smile yed on Theo¡¯s lips.

    In his previous life. Fleeing from the House of Ragnar, he had left Winterer ande here with the vague n of starting a trade.

    ¡®Wonder if those people are still doing well?¡¯

    As memories of his past life connections¡ªwho would now still be children¡ªsurfaced, Theo¡¯s group soon arrived near Novaz¨¦.

    Before entering the city, the group concealed or stationed their wyverns nearby and changed into the specially prepared clothes.

    ¡°This mission is a secret operation, so we need to keep our identities thoroughly hidden. We¡¯ll also move as covertly as possible. For now, we¡¯ll be using ¡®wandering knights¡¯ as our cover. Here are your identity tokens.¡±

    Theo handed separate identity tokens to Selperd and Arin.

    Selperd examined his token with a curious expression.

    ¡°When did you even get these ready?¡±

    ¡°ck Snow prepared them for us.¡±

    ¡°Did you really receive the Emblem of No Snow?¡±

    ¡°Was there a rumor about that?¡±

    ¡°Considering how important that news is, do you think it would just be a rumor?¡±

    ¡°Then¡­?¡±

    ¡°How did I know, you ask?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°I just¡­ heard it.¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    ¡°It just came to me.¡±

    ¡°¡­??¡±

    The existence of the Emblem of No Snow was a secret known only to Theo, the ck Dragon, and Julius.

    But for him to have just passively heard about it somewhere?

    Beside him, Arin sighed deeply and shook her head.

    ¡°Just let it go, even if you can¡¯t make sense of what he says. He¡¯s like a mouse, scurrying around everywhere and picking up bits and pieces here and there.¡±

    ¡°Oh-ho! Calling me a mouse! There¡¯s a perfectly good word for that¡ªconnoisseur!¡±

    ¡°Is it ¡®connoisseur¡¯ to know the number of spoons and forks at Theo¡¯s house? That¡¯s stalking.¡±

    ¡°¡­???¡±

    Theo still couldn¡¯t follow their conversation.

    ¡°Just let it go. Trying to understand everything about this guy would be a never-ending task.¡±

    ¡°¡­Ah, okay.¡±

    With a puzzled expression, Theo nodded and entered Novaz¨¦ alongside them.

    ¡°So, where do we go now? Should we buy tickets directly for the ship to Venota?¡±

    ¡°No. There¡¯s somewhere we need to stop by first.¡±

    ¡°Where?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll be here soon.¡±

    ¡°Huh? What?¡±

    This time, it was Selperd who looked confused and tilted his head in question.

    Thud!

    Out of nowhere, a passerby identally bumped into Theo.

    ¡°My apologies¡­ Aaagh!¡±

    Selperd and Arin were momentarily stunned.

    The passerby¡¯s hand was still firmly nted in Theo¡¯s back pocket as he screamed in surprise.

    Theo had caught him red-handed while he was trying to pickpocket him.

    ¡°You¡¯re with Spin, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°W-What are you talking about! Let me go! Let go right now!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like to meet your superiors. How should we make that happen?¡±

    Theo grinned, unaffected by the pickpocket¡¯s panicked cries.

    ¡°You bastard!¡±

    The thief¡¯s face flushed red as he pulled a dagger from his cloak and shed at Theo.

    But¡ª

    Crack!

    In an instant, the thief¡¯s right arm twisted backward.

    ¡°Aaaargh!¡±

    Without blinking, Theo drove his foot into the man¡¯s abdomen.

    From the beginning, he had no intention of showing any mercy to a criminal.

    Thud!

    Roll!

    The pickpocket was thrown into the air,nding on top of a vendor¡¯s stand on the opposite side.

    ¡°Aaaaah!¡±

    ¡°A fight!¡±

    ¡°Guards! Call the guards!¡±

    As the area grew more chaotic,

    Theo firmly pressed his foot against the pickpocket¡¯s neck, who had tried to get up, forcing him back down.

    ¡°Urgh! My neck! N-neck¡­!¡±

    Theo looked down at the gasping man, coldly smiling.

    ¡°Where¡¯s your hideout?¡±

    ¡°M-my neck first¡­!¡±

    ¡°Start with the location.¡±

    Theo pressed down harder.

    Realizing he might actually suffocate or snap his neck, the pickpocket, in a panic, pointed to a nearby tavern.

    ¡°T-there¡­!¡±

    ¡°Are you certain?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s true, please¡­!¡±

    Only then did Theo lift his foot.

    Gasp!

    The pickpocket managed to catch his breath, but¡ª

    ¡°Then lead the way, shall we?¡±

    ¡°W-what!¡±

    Unable to resist Theo¡¯s iron grip on his cor, he found himself dragged toward the tavern.

    ¡°S-save me! If you take me in there, I¡¯ll¡ªI¡¯ll be dead!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯ll die, not me, right?¡±

    ¡°N-no, stop it, you bastard!¡±

    This fool, who thought he could have a bit of fun pickpocketing a noble-looking young man, was in for a terrible shock.

    Trying to resist was pointless, and Theo had already thrown him toward the tavern.

    Crash!

    The pickpocket smashed through the door, rolling a good distance inside.

    Hey limp, clearly unconscious.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on!¡±

    ¡°Who the hell are you!¡±

    As the suddenmotion drew the attention of customers and staff, all eyes turned to the dusty entrance.

    Swish!

    ¡°Is this Spin¡¯s branch?¡±

    Theo lowered the de of Drake¡¯s sword and stepped further inside.

    * * *

    By the time Selperd and Arin entered the tavern after Theo, the ruckus had already settled down.

    Broken weaponsy scattered across the floor, and thugs who looked every bit like back-alley criminalsy twisted in unnatural angles, screeching in pain.

    Theo sat at a table, looking down at them with a refreshed expression, as if he had just had a good workout.

    ¡¸Weren¡¯t we supposed to conduct this mission as discreetly as possible? Is causing this much noise really okay?¡¹

    Selperd whispered telepathically to Theo, looking bewildered.

    Moreover, the name Theo was after, Spin, was hardly suitable for a ¡®secret operation.¡¯

    The capital of the Floating Archipgo Autonomous Territory.

    The free city where the headquarters of the Shipping Union and United Banking Confederation were located.

    Venota.

    From long ago, this city had operated under an oligarchic system, with three families alternating in the position of chancellor.

    ¡ªThe Three Shipping Families.

    That¡¯s what they were usually called.

    Spin was one of these families, originally a crime organization that managed illegal gains in the maritime trade by gathering illegal immigrants and exiles.

    Now, they conducted various legitimate businesses in the public eye, yet remained an object of fear for many.

    Of course,pared to the House of Ragnar, they were still a minor power.

    But riding on the back of the Shipping Union, the money they handled and their influence across the world were not to be underestimated.

    So, if this pickpocket gang they had just tangled with was indeed a Spin branch, then Theo had just stirred up a massive situation for no reason.

    However,

    ¡¸On the contrary, this is an ideal way to move discreetly.¡¹

    ¡¸What do you mean? Exin in detail.¡¹

    ¡¸The city of Venota may appearwless on the surface, but precisely because of that, it¡¯s under strict surveince. The eyes and ears of the Three Shipping Families are everywhere.¡¹

    Selperd began to grasp what Theo was getting at.

    ¡¸So it¡¯ll be easy for us to be watched as well?¡¹

    ¡¸Yes. If, as ck Snow suspects, ck Skull is one of the hidden weapons Venota is concealing, then investigating them will be all the more challenging. We¡¯re likely to draw suspicion too easily.¡¹

    ¡¸So you¡¯re nning to stick close to Spin instead?¡¹

    ¡¸If we¡¯re going to arouse suspicion, better to do it openly.¡¹

    Theo borated.

    ¡¸Spin is akin to a mafia family. If they spot skillful fighters like us, their interest will naturally be piqued.¡¹

    ¡¸And if we gain their favor, getting into Venota¡¯s core will be much easier?¡¹

    ¡¸Exactly.¡¹

    Ha!

    Selperd let out a shortugh, almost involuntarily.

    Theo¡¯s n was incredibly thorough.

    ¡®But isn¡¯t this exactly the kind of mission ck Snow would carry out?¡¯

    It was no wonder the ck Dragon was so intent on bringing Theo into their fold.

    ¡®Seems he¡¯s got a remarkable talent.¡¯

    ¡®For this mission, I might as well follow Theo¡¯s lead. If I just trail behind, it should alle together.¡¯

    While Arin listened to Selperd¡¯s exnation and nodded in admiration.

    Creaaak!

    Step, step¡ª

    Someone wasing down the broken stairs from the second floor.

    It was an old man leaning on a staff.

    Theo and hispanions turned their attention toward him.

    ¡°Oh dear. It seems we haven¡¯t weed our guests properly.¡±

    ¡°Are you the Spin boss who runs this ce? Fitting for a criminal group¡ªthe subordinates here are just as vile as expected.¡±

    Having already caused a ruckus, Theo decided to keep up an arrogant, insolent demeanor for the remainder of this mission.

    And with his sharp, cold features, the look suited him so well that even Selperd and Arin, watching from the side, were taken aback.

    ¡®Theo¡­ that¡¯s not his true nature, is it¡­?¡¯

    ¡®As expected, Theo is a Ragnar.¡¯

    Remembering that Ragnar was simply acting as a Ragnar would, they nodded, almost in understanding of his behavior.

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    Only Theo, unaware of their thoughts, tilted his head slightly in confusion.

 Chapter 110

    Chapter 110: The Cold Winter (5) >

    Spin family¡¯s third son, Antonio, lowered the documents he was reading and rubbed his hands together over a snowball.

    ¡°Those damn bastards. They¡¯re seriously getting on my nerves. Are they nning to drown hundreds of thousands of people?¡±

    The anger in his voice was thick and unmistakable.

    Failure of the Sea King subjugation.

    Due to the Sea King¡¯s frenzy, the waterspouts have grown even more violent, and additional anomalies have been detected in the updraft that supported the Floating Archipgo¡­

    At this rate, there¡¯s a significant risk the archipgo might copse or sink¡­ Therefore, while they should seek a new approach to deal with the Sea King, it¡¯s proving difficult¡­

    The part of the report that infuriated him the most was right at the end.

    Considering the necessity to review and possibly entertain Troyban¡¯s proposal¡­

    Damn Troyban!

    No, calling them ¡°dogs¡± wouldn¡¯t even do them justice.

    At the very least, dogs understood loyalty and trust.

    But those bastardscked any such qualities whatsoever.

    Venota and the Floating Archipgo, where the Three Shipping Families, including the Spin family, were coiled, were a unique geographical anomaly, nearly unparalleled even within the Empire.

    One of the few known  in existence.

    A massive undercurrent flowing through the seafloor intersected with the magical winds of the underwater volcanoes on the deep-sea ins, creating a widespread updraft, which caused numerous inds,rge and small, to float into the air.

    Due to its considerable distance from the continent, the Floating Archipgo had developed a unique ecosystem and culture since ancient times.

    This nature continued into the present, making it awless yet lucrative area where exiles and criminals expelled from the continent gathered.

    Especially given its location, it served as a central hub port capable of distributing goods worldwide, leading to the flourishing of banking.

    The Shipping Alliance.

    This was the foundation that allowed for the emergence of an absolute force controlling all maritime trade routes.

    Notably, they were even ssified as Electors, wielding the electoral rights necessary for selecting the Emperor of the Empire.

    This underscored the vast influence they had on the Empire and the world atrge.

    However,

    Recently, the Floating Archipgo had encountered an unforeseen disaster.

    The current connecting the continent and the archipgo had begun to falter, and anomalies had been detected in the updraft of magical winds supporting the inds.

    Several of the floating inds had been hit especially hard by earthquakes, and some were gradually sinking toward the water¡¯s surface.

    For now, they had assured the inders that it was nothing more than mild tremors caused by underwater volcanic activity.

    But this truth couldn¡¯t be kept hidden forever.

    Moreover, the Three Shipping Families knew exactly who was behind these disturbances.

    Troyban.

    The culprit who had disrupted the bnce of stable currents and updrafts of magical winds.

    The problem was¡ª

    ¡°We don¡¯t have the power to pressure those bastards right now.¡±

    While the Spin family held notable influence within the underworld, they couldn¡¯tpare to the prominence of a grand house like Troyban.

    Even if the Shipping Alliance united to restrict Troyban¡¯s trade routes, Troyban¡¯s eastern location limited their reach.

    Their most useful leverage was banking, but¡­

    ¡°That¡¯s because those Grimahl bastards aren¡¯t exactly cooperative.¡±

    Spin of the underworld.

    Grimahl of banking.N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Romellin of maritime vessels.

    If these three families could unite in purpose, they might just ovee the current crisis.

    But Grimahl hadn¡¯t shown any willingness to cooperate in this situation.

    ¡°Unlike the other two families, who are rooted in their regional businesses, Grimahl¡¯s confidencees from knowing they can relocate anytime.¡±

    There were signs, in fact, that Grimahl and Troyban had already engaged in secret negotiations behind the scenes. No, it was almost certain.

    Grit!

    Antonio clenched his mrs tightly.

    Though he couldn¡¯t im to have led a spotless life in the underworld, he believed his attachment to his homnd was genuine, and he couldn¡¯t simply overlook this situation.

    ¡°If only there was some way to deal with the Sea King lurking beneath¡­ beneath the Floating Archipgo.¡±

    Tap!

    Tap!

    Antonio tapped his forefinger on the table, deep in thought.

    Would they need to seek external assistance?

    ¡°The Imperial family has been a mess for a while now, so they¡¯re out of the question¡­ The North. The House of Ragnar in the North has reportedly been in conflict with Troyban recently. Should I reach out to them?¡±

    But he knew he had reservations.

    If he reached out to Ragnar and Troyban caught wind, they might retaliate by leveraging the Sea King, and everything would be over.

    Ultimately, the best solution was for them to handle this themselves.

    ¡°Ugh¡­!¡±

    Just as Antonio¡¯s fist was trembling with frustration, unable to find a solution¡ª

    Knock knock.

    ¡°Lord Antonio. It¡¯s Paolo.¡±

    With a knock, the door opened, and the old butler entered.

    He was not only Antonio¡¯s butler but also had served as his aide for a long time.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡±

    Hearing Paolo¡¯s words, Antonio paused, rubbing his face with both hands before finally looking up.

    ¡°If it¡¯s enough for you to say that¡­ Fine. Bring all three of them here.¡±

    * * *

    ¡¸I¡¯m entrusting this whole thing to you. Just handle it well on your own. But if you need our help, signal anytime.¡¹

    Following the old butler¡¯s guidance, they made their way to the new estate.

    Selperd and Arin quietly conveyed their thoughts to Theo.

    Theo felt grateful.

    Though they surely had concerns about a rookie leading the mission, especially one in which they were participating as supporters, they offered their trust without hesitation.

    Thanks to that,

    It allowed Theo to adopt the cover of an unknown noble¡¯s son, with Selperd and Arin as escort knights apanying him.

    ¡®Around this time, the Floating Archipgo was embroiled in a lot of talk about whether it was going to sink beneath the sea. Then, as if by magic, everything suddenly quieted down. Could there have been some hidden connection between the Shipping Alliance and Troyban behind that?¡¯

    While Theo mulled over possible reasons for the alliance between the Shipping Alliance and Troyban, the carriage had already arrived at the mansion.

    ¡°We¡¯re here.¡±

    As expected of one of the Three Shipping Families that managed enormous wealth, the Spin mansion showcased an extravagant facade.

    ¡®It¡¯s shy on the outside, but it feels hollow.¡¯

    Thanks to the aesthetic sense he had honed under Cecilia¡¯s guidance, Theo felt unimpressed by the mansion¡¯s interior, which was luxurious butcked any unified theme or elegance.

    Selperd and Arin appeared equally uninterested.

    However, to the old butler, their indifference seemed to register as ¡°country bumpkins trying their best not to look surprised.¡±

    The smugness in his stride was almost amusing.

    ¡°Please, go in. Lord Antonio is waiting inside.¡±

    As they entered, they were greeted by a man in his thirties, well-dressed in a suit and exuding a polished appearance, who weed them warmly.

    ¡°You must be weary from the journey. Please, have a seat. I am Antonio, the third son of the Spin family.¡±

    Inside, a table was set with refreshments and cigars.

    Theo nced over at the spread but did not approach it immediately. Instead, he kept a cool tone as he asked,

    ¡°What¡¯s the reason for summoning us here so suddenly? I came because the Spin noble said he wanted to meet in person, but if this is just a pointless face-to-face, I¡¯ll let you know right now¡ªI won¡¯t be amused.¡±

    An attitude both insolent and arrogant.

    If an ordinary mercenary had dared to act like this, he would have ended up buried on a mountainside, unnoticed by anyone.

    ¡®They say he single-handedly destroyed an entire branch?¡¯

    Antonio, however, took Theo¡¯s group¡¯s attitude as confidence in their own abilities.

    Theo, in particr, possessed a beauty that could rival even the finest of women, despite his rough tone. Anyone could see that he was the young scion of a noble family.

    The clothes he wore had a refined elegance that merchants and nouveau riche could never hope to replicate.

    It was clear that he was the child of a prominent martial family, and the others his escorting knights.

    ¡®The Three Shipping Families¡¯ gathering will be held soon. If I have talents of this caliber on my side¡­¡¯

    Antonio¡¯s eyes gleamed with quick calctions, but he quickly hid it behind a friendly smile.

    ¡°As if I would waste your precious time on mere trivialities. I invited you to this humble ce to apologize for the foolish actions of my subordinates¡ªand to offer you a good proposal. Please, have a seat.¡±

    For the son of a prominent family, he certainly knew how to be amodating.

    He was more merchant than noble, one might say.

    After dealing with the ever-arrogant Ragnar household members, meeting someone with a different demeanor was refreshing.

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    ¡°Haha, just as direct as you appear to be.¡±

    Even as Antonio took his seat across from Theo¡¯s group, he was quick to size them up.

    Young Theo had taken the head seat, while the other two naturally took the lower seats.

    It confirmed Theo¡¯s role as the leader of the group.

    And that arrogant demeanor fit him perfectly.

    ¡°The Rednit ins in the southern region enjoy ideal sunlight and temperatures, giving their coffee a unique fragrance. I¡¯ve served it especially for distinguished guests like yourself, but I¡¯m unsure if it will suit your taste.¡±

    ¡°This is from Rednit? Given the hint of lemon, I thought it was from the Pharao Hignds.¡±

    ¡°Oh, is that so? My, it seems I made an error. I should call the butler to bring another.¡±

    ¡°No need. We didn¡¯te here to savor coffee.¡±

    Theo picked up one of the cigars on the table, casually cut the top with a cigar cutter, ced it in his mouth, and struck a match.

    Fzzz!

    Puff¡ª

    ¡¸¡­Didn¡¯t know you could do that.¡¹

    Even Selperd was slightly surprised by how smoothly he moved.

    With memories from his past life drifting back to him, Theo allowed himself a small smile.

    ¡¸You lectured Erika not to drink, but you¡¯re smoking? She¡¯d throw a fit if she saw this.¡¹

    ¡°Now, this is to my liking. A cigar from the Baoyan Desert, I assume? I¡¯ve always liked that cocoa aroma.¡±

    ¡°Just as I heard¡ªyour eye for things is remarkable. You recognized it immediately.¡±

    ¡°I also like to sprinkle a bit of powdered Cubana fruit from the Ufman region on top. It gives it a unique aroma.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a method I hadn¡¯t heard of. I¡¯ll have to try it myself.¡±

    ¡°You won¡¯t regret it.¡±

    Antonio became certain Theo was indeed the young scion of a grand house.

    These were luxuries and preferences that only someone of noble lineage would be privy to.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s get to the point. Are you here to pitch some sort of business proposal?¡±

    ¡°I heard the three of you are currently engaged in swordsmanship training.¡±

    ¡°Did you go through our entry records or something?¡±

    At Theo¡¯s narrow-eyed look of displeasure, Antonio quickly bowed his head.

    ¡°My apologies. However, we had to be certain of things ourselves, so I regret any discourtesy.¡±

    ¡°Fine. Go on, then.¡±

    ¡°The currents leading to Venota have been rather unstable recently. We¡¯re also seeing a rise in sea beasts.¡±

    Sea beasts.

    It was a term used to describe all manner of monsters that lived in the ocean.

    ¡°You want us to act as an escort force?¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t presume to make such a rude request. Though we may notpare to Sir Lant¡¯s(Theo¡¯s alias) strength, we do have our own escort forces.¡±

    ¡°Then?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s simply¡­ there¡¯s always the chance of an incident¡­.¡±

    ¡°You want us to apany you?¡±

    ¡°Yes. In exchange, we¡¯ll provide first-ss amodations and cover all your necessary expenses in Venota.¡±

    Theo let out a slightugh.

    ¡°And what makes you think we¡¯ll even be useful to you there?¡±

    ¡°I pride myself on having a good eye for people. I¡¯m certain you wouldn¡¯t do anything that could harm Venota.¡±

    ¡°Haha, ttery already puts me in a good mood. But what if we end up staying quite a while?¡±

    ¡°They say Spin is nothing but a corpse without money, after all.¡±

    ¡°Confident, aren¡¯t you? Very well. Is there anything else you¡¯d like to ask for? That seems to be your real objective.¡±

    For one so young, he¡¯s skilled in politics and conversation.

    Antonio¡¯s estimation of Theo continued to rise.

    ¡°I only ask that you lend me your strength once. Just once, when I make the request.¡±

    ¡°And what exactly are you asking me to do?¡±

    ¡°You may decide whether toply or not after hearing the request. But I assure you, Sir Lant, on my name, that it will only benefit you¡ªnot harm you in any way.¡±

    ¡°Hmph. And what honor does a lowly merchant¡¯s name carry, anyway?¡±

    Despite the tant disdain, Antonio¡¯s smiling face remained steady.

    ¡°Very well. With this kind of treatment, there¡¯s no reason to refuse. When do we depart?¡±

    * * *

    The ship bound for Venota was noticeably different from ordinary vessels.

    Protrusions extended from both sides of the hull, seemingly designed to stabilize the ship while riding the updrafts.

    ¡®There¡¯s quite arge escort force. I even see a few skilled fighters. It must be true that the currents have be unstable; they¡¯re clearly not leaving things to chance.¡¯

    While Theo¡¯s groupfortably boarded alongside Antonio¡¯s entourage, they couldn¡¯t help but notice the exceptional armaments of the guards.

    Some among them, likely also handpicked by Antonio, were clearly wary of Theo¡¯s group, openly eyeing them with suspicion.

    They probably weren¡¯t pleased that Theo¡¯s group, who joined at thest minute, seemed to be receiving more favor.

    ¡¸Should I knock them down a peg or two? If not, they¡¯ll probably keep being a nuisance for the next five days.¡¹

    It seemed Selperd felt simrly, as he was just about to seek Theo¡¯s opinion when¡ª

    Boom¡­!

    Boom¡­!

    Suddenly, a faint vibration was detectable.

    Theo¡¯s face tensed slightly, and his gaze shifted toward the open sea beyond the ship.

    To the distant horizon.

    Something was resonating out there.

    ¡¸What¡¯s wrong?¡¹

    ¡¸Do you see something over there?¡¹

    Selperd and Arin, noticing Theo¡¯s sudden shift, quickly turned their gazes in the same direction.

    ¡®Can¡¯t either of you sense that?¡¯

    Theo wanted to ask, but he quickly widened his eyes.

    Within the faint vibration, a familiar energy was pulsing.

    Dragon Force (ýˆÁ¦).

    It was the magic of a dragon.

    And then¡ª

    ¡ºMypanion¡­¡»

    Chizzz, chizziz-

    Through the jumbled noise, a familiar voice broke through.

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    Theo quickly gathered his magic.

    Thump, thump, thump, thump!

    As the faint pulse synchronized with his heartbeat, the frequencies aligned.

    Zzzzzzzng!

    Amid the resonating relics he carried, the voice became clearer.

    ¡ºCan you hear¡­ my voice¡­?¡»

    ¡®So, I wasn¡¯t just hearing things.¡¯

    ¡ºIf you can hear this¡­ wave a carrot¡­¡»

    Even throwing in a silly joke.

    It was Lothbrok.

 Chapter 111

    Chapter 111: Floating Archipgo (1)

    ¡°Daughter. Do you really have to go?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I want to do well, too.¡±

    To do ¡°well,¡± she said¡­

    The Lord of the Water Lily Pce, Niel, watched her daughter stuffing items into a travel bag, forcing a strained smile.

    It must mean she no longer wished to stay confined in the pce but wanted to step out into the world.

    And undoubtedly, the recent achievements of Theo had sparked this decision in her.

    A daughter determined to head to the battlefield, voluntarily choosing to go into danger¡ªNiel wanted to dissuade her, no matter what.

    Wasn¡¯t this the child who¡¯d clung to her side all her life due to her poor health?

    Only recently had she finallypleted her secluded training, and they were just beginning to spend time together.

    But¡­

    That wouldn¡¯t do, would it?

    Her daughter had her own life and her own dreams.

    She didn¡¯t want to stand in the way of that.

    ¡®Yes. If there¡¯s one thing I can give her, it¡¯s the chance to make choices different from mine, where I had to give up on my own dreams¡­!¡¯

    Yet, unable to let go of herst lingering concern, she asked with a slightly sulky tone.

    ¡°You got the permission slip for the mission?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Here.¡±

    Ray proudly showed the document stamped with Julius¡¯s seal.

    ¡°And your sword?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve packed it.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t even have a wyvern.¡±

    ¡°I booked a train.¡±

    ¡°And the travel expenses? They won¡¯t give you much.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll use the allowance I received.¡±

    Ray zipped up her travel bag and looked at Niel.

    ¡°I¡¯m not a child. If you keep this up, I won¡¯te back.¡±

    ¡°¡­Alright, alright. I get it. Go safely, and contact me every night once you get there.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Ray grabbed her bag and stood up from her spot.

    Then, she took her first steps forward.

    Her destination was the Autonomous Region of the Floating Archipgo.

    Where Theo and hispanions were.

    ¡ª

    [You have received a quest.]

    +

    [Scenario Quest #4]

    Fulfill the request of Lothbrok, yourpanion and guardian dragon, to increase intimacy.

    ¨C Difficulty: A+

    ¨C Reward: Intimacy +100, Awakening of Dragon Blood Talent

    ¨C On Failure: Death

    +

    ¡®A chance to awaken the talent of ?¡¯

    Theo¡¯s eyes lit up at this new reward, the most striking he¡¯d received so far.

    In the meantime.

    Lothbrok¡¯s voice became increasingly clear.

    ¡ºAre you shaking the carrot?¡»

    ¡®Am I¡­ doing this right? Can you hear me?¡¯

    ¡ºAh, it seems like you¡¯re shaking it. It¡¯s a pity we can¡¯t share visual cues when directmunication is possible.¡»

    The static was gone.

    Smirk¡ª

    ¡®You haven¡¯t changed, I see.¡¯

    ¡ºDoesn¡¯t it say that when a creature¡ªbe it human or dragon¡ªchanges suddenly, it¡¯s a harbinger of death? Not that I intend to die just yet.¡»

    Lodbrok¡¯s voice was filled withughter.

    ¡°Te¡­ Lant?¡±

    Just then, Selperd, who had been standing beside him, looked over, his face questioning what was going on.

    Theo raised his hand slightly, signaling that it was nothing, and refocused on the conversation.

    ¡®Why did this connection suddenly happen? Could it be¡­?¡¯

    ¡ºIf you¡¯re asking whether it¡¯s because of your strengthened Dragon Blood, I¡¯ll go ahead and say no. The reason we canmunicate now is simply due to a coincidence that urred as you entered the Sea King¡¯s Domain.¡»

    The Sea King?

    It was a term he had never heard before.

    ¡ºHe is an ancient dragon species who could be considered a distant rtive of mine. He¡¯s lived in the depths of the sea for ages, which is why he¡¯s moremonly known by that name.¡»

    ¡®Are you saying that an ancient dragon is around here?¡¯

    Even Theo found this information surprising.

    In his past life, he had never heard anything like this.

    Or rather, it was more urate to say he¡¯d never had the chance to encounter it.

    ¡ºDidn¡¯t I say? He ¡°was¡± here. Past tense.¡»

    ¡®So then?¡¯

    ¡ºHe, too, exhausted a great amount of his power trying to fend off the clutches of the , only to be struck down afterward by dragon hunters who exploited his weakened state. Sealed in a sword, he was bound to the seafloor.¡»

    Pieces of information started aligning in Theo¡¯s mind.

    The emergence of the ck Skull.

    The connection between Troyban and the Maritime Alliance.

    The Dragon yer Sword.

    The sudden abnormalities affecting the Floating Archipgo.

    The violent outbursts from the marine creatures.

    The Sea King¡¯s Domain.

    The connection to Lothbrok.

    None of these seemed to have anything inmon, yet¡­

    Somehow, it felt as if there was a thread tying it all together.

    ¡®¡­Could it be that the strange phenomena happening around here are due to the Sea King?¡¯

    ¡ºAs expected. You¡¯re very perceptive. You figured it out so quickly that it almost took the fun out of it.¡»

    Contrary to Lothbrok¡¯sughter, Theo couldn¡¯t bring himself to smile.

    ¡®If an ancient dragon sealed by a dragon yer¡¯s sword has suddenly broken free and begun wreaking havoc, it all makes sense.¡¯

    Theo¡¯s hypothesis was this:

    In the distant past, an ancient dragon known as the Sea King had shed with the  and lost all his power.

    Afterward, humans seeking the glory of being known as dragon yers attacked him, submerging him beneath the sea, where he was sealed. Since then, magical winds had constantly flowed out from the dragon¡¯s sealed form, shaping the unique terrain of the Floating Archipgo.

    Then one day, Troyban, having heard rumors about the Dragon yer Sword, managed to retrieve it, gradually releasing the Sea King from his bonds, leading to the current chaos¡­

    The reason why ck Skull, the hidden sword of the Floating Archipgo, had ambushed the Ceres Trading Company to retrieve the Dragon yer Sword¡­

    And why, in his past life, the Maritime Alliance had joined forces with Troyban¡­ all made sense now.

    To get the Dragon yer Sword back, they had no choice but to be dragged along by the chains it bound them with.

    ¡ºBut it seems the long seal has only brought harm to the Sea King. All that remains in him is madness; his sanity is nowhere to be found. Once he fully stretches himself out¡­ well, it¡¯s likely the surrounding area will be left in ruins, don¡¯t you think?¡»

    The idea that the whole Autonomous Region of the Floating Archipgo might copse was, to Lothbrok, nothing more than the Sea King ¡°stretching out¡±?

    Ha!

    Theo let out a faint chuckle despite himself.

    ¡®What is it that you wish me to do?¡¯

    ¡ºThe Dragon Heart. Didn¡¯t you promise you¡¯d find a substitute?¡»

    ¡®You want the Sea King¡¯s, then?¡¯

    ¡ºA heart tainted with madness would only turn into poison. Besides, its attributes differ too greatly.¡»

    Lothbrok¡¯sughter grew deeper.

    ¡ºBut if it¡¯s a ¡°purified¡± portion, it might prove somewhat useful.¡»

    ¡®Since my ability tomunicate with you now seems to stem from the Sea King¡¯s magic, that certainly makes sense.¡¯

    ¡ºDo you know what sets you apart from other Ragnars?¡»

    ¡®What would that be?¡¯

    ¡ºYou understand perfectly. Ha ha ha!¡»

    Only then could Theough along with Lodbrok.

    ¡®Then, I¡¯ll need to figure out a way to approach the Sea King first.¡¯

    ¡ºIt won¡¯t be easy. His magic was not something even I could ignore at my peak.¡»

    ¡®Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll find a way. I already have something in mind.¡¯

    ¡ºExcellent. Very.¡»

    Theo stroked his chin, organizing his thoughts.

    The Three Shipping Families.

    Could the long-established authorities of the Floating Archipgo really be unaware of the Sea King¡¯s presence?

    Of course not.

    ¡®I¡¯ll need to win over Antonio¡¯s favor even more if I want to approach the core of Spin.¡¯

    Theo was convinced he could not only strike a blow to Troyban but also bring the Maritime Alliance firmly to his side.

    ¡®By the way, Lothbrok, there is something we need to discuss.¡¯

    ¡ºWhat is it? This form ofmunication is quite draining, so I can¡¯t keep it up for too long.¡»

    It seemed this ability wasn¡¯t all-powerful since it didn¡¯t rely on his own magic.

    ¡®I have found traces of the .¡¯

    ¡ºI already know. And that his followers are preparing to rise up.¡»

    Lothbrok¡¯s voice sank, bing as deep as a rumble.

    ¡ºAll that you have seen and heard, as yourpanion, I have seen and heard as well.¡»

    Themunication with Lothbrok didn¡¯tst very long.

    ¡°I¡¯ll contact you again soon. Next time, we¡¯ll be able to chat a bit longer.¡±

    Those were her parting words.

    ¡®Always so one-sided, aren¡¯t you?¡¯

    Fortunately, it seemed that nothing significant had changed in his circumstances since a few months ago.

    ¡®Still, it was a relief to know that she¡¯s aware of the ¡¯s involvement in the recent events.¡¯

    Considering that Lodbrok had spent her life watching and restraining that being, it only made sense that she¡¯d monitor its every move.

    ¡®Now I need a solid n. What would be the best approach?¡¯

    With some luck, he could potentially draw ck Skull into his ns as well.

    Theo, lost in thought, stepped out to the railing and cast his gaze over the sea.

    Thump¡­ Thump¡­

    Following the faint magical pulses drifting along the seabed, he was attempting to pinpoint the Sea King¡¯s exact location.

    One day¡­ then two days passed.

    By the third day, Theo had spent every spare moment studying the waves, analyzing the magical currents.

    In time, he was beginning to get a rough sense of the shape andposition of dragon magic itself.

    ¡°Is the ocean really that fascinating? If he keeps staring, his eyes might pop out.¡±

    ¡°Ha-ha! Right? Maybe we should bring a basket or something to catch them!¡±

    A few individuals started cracking ratherme jokes in an exaggerated tone, as if they meant for Theo to overhear.

    Theo turned his gaze silently in their direction.

    Five men and women stood together, each distinct in appearance and dress, snickering among themselves.

    They were the guards Antonio had brought along.

    Supposedly, these were high-ranking mercenaries hired at a considerable price.

    ¡®There¡¯s a dog-headed beastman, a gunslinger, a free knight, and that one looks like a mage?¡¯

    Indeed, they were figures not often seen in the North, where pure martial skill was more highly regarded.

    ¡®Could ck Skull be among them?¡¯

    If his assumptions were correct, then ck Skull was surely hiding among them.

    The problem was that, although the mercenaries were clearly pushing Theo¡¯s buttons, they weren¡¯t quite crossing any lines.

    ¡®Then, I¡¯ll just have to cross the line myself.¡¯

    Theo narrowed his eyes as he prepared to act.

    Suddenly¡ª

    Boom!

    A loud explosion sounded, and the dog-headed beastman was flung backward, mming roughly into the wall.

    In front of him, Selperd stood with his arms crossed, scoffing.

    ¡°For so-called high-ranking mercenaries, this is all you¡¯ve got? You keep bragging about Venota this and Venota that, but it¡¯s pretty underwhelming.¡±

    ¡°You little¡­!¡±

    Boom!

    The mercenary sprawled across the ground tried to spring to his feet, only to be met with another fierce kick from Selperd, which sent him spitting blood.

    The kick was so powerful that it nearly shattered the armor he wore.

    Some of the other mercenaries drew their weapons to help him, but¡ª

    Srrrng¡ª

    ¡°Stay right where you are, unless you want to die.¡±

    Arin had already drawn her sword, aiming it at the others.

    A sharp, lethal intent swirled around the tip of her de.

    ¡°Th-that¡¯s sword energy!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s a skilled fighter like this doing here¡­?¡±

    A few of the mercenaries froze, their expressions turning rigid.

    They finally seemed to understand just how reckless it had been to provoke these strangers.

    ¡°You know, I have this little hobby of ripping out the eyes of people who give me that insolent re and making a ne out of them. How about it? Want me to do the same for you?¡±

    ¡°Wh-what did I even do¡­?!¡±

    ¡°I told you. That nasty re of yours pisses me off.¡±

    ¡°I-it was just a nce¡­ that¡¯s all¡­!¡±

    ¡°Just a nce? I told you it annoyed me.¡±

    ¡°Eek!¡±

    The man, pale-faced, had already wet himself in terror.

    ¡¸Hey, kid, are you sure about doing it this way? These guys may have gotten a little cocky, but if I hit them wrong, they might just keel over, y¡¯know?¡¹

    Selperd¡¯s telepathic message, apanied by his psychopathic grin, was loaded with reluctance.

    In truth, this was all part of a n Theo had privately set up with Selperd and Arin the previous night.

    ¡°Purd. That¡¯s enough.¡±

    ¡°Purd¡± ¡ª Selperd¡¯s alias.

    ¡°But Young Master, these punks were snickering behind our backs. Wouldn¡¯t this be the perfect chance to teach them a real lesson¡­?¡±

    ¡°I said, enough.¡±

    ¡°Sigh! Right, right. You, you little runt, you¡¯re lucky it¡¯s the Young Master here sparing you. Got that?¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes! Thank you for sparing us!¡±

    The mercenary, terrified the situation might change, quickly scampered off with hispanions.

    The other mercenaries only rolled their eyes, trying to figure out what they¡¯d done to end up on Theo¡¯s group¡¯s bad side.

    ¡°Our Young Master¡¯s heart is just way too generous. Would it hurt him to look after us like this for a change? All the time spent covering up after him, keeping up with his whims¡ªit¡¯s exhausting, you know?¡±

    ¡¸¡­You¡¯re not holding anything against me, are you?¡¹

    ¡¸Well, who¡¯s to say?¡¹

    Selperd, feigning a yful tone, slipped back into his role effortlessly.

    Standing beside Theo, who was still gazing out at the sea from the railing, he raised his voice deliberately, loud enough for everyone nearby to hear.

    ¡°More importantly, where are we going, really? Isn¡¯t it about time you tell us?¡±

    He made it sound like this wasn¡¯t just a simple escort mission.

    Now, everything they said would reach not only Antonio but also the ears of the other mercenaries.

    It was time to cast the bait.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t exactly something to shout about for everyone to hear, Purd. Keep your voice down.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m just frustrated! What exactly is this ¡®Ancient Dragon King¡¯ that supposedly lives in the sea? What is it that¡¯s worth all this trouble in the middle of nowhere?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll know as soon as we get there.¡±

    ¡°Another one of those vague, cryptic answers.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re unhappy, you can always back out of this journey.¡±

    ¡°Out here on the open sea? And risk facing the wrath of the Lord himself? If I get sentenced to seclusion training, it¡¯ll be three years minimum this time!¡±

    ¡°Then just follow quietly.¡±

    ¡°Grr¡­ This is going to drive me insane.¡±

    Selperd performed his annoyance with impressive authenticity, enough to even fool Theo for a second.

    ¡®At this point, they¡¯ve definitely taken the bait.¡¯

    He¡¯d dropped a subtle hint about the ¡°Sea King.¡± It would be stranger if no one reacted.

    ¡®Now, all that¡¯s left is to reel them in.¡¯

    It was at that exact moment¡ª

    Boom!

    Suddenly, the ship jolted violently.

    ¨C Sea¡­ it¡¯s a Sea Bell!

    ¨C A monster has appeared! Bring in the cannons, quick!

    ¨C Damn it! Why is there a sea serpent here?!

    ¨C I knew it was too quiet! All crew, move to your designated positions! Get moving, youzy bastards!

    Weeeeooo!

    Then, the re of a siren echoed.

    An rm signaling the arrival of a sea monster.

    ¡®Perfect.¡¯

    Theo looked down at the water¡¯s surface, where strange creatures, bearing dragon-like power within them, were swarming up from below.

 Chapter 112

    Chapter 112: Floating Archipgo (2)

    ng, ng!

    Cannons revealed themselves as hatches opened all around the ship.

    Each one was a top-of-the-line magical cannon, recently purchased at a high price from the Magic Tower.

    Bang! Ka-boom! Bang!

    Each time a cannon spewed fire, the ship shook violently, and sprays of seawater shot up from the surface.

    ¨C Attention, passengers. Due to the presence of Sea Creatures in these waters, we request that all guests proceed to the cabins as directed by the crew¡­.

    Boom! Boom-boom!

    The cannon fire was so deafening that it drowned out the announcement.

    The mercenaries, who had been eyeing Theo¡¯s group, swiftly sprang into action in unison.

    Their familiarity with the current situation was evident in each movement.

    ¡®So, it was true that Sea Creatures have been appearing more frequently these days?¡¯

    With eyes brimming with spiritual essence, Theo carefully observed the faces of the senior mercenaries.

    Hwaaak!

    ¡°Not a single cannon¡¯s hitting! Damn it, those swindlers at the Magic Tower! They charge a fortune, and none of this stuff actually works!¡±

    A beastman with a dog¡¯s head grumbled as he hefted a spear nearly twice his size, mming it down below.

    Just in time, a Sea Creature attempting to climb up the railing was violently thrown back down into the water.

    ¡°Agreed. We might seriously have to tell Lord Antonio to end this contract next time.¡±

    The gunslinger pulledponents from his pack, assembling a massive gatling gun before unleashing it upon the water¡¯s surface.

    Dr-r-r-r-r-r!

    Large and small Sea Creatures bled into the sea as gunfire tore into them, turning the surrounding water red.

    ¡°Stop your noisy chatter and try grouping those things together! They¡¯re too scattered to hit effectively!¡±

    The only one who held Theo¡¯s interest, a fire-magic user, popped a cigarette into his mouth and snapped his fingers repeatedly.

    Thanks to the magic gloves with embedded magic circles, the activated spells began bombing the targets, but they still struggled to hit creatures moving below the water¡¯s surface.

    Yet, the power was undeniable; the spells had a substantial impact on Sea Creatures targeting the ship.

    Other mercenaries wielding various weaponry also joined the fray, shing and repelling Sea Creatures, showing their skill.

    Some even disyed impressive aura control.

    They may have seemed lesspetentpared to Selperd and Arin, but they weren¡¯tcking by any measure.

    In fact, some were at a level worthy of being called ¡°elite.¡±

    Thud!

    Thud!

    ¡¸Theo! How much longer are you going to wait?¡¹

    ¡¸Hurry up and decide what to do.¡¹

    Standing guard beside Theo, Selperd and Arin urged him to make a decision.

    ¡®Found it.¡¯

    Theo recognized that among the mercenaries was exactly the person he had been seeking, and a confident smile appeared on his face.

    He had found someone with a temperament simr to that of Slow Gang, whom he had previously encountered.

    It seemed wise, after all, not to warn them in advance that a Sea Creature would be approaching.

    No, in truth, Theo had been the one to lure them here.

    He had drawn them up from the depths by enticing them with a magic scent he concocted while analyzing the Sea King¡¯s magic.

    ¡¸The two of you, please hold off the Sea Creatures without causing any harm to civilians. I¡¯ll move independently.¡¹

    ¡¸What on earth are you nning? Alright.¡¹

    ¡¸I¡¯ll restrain myself from fully disying my skills, at least for now.¡¹

    Swoosh¡ª

    The moment Selperd and Arin unleashed their sword energy into the air, the heads of the Sea Creatures exploded in unison.

    ¨C It¡¯s sword energy! A swordmaster has intervened!

    ¨C We can stop them! Push them back with all you¡¯ve got!

    Smiles returned to the faces of both the crew and the mercenaries.

    Though terrifying as enemies, they were incredibly reassuring as allies.

    Meanwhile, Theo was moving in a different direction from the two.

    ¨C Damn it! I had my suspicions, but it¡¯s really a Sea Serpent!

    Kroooar!

    At that very moment, a massive Sea Serpent, stretching tens of meters long, emerged from the sea and began coiling tightly around the ship.

    Crack¡ª

    The ship sustained damage in several areas.

    The cannons fired mes in a desperate attempt to drive the creature away, but they only bounced off the serpent¡¯s body, splintering the deck in a scene of utter chaos.

    This creature was ssified as a top-tier Sea Creature, even among its kind.

    Recently, it had reportedly devoured a couple of ships, living up to its fearsome reputation.

    ¡°Fire! Rain down fire! Hurry!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m doing it! Stop shouting¡ªit¡¯s distracting!¡±

    Gray Gang, a fire mage, gritted his teeth as he recited his spell.

    ¡®Damn it, I need to take down that bastard, Lant, or whatever his name is, too. What on earth is going on here!¡¯

    Gray¡¯s true identity was that of a Grade 2 member of ck Skull.

    Normally, he served as part of Antonio¡¯s guard, and his primary task was to smuggle information from the Spin family whenever needed.

    Moments earlier, he had eavesdropped on Theo¡¯s party as they spoke about the Sea King.

    The Sea King was a figure kept highly confidential not only by the Three Shipping Families but also by ck Skull.

    The fact that Theo hade in search of it hinted at some unknown connection to the Troyban family.

    So, he had nned to seize the opportunity and reveal his hidden abilities to capture Theo alive.

    But of all times, a Sea Creature had to appear now,plicating everything.

    ¡®I¡¯ll deal with them first and figure out the restter¡­!¡¯

    ¡¸You¡¯re with ck Skull, aren¡¯t you?¡¹

    In an instant, Gray¡¯s thoughts were abruptly interrupted.

    As he quickly tried to turn his head in that direction, something suddenly seized him.

    It was fast and discreet.

    ¡°Gray! Gray¡¯s gone!¡±

    ¡°What? But he was just here a moment ago!¡±

    ¡°Damn it! Did one of the Sea Creatures grab him? Find him before he¡¯s dragged into the sea! Hurry!¡±

    While the mercenaries were in a panic, Gray Gang was already dangling from the mast¡¯s lookout tform.

    ¡®This bastard!¡¯

    Thump thump!

    Gray¡¯s heart pounded wildly.

    Theo was covering Gray¡¯s mouth, his expression a cold smile.

    He had mentioned the Sea King, knew about him being with ck Skull.

    It was impossible to figure out who this guy really was.

    ¡°You know what this is, right?¡±

    At that moment, Theo drew a sword from who-knows-where and held it up to him.

    ¡°Mmph! Mmmmph!¡±

    ¡°You recognize it, I see.¡±

    Gray struggled, wanting nothing more than to be released immediately.

    But he couldn¡¯t break free from Theo¡¯s iron grip.

    The Balmung!

    The very treasure that he and hisrades had desperately tried to recover from their homnd was right in front of him!

    The one they thought Troyban had taken!

    ¡®What in the world¡­!¡¯

    ¡°Troyban¡¯s been using this as leverage to threaten your people, hasn¡¯t he? Promising to return it if you obeyed. And iming he¡¯d put the Sea King back to sleep. Isn¡¯t that right?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    Gray did his best to keep his expression neutral, but Theo caught the slightest flicker of unease.

    ¡®As I thought. Troyban¡¯s been manipting the Shipping Alliance, just as they faked reiming the Dragon yer Sword to control them.¡¯

    If they¡¯d done simr things in his past life, it made sense they would try it again. His hunch had been spot on.

    Now, using this, he could sever the link between the Shipping Alliance and Troyban for good.

    ¡°In exchange for returning this, I¡¯d like to have a conversation with your superior. Think you can arrange that?¡±

    Gray shut his eyes tightly.

    He had stopped resisting altogether.

    A silent plea to end it.

    ¡°I get it. It¡¯s only natural you¡¯d be suspicious when I¡¯m pushing for a meeting out of the blue. Who knows if Troyban¡¯s ying some new trick. Right?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°So, maybe it¡¯d help if I prove I¡¯m not associated with Troyban?¡±

    Theo released his grip on Gray.

    Thud!

    ¡°What¡­ are you thinking?¡±

    Gray frowned the moment he regained his freedom.

    Theo grinned.

    ¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I? I¡¯ll prove I¡¯m not connected to Troyban. But since that¡¯s not possible right now, I¡¯ll show you something else.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±

    ¡°That I¡¯m someone you need.¡±

    Before Gray could even ask what he meant, Theo was already leaping toward the sea.

    Swoosh¡ª

    ¡°Umbra!¡±

    In that moment, a shadow in the water reflected the Sea Serpent, and Umbra shot out like a shark, sinking its teeth into the serpent¡¯s body.

    Crunch!

    Screeeech¡ª

    The Sea Serpent, with scales tough enough to deflect cannon fire, thrashed about, but Umbra¡¯s biting force was far superior, causing the serpent to writhe in pain.

    Ignoring the struggle, Umbra dragged the Sea Serpent down toward the ocean depths.

    Kreeeeech!

    Finally, the Sea Serpent couldn¡¯t hold out any longer and sank below the surface.

    -The, the Sea Serpent is gone!

    -What just happened? It looked like something pulled it down?

    -I don¡¯t know! Who cares! What matters is that we can use the cannons again!

    -Exactly! Focus fire! Send a crossfire!

    Boom! Boom boom!

    Amid the shattering debris of Sea Creatures scattering through the air, Theo¡¯s form arced down into the sea at that very moment.

    Ssh!

    ¡®Did he¡­ actually jump in?¡¯

    Gray hurried to the edge of the lookout and peered down.

    ¨C I¡¯ll prove that I¡¯m someone you need.

    Theo¡¯s words echoed endlessly in his mind.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    At the same time, Gray¡¯s heart pounded as he watched the Balmung, the treasure they¡¯d just begun to get hints about, sink down into the ocean depths.

    ¡°The Sea Serpent! We need to capture the Sea Serpent first! Capture that damn thing!¡±

    Gray¡¯s desperate cries were drowned out by the cannon sts.

    Meanwhile, Theo observed the underwater struggle between Umbra and the Sea Serpent.

    The Sea Serpent, still enraged from its earlier injury, had wrapped its long body tightly around Umbra in retaliation.

    Umbra, however, held its grip and bit down harder, practically pulverizing the serpent in its jaws.

    Both creatures seemed equally matched, neither willing to yield.

    But Theo knew that if he left things as they were, Umbra would eventually be in danger.

    This was, after all, the Sea Serpent¡¯s domain, and Umbra couldn¡¯t breathe underwater.

    Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop!

    With that, Theo activated Wind Thunder God, quickly closing in on the Sea Serpent while summoning Death Beat.

    Then, four Thunder Dragons materialized, rising up around him.

    As the Meridian Enhancing Technique intensified, the Thunder Dragons, now charged with even more intense heat, twisted their bodies, sending immense bubbles erupting across the ocean¡¯s surface.

    Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

    The four Thunder Dragons struck the Sea Serpent in a series of explosive impacts, boosting their output to separate it from Umbra.

    Due to the seawater¡¯s conductive properties, the Thunder Energy spread even more explosively, engulfing the Sea Serpent¡¯s entire body. It seeped into its wounds, inflicting severe internal injuries.

    Kuroooo¡­!

    [Activating ¡®Skill: Wyvern Taming¡¯ to lure the Sea Serpent.]

    In that instant, Theo closed the gap to the Sea Serpent and activated his prepared skill.

    A skill specialized for taming magical creatures or spiritual beings from dragon species.

    [The Sea Serpent resists fiercely, causing the lure to fail.]

    [Reactivating the skill.]

    [The Sea Serpent¡¯s resistance is strong, causing the charm to fail again.]

    [Reactivating the skill.]

    .

    .

    [Activating ¡®Skill: Hatchling Synchronization¡¯ to attempt breaking the Sea Serpent¡¯s mental barrier.]

    In mere seconds, the skill was cast repeatedly.

    Finally, Theo achieved his intended objective.

    [Sessfully breached a portion of the Sea Serpent¡¯s mental barrier.]

    [Reading a fragment of its thoughts.]

    A surge of light!

    A series of vivid scenes shed before Theo¡¯s eyes.

    A deep-sea in, emerging only after diving through the depths of a massive undersea canyon.

    There, stretched out beyond sight, a colossal ancient dragon writhed in agony, its enormous, elongated form impossible to fully capture within one¡¯s field of vision.

    The Sea King.

    Theo realized this was the being Lothbrok had spoken of.

    Shiver¡ª

    The oppressive aura and magical force exuding from the Sea King were immense.

    Each twist of its massive body agitated the ocean¡¯s mantle, causing undersea volcanoes to erupt and triggering earthquakes across continents, leading to cataclysmic disasters.

    -Father.

    The Sea Serpent gazed at the Sea King with eyes filled with sorrow.

    For a very long time, the Sea Serpent had lived as both child and vassal to the Sea King, driven by one desire¡ªto somehow ease the Sea King¡¯s suffering.

    -Please hold on a little longer. I¡¯ll find someone who can help, no matter what.

    With that, the Sea Serpent had ventured beyond the ocean depths, bringing along its fellow Sea Creatures.

    It believed that perhaps the human race, living outside the sea and capable of wielding the mysterious power of magic, might have a way to lessen the Sea King¡¯s pain.

    ¡®I misunderstood.¡¯

    Only then did Theo realize his mistake.

    The Sea Serpent and the Sea Creatures had never intended to harm humans. They had simply resisted because the fearful humans had attacked them first.

    In fact, at the beginning, they had even attempted tomunicate.

    Although it had failed each time.

    -Human.

    Back to reality.

    Theo met the pained gaze of the Sea Serpent.

    -There¡¯s a familiar scent on you, one like my father¡¯s, unlike the other humans. Can you help him?

    A desperate plea.

    Theo nodded.

    He would.

    -I will trust you.

    And then, the bell chimed.

    Ding!

    Ding!

    [The lure has seeded.]

    [You have tamed the Sea Serpent as your subordinate.]

    [Please name it.]

    ¡®Pontus.¡¯

    An ancient name, meaning the sea.

    [¡®Sea Serpent: Pontus¡¯ bows its head to its new master.]

 Chapter 113

    Chapter 113: Floating Archipgo (3) >

    ¡¸Now, go save my father.¡¹

    Perhaps due to the channeling link with Pontus, his thoughts were now clearly expressed and his intentions unmistakably conveyed.

    However,

    ¡®No, not yet.¡¯

    Theo shook his head.

    Pontus frowned.

    ¡¸Are you nning to break your promise?¡¹

    ¡®Not a chance.¡¯

    ¡¸Then¡­!¡¹

    ¡®I just want to tell you that the time isn¡¯t right.¡¯

    ¡¸The time?¡¹

    ¡®Surely you¡¯re not expecting me to head straight for the Deep Sea in without any preparation, are you?¡¯

    ¡¸¡­¡­.¡¹

    Only then did Pontus understand Theo¡¯s words.

    Theo¡¯s temperament was so simr to his own, a dragonborn, that he had briefly mistaken him.

    But Theo was human.

    And-dwelling being.

    Underwater breathing was impossible for him.

    ¡®Not only is breathing difficult, but with my current level of magic power, I wouldn¡¯tst long under the deep-sea pressure. So, I¡¯ll prepare quickly and head there.¡¯

    Theo nced around at the chaotic sea beasts still circling nearby.

    ¡®So for now, take your subordinates and go back. I¡¯ll contact you separately.¡¯

    ¡¸¡­Can I trust you?¡¹

    ¡®Trust me. I swear on my heart.¡¯

    ¡¸¡­¡­.¡¹

    For dragonborn, the heart was the source of all life force and magic.

    Swearing on such a heart was the most sincere oath one could make.

    Especially for someone like Theo, who possessed the essence of a dragon¡ªit held even greater meaning.

    ¡¸Very well. If you go that far, then I will trust you.¡¹

    Pontus let out a powerful roar toward the ocean surface.

    Guooo-

    A resonating wave spread outward.

    The sea beasts that had been frantically circling the ship started to return one by one.

    ¡¸But I can¡¯t wait long. My father¡¯s madness grows by the moment, like a snowball rolling down a hill.¡¹

    Just then,

    Ding!

    [Quest update received.]

    +

    [Scenario Quest #4]

    To fulfill the request of yourpanion and guardian dragon, Lothbrok, you must meet the Sea King andplete the quest within the allotted time.

    ¨C Time limit: 360 hours

    ¨C Difficulty: A+

    ¨C Reward: +100 Affinity, Dragon Blood Talent Awakening

    ¨C Failure: Death

    +

    [Countdown begins.]

    [360:00:00]

    [359:59:59]

    .

    .

    ¡®I need to meet the Sea King and clear the quest within fifteen days?¡¯

    With the time needed to reach the Floating Archipgo, make contact with the ck Skull, and finalize preparations, it would be cutting it close.

    ¡®Alright, I¡¯ll be there soon.¡¯

    ¡¸I¡¯ll wait.¡¹

    Pontus gave a firm nod before swiftly turning and moving down toward the ocean depths, his tail swaying powerfully.

    He subtly nced at Umbra, as if signaling that he wouldn¡¯t be caught off guard so easily next time.

    Keekk!

    Of course, Umbra responded with a defiant posture, as if daring him to try.

    ¡®Then let¡¯s head back too.¡¯

    As Theo stroked Umbra¡¯s jaw, it spread its wings wide, propelling them in the opposite direction from Pontus with the force of the water.

    * * *

    ¨C Huh? Wh-what?

    ¨C The sea beasts are retreating!

    ¨C What just happened here?

    Chaos spread across the deck.

    The creatures that had been desperately wing their way up onto the ship just moments ago had vanished as if it had all been a lie.

    Even the Sea Serpent, which had been thrashing about as if it would sink the ship, was nowhere to be seen.

    ¡°What¡­ What¡¯s going on? Did he really handle it?¡±

    Grey couldn¡¯t make sense of the situation.

    From the looks of it, Theo must have done something, but he couldn¡¯t begin to guess what kind of method he might have used.

    ¨C Who cares why! Let¡¯s fire every remaining shell we¡¯ve got to make sure they don¡¯te back again!

    Below, the captain was shouting at the top of his lungs, spitting as he ordered everyone to fire.

    Despite not showing his face during the earlier chaos, he suddenly appeared as things calmed down, yelling wildly.

    Grey quickly leaped from the lookout post.

    If it was indeed that mysterious man who had driven off the sea beasts, provoking him further wouldn¡¯t do them any good.

    Just as the crew hesitated, torn between ncing at the cannons and second-guessing their orders¡ª

    Boom!

    A massive spray of water erupted from the sea¡¯s surface, and something leaped up onto the deck.

    ¡°H-Heek!¡±

    The captain, thinking the sea beasts had returned, shrieked¡ªonly to freeze when he saw that the figure was human.

    It was Theo.

    ¡°Quit the unnecessary fuss and clean up the deck. We can¡¯t afford any dys reaching our destination.¡±

    ¡°Who are you to order us around¡­!¡±

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re here!¡±

    The captain had barely begun to protest when he suddenly shut his mouth, shrinking back as Antonio, the effective owner of the ship, eagerly greeted Theo.

    Theo, on the other hand, remained unperturbed.

    ¡°I¡¯ve just returned after handling all the sea beasts. We shouldn¡¯t be dyed in reaching the Floating Archipgo, right?¡±

    ¡°So it was you, Sir Lant, who quelled themotion. Thanks to you, it didn¡¯t escte too much, so we shouldn¡¯t be dyed for long. Isn¡¯t that so?¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes! We¡¯ll have everything cleared up within an hour!¡±

    The captain, catching Antonio¡¯s look, straightened his back with a hasty nod.

    Antonio stared at Theo for a long time, then sighed lightly as he ced a cigar between his lips.

    After lighting it, he sat silently for a while, finally speaking once he¡¯d gathered his thoughts.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard you¡¯re in possession of Balmung.¡±

    ¡°I thought my terms were already clear?¡±

    ¡°Show me Balmung first.¡±

    ¡°Show me proof that you have the authority to negotiate with me. I don¡¯t want to waste my time on someone without decision-making power.¡±

    A tense standoff began, both sides vying for control.

    ¡°We¡¯re in the middle of the open sea. The ce you¡¯re sitting right now is Spin territory, specifically in the office of an heir with the right to inherit the family.¡±

    ¡°So?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re dense enough to need me to remind you that you¡¯re sitting in the jaws of a tiger.¡±

    With his cigar clenched firmly in his mouth, Antonio crossed one leg over the other.

    The cigar, the impable suit, the heavy atmosphere¡ªhe was the very image of a ssic mafia boss.

    Thud!

    Grrrrk-

    As he lightly tapped the armrest with his index finger, a whirring of gears echoed from various points in the ceiling and walls.

    ¡°This room is equipped with numerous emergency magic arrays and mechanical devices. At my signal, Lord Lant, you¡¯ll be reduced to nothing but ashes.¡±

    Though he still used honorifics, his tone conveyed no respect whatsoever.

    However,

    Smirk!

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    Theo chuckled lightly, sinking halfway back into his chair. He also took a cigar and held it to his lips.

    ¡°You remain arrogant even with the prospect of dying right here. If you¡¯re cing your hopes on those two waiting outside, I¡¯d advise you to think otherwise.¡±

    ¡°¡®Advice,¡¯ is it?¡±

    Thud!

    Suddenly, the ship shuddered.

    ¨C T-The sea beasts are back!

    ¨C Damn it! I thought they¡¯d retreated! Why are they here again?

    ¨C Cannons! Fire the cannons!

    ¨C We can¡¯t! There¡¯s no clear line of sight! The sea beasts are all targeting the hull¡­ At this rate, they¡¯re going to break through from below!

    Chaos erupted outside once more.

    The crew had barely begun the aftermath cleanup, and the sudden attack only heightened themotion.

    ¡°This is how it¡¯s done,¡± Theo said, a cold smile on his face.

    Antonio¡¯s expression turned rigid.

    ¡°¡­What did you do?¡±

    ¡°Who knows?¡±

    Theo didn¡¯t bother to mention that Pontus had stationed a few sea beasts near the ship as a means ofmunication.

    But as soon as Theo gave the signal, there would undoubtedly be a massive hole torn in the ship¡¯s hull.

    ¡°The currents around here are also pretty treacherous. If you get stranded, survival will be nearly impossible, right? I¡¯m confident I can get out of here before that magic array activates, but I¡¯m not so sure about you.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°And do you really think this ship would be the only thing to sink? The Floating Archipgo would go down with it¡ªimagine that. Because of Spin¡¯s foolish son, everyone would be drowned. It¡¯d be a struggle to handle all the resentment waiting for you in hell, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±

    Clench.

    Antonio¡¯s grip on the armrest tightened with barely contained rage.

    He recognized that he had lost the power strugglepletely.

    If he considered the hundreds of thousands of residents on the Floating Archipgo, this was a fight he could never hope to win from the start.

    ¡°¡­The ck Skull was originally a secret organization created to protect the survival rights of the Floating Archipgo.¡±

    Antonio sighed, extinguishing his cigar in the ashtray.

    It was, effectively, a deration of surrender.

    ¡°Survival rights?¡±

    ¡°Independence from the Empire. And the establishment of maritime sovereignty. Right now, the Empire is in no state to protect us. The authority of an Elector might sound impressive, but it¡¯s practically useless. So, this was ourst resort.¡±

    Theo nodded in silence.

    Signs of a great upheaval were already surfacing everywhere.

    ¡°So, does that mean all three of the Shipping Families are involved in ck Skull?¡±

    ¡°Uh, well, not exactly. The heads of the families probably don¡¯t even know about it.¡±

    Antonio scratched the back of his head, hesitant to borate further.

    Theo immediately caught on.

    So that was the true nature of ck Skull.

    ¡°A group within the Shipping Families started it, then¡ªa minority faction, leaning toward the radicals, I¡¯d guess, judging by their push for independence.¡±

    ¡°¡­Did you read my mind?¡±

    ¡°Who knows?¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯ve figured out that much, it¡¯d be hard to keep hiding it.¡±

    Antonio had been trying to twist his words to keep as much hidden as possible.

    But now, he had to admit that Theo was sharper than he¡¯d anticipated.

    The cards in his hand were far too few inparison.

    At the same time, another unsettling thought crossed his mind:

    From the sea beast attacks to this very moment, maybe he¡¯d been dancing in the palm of Theo¡¯s hand the whole time¡­

    ¡°To be precise, it originated from a group formed by friends with shared beliefs, myself included.¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, it makes sense why it¡¯s stayed hidden for so long. Were you nning to form a faction to guide the future sentiment of the Floating Archipgo, or, if necessary, stage a coup for independence?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to know our ultimate goals.¡±

    Antonio cut him off decisively.

    ¡°At any rate, if you¡¯re looking to speak to someone with decision-making power, you can discuss matters with me.¡±

    Theo nodded and retrieved the Dragon yer Sword from his inventory, disying it openly.N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Antonio¡¯s eyes trembled in shock.

    ¡°Balmung¡­!¡±

    The sword, which he had assumed was still in Troyban¡¯s possession, was now right before him.

    Hoo!

    Antonio took a deep breath, steadying himself as best as he could.

    ¡°Are you¡­ aligned with Ragnar?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any need to tell you that.¡±

    Theo smirked, throwing Antonio¡¯s own words back at him.

    ¡°You get what you need, and I get what I need. Since we don¡¯t trust each other yet, let¡¯s start with a small transaction to establish rapport.¡±

    ¡°Yes, fair enough. Then let¡¯s hear what you want first, Lord Lant. What are you seeking?¡±

    ¡°A path to the Sea King.¡±

    Contrary to Theo¡¯s phrase ¡°small transaction,¡± his demand was anything but.

    ¡°T-That¡¯s¡­¡±

    ¡°The core of the Floating Archipgo. I want the Mystery that lies within it.¡±

 Chapter 114

    Chapter 114: Floating Archipgo (4)

    Mystery.

    Even in this era, where airships soared through the skies and trains raced across thend powered by steam, certain mysterious phenomena remained unresolved.

    Some woulde here to find a serendipitous event, receiving immense magical power, while others encountered the miracle of youth.

    There were instances where families suddenly flourished, and conversely, cases where everyone around them sumbed to a deadly curse.

    As a result, people revered these mysteries from afar, but in fear, they refrained from approaching them.

    Today, there were exceedingly few who could harness these mysteries to their full potential.

    The House of Ragnar, known for wielding the Relic of the Ancient Dragon, was a notable example, and the most famous mystery of all was the Colossus of Kriemhild, located in the Floating Archipgo.

    The Colossus of Kriemhild.

    Standing tall at the peak and very center of the Floating Archipgo, on Venota Ind, it overlooked the vast ocean.

    By day, it served as a lighthouse, guiding ships approaching the archipgo during the dawn hours when the sun dipped below the horizon.

    Yet, legend held that when a phenomenon urred within the Floating Archipgo, the Colossus would bestow the blessing of the heroic Kriemhild, contained within it, upon the ¡°Chosen.¡±

    However, to receive this blessing, one must undergo a certain trial¡ªthough, predictably, the Floating Archipgo never allowed anyone to face this trial.

    In fact, it was impossible to approach the Colossus of Kriemhild beyond a certain distance.

    Yet here was Theo, dering his intent to go there.

    Naturally, Antonio frowned, considering it an unreasonable demand.

    ¡°But isn¡¯t that mystery essential to calming the Sea King¡¯s fury?¡±

    Antonio¡¯s expression hardened at Theo¡¯s words.

    ¡°¡­Exin in detail.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a legend about the Colossus of Kriemhild, isn¡¯t there? The ancient hero Kriemhild supposedly sealed away an evil dragon of the sea. The Colossus itself was even modeled tomemorate that very moment, was it not?¡±

    ¡°What rtion could that absurd legend have with quelling the Sea King¡¯s rage?¡±

    ¡°They must be rted. After all, the ¡®Sea King¡¯ you refer to is that very dragon, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Theo didn¡¯t miss the flicker of uncertainty in Antonio¡¯s eyes.

    ¡®As I suspected, I was right.¡¯

    In truth, Theo had recalled the legend of Kriemhild immediately after reading Pontus¡¯s thoughts.

    Seeing the Sea King in its draconic form stirred memories of the Colossus of Kriemhild from his past life.

    Moreover, the Dragon yer Sword in his hand resonated with an aura simr to the one emanating from the Sea King.

    And so, the pieces of information naturally fell into ce.

    Perhaps the very sword Kriemhild used to vanquish the evil dragon was Balmung.

    ¡°To put the Sea King back to sleep, I need to awaken Balmung¡¯stent powers. For that, I need the mystery of the Colossus.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re saying that you¡¯ll be the one to subdue the Sea King?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you see it a moment ago? I drove back the Sea Serpent. I have the ability to face the Sea King¡ªjust not enough power. That¡¯s why I need the mystery.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°After that, I¡¯ll return Balmung as promised. This benefits you as well, doesn¡¯t it? You¡¯ll protect the Floating Archipgo and get Balmung back.¡±

    ¡°And you get the serendipity?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a mutually beneficial deal.¡±

    Of course, Theo had no intention of returning the Dragon yer Sword. There was no reason to reveal that.

    Antonio fell into deep thought.

    ¡°What is there to ponder? The mystery is important, but if it were me, I¡¯d put the safety and lives of the ind¡¯s people first.¡±

    ¡°We could also choose to retrieve Balmung from you ourselves and secure Kriemhild¡¯s blessing.¡±

    ¡°If the mystery of the Colossus could be unlocked, wouldn¡¯t you have done it already?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°But I know how. What do you think? Isn¡¯t that tempting?¡±

    Antonio shook his head.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t a matter I can decide on my own. The Colossus of Kriemhild falls under the jurisdiction of the council¡­!¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re going to start on aboutcking authority, we can end things here. I can formally propose this to the Shipping Alliance through the main family; I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll consider it.¡±

    Without a hint of hesitation, Theo stood up.

    The only reason he¡¯d reached out to ck Skull was because he thought they¡¯d have ess to Balmung¡¯s secrets and that it¡¯d be easier to approach the Colossus of Kriemhild through them.

    ¡®I¡¯d rather avoid drawing attention from the family¡­ but with time running out, I¡¯ll have to keep it as ast resort if I can¡¯t find another way.¡¯

    ¡°Wait a moment!¡±

    Antonio hurriedly grabbed the hem of Theo¡¯s sleeve.

    As Theo¡¯s indifferent gaze fell upon him, Antonio bit down hard on his lower lip.

    ¡®Fine. Even if he takes the mystery, as long as we can reim Balmung¡­!¡¯

    Balmung symbolized the legitimacy of both the Floating Archipgo and the Shipping Alliance.

    If they regained it, ck Skull would have an immense advantage in taking power.

    He might even ce himself at the very pinnacle of that power.

    Even if not, his standing within the Spin family would be firmly established.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    If only he could surpass his two elder brothers above him.

    Antonio finished all his political calctions and nodded.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it. But you must fulfill a request of mine in return.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°My original request was for you to attend the uing Three Shipping Families¡¯ council as my personal escort knight.¡±

    Taking a long breath, Antonio spoke in a firm voice.

    ¡°If you seed in putting the Sea King to sleep again, you will gain tremendous fame and support. At that time, lend your strength to me and ck Skull, so I can be Doge.¡±

    * * *

    After the deal was concluded.

    ¡°Let¡¯s talk.¡±

    As Theo was leaving Antonio¡¯s office, Arin grabbed him by the wrist, dragging him off somewhere else.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    Arin¡¯s expression was tense, and Selperd¡¯s face was equally troubled.

    ¡°Exin yourself properly. Just what are you plotting?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you agree to follow my leadpletely in this operation?¡±

    ¡°That was before I knew the people you were aligning with were ck Skull!¡±

    Bang!

    Arin mmed her fist against the wall in frustration.

    ¡°Hey! Hey! Don¡¯t make a scene! You¡¯ll break the ship!¡±

    Selperd fussed nervously, but Arin ignored him, her eyes ring sharply at Theo.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re unaware of what those guys did to our seniors?¡±

    ¡°I know very well.¡±

    ¡°Then why¡­?!¡±

    ¡°Because the enemy of my enemy is my friend.¡±

    ¡°You!¡±

    ¡°To defeat Troyban, if I have to borrow even a cat¡¯s paw, I will.¡±

    Just as the murderous intent began to re in Arin¡¯s eyes, Theo continued.

    ¡°Besides, I never said I¡¯d tip the scales in ck Skull¡¯s favor.¡±

    ¡°¡­What do you mean? Exin yourself.¡±

    ¡°I have no intention of letting ck Skull, who harmed the White Armored Dragon Cavalry, go unpunished.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Bait-and-switch. Once the hunt¡¯s over, it¡¯s only fitting to throw the hunting dog into the pot.¡±

    Theo¡¯s gaze was indifferent.

    But it was precisely that look that shook Arin¡¯s heart.

    Because it was as if nothing had changed.

    ¡°Can I trust what you¡¯re saying?¡±

    ¡°Arin, do you remember what I said when I first joined?¡±

    Arin vividly remembered what he¡¯d said back then.

    ¨C I n to be Captain of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry. Within five years.

    ¡°When you said you¡¯d be captain?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Was that just talk?¡±

    ¡°I hate inefficiency more than anything.¡±

    A faint smile appeared on Theo¡¯s lips as he continued speaking.

    ¡°To be a respected captain, wouldn¡¯t gaining the support of the crew be the most crucial part?¡±

    Arin couldn¡¯t help but let out a chuckle.

    After all, Theo¡¯s mention of the ¡°crew¡± included both herself and Selperd.

    He intended to win over their favor and make them his right and left hands to securemand of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry.

    That¡¯s exactly what he was saying.

    ¡®This audacious little thing.¡¯

    Arin found that she didn¡¯t dislike this bold yet clever junior of hers.

    If he kept showing this side, she even thought that she might indeed be his biggest supporter in reaching the captaincy.

    ¡°Alright. If you¡¯re going that far. So, what¡¯s your next move?¡±

    Only then did Arin release her grip on Theo as she asked.

    Theo adjusted his cor before answering.

    ¡°As I mentioned, the first step is to pull ck Skull onto our side. From there, we¡¯ll resolve this issue while making sure the Shipping Alliance owes us a debt. Along the way, we¡¯ll also eliminate Troyban¡¯s shadow.¡±

    ¡°And ck Skull will conveniently disappear in the process?¡±

    Theo replied with a faint, knowing smile.

    Arinughed, pleased.

    ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll keep helping and looking forward to it.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Selperd, who had been watching them, also smiled along with them.

    * * *

    ¡°Do you trust him?¡±

    ¡°And if I don¡¯t? Do we have any other options?¡±

    Gray asked Antonio carefully, but Antonio¡¯s reply left him silent.

    As Antonio had said, they had no other viable solution at hand.

    ¡°In a way, this is ideal. With crisises opportunity¡ªif he really does what he ims, it¡¯ll give us the chance to turn the tables. Even if he fails, we don¡¯t stand to lose anything, do we? We¡¯ll just say we knew nothing of it and deny it all. And besides,¡±

    The corner of Antonio¡¯s mouth twisted.

    ¡°We can always take back the mystery after it¡¯s served its purpose.¡±

    Gray nodded.

    Despite his friendly exterior, Antonio was never one to treat outsiders kindly.

    To Antonio, what belonged to the Floating Archipgo was for the Floating Archipgo alone.

    Maintaining a strict istionist stance was one of his core principles.

    ¡°Notify headquarters and the family in advance. They should be ready by the time we arrive.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    Gray bowed and left the room.

    Left alone, Antonio ced a cigar between his lips.

    In silence, thick smoke swirled and filled the room around him.

    * * *

    The rising air current, originating from the ocean currents, began to lift the ship carrying Theo and hispanions into the air.

    ¡°Whoa, it¡¯s lifting, we¡¯re actually flying!¡±

    ¡°Ugh, can you keep it down? Flying¡¯s what we do, so why are you so amazed?¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you amazed? This feelspletely different from just cutting through the sky.¡±

    ¡°Forget it, I don¡¯t understand you.¡±

    While Arin shook her head at Selperd¡¯s excited fussing, the ship cut through the dense sea fog, drawing closer to Venota Ind.

    At the edge of the ind stood a colossal statue towering dozens of meters high.

    A warrior woman, her foot pressed on the head of an evil dragon she had pierced with a sword.

    That must be the Colossus of Kriemhild.

    Theo felt a faint tremor from within his inventory.

    The Dragon yer Sword was reacting.

    ¨C Hey, did you see that?

    ¨C See what?

    ¨C Didn¡¯t you notice? Just now, it seemed like the statue moved!

    ¨C What nonsense are you spouting? Why would it move? Are you still half-asleep?

    ¨C No, I¡¯m serious¡­ it definitely moved¡­

    ¨C It¡¯s nonsense. Maybe the ship shook or something.

    Amid the murmurs from those around him, the ship finally docked at the port.

    ¡°This way, please follow me.¡±

    Once again, Antonio disembarked first.

    Waiting outside was an eight-wheeled carriage adorned with the emblem of the Spin family.

    Wonder if that guy is still doing well.

    While Theo briefly thought of an old friend from his previous life, thefortable eight-wheeled carriage transported them to the Spin estate.

    It was a grand mansion, so splendid it could have been mistaken for a pce.

    As they entered the yard, a gardener¡ªwearing a straw hat pulled low over his face¡ªlooked up from trimming the hedges and greeted them warmly.

    ¡°Oh, my son is back?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Father. I¡¯ve returned safely. And these are Sir Lant and hispanions, whom I mentioned in my letter.¡±

    ¡°Oh-ho! It¡¯s rare for Antonio to give such high praise. It seems you are indeed formidable masters. Pleased to meet you. I am Umberto, head of the Spin family.¡±

    Despite his friendly tone, Umberto¡¯s muscr frame and sharp eyes betrayed his ruthless nature¡ªthe look of a ruler of the underworld, a man who had waded through death and blood.

    At the very least, he seemed to be an Advanced Swordsman, if not a Dragon Gate Swordsman.

    Selperd and Arin were visibly tense.

    ¡®Antonio said he already gave his father a heads-up about me.¡¯

    It likely meant that he wanted his father¡¯s support in what was about to unfold. At the very least, it was a signal not to interfere.

    Theo sped the hand Umberto extended to him.

    ¡°I¡¯m called Lant.¡±

    ¡°Lant! A fine name indeed. Might I inquire about your family name as well?¡±

    ¡°I apologize, but as I am currently training incognito as a swordsman, I must keep that information private.¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes. Many swordsmen, while honing their skills, travel the world under secrecy. You must be enduring quite the hardship. Ha-ha.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your understanding.¡±

    Theo and Umberto naturally began to stroll side by side along the garden path, with Antonio, Selperd, and Arin following behind.

    ¡°Our family, the Spin, holds high expectations for you, Sir Lant.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? I hope I¡¯ll live up to those expectations, though it is a bit daunting.¡±

    ¡°Your words may be humble, but I see the confidence on your face. Ha-ha. I¡¯m quite fond of people with such boldness.¡±

    Umberto¡¯s eyes, narrowing with amusement, held an intense depth. He was not a man to be underestimated.

    ¡°To be honest, when Antonio first contacted me, this old man was skeptical. A hero to save us from the crisis that¡¯s engulfing the archipgo¡­ doesn¡¯t the timing seem a bit too convenient?¡±

    ¡°It might appear that way.¡±

    ¡°But then I thought, whatever you may be hiding, so long as your de is sharp, isn¡¯t that what matters most?¡±

    He¡¯s managed to turn a threat into a gentle warning¡ªbasically telling me there¡¯ll be no mercy if I don¡¯t deliver.

    Theo felt a smile tug at him but kept it concealed as he nodded.

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t take it as scolding, now. Ha-ha-ha. Please, consider this ce your home for the duration of your stay. Antonio, make sure they¡¯re well taken care of.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Father.¡±

    Umberto bid farewell to Theo and hispanions at the mansion entrance, then returned to the garden.

    Antonio, watching his father walk away, turned and gestured to Theo and the others.

    ¡°Come with me. The others are waiting inside.¡±

 Chapter 115

    Chapter 115: Floating Archipgo (5)

    The interior of the mansion was just as vast and beautiful as its exterior.

    ¡®They¡¯ve sshed money everywhere.¡¯

    Theo¡¯s first impression was simr to when he had visited Antonio¡¯s mansion in Novaz¨¦.

    ¡¸I¡¯ve been to Camellia Pce where you stayed, but it wasn¡¯t like this, was it? This ce is fancy, sure, but why does it feel so tacky?¡¹

    With a subtle gesture, Theo signaled to Selperd not to show his thoughts openly, then turned his attention back to Antonio¡¯s exnation.

    ¡°I have one thing to ask of you before I introduce mypanions.¡±

    Theo nodded quietly.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Please, refrain from any reckless sword fights.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re all friends with pretty rough personalities. Some of them are the type who won¡¯t put their swords away until it¡¯s settled.¡±

    Was it a plea to avoid wasting time, or a warning that if he acted recklessly, he might not survive?

    ¡®Both.¡¯

    Selperd and Arin seemed to pick up on this as well; their brows twitched in response.

    ¡°This way, please.¡±

    Creak!

    Antonio opened the door and led them in.

    Six men and women were scattered around the spacious room, either smoking cigars or sharing drinks.

    They all appeared to be around Antonio¡¯s age.

    However,

    ¡®Not a single one of them seems easy to handle.¡¯

    Among them, there were even individuals with skillsparable to those of an Advanced Swordsman.

    At the far end, a woman with short hair, watching them quietly, caught his eye.

    ¡°Antonio.¡±

    ¡°Oh! Our brother. You must have had a rough journey.¡±

    ¡°I heard the Sea Bell disease has worsened? Did you have any trouble getting here?¡±

    ¡°One question at a time. Before that, I have someone to introduce. This is Lord Lant. Lord Lant, pleasee in.¡±

    The moment Theo stepped inside, the six men and women¡¯s expressions shifted.

    ¡°The one mentioned in the letter.¡±

    ¡°The one who holds Balmung.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s even younger than I expected. What can someone like that possibly do?¡±

    Most of them had a negative first impression of Theo.

    Given his appearance, he seemed no older than the youngest sibling in any family, so it was natural for them to make that assumption.

    Thud!

    As soon as Theo took a step further inside, an overwhelming dragon-ying aura swept through the room.

    Whirrrrr-

    [¡®Skill: Lesser Drake¡¯s Fear¡¯ has been activated, initiating a show of dominance.]

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    The cigars they held abruptly extinguished, and the ceiling trembled violently.

    Rumble¡­!

    A look of shock shed across the six men and women¡¯s faces.

    With aura alone, Theo had already surpassed a significant number of them by a wide margin.

    ¡¸W-what the¡­? Was our youngest really this strong? I knew he took down Beta, but this is just unfair. We might not even be able to beat him now¡­¡¹

    ¡¸No kidding.¡¹

    ¡¸Arin, what are you going to do now?¡¹

    ¡¸Why would I do anything?¡¹

    ¡¸Did you eat some goldfish memory food or something? Don¡¯t you remember how you threatened Theo on the ship?¡¹

    ¡¸How was that a threat?¡¹

    ¡¸It was definitely a threat. And with him acting more and more like the Commander, I¡¯m going to make sure I don¡¯t stand out. Heh heh.¡¹

    ¡¸¡­Mind if I hit you just once?¡¹

    Selperd and Arin, who had been observing from behind, were also surprised enough to start joking with each other.

    At that moment, Theo pulled the Dragon yer Sword from his inventory and drove it straight into the floor.

    Thunk!

    The de was so sharp it sliced cleanly through the marble floor.

    That was the exact moment the stiff expressions on the faces of the six men and women shifted.

    Greed.

    ¡°Balmung¡­!¡±

    ¡°So, the letter was real.¡±

    Their reactions varied widely.

    Curiosity, hostility, neutrality.

    What stood out was how these reactions differed based on where they were standing.

    Even within this small group, there were clear divisions.

    It meant they weren¡¯t as united as they appeared.

    ¡®Three groups, maybe? No, probably four.¡¯

    While mentally noting each group, Theo spoke.

    ¡°Antonio has probably already mentioned this, but what I want is the Mystery located in Kriemhild¡¯s Colossus. In exchange, after resealing the Sea King, I¡¯ll return Balmung to you.¡±

    ¡°How can we believe you¡¯ll return it just like that?¡±

    ¡°Does anyone here really want to turn the entire Floating Archipgo and the Shipping Alliance against them?¡±

    At Theo¡¯s calm response, the man who had asked the question shrugged. It was a fair point, after all.

    Then the short-haired woman who had been the most noticeable when he entered the room asked a question.

    ¡°Let¡¯s say we take you to the Colossus. But what if you fail to obtain the Mystery? What happens then?¡±

    ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll forfeit everything and return Balmung immediately.¡±

    ¡°Hmm. I like the straightforward answer.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve got a question too, if you don¡¯t mind.¡±

    ¡°Ask away.¡±

    ¡°We thought all this time that Balmung was with Troyban. And if not there, then with the Ragnars. Which side are you with?¡±

    The man¡¯s gaze was sharp, as if he might show his intent to kill at any moment.

    ¡®He¡¯s with the faction most hostile to me. But what¡¯s his connection to Slow Gang? They look quite alike.¡¯

    Both shared the trait of a bald, shaven head.

    ¡°Antonio asked a simr question, but I don¡¯t see why I¡¯m obligated to answer that.¡±

    ¡°Hey, we¡¯re staking our political lives on this, you know? If we¡¯re working together, shouldn¡¯t you show some trust first? How are we supposed to work with someone we can¡¯t even trust?¡±

    Another man protested, but Theo merely scoffed.

    ¡°Trust? I think that¡¯s something you can decide after seeing whether I can obtain the Mystery or not. So, if I¡¯m with Troyban, does that mean you won¡¯t work with me? If I¡¯m with Ragnar, would you refuse to work with me?¡±

    The members of ck Skull fell silent.

    ¡°Regardless of who I am, you need the aplishment of having used me to reseal the Sea King. And if that fails, simply reiming Balmung would still be worth the effort, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±

    They were all overwhelmed by Theo¡¯s unyielding confidence.

    It was as if he could read their thoughts, exposing everyyer of their minds.

    For people who had spent their lives at the pinnacle of the Floating Archipgo¡¯s autonomy, it was a deeply unsettling feeling.

    ¡°So don¡¯t bother with pointless probing. Just decide. Are youing with me or not?¡±

    A tense atmosphere lingered in the room.

    p!

    At that moment, Antonio pped his hands loudly to lighten the mood.

    ¡°Come now, let¡¯s calm down a bit. Things are getting a little too heated, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°This is too unpleasant for me. I¡¯ll be sitting this one out.¡±

    The bald man rose coldly from his seat.

    ¡°Drew!¡±

    Antonio tried to stop him, but the man was already out of the room.

    Bang!

    ¡°Seriously, that temper of his¡­¡±

    ¡°Just leave him be. He¡¯ll probablye back once he gets bored again.¡±

    The others, seemingly ustomed to this behavior, shrugged it off as no big deal.

    The man who appeared to be the leader smiled as he spoke.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s put it to a vote. All in favor of helping Lant obtain the Mystery of the Colossus, raise your hands.¡±

    A total of four people raised their hands.

    ¡°With a majority vote, ck Skull will assist Lant from here on out. Let the guards stationed at the Colossus know. Tell them to clear the path.¡±

    Because of its importance, Kriemhild¡¯s Colossus was constantly guarded.

    Sneaking in unnoticed would require significant effort.

    But with Spin and ck Skull¡¯s cooperation, it wasn¡¯t impossible.

    Thus,

    the movement of ck Skull began.

    * * *

    ¡°Over here.¡±

    Under the dim light of a crescent moon,

    Theo¡¯s group, guided by Antonio and ck Skull, quietly slipped out through the back gate of the Spin mansion.

    ¡°The area around the Colossus will be clear of guards for the next 30 minutes. Lord Lant, within that time, you must retrieve the Mystery and return safely.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that cutting it a bit close?¡±

    While they moved, Antonio gave further instructions.

    But Theo found it ridiculous.

    Thirty minutes.

    This was the Mystery that the Floating Archipgo prided itself on.

    Even twenty-four hours might not be enough to retrieve it, so thirty minutes was absurd.

    ¡°I apologize. We tried to buy more time, but since we¡¯re working within the guard shift, it¡¯s impossible to leave it unguarded for longer.¡±

    Antonio bowed his head, looking apologetic.

    But Theo was certain of one thing.

    Most likely, behind that bow, Antonio was hiding a smirk.

    ¡®They¡¯re trying to y a trick to get Balmung back.¡¯

    He had promised to return Balmung if he failed to obtain the Mystery, so they were giving him as little time as possible.N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Did they think it would be better to retrieve Balmung themselves than to have Theo use the Mystery to reseal the Sea King?

    Of course, Theo had no intention of falling for their scheme.

    ¡°This is it.¡±

    ck!

    Before he knew it, Theo had arrived in front of Kriemhild¡¯s Colossus.

    It was farrger up close than it had seemed from the ship.

    It had to be well over several dozen meters tall.

    Swoooo-

    From the sword held by Kriemhild¡¯s Colossus, a faint blue light emanated.

    The Dragon yer Sword strapped to Theo¡¯s back, wrapped in cloth, vibrated more intensely by the second.

    ¡°We¡¯ll stand guard here. Best of luck to you.¡±

    ¡¸Lord Selperd, Lady Arin, please secure this spot. ck Skull may attempt interference.¡¹

    ¡¸Don¡¯t worry. We, your reliable seniors, will hold things down here.¡¹

    ¡¸Be careful ande back safely.¡¹

    Theo lightly leapt over the barbed wire fencing surrounding the Colossus.

    Buzzzzz!

    The Dragon yer Sword vibrated so violently that it seemed it might shatter at any moment.

    [¡®Dragon yer Sword: Balmung¡¯ wishes to return to its original ce. Locate the position, discover the Mystery within, and obtain the right of ownership.]

    Finding the ¡°position¡± mentioned in the message wasn¡¯t particrly difficult.

    All Theo had to do was locate the spot where the Dragon yer Sword¡¯s vibrations grew strongest.

    That led him to a ce.

    In front of the massive sword embedded in the neck of the evil dragon.

    ¡®Its design is different from Balmung.¡¯

    The Dragon yer Sword was an ordinary longsword in appearance, but Kriemhild¡¯s sword had gemstones embedded in it, a much more ornate design.

    Was it a result of time¡¯s wear, or perhaps embellishments added by legend?

    As Theo unwrapped the cloth covering the Dragon yer Sword, something abruptly plummeted from the sky.

    ¡°Die, Ragnar!¡±

    A massive hammer descended at incredible speed.

    Theo quickly drew Drake¡¯s de and deflected it.

    Boom!

    The hammer¡¯s wieldernded, performing a mid-air flip as he touched down.

    A bald, towering brute of nearly two meters of pure muscle.

    ¡°Drew.¡±

    Then,

    Szzzzzz-

    The air around him warped, and about a dozen figures emerged from the shadows, each armed with various weapons.

    But the most striking feature was the ck skull emblem on their chests.

    ¡°Gray.¡±

    Seeing the familiar face of a me-based mage among them, Theo gave a dryugh.

    He had miscalcted.

    Even if they were going to attack, he had assumed they¡¯d at least wait to see if he seeded in obtaining the Mystery.

    To set up a trap like this, and impose a strict 30-minute time limit?

    ¡®Unless¡­¡¯

    Theo narrowed his eyes.

    ¡°Lord Lant, if you hand over Balmung willingly, we¡¯ll at least spare your life.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t see the need for this. Wouldn¡¯t it have made more sense to act after I¡¯d obtained the Mystery?¡±

    ¡°If you acquire the Mystery, you¡¯ll be too powerful, and that would make cleaning up after you much harder. It¡¯s easier to deal with you now.¡±

    ¡°Or maybe you¡¯re just trying to handle this quietly without the knowledge of Antonio and the other leaders?¡±

    Gray clicked his tongue.

    ¡°Smart people like you are such a hassle¡­ There¡¯s no point in hiding it now. Yes, you¡¯re right.¡±

    Just as he thought.

    This wasn¡¯t ck Skull¡¯s collective decision; it was a personal scheme orchestrated by Gray and Drew.

    So he hadn¡¯t been wrong to sense disunity among them.

    It was a chaotic mess.

    But this worked in Theo¡¯s favor; the more divided ck Skull was, the easier it would be to deal with them.

    ¡°We swore long ago never to share the same sky as a Ragnar. So we can¡¯t ept your proposal.¡±

    ¡°I never said I was a Ragnar.¡±

    ¡°Do you think denying it will keep us from knowing?¡±

    They seemed somehow certain of his identity as a Ragnar, though how they knew was a mystery to him.

    In the end, Theo couldn¡¯t keep up the pretense any longer.

    He shot a quick nce at Drew, who was still brimming with murderous intent.

    ¡°So, you really are Slow Gang¡¯s brother?¡±

    ¡°More or less. And one other thing.¡±

    Fwoosh!

    As the hem of Gray¡¯s robe red, mes burst forth.

    ¡°I¡¯m also a ¡®Gang.¡¯ Gray Gang. In ce of my wrongfully killed brother, Slow¡­ I¡¯ll kill you now, Ragnar.¡±

    Theo realized he¡¯d need toe up with a different strategy to ovee this ambush.

    It was already clear that Selperd and Arin outside had likely fallen into their own traps as well.

    ¡®If that¡¯s the case¡­¡¯

    Theo poured all his energy into the Dragon yer Sword he held in his left hand.

    Zzzzzang¡ª

    Thud, thud, thud¡­!

    With a fierce hum, the sword¡¯s aura surged outward, unleashing a tempest that swept through the surroundings.

    ¡°Pathetic desperation. Retrieve Balmung!¡± Gray yelled as he unleashed his magic, and Drew, along with his subordinates, charged in unison.

    ¡°Well, let¡¯s see who¡¯s really desperate,¡± Theo replied with a coldugh, brandishing the steaming Dragon yer Sword toward Kriemhild¡¯s Colossus.

    The de, saturated with aura, spiraled forth, ripping through the Colossus.

    ¡°What are you doing¡­? N-no, stop!¡±

    As Gray and Drew¡¯s faces turned ashen, Kriemhild¡¯s Colossus erupted.

    Boom!

 Chapter 116

    Chapter 116: The Mystery of Dragon yer (1)

    Rumble!

    The explosion from Kriemhild¡¯s Colossus was clear to Antonio, Selperd, and Arin.

    Then, a sh of light shot up into the sky.

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°Could it be¡­ did he deceive us?¡±

    ¡°N-no! We had no idea about this either!¡±

    Antonio, seeing the de aimed under his chin, turned pale and shouted.

    ¡°Then what is that?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­!¡±

    In an instant, a single possibility crossed Antonio¡¯s mind.

    ¡®Could it be! Those madmen, Drow and Gray!¡¯

    Antonio knew well just how deep Drow and Gray¡¯s hatred ran against Ragnar.

    Though the battle at nky Fortress had been a trapid by Troyban, it was undeniable that their trusted leader, Slow, had been killed by Ragnar.

    Even so, he had trusted they would follow the consensus of the leaders for the sake of the greater cause!

    It was then.

    ¡°Gah!¡±

    Whap!

    Suddenly, Selperd swiftly pressed his finger against several points on Antonio¡¯s body.

    Point Sealing.

    It was a technique of Ragnar, a skill for sealing one¡¯s magic.

    ¡°Whether you knew about this or not, we¡¯ll find out soon. For now, you¡¯ll serve as our hostage.¡±

    Antonio wanted to say something, but his magic was sealed, leaving him gasping for breath.

    Selperd hoisted Antonio onto one shoulder and rushed toward the colossus.

    sh! sh!

    Rumble¡­

    As the light continued to sh, Kriemhild¡¯s Colossus shook.

    Antonio bit his lower lip hard.

    If this went on, their situation would be exposed to the entire Floating Archipgo.

    The n to secretly retrieve the mystery would bepletely ruined.

    ¡®At this rate, I¡¯ll even face punishment from Father¡­!¡¯

    But Antonio¡¯s thoughts didn¡¯tst long.

    Boom!

    A part of Kriemhild¡¯s Colossus began to copse.

    Thendmark, the symbol of the Floating Archipgo!

    ¡®N-nooooo!¡¯

    Antonio didn¡¯t realize it.

    That the scream he had just let out was the exact same as Drow¡¯s and Gray¡¯s.

    * * *

    ¡°You insolent fool! Stop this at once!¡±

    Bang! Bang!

    Drow stomped the ground violently, like an enraged bull.

    With every swing of Theo¡¯s Dragon yer Sword, Kriemhild¡¯s Colossus burst like fireworks.

    Though the structure was so massive that only fragments were falling away, to the inhabitants of the Floating Archipgo, who had worshipped the colossus as a sacred relic, it was nothing short of sphemy!

    ¡®How did it end up like this?!¡¯

    Though Theo¡¯s group didn¡¯t realize it, Drow had known they were Ragnar from the moment they arrived at the Floating Archipgo.

    -What? Is that true?

    -Yes! I¡¯m certain. Those bastards are Ragnar. They¡¯re definitely the White Armored Dragon Cavalry who killed Big Brother Slow.

    One survivor had barely managed to return alive from the battle at nky Fortress.

    They probably believed they¡¯d wiped everyone out.

    But in reality, there was a single person who had escaped before the full-scale battle began.

    So, driven by his vow to kill everyst one of Ragnar¡¯s kin, Drow had devised this n¡­!

    But things had be far moreplicated than expected.

    Could he really have thought that someone aiming for the mystery would just abandon it so easily?

    Clearly, this was a twisted act of spite, making sure no one else could have it if they couldn¡¯t.

    For a brief moment, he wondered if the colossus holding the mystery was breaking too easily.

    Crack! Craaack!

    But watching as the fractures spread across the entire colossus, he had no time for such thoughts. The area where the sword pierced the Evil Dragon looked like it would copse at any moment.

    ¡°Why should I?¡±

    Theo scoffed lightly and brought down the de of the Drake he held in his right hand.

    Booom!

    Rumble-

    Drow was forcefully pushed back, feeling a pain that made his arm feel like it might be ripped off.

    His eyes trembled.

    In his entire life, he had never once been overpowered in sheer strength.

    Even his respected brother, Slow, had to concede to him in terms of raw power!

    Yet he hadn¡¯t expected that Theo, much smaller inparison, would overpower him.

    And Theo was only using one arm to face him.

    ¡®Impossible!¡¯

    ¡°You all broke the rules however you wanted, so why should I bother protecting them?¡±

    ¡°You talk too much, bastard!¡±

    But Drow didn¡¯t let himself dwell on it and charged at Theo once again.

    If he couldn¡¯t match him in strength, he decided he¡¯d just keep pounding away until he won.

    ¡°Drow! We¡¯ll cover you!¡±

    Realizing Theo had hidden his skills all this time, Gray cast spells in quick session along with hisrades.

    Fireballs rained from the sky, while roots shot up from the ground, trying to bind Theo¡¯s feet.

    From his blind spots, other swordsmen emerged, attempting tobine forces with Drow.

    Crash! Crash!

    But from above, bolts of lightning rained down upon the center of the mages.

    ¡°Aaagh!¡±

    ¡°Magic! He¡¯s using magic!¡±

    ¡°Move back! It¡¯s a targeted spell, so just dodge!¡±

    ¡°But if we do, our spellcasting rhythm gets disrupted every time!¡±

    sh! sh!

    Each time the brilliant streaks of light ripped wildly across the ground, the front lines grew more disordered, making it nearly impossible to approach Theo.

    ¡°Damn it aaaaall!¡±

    ¡°The colossus! The colossus is copsing!¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    ¡°Someone do something! Somebody stop that bastard!¡±

    ¡°The fissure is widening! Secure it! Focus on stabilizing the colossus first!¡±

    ¡®It¡¯s chaos.¡¯

    Theo pushed Drow back with his right hand, while with his left, he struck Kriemhild¡¯s colossus, his bared teeth gleaming with intent.

    ¡°Since it¡¯se to this, let¡¯s broadcast it to the whole Floating Archipgo. ¡®ck Skull is trying to destroy Kriemhild¡¯s Colossus.¡¯¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    Only then did Gray fully understand Theo¡¯s aim.

    This bastard was flipping the entire situation to brand ck Skull as traitors to the Floating Archipgo!

    ¡®I, I¡­ I have to stop him somehow¡­! But how¡­? Surrender? Should I surrender?¡¯

    Crack¡ªBOOM!

    At that moment, a scorching storm from the Dragon yer Sword swept over Kriemhild¡¯s de.

    The remnants were left as though the dead Evil Dragon had arisen, shing wildly with its ws.

    Then¡ª

    BOOOM!

    Kriemhild¡¯s sword exploded, scattering fragments in every direction.

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°N-no¡­! The colossus¡­!¡±

    ¡°The mystery¡­!¡±

    Fragments smashed into the cliff, the boundary walls shattered, and debris scattered over the sea, plunging everyone into further chaos.

    Drow, Gray, and the others, their minds turned nk, were unable to string together any coherent thought.

    But¡ª

    ¡®It¡¯sing.¡¯

    Theo saw it clearly.

    Fwoooosh¡ª

    The shattered Kriemhild¡¯s de.

    The blue light that had been seeping from within now red uncontrobly.

    Theo hadn¡¯t fixated on the colossus¡¯ sword without reason.

    ¡®The message. There was a clue within that could awaken the mystery.¡¯

    The Dragon yer Sword wishes to return to its original ce.

    This line had captivated Theo.

    ¡®The original ce. Where the fake stone sword was.¡¯

    The sword held by the Kriemhild statue now waspletely different in design from the Dragon yer Sword. Meaning, the tradition had passed down wrongly.

    What would happen if he removed the mistaken sword, as the message suggested, and ced Balmung in its rightful spot?

    ¡®The tradition will be set right, and the mystery will open.¡¯

    That was why the Floating Archipgo, having revered Kriemhild¡¯s colossus like a sacred relic, had never managed to unlock the mystery.

    Theo hurled the Dragon yer Sword with all his might toward the blue light.

    At that moment¡ª

    Whirrr!

    [The dormant  awakens.]

    sh!

    The blue light erupted, engulfing Theo and everyone around him.

    Drow, Gray, and their party were also swept up entirely.

    ¡®Where is this?¡¯

    When Theo opened his eyes again, he found himself surrounded by a dense jungle filled with broadleaf trees.

    The ground was muddy, and the air was thick with humidity, creating an unpleasant, sticky atmosphere.

    Chirp! Chirp chirp!

    Buzz! Buzzz¡ª

    The sounds of various birds and insects filled the area from all directions.

    ¡°What¡­ what is this?¡±

    ¡°Why did this suddenly appear? Where¡¯s the colossus?¡±

    Meanwhile, the members of ck Skull, who had also been caught up in the mystery, looked around in confusion, struggling to regain their senses.

    ¡°Gray!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t move hastily¡ªwait! We need to assess the situation first.¡±

    Gray quickly scanned his surroundings, piecing together his thoughts.

    ¡®We were dragged here by that strange light from the colossus¡¯s explosion. That means¡­!¡¯

    Only one word came to mind.

    Mystery.

    ¡°Everyone, stay alert! This ce is the arrangement left behind by the great ancestor Kriemhild for us, his descendants¡­!¡±

    The realization that they, not outsiders like Ragnar, could im the mystery, filled him with determination.

    The true legacy of Kriemhild now rested with ck Skull¡ªor rather, with them, the Gang Brotherhood¡ªand with it, they could aplish much.

    Swish¡ª

    St!

    But then, a whistling sound sliced through the air, and suddenly, a searing pain burned in Gray¡¯s throat. It was unbearably hot. He tried to speak, but no sound came out.

    ¡°Grayyyy!¡±

    ¡®Drew¡­. why are you making that face?¡¯

    With thatst thought, Gray copsed to the ground.

    Thud!

    A long spear was lodged in the back of the dead man¡¯s neck¡ªits shaft carved from what seemed like the bones of a massive beast.

    ¡°It¡¯s an ambush! Defend yourselves!¡±

    Drow shouted urgently, not even sparing a moment to retrieve his fallen brother¡¯s body.

    Swish swish swish!

    In an instant, dozens of simr bone spears filled the sky, raining down upon them like a nket of death.

    The disaster had begun.

    Thwack thwack thwack¡ª

    ¡°Aaargh!¡±

    ¡°S-someone save me¡­!¡±

    ¡°Tay! Snap out of it, Tay¡­ Gah!¡±

    ¡°Shields! Anyone with a shield, raise it now!¡±

    Already struggling to hold formation against Theo, the Gang Brotherhood found themselves utterly unprepared for the sudden onught.

    Several fell, impaled by as many as four or five spears at once.

    Thud!

    Drew sprang into action, moving frantically to save as many of his brothers as possible.

    * * *

    Swish!

    Meanwhile, Theo had swiftly climbed a tree, moving away from the Gang Brotherhood to gain a better vantage point and assess the surrounding terrain.

    [The  has begun.]

    [Retrieve Kriemhild¡¯s scattered remains, cursed by the Evil Dragon, and ce a sword in her hands.]

    ¡®The Evil Dragon¡¯s Curse.¡¯

    He needed to understand exactly what that entailed.

    Just then, Theo noticed something moving throughout the dense forest, just beyond the edge of the clearing.

    Skeleton soldiers.

    They lurked across the jungle, hidden among the swampy areas, moving busily in secret.

    The problem was¡ª

    Rattle, rattle, rattle!

    ¡ªthere were far too many.

    ¡®At least several thousand¡­ no, tens of thousands?¡¯

    It wasn¡¯t just this area. As far as the eye could see, the entire jungle swarmed with skeleton soldiers stretching to the distant horizon.

    They moved like a vast army, with a wide variety of unit types.

    Spearmen, archers, swordsmen, shield-bearers, mounted knights, airborne mages, and evenmanders leading battalions.

    Dragon¡¯s Fang Legion.

    The legendary legion said to be born from the dragon¡¯s fangs and bones was advancing like a swarm of locusts.

    ¡°And I¡¯m supposed to find Kriemhild¡¯s remains among all that?¡±

    A cold sweat ran down Theo¡¯s back at the thought.

 Chapter 117

    Chapter 117: The Mysteries of Dragon yer (2)

    ¡°Aaaagh!¡±

    ¡°S-save me¡­!¡±

    ¡°Why is the mystery killing us! Why?! Why us!¡±

    Thud¡ª Thud¡ª

    Bang! Boom!

    It was chaos. Utter pandemonium.

    To Drew, it was exactly how everything appeared.

    The members of the Gang Brotherhood were dying like flies.

    Some were pierced through with bone spears, while others were riddled with arrows.

    The ground beneath them was soaked, sticky with their blood.

    Where had it all gone wrong?

    They had onlye to avenge their fallen brother.

    As residents of the Floating Archipgo, they also believed they held the rightful im to Kriemhild¡¯s power.

    ¡°Kriemhild¡­! Oh, great ancestor, why have you given us such trials¡­?¡±

    Drew muttered to himself in a daze, yet only deep confusion lingered in his words.

    Thud!

    Swish¡ª Swish¡ª

    ¡°Well, then.¡±

    Theo saw the bone spears and arrows aimed at him, so he quickly wrapped himself in a whirlwind of air.

    It seemed his presence had been detected as well.

    Chirp! Chirp!

    Creak! Creak!

    What were they saying?

    Were they giving orders to seize the intruder on sight?

    Wind Thunder God Technique ¨C Gust Steps

    Swish¡ª Swish¡ª Swish¡ª

    Bang! Bang! Bang!

    Each branch Theo dashed over was narrowly missed by a bone spear lodging into it.

    Frustrated by losing sight of him, the dragon infantry stomped and growled before racing in the direction he had run.

    ¡®They may look like they¡¯re charging wildly, but their formation remainspletely intact.¡¯

    The sight of spearmen, shield-bearers, archers, swordsmen, and knights moving in precise unison was almost like a finely tuned work of art.

    Boom! Boom!

    On top of that, the attacks from hidden mages within their ranks were piercingly urate.

    Theo deflected each spell with the de of Drake¡¯s weapon, quickly pinpointing their locations.

    Thunder Calling

    Rumble! Crack!

    Lightning bolts selectively struck the mages.

    Some, taken aback by Theo¡¯s unexpected magic, were destroyed on the spot. But as time passed, three or four shield-bearers would rush forward to form a protective barrier, rendering his efforts futile.

    ¡®As I thought, this won¡¯t be easy. They have too many forces. Which means the only option is to break their formation.¡¯

    No matter how many dragon infantry he took down, the overwhelming numbers made little difference.

    So, he had to strike at the head¡ªto shatter theirmand structure.

    Theo¡¯s gaze instinctively turned in one direction.

    Far ahead.

    There was a dragon infantry soldier d in dazzling armor, mounted on a horse armored in iron tes.

    The size of the soldier was three times that of an average dragon infantry.

    From beneath the helm, blue mes in its eyes seemed to stare straight at Theo.

    ¨C I¡¯ll take him down first.

    Swish¡ª

    Theo bolted forward, putting all his strength into his legs and shooting towards the soldier like an arrow.

    At that moment, four knight infantry guarding themanding officer raised their swords and leaped into the air.

    ng!

    In midair, Theo abruptly twisted his body, raising the de of Drake¡¯s weapon edge-first, deflecting two of them.

    At that exact moment, two more went for his blind spot.

    One of them was pushed back as Theo used telekinesis to draw out all four Death Beater swords.

    The other was instantly cut down as Theo unleashed the Moon-White Sword with a sh of sharp energy.

    Crash¡ª

    ¡°That¡¯s one down.¡±

    Theo didn¡¯t stop running.

    Death Beater spun counterclockwise, unleashing a burst of lightning. A thunder dragon emerged, its scorching breath exploding the heads of two knights.

    Then, Theo closed in on thest knight, who was still trying to regain his bnce after Theo had repelled him.

    ¡°Last one.¡±

    sh!

    The Dragon¡¯s w erupted.

    Crack¡ª

    The knight¡¯s sword and helmet shattered into dust and scattered away.

    Bone spears and arrows poured down, but Theo easily deflected them with the thunder dragon, encountering no real difficulty.

    Now, nothing stood in Theo¡¯s way.

    At that moment, he had the eerie sense that themander¡¯s lips curled into a smile beneath the helmet.

    An unusual expression for a skull without facial muscles.

    Screech!

    For the first time, Theo¡¯s strike, aimed at cleaving themander¡¯s head in half, was blocked.

    Apparently, themander not only led the troops but also possessed considerable skill, as he deftly overcame the crisis without dismounting his horse.

    Tack!

    Just as Theonded after a somersault, themander urged his horse forward, attempting a Lance Charge.

    A technique that amplified the force of thence by adding the eleration of the charging horse!

    Thud, thud, thud¡ª

    ¡°Gh!¡±

    Boom!

    Theo raised Drake¡¯s de as a makeshift shield, bracing himself for impact. The collision felt as though he¡¯d been struck with a hammer, rattling his entire body.

    He was thrown back, his body skidding far across the ground.

    This was the first time he had lost in a contest of strength since gaining both [Mighty Strength] and [Spiritual Essence].

    ¡®No¡­ this isn¡¯t normal. It feels like something is forcibly suppressing the flow of my magic power¡­!¡¯

    Thump, thump, thump!

    He squeezed the Dragon¡¯s Heart with all his might, and his dantian resonated in sync, generating a surge of magical power.

    Gritting his teeth, Theo flicked thence upward, then drew the Moon-White Sword with his left hand, slicing through the lower body of the warhorse.

    ¡°Oh-ho.¡±

    Amused by Theo¡¯s boldness, themander released thence he was holding and, instead, drew a broadsword from the saddle, striking down with it.

    Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

    Despite shing repeatedly with the Moon-White Sword, the broadsword didn¡¯t budge at all.

    As if displeased, the griffin let out a wild cry, recklessly drawing out the energy of the Moon-White Sword, yet the broadsword also unleashed a formidable killing aura and aura force, deflecting Theo¡¯s de.

    No, it even began to press him back.

    ¡®This suppression of my magic¡ªso it was real!¡¯

    Theo could feel that the peculiar magic wielded by themander suppressed not only his own power but also the energy within the Moon-White Sword.

    With every sh of the swords, a stinging pain resonated throughout his body.

    At that moment, the warhorse began advancing again.

    Neigh!

    Vrrr, vrrrr¡ª

    Each time the Moon-White Sword let out a cry, the broadsword responded even more violently.

    Vrrrring!

    [¡®Skill: Lesser Drake¡¯s Fear¡¯ is being disrupted by the opponent¡¯s Dragon yer trait.]

    [The Moon-White Sword cannot fully disy its abilities.]

    ¡°Dragon yer!¡±

    Thump-thump-thump-thump!

    Here was the realm of Kriemhilt, embodying the mysteries of the Dragon yer Sword.

    In this ce, it wasn¡¯t unusual for nature and even the Dragon Bone Soldiers to exhibit the traits of Dragon yer.

    On the other hand, Theo was apanion of dragons, armed with relics of the Ancient Dragon.

    It was as if he had willingly walked into the jaws of his own predator.

    Yet, Theo mustered his magical power, refusing to falter.

    Countless Dragon Bone Soldiers still remained here.

    If he couldn¡¯t even handle a single undead born from mere essence¡ª

    ¡®Then I don¡¯t deserve to be called the Guardian Dragon¡¯spanion.¡¯

    In his right hand was the Drake¡¯s de. In his left, the Moon-White Sword.

    He swiftly crossed the two swords.

    [Activating ¡®Skill: Fairy Buff¡¯ to maximize strength boost.]

    [Activating ¡®Skill: Worm Eater¡¯ to increase attack power.]

    [¡®Fairy¡¯ and ¡®Worm Eater¡¯ seek to consume the opponent¡¯s Dragon yer trait.]

    As the earrings and ring shimmered more brilliantly than ever,

    sh!

    A blinding gale and thunder erupted from the crossing swords, sweeping away everything around them.

    Boom¡ª

    Whrrr, whrrr, whrrr¡­!

    With the broadsword shattered, the skull of the undead horse burst into pieces.

    [The Dragon yer trait is negated.]

    Themander was startled, kicking off the saddle and leaping high to escape the zing storm.

    ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡±

    With a cold smile, Theo scattered the fiery storm in all directions.

    Shh-shh-shh-shing¡ª

    Drake¡¯s de moved in its own direction, while the Moon-White Sword moved in another. Fourteen streams of light intersected and intertwined, forming a whirlwind within moments.

    This was a sword technique Theo had never unleashed before.

    The Path of the Sword.

    The ancient rival¡¯s nameless remnant, passed down to him by Kyle, drove Theo into a state of ecstatic trance.

    It was the subconscious path crafted by an endless obsession with the sword.

    Crunch!

    Themander, unable to withstand the whirlwind, was shredded to pieces. When the winds finally subsided, only a single femur remained, lying on the ground.

    Thud!

    ¡°Hah¡­ hah¡­!¡±

    Theo gasped for breath, then picked up the bone.

    [You have sessfully retrieved a portion of Kriemhilt¡¯s remains. (1/206)]

    ¡°Hah¡­ Seriously¡­ hah¡­ it¡¯s like a treasure hunt¡­¡±

    Apparently, themander¡¯s unusual strength hadn¡¯te from his rank but from possessing a part of Kriemhilt¡¯s remains.

    Then, suddenly¡ª

    [¡®Skill: Hatchling Synchronization¡¯ has been forcibly activated, revealing a fragment of a memory.]

    Whoosh!

    Theo¡¯s vision shifted dramatically.

    * * *

    A sandy beach, with waves gentlypping the shore.

    A young girl was observing a strange creature washed ashore by the waves.

    The creature, which looked like a dragon, was dying, overwhelmed by an unknown curse and deadly poison.

    ¨C Stay away from me¡­ This is a curse from an ancient time¡­ a disgraceful god, forgotten by all¡­ There¡¯s nothing an ordinary human like you can do¡­ Leave before it endangers you¡­ Go¡­

    It wasn¡¯t god of death, but god of disgrace.

    Though the dragon¡¯s desperate cries included words beyond understanding, the girl didn¡¯t leave its side.

    To the girl, who had lived her entire life facing discrimination and oppression, the dragon was her only friend.

    Thus, she did everything she could to heal it of its curse.

    And, indeed, the dragon gradually began to ovee the curse, regaining its strength.

    However¡ª

    ¨C Did you hear there¡¯s a dragon hiding here? Is it true?

    ¨C Yeah, definitely. You know that ve working at the butcher shop?

    ¨C Oh, that creepy-looking one?

    ¨C Yeah. Every night, she sneaks over here with bags full of stuff. Kant happened to see him once.

    ¨C Oh-ho, if there really is a dragon here¡­

    ¨C Then we¡¯ve hit the jackpot. Hehehe.

    As always, misfortune arrived without warning.

    In that moment, Theo¡¯s consciousness quickly returned to reality.

    ¡°The dragon must be the Sea King¡­ and the ve girl is Kriemhild?¡±

    Theo murmured as he quietly observed Kriemhild¡¯s femur.

    It seemed that the rtionship between Kriemhild and the Sea King was moreplicated than he had initially expected.

    [Sessfully read a fragment of thought.]

    [A part of Kriemhild¡¯s will has been imprinted.]

    At the same time, a small symbol glowed and etched itself onto the back of his right hand.

    [Resistance to dragon-ying has been acquired.]

    Drawn only with a simple curve, it was hard to discern its meaning, but it seemed to contain a portion of Kriemhild¡¯s power.

    Perhaps, as he continued to collect her remains, the symbol would grow in size.

    ¡°So this means I need to keep hunting thesemander-level Dragon Warriors¡­ but how on earth am I supposed to hunt them all?¡±

    Theo stroked the symbol on his hand and then nced over the forest edge.

    With themander absent, the formation of the Dragon Warriors had weakened, and many were swarming in his direction.

    Even with resistance to dragon-ying, it was still impossible for him to face them all alone.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    ¡®Should I use Garuda¡¯s Heart now?¡¯

    For a moment, he considered the heart of the dragon¡¯s nemesis that Hilda had given him.

    ¡®No. Garuda¡¯s Heart is ast resort.¡¯

    He shook his head, quickly discarding the thought.

    Then, there was only one option left.

    He would have to alter the terrain in his favor to make the hunt easier.

    They were in a forest.

    And there was only one way to turn the situation around.

    A fire attack.

    [Expanding the domain of ¡®Skill: Hatchling Synchronization¡¯ to search for the artifact left by the Pyromancer.]

    The Gray Gang.

    If he could tap into the memories of the one in the Gang Brotherhood who had wielded mes, he might uncover a clue to fire magic.

    Fortunately, he was able to locate the site nearby where the Gang Brotherhood had been annihted.

    The problem was, it was right in the center of where the Dragon Warriors were gathering en masse.

    ¡°Well, no choice but to give it a shot.¡±

    Theo nted his feet on the ground, gripping Drake¡¯s de and the Moon-White Sword in each hand.

    Swoosh-

    Ahead of him, the Death Beat soared through the air, transforming into a thunder dragon and exhaling a scorching breath.

    Boom!

    Rumble-

    .

    .

    A few hourster.

    Crackle!

    A small spark that had ignited somewhere deep in the jungle spread uncontrobly, growing into a raging inferno that consumed everything in its path.

 Chapter 118

    Chapter 118: Mysteries of the Dragon yer (3)

    ¡°We can¡¯t get close!¡±

    ¡°Damn it! Antonio! What on earth are you guys trying to pull?!¡±

    Gooo¡ª

    The fierce gusts and scorching heat radiating from the colossal statue of Kriemhild prevented Selferd and Arin from approaching.

    Though they red at Antonio as if they might kill him on the spot.

    Antonio, however, was clueless about how to handle the situation, stamping his feet in frustration.

    The statue¡¯s sword was already shattered, and cracks spread across its entire structure.

    ¡®What the hell are these idiots trying to do¡­! If they were nning this, they should¡¯ve done it properly! How could they leave it like this!¡¯

    Antonio already sensed instinctively that the Gray Brotherhood had failed.

    If not, things wouldn¡¯t be in such disarray.

    Rampant mystery.

    This fact would undoubtedly soon spread across the entire autonomous region.

    And then, all the responsibility would fall squarely on ck Skull.

    His father, Umberto, given his personality, would likely deny any association with this incident and Spin, trying to wash his hands of it.

    A predicament.

    ¡®What if I pin the me on them?¡¯

    Antonio cast a sidelong nce at Selferd and Arin.

    A scenario where he could transfer the me to them and im that ck Skull had tried to stop them began to form in his mind.

    However¡ª

    Screech!

    ¡°I don¡¯t like the way this bastard¡¯s eyes look.¡±

    At some point, Arin had drawn her sword and was holding it just under his chin.

    Antonio bit down on his lower lip.

    Right at that moment¡ª

    Wiiing!

    Suddenly, a siren red, shattering the tension between them.

    Thud, thud, thud!

    ¡ªHere they are!

    ¡ªReports indicate intruders spotted near Kriemhild¡¯s statue! Move quickly to suppress them! If they resist, permission to shoot on sight!

    ¡ªSummon the Magic Corps! Call the Magic Corps immediately! The mystery is going berserk!

    The sounds of guards bustling about outside could be heard.

    Soon, their current situation would be exposed.

    Antonio and Selferd¡¯s group quickly exchanged nces.

    They silently agreed to leave this ce first and settle things afterward.

    But to do so, they first needed to gather their allies near the statue, which was no easy task given the intense heat that prevented any approach.

    Even standing there made it hard to breathe, and their skin felt like it was burning.

    ¡°All we need is a path, right?¡±

    Just then, an unfamiliar voice rang out.

    Selferd and Arin¡¯s gaze snapped to the source.

    Suddenly, as if falling from the sky, pure white frost descended, and a snowstorm began to whirl around them.

    Crack! Crack! Crack!

    The gusts were split in an instant, and ayer of ice formed on the ground.

    And then, a swordswoman appeared.

    It was Ray Ragnar.

    ¡°The Frosted de?¡±

    ¡°This won¡¯t hold for long. Go quickly.¡±

    Though Selperd and Arin were startled to see Ray, they quickly pushed aside any questions and dashed across the icy ground.

    Antonio, too, began running frantically.

    Every second was urgent.

    * * *

    ¡°Could I have a cup of tea?¡±

    The Plum Blossom Pce was abuzz for the first time in a long while due to an unexpected guest who had arrived at dawn.

    It was none other than Niel, the MIstress of Water Lily Pce.

    They had been close as sisters in their youth, but the two had drifted apart when they both became wives to Kyle. It was a rare sight to see them meeting like this.

    It was clear there were matters only these twodies wished to discuss.

    The attendants and maids quietly brought in refreshments and then discreetly withdrew from the pce.

    Clink.

    ¡°The teacups are lovely. You¡¯ve always had an eye for things like this.¡±

    ¡°What brings you here, Mistress of Water Lily Pce?¡±

    ¡°Is it a ce I could onlye to with official business?¡±

    ¡°Given that you haven¡¯te without a reason before, it seems rather unusual to hear you say that.¡±

    ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t have much to say on that.¡±

    Niel let out a bitter smile as she set her teacup down.

    ¡°I was hoping for some advice about my daughter.¡±

    ¡°Are you here to scratch at the heart of someone without children?¡±

    ¡°I hear rumors that you¡¯ve adopted a child.¡±

    The Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce simply smiled in silence.

    A graceful elegance emanated from her.

    It was a stark contrast to Niel¡¯s cold, aloof demeanor.

    And that contrast grated on Niel¡¯s nerves.

    ¡°You look like you¡¯re enjoying this immensely.¡±

    ¡°Have I raised an adopted child? Rather, an already well-grown one has found his way to me. I consider it my fortune.¡±

    ¡°¡­ And could you stop with the honorifics? It¡¯s painfully awkward.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll decide after seeing how the Mistress of Water Lily Pce conducts herself.¡±

    Niel let out a sigh.

    The world didn¡¯t know.

    People assumed their distance stemmed from a petty rivalry over their husband, Kyle. Yet, that wasn¡¯t enough to sever the bond of friendship they¡¯d shared.

    The real reason for the rift¡ªyes, the truth was, it was Niel¡¯s fault.

    After all, the fact that the Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce was unable to bear children was¡­

    ¡°Just a few days ago, Ray left Water Lily Pce. She went to help Theo. Without my knowledge, she even obtained the separate approval of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry¡¯s captain.¡±

    ¡°¡­.¡±

    ¡°So, I let her go¡­ but you know as well as I do, Ray has had such a difficult upbringing.¡±

    The Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce silently sipped her tea.

    Niel¡¯s consultation continued.

    ¡°I know a child is bound to leave my side someday, and I had prepared myself for it. But now that she¡¯s gone, I can¡¯t stop worrying.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡°Yes. What do you think I should do?¡±

    Worry was etched across Niel¡¯s face.

    Who could look at her and call her an emotionless ice sculpture?

    The Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce knew all too well that Niel was one of the most sentimental people she knew.

    The cold exterior was merely a facade to hide it.

    ¡°Niel.¡±

    Atst, the Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce decided to open her heart, if only a little.

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Compared to what you worried about when you were young, this seems like such a small concern.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Thinking back to how much distress you caused your mother back then, you wouldn¡¯t say such things. Almost setting the Water Lily Pce on fire twice, or the fact that the Origin Dragon¡¯sck of hair might be because you plucked it all¡­pared to those, this is trivial.¡±

    ¡°¡­Why are we talking about that here?¡±

    ¡°Because it¡¯s relevant.¡±

    The Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce continued calmly.

    ¡°A daughter is her mother¡¯s mirror. She only reflects the behavior her mother shows her.¡±

    For the first time, Niel was at a loss for words.

    Memories of the way she had behaved around Ray shed through her mind¡­

    ¡°A mother¡¯s duty is simple. To watch over her daughter, who mirrors her, ensuring she doesn¡¯t stray. And when she struggles, to quietly be there as a ce offort.¡±

    Niel recalled how, when her actions had caused deep pain to the Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce, the former Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce had silently stayed by her side, even as she wept.

    ¡°And that¡¯s no different for a son. The reason I haven¡¯t interfered with Theo¡¯s affairs and am waiting here is precisely because of that. I n to greet him warmly when he returns.¡±

    Niel closed her eyes, letting the words of the Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce sink in.

    Something,

    something indefinable resonated deeply within her heart.

    * * *

    ¡°Damn it. This is insane.¡±

    Theo let out a long breath.

    He had no idea how far he had run.

    For days, he had been fleeing from arrows and bone spears that could appear at any moment.

    Exhausted from theck of rest, food, and sleep, he was on the verge of copse.

    His magic power had nearly run dry long ago.

    [Sessfully retrieved part of Kriemhild¡¯s remains. (21/206)]

    Although Theo had managed to gather some of the remains, there was still a long way to go.

    me Dancing

    The wildfire continued to consume the forest, and though he had built up a certain resistance to dragon ying, hunting the Dragon Fang Troops had be somewhat easier.

    ¡®It¡¯s too vast. There are too many of them.¡¯

    The jungle was farrger than he¡¯d anticipated, and the sheer number of Dragon Fang Troops seemed to be not merely in the tens of thousands, but likely in the hundreds of thousands.

    ¡®There must be some other way.¡¯

    Yet, no solution revealed itself.

    For now, he had no choice but to push forward.

    Theo shed with them, again and again.

    Another day, two days.

    Three days, four days.

    Ten days, fifteen, twenty¡­

    He lost track of how much time had passed herepared to the real world, enough to make him wonder if he would run out of time toplete the quest.

    Eventually, he reached a point where he lost all sense of time, endlessly fighting the Dragon Fang Troops.

    [Sessfully retrieved part of Kriemhild¡¯s remains. (52/206)]

    [Sessfully retrieved part of Kriemhild¡¯s remains. (53/206)]

    .

    [Sessfully retrieved part of Kriemhild¡¯s remains. (121/206)]

    .

    .

    [Sessfully retrieved part of Kriemhild¡¯s remains. (178/206)]

    ¡°Hah¡­ Hah¡­!¡±

    Theo¡¯s breath came in ragged gasps as he suffered severe injuries from bone spears and arrows.

    His vision blurred until he could barely see.

    Whoosh¡ª

    He heard the faint whistle of an arrow flying toward him from somewhere.

    He tried to deflect it, but his body, heavy as soaked cotton, refused to move.

    Thud!

    The arrow struck him squarely between the brows, and his body copsed backward.

    Splurt!

    Blood gushed from the wound.

    Just as death began to creep over him.

    At that moment, his inventory flung open, and the items within spilled out.

    Among them were the fragments of Kriemhild¡¯s remains he¡¯d painstakingly gathered, along with a small box containing Garuda¡¯s Heart.

    The box rolled across the ground beforeing to a halt in the pool of Theo¡¯s blood.

    Thump, thump, thump¡ª

    The box pulsed rhythmically.

    Ba-dum, ba-dum, ba-dum!

    As Theo¡¯s heart slowed from the blood loss, its pace began to quicken again, syncing with the heartbeat emanating from the box.

    Thunk, thunk, thunk!

    A sudden downpour of arrows rained from the sky, embedding themselves in Theo¡¯s lifeless body.

    It was the Dragon Fang Troops¡¯ way of venting their frustration over the trouble Theo had caused them.

    One of the Dragon Fang Troops stomped on Theo¡¯s corpse, and another even set it on fire.

    Thump-thump-thump-thump!

    Ba-dum-ba-dum-ba-dum-ba-dum¡­

    But rather than fading, the heartbeat grew stronger, its tempo intensifying.

    Eventually, the pulsation grew so powerful that even the Dragon Fang Troops could hear it.

    ¡°Keeek?¡±

    They snapped their heads up, searching for the source of the sound.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    ¡°Keeek! Keeeeek!¡±

    A few pointed at the ground, indicating that the heartbeat was emanating from below.

    And sure enough¡ª

    Rumble, rumble, rumble!

    At that moment, an earthquake began.

    The tremors matched the rhythm of the heartbeat.

    Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!

    ¡°Keeek!¡±

    ¡°Keeeee!¡±

    The Dragon Fang Troops chattered their jaws in rm. Some, sensing danger, shrieked in instinctive fear.

    Something¡ª

    Something unknown to them was approaching.

    With each passing moment, the tremors grew stronger, the booming heartbeat reverberating through the jungle like thunder.

    Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

    Then¡ª

    Kaaa-boom!

    The faint ripples that had spread across the pool of Theo¡¯s blood suddenly intensified, expanding throughout the entire jungle, merging with the heartbeat in a single, powerful pulse.

    All the blood Theo had spilled across the jungle surged upward, converging at one central point.

    At the same time, Kriemhild¡¯s remains floated up into the air.

    Piece by piece, the remains began to assemble as ifpleting a puzzle.

    The sternum took shape, and the right leg materialized.

    Theo¡¯s blood seeped into the chest cavity, forming the shape of a heart.

    And at its center was Garuda¡¯s Heart.

    As the two hearts fused into one, they transformed into a new heart that began to beat with a powerful rhythm.

    Thump¡­!

    With each beat, tendrils of muscle branched out, wrapping around the bones like vines.

    Layer byyer, skin covered the form until it took on a distinctly human shape.

    The figure that emerged bore a striking resemnce to Kriemhild as Theo had once glimpsed her in his visions.

    Though the form was still iplete, missing about thirty percent, it was unmistakable who she was.

    Kriemhild¡¯s apparition slowly descended to the ground, kneeling on one knee.

    She met Theo¡¯s gaze, reaching out to gently stroke his jaw, her touch warm and filled with sorrow.

    Gently glowing¡ª

    Kriemhild¡¯s apparition slowly lowered herself over Theo.

    As though she were reiming her rightful ce, her form began to merge with his, aligning perfectly, as if this was where she was always meant to lie.

    At that moment, a miracle urred.

    Theo¡¯s body, having regenerated in an instant, slowly opened its eyes.

    sh.

    A sharp gleam appeared in his gaze.

    [Sessfully achieved regeneration using Garuda¡¯s Heart.]

    [Kriemhild¡¯s remains and lingering thoughts were used as materials for regeneration. Kriemhild¡¯s achievements are now engraved upon your body.]

    [Acquired Advanced Dragon yer Resistance.]

    [Acquired Advanced Dragon Warrior Trait.]

    ¡°Still¡­ alive,¡± he muttered.

    Theo forced his creaking body upright, rising to his feet. Despite the strain, a smile lingered at the corners of his lips.

    It was all thanks to the miraculous power of Garuda¡¯s Heart.

    ¡ª

    [Garuda¡¯s Heart]

    ¨C Type: Elixir, Material

    ¨C Effects:

    ¨C Significantly increases me resistance

    ¨C Enhances abilities by 150% during Dragon Combat

    ¨C Specializes in magical attributes

    ¨C Greatly boosts attack speed and agility through the status effect ¡°Frenzy¡±

    ¨C Grants the special privilege ¡°Seed of Resurrection¡±

    ¡ª

    The Seed of Resurrection.

    As the name implied, this privilege allowed for rebirth, just as in the legend of Garuda, who revived from ashes alongside a spark of me, granting its owner a second chance at life.

    ¡ª

    [Seed of Resurrection]

    ¨C Type: Privilege

    ¨C Description: Allows one-time resurrection. The required materials will be drawn from items in the user¡¯s possession.

    ¡ª

    There was one specific aspect of this privilege that caught Theo¡¯s attention.

    ¡®The need for materials to use it. While it means always having the necessary items on hand for resurrection, it could also present an opportunity for reaching a higher level if utilized properly.¡¯

    Thus, he had experimented with Kriemhild¡¯s remains as the material for his resurrection.

    ¡®Now, with Ragnar¡¯s talent and the Shadow Demon Poison intact, my bones have beenpletely reced with Kriemhild¡¯s.¡¯

    In other words, he now possessed a body thatbined the prowess of a dragon and the legacy of a Dragon yer into one.

    In truth, this wasn¡¯t an idea Theo had devised on his own. It was an oue once achieved by a disciple trained by Hilda in his previous life.

    ¡®Though, that¡¯s something I won¡¯t be experiencing anymore.¡¯

    Regardless¡ª

    With this transformation, he no longer needed to fear the natural enemy, Dragon yers.

    ¡°Of course, there were still parts that had yet to be reced with Kriemhild¡¯s bones.

    But gathering them now and switching them out would suffice.

    In fact, through his heightened senses, Theo quickly pinpointed the scattered locations of the remaining bones.

    Drawing his four Death Beats, he sent them swiftly to each location, while using Drake¡¯s de as a staff to help him stand.

    ¡®Let¡¯s pick up the pace.¡¯

    [Kriemhild¡¯s bones have been partially retrieved. (179/206)]

    [Kriemhild¡¯s bones have been partially retrieved. (180/206)]

    .

    As his body¡¯s adaptability increased, the speed at which he defeated the Dragon Fang Troops also elerated.

    [Kriemhild¡¯s bones have been partially retrieved. (201/206)]

    .

    .

    [Kriemhild¡¯s bones have been partially retrieved. (205/206)]

    Finally, Theo reached hisst destination.

    A secluded cave at one corner of the jungle.

    Inside, he retrieved a skull, worn and rolling on the ground.

    [Kriemhild¡¯s bones have been partially retrieved. (206/206)]

    [All bones have been sessfully retrieved.]

    [Mystery has beenpleted.]

    [Kriemhild¡¯sst words are now reying.]

 Chapter 119

    Chapter 119: Mysteries of Dragon ying (4)

    Kriemhild¡¯s new memory fragment resurfaced.

    Fwooosh!

    Haa¡­ haa¡­!

    Kriemhild was panting heavily.

    Beneath the sword embedded in the groundy the Evil Dragon, its head pierced through, body limp.

    With thest of its strength, it rolled its eyes upward, taking in the image of the dragon yer who had ended its life.

    ¨C To think that the sword piercing my skull was actually forged from my own rib. Haha. And the one who defeated me is the very friend to whom I entrusted my heart.

    The Evil Dragonughed.

    In truth, Kriemhild had been its only friend over thousands of years.

    The only one who had approached and opened their heart to it, cursed and withering from shame and disgrace.

    A friend who transcended species.

    ¨C Do not weep, my friend. Though it is sad that we must part this way, I am grateful beyond measure to entrust my final rest to you. Truly, I must be blessed.

    ¨C Levi¡­

    ¨C Yet, parting this way does leave me with a single regret. Could you grant me onest favor?

    ¨C ¡­Yes.

    ¨C The twin swords I gave you¡­ Pass them down separately. When a worthy sessor appears, ce both in their hands.

    Kriemhild understood why the Evil Dragon left that final request.

    ¨C Is this because of that ¡®curse of shame¡¯ or whatever it is?

    ¨C The curse of shame will return someday, and it will seek to cover this world in its shadow. This shadow is the remnant of a forgotten, ancientnd.

    ¨C ¡­

    ¨C That¡¯s why you must find it. To stop that shadow from returning, without fail.

    ¨C ¡­I understand. I¡¯ll make sure no one else suffers our misfortune again.

    ¨C Thank you. I was truly fortunate to have you as a friend.

    Leaving those words behind, the Evil Dragon sank slowly with the copsing ground into the depths of the sea.

    The Dragon yer Sword ¨Cter to be known as Balmung, the cursed de ¨C sank into the ocean with it.

    Kriemhild quietly watched the scene.

    Countless memories shed through her mind.

    A friend they met aspanions, who, unable to ovee the curse, eventually became an Evil Dragon.

    And because of her closeness with that friend, she developed an immunity to the curse, eventually bing a Hero against her will.

    After a long, bitter battle, she had finally driven her sword into her friend¡¯s neck, ending their struggle.

    ¨C ¡­

    After a long time, Kriemhild finally ced the other twin sword from her waist into the ground and slowly rose to her feet.

    Then, she turned her gaze toward Theo.

    ¨C This mystery was a measure I created to fulfill the final wish of my old friend, Levi. I never imagined that it would end up in the hands of a northern n said to be blessed by dragons.

    She looked Theo up and down as she continued.

    ¨C On top of that, they used my remains to achieve your resurrection? A dragon¡¯s partner with immunity and characteristics of dragon-ying! What greater invincibility could exist? It¡¯s absurd!

    Her words carried a hint of admiration, indicating her surprise at Theo¡¯s mastery of the mystery.

    Theo respectfully bowed.

    ¨C Allow me to introduce myself formally. I am Theo Ragnar.

    ¨C Kriemhild. Originally, I was a nameless ve, without even a family name. This name was only given to me after I became a .

    A faint smirk appeared at the corners of Kriemhild¡¯s mouth, then her eyes darkened deeply.

    The gentle gaze of the young girl from the initial memory was gone, leaving only the seasoned, battle-hardened stare of a veteran warrior.

    ¨C The fact that this mystery has awakened must mean that Levi has also awakened from his long slumber, correct?

    ¨C Yes, that¡¯s right. In this era, he is called the ¡®Sea King.¡¯

    ¨C King of the sea¡­ It¡¯s a name he would be quite pleased with. Very well. We won¡¯t have time for a long conversation, so let¡¯s keep it brief. Draw your sword.

    A chance to receive instruction from Kriemhild.

    Theo slowly raised Drake¡¯s de.

    The greatsword had suffered significant wear from ongoing battles with the Dragon Fang soldiers.

    ¨C Due to the actions of the Deluded God, this world has far too many  who have ended up in the same¡ªor simr¡ªstates as Levi.

    Theo now understood that Deluded God was a title referring to the .

    ¨C And the traces left behind by such Guardians aremonly called ¡®mysteries¡¯ by ordinary humans. They are remnants, or measures, of an ancientnd nearly forgotten by all.

    ¨C ¡­¡­!

    ¡®So these mysteries were mechanisms to oppose the Nameless Sovereign?¡¯

    Was it not just the relic of the Ancient Dragon?

    Theo felt his heart pounding with the revtion of this hidden truth about the world.

    Thump!

    ¨C And to unlock these mysteries, Levi left the ¡®keys¡¯¡­ two twin swords he personally crafted from his own ribs: Balmung and Hrathi.

    Theo clenched his fist.

    An entirely unexpected pathy right before him.

    ¨C From now on, I will teach you how to wield one of them, Balmung. I call it this¡­

    Theo focused all his attention on each of Kriemhild¡¯s movements.

    ¡°Nibelung.¡±

    Kriemhild raised her sword.

    ¡°In ancientnguage, it means ¡®destruction.¡¯¡±

    Kriemhild¡¯s instruction began.

    * * *

    ¡°What is that noise?¡±

    Umberto lowered his sses while reading, frowning.

    A subordinate urgently opened the door and entered the study.

    ¡°It¡¯s serious, my lord! The Kriemhild Colossus is copsing!¡±

    ¡°¡­Exin it in detail. What exactly is happening?¡±

    ¡°The Mystery is running rampant! Because of this, an emergency summons has been issued not only to the Colossus¡¯s guard but to the entire Alliance!¡±

    ¡°Antonio, that fool! What on earth is he doing?¡±

    The fact that ck Skull could approach the Colossus without interference was due to Umberto¡¯s intervention.

    In truth, he hadn¡¯t believed that his young son and those friends chasing illusions would obtain the Mystery.

    But wasn¡¯t there always a chance?

    With the General Assembly close at hand, he thought it would be a profitable move to provide support if it meant obtaining any hints regarding the Mystery.

    Who would have imagined such a disaster would unfold?

    At this rate, not only ck Skull but Spin could end up shouldering all the me.

    ¡°What about Grimahl? And what is Romellin doing?¡±

    He had to make a move before the other Three Shipping Families acted.

    However,

    ¡°The head of Grimahl has deployed the Ghost yer Squad and is moving toward the Colossus¡­ or so I¡¯ve heard.¡±

    ¡°Damn it!¡±

    Bang!

    Umberto mmed the desk with irritation.

    Grimahl was currently the leading family of a faction within the autonomous council aligned with Troyban.

    Involved in banking, they wielded substantial influence across various regions and had long maintained good rtions with Troyban.

    They even advocated that the Floating Archipgo needed Troyban¡¯s assistance to subdue the Sea King and securesting peace.

    In contrast, Spin had taken a stand as the leader of the anti-Troyban faction, positioning itself in opposition.

    If the destruction of the Colossus¡ªimbued with the spirit of their great ancestor¡ªwere pinned on them, Troyban¡¯s influence would undoubtedly grow stronger.

    ¡®Is it even conceivable to hand over this Floating Archipgo to such delinquents?!¡¯

    The pressing issue was that the head of Grimahl had personally mobilized the Ghost yer Squad.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    -Ghost yer Squad.

    Grimahl simply referred to it as a mercenary group they had ¡°hired¡± from the ¡°maind.¡±

    It wasmon knowledge that their true identity was a unit dispatched by Troyban to extend its influence over the Floating Archipgo.

    Their skill was also exceptional, to the point where even ck Skull struggled every time they encountered them.

    If such forces were being deployed, it could only mean they saw this as a prime opportunity to seize control.

    ¡°Gather all of our people to thest man. Warn them to brace themselves¡ªa war might break out. We¡¯re heading to the Colossus.¡±

    ¡°Yes, understood.¡±

    The subordinate nodded heavily before rushing out of the room.

    As Umberto picked up his jacket from the sofa, he clenched his fist tightly.

    If it came to war against Troyban, backed by Grimahl¡¯s wealth, what fate would await the Floating Archipgo?

    Already, he could almost see the bleak future unfolding before his eyes.

    * * *

    ¡°Hahaha! My, my, it looks like that greedy Umberto has dug his own grave!¡±

    Giuseppe Grimahl, head of Grimahl, burst intoughter, hisrge body shaking with each chuckle.

    The man seated across from him nodded silently.

    He was an eerie figure, his face hidden behind a mask carved from wood.

    ¡¸Do not grow too arrogant. Arrogance is often the root of all failure.¡¹

    The voice, barely more than a whisper, sounded like nails scraping across ss, chilling Giuseppe to the bone with its dark magical power.

    Noyl.

    In the oldnguage of the eastern regions, it meant the number nine.

    The Ghost yer Squad referred to him by that name.

    He was one of the nine Attendants who served Troyban.

    ¡®If all of Troyban¡¯s Attendants are like that¡­ no, if they¡¯re even higher than that, there¡¯s no way to defy them.¡¯

    Giuseppe was certain.

    If it came to war between Ragnar and Troyban, it would end in an overwhelming victory for Troyban.

    Thus, the future of both the Floating Archipgo and Grimahl would depend on that alliance.

    ¡°If I ever be arrogant and stray from the right path, wouldn¡¯t you, Attendant, be there to set me straight? Being utterly ignorant of politics, I ce my faith in you alone.¡±

    ¡¸Your tongue is always so smooth, as if it¡¯s been oiled.¡¹

    ¡°I¡¯ll take it to mean that I haven¡¯t yetmitted the error of misinterpreting your words, Attendant.¡±

    The Attendant offered no further response, as if unwilling to continue the conversation.

    Instead, he changed the subject.

    ¡¸As per your request, the Ghost yer Squad will capture ck Skull just as they leave the scene. They will then be escorted directly to the royal court.¡¹

    ¡°ck Skull is a rebel faction officially denounced by the Imperial Court. If we can link them with Spin, not only the Autonomous Council but even the Shipping Alliance will have no choice but to align with Troyban.¡±

    ¡¸On the other hand, the military strength of the Floating Archipgo will be cut in half. Are youfortable with that?¡¹

    ¡°Won¡¯t Troyban be the one to fill that gap in our defenses?¡±

    Tsk!

    Watching Giuseppe smirk like a schemer, Noyl clicked his tongue inwardly.

    This fool seemed to be plotting to use his money to manipte Troyban. He even imagined he could control Troyban¡¯s core with his wealth.

    But, really?

    ¡®It¡¯s time he learned that some things can¡¯t be swayed by mere money.¡¯

    Noyl dismissed it, thinking that the higher-ups would handle matters as needed.

    ¡°However, for that n to seed, you must secure the custody of Antonio, Umberto¡¯s son.¡±

    ¡¸Leave that to us. Such operations are precisely the specialty of the Ghost yer Squad.¡¹

    At Noyl¡¯s chilling words, Giuseppe shivered once more, already picturing the Floating Archipgo at his feet.

    * * *

    ¡°Gray¡­! And now you too, after Slow!¡±

    Antonio clenched his teeth as he saw the bodies of the Gang Brothers scattered around the statue.

    In the end, the worst-case scenario he¡¯d hoped to avoid hade to pass.

    ¡°Theo! Theo!¡±

    ¡°Theo! Where are you? Answer if you¡¯re here!¡±

    Meanwhile, Selperd and Arin searched desperately for Theo, but they couldn¡¯t find a single trace of him.

    Their vision was greatly hindered by the swirling gusts, bright shes, and clouds of dust.

    ¡°We¡¯re almost out of time.¡±

    Then, at Ray¡¯s remark, the expressions of the two hardened.

    In fact, the only reason they could search like this was due to Ray¡¯s frost aura.

    Just as they were about to ask him how much longer he could hold it¡ª

    ¡°There¡¯s someone there.¡±

    Suddenly, Selperd sensed something and turned his head in the opposite direction.

    Arin and Ray¡¯s gazes followed.

    Beyond the mes mingling with bright light, dozens of sinister, gleaming eyes appeared.

    Every single one radiated a deadly aura.

    -Subdue all survivors near the Colossus and bring them in! If the bodies are in bad shape, just take the heads if they¡¯re recognizable!

    -At once!

    -At once!

    ¡®The guards? But the killing intent is too strong for that¡­ as if they¡¯re from Troyban!¡¯

    Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop!

    While Selperd was lost in thought, the owners of those gleaming eyes leapt over the mes,nding near the four of them.

    ¡°Arin! Snow Frost Sword!¡±

    As Arin and Ray deflected the attackers¡¯ strikes, Selperd lunged towards Antonio.

    ng-ng-ng!

    Shaaang¡ª

    Barely managing to save Antonio, Selperd steadied himself, pointing his sword forward.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re the mysterious people Antonio brought along with ck Skull, huh? Impressive, blocking my sword like that. I¡¯m curious now. You seem a bit familiar.¡±

    The opponent adjusted his sword with a smirk.

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t recall making friends with shady types like you.¡±

    Selperd scoffed, pressing his sword to Antonio¡¯s neck.

    ¡°Don¡¯te any closer. Move even an inch further, and this young master¡¯s neck will hit the floor.¡±

    Selperd felt Antonio flinch at the cold touch of the de, but he paid no mind.

    The enemy observed the scene and chuckled.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re Spin¡¯s third son. Upper management did say they¡¯d prefer to bring him in, if possible.¡±

    The smirk spread across the attacker¡¯s face.

    ¡°Well, if he dies in the middle of this hostage situation, so be it. That actually makes things easier for us, ties up loose ends.¡±

    The enemy approached Selperd as if daring him to go through with it.

    ¡°Mmmph! Mmmph!¡±

    Antonio struggled, pleading for his life.

    ¡®These people¡­ they aren¡¯t from the Shipping Alliance. A third party¡­!¡¯

    In that instant, Selperd thought he understood who they were.

    Ament Theo had made in passing suddenly came to mind.

    Troyban.

    ¡°You¡¯ve got a sharp tongue. But I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll talk freely enough after a little interrogation.¡±

    ng! ng! ng! ng!

    Within moments, Selperd and the enemy exchanged dozens of rapid strikes.

    This brief encounter confirmed Selperd¡¯s suspicions.

    Ed¡¯s distinguishing traits and swordsmanship had been disclosed to every Ragnar swordsman, and his opponent¡¯s style mirrored these details exactly.

    ¡®So Troyban¡¯s influence over the Floating Archipgo is deeper than I¡¯d thought? If that¡¯s the case, headquarters must be informed.¡¯

    The problem was that more enemies were continuously arriving.

    If he¡¯d managed to secure Theo¡¯s whereabouts, he might¡¯ve tried to escape. But now, that wasn¡¯t an option.

    Tactically, retreat wasn¡¯t viable.

    If Theo were captured, the other side would realize that Ragnar was reaching into this region.

    ¡°You look deep in thought. There¡¯s really no need for that.¡±

    The enemy let out a cold smile and unleashed a thunderous roar toward the sky.

    ¡¸The Ghost yer Squad will deploy the Ghost Sword Formation and capture them all!¡¹

    Swish-swish-swish¡ª

    The Ghost yer Squad began moving in perfect synchronization, forming a battle line.

    Troyban was renowned for its elusive tactics and intricate sword formations.

    It was said that once trapped within one of their sword formations, there was no escape.

    At this rate, things were truly dangerous.

    ¡®Damn it!¡¯

    Just as Selperd was about to shout something¡ª

    Creak, creak, creak!

    The Kriemhild Colossus, which had been swaying as if on the verge of copse, began to move with a strange, ominous sound.

    Its massive head, which had been looking downward, slowly turned to the side,

    sh!

    The eyes, now locked directly onto the Ghost yer Squad, shone with an intense, menacing light.

 Chapter 120

    Chapter 120: The Mystery of Dragon yer (5) >

    ¡®What is this?¡¯

    The Captain of the Ghost yer Squad suddenly raised his head.

    An eerie feeling, indescribable and unsettling, seemed to seep in from somewhere.

    However¡ª

    ¡°Stop right there!¡±

    The Captain turned his head toward the voice that suddenly called out from the opposite side.

    Umberto, fully equipped with defensive artifacts, was striding forward with members of the Spin family in tow.

    ¡°Well, well, isn¡¯t it Lord Umberto? It seems you rushed here in a heartbeat upon hearing of an emergency at the Grand Merchant Guild. Truly fitting of a head of the Three Shipping Families, who deeply care for the Shipping Alliance and the Floating Archipgo.¡±

    At that moment, a man with sly eyes stepped forward from among the Ghost yer Squad, a mocking grin on his face.

    It was Piren, the General Manager of the Grimahl family and second only to its head, Giuseppe.

    From his tone, one might think he was admiring Umberto, but the sarcasm was unmistakable.

    Umberto¡¯s face tightened with slight irritation as he replied, ¡°It seems the Grimahl family has also sent troops to subdue this crisis. Why, then, must you treat those who havee for the ¡®same purpose¡¯ with such hostility?¡±

    Piren merelyughed.

    He had already sensed the intent behind Umberto¡¯s maneuvers.

    ¡°My son, Antonio, and his friends happened to uncover intelligence that a certain group was targeting the Kriemhild Guild, so they moved preemptively. I, too, gathered reinforcements as a secondary wave to prepare for any possible external interference.¡±

    Spin¡¯s pretext was to suppress any external forces that might exploit the chaos.

    ¡®So they intend to me this entire situation on those outsiders apanying Antonio¡­ A cunning old serpent, indeed. He¡¯s found himself a convenient escape route.¡¯

    The problemy in the fact that this justification hinged on ¡®preventing outsider interference.¡¯

    In other words, if used strategically, it could drag the Ghost yer Squad into the fray as well.

    As Piren narrowed his gaze, Umberto turned his attention to Selperd, who had Antonio held hostage.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what schemes you¡¯re nning, but don¡¯t think I would be so foolish as to recklessly hand over the proud mysteries of our ancestors just because you¡¯ve taken my son hostage!¡±

    Clink, clink!

    The Spin family¡¯s men simultaneously aimed something at Selperd¡¯s group.

    Handguns.

    These werepact magic guns, crafted in a coboration between a renowned arms manufacturer from the southwestern region and the Tower of Magic.

    In terms of firepower alone, they wereparable to heavy artillery, as the inner cylinder of these artifacts rotated, poised to unleash a torrent of rounds at any moment.

    ¡°It seems that your father has decided to abandon you.¡±

    Selperd spoke to Antonio with a bitter smile.

    ¡®F-Father!¡¯

    Antonio¡¯s pupils quivered violently.

    The arrival of Grimahl was one thing, but the revtion that Umberto had abandoned him was even more shocking.

    He¡¯d always known that his father was the type who would cast aside even his own son for ambition, but now that it hade to him so directly, he found it hard to keep hisposure.

    ¡°Arin! Snow Frost Sword! This way.¡±

    ¡°Ray.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I have a name. Stop using that alias.¡±

    Selperd gave a hollowugh, watching Ray, who calmly adjusted her grip on her sword as she took her ce beside him.

    Was that really what mattered to her in this situation?

    He had heard that her personality was peculiar, but it seemed that the rumors had understated it.

    ¡°Very well, Lady Snow Frost Sword. Can you form an ice wall? How long can it hold?¡±

    Ray twitched an eyebrow at the even longer title but responded coolly, without showing her irritation.

    ¡°Two minutes.¡±

    ¡°If we support you with our magic power?¡±

    ¡°Five minutes. No more than that.¡±

    ¡°Only five minutes even if we hold out as much as possible¡­¡±

    Selperd cast a quick nce toward the tall structure.

    He noticed it had shifted form.

    The mystery was still in effect. Theo had to be inside.

    ¡°I hope Theopletes the mystery in time.¡±

    As Selperd muttered to himself, Umberto shouted.

    ¡°Fire¡­!¡±

    ¡°That won¡¯t happen. Captain of the Ghost yer Squad, if you please.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s finally war.¡±

    The Ghost yer Squad leaped forward, blocking the path of the Spin family.

    ¡°What is the meaning of this?!¡±

    ¡°Surely you know the answer? The charges against Antonio and the ck Skull have not yet been fully resolved.¡±

    ¡°Haven¡¯t I told you? We stepped in to prevent any unfortunate idents!¡±

    ¡°That can be thoroughly determined after a detailed investigation, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    Spin, trying to kill Selperd¡¯s group, and Grimahl, determined to capture them alive at any cost¡ªtheir conflict was reaching its peak.

    Umberto¡¯s face twisted in rage as he roared.

    ¡°The fact that Grimahl is so eager to spare them is far more suspicious! Isn¡¯t it?! You¡¯ve been colluding with outsiders for ages, and now you n to sell out the Floating Archipgo!¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you ashamed to make such brazen usations? It seems more like Spin is hiding something and trying to bury the truth.¡±

    ¡°Silence, you scum! Tonight, I¡¯ll tear all of you to pieces and hold Grimahl ountable for this disaster!¡±

    The muzzles of the Spin family guns aimed collectively at the Ghost yer Squad.

    In response, the Ghost yer Squad unleashed their aura all at once.

    Tat-tat-tat! Ta-da-da-da!

    Boom-boom-boom¡ª

    Magic bullets rained down, while shes of aura from the Ghost yer Squad swept through the area in every direction.

    ¡°Aaaagh!¡±

    ¡°My arm! My arrrm!¡±

    ¡°Concentrate fire! Don¡¯t let them group up! Take out the ones at the front first!¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t secure a clear line of sight! They keep pushing into our formation, making it difficult to shoot!¡±

    Screams of agony were drowned by the endless gunfire.

    ¡°What a mess.¡±

    ¡°¡­Indeed.¡±

    Nod, nod!

    Arin and Ray silently nodded in agreement with Selperd¡¯s assessment.

    Meanwhile, they raised the ice wall higher to avoid being caught in the crossfire, while keeping a steady eye on the giant statue, ready to retreat with it at a moment¡¯s notice if needed.

    Then¡ª

    Rumble, rumble, rumble!

    ¡®What is that?¡¯

    The massive dragon statue, which had been lying t against the ground until now, slowly lifted its head.

    Before Selperd could even react, the colossal dragon statue lunged into the chaos where the Ghost yer Squad and the Spin family were entangled.

    Crash!

    With its immense, solid body, it rammed into the crowd, crushing those on the outer edges into a bloody mess before they even had time to react.

    ¡°What¡­ what is that?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the dragon that was pinned beneath Kriemhild¡¯s foot! How is it moving?!¡±

    Panic spread rapidly through both the Ghost yer Squad and the Spin family.

    Who could have expected that the statue, which had remained stationary in the same ce for centuries, would suddenlye to life?

    ¡°All Ghost yers, regroup and reform ranks! Unit One, contain the statue! Unit Two, secure the group holding Antonio!¡±

    The Ghost yer Captain, seasoned from years ofbat, issuedmands without faltering, grasping immediately that the dragon statue¡¯s movement was the result of a mystery activation.

    ¡®Though I don¡¯t know how they managed to unleash Kriemhild¡¯s mystery, this is our chance! It¡¯s undoubtedly connected to these outsiders and might even tie back to the Ragnar family. If we capture them, victory will be ours.¡¯

    After all, the Ghost yer Squad¡¯s true objective had been to secure Kriemhild¡¯s mystery, making this situation a rare opportunity.

    ¡°Spin! The Spin family must kill them all and secure the dragon!¡±

    The confrontation devolved beyond mere conflict, spiraling into utter chaos.

    Despite the relentless attacks, the dragon statue twisted its massive body without sustaining significant damage, smashing the ground with its tail and umting damage on both sides.

    Boom! Boom-boom!

    The thunderous sounds and shes of light grew so intense that they became visible across the entire Floating Archipgo.

    The real problem, however, was that amidst all this, the sight of the rampaging dragon statue stood out the most.

    ¡°What on earth is happening?¡±

    ¡°The statue¡­ it¡¯s crumbling!¡±

    ¡°The dragon is raging once more! The legendary dragon is trying to plunge our Floating Archipgo back into the sea!¡±

    ¡°Oh, great Kriemhild, revered ancestor. Spirits of old, protect us, your fragile descendants.¡±

    As the residents¡¯ panic and confusion swelled like a snowball¡ª

    ¡°Wow!¡±

    ¡°Ovan, it¡¯s dangerous outside! Come back into the house!¡±

    ¡°Dad! Look! Lady Kriemhild is moving!¡±

    ¡°What are you¡­ What? Th-that¡¯s¡­?¡±

    Some people could see it: the towering statue of Kriemhild, which had once stood precariously as if ready to copse, slowly raising its upper body.

    ¡°Lady Kriemhild! She has answered our call!¡±

    ¡°Our ancestors and the spirits have sent Lady Kriemhild back to us!¡±

    The people epted it as a miracle.

    The return of Kriemhild.

    With the dragon rampaging, the  had reappeared on thisnd to protect her descendants.

    ¡°Kriemhild¡¯s statue is moving?¡±

    ¡°What¡­ in the world¡­?¡±

    Meanwhile, it was the Ghost yer Squad and the Spin family who felt the greatest confusion.

    For both sides, who had sought to either seize or bury the mystery, the awakening of both the dragon and now Kriemhild herself was utterly terrifying.

    Watching the immense statue, towering dozens of meters tall, take its steps, spreading cracks everywhere as if it might copse at any moment, evoked a sense of awe.

    Sssht¡ª

    Kriemhild¡¯s statue took up a ready stance.

    Where a broken sword once was, a mysterious halo of light coalesced into the shape of a de, appearing in both her hands.

    And then¡ª

    Sweeck¡ª

    Crunch!

    Kriemhild¡¯s statue thrust the sword forcefully, driving it straight into the rampaging dragon¡¯s jaw with precision.

    In an instant, the de shattered through the upper skull and emerged on the other side.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    The dragon froze mid-movement.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Everyone¡ªthe Ghost yer Squad, the Spin family, even Selperd¡¯s group¡ªstood in stunned silence, watching the scene unfold.

    A scene from legend had been recreated right before their eyes.

    And then¡ª

    Crackle¡ª

    The statues of both the dragon and Kriemhild began to break apart, fragmenting into dust and scattering into the air.

    The dust gathered in a whirlwind and soon condensed into a human form.

    Theo.

    The one who had vanished with the mystery now stood there.

    Encased in a radiant halo of light, his appearance radiated an almost sacred aura.

    ¡°Theo, you¡ª!¡±

    Selperd¡¯s group urgently called out to Theo, barely able to warn him that they needed to escape immediately.

    Before they could get a word out, Theo suddenly swung the Dragon yer Sword in his hand toward the Ghost yer Squad and the Spin family.

    ¡°Vroooom¡ª¡±

    ¡°Shhhhk!¡±

    With a surge of force, the sh tore through the air, narrowly missing those in its path. It left marks on the ground, as if a dragon¡¯s ws had scraped across it.

    But this time, the marks were different from usual.

    Countless geometric patterns were etched into the ground.

    ¡°This is¡­!¡±

    ¡°The ¡®Nibelung¡¯! Kriemhild¡¯s Nibelung remains!¡±

    ¡°The sessor of Kriemhild has appeared!¡±

    The Nibelung.

    This was the technique Kriemhild had used alongside the Dragon yer Sword, Balmung, to seal the dragon in the legends. It was a skill lost to time, existing only in records, and now Theo had mastered it.

    Naturally, the Spin family, as residents of the Floating Archipgo, were bewildered, while the Ghost yer Squad hesitated, uncertain how to proceed. Meanwhile, themotion had drawn the attention of the guards stationed outside, who rushed in and saw the marks Theo had left.

    ¡¸We¡¯ll¡­!¡¹

    ¡¸Yes, there are too many eyes on us for now. Let¡¯s postpone this. Besides, Spin is now fully divided from them, giving us our own chance.¡¹

    Piren and the Ghost yer Captain exchanged a quick understanding, preparing to withdraw.

    ¡°Damn it! Why now, of all times?!¡±

    Umberto, finding himself in the most difficult position, ground his teeth. Having imed to act in the interests of the Floating Archipgo, he no longer had any justification to persecute Theo and his group.

    ¡°As the sessor to Lady Kriemhild¡¯s legacy and the new master of Balmung, I dere¡ª!¡±

    Theo took advantage of the lull in the battle to channel his magic and shout with conviction.

    As the inheritor of Kriemhild¡¯s will¡­ the new master of Balmung¡­ His voice reverberated throughout the entire Floating Archipgo.

    ¡°By Lady Kriemhild¡¯smand, I have vanquished the dragon that sought once again to consume the Floating Archipgo! I call upon the Three Shipping Families and the Council of the Autonomous Region to assist me in fulfilling this mandate!¡±

    In that moment, Theo¡¯s presence was engraved into the hearts of every resident of the Floating Archipgo.

 Chapter 121

    Chapter 121: Leviathan (1)

    ¡°What did you say? Repeat that.¡±

    ¡°The outsider that ck Skull brought¡­ just publicly dered himself as Kriemhild¡¯s sessor.¡±

    ¡°What nonsense is this!¡±

    ¡°And currently, he¡¯s leading a crowd that came to see him, demanding to open the gate leading to the Sea King as they head toward the central temple.¡±

    Giuseppe¡¯s face twisted in frustration upon receiving the urgent report from his subordinate.

    ¡°Kriemhild is the proud hero of our Venota! A legend of the Floating Archipgo! How could someone like her possibly entrust her sword to an outsider!¡±

    Though Giuseppe had leveraged Troyban¡¯s power to seize authority, he still took pride in being a resident of the Floating Archipgo.

    But now, that very pride was about to be snatched away by an outsider.

    Nothing could be as thunderous a blow as this.

    ¡°Since I only received the report, I don¡¯t know the full details¡­.¡±

    ¡°Hah!¡±

    But the subordinate merely trembled, bowing his head.

    Giuseppe, exasperated, let out a bitterugh.

    At that moment, Noyl, who had been silently observing their conversation, parted his lips.

    ¡¸Name?¡¹

    ¡°Excuse me? What¡­?¡±

    ¡¸That supposed sessor. I asked for his name.¡¹

    ¡°Th-that¡¯s not¡­ clear either¡­.¡±

    ¡¸Amusing. And yet you haven¡¯t even uncovered the name of this so-called hero¡¯s sessor.¡¹

    Giuseppe¡¯s face flushed red.

    He realized it was a rebuke directed at him.

    ¡°What are you doing!? Go find out immediately!¡±

    ¡°Y-yes! Right away!¡±

    Watching his subordinate hurriedly leave the room, Giuseppe kicked the door out of frustration.

    Bang!

    ¡°Aaaargh!¡±

    ¡¸Noisy.¡¹

    ¡°¡­I apologize.¡±

    ¡¸Don¡¯t pass your failings onto your subordinates. You¡¯re only making your already pitiful appearance even more wretched.¡¹

    ¡°¡­.¡±

    Giuseppe had to force down the anger that had risen to his throat.

    ¡¸To think that the Mysteries of Dragon-ying would be taken right before my eyes like this. If things continue, not only Balmung but also *Aegir* will slip away as well. I feel like a dog chasing a chicken.¡¹

    *?gir.*

    The armor that Kriemhild had worn alongside Balmung when she slew the evil dragon.

    Currently, it was enshrined in the central temple, where Kriemhild¡¯s relics were kept.

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to mobilize the guards immediately, subdue him, and seize Balmung?¡±

    ¡¸He¡¯s on his way to the central temple, iming he¡¯ll capture the Sea King, isn¡¯t he? How do you n to stop him? Surely the foolish crowd will try to protect him. How will you restrain them? Do you intend to swing a de at them?¡¹

    ¡°¡­.¡±

    ¡¸He¡¯s meticulous. He understands his position and circumstances better than anyone. He must be exhausted from seeking out Mysteries, yet he keeps moving without showing it, ensuring that the Three Shipping Families can¡¯t touch him.¡¹

    Though Noyl had never seen Theo, he had a strong sense that this was someone who wouldn¡¯t be easily underestimated.

    From the start, Theo seemed to understand the public sentiment, the situation, and the power dynamics of the Floating Archipgo as clearly as looking at his own palm.

    ¡°Then what do you n to do?¡±

    ¡¸For now, we¡¯ll keep observing the situation. There¡¯s no need to stir things up and cause a scene. Let him go ahead and try to capture the Sea King. If he fails, it will only work in our favor.¡¹

    ¡°And if he seeds¡­! Ah!¡±

    Giuseppe trailed off, then suddenly understood Noyl¡¯s intentions and let out a quiet exmation of admiration.

    ¡°If he seeds, he¡¯ll be exhausted, unable to put up any real resistance even with public support on his side!¡±

    ¡¸All we need to do is secure him as he exits the gate, even if we have to push a bit. We can make up any excuse we want.¡¹

    ¡°That¡¯s my specialty, after all. I¡¯ll im it¡¯s to ensure the new hero¡¯s safety. Later, when the public sentiment cools down, we¡¯ll question the ownership rights of the Mysteries and seize Balmung and Aegir.¡±

    Noyl waved his hand, signaling him to proceed as he saw fit.

    ¡¸The Mysteries can be forcefully taken on our end, so just make sure we have him under secure control. Understood? I won¡¯t tolerate a second mistake.¡¹

    ¡°I¡¯ll be doubly mindful of that.¡±

    ¡¸Your answers are always impressive.¡¹

    Tsk!

    Noyl clicked his tongue, tapping the table lightly.

    When Giuseppe looked up again, Noyl had vanished like a ghost.

    A slight furrow formed between Giuseppe¡¯s brows.

    ¡°I have no idea how you think you¡¯ll seize Kriemhild¡¯s Mysteries so confidently.¡±

    The vishness he had shown Noyl moments before was nowhere to be seen as he muttered to himself.

    ¡°Ultimately, our Floating Archipgo and Giuseppe wield that power. We are the true heirs of Kriemhild.¡±

    The schemes surrounding Kriemhild¡¯s Mysteries and the dragon-ying sword, Balmung, were only just beginning.

    * * *

    The path leading to the central temple, where Kriemhild¡¯s relics were enshrined, was packed with people.

    This route, usually popr among the residents of the Floating Archipgo for outings, was now brimming with crowds. People from all over the archipgo had gathered to see Kriemhild¡¯s sessor, the new master of Balmung and the new hero.

    Despite it being well past midnight, the energy in the air was as heated as if it were midday.

    -Please, please. May the grace of Lady Kriemhild touch us as well.

    -Here! Look over here, please! Hero, sir!

    -Just one touch! Won¡¯t you shake my hand, just once? It would be the honor of my life.

    -Hey! Stop pushing! What if someone falls over like this?

    -What did you say!? Don¡¯t block the way! Are you the only ones who get to gaze upon the hero¡¯s noble face?

    Even with the guards attempting to control the crowd, it was no easy task.

    ¡°I¡¯ll move slowly from here, so please keep order as we proceed. If even one person were to get injured because of me, I would lose the right to face Lady Kriemhild.¡±

    However, as Theo soothed the people with a gentle smile, the overheated atmosphere settled down as if nothing had happened.

    -The hero is right!

    -Yes, let¡¯s all exercise a bit more restraint.

    -The hero¡¯s heart is as beautiful as his face!

    -He seems young, yet he carries himself with such noble elegance, like a statue!

    -Hah, can¡¯t you tell by looking at Lady Kriemhild¡¯s image? She was a beauty, too! He must take after her!

    -So, hero qualification is based on appearance¡­ How are the rest of us in folk supposed to live with that?

    -Actually, it¡¯s probably his pure, kind heart shining through on his face. Why do you twist everything so much?

    -Then what, are you saying I¡¯m ugly inside too?

    -Hey, you! How did this conversation even get to that point!

    The crowd was utterly charmed by Theo¡ªhis striking face, noble demeanor, and warm words.

    A saint.

    Such a description seemed fitting.

    ¡¸Did that guy know how to pull off something like this? Ha! This is impressive.¡¹

    ¡¸Well, wasn¡¯t Lady Cecilia a famous actress in her youth? Maybe he inherited it from her.¡¹

    ¡¸Ah, that makes sense. I suppose his blood really does tell. That face, that swordsmanship, that talent, and now this performance¡­ He¡¯s a perfect match on all four fronts. It¡¯s astounding.¡¹

    As they escorted Theo, Selperd and Arin couldn¡¯t help but feel a deep admiration for him.

    With this, Theo had now established a position within the Floating Archipgo that even the Three Shipping Families couldn¡¯t easily challenge.

    ¡¸On the other hand, that one lookspletely defeated.¡¹

    Selperd sneered as he nced back at Antonio, who was trudging along in a daze.

    Though the sealed points had already been released, his face didn¡¯t look much different from before.

    Betrayed by his ownrades, abandoned by his father, Antonio was likely feeling as if he¡¯d been cast aside, utterly alone in the world.

    Not that Selperd felt any pity for him.

    After all, Antonio had been the one trying to use Theo¡¯s group and discard them when it suited him.

    He was simply reaping what he¡¯d sown.

    He should be grateful he hadn¡¯t been discarded altogether.

    ¡¸Antonio.¡¹

    Just then, Theo¡¯s transmitted voice reached Antonio¡¯s ears.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Antonio straightened his back in surprise.

    ¡¸Don¡¯t give away that I¡¯m sending you a message. Too many eyes are watching.¡¹

    Antonio quickly nced around, taking in his surroundings.

    Just as Theo had noted, there were many familiar faces.

    Not only were members of the Spin family present, but also servants of the Grimahl family, members of the Ghost yer Squad, people from the council, and even some employees of the Romellin family, who had yet to openly reveal themselves.

    ¡®When did this all happen!¡¯

    The realization that Theo, while ying the role of a saint, had already analyzed the entire situation around him sent a chill down Antonio¡¯s spine.

    ¡®I didn¡¯t draw in a wolf¡­ but a dragon.¡¯

    From the start, he and ck Skull were engaged in a fight they could never win.

    ¡¸You don¡¯t want to end up as a discarded pawn, do you?¡¹

    Antonio barely managed to resist nodding in reflex.

    ¡¸I¡¯ll give you a chance.¡¹

    A chance?

    ¡¸Gather as many of yourrades as possible. Then seizemand of ck Skull.¡¹

    Antonio¡¯s eyes widened slightly.

    He understood Theo¡¯s intent.

    ¡¸Didn¡¯t you say you wanted to be the Archduke? I¡¯ll help you. I¡¯ll lend you my name.¡¹

    Thump, thump, thump!

    Antonio¡¯s heart started racing again, color returning to his face.

    ¡¸But to do so, you¡¯ll need to prove to me that you have the qualifications and worth.¡¹

    Theo was aiming to establish a third faction.

    Apletely new force, free from the control of the Three Shipping Families, the autonomous council, or the Shipping Alliance.

    If he could base this force around ck Skull, the Floating Archipgo would fall easily into Theo¡¯s hands.

    And Antonio would be the figurehead!

    ¡®I¡¯ll suppress my brothers, even my father, and seize the reins of power¡­!¡¯

    Even if he was ultimately just a puppet dancing to Theo¡¯s tune, Antonio would still be the one overseeing internal affairs, wouldn¡¯t he?

    ¡¸So, what do you think? Interested in trying?¡¹

    It was a devil¡¯s whisper.

    A temptation that was impossible to refuse.

    Antonio gave a slight nod.

    ¡¸Good. Then hurry up. When I return after subduing the Sea King, it should be you, the one who wees me.¡¹

    This was Theo¡¯s way of offering him a share in the glory, allowing him to bask in the admiration of the residents when they were most captivated.

    Antonio, his face alight with joy, disappeared into the crowd.

    Watching Antonio¡¯s retreating figure, Theo allowed a faint smile to surface.

    ¡°Theo, that¡¯s an evil smile.¡±

    ¡°¡­Ahem!¡±

    At Ray¡¯sment, Theo gave a light, awkward cough.

    Every now and then, despite his seemingly oblivious demeanor, Ray had a knack for hitting on the truth.

    This was exactly one of those times.

    From the start, Theo had no intention of empowering ck Skull.

    His actual focus was elsewhere¡ªon a ce that had yet to reveal itself.

    ¡°But, Ray, how did you end up here? Without a word?¡±

    Theo smoothly shifted the topic.

    In truth, he had been surprised when he first saw Ray.

    The kid who was supposed to be in Winterer had appeared here unexpectedly.

    ¡°I got restless at home.¡±

    ¡°Restless?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. It was boring. Nothing more to learn. So, I pestered the White Armored Dragon Cavalry Captain.¡±

    Imagining Julius¡¯s reaction to Ray¡¯s sudden appearance, Theo couldn¡¯t help but let out a chuckle.

    For Julius, it must have seemed like an opportunity to bring another talented member into the squad, following the Erica siblings. He likely agreed without hesitation.

    And Ray was hardly someone who would interfere with Theo¡¯s ns.

    ¡°I feel like there¡¯s a lot to learn being around you.¡±

    It seemed that the recent birthday banquet had been an eye-opening experience for Ray.

    Theo scratched his cheek with his index finger, feeling slightly embarrassed.

    In his past life, this child had been his idol; now the roles had reversed, with Ray beginning to look up to him.

    It was a strange feeling.

    While they exchanged light conversation, Theo and hispanions arrived at the central temple with the crowd.

    Here, a gate leading to the depths of the ocean where the Sea King slumbered had been installed.

    And then¡ª

    Chi-iiik!

    ¡ºIt seems you¡¯re performing better than expected. Truly worthy of being mypanion.¡»

    Amid a brief burst of static, the voice of hispanion came through.

    As they drew closer to the Sea King, it seemed their frequencies had realigned.

    ¡®Lothbrok.¡¯

    ¡ºYou¡¯ve done well. Now, you can rest easy. From here on, I¡¯ll take the lead.¡»

    In Theo¡¯s mind, it felt as if he could see the faint image of Lothbrok¡¯s figure ascending the steps of the central temple.

 Chapter 122

    Chapter 122: Leviathan (2)

    Lodbrok¡¯s image vanished abruptly as it reached the end of the staircase.

    As if urging him toe quickly.

    Theo nodded in acknowledgment and turned to the crowd behind him, bowing slightly.

    ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll be going.¡±

    ¨C Be careful, Hero!

    ¨C Defeat the evil dragon for us!

    ¨C Show us a hero¡¯s miracle! We¡¯re counting on you!

    Leaving the crowd¡¯s cheers behind, Theo walked slowly up the path Lodbrok had taken, exchanging nods with Selperd and his group.

    The central temple appeared muchrger up close than it had from a distance.

    However, for its size, it had a rather rugged feel.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Almost like Kriemhild in her unadorned state.

    ¡°Wee, new Kriemhild. I am Marti, the one in charge of managing this ce.¡±

    ¡°You.¡±

    ¡°We met earlier today. I reintroduce myself now. If I was at all discourteous then, I ask for your forgiveness.¡±

    A short-haired woman in a white priestess robe greeted Theo respectfully.

    Theo let out a faint chuckle.

    After all, she was a member of ck Skull he¡¯d met at the Spin estate.

    With the imposing presence of an advanced swordsman, she had been very noticeable.

    During the day, her gaze had been piercingly cold, but now it held a soft elegance.

    ¡°Forgiveness? There¡¯s nothing to forgive. I understand. Can¡¯t we simply aim for a better rtionship from now on?¡±

    Wordsced withyered meaning.

    A smile spread across Marti¡¯s lips as well.

    ¡°Thank you for saying that. Indeed, you have the generosity befitting Kriemhild¡¯s sessor. Shall I lead the way?¡±

    Without the slightest hesitation, Marti guided Theo further inside.

    In the hallway, other priests lined the walls on either side, their heads respectfully bowed.

    ¡°They all seem to be well-trained martial artists.¡±

    ¡°Sharp observation. Since this temple is dedicated to Kriemhild, it also serves as a martial arts hall for the locals, in honor of her deeds.¡±

    Yet, for a mere martial arts hall, the aura of these priests was remarkable.

    Military precision, discipline in their stance.

    It felt like gazing upon a well-trained order of knights.

    While not on par with Ragnar, it was undeniably impressive.

    ¡®I never heard of them participating in any war against Ragnar in my past life. Could this be some hidden force of the Floating Archipgo?¡¯

    Perhaps they stayed confined within the temple, avoiding an alliance with Troyban, who governed the Floating Archipgo.

    Theo felt as if he had stumbled upon an unexpected treasure.

    ¡°It must not have been easy to gather here so early in the morning.¡±

    ¡°Please don¡¯t think of it that way. All of us are actually delighted that, after centuries, this mystery has finally been unveiled. You can¡¯t imagine how precious it is to us that we¡¯re now able to protect the Floating Archipgo.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡°Yes, and besides¡­¡±

    Marti trailed off, ncing subtly around her.

    ¨C Oh!

    ¨C Do you see it? That light?

    ¨C It¡¯s my first time seeing Balmung in person rather than as a statue, and I¡¯ve never seen it radiate such a beautiful light before.

    ¨C And those patterns¡ªit¡¯s astonishing how intricate they are.

    ¨C Do you think we could get a closer look? It might be an invaluable artifact to learn about the magical systems and knowledge from that era.

    ¨C Let¡¯s ask for permission after all of this is over. Kriemhild¡¯s sessor doesn¡¯t seem like the sort to deny that to us.

    ¨C In any case, that light is truly mesmerizing. I¡¯m so d I became a priest.

    The priests¡¯ eyes were fixed intently on the Dragon yer Sword in Theo¡¯s hand.

    With the seal released, the sword disyed the full grandeur of the legendary sacred de.

    ¡°Just being able to witness Balmung in its fully awakened state is already enough to redeem our years of waiting.¡±

    Marti brought her hands together in prayer, her demeanor radiating reverence.

    To Theo, who had no particr religious beliefs, it was a curious sight.

    ¡®It¡¯s remarkable that they can believe so devoutly in something that bestows neither miracles nor blessings.¡¯

    In reality, Kriemhild might have been close to a divine figure, but she hadn¡¯t truly ascended to godhood or joined the Pantheon.

    This meant that even her power in this world had its limits, yet the inhabitants of the Floating Archipgo worshipped Kriemhild with unwavering faith.

    It was a unique cultural trait, isted from the rest of the continent.

    ¡®Thanks to that, it just lends that much more weight to my achievements here.¡¯

    When they reached the temple¡¯s inner sanctum, Marti suddenly stopped.

    At the top of ny-nine steps.

    There stood an altar cast in bronze, atop which rested a helmet seemingly carved from tinum, gleaming brilliantly.

    Clearly a treasured relic, it was enclosed within a ss case surrounded by multipleyers of magical seals.

    ¡®Aegir.¡¯

    Theo instantly understood what it was.

    ¨C For the hero Kriemhild, who was to set out on a journey to defeat the evil dragon, ny-nine earth fairies gathered starlight and moonlight,boring tirelessly for 999 nights to forge the tinum armor.

    Wooong! Wooong!

    The Balmung in his hand was trembling fiercely.

    It seemed to be greeting an old friend with intense joy.

    Marti bowed respectfully and spoke.

    ¡°Please wear Aegir. Once you do, a gate to the Sea King¡¯s domain will naturally open.¡±

    Aegir was the piece of armor Theo had hoped to acquire, following the Dragon yer Sword and Kriemhild¡¯s mysteries.

    It was essential for withstanding the immense water pressure of the deep sea.

    ¡°I heard that the gate to the Sea King¡¯s sealed region cannot be opened without the council¡¯s approval.¡±

    ¡°This is a matter concerning the fate of the Floating Archipgo. How could I, as a descendant of Kriemhild, oppose that?¡±

    Marti smiled gently as she said this.

    ¡®So she pulled some strings behind the scenes.¡¯

    Although Theo had pressured the Three Shipping Families and the Autonomous Council by leading the crowd to the central temple, getting Aegir¡¯s rights and the gate¡¯s opening approved so quickly was impossible without someone¡¯s intervention.

    Perhaps Kriemhild¡¯s awakened power had strengthened their influence as well.

    ¡®The more I see, the more I want them on my side.¡¯

    If he could draw them into his future ns, Theo thought, it wouldplete the perfect picture he had in mind.

    And as it happened, he had something that might entice them.

    ¨C Nibelung.

    The vision encapsting all of Kriemhild¡¯s will.

    Wouldn¡¯t those who followed Kriemhild be captivated by that?

    Indeed, a few had already shown interest upon seeing the vision Theo had demonstrated.

    But that was something to consider only after subduing the Sea King.

    Theo climbed the ny-nine steps and stood before Aegir.

    sh!

    Suddenly, Aegir trembled violently, the magical barrier dissipated, and the ss case shattered and fell to pieces.

    ¨C Ohhh!

    ¨C Aegir is showing its first miracle¡­!

    ¨C It truly has the tinum radiance described in the legends. It¡¯s so beautiful.

    Theo lifted Aegir with both hands and ced it on his head.

    It fit perfectly, as if it were custom-made for him.

    At the same time, his heart began to pound wildly.

    Thump-thump-thump-thump-thump!

    ¡®What is this?¡¯

    Aegir resonated with Theo¡¯s magic power.

    Reacting with Kriemhild¡¯s remains, which he had used to achieve his rebirth, Aegir began to transform.

    A tinum aura spread across his body, as new armoryered over it.

    Shhh! Shhh!

    It extended from his neck, forming upper armor, and continued down to cover his lower body,pleting his full battle attire.

    With the Dragon yer Sword in one hand, Theo looked like the very incarnation of the legendary Kriemhild.

    In fact, there was no need to look any further.

    Wasn¡¯t this exactly how the now-vanished statue of Kriemhild had once appeared?

    ¨C Ahhhh!

    ¨C He is truly the sessor of Kriemhild!

    ¨C Brothers, let us offer our prayers. In following his will, he has descended to thisnd in response to our call!

    All the priests knelt on one knee, raising their prayers.

    Marti, too, reflected reverently on the miracle of Kriemhild.

    The tinum light surrounding Theo expanded, enveloping the temple and eventually causing the entire outer structure to shine with radiant beauty.

    It was as if a white sun had risen, a scene so mesmerizing it defied description.

    The crowd gathered in front of the temple dropped to the ground and joined the priests in prayer.

    ¨C Ahhh!

    ¡®Aegir¡¯s full abilities have been awakened. I thought it¡¯d be fortunate if it functioned as armor, but is it thanks to Kriemhild¡¯s remains?¡¯

    Theo nced down at his hands with a faint smile.

    ¡ª

    [Aegir]

    ¨C Type: Magic Armor

    ¨C Defense: 350

    ¨C Effects:

    ¨C Magic Defense +150%

    ¨C Elemental Resistance Specialization

    ¨C Automatic Repair of Damaged Parts

    ¨C Nullifies Physical Damage with a Set Probability When Health is Below 25%

    ¨C When using ¡°Dragon yer Sword: Balmung,¡± sh Power +130%

    ¡ª

    The treasure of the earth fairies was known to only function fully when wielded by its rightful owner.

    It seemed Aegir had epted Theo as Kriemhild¡¯s sessor.

    Feeling only satisfaction from beginning to end, Theo smiled contentedly as he looked down.

    The altar, infused with light, deconstructed, revealing a hidden circr iron door below.

    An iron door covered in various geometric patterns.

    Creak, creak¡ª

    With a rusty sound, the iron door slowly reassembled and deconstructed along the patterns, ultimately opening wide to both sides.

    Fwaaah!

    Beyond that¡­

    A dark, wave-filled realm appeared, a world where light barely prated.

    ¡¸So, you¡¯ve arrived? So, this is what you meant by preparing. To think that the sessor of Father¡¯s only friend¡ªand also his opponent¡ªwould arrive.¡¹

    Pontus¡¯s voice echoed in Theo¡¯s mind.

    ¡®Are you nning to stop me?¡¯

    ¡¸That¡¯s hardly the case. Although I cannot be without resentment as Father¡¯s child, Father never once bore a grudge against his friend. So, I shall not harm you.¡¹

    ¡®That¡¯s a relief.¡¯

    Theo nced over at Marti and the priests as he spoke.

    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be off.¡±

    ¡°Please return safely.¡±

    Without hesitation, Theo threw himself directly into the gate.

    Ssh!

    Cold water struck his face.

    The tremendous pressure bore down on his body.

    Bzzzz¡ª

    However, the [Elemental Resistance Specialization] effect engraved in Aegir activated, dispelling the oppressive force.

    At the same time, he gained the ability to breathe underwater.

    Now he could move freely within the ocean depths.

    Taking it further, Theo infused his eyes with magic power and activated [Spiritual Essence].

    Instantly, his vision brightened, revealing Pontus, who had been hidden in the darkness.

    ¡¸There¡¯s not much time. Follow me.¡¹

    Theo followed Pontus, descending deeper and deeper into the ocean depths.

    After passing through steep ravines and navigating around scorching hot hydrothermal vents, they reached a vast underwater in where the Sea Kingy, thrashing restlessly.

    ¡®Massive. Just immense.¡¯

    That was Theo¡¯s immediate thought.

    It was farrger than what he¡¯d seen in Kriemhild¡¯s memories.

    Had it continued to grow over the centuries it had been sealed?

    It radiated such an overwhelming magical aura that approaching any closer was nearly impossible.

    ¡®How did Kriemhild manage to defeat something like that?¡¯

    A natural disaster.

    That was the only description that came to mind.

    Even with Nibelung and Aegir in hand, Theo could see that this foe was beyond his current abilities.

    ¡¸Any closer, and we wouldn¡¯t be able to approach either. Can you manage to put Father back to sleep?¡¹

    ¡®That¡­¡¯

    Theo was about to respond when¡ª

    Kieeek!

    The Sea King, lying prone, suddenly erupted into a violent frenzy.

    Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

    The resulting tremors were immense.

    The currents shook chaotically, and all around, underwater volcanoes spewed hot steam as if they were about to explode.

    The seawater creatures that had followed Pontus scattered in terror.

    ¡¸Damn! Has another fit started already? Usually, he¡¯s fine at this hour¡­¡¹

    ¡®A fit?¡¯

    ¡¸Due to his madness, Father periodically falls into a frenzy. Each time, it causes devastation around him.¡¹

    This exined the strange phenomena that had been guing the Floating Archipgo.

    ¡¸We can¡¯t stay here. Let¡¯s retreat for now.¡¹

    ¡®Wait.¡¯

    Theo stopped Pontus in his tracks.

    The dark stench spewing from the Sea King during his frenzy seemed oddly familiar.

    ¡®Shadow Demon Poison? Why is the Sea King infected with that?¡¯

 Chapter 123

    Chapter 123: Leviathan (3)

    The Shadow Demon Poison.

    Why does the same energy that once transformed Umbra into a Shadow Wyvern seem toe forth from the Sea King now?

    ¡®There¡¯s something here.¡¯

    At that moment Theo infused even more brilliance into the Spiritual Essence flowing around his eyes.

    Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud!

    ¡°Krwaaaa¡ª!¡±

    The Sea King¡¯s contortion grew increasingly violent, then suddenly, it raised its head high.

    Its gazended on Theo.

    However, in the raving eyes of the Sea King, Theo lookedpletely different.

    To him, Theo appeared to be the one who had condemned him to this wretched abyss¡ªKriemhild!

    ¡¸Kriemhild! Kriemhild¡ª!¡¹

    The Sea King, consumed by madness, unleashed a chaotic burst of resentful thoughts, his gaping jaws directed straight at Theo.

    ¡¸Damn it!¡¹

    Pontus let out a scream and threw himself forward, trying to shield Theo by pushing the Sea King back with his own body.

    ¡®No need to worry that much.¡¯

    ¡¸What are you saying¡­?¡¹

    Just as Pontus prepared to move, a chilling sensation stopped him, something that made him instinctively look up.

    BOOM!

    With a tremendous force that suddenly descended, clouds of sediment scattered densely across the deep-sea in.

    The Sea King was forcibly mmed to the ground, pinned by an overpowering pressure.

    ¡¸Let go! Let me goooo!¡¹

    ¡¸What a pitiful sight you are, Leviathan. Who could ever imagine that you were once the  who saved and protected this world long ago?¡¹

    The being pressing down on the Sea King let out a derisive chuckle.

    The more the Sea King struggled to escape, the tighter the force binding him became.

    Compared to the massive bulk of the Sea King, this being was diminutive, yet¡ª

    Its presence was so intensely overpowering that noparison could be drawn. The dragon stretched its wings wide, fully disying its majestic strength.

    ¡¸That one is¡­?¡¹

    Pontus, as though bewitched, stared up at the mighty dragon.

    ¡®Lothbrok.¡¯

    Theo felt a surge of strength rise within his shoulders as he smiled.

    ¡®My guardian dragon.¡¯

    ¡¸So that familiar aura I sensed belonged to her!¡¹

    It was Pontus¡¯s first time seeing Lothbrok in the flesh, yet he knew her name without a doubt.

    The peak among all past  descending since the Ancient Dragons.

    Thest remaining warrior holding back the Nameless Sovereign alone.

    The true ruler of the Winter Mountains.

    Each of her achievementsmanded the utmost reverence.

    ¡®Unfortunately, it seems only her spirit has materialized, not her physical form.¡¯

    A slight disappointment lingered, as the form of Lothbrok pinning down the Sea King shimmered in a semi-transparent glow.

    Leaving the Nest without a heart seemed to burden her.

    Of course, even in her current state, Loythbrok was strong enough topletely suppress the Sea King.

    But if she regained her full power, how powerful would she be?

    Theo, sensing just a glimpse of Lothbrok¡¯s true nature, felt an involuntary shiver run through him.

    ¡¸Mypanion, why have youe all this way? I told you before¡ªthere¡¯s no need to worry yourself here, as I¡¯ll handle everything from now on.¡¹

    Lothbrok even nced back at Theo with a rxed air.

    ¡¸Or did youe all this way out of concern that I might get hurt?¡¹

    As she spoke, herrge eyes curved into a crescent shape, hinting at a yful smile.

    Theo let out a light chuckle, nodding in response.

    ¡®Of course, I should be the one to look after mypanion¡¯s health. Who else would do it?¡¯

    ¡¸You sly fox. Surely, you¡¯re not saying things like that to all the youngdies, are you?¡¹

    ¡®Absolutely not. I¡¯m always mindful of my behavior.¡¯

    ¡¸Hahaha, is that so?¡¹

    Pontus, overhearing the banter between Theo and Lothbrok, felt a cold sweat form on his brow.

    He was struggling to endure the mingling of Lothbrok and the Sea King¡¯s magic power, yet Theo remained perfectly at ease.

    Inwardly, Pontus couldn¡¯t help but feel awe toward his new master.

    ¡¸In any case, I will handle this matter myself. However, it might get dangerous, so stay back.¡¹

    Lothdbrok¡¯s concern was evident in her words.

    But Theo simply shook his head, calm and unyielding.

    ¡®I¡¯ll stay.¡¯

    ¡¸What do you mean?¡¹

    ¡®I have a request left to me by Kriemhild.¡¯

    ¡¸Kriemhild? You mean the Dragon yer who trapped this one in the ocean depths?¡¹

    Theo nodded.

    Beside him, Pontus¡¯s eyes widened.

    Lothbrok narrowed her gaze slightly.

    ¡¸My condition isn¡¯t ideal. I can¡¯t protect you and subdue this friend at the same time.¡¹

    ¡®I understand. Please don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯ll fulfill Kriemhild¡¯sst request myself.¡¯

    ¡¸I have no idea what you¡¯re nning.¡¹

    Tsk!

    Lothbrok clicked her tongue in mild displeasure, but as she turned her attention back to the Sea King, a slight smile yed around her eyes.

    ¡¸Still, you must have your reasons for being so stubborn. You always do. I hope it¡¯s the same this time.¡¹

    Her words conveyed deep, unspoken trust.

    Theo bowed in gratitude, then nced at Pontus.

    ¡¸¡­You truly are a fascinating human, the more I see of you.¡¹

    Lothbrok¡¯s behavior seemed fascinating to Pontus.

    ¡®Pontus, I¡¯d like your help.¡¯

    ¡¸Me? How?¡¹

    ¡®Clear a path so I can get as close as possible to the Sea King.¡»

    ¡¸You want me to control the currents?¡¹

    ¡®Yes.¡¯

    Pontus paused in brief contemtion, then replied.

    ¡¸With some effort, it should be possible for me and the other sea creatures to manage it once. But that toxic aura¡ªwe can¡¯t resist it. We¡¯ve struggled with it as well.¡¹

    ¡®Don¡¯t worry about that; I¡¯ll handle it.¡»

    ¡¸Alright. Understood.¡¹

    Pontus let out a light sigh, then abruptly lifted his head, his gaze sharpening.

    And then, he let out a roar.

    Groooooo!

    Sound couldn¡¯t travel in the ocean.

    Instead, the sonic wave he created reverberated roughly, stirring a response from all the scattered sea creatures around.

    ¡¸Clear a path for this human to reach Father¡ª!¡¹

    Groooo! Grooo!

    Grooooooo¡ª

    Hundreds of marine creatures responded at once, exhaling in unison.

    The resulting massive wave ofbined sonic energy momentarily pushed the chaotic currents outward, opening a path directly toward the Sea King.

    ¡®Thank you.¡¯

    Whoosh!

    Theo wasted no time andunched himself forward.

    Wind Thunder God ¨C Swift Kill.

    He further amplified his momentum by using Death Beat as a stepping stone, propelling himself with even greater speed.

    Saash¡ª

    In Theo¡¯s wake, a trail of white currents stretched behind him like an elongated path.

    [Shadow Demon Poison detected ahead.]

    Before he knew it, Theo plunged into the ck mist radiating from the Sea King.

    Scree!

    From within the shadows, Umbra let out a chilling shriek.

    It seemed to question why he was even here.

    ¡®I don¡¯t know why this thing is here either, but it works out for the best.¡¯

    Theo pulled the trailing wind back toward himself, wrapping it around his body.

    The Squall.

    The third stage of the Wind Thunder God technique activated.

    Since gaining Kriemhild¡¯s Mystic Art, Theo¡¯s ability to handle Magic Power had improved drastically.

    His level had risen too.

    [Added 25 stat points to Intelligence.]

    [Intelligence: 79 ¡ú 104]

    [Skillprehension enhanced.]

    [Magic control improved.]

    [Intelligence modifier surpassed 100.]

    [A hidden function has been unlocked, enabling Foresight from now on.]

    +

    [Foresight]

    ¨C Type: Special Ability

    ¨C Effect: Exceptionally heightened judgment and insight allow rapid predictions in any given situation.

    +

    The time Theo had spent immersed in the mystic art felt roughly like a month.

    After battling countless Dragon Children and inheriting the knowledge of the Nibelung, Theo had amassed an extraordinary amount of experience, reaching Level 7.

    On top of this, his other stats had also steadily risen, marking remarkable growth.

    Wind Thunder God ¨C Tempest Draw.

    Theo extended his hand forward and then pulled it back, drawing the Squall surrounding him inward, gathering the turbulent poison in the process.

    Though the Shadow Demon Poison threatened him along the way, Theo had built up a certain resistance to it, and with Foresight constantly active, he could dilute the poison with Magic Power whenever it grew overwhelming.

    As a result, he managed to forcibly separate the seawater from the Shadow Demon Poison.

    Boom!

    Before long, a darkened sphere of Shadow Demon Poison sat in his palm¡ªa highly refined essence of the deadly toxin, or Venom Core.

    Ordinarily, he would have just let it dissolve into the seawater, but¡ª

    ¡®It feels wasteful to just throw it away.¡¯

    Licking his lips, Theo turned to the shadows, an ideaing to mind.

    ¡®Umbra.¡¯

    Keek?

    ¡®Want it?¡¯

    Keeeeek!

    The shadow trembled violently as if protesting the sheer horror of Theo¡¯s suggestion.

    ¡®The toxicity is mostly neutralized, so it¡¯s safe. You only need to swallow it.¡¯

    Keek?

    ¡®You¡¯re asking what I¡¯ll do if you refuse?¡¯

    Keeek!

    ¡®Well, then I¡¯ll just toss it out.¡¯

    Keeek! Keeeeek!

    ¡®I can¡¯t eat it myself. The poison within me could be reactivated. But for you, who¡¯s already immune, this would be like a potent elixir.¡¯

    Keeek¡­

    Umbra hesitated, pondering Theo¡¯s words, before finally shrieking.

    Keeeeek!

    ¡®Fine, here you go.¡¯

    Grinning, Theo dropped the Venom Core into the shadow.

    With the Sea King¡¯s dragon power mingling within, the quality of this refined poison was far superior to what Umbra had consumed in the past; it wouldn¡¯t be disappointing in any way.

    ¡®Umbra might even be a Shadow Wyvern once more¡ªthis time, free from the grip of madness.¡¯

    As he continued to separate and refine the Shadow Demon Poison from the seawater, dropping it into Umbra repeatedly, Theo soon found himself close to the Sea King¡¯s nape.

    Among the many rigid scales, he noticed one growing in the opposite direction.

    The Reverse Scale.

    ¡®Found it.¡¯

    He recalled Kriemhild¡¯s words:

    ¨C There¡¯s a Reverse Scale on Levi¡¯s nape. Stab Balmung there. That¡¯s the origin of the madness.

    Raising the fiercely resonating Dragon yer Sword high, Theo prepared to strike.

    ¨C What exactly is down there tormenting the Sea King?

    ¨C The Deluded God. An ancient curse that trapped him beneath the ocean and cast a forgotten damnation upon him.

    A scar left by the Nameless Sovereign.

    Theo took a deep breath, channeling all his intention to the tip of his sword as he thrust the Dragon yer Sword forward.

    ¨C And the Nibelung offers a way to dilute such curses. It¡¯s a secret art I learned while coexisting with Levi¡ªalso a technique for wielding the Dragon yer Sword.

    The Nibelung, a culmination of Kriemhild¡¯s secret teachings, allowed Theo to identify and instantly exploit his opponent¡¯s weaknesses, either by severing or piercing through them.

    This art shared an affinity with Dragon sh, Theo¡¯s goal, and also synergized well with the Dragon¡¯s w.

    The insight granted by the sword¡¯s gem greatly facilitated merging the two techniques.

    Through this process,

    a new secret art was born.

    w of the Nibelung

    sh!

    A slicing motion.

    Following the vertical arc of his strike, the Reverse Scale split apart.

    Crunch¡ª

    Then,

    Fang of the Nibelung.

    Theo drove the Dragon yer Sword deep into the wound left on the Reverse Scale.

    Thrust!

    More the w struck downwards, the more the fang drove deeply inward.

    Graaaaah!

    The Sea King writhed in agony.

    Even though he wanted to thrash in convulsions, Lothbrok¡¯s oppressive hold kept him bound, unable to react.

    Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!

    Each time he twisted his head in pain, tremors shook the ground.

    But Theo clung on relentlessly, refusing to let go.

    Instead, he drove the Dragon yer Sword even deeper into the Reverse Scale, pouring every ounce of Magic Power into it.

    Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

    With each surge, his Dragon¡¯s Heart and Dantian resonated wildly, radiating intense heat.

    Lightning crackled and vapor erupted in clouds.

    The wound in the Reverse Scale split open further, igniting the Nameless Sovereign¡¯s curse thaty dormant within, burning it to ashes.

    Whoosh!

    Suddenly, a fierce wave of resentful thoughts poured out, engulfing Theo.

    [¡®Skill: Hatchling Synchronization¡¯ has been forcibly activated. You can now hear the Sea King¡¯s voice.]

    ¡¸I¡­ I¡­!¡¹

    Countless fleeting images passed before Theo¡¯s eyes.

    The Sea King¡¯s cherished memories.

    Brief glimpses of the joyful moments he had shared with Kriemhild.

    Her cing a crown of flowers on his proud horns, tending to his wounds throughout the night.

    Listening to her worries about the hardship of her ve duties,forting her, and recounting stories of the outside world she had never seen.

    The happiness of those times long past.

    ¨C While he was sealed away, lost in madness, he repeatedly relived those joyful memories, trapped within them.

    And then¡ªn/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    ¡®I know you¡¯re worried.¡¯

    Theo sensed the worry embedded in the Sea King¡¯s voice.

    He feared that his only friend might resent or hate him.

    Amidst his madness, he was terrified that Kriemhild might despise him for the devastation he had wrought upon their homnd.

    ¡®No, she doesn¡¯t.¡¯

    Theo shook his head, calling out with a voice meant to reach Kriemhild¡¯s ears.

    ¡®Kriemhild had something she wanted me to tell you.¡¯

    ¨C Levi.

    ¡®Levi.¡¯

    The Sea King slowly lifted his head.

    Levi¡ªa nickname Kriemhild had affectionately called him, saying his full name was difficult to pronounce.

    In turn, he had only ever called her by the first syble of her name.

    And each time, Kriemhild would grumble.

    ¡¸K¡­ rim¡­¡¹

    What¡¯s that supposed to mean? I¡¯m not some kind of cream cake.

    The Sea King could almost see her teasing expression sh before his eyes.

    ¨C I was happy, being with you.

    ¡®I was happy, being with you.¡¯

    A faint light returned to the Sea King¡¯s once-clouded eyes.

    Kriemhild¡¯s image seemed to ovep with Theo as he stood there.

    ¨C So please¡­

    ¡®So please, don¡¯t let nightmares trouble you anymore.¡¯

    Then, as their two voices merged into one¡ª

    The Sea King instinctively closed his eyes.

    A tear slipped from the corner of his eye, swept away by the ocean currents.

    And then¡ª

    ¡¸My brother.¡¹

    Crunch!

    Lothbrok buried her face into the nape of the Sea King¡¯s neck.

    There was a sound of scales and muscle tearing.

    When she raised her head again, blood flowed freely, and a massive orb gleamed between her teeth.

    The Dragon Heart¡ªthe power core of an ancient dragon.

    ¡¸With your deeds, your heart now passes on to me. May you return to nature and bless us.¡¹

    Kraaaaa¡ª!

    With a fierce roar, Lothbrok devoured the Dragon Heart in a single bite.

    aash!

    In that instant, a radiant glow enveloped Lothbrok¡¯s spectral form, illuminating the dark depths of the ocean.

    [Congrattions! You have subdued the Sea King, who had been driven mad by Shadow Demon Poison, and safely delivered his heart to Lothbrok. You have sessfullypleted Scenario Quest #4.]

    [Evaluation: S+]

    [As a reward, your Affinity has increased by 100, and you have finally awakened Dragon Blood Talent.]

    [Level up!]

    [Level up!]

    [You have unlocked the restricted talent of Dragonborn.]

 Chapter 124

    Chapter 124: Leviathan (4)

    ¡°¡­The sessor of Kriemhild needs us?¡±

    All the members of ck Skull turned their attention towards Antonio.

    Their faces showed disbelief.

    After all, ever since they had heard the news that the Gang Brotherhood ignored the organization¡¯s decision and stabbed Theo in the back¡ª

    They had believed that any rtionship with Theo had already fallen apart.

    Instead, they had been anxious that Theo might cast them out once he seeded in resealing the Sea King and seized power.

    Yet here was Antonio, calling them out at dawn, telling them that Theo needed them.

    Antonio nodded vigorously, his face tinged slightly red.

    ¡°Yes, just as I said. Kriemhild¡¯s sessor has no intention of remaining merely a ¡®Hero¡¯.¡±

    ¡°¡­So, he needs a political foundation as well.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. And if we help him, he¡¯s promised me the position of Governor.¡±

    For a moment, some of the member¡¯s eyes gleamed.

    ¡®Governor.¡¯

    The position of governor of the Floating Archipgo was a status they all desired.

    ¡°Of course, to make that happen, we¡¯d need to go beyond simply ¡®helping¡¯ and be his hands, or even his hounds¡­ but surely, that much is doable?¡±

    ¡°No. It¡¯s not something to take so lightly.¡±

    The man sitting across from them spoke while taking a cigar between his lips.

    It was the man Theo considered the leader of ck Skull.

    ¡°Even with overwhelming popr support, the Shipping Alliance holds the real power over the interests of the Floating Archipgo, and at the top of it are the Three Shipping Families. Is it even realistically possible to push all of them aside?¡±

    All the members pressed their lips together in silence.

    A long sigh¡ª

    Smoke from his cigarette drifted upward.

    ¡°Impossible. Most of us here are from the Three Shipping Families, after all. Betraying our parents and siblings to create a new faction isn¡¯t as simple as it sounds, is it?¡±

    As his sarcastic remark was met with deepening silence,

    Antonio shook his head.

    ¡°No, the cessation of the Three Shipping Families is possible.¡±

    ¡°What? How?¡±

    ¡°First, let me rify that this isn¡¯t just my personal opinion¡ªit¡¯s the opinion of Kriemhild¡¯s sessor.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    The man closed his lips.

    ¡°As you all know, the Three Shipping Families are already scattered. Grimahl was backed by Troyban, so now their downfall is inevitable, while Romellin has always been neutral and will naturally side with the sessor.¡±

    The man and the members¡¯ gazes shifted toward an empty seat.

    Marti Romellin.

    As a priestess of the Central Temple, her choice was as predictable as Antonio had suggested.

    ¡°The only one left is my own family, Spin¡­ But I know my father well. If someone stronger appears, he¡¯ll bow his head on his own. And¡­¡±

    ¡°So, you intend to create a justification at the right time to drive out your father and seize control of the family?¡±

    ¡°If I can¡¯t manage that even with the sessor of Kriemhild backing me, then I¡¯m the one at fault.¡±

    Antonio was confident.

    The legitimacy had already shifted from Umberto to him.

    Over time, his influence within the family would naturally surpass his father¡¯s.

    Once he took control of the Spin family, the position of Governor would be that much closer.

    Antonio hinted at his own rising status, sending a positive signal to those from the Grimahl and Romellin families, suggesting that they too could achieve the same.

    To those not of the Three Shipping Families, he gave a clear invitation to join him.

    Some indeed exchanged nces, their eyes glinting and discreetly signaled they would like to meet Antonio separatelyter.

    The man gave a bitter smile.

    The atmosphere, which had once revolved around him, now centered around Antonio.

    ¡®Or perhaps, it was actually Lant? No, that¡¯s likely just an alias. Either way, Kriemhild¡¯s sessor has turned into a true puppet master, with Antonio as nothing more than his doll.¡¯

    The man genuinely feared Theo.

    Theo hadn¡¯t even been in the Floating Archipgo for a full day, yet he was already shaking up the power dynamics.

    What¡¯s more, he was building his own base simply by sending a few messages from afar.

    From past experience, the man knew not to oppose someone like that.

    He would need to bow downpletely and wait for another opportunity to arise, considering his next move only when the time came.

    ¡°¡­Alright, then. What¡¯s your n now? The other families within the Three Shipping Families will surely begin to make moves, preparing for the sealing of the Sea King.¡±

    It was a deration of surrender in practical terms.

    Antonio twisted one corner of his mouth in a smirk.

    ¡°What else? We need to wee our new leader personally.¡±

    The implication was to gather every possible force they could muster.

    This was to ensure the Three Shipping Families couldn¡¯t make any futile attempts against Theo.

    The members all responded with a sincere nod.

    ¡°Then, if everyone¡¯s in agreement, let¡¯s move quickly.¡±

    Antonio clenched his fist.

    A new world¡ª

    The Floating Archipgo, as his own, felt within reach of his fingertips.

    But Antonio¡¯s anticipation didn¡¯tst long.

    ¡°Antonio! We have a serious problem!¡±

    One of the members who had gone out to gather forces returned, his face drained of color.

    ¡°The guards!¡±

    ¡°Calm down and speak slowly. What happened?¡±

    ¡°The guards have switched to Grimahl¡¯s side! Grimahl and the Ghost yer Squad are leading the guards toward the Central Temple! It¡¯s a coup!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    * * *

    [As a bonus reward based on evaluation, the traits and talents of Dragonblood are enhanced, causing a mutation in your bloodline factor.]

    +

    [Dragonblood]

    ¡¤ Type: Talent

    ¡¤ Effect: The bloodline factor of the Ancient Dragon awakens, granting exceptional regenerative abilities and magical talent. As the bloodline factor strengthens, the powers of the Ancient Dragon can be unlocked.

    +

    Thump-thump-thump-thump-thump!

    His heart raced intensely.

    Crack, crack¡ª

    Simultaneously, his body underwent subtle yet significant changes.

    The various fortunate encounters Theo had umted, such as the Shadow Demon Poison and Kriemhild¡¯s Mysteries, began merging with Dragonblood, fusing into a single entity.

    He felt a sense of rity in his mind.

    Moreover, the inspiration flowing from the core of his sword seemed to be sharper.

    However, the most ponderable change was something else entirely.

    ¡¸Heh. Now, it seems we can finally call each other ¡®partners¡¯ in earnest.¡¹

    Lodbrok¡¯s voice and telepathy reached him simultaneously.

    Their channeling connection had strengthened.

    [Your connection with the Guardian Dragon has deepened, allowing you to hear the Guardian Dragon¡¯s insights at any time and any ce.]

    Theo gazed into Lodbrok¡¯srge eyes, focusing on his own reflection in them.

    ¡®Observe.¡¯

    [Observing ¡®Theo Ragnar.¡¯]

    +

    Theo Ragnar (15 years old / Male)

    ¡¤ Titles: sh Tiger, The Greatest Talent in a Millennium, sh Demon.

    ¡¤ Talents: Ragnar, yer, Observation, Inventory, Shop ess, Partner of the Guardian Dragon, Purge Cleansing Technique, Shadow Wyvern, Sessor of Kriemhild, Dragonborn, [ess Denied].

    ¡¤ Status: The residents of the Autonomous Territory of the Floating Archipgo fervently await your return. If you gain their ¡®faith,¡¯ there will be significant changes.

    ¡¤ Level: 41

    ¡¤ Stats (¨‹)

    Strength: 121 Agility: 103

    Endurance: 48 Magic: 243

    Intelligence: 104 Luck: 33

    Additional Stats: 20

    ¡¤ Skills (¡÷)

    ¡¤ [ess Denied]

    +

    Theo now felt confident that he had reached the level of an Advanced Swordsman.

    He would turn sixteen in just a few months, and regardless, this was a monstrous growth.

    ¡¸It seems you¡¯re quite pleased with yourself.¡¹

    ¡®To be honest, yes.¡¯

    ¡¸Indeed, your rate of growth stands out even among previous Chosen Ones. But remember, if you run too fast, you risk stumbling.

    ¡®I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡¯

    ¡¸Hah. You don¡¯t sound like someone nning to be cautious.¡¹

    ¡®Did you see through me?¡¯

    ¡¸That confidence is one of your charms.¡¹

    Lothbrok spread her wings wide, lifting herself up.

    Rustle¡ª

    Below her, the Sea King, having lost its heart, was rapidly disintegrating.

    ¡¸Thanks to you refining the curse, the magic I¡¯ve extracted from its heart is substantial. It will take some time to process, so I¡¯ll contact you as soon as it¡¯s done.¡¹

    ¡®Is it still not enough to fill your heart?¡¯

    ¡¸Hah. I once stood at the pinnacle of all dragons. It would take much more to satisfy my vessel, don¡¯t you think?¡¹

    Lothbrok winked yfully.

    Theo clicked his tongue internally.

    The Sea King was already a natural disaster incarnate, yet Lothbrok was on a whole different level?

    Then, what level was his father, who had managed to defeat her?

    Still far beyond his reach¡ª

    A towering wall of unimaginable height.

    ¡¸Nheless, I¡¯ll keep the channel open anytime. Feel free to reach out when you¡¯re bored. After all, isn¡¯t that part of being partners?¡¹

    With onest cheerful remark, Lodbrok quietly vanished.

    Phew¡­

    Theo exhaled deeply.

    From the mysteries of Kriemhild to the death of the Sea King¡ª

    Pushing through all these events without pause had left himpletely drained.

    It was exhausting just to even hold himself together.

    ¡®But there¡¯s still onest thing left.¡¯

    The takeover of the Autonomous Territory of the Floating Archipgo.

    He needed to establish this ce as his foundation.

    ¡¸Master.¡¹

    At that moment, Pontus approached quietly.

    He no longer addressed Theo as ¡®you,¡¯ but as ¡®Master.¡¯

    This marked his genuine acknowledgment of Theo as his lord.

    The other sea creatures seemed to feel the same, surrounding Theo in every direction.

    ¡¸Thank you.¡¹

    ¡®Do you not resent me? In a way, I¡¯m the one who harmed your father.¡¯

    Pontus shook his head.

    ¡¸Not at all. We know all too well the intense agony our father endured for the past centuries. Watching him suffer was as painful for us as it was for him. Master has brought him peace.¡¹

    Pontus swept his gaze around.

    The chaotic seascape, scarred by the Sea King¡¯s madness, came into view.

    ¡¸And Father will continue to watch over us from the embrace of nature. We don¡¯t believe he¡¯s truly gone. More importantly, I have a request for you, Master.¡¹

    A request?

    Was there still something left unfinished?

    ¡¸As a retainer, it is only proper to stay by my lord¡¯s side. But as you can see, this ce is still in disarray. Now that Father has departed, the magical updrafts he sustained have ceased, which could pose a serious risk of submersion for the inds above.¡¹

    Theo felt he knew what Pontus¡¯s request would be.

    ¡¸I wish to remain here and carry on my father¡¯s and our friend¡¯s legacy. I also want to preserve the traces you left here. Will you grant me this permission

    Pontus wanted to stay.

    Following Theo would be rewarding, but he deemed it equally important to carry on the Sea King¡¯s legacy in this ce.

    It was clear how much he had pondered before voicing this request.

    Theo smiled.

    ¡®Pontus, do you know what my dream is?¡¯

    ¡¸A dream?¡¹

    ¡®Yes, a dream.¡¯

    ¡¸I¡­ don¡¯t know.¡¹

    ¡®To be a king.¡¯

    ¡¸¡­¡­!¡¹

    Pontus¡¯s eyes widened.

    ¡®But to be a king, I¡¯ll be very busy, always moving forward. It¡¯ll be hard for me to settle in one ce. That¡¯s why I need someone to govern mynds in my stead.¡¯

    Theo already regarded the territories of the Sea King and Kriemhild as his own domains.

    ¡®Can I count on you?¡¯n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    ¡¸Of course.¡¹

    With a voice filled with emotion, Pontus bowed deeply.

    Following his lead, countless other sea creatures lowered themselves in respect.

    ¡¸As long as I, Pontus, exist¡ª¡¹

    The new Sea King pledged with words of binding force.

    ¡¸The sea will serve you as your vassal and as your friend.¡¹

 Chapter 125

    Chapter 125: Leviathan (5)

    ¡°What on earth are you talking about!¡±

    ¡°A coup? Grimahl must have lost his mind!¡±

    A coup.

    The letters that Antonio urgently sent out through his messengers described Grimahl¡¯s actions in such terms.

    For the residents of the Floating Archipgo, it was a point of pride that they had been able to govern their autonomous region peacefully under an oligarchy without interference from the Empire¡¯s royal family.

    And now, that was on the verge of being overturned.

    The members gathered once more, all visibly enraged.

    They had already confirmed the disturbing movements Grimahl was making toward the central temple.

    ¡®This might actually be for the best. I¡¯ll use this sense of crisis to secureplete power for myself.¡¯

    Imagining himself as the ¡°hero who quashed the coup,¡± Antonio shouted with a serious expression.

    ¡°If we stop Grimahl, who¡¯s attempting something reckless with foreign support, then we¡¯ll be the saviors.¡±

    At Antonio¡¯s rallying cry, the members of ck Skull nodded gravely.

    They were already beginning to feel like heroes in the making.

    *** *** ****

    ¡°Attention! We have received intelligence that a terrorist attack is nned at the central temple. All residents, please exit the temple calmly under the guidance of the guards. Once again, we repeat¡­¡±

    Wailing!

    The sirens and warning announcements ringing in front of the central temple startled the residents who had been waiting for Kriemhild¡¯s sessor to appear.

    -What, what¡¯s happening?

    -Is this¡­ terrorism? An intelligence report?

    -So that means they¡¯re targeting the sessor! Unbelievable!

    -What kind of monster would do that!

    Angry shouts echoed from the crowd.

    -Hurry up! We need to get out of here before the terrorist attack!

    -You can¡¯t just linger here!

    -Hey, you over there! Move quickly! Are you the terrorist?

    The guards urged the residents outside.

    These guards, ustomed to the bribes Grimahl usually provided, were all but blinded by his promise of a reward twenty timesrger than usual once this was over.

    They even hinted they would forcibly expel anyone who didn¡¯tply by using them of terrorism.

    However, there was one thing they hadn¡¯t anticipated.

    The residents¡¯ faith in Kriemhild was far stronger than they had expected.

    -What are you saying!

    -If there¡¯s a terrorist out there, the sessor could get hurt!

    -We should protect him! He must bepletely exhausted after defeating the evil dragon! Isn¡¯t it our duty to protect him now?

    -That¡¯s right! That¡¯s right!

    -Kriemhild has protected our Floating Archipgo all this time. Now it¡¯s our turn to protect him!

    -Let¡¯s all head to the central temple!

    Whoosh!

    The residents surged forward, determined to push their way into the central temple.

    The guards tried desperately to hold back the crowd, but there were simply too many people, making it nearly impossible.

    As a result, it was the House of Grimahl that found itself in a state of panic.

    ¡°This is¡ªthis is a disaster, Lord Peren! The residents arepletely out of control!¡±

    ¡°What on earth did you do to let things escte like this? Do you realize how much we¡¯ve been paying you?¡±

    The head guard couldn¡¯t even bring himself to meet Peren¡¯s eyes, bowing his head in shame.

    Under normal circumstances, he might have protested or at least defended himself.

    But right now, the icy gaze of the Ghost yer Squad Captain standing beside Peren had him so intimidated that he didn¡¯t dare look up.

    ¡°If any harmes of this, you¡¯ll be solely responsible!¡± Peren dered.

    The guard captain paled but said nothing.

    Peren turned anxiously to the Captain of the Ghost yer Squad.

    ¡°If the residents don¡¯t leave, it will be difficult to carry out our mission. Perhaps it would be better to wait for another chance¡­¡±

    ¡°No. There will be no next time. We¡¯re advancing as nned. Ghost yer Squad, unsheathe your swords.¡±

    Shink! Shink!

    At the Captain¡¯smand, every member drew their sword in unison.

    ¡°No, this is uneptable! If you proceed like this, ordinary residents could be harmed¡­ Hic!¡±

    Peren cried out, his face drained of color, but quickly fell silent under the Captain¡¯s murderous gaze.

    ¡°My orders are to secure the sessor¡¯s person. Ensuring the conditions for this was your responsibility, but you¡¯ve failed to meet it. Why should I consider that in my decision?¡±

    Peren could only hup in fear, unable to respond.

    ¡°We¡¯ve already given them warnings. Those who don¡¯t leave will be deemed terrorists. And as for terrorists¡­¡±

    The murderous intent flickering in the Captain¡¯s eyes ignited like ghostly mes.

    ¡°¡­we are required to eliminate them, regardless of age or gender.¡±

    With a sh¡ª

    The Ghost yer Squad turned into shadows and surged forward.

    ¡°What¡­what¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°Terrorists?¡±

    ¡°N-no! Grimahl! It¡¯s Grimahl!¡±

    ¡°Why are they running toward us¡­? Aaaagh!¡±

    ¡°Father, Father, are you okay¡­?¡±

    ¡°They stabbed someone! Grimahl¡¯s men are stabbing people!¡±

    The crowd descended into chaos in an instant.

    The Ghost yer Squad mercilessly swung their swords at anyone who tried to block their path.

    ¡°This is an announcement! Th-the terrorists are targeting the central temple! This is an a-actual emergency! Residents, p-please leave the area immediately! Failure to do so will mean you may be considered a¡­a terrorist or an aplice¡­!¡±

    The guard captain stammered through the announcement.

    But by now, hardly anyone was listening.

    ¡°G-get away! Run!¡±

    ¡°Aagh! My arm! My aaarm!¡±

    ¡°Stop pushing! Stop!¡±

    ¡°Why are they targeting us? We only wanted to see the sessor! Can¡¯t they tell we¡¯re not terrorists?¡±

    The sheer size of the crowd made it nearly impossible to leave the scene.

    People were pushed around, trampled, and fell; some were cut by swords and bleeded as chaos ensued.

    Amidst the turmoil, however, the Ghost yer Squad steadily carved a path forward and reached the central temple in an instant.

    ¡°Stand back! This is a neutral zone dered by the Council! If you wish to enter,y down your weapons¡­!¡±

    The head of the knight guarding the temple flew off with a single sh from the Captain of the Ghost yer Squad.

    ¡°There may be terrorists hiding among those guarding the temple. Search every corner.¡±

    It was effectively an order to seize control of the area.

    First, they needed to determine Theo¡¯s whereabouts.

    ¡°What on earth is going on¡ª!¡±

    At that moment, Marti and the temple knights came rushing out in rm.

    They saw the blood-stained temple entrance, their expressions hardening at the gruesome sight.

    ¡°We have intelligence that the House of Spin is currently leading a group nning an attack on Kriemhild¡¯s sessor. We are here to ensure the sessor¡¯s safety, so we request your cooperation.¡±

    ¡°Are you saying Spin is attempting a rebellion?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s correct. They were already implicated once before in suspicious activity near the Grand Market. Additional evidence shows they ignored warnings to remain confined to their estate until the Council summons tomorrow, and instead attempted to overthrow the system. The guards have already been dispatched to their location.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    Marti clenched her fists tightly.

    She now understood the true intent of Grimahl and the Ghost yer Squad.

    Grimahl was seizing the chance to expand the allegations against Spin and use force to wrest control for himself!

    If Theo seeded in sealing the Sea King, it would eliminate Troyban¡¯s justification for involvement.

    Grimahl would also likely face expulsion as a result.

    That¡¯s why he was rushing to act before that could happen.

    ¡®If they manage to subdue Spin now and secure the sessor, their position at the Council will be unassable.¡¯

    If they could even implicate Romellin, who had maintained a neutral stance without making significant statements, alongside Spin, then the Council of the autonomous region would effectively fall into Grimahl¡¯s¡ªor rather, Troyban¡¯s¡ªhands.

    ¡°Listen up, members of the Kriemhild Knights.¡±

    Marti steeled herself, drawing her sword and calling out.

    ¡°Do not let them set even a single foot onto the altar area. These are people who dare to defile Kriemhild¡¯s honor.¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡±

    ¡°So, there are coborators with Spin even here. Eliminate them all.¡±

    sh

    ng! ng!

    A fierce sh erupted between the temple knights and the Ghost yer Squad.

    Standing before the Captain of the Ghost yer Squad was Marti.

    ¡°You won¡¯t seed in your n.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    ¡°Finally, I get to see for myself the swordsmanship of this so-called ¡®Kriemhild.¡¯ Kriemhild, Kriemhild¡ªI¡¯m sick of hearing that name ever since I arrived here. Out in the real world, it¡¯s a name nobody even knows. I¡¯m curious to see what kind of swordsmanship this backwater¡¯s so-called swordsman has.¡±

    A tant smirk.

    Yet Marti paid no attention, fiercely shing swords with him.

    Her swift swordsmanship reflected her skill, equivalent to that of an Advanced Swordsman.

    ng! ng! ng!

    However, the real issue was that the Captain of the Ghost yer Squad was not just any ordinary soldier; he led an entire unit.

    Ifpared to the ranks in House Ragnar, he would be at least on the level of a Dragon Gate Swordsman.

    ¡°Pathetic. Just a backward and stale form of swordsmanship, fitting for a rustic fool.¡±

    With a brief, disdainful critique, the Captain brought his sword down with force.

    ng!

    Marti¡¯s sword snapped in half, flying through the air.

    The Captain adjusted his sword, preparing to strike her neck as she stood frozen with shock.

    ¡°Marti¡ª!¡±

    Suddenly, a flurry of trajectories appeared out of nowhere, aiming for the Captain¡¯s back.

    The Captain twisted his sword in the opposite direction, deflecting every attack.

    ¡°You¡­!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re here to save you!¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s save the details forter!¡±

    The members of ck Skull instantly recognized the Captain as the greatest threat.

    They exchanged a look with Marti, moving tounch a coordinated attack.

    ¡°How cute, ying teamwork.¡±

    But to the Captain¡¯s eyes, it wasughable.

    Would he even bat an eye at a few kids ying at heroics?

    Swish! Swish! Swish!

    With a single sweep of his deadly de, he instantly split the heads of four members.

    ¡°Sradi!¡±

    ¡°Helen!¡±

    ¡°You bastard¡­!¡±

    ¡°Annoying. Just die, all of you.¡±

    In that moment, the Captain¡¯s eyes red with a blood-red glow.

    Bloodlight Convergence.

    The secret technique of the Sacred Demon Church activated, multiplying his power manifold.

    He immediately overwhelmed the ck Skull members, swiftly severing the necks of those left momentarily paralyzed.

    Among them was Antonio, who had imed leadership of ck Skull.

    ¡°Urgh!¡±

    ¡°Argh¡­!¡±

    As Antonio fell, unable to even resist, his gaze reflected bitter regret.

    The ambition he thought he held firmly in his hands slipped away like a castle of sand.

    Thud!

    ¡°Nooo!¡±

    ¡°Dieeee!¡±

    ck Skull, unaware of the Ghost yer Squad¡¯s terrifying strength, copsed in disarray once their leaders were annihted.

    The temple knights fared no better.

    Though they bore Kriemhild¡¯s lineage, they could notpare to the Ghost yer Squad, hardened by countless battles.

    ¡®No¡­!¡¯

    Marti let out a silent scream for herrades and friends of over a decade who had fallen.

    Swoosh!

    The Captain of the Ghost yer Squad, unfazed, made his way through the carnage, advancing toward the inner sanctum, where an immense power had been radiating.

    ¡°Is it here?¡±

    As the Captain of the Ghost yer Squad coldly opened the door, something chillingshed out at his neck.

    ng!

    He effortlessly deflected the attack and looked inside.

    Selperd was smiling.

    ¡°Tch, guess it didn¡¯t work. I thought my timing was spot-on.¡±

    ¡°This dagger¡­ So, you¡¯re from Ragnar, after all?¡±

    ¡°Well, would you look at that, you recognized it?¡±

    ¡°You managed to dig up intel on the Dragon yer Sword and make it all the way here? I thought I hid it well, but I guess I failed. The ck Dragon¡¯s skill is impressive as always.¡±

    ¡°Talking to yourself, are you? Do you have some invisible friend only you can see?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like to see if you can keep that mouth running after your tongue is sliced by a sword.¡±

    Despite his taunting, Selperd calmly followed the Captain¡¯s every move.

    The Captain was a swordsman of Dragon Gate rank¡ªno ordinary Practical Swordsman like him could face someone of that level.

    Swish, swish!

    Arin and Ray joined him to help.

    The ¡°Three-pronged Sword Formation.¡±

    This formation was meant for situations where they faced a formidable opponent; the trio would close in from three sides, trapping the target to attempt a kill.

    ¡®Theo, you wretch! Hurry and finish up already! This is killing me here!¡¯

    Selperd was desperate for Theo, who had been giving him a hard time from the Grand Market to the central temple all night.

    No matter how hard they struggled, there was no way they could take down the Captain of the Ghost yer Squad on their own.

    ¡°There it is.¡±

    The Captain spotted the altar and pushed off the ground with force.

    Having his steps constantly dyed by these small fry was growing tiresome.

    All he wanted now was to grab Theo by the scruff and drag him back.

    With Ragnar¡¯s involvement confirmed, he also needed to find out how much they had uncovered about the Dragon yer Sword.

    Selperd and his team shifted their gazes urgently toward the altar, scrambling in that direction.

    Leap!

    Ray moved the fastest.

    Hermother had taught him a secret footwork technique, perfect for escaping dangerous situations.

    But the Captain was alreadynding atop the altar.

    Just then, a halo of light emanated from the gate, and Theo slowly emerged.

    He wore the Aegir armor, holding Balmung in one hand.

    ¡°Got you.¡±

    The Captain swung his sword downward to subdue Theo.

    ng!

    For the first time, the Captain¡¯s full-powered strike was repelled.

    ¡°In whose world?¡±

    Under his helmet, Theo scoffed and fiercely swung the Dragon yer Sword.

    Dragonblood surged within him.

    A scorching gust swept through.

 Chapter 126

    Chapter 126: Dragon Blood (1)

    Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom!

    Theo¡¯s heart pounded furiously, and his core surged in rhythm with each beat.

    Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud¡­!

    The continuous heartbeat echoed like the opening drum of a war, generating a tremendous wave of energy.

    As embers rose from the heated wind, they ignited into brilliant yellow sparks of lightning that scattered in every direction.

    The more his blood boiled, the faster it surged through his veins.

    The efficiency of his magic power intensified, loaded immense strength into his body.

    Veins that bulged along his forearm snaked up to his neck, covering half his face.

    As a result, Theo¡¯s already pale face looked almost ghostly white.

    But that was not the end.

    All of Theo¡¯s artifacts began resonating, lending their strength to his power.

    ¡ºHow long has it been since you awakened Dragonblood, and you¡¯re already using it? Truly, an impatientpanion you are.¡»

    A faint chuckle seemed to echo from somewhere.

    ¡ºVery well. But if you intend to be my partner, you should have the capacity to ovee this much. I¡¯m in the middle of digesting, so I¡¯ll lend you a bit of help.¡»

    For a brief moment, Theo thought he saw a sh of light before his eyes.

    Bzzt!

    [The Blessing of the Guardian Dragon is activating.]

    [¡®Talent: Dragonblood¡¯ is activating, awakening the Ancient Dragon¡¯s bloodline factor. All artifacts linked to the Ancient Dragons resonate intensely.]

    [All special abilities are temporarily enhanced.]

    [All augmentation abilities are temporarily reinforced.]

    [All artifact effects are temporarily amplified.]

    .

    .

    As countless messages piled up before his eyes.

    Boom!

    Theo mmed his foot onto the ground with crushing force.

    A multitude of luminous trajectories unfolded before him.

    Theo hurled himself into the midst of them.

    Cutting through the steam that swirled off his skin, the red-hot Dragon yer Sword moved to obliterate the foe before him.

    The countless beams of light before him turned, one by one, into trails of his de.

    A powerful intuition struck his mind.

    [The ¡®All Buff¡¯ state has begun.]

    [Time limit: 5 minutes.]

    [Countdown starting now.]

    [00:05:00]

    [00:04:59]

    .

    Shing¡ª!

    The influence of Dragonblood was not limited to Theo¡¯s physical body alone.

    It epassed every relic of the Ancient Dragons he had gathered, along with the various skills and special abilities he¡¯d acquired from them.

    Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom¡ª

    Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud, thud, thud¡­!

    Theo pushed the Captain of the Ghost yer Squad back, his thunderous heartbeat pounding so loudly that it felt like drums were beating right next to his ears.

    Crash, crash, crash, crash¡ª!

    ¡®What kind of power is this?!¡¯

    ng! ng! ng! ng!

    Every time the Captain parried Theo¡¯s strike, his wrists throbbed with a pain that felt as if they might snap.

    Unable to deflect the relentless attacks entirely, he was pushed from the altar to the center of the temple in an instant.

    The truth was, he had been underestimating Theo all along.

    ¡°How strong could a mere child be, really?

    And even if this so-called mystery of Kriemhild held any power, how extraordinary could it truly be,ing from such a backwater ce?

    Sure, the tales spoke of a ¡®Sea King¡¯ sealed away, but they had only used some ancient magical artifact. How much of that power truly came from their own abilities?

    Everything here was filled with uncertainties and doubt.

    From what the Captain of the Ghost yer Squad had encountered on the Floating Archipgo, none of it was that impressive.

    All they had was an inder¡¯s stubborn pride, unable to stand up to even one unit of his Ghost yer Squad.

    Yet¡­

    This time, things were different.

    Perhaps calling it a ¡®mystery¡¯ wasn¡¯t so far off the mark after all.

    What had he experienced inside that ce? He seemed like apletely different person now.

    In that moment, a thought suddenly surfaced in his mind.

    Ragnar.

    Hadn¡¯t the damned House of Ragnar in the North been known for simr strange phenomena?

    There were countless stories of how warriors¡ªonce insignificant and unremarkable¡ªsuddenly changed overnight, capable of cutting down dozens, even hundreds, of enemies.

    And these individuals all shared onemon trait.

    ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re a direct descendant of Ragnar.¡±

    Gritting his teeth, the Ghost yer Commander red at Theo.

    Now, he was no longer caught off guard and calmly blocked Theo¡¯s attacks.

    ¡°But I¡¯ve never heard of anyone so young with such strength. Even the youngest, Torkel, would be in his mid-twenties by now. You don¡¯t even seem that old. Who exactly are you?¡±

    Theo twisted one corner of his lip.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t the Soaring Dragon mention me?¡±

    ¡°Soaring Dragon? Are you speaking of Lord Ed?¡±

    ¡°Who else?¡±

    For a brief moment, fragments of information Ed had shared with the scattered squads worldwide flooded the Ghost yer Commander¡¯s mind.

    Among the Ragnar¡¯stest generation, there was one to be wary of¡ªTheo Ragnar. Beyond just his talent, he showed an uncanny cleverness. With his strikingly beautiful face and long hair, he would be easy to recognize.

    Back then, he had thought that perhaps Lord Ed, having been within Ragnar territory for so long, was just overly cautious, even towards a mere child.

    Was that not the case?

    Moreover, the end of Ed¡¯s report included a specific note:

    If a confrontation urs, make him your primary target to eliminate. However, if there is any spare time, retreat swiftly to avoid the high likelihood of retaliation.

    Spare time.

    Would that spare time include the opportunity to secure Kriemhild¡¯s mystery?

    A sudden chill ran down his spine.

    ¡°Enough with the idle talk. We¡¯re not exactly friends here, are we?¡±

    In that instant, another intense premonition appeared before Theo¡¯s eyes¡ª

    A diagonal trajectory.

    Theo followed that trajectory and swung the Dragon yer Sword down.

    ng!

    The Ghost yer Commander barely deflected Theo¡¯s de, which had cunningly aimed for his blind spot, and grit his teeth tightly.

    Grrrind-

    ¡°Arrogant brat.¡±

    Even if Lord Ed had warned him to avoid direct confrontation¡­

    If he allowed himself to be bested by this mere child, what right would he have to im the title of Ghost yer Commander?

    ¡°Just like thest one, you Ragnars love to run your mouths.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s because we have the skill to back it up.¡±

    Just as the Ghost yer Commander¡¯s eyes twitched in irritation and he prepared to counterattack, a sudden chill ran down his spine.

    What was this?n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    As he turned to look, something emerged abruptly from his shadow, baring a grotesque maw.

    It was like a shark lunging out of the water to snatch its prey.

    There wasn¡¯t even time to realize what it was.

    Right now, he had to deal with it¡ªhe gathered magic power in his left arm, preparing to unleash his aura in defense.

    Crunch!

    ¡°Guh!¡±

    But his aura passed helplessly through the shadow, mming harmlessly against the wall, while the enormous maw mped down on his left arm and shoulder.

    Rip!

    The pain of having his arm torn off defied any description. Stars spun before his eyes.

    To make matters worse, he couldn¡¯t retaliate, as physical attacks didn¡¯t affect it; the creature had already dived back into the shadows and vanished.

    What he had seen in those final moments was iprehensible, even for the Ghost yer Commander.

    ¡°A w-wyvern?¡±

    Why had a wyvern, typically used by the White Armored Dragon Cavalry, suddenly appeared here?

    And more to the point¡ªweren¡¯t wyverns supposed to be airborne creatures? He had never heard of one emerging from shadows.

    Moreover, this creature¡¯s appearance was distinct from a typical wyvern.

    It wasrger, more savage, and exuded a menacing aura. ck shadows rippled like waves over its ash-gray scales, amplifying its fearsome presence.

    He was clueless, unaware that Umbra had just begun evolving into a Shadow Wyvern after consuming the purified Shadow Demon Poison, obtained from the Sea King.

    But Theo knew exactly what was happening, and he was satisfied.

    Keeek!

    Umbra let out a cry, almost as if demanding praise.

    ¡°Well done, Umbra.¡±

    Keek-

    With a delighted response from Umbra, Theo swung the Dragon yer Sword once more, following his intuition.

    Wham! Wham! Wham!

    A fierce gust transformed into a storm, raging around the Ghost yer Commander.

    Boom! Boom! Boom!

    Bolts of lightning split the air, crashing repeatedly into the ground.

    Meanwhile, Umbra prowled through the shadows, circling like a shark, ready to bare his deadly fangs at any moment.

    ¡°You¡­ you little brat!!¡±

    Atst, the Ghost yer Commander¡¯s final thread of reason snapped.

    His pride was shredded by the fact that he was being toyed with by this brat, and the pain and blood loss from his torn-off left arm gnawed at his sanity.

    So, the Ghost yer Commanderunched an aura-infused sh aimed directly at Theo¡¯s head.

    Boom!

    But even that strike was blocked by the Dragon yer Sword.

    Zap, zap¡ª

    Before he could catch his breath, Selperd, Arin, and Ray seized the moment and attacked him relentlessly.

    ¡°Die¡­!¡±

    Then Marti, furious over the deaths of herrades, joined in, leaving him to fend off thebined assault of five swordsmen and a monstrous creature.

    ng! ng! ng!

    Rumble¡ª

    sh! sh!

    Yet, as expected of amander-level fighter, the Ghost yer Commander refused to reveal any fatal opening.

    ¡®There must be a way.¡¯

    Theo, determined to find one, channeled Spiritual Essence into his eyes, analyzing every single movement of the Ghost yer Commander.

    He began to break down each unified motion, dividing it into seconds, and then further into milliseconds, tracking the flow of magic power and aura.

    White Heat.

    His mind felt as though it was zing, on the verge of burning out.

    Whoosh!

    At that moment, Theo¡¯s vision transformed, immersing him in a world flooded with light, where everything appeared frozen in time.

    A temporal disconnect urred as his thought process outpaced the flow of time in the external world.

    Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump¡­

    His heart pounded even faster, causing blood vessels to bulge at the corners of his eyes. Some of them burst, reddening his vision.

    When his already scarlet eyes darkened further to deep crimson¡ª

    A sudden, intense inspiration struck him like lightning.

    In the Ghost yer Commander¡¯s hurried movements, Theo detected a subtle imbnce, a slight shift in his stance due to the loss of an arm.

    Right hip.

    Then left shoulder.

    The moment Theo decided on his approach, his left hand moved swiftly to his waist.

    He held his breath, allowingplete focus on his strike.

    The instant his breathing and stance became one¡ª

    ¡ªhe drew his sword.

    sh!

    The Moon-White Sword roared like a predator, its light tearing through the world.

    At that instant, his intense focus achieved through White Heat shattered, and the temporal disconnect dissolved.

    In that fraction of a moment, an instant too brief to describe¡ª

    A jagged wound shed across the Ghost yer Commander¡¯s right hip to his left shoulder, as if a dragon had hit him with its w.

    Splurt!

    ¡®Too shallow!¡¯

    Yet Theo sensed instantly that the strike had not hit as deep as he intended.

    In thest moment, his opponent had instinctively pulled back.

    ¡°I¡­ will¡­ kill you¡­!¡±

    The Ghost yer Commander, narrowly escaping death, finally made the drastic choice he had postponed until the very end.

    The blood-red light surrounding his body now shone with such intensity that it stung the eyes.

    With his self-destruct technique activated, a surge of magical energy sted forth, pushing back everyone encircling him by dozens of steps.

    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you, Theo Ragnar!¡±

    The Ghost yer Commander dashed straight toward Theo, determined to eliminate the one who had brought him to this state.

    ¡®I have to¡­ block him¡­!¡¯

    [00:00:01]

    [Time limit reached.]

    [As a penalty, all stats are temporarily reduced by 50%.]

    Just as Theo prepared to raise the Dragon yer Sword and Moon-White Sword, an overwhelming fatigue washed over him, causing him to stagger.

    His body could no longer keep pace with his heightened perception.

    Screeeech!

    As he attempted to cross the Dragon yer Sword and Moon-White Sword in an X-shape to block the iing attack¡ª

    ¡¸Everything is aplete mess.¡¹

    Suddenly, a crushing pressure filled the air, weighing down on both Theo and the Ghost yer Commander¡¯s shoulders.

    Theo stumbled, dropping to one knee, while the Ghost yer Commander, halted mid-charge, crashed into the ground.

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    Selperd, Arin, Ray, and Marti all froze, their gazes fixed in silent astonishment.

    It felt as if an invisible hand had seized their hearts and lungs, gripping their lives in its grasp.

    The same overwhelming dread held the Ghost yer Squad, the Temple Knights, and the remaining ck Skull members alike.

    A deep silence nketed the area.

    In this moment, this ce belonged solely to the mysterious intruder.

    ¡¸Truly, everything is in ruins.¡¹

    The man who had subdued the Ghost yer Commander slowly rose to his feet.

    He wore a wooden mask that concealed his face, a robe billowing around him.

    Noyl.

    He tossed something from his hand onto the ground.

    Thud, thud¡­

    It was the heads of Umberto Spin, wide-eyed with terror, and Giuseppe Grimahl, wearing an expression of iprehension at his fate.

    ¡¸This level of chaos was never within my expectations.¡¹

    His eyes, glinting coldly beneath the wooden mask, showing contempt.

 Chapter 127

    Chapter 127: Dragon Blood (2)

    Thirty minutes earlier.

    Noyl was visiting the Spin mansion with the security forces.

    This was because Giuseppe believed it would be challenging for the security forces alone to eliminate the entire Spin Family.

    ¨C Most likely, he¡¯ll use the family as a shield and try to escape through a hidden passage. Umberto is the kind of guy who values his own life above all else.

    Noyl, unwilling to drag this matter out any further, stormed the mansion and struck down Umberto, who was attempting to flee.

    He also dispatched Giuseppe, who had run up, cheering, just to make an example of him.

    ¨C I¡­ why would you do this to me?

    ¨C Because you¡¯re no longer useful.

    ¨C You bastard!

    ¨C Don¡¯t feel wronged. Weren¡¯t you the one nning to betray us once the job was done? If only you had continued living as a mindless insect, why bother trying to think with a brain that doesn¡¯t work? Tsk!

    In any case, most of the wealth Giuseppe had piled up had already slipped into Troyban¡¯s hands without him realizing it.

    With all that gold and money gone to Troyban, it was enough to leave only the scrap behind in this ce.

    And now, back to the present.

    Noyl appeared at the central temple, holding Umberto¡¯s and Giuseppe¡¯s heads.

    The Ghost yer Squad had returned muchter than he had anticipated.

    ¡¸Still, if one could call this a blessing in disguise, perhaps it is.¡¹

    Theo was standing, forcing his exhausted body to remain upright, even though he looked as if he might copse at any moment.

    He gripped the Dragon yer Sword and the Moon-White Sword tightly.

    ¡¸To think that the one who took Kriemhild¡¯s Mysteries was also the one who stole the Dragon yer Sword. I never imagined it would turn out to be the ¡®Chosen One¡¯ of this era.¡¹

    Step.

    Noyl began walking slowly towards Theo.

    ¡®Theo!¡¯

    Selperd wanted to scream that.

    Arin and Ray also wanted to move somehow to protect Theo, but this cursed pressure refused to allow them any movement.

    Step, step!

    Before they realized it, Noyl was already approaching Theo.

    ¡¸Since he probably has all the relics that Ed foolishly lost, if I just retrieve them all neatly, there won¡¯t be a more satisfying conclusion than this. Plus¡­ I could take the Chosen One¡¯s body as well.¡¹

    Noyl watching Theo, who was standing resolute even in this situation, felt admiration within.

    Such spirit was, indeed fitting for a Chosen One. It was truly admirable.

    But for that very reason.

    For the future of Troyban, he had to cut off this seed here and now.

    ¡¸Come with me.¡¹

    Srrk-

    Noyl reached out his hand, covering Theo¡¯s face.

    Through the gaps between his fingers, Theo¡¯s eyes¡ªturned crimson¡ªcontinued to stare intently at Noyl.

    But then,

    ¡®Is he¡­ smiling?¡¯

    Just as Noyl, behind his mask, sensed something awry his eyes narrowed.

    Kukukuku!

    Suddenly, the central temple began to shake violently.

    The earthquake was so intense that it was difficult to keep one¡¯s bnce.

    Simultaneously, the oppressive force that was crushing everything dissipated as if it was never there.

    ¡°Theo!¡±

    The group, freed from the invisible chains leaped towards Theo in unison.

    ¡¸What have you done?¡¹

    ¡°Did you think you had already won and got too confident? From the start, this ce was my domain.¡±

    ¡¸No way!¡¹

    Something clicked in Noyl¡¯s mind, and he quickly tried to unleash the aura gathered at his fingertips.

    Kwarrrng!

    As far as he knew, Theo had already obtained Kriemhild¡¯s mystery andpleted the Sea King¡¯s seal.

    Moreover, the floating property of the archipgo was based on the ascending currents of magic power released by the Sea King.

    -What if the Sea King hadn¡¯t been resealed but instead had passed on his power or authority to Theo?

    By conventional wisdom, Kriemhild, the hero, and Leviathan, the Sea King, were mortal enemies who could never be reconciled.

    Yet Theo was a direct descendant of Ragnar, who imed to be the ¡°Dragon¡¯s Descendant,¡± and was the chosen one, known as the Dragon King¡¯s Consort.

    Could Theo have managed to turn this enmity to his advantage?

    Though Noyl¡¯s reasoning differed slightly from reality, it wasn¡¯t entirely wrong¡ªit was a partially urate insight.

    Thus, Noyl had intended to stop Theo from any reckless actions, but Theo was already in a state of channeling with the new Sea King beneath the sea.

    ¡°Pontus!!¡±

    Kiwooouuu-!

    As a response to Theo¡¯s call, an enormous roar echoed from outside the temple.

    At the same time, the temple tilted to one side, and the ground split apart in an instant.

    Massive waves of magic surged around Theo, flinging away Noyl¡¯s hand.

    Creak-crack!

    Rumble¡ª

    The ind began to copse.

    -The, the ind¡­!

    -The temple is falling apart!

    -The ind is plummeting!

    -Lady Kriemhild is enraged!

    The crowd, wounded by the Ghost yer Squad¡¯s oppression, screamed in terror.

    Interestingly, although they stood on the same ind, the area where they were standing remained intact, while only thend under the central temple crumbled and fell. This was due to Pontus¡¯s will, manipting the ascending currents of magic power.

    Above the vast, rolling sea.

    Theo plummeted toward the surface, and the others cut through the air, desperately trying to reach him.

    At that moment, a shadow writhed and Umbra sprang forth.

    Its massive body appeared to have grown nearly twice its usual size.

    Already about 1.5 timesrger than a typical wyvern, its expanded size now exuded an overwhelming aura, almost as if it were an ancient dragon.

    ¡°Keeeek!¡±

    Umbra pped its wings fiercely, lifting Theo onto its back, then ascended into the air, picking up Selperd, Arin, Ray, and Marti in session.

    Thanks to its increased size, there was still ample room, even after everyone had boarded.

    ¡°Umbra, well done.¡±

    ¡°Keeeek!¡±

    While Theo stroked the neck of the triumphant Umbra, the rest of the group finally gathered themselves and whistled.

    Whiiieeet!

    Whiiet!

    The partners of Selperd and Arin, who had been waiting nearby, appeared in turn, rescuing the iling temple knights and ck Skull members in midair.

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    Overwhelmed with gratitude, Marti covered her face with her hands.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get emotional over this. The real fight is just beginning.¡±

    At Selperd¡¯s words, Marti pulled herself together and quickly turned her gaze in the direction where Noyl had been.

    ¡¸Theo Ragnar, you dare pull such a stunt. Do you think this will allow you to escape my grasp?¡¹

    Below them.

    Noyl was swiftly ascending, defying gravity by pushing off falling rocks and temple debris.

    He seemed utterly unconcerned whether the Ghost yer Squad¡¯s captain or the members were plunging into the sea or being crushed under debris.

    A chill ran down Marti¡¯s spine at the sight.

    Sweeeesh!

    ¡°Maniac.¡±

    Selperd¡¯sment reflected the undeniable reality.

    However, Theo remained unfazed, focusing his willpower entirely at his fingertips.

    At this moment, he was in deep resonance with Pontus.

    ¡¸You are the master of this Pontus. Recognized by the Sea King, you are the heir of the warriors. You are fully entitled tomand these waves of magic power, born from dragons.¡¹

    Whhoooosh!

    His mind ignited, burning hotter once again.

    White Heat.

    Thump-thump-thump-thump-thump!

    The Dragon¡¯s Heart pulsed violently as Dragonblood surged wildly through his veins.

    The ancient dragon¡¯s essence, dormant within Theo¡¯s genes, was awakening.

    Pop. Pop.

    Soft popping sounds echoed throughout his body.

    His body was fatigued, but his mind held firm.

    He still had a bit of magic power left.

    Above all, he had a vast reserve of magical winds here at hismand.

    So, Theo resolved to take this opportunity to step into a new realm.

    ¡®Magic.¡¯

    The only spells he currently knew well were Thunder Calling and me Dancing, just those two.

    Since his knowledge of magic was limited to glimpses caught through fragments of insight, Theo couldn¡¯t im to have a solid foundation.

    However, he trusted Pontus¡¯s words.

    The ancient dragons were the race that birthed magic itself.

    Thus, the control of magic would likely be imprinted as part of their very ¡®instinct¡¯.

    ¡®Thunder Calling unleashes indiscriminate lightning strikes. On the other hand, me Dancing spreads outward.¡¯

    With that, Theo resolved tobine the two spells he knew.

    ¡®Heat is a form of energy. Whenpressed, energy increases in destructive power; when released, it expands. So if I can link them together¡­¡¯

    Crackle, crackle!

    Around Noyl, small embers began sparking one by one.

    Since magical winds were a form of energy, igniting sparks through frictional heat was no challenge within them.

    ¡®If I let those links connect indiscriminately and release control¡­¡¯

    The embers soon shifted from red to yellow, blooming like ghostly mes.

    ¡®It will create a massive explosion!¡¯

    Theo clenched his fist tightly.

    With that, the ghostly mes expanded rapidly, transforming into electrical energy and spreading throughout the entire updraft.

    Crack-crack-crack-crash!

    It was like an enormous woven from lightning itself.

    ¡ª Chain Lightning.

    Boom, boom, boom¡ª

    Crash! Boom!

    Countless explosions engulfed Noyl.

    The dust and rocks falling from the shattered cliffs and the addition of debris ignited a chain reaction, further amplifying the destructive power.

    Thick clouds of mist obscured the view.

    Yet Theo didn¡¯t expect this alone would be enough to capture Noyl.

    His opponent was a monster that might rival the Nine Dragons.

    Something like this wouldn¡¯t take him down.

    Theo¡¯s actual goal was to force Noyl down.

    Theo twisted his tightly clenched fist.

    As he did, the willpower still poised at his fingertips twisted as well, merging the lightning that covered the magical winds until it gradually took on the form of a dragon.

    It resembled the Thunder Dragon that Theo wielded with Death Beat.

    It looked as if a multi-headed Thunder Dragon had descended upon them.

    In a magical trance, Theo followed the primal instincts of Dragonblood and gave birth to his original spell.

    ¡°Hydra¡ª¡±

    The Thunder Dragon, bearing four heads, let out a deafening roar.

    ¡°¡ªBolt.¡±

    An immense corona of light spread outward, covering the entire updraft.

    White night descended upon the entire Floating Archipgo.

    Kwoooooom!

    Rumble¡­

    A fierce wave of explosions and thunderous booms followed in relentless session.

    It seemed impossible to believe anyone could survive such a storm; the st wave scorched everything in its path.

    Several of the floating inds high in the sky shook intensely.

    But Theo didn¡¯t stop there; through Pontus, he directed one of the smaller, vacant floating inds to descend directly in Noyl¡¯s direction, crashing it into the ocean¡¯s surface.

    Kwaaang!

    Whooosh¡ª

    A massive spray of water, reaching tens of meters into the air, erupted, unleashing enormous waves and tidal surges in all directions.

    White foam and blue torrents swirled and shed in chaotic patterns.

    Amidst it all, Umbra and the wyverns managed to ascend high into the sky.

    Whiiieeet¡ª

    Selperd, Arin, and the others looked down in stunned silence, their hair tossed by the fierce wind, too shocked by the scene to form any words.

    Such a level of destruction was rarely seen without a Dragon Gate Swordsman establishing their own domain.

    ¡°¡­ You monster, where on earth did you learn that kind of magic? Did Kriemhild teach you things like that?¡±

    Finally, Selperd turned to Theo with a look of disbelief.

    ¡°You could say that. But please, keep it a secret from others.¡±

    Theo replied with a casual shrug, now sitting weakly on Umbra¡¯s back, a faint smile on his face.

    His magic power was entirely depleted, and he barely had the energy to smile.

    Selperd shook his head in disbelief but didn¡¯t press the issue further.

    If Theo aspired to be Ragnar¡¯s sessor, he would surely have at least one or two secret weapons of his own.

    ¡®Not that anyone would believe it if I told them.¡¯

    At his age, reaching that level of swordsmanship alone was incredible. But to train magic to such an extent as well?

    Who would believe it? Hardly anyone.

    The more he got to know his junior, the more Theo felt like an enigmayered like an onion, yet monstrous in talent.

    * * *

    Deep beneath the sea.

    Crack! Crackle!

    The ind that had sunk into the ocean trembled violently before shattering with a colossal rupture.

    ¡¸How dare¡­!¡¹

    From within the shattered remains, Noyl emerged, his appearance a blood-soaked wreck, nothing short of dreadful.

    Even his wooden mask had been half-burned away, revealing part of his face beneath¡ªa grotesque sight, as if he wore the peeled skin of a monster.

    Large and small tentacles writhed uncontrobly, and numerous eyes scattered across his form darted around, brimming with fury.

    Yet despite his horrific appearance, his fierce aura remained undiminished.

    Even after Theo had unleashedrge-scale magic powered by magical winds and had dropped a floating ind onto him, Noyl wasn¡¯t genuinely threatened nor was he seriously injured.

    A true monster.

    For one who had abandoned his humanity to embrace the path of a half-human, half-fiend, such endurance was only natural.

    However, only his physical state remained intact, his pride certainly had not.

    Noyl was consumed by a murderous rage, determined to rip Theo apart.

    Just as he prepared to surge upward, piercing through the ocean to the surface¡ª

    ¡¸Creature who cast off human flesh to follow the path of Deluded God. Clinging to hollow delusions, where do you think you are going?¡¹

    In front of Noyl, the turbulent waters began to coalesce, taking on the shape of a human figure.

    Noyl¡¯s ghastly expression hardened instantly.

    He hade face-to-face with someone he should never have encountered here.

    ¡¸Why are you here?¡¹

    ¡¸It is not your ce to ask the questions I would ask. But if you truly do not wish to answer¡­¡¹n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    The figure, impossible to discern as male or female, old or young, seemed to wear a faint smile.

    ¡¸¡­then leave behind one of those arms as you go.¡¹

 Chapter 128

    Chapter 128: Dragon Blood (3)

    The House of Romellin, one of the Three Shipping Families, had long dered neutrality in the political rivalry between Spin and Grimahl.

    Some criticized Romellin¡¯s stance as being akin to that of a bat, wavering between sides.

    But the head of the family, Vittorio, had always been confident in his choice.

    Standing firm without being swayed by any side¡ª

    He believed it was for the future of his family and the Floating Archipgo.

    However,

    It now felt like the time hade to finally move from his longstanding position.

    ¡°¡­All of this happened overnight, you say? I knew there had been a great disturbance, but I never imagined it would be to this extent.¡±

    Vittorio adjusted the magnifying sses perched on his nose as he meticulously examined the documents in his hand.

    The copse of the Central Temple.

    The change in the magical wind system that sustains the archipgo.

    The harm done to the residents of the archipgo.

    Simply addressing this disaster would require a considerable sacrifice.

    ¡°And this was resolved by an outsider named Lant, correct? We owe him a great debt.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Theo Ragnar.¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes, that¡¯s his real name. Ragnar.¡±

    Vittorio lowered his magnifying sses and looked across at his granddaughter, Marti.

    After losing his son and daughter-inw in a shipping ident during his younger years, Marti had be an irreceable treasure and a mirror of himself.

    ¡°It¡¯s like we chased away a wolf only to bring a tiger into the house. Who knows what kind of trouble they might cause next? And to think he is the sessor of Kriemhild.¡±

    Public opinion on Troyban within the archipgo was already at its lowest.

    Some were even voicing calls to go to war.

    Would it be any different with the great house of Ragnar?

    Inwardly, he was skeptical.

    However,

    ¡°Ragnar as a whole cannot be trusted. But at the very least, I believe he can be trusted.¡±

    ¡°Based on what?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°For now, he might be ying a certain role to gain power. But once he has it? What true face will he show then?¡±

    A bitter smile twisted on Vittorio¡¯s wrinkled lips.

    ¡°As a sailor, I spent countless years wandering across the world. And what I learned was that apart from my family and my people, no one is to be trusted. Everyone is busy securing their interests. So why would this boy be any different?¡±

    Tap, tap¡ª

    Vittorio tapped the document with his forefinger and continued speaking.

    ¡°Of course, I might concede a little and agree with you that for now, this boy might be trustworthy. But, ultimately, he remains bound to follow the orders of Ragnar. In the end, he¡¯ll be a heavy burden for our Floating Archipgo.¡±

    It was a firm deration.

    Theo would be no different from Troyban and his cohorts.

    A certainty that he would ultimately reveal his ambition to consume the Floating Archipgo.

    ¡°Still, I believe Theo Ragnar is different.¡±

    ¡°So, I ask again¡ªon what grounds?¡±

    Marti vividly recalled it.

    In the chaos of those moments, as they plunged toward the sea¡¯s surface, Theo had fought fiercely to save even one more person.

    That unwavering vignce, as if expecting Noyl¡¯s retaliation at any moment, never allowing himself to rx.

    That intensity.

    That pulsating drive.

    That tension.

    How could she ever forget it?

    ¡°Meet him.¡±

    Yet, expressing all of that in mere words felt impossible, so she could only say,

    ¡°Meet him, and you¡¯ll understand what I mean.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    This time, Vittorio gazed at Marti for a long while, and then,

    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen you insist so strongly, not since you joined the Knights of the Temple.¡±

    Finally, Vittorio relented, rising from his seat.

    ¡°Grandfather.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll know soon enough. Whether he¡¯s someone worthy of staking the fate of Romellin and Venota.¡±

    A sharp gleam shed in Vittorio¡¯s eyes.

    * * *

    Theo was caught in a long dream.

    Memories of his previous life, slowly fading over time.

    A life where he had fought desperately to survive, yet found survival impossible.

    One particr memory he had long since buried and forgotten.

    ¨C It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve had such a young visitor. Well then, what brings you to seek out an old man like me? What is it you¡¯re so curious about?

    It was on a walk.

    By chance, he¡¯d encountered a group of traveling gypsies and decided to have his fortune told when he heard the price was cheap.

    However, he couldn¡¯t quite recall the question he had asked back then.

    Instead, he remembered the answer he had received with strange rity.

    ¨C So, that¡¯s what you¡¯re curious about? An unusual soul, aren¡¯t you? Wait a moment. Let me cast a divination for you. Here, draw three cards.

    ¨C Like this?

    ¨C Hmm, let¡¯s see.

    ¨C What do they say?

    From the moment he saw the faces of the cards, he couldn¡¯t shake a bad feeling.

    The Wheel of Death.

    A knight impaled by dozens of swords.

    A queenying down her crown.

    Each one seemed to carry a sinister omen.

    ¨C You¡¯ve drawn only the strangest cards, ones that rarely show up. Heh heh. Let¡¯s begin with this one. This card signifies¡­

    The first: the Wheel of Death.

    Its meaning¡­

    ¡°Theo, Theo!¡±

    Theo forced his eyes open at the sound calling his name.

    Where¡­ was this ce?

    ¡°Are you awake?¡±

    Ray was staring at him intently with concern on her face.

    Theo wondered why she looked so worried, then quickly recalled his memories from just before he¡¯d fallen asleep.

    ¡®Ah, right. I copsed on top of Umbra from mana exhaustion.¡¯

    It seemed she had been startled since he hadn¡¯t been able to say anything before passing out.

    Come to think of it, the room he was in looked unfamiliar.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m fine. Ray, but where is this?¡±

    ¡°Marti¡¯s house. She helped us. She also helped with your treatment.¡±

    ¡°Treatment?¡±

    ¡°Looks like you don¡¯t remember. You¡¯ve beenid up for four full days, you know. You had everyone worried sick. Geez!¡±

    Right on cue, Selperd and Arin approached, shaking their heads.

    It seemed they had rushed over the moment they sensed Theo¡¯s presence while keeping watch outside.

    Selperd¡¯s exnation was straightforward.

    After Theo copsed without a word, Marti urgently brought him to Romellin¡¯s mansion for treatment.

    Then, as rumors spread that the hero had been injured, all the best healers in the Floating Archipgo flocked in, while every herbalist brought rare elixirs.

    In front of the ruined temple, residents had gathered in such numbers to pray for Theo¡¯s recovery that it was impossible to find a space to stand.

    ¡°Fortunately, the doctors who checked your pulse said your recovery speed was so good that you avoided any real crisis without much difficulty. Guess the medicine was effective, huh?¡±

    Theo smiled silently.

    How could he exin that, thanks to unlocking Dragonblood, he could now heal from most injuries on his own?

    ¡°Do you feel any pain? Any dizziness?¡± Arin asked.

    Theo shook his head.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Just feeling a bit heavy, that¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a relief. I was just about to file a report to headquarters, considering whether to request support.¡±

    ¡°No. Not right now. Please wait a little longer.¡±

    ¡°Ha! Look at this greedy fellow. Afraid the old guys will barge in and take credit for all the groundwork you¡¯veid, huh?¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t deny it,¡± Theo said, smiling at Selperd.

    ¡°While we¡¯re on the subject, what¡¯s the situation outside? It seems like it¡¯d be pretty chaotic.¡±

    ¡°Chaotic would be putting it mildly. It¡¯s aplete mess.¡±

    ¡°Stop beating around the bush and give me the full picture.¡±

    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re supposed to be a patient, you know? Just take it easy. Already thinking about work again? You could wait until you¡¯ve fully recovered, right?¡±

    ¡°For me, this is resting.¡±

    ¡°¡­Honestly, workaholics are just beyond my understanding.¡±

    Selperd shook his head and continued exining.

    ¡°Marti, that youngdy, is incredibly busy right now. She raided the Security Headquarters tounch a full-scale seizure and search, swept through the Grimahl estate, and arrested all the officials and merchants connected to them¡­¡±

    Currently, a state of martialw had been dered across the Floating Archipgo.

    All ports were blocked to sever any connection with the outside world, making it impossible for any locals to escape.

    Marti led the surviving members of the Temple Knights to capture all those attempting to flee.

    With the Ghost yer Squad disbanded and the Security Force discredited, the Temple Knights remained the only active military unit, allowing such a crackdown to proceed.

    If there was even slight resistance, the judgment was immediate, and anyone with the faintest trace of wrongdoing was thrown into prison, which created some administrative voids.

    The House of Romellin, thest of the Three Shipping Families, stepped in to supply manpower and helped fill the gaps.

    ¡°It seems Grimahl has been nearly torn apart; what about Spin?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s no different over there. After all, Grimahl¡¯s charges were ¡®attempted assassination of the hero,¡¯ right? They seized the opportunity to implicate Spin along with them.¡±

    Theo let out a wryugh. Now, it seemed the only family left among the Three Shipping Families was Romellin.

    ¡°The prisons must be bursting.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t even mention it. It¡¯s chaos here with people begging for leniency¡­¡±

    Selperd¡¯s exnation was cut short.

    Crash, bang!

    Amotion erupted outside, and the door suddenly burst open.

    ¡°Hero! Please! You must save us! Weren¡¯t we on your side?¡±

    A man threw himself before Theo¡¯s bed, pleading desperately.

    The Romellin guards who followed him looked bewildered.

    ¡°You bastard!¡±

    ¡°This is a ce where the hero is resting! Get out now!¡±

    ¡°Please! Please, spare me!¡±

    ¡°Hold on a moment.¡±

    The guards that were about to drag the man out by the scruff of his neck paused.

    Theo looked at the man, who was sobbing and sniffling.

    The face was familiar.

    One of the ck Skull officers.

    ¡°So you finally showed up. Good grief.¡±

    Selperd, as if expecting this, covered his face with his hand and shook his head.

    ¡®So, in the end, he¡¯s been cast aside.¡¯

    Theo quickly pieced together the situation.

    It seemed Marti had also severed ties with ck Skull, just as he had nned to.

    Of course, from her perspective, there was no reason to support those who¡¯d once been ready to betray her behind her back.

    Naturally, ck Skull had been blindsided, expecting to secure a solid position with Theo¡¯s help.

    It seemed that for the past four days, he had been desperately begging for just one chance to see Theo¡¯s face.

    Theo gave the guards a silent nod, signaling that they could leave, and they withdrew with a crisp salute.

    Thud!

    The door closed.

    The man, who had been pleading moments earlier, now appeared restless, unable to meet Theo¡¯s gaze.

    In thest four days, Theo¡¯s standing within the Floating Archipgo had risen to nearly rival that of the Commandant.

    ¡°Sir¡­ Hero. We, we stood by your side against the Ghost Sword Formation to the end, hoping to¡­¡±

    ¡°Do you want to live?¡±

    Theo cut off the man¡¯s rambling exnation with a firm voice.

    The man quickly gathered himself, nodding furiously.

    ¡°Yes, yes! I do!¡±

    ¡°There is one way.¡±

    ¡°One way¡­ you say?¡±

    ¡°Senior.¡±

    Theo looked at Selperd.

    Selperd gave a small smile as he guarded the door. Arin stood by the window, while Ray kept watch outside.

    A pulse of magical energy flowed from Theo, transforming the room into a sealed space.

    Gulp!

    The man swallowed nervously, his anxiety evident.

    Even sitting in bed,

    Theo¡¯s eyes gleamed with the sharpness of a dragon¡¯s.

    ¡°Be a dog.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°A dog that barks when told to bark, and wags when told to wag.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Can you do that?¡±

    There was only one thing Theo desired from what remained of ck Skull.

    Absolute obedience.

    To serve as his hands and feet in mobilizing the Floating Archipgo.

    What response could the man possibly offer here?

    All he could do was bow his head.

    [¡®Skill: Hatchling Synchronization¡¯ has activated, imprinting trauma into the target¡¯s subconscious mind.]

    [Attempting indoctrination.]

    Shiver, shiver¡­

    The man¡¯s body trembled uncontrobly.

    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ll do anything. All of us share the same thoughts.¡±

    [Indoctrination sessful.]

    [The target will now feel intense fear toward you and will obey yourmands unconditionally.]

    [You have discovered a new application for ¡®Skill: Hatchling Synchronization.¡¯ Skill rank has improved.]

    ¡°Good.¡±

    Theo smiled coldly.

    If Hatchling Synchronization could read thoughts, he¡¯d wondered if it might even be possible to imnt specific thoughts in return.

    Fortunately, it had worked, thanks to the man¡¯s psychological instability and fear towards Theo.

    It felt as if he¡¯d gained a new key to build his power base moving forward.

    ¡°Then, here is your firstmand.¡±

    ¡°Please, just say the word!¡±

    ¡°Have the remaining members of ck Skull join the Temple Knights.¡±

    ¡°I-I will obey yourmand.¡±

    The man didn¡¯t ask for reasons.

    He was merely a dog, moving as ordered.

    ¡®With this, I can not onlypensate for the losses in the Temple Knights but also strengthen Marti¡¯s position.¡¯

    If needed, it would also serve as a means to keep Marti in check.

    Though he didn¡¯t believe she would betray him, as the heir of Kriemhild, it never hurt to be prepared.

    ¡°Say that I gave this to you and bring it to the Temple Knights. You should be able to join without difficulty.¡±

    Theo casually tossed a booklet in front of the man.

    ¡°What is this?¡±

    ¡°Nibelung.¡±

    Theo spoke with emphasis.

    ¡°It¡¯s Lady Kriemhild¡¯s secret technique.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    He intended to transform the Temple Knights into aplete Kriemhild Order.

    To gain their absolute loyalty, making them his base of power.

    And through this, gaining full control over the Floating Archipgo.

    The Floating Archipgo¡¯s economic influence on the empire through its banking, shipping, trade, and brokerage services was immense via the Shipping Alliance.

    Wealth.

    Seizing it entirely was¡ª

    Theo¡¯s ultimate scenario.

    At that moment.

    ¡°Seems like you¡¯re painting quite the grand picture. Would this old man be able to join in, perhaps?¡±

    A low chuckle sounded from behind him.

 Chapter 129

    Chapter 129: Dragon Blood (4)

    ¡°When on earth did he get here?¡±

    Selperd and hispanions simultaneously drew their swords, pointing them in that direction.

    A small-framed old man stood at the doorway, hands sped behind his back.

    Beside him, Marti was fidgeting nervously, unsure of what to do.

    ¡°Grandfather, barging in like this¡­!¡±

    ¡°Who dares tell me I can¡¯t walk around my own house? Isn¡¯t that right, young man?¡±

    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re absolutely right.¡±

    Theo nodded calmly as he met the old man¡¯s gaze.

    ¡®Vittorio Romellin¡­ the head of the Romellin family and governor of the Floating Archipgo. I heard he was usually unremarkable, but I didn¡¯t know he was this much of a master.¡¯

    Selperd and hispanions swallowed dryly. Cold sweat trickled down their backs.

    All this time, despite being in Romellin¡¯s mansion, they had never seen Vittorio¡¯s face.

    The excuse had been that he was too busy due to martialw, leaving him no time to meet others.

    They hadn¡¯t paid it much attention.

    But this was an entirely unforeseen situation.

    Especially since they had been on high alert, vigntly guarding against any intruder.

    Yet he had entered undetected, naturally overhearing every bit of their conversation here.

    Such a feat would be impossible without skills far beyond theirs.

    ¡®A level of a Dragon Gate Swordsman¡­ No, perhaps even higher.¡¯

    In that case, another question arose.

    Why had someone with such prowess merely observed the Ghost yer Squad¡¯s atrocities all this time?

    Did Theo know something?

    He didn¡¯t show any hint of being bewildered, strangely enough.

    ¡°Seemed like an interesting conversation, though I hope I didn¡¯t interrupt. Once you get old, it¡¯s hard to hold back from curiosity. Haha.¡±

    ¡°Not at all. Vittorio, you have every right to hear this.¡±

    Theo turned to Selperd and the others.

    ¡°Could I ask you all to step out for a moment?¡±

    ¡°Theo.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to worry about, I believe.¡±

    ¡°Hmm. Very well then.¡±

    Selperd looked worriedly between Theo and Vittorio before finally leaving the room with the other two.

    The man from ck Skull discreetly exited as well.

    ¡°It seems only fitting to continue the discussion. May I join in?¡±

    Vittorio walked leisurely around the room, hands sped behind his back.

    Yet Theo didn¡¯t yield to his atmosphere.

    ¡®I need to handle this conversation well from here.¡¯

    Theo knew quite well about Vittorio.

    A man who, despite his role as the governor of the Floating Archipgo, rarely revealed his true worth.

    Because of this, he had earned a reputation as the worst leader, allowing the Floating Archipgo to be helplessly swept into Troyban¡¯s clutches.

    This was the public opinion of him in his previous life.

    Yet he was also the sovereign who defended the Floating Archipgo against Troyban until the end, ensuring its survival even through the Great War.

    No wonder even ck Snow considered Vittorio more of a threat than the archipgo¡¯s wealth.

    ¡®On top of that, his swordsmanship was at the level of a Laurel Sword Master¡ªa warrior on par with the Nine Dragons. He wouldn¡¯t be easy to handle.¡¯

    Thus, gaining Vittorio¡¯s cooperation was essential to im control over the Floating Archipgo and the Shipping Alliance.

    Thest remaining obstacle.

    As Theo organized his thoughts, he spoke slowly.

    ¡°Does that mean Romellin is willing to join us in this endeavor?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this an initiative of none other than the great House of Ragnar? In that case, I would rather work with you than against you. Naturally.¡±

    Vittorio¡¯s eyes momentarily darkened.

    ¡°But if you intend to pull the same tricks as Troyban, the conversation will be entirely different.¡±

    ¡°No. I have no intention of doing that.¡±

    ¡°Well then, that¡¯s a relief. To be honest, I never imagined that Ragnar would take an interest in our Floating Archipgo. Your family rarely steps out of the North, don¡¯t they?¡±

    ¡°I think you misunderstand. When I said Ragnar has no such intentions, it¡¯s because Ragnar truly knows nothing about what¡¯s happening in the Floating Archipgo.¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    Vittorio tilted his head, puzzled by this response.

    Theo¡¯s smile grew more pronounced.

    ¡°I am not here as a representative of Ragnar.¡±

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m simply here in a personal capacity.¡±

    ¡°¡­That means.¡±

    ¡°Everything here is my independent decision.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    Vittorio¡¯s eyes widened.

    An unbelievable notion.

    Was he really supposed to believe that Theo had dismantled Troyban¡¯s influence and even acquired the mysteries of Kriemhild, all without any backing from Ragnar?

    ¡°Then the Dragon yer Sword, Balmung¡­¡±

    ¡°I retrieved it during a mission. While on the Floating Archipgo, I learned of the situation here thanks to ck Snow¡¯s assistance and came to return it to you.¡±

    ¡°Ha!¡±

    It was beyond astonishing.

    ¡°And¡­ just how old are you?¡±

    ¡°Fifteen. I¡¯ll be sixteen next month.¡±

    ¡°Then youpleted your Blossoming Ceremony¡­?¡±

    ¡°This year.¡±

    ¡°Incredible¡­ utterly incredible¡­¡±

    Vittorio recalled what he and his granddaughter, both once called ¡°prodigies,¡± were like at fifteen.

    Hadn¡¯t they barely managed to channel aura into their des by then?

    Besides, those in House Ragnar first unlocked their magic power at fifteen.

    This meant Theo had wielded a sword for less than a year, yet he disyed this level of skill?

    No, considering his past feats and cunning, could a mere fifteen-year-old aplish all of this on his own?

    This was beyond what one mightbel as genius.

    ¡®No, that¡¯s the wrong way to think. If anything, this could make our conversation even smoother.¡¯

    Vittorio ran his hand down his face, organizing his thoughts.

    He had met countless people over the years.

    Many among them were prodigies.

    And one thing wasmon to all such geniuses:

    They could never be judged by ordinary standards.

    With that, Vittorio resolved to treat Theo as an equal negotiating partner.

    ¡°The foundations of the Floating Archipgo and the wealth of the Shipping Alliance¡ªyou need those, don¡¯t you? To be the family head.¡±

    ¡°I never said I intended to be the family head.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t hold back. If someone like you ims to have no ambition, that¡¯s harder to believe. If you¡¯re unwilling to reveal your true intentions, then I¡¯ll simply withdraw my support.¡±

    ¡°No need for that. Please, let¡¯s continue our discussion.¡±

    Internally, Theo clicked his tongue, impressed by Vittorio¡¯s insight, which had read his desire for power with only a few clues.

    Vittorio¡¯s eyes glinted with intensity.

    ¡°For thest 400 years, Romellin has conducted intermediary trade across the Empire and beyond, establishing and reinforcing countlessworks. And the vast wealth collected through that goes without saying.¡±

    King of the Seas.

    That was another title held by House Romellin.

    ¡°If I were to ce all of this into your hands, what would you offer us in return?¡±

    Thump!

    Theo suddenly felt his heart race.

    Vittorio was asking.

    ¨C How far does your ¡®true¡¯ ambition go?

    If he merely intended to govern the Floating Archipgo, then the terms they had discussed so far would have sufficed.

    Theo would secure the archipgo¡¯s foundation, the wealth of the Shipping Alliance, and the power of the Temple Knights as a backup.

    Meanwhile, Romellin would gainplete governance over the Floating Archipgo, exclusive control over maritime trade, and the support of Kriemhild¡¯s heir¡ªa mutually beneficial arrangement.

    Furthermore, since Theo was about to leave the Floating Archipgo, it would be a wee oue for Vittorio as well.

    However, Vittorio was probing for whaty ¡°beyond¡± that.

    The answer Theo would provide here would determine the hand Vittorio would reveal.

    ¡®So¡­ this is a true negotiation. Not just a deal where each side grabs what they want and parts ways. This is a partnership built on trust, one that could shape our future together.¡¯

    Theo felt as though he¡¯d learned a valuable lesson from Vittorio.

    ¡°How about an exclusive trade license in the North?¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡±

    ¡°And with ns to expand into the East, Romellin¡¯swork could extend not just across the seas, but deep into the ind territories as well.¡±

    ¡°You speak as if you¡¯ve already defeated Troyban.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because I¡¯m a descendant of Ragnar.¡±

    ¡°Arrogant, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve already seeded alone in the Floating Archipgo; a war wouldn¡¯t be much different.¡±

    Vittorio seemed to like Theo¡¯s bold reply.

    ¡°But didn¡¯t you say yourself that you weren¡¯t here as Ragnar¡¯s representative? Can you make such promises so freely?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not public knowledge yet, but the Ceres Trading Company, which once monopolized Northern trade, has already copsed. You¡¯d be taking their ce.¡±

    ¡°Even so, the Northerners are as fiercely insr as we are. They won¡¯t wee us with open arms, will they?¡±

    ¡°Then work with Bhus. If you approach them as a joint venture, it shouldn¡¯t be difficult.¡±

    ¡°Bhus? Isn¡¯t that one of the Six Snow Families? Will they really cooperate with us?¡±

    ¡°Yes, they will. The head of that family is my vassal.¡±

    ¡°Ha!¡±

    He¡¯d already made the head of one of the Six Snow Families his vassal?

    By now, Vittorio was no longer surprised.

    If anything, his desire only grew stronger.

    ¡®Perhaps I secluded myself all these years just to meet this young man.¡¯

    Now he understood why Marti had said he¡¯d realize once he met Theo.

    Here was an opportunity to expand Romellin¡¯s influence¡ªnot just confined to maritime trade, but extending northward into the mysterious Northern territories, and even further into the deep ind regions of the East.

    And an alliance with a force aiming to be the King of the North.

    ¡®A great storm is on the horizon for the Empire. Storms can capsize ships, but at times, they also carry merchants faster and farther.¡¯

    Although Vittorio knew nothing of the Great War, he had sensed that a tremendous era of chaos was about to sweep the Empire.

    If so¡ª

    Rather than avoiding this storm, he might need to ride it.

    But Vittorio only stroked his chin thoughtfully, refraining from giving a direct answer.

    There was something he wanted to confirm first.

    ¡°Tell me, would you care to perform a little y with me?¡±

    * * *

    The Assembly Hall of the Autonomous Territory bustled with council members for the first time in a long while.

    This was due to the summons for an emergency general assembly.

    ¨C Hmph! Half the seats are still empty, as expected.

    ¨C Well, didn¡¯t Spin and Grimahl both get smashed to pieces overnight? They¡¯re probably overwhelmed cleaning up the mess.

    ¨C Actually, I heard it¡¯s because the Temple Knights rounded them all up. They¡¯ve thrown everyone into prison, ming them for this whole incident. Naturally, everyone¡¯s lying low.

    ¨C With even the Head of Security removed from power, no one could stop them. Ha!

    ¨C Oh,e to think of it, didn¡¯t you dine with the head of House Grimahl a few days ago?

    ¨C Hey, you! Must you always bring that up! It was only because they begged me to eat with them!

    ¨C Wasn¡¯t it to ask for a job for your son?

    ¨C What are you insinuating! I swear on my name, I¡¯d never do such a thing!

    The downfall of Spin and Grimahl.

    Since many council members inevitably had ties with them, they were anxiously watching their words, fearing they¡¯d get ensnared in any suspicion.

    Even at this moment, the Temple Knights were said to be scouring every corner of the Autonomous Territory with watchful eyes, adding to the council members¡¯ unease.

    ¨C But what are we going to do about the sessor of Kriemhild?

    ¨C I heard he¡¯s a foreigner? And supposedly from House Ragnar, no less.

    ¨C It¡¯s just absurd. Just what¡¯s happening in this world? Ugh!

    ¨C Shouldn¡¯t we start by retrieving Balmung?

    ¨C Of course! Balmung is originally the proud holy artifact of our Venota and the Autonomous Territory!

    ¨C Exactly! Being a hero is one thing, but this is different.

    ¨C We¡¯re inevitably heading for a sh with Troyban anyway, so a measured show of force should suffice.

    ¨C Strictly speaking, isn¡¯t it thanks to us that the boy could even acquire that kind of power?

    We¡¯re not the ones who should be bowing our heads; rather, they should be bowing to us.

    This was the shared opinion among the council members concerning Theo.

    Unlike public opinion among the residents, they were inherently the privileged ss.

    It was only natural they didn¡¯t want to jeopardize their vested interests and thus found it difficult to look favorably upon Theo.

    ¨C But still, if he¡¯s conspiring with the governor to pull something, what are we to do?

    ¨C True. That¡¯s a problem as well¡­

    Some voiced concerns.

    ¨C They¡¯re now the only remaining member of the Three Shipping Families, and with effective control over the Temple Knights, it¡¯s practically a dictatorship¡­

    ¨C Shh! Quiet. They might hear you.

    A few nced nervously toward the highest seat in the assembly hall and then turned their heads aside.

    It was at that moment.

    ¨C The Governor is entering. All council members, please stand.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    With Marti¡¯s assistance, Vittorio carefully entered the Assembly Hall.

    The sound of dry gulps could be heard from all around.

    ¡®The Governor¡­¡¯

    ¡®Was he always this imposing?¡¯

    Until now, Vittorio¡¯s presence had been overshadowed by the forceful influence of Spin and Grimahl.

    But now, the entire atmosphere in the hall revolved around him.

    Whether this was Vittorio¡¯s true self or the result of the formidable Temple Knights and ck Skull at his back was unclear.

    ¨C Everyone, please be seated.

    As Vittorio took his seat at the governor¡¯s position, the other council members followed, sitting in order.

    ¡°I have called you here despite your busy schedules because the sessor of Kriemhild has finally regained consciousness. To hear his testimony regarding recent events and discuss the future of our rtionship with the Floating Archipgo, I wish to invite him here. Are there any objections?¡±

    Silence continued to fill the room.

    The council members¡¯ gazes turned toward the entrance instead.

    ¡°If there are none, let us bring him in. Enter.¡±

    Creeeak!

    As the doors swung open, Theo strode in with amanding presence.

    In one hand, he held Balmung, and in the other, Aegir¡¯s helmet.

 Chapter 130

    Chapter 130: Dragon Blood (5) >

    Before the congressional assembly began, Vittorio gave Theo a single request.

    ¨C Think of it as a performance.

    ¨C Take over the pride of those congressmen whose heads are stuffed with nothing but rubbish. If you can prove your ability to me, I¡¯ll actively support you in all future matters.

    The message was clear: prove your worth so that I can go all-in on you.

    This was a necessary step for Theo as well.

    Simply taking control of the Temple Knights and ck Skull wouldn¡¯t be enough to control everything in the Floating Archipgo.

    So Theo had readily agreed.

    Whispering, whispering

    The congressmen, meanwhile, were too busy shifting in their seats as they eyed him.

    They probably thought they were speaking in hushed tones, but to Theo, their voices were as clear as if they were conversing right next to him.

    ¨C Is that the one rumored to have received Kriemhild¡¯s Mysteries?

    ¨C He seems younger than I expected.

    ¨C But let¡¯s not dismiss him just because he¡¯s young. He managed to drive away the Ghost yer Squad, something we couldn¡¯t do.

    Despite countless gazes being fixated on him, Theo showed no signs of tension.

    ¡°I am Theo, a Practical Swordsman of Ragnar. It¡¯s an honor to meet the esteemed congressmen leading Venota Ind and the Floating Archipgo¡¯s autonomous territories.¡±

    ¨C Practical Swordsman? Not an Advanced Swordsman?

    ¨C Is he hiding his strength? Or is it that the Mysteries grant such power?

    ¨C But that name, have you ever heard it? Theo Ragnar, Theo Ragnar¡­ This is my first time hearing it.

    ¨C Exactly. Someone of his skill would¡¯ve made a name for himself by now.

    Theo¡¯s reputation had only been known within Winterer, as he had no prior activities outside, so no one had heard of him before.

    ¡°Silence! Silence, everyone.¡±

    Bang, bang!

    Once it quieted down, Vittorio spoke again.

    ¡°Theo Ragnar. The assembly has a few truths to confirm with you. Could you answer truthfully?¡±

    Theo nodded.

    ¡°I swear on Ragnar¡¯s honor that from this moment on, every word I speak shall be free of any falsehood.¡±

    ¡°Well then, this should make things easier. I know how deeply the swordsmen of Ragnar take pride in their house.¡±

    Vittorio posed several questions, and each time, Theo answered truthfully, sharing his experiences without embellishment.

    The congressmen, while jointly enraged at the Ghost yer Squad¡¯s atrocities, pondered how they themselves would have responded if in his ce.

    The answer?

    Naturally, the answer was ¡°Difficult.¡±

    It seemed that the seat of a hero wasn¡¯t something just anyone could attain.

    Following Theo¡¯s testimony, additional witnesses who were present at the scene gave their statements as well.

    With each one, cheers and exmations echoed from various spots.

    These came from the Temple Knights, ck Skull, or the young congressmen associated with them.

    As a result, only the older congressmen were left shifting in their seats and clearing their throats ufortably.

    They had only intended to keep Theo in check, but now it bothered them that public opinion was overwhelmingly in his favor.

    Meanwhile, the more perceptive congressmen didn¡¯t miss the subtle shift in atmosphere.

    ¡®The one holding the reins now isn¡¯t the Governor, but Theo Ragnar, Kriemhild¡¯s sessor!¡¯

    This was the thought that arose in their minds collectively.

    Theo¡¯s presence had, at some point, eclipsed Vittorio¡¯s, filling the entire assembly hall.

    ¨C In an atmosphere like this¡­

    ¨C It won¡¯t be easy to keep him in check.

    ¨C The Governor has likely decided to back Theo Ragnar fully, intending to consolidate his power through him!

    The congressmen swallowed nervously.

    There wasn¡¯t the slightest gap between Theo and Vittorio that they could exploit.

    ¡°Kriemhild has indeed blessed the Floating Archipgo by sending such a remarkable sessor. She has saved us twice from potential threats¡ªfirst from the Sea King, and next, from Troyban.¡±

    ¡°You tter me.¡±

    ¡°In that case, I do have something I wish to ask. When you first arrived at the Floating Archipgo, why did you use an alias?¡±

    ¡°It was because I didn¡¯t want to draw Troyban¡¯s attention.¡±

    Theo¡¯s official reason for visiting the Floating Archipgo was simple.

    The return of the Dragon yer Sword.

    ¡°As I mentioned, I came as an envoy representing Ragnar to return Balmung, which was acquired from Troyban as a trophy. However, because I wasn¡¯t certain of how deeply Troyban¡¯s influence had prated the Floating Archipgo, I had to use an alias and proceed cautiously.¡±

    And, as you witnessed, Grimahl nearly handed over the Floating Archipgo to Troyban. Theo added this final remark, letting his gaze sweep across the assembly.

    Those congressmen who had close ties with Grimahl turned their heads away or looked downward. Meeting Theo¡¯s gaze felt like it might lead them to be dragged out by the Temple Knights.

    ¡°Indeed, thanks to you, the Floating Archipgo was saved from crisis. On behalf of all the residents of the autonomous territories, I once again extend my gratitude.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°However, I do have one more question.¡±

    Vittorio¡¯s eyes narrowed.

    ¡°All crises are now over. So, as you mentioned, do you intend to return Balmung and Aegir?¡±

    Hm?

    The congressmen who had been disheartened by their loss quietly raised their heads.

    ¨C What is this? The atmosphere feels a bit tense, doesn¡¯t it?

    ¨C Did you feel it too? Those two seem to be running on parallel lines.

    ¨C Could the Governor be wary of Kriemhild¡¯s sessor¡­?

    ¨C There¡¯s definitely something going on! It¡¯s certain!

    Without a word, Theo drew the Dragon yer Sword from its sheath.

    Srrng!

    A surge of blue energy swept out like a storm.

    Goooooo¡ª

    Drawing a weapon in the sacred assembly hall constituted an act of treason.

    Several congressmen considered pointing this out but found themselves unable to speak up.

    Not the Temple Knights, nor ck Skull. Even Vittorio¡¯s granddaughter, Marti, stayed silent.

    Their trust in Theo was resolute.

    ¡°I will, of course, return it. However¡ª¡±

    Thunk!

    Theo plunged the Dragon yer Sword straight into the floor, lifting his head abruptly.

    ¡°There is an issue. Balmung, in its current state, rejects the touch of anyone it does not recognize as its master.¡±

    Theo scanned the faces of Vittorio and the other congressmen, smiling as he did so.

    ¡°Would any of you care to take it?¡±

    ¨C ¡­¡­.

    ¨C ¡­¡­.

    A moment of silence passed among the congressmen.

    A few with apetitive streak arched their eyebrows at what seemed like a provocative question.

    ¡°I am Caravaggio Romano, a second-term congressman. Does this mean that, should we fail to retrieve Balmung, you have no intention of returning it?¡±

    A robust middle-aged man red at Theo, as if he could devour him on the spot.

    Theo shook his head with a calm smile.

    ¡°Of course not. I simply meant to point out that if no one can draw Balmung, which is now unsealed, then it will serve as nothing more than an ornament.¡±

    ¡°So¡­ if someone were able to draw it, are you suggesting that person could wield it?¡±

    ¡°In that case, that person would be entitled to use Balmung as the representative of the Floating Archipgo.¡±

    Greed gleamed in Caravaggio¡¯s eyes.

    To be recognized by Balmung¡ªsuch an idea would tantalize any power-hungry politician.

    After all, it meant bing the one who ¡®represents¡¯ the Floating Archipgo.

    ¡°That¡¯s true. Leaving a divine sword like Balmung just as a decoration wouldn¡¯t make sense.¡±

    Muttering to himself, Caravaggio nced toward Vittorio.

    A silent question: was he allowed to attempt it?

    When Vittorio nodded, Caravaggio quickly rose from his seat and descended from the tform.

    He grasped Balmung.

    The veins bulging on his arms hinted that he was quite a skilled swordsman.

    But then¡ª

    ng!

    Balmung trembled violently, shaking off Caravaggio¡¯s grip.

    ¡°Gah!¡±

    ¨C What? Ahh!

    ¨C Why is iting this way? Everyone, get back!

    Boom!

    Caravaggio coughed up blood as he was flung backward,nding in the middle of the congressmen¡¯s seats.

    A screeching erupted in the assembly hall as rmed congressmen scrambled frantically, their footsteps adding to the chaos.

    Woooong! Wooong!

    But Balmung remained serene, still vibrating with an air of unyielding arrogance.

    ¡°As you can see, this sword is quite temperamental. Gaining its recognition won¡¯t be so easy.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    While some congressmen exchanged worried nces, whispering to each other about what to do next, others felt theirpetitive spirits re up and sprang to their feet.

    ¡°I¡¯ll give it a try!¡±

    ¡°Allow me as well. Back in the day, I did make a name for myself on the continent.¡±

    ¡°Ahem. I¡¯ll give it a go, too.¡±

    Each of them had one thought in mind.

    ¡®If an outsider seeded, surely I, too, can gain Balmung¡¯s approval!¡¯

    But the results were the same each time.

    Either they were thrown back by Balmung¡¯s resistance, or, if they managed to endure briefly, they ended up fainting due to a bacsh of magic power.

    ¨C This is ridiculous¡­!

    ¨C Did you do something to Balmung? Otherwise, why would it reject us like this?

    The congressmen began to suspect Theo, but¡ª

    aang!

    Their minds went nk at the clear ringing that resonated the instant Theo touched Balmung.

    Even those unfamiliar with swords felt an overwhelming sense that the Dragon yer Sword weed Theo alone with vigour.

    As if to confirm this¡ª

    Fwoosh¡ª

    The faint image of Kriemhild appeared above Theo¡¯s head, scanning the assembly with a sweeping gaze before silently fading away.

    All the congressmen fell silent, their lips pressed shut.

    It was as if Kriemhild¡¯s will, embedded within the Dragon yer Sword, was ming them for their inadequacies.

    ck¡ª

    Theo effortlessly drew Balmung, resting it casually on his shoulder.

    ¡°If you wish for its return, I¡¯ll hand it back. But personally, I think it would be far more fitting for someone to represent the Floating Archipgo, spreading Kriemhild¡¯s name rather than leaving it buried here. What do you think?¡±

    Theo followed the direction Kriemhild¡¯s image had gazed, turning his eyes in the same manner.

    The congressmen, however, quietly lowered or turned their heads to avoid his gaze.

    There was no dissent.

    ¡°It seems that everyone here shares my opinion.¡±

    With Theo¡¯s words,

    Bang, bang, bang!

    Vittorio struck his gavel powerfully three times, a look of deep satisfaction lingering on his face.

    999

    The final resolution of the assembly was as follows:

    ¨C Theo Ragnar shall return ownership of the Dragon yer Sword, Balmung, and the Dragon Armor, Aegir, to the original owner, the Autonomous Territory of the Floating Archipgo.

    ¨C However, in recognition of Balmung¡¯s value and as a mark of respect to Kriemhild¡¯s sessor, the Autonomous Territory shall  Balmung to Theo Ragnar. The lending period is limited to Theo Ragnar¡¯s lifetime, and upon his death or if he loses his title as Kriemhild¡¯s sessor, he must return it immediately.

    ¨C As a condition of Balmung¡¯s loan, Theo Ragnar shall establish a mutually beneficial rtionship with the Autonomous Territory of the Floating Archipgo and, in return, shall make efforts to share Kriemhild¡¯s Mysteries, including , with the Autonomous Territory.

    .

    .

    The critical point here was that Theo had entered into a  as an individual in an equal rtionship with the Autonomous Territory assembly.

    In his personal capacity¡ªnot as a representative of House of Ragnar.

    The Autonomous Territory of the Floating Archipgo held considerable political clout within the Empire, with its status as an elector capable of selecting the Emperor.

    Since Theo was now standing shoulder-to-shoulder with such a powerful entity, the contract¡¯s contents would inevitably spread, and Theo¡¯s reputation was sure to soar as a result.

    As expected, over the past few days, journalists who had been watching the rapidly changing political situation in the Floating Archipgo began publishing articles en masse about these events.

    Among them were numerous articles questioning Troyban¡¯s morality, though these soon vanished under unseen pressure.

    Instead, articles celebrating Theo as a new hero of the era dominated the media.

    <a>

    The quick-witted journalists even uncovered that Theo was the rumored , currently stirring up Winterer.

    One article even dug up Cecilia, a former sensation in the theater world who had quietly disappeared.

    Oh my! It¡¯s an article about Lord Theo! And they¡¯ve even included Lady Cecilia¡¯s picture!

    This was irresistible!

    One of the Camellia Pce¡¯s maids, who had stepped out on a quick errand, grabbed a newspaper from a stall and darted back to Camellia Pce¡ªno, to Cecilia¡¯s shop.

    Lady Ceciliiia! It¡¯s breaking news, breaking news!

    But she came to a sudden halt.

    The Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce was entering the shop.

    </a>

 Chapter 131

    Chapter 131: Sixteen Years Old (1)

    High Theodor.

    It was unmistakably clear to everyone that Cecilia had named her haute couture shop after her son, Theo.

    Even before its opening, High Theodor had already garnered considerable fame within the social circles.

    ¡°Where have I heard that name before? Haven¡¯t I heard it somewhere?¡±

    ¡°Hey! This is the ce that made the clothes Young Master Theo was wearing.¡±

    ¡°Oh, right! And Lady Cecilia¡¯s dress was absolutely stunning too.¡±

    ¡°They say the shop has a grand location right here in the city. Do you want to visit it sometime?¡±

    ¡°Sounds good!¡±

    With Theo¡¯s impressive performance at Ray¡¯s birthday banquet, his fashion choice had also be a hot topic, stirring up much interest. Cecilia, elegantly adorned in her own dress creations, frequently appeared at various social events, drawing significant attention as well.

    But that wasn¡¯t all.

    ¡°Hm? Is the Vasque Workshop in the fashion business too?¡±

    ¡°Oh, sir, that ce is one of our partnerpanies. It¡¯s not far from here¡ªwould you like to visit? They have a beautiful selection of essories that might interest your wife.¡±

    ¡°Hm, the price though¡­¡±

    ¡°Naturally! We¡¯re offering special discounts for the grand opening as well.¡±

    ¡°Oh, then I definitely can¡¯t resist!¡±

    News that the Vasque Workshop was affiliated with the shop sparked interest even among men who normally didn¡¯t care much about fashion. Those who came to the workshop to purchase weapons saw the advertisement and ended up buying gifts for their wives or partners.

    ¡°Do you know who I am? Hey! How dare you deny me one of those!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir, but cutting in between the line is not allowed.¡±

    ¡°If you keep this up, I¡¯ll close your business in Winterer¡ª!¡±

    ¡°Are you sure you could do that, knowing the head of the House of Ragnar is the owner¡¯s husband?¡±

    ¡°Eep!¡±

    At times, some tried to abuse their status or professions to make demands or wield power, but the moment they heard Ragnar¡¯s name, they quickly backed down.

    Every day was hectic.

    Yet Cecilia¡¯s face blossomed with a smile, a stark contrast to the exhaustion umting on her. She was a different person now, no longer anxiously confined to the Rose Pce, fearing Kyle¡¯s affection would stray to someone else.

    Then, one day¡ª

    Smack!

    With the sound of a sharp p, the tailor¡¯s face jerked to the side.

    ¡°How dare you, a meremoner, answer me back so insolently!¡±

    The middle-aged woman, dressed in an elegant, vintage-style gown, red at the tailor with fierce hostility.

    The gazes of many customers browsing nearby instinctively turned in that direction.

    ¡°What are you looking at? Is this a show for you?¡±

    As her sharp re shot towards them, the onlookers quickly scrambled to leave the shop.

    Normally, they would¡¯ve lingered, sneering at anyone daring to act out in a shop under Ragnar¡¯s protection. But, considering the status of the person involved, everyone seemed inclined to avoid the scene.

    Vivianlee Narcio Mulligan.

    Thedy of the House of Narcio, she hailed from the Mulligan family, a prestigious southern lineage whose renown rivaled even that of the Ragnars. Her notoriously arrogant disposition had earned her quite the reputation; even her husband, the head of the household, would often avoid her presence when she was in one of her fits of rage.

    ¡°I heard you don¡¯t ept private calls, so I came here myself to see what skill you think you have to pull that off. And yet, you dare to conduct business like this? Where¡¯s your manager? Bring them here immediately!¡±

    Several attendants quickly moved to the back of the shop.

    Before long, Cecilia appeared.

    ¡°Madam, I¡­!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the rest. Just go and take a break for now,¡± Cecilia said, sending the tearful tailor, who was holding her cheek, to the break room before facing Vivianlee.

    ¡°I understand you were asking for me, Madam?¡±

    ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re the manager here?¡± Vivianlee covered her mouth with a fan adorned with peacock feathers, casting an unabashedly critical gaze up and down Cecilia¡¯s form.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct. If you could let me know what it was that displeased you, I¡¯ll ensure it¡¯s appropriately addressed.¡±

    ¡°You little wretch! And how exactly do you n to fix it?¡±

    Despite the tant contempt, Cecilia didn¡¯t so much as twitch an eyebrow.

    ¡°Unless you specify the issue, I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to assist you at all.¡±

    ¡°Fine. Since you insist, I¡¯ll tell you.¡±

    ¡°Yes, what is it?¡±

    ¡°Everything! From start to finish!¡±

    Vivianlee¡¯s voice rose.

    ¡°A VVIP arrives, and you simply tell me to wait, offering nothing but cheap refreshments? And then you bring in an untrained girl and have the nerve to call her a tailor, bossing me around? And on top of it all, you im it¡¯ll take at least a week to have my outfit tailored? At the very least, you should be begging me to wear it and delivering it on a silver tter!¡±

    The tailor and other attendants listening in the back blushed with frustration. Every word of Vivianlee¡¯s outburst was a ridiculous exaggeration.

    Cheap refreshments?

    Cecilia had personally scoured the western hignds to procure teas and treats that wouldn¡¯t offend her customers¡¯ ptes. Each item was so rare that even prominent nobles and merchants struggled to acquire them. Even if it wasn¡¯t to one¡¯s taste, there was no legitimate reason to call it cheap.

    And an untrained tailor?

    The tailors at the shop were all famous enough tounch their own brands but had chosen to work with Cecilia out of respect for her. The tailor assigned to Vivianlee, in particr, had even served at the imperial court in the past, so there was no question about their skill.

    Most insulting of all was that Vivianlee had subjected this tailor to uncalled-for abuse and even hurled personal insults at them while they politely sought her understanding.

    As for the waiting period¡ª

    Due to the high volume of orders, ordinary customers often had to wait a minimum of six months. They had already exined that they weren¡¯t epting custom orders at the moment, but Vivianlee had stubbornly insisted on having one. They had no choice but to respectfully ask her to wait for about a week.

    This too, was done out of respect for the mother of Narcio¡¯s young master, who was also a friend of Theo.

    However¡­

    The moment she heard this, she immediately pped the attendant.

    Simply because she was asked to wait.

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­!¡±

    Eventually, one of the attendants, unable to hold back any longer, tried to protest but was silenced when Cecilia raised her right hand.

    Instead, she turned to the butler standing nearby and gave a few instructions.

    ¡°You know what I mean, right? Bring it.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Soon, the butler handed Cecilia a well-worn notebook.

    Vivianlee¡¯s eyebrow twitched.

    She couldn¡¯t fathom what Cecilia was trying to do.

    Cecilia, however, flipped through the notebook expressionlessly until she stopped at a specific page.

    ¡°Ms. Vivianlee, it seems you visited our shop about fifteen days ago as well.¡±

    ¡°So what?¡±

    ¡°At that time, you also kicked one of our employees in the shin when they kindly asked you to wait for a moment.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Vivianlee¡¯s face contorted.

    ¡°A month ago at a shop, you poured cold water on a jeweler¡¯s face, saying they couldn¡¯t offer you credit.¡±

    ¡°You¡­!¡±

    ¡°And three months ago, you demanded a full refund andpensation for damage on a dress you bought five years ago at another shop.¡±

    ¡°You!¡±

    ¡°Cases of simr refund requests total twelve, instances of violence against hairdressers or tailors amount to twenty-one, and cases of leaving unpaid credit stand at thirty-four¡­¡±

    ¡°What is the meaning of this?!¡±

    Vivianlee¡¯s face flushed red.

    Where had they even dug up such information? And to humiliate her like this in front of so many people!

    Then her eyes finally caught the title of the notebook Cecilia held.

    ¨C List of Problematic Customers.

    T-that¡­ did she just call me a p-problematic customer?

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid won¡¯t be able to fulfill your order, Ms. Vivianlee. I apologize, but the exit is just behind you, so please use it. Thank you.¡±

    With a graceful bow, Cecilia turned to the staff.

    ¡°What are you all doing? Now that the troublemaker is gone, get back to work!¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    The staff stifledughs as they returned to their tasks.

    Vivianlee¡¯s body trembled with rage.

    Had she ever suffered such humiliation in her life?

    Even the knights who had apanied her frowned deeply, their hands moving to their waists.

    As thedy of Narcio and a youngdy of Mulligan, it was their duty to punish anyone who sullied her name.

    But then¡ª

    Sash!

    ¡°Oh my, my hand slipped.¡±

    ¡°Kyaaaah!¡±

    Suddenly, a vase appeared above Vivianlee¡¯s head, and water poured out of it.

    Apletely unexpected disaster.

    Vivianlee screamed and red behind her, and her knights turned their eyes in that direction¡ªonly to freeze on the spot.

    The Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce stood there with an apologetic expression.

    ¡°I was just admiring the flowers up close, and I identally made a mess. What should I do?¡± she said, though her tone betrayed no remorse.

    Her gaze was utterly impassive.

    ¡°I hear in Narcio, they cut off hands when such mistakes are made. Should I offer mine?¡± The Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce subtly extended her hand forward, causing the knights to stumble back in fright.

    Drenched and disheveled, Vivianlee trembled with rage but held her tongue. Facing off against Ragnar¡¯s first wife and one of the Nine Dragons would only end disastrously.

    ¡°¡­Let¡¯s go!¡± Vivianlee finally spat out, biting her lower lip as she stormed out of the shop.

    Cheers erupted throughout the store.

    The Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce, now smiling warmly, turned to the stoic-faced Cecilia.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard rumors that this ce does exceptional tailoring. Could I perhaps arrange a consultation?¡±

    Cecilia silently regarded her for a long moment before turning and speaking softly.

    ¡°¡­Please,e inside.¡±

    * * *

    Time flew by.

    During this period, Theo officially began training the Temple Knights under the name ¡°Kriemhild Knights,¡± and, as peace gradually returned, he handed a letter of introduction to Vittorio, who was preparing to depart on another trading mission.

    The letter suggested that instead of working with the Ceres Trading Company, it might benefit the nearly copsed Bhus family to partner with the Shipping Alliance instead.

    The response came quickly, and it was brief.

    ¨C When on earth did you get there?

    For Naban Bhus, it was utterly confounding. He had read in the newspapers that Theo was in the Floating Archipgo, but he hadn¡¯t expected Theo to bring the entire Shipping Alliance to the North.

    Naturally, he had no reason to refuse. The Bhus family had been struggling with its influence waning as its head and elders had all been dragged to Winterer. This proposal offered them a lifeline.

    Thus, Naban swiftly began preparing to form a joint venture with Vittorio.

    ¡°Looking forward to working together.¡±

    ¡°The same here. Let¡¯s dominate the Northern market quickly while no other major tradingpanies have yet to settle here.¡±

    ¡°A monopoly is every merchant¡¯s dream market. Hahaha!¡±

    Under the agreement, Bhus would handle transport and security, ensuring the Shipping Alliance could conduct trade safely, while the alliance focused on procuring goods from various regions.

    The ownership split was arranged as 4:4:2¡ª40% for the Shipping Alliance, 40% for Bhus, and 20% allocated in Theo¡¯s name.

    The gratitude expressed toward Theo for providing this opportunity was, in part, a strategy to leverage his neutral ground during any future conflicts.

    Thanks to this, Theo secured a voice within the joint venture, rapidly expanding its scale by connecting it with both High Theodor and the Vasque Workshop.

    To advance in earnest, he would need a substantial amount of funds, and this joint venture would undoubtedly be a significant source of support.

    Thus, as Theo managed various matters, time passed swiftly.

    Before he knew it, new year had arrived.

    ¡°Theo, you¡¯re sixteen now, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Ah! Still a young chick! I envy you, you know that?¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    ¡°Then Selperd, this year, you¡¯ll reach nine¡ª!¡±

    ¡°Hey! Hey! You want to keep it down?¡±

    In the North, there was a long-standing tradition of measuring age by the new year rather than by individual birthdays. Thus, Theo took a moment to reflect on his newly turned age.

    Although he was still far from twenty, he could feel that time was steadily passing since his return.

    However, he didn¡¯t have the luxury to dwell on nostalgia.

    ¨C Mission Directive.

    The war that had begun in the North was swiftly escting.

 Chapter 132

    Chapter 132: Sixteen Years Old (2)

    ¡°The essence of ¡®Nibelung¡¯ does not lie in how swiftly one swings or how many foes one cuts down.¡±

    Theo was instructing Marti on the secrets of Nibelung.

    It was his attempt to impart as much knowledge as possible before he would soon need to leave.

    Marti, the captain of the knights who had long embodied the spirit of Kriemhild, listened with a rare glint of intensity in her eyes.

    ¡°Then, what is it?¡±

    ¡°How much magic power one can concentrate into the de.¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    ¡°The concentration of power. It¡¯s about intensifying the force by focusing magic power into a core and axis within the de.¡±

    Seeing Marti still seemingly confused, Theo drew the Dragon yer Sword to continue his exnation.

    He recalled the teachings from Kriemhild back in Mysteries.

    Woooong!

    As he channeled magic power into the Dragon yer Sword, it trembled lightly.

    ¡°This would be what wemonly refer to as ¡®magic emission.¡¯ And when this magic power is drawn out of the weapon and given form, it¡¯s called ¡®aura.¡¯¡±

    Tssss

    Tiny droplets of magic leaked from the de, linking together and flowing like waves that enveloped the sword, disying a sharp intensity.

    Aura.

    Or sword energy.

    It was a skill that one had to master to be an advanced swordsman.

    It was from this stage that one was often considered to have entered the realm of a ¡°master.¡±

    ¡°However¡ª¡±

    Suddenly, the previously chaotic sword energy swirling around the de began to spiral inwards, merging into the center of the sword.

    ¡°Nibelung does not pursue suchmon aura. As I said, it demands concentration, but on the inside of the sword rather than the outside.¡±

    The de of the Dragon yer Sword shimmered, showing a new transformation.

    From the center where the sword energy had merged, hexagonal patterns emerged, spreading quickly along the surface.

    Shhhh!

    The pattern resembled the scales of a dragon, a mysterious sight.

    As the scales multiplied, the faint yet formidable aura emanating from the Dragon yer Sword grew steadily stronger.

    ¡°This¡­ how is this even possible?¡±

    Marti shuddered at the bizarre phenomenon, something she had never encountered before.

    Theo grinned, as if expecting her reaction.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I mention? The core of ¡®Nibelung¡¯ lies in concentrating aura. You rotate the aura endlessly in a clockwise direction, concentrating it within the de itself. This strengthens both the durability and power of the sword.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°Inner Aura. That¡¯s what I¡¯ve decided to call it.¡±

    ¡°Inner Aura¡­.¡±

    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s only easy in theory¡ªit¡¯s incredibly difficult in practice. Even the slightest mistake in controlling magic power, and¡ª¡±

    BOOM!

    The scale patterns filling the de of the Dragon yer Sword abruptly dispersed, causing a massive explosion to erupt outward.

    Rumble¡ª

    The ensuing vibration was so intense that the temple shook violently.

    ¡°This is exactly what can happen,¡± Theo remarked.

    Bang!

    ¡°Captain! What¡¯s going on?¡±

    The knights stationed outside burst in, visibly rmed. They had thought a terrorist attack by Troyban might be underway.

    Marti reassured them it was nothing and dismissed them before turning back to Theo with a question.

    The Dragon yer Sword continued to tremble, still bearing the effects of the failed magic control. It seemed as though it might shatter at any moment.

    ¡°If there¡¯s even the slightestpse in control, the de could explode, couldn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Precisely. Aura, by nature, is a highly efficient mass of energy. Forcing it to stay contained makes the shock all the greater.¡±

    ¡°This technique poses serious risks of injury to a swordsman or knight.¡±

    ¡°On the other hand, it can produce two or three times the power with the same amount of force.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    For Theo, forming Inner Aura was not particrly challenging.

    As a Ragnar, he possessed a level of magic sensitivity that was iparable to others. Additionally, since awakening the ancient dragon¡¯s essence, his control over magic had increased exponentially.

    But for others?

    Mastering it would likely demand an enormous amount of effort.

    Even Kriemhild, in her lifetime, had only managed to grasp it with the aid of the Sea King and surely had not done so without considerable hardship.

    ¡°To safely stabilize Inner Aura, one must imnt a core within the de.¡±

    ¡°By establishing an artificial force around this core, you can draw in the aura, keep it in rotation, and use centrifugal force to prevent it from scattering.¡±

    ¡°Exactly.¡±

    ¡°It may sound simple, but it¡¯s incrediblyplex to master.¡±

    ¡°But once you do, it bes a formidable secret technique. Even if others learn of it, they will never be able to replicate it.¡±

    Marti was initially puzzled but then understood his meaning.

    ¡°You¡¯re saying that it can only be trained in the temple!¡±

    ¡°Indeed. Unless someone is born a genius, the difficulty of mastering Inner Aura is exceedingly high. However, the Floating Archipgo is andscape forged by the Sea King¡¯s magic, and the temple is the most concentrated point of this ascending magic flow. There are few ces on the continent with such an abundance of magic, so it is likely only possible to train here.¡±

    It was, in essence, a sanctuary.

    A secret ce known only to the Kriemhild Knights, a ce that no one else would ever discover.

    Marti clenched her fists tightly.

    Wasn¡¯t the Floating Archipgo far behind the continent in terms of swordsmanship and magic prowess?

    But with the secrets of Nibelung, that disparity could be reversed in an instant.

    ¡°How in the world did Lady Kriemhild devise such a vision¡­!¡±

    ¡°Think of the beings she once faced.¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    ¡°To pierce through the Sea King¡¯s imprable scales and break magic and curses, she would have needed a de with extreme durability and overwhelming destructive power.¡±

    Marti nodded gravely.

    Though she had never seen the Sea King herself, he was a being who had shaped the uniquendscape of the Floating Archipgo with only the remnants of his magic. Such power was nearly divine.

    And Kriemhild had defeated that being.

    It was only natural that she, too, would be regarded as a divine figure.

    This was why the temple in her honor existed.

    ¡®Theo is the sessor of Lady Kriemhild.¡¯

    If she followed him, the Floating Archipgo might truly be able to look down upon the continent one day.

    That sense of anticipation filled Marti¡¯s chest.

    * * *

    While Marti stepped away to review what she had learned, Theo steadied his breathing, lightly holding the Dragon yer Sword.

    ¡°Haa¡ª!¡±

    With his exhale, the Dragon yer Sword emitted a clear sword resonance, as a countless number of scale patterns appeared along the de.

    Zzeooong!

    Shrrk, shrrk¡ª

    Just as the Dragon yer Sword¡¯s aura intensified, filling with scale-like patterns, Theo took a deep breath and swung the sword in rapid session.

    A total of ten strikes.

    This was w of the Nibelung enhanced by Dragon sh.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Crash! Crash! Crash! Crash! Crash! Crash! Crash! Crash! Crash! Crash!

    With each sh of the Dragon yer Sword, bolts of lightning struck down, and the thunderous sound repeatedly shook the temple.

    Rumble¡ª

    Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

    Theo¡¯s heartbeat grew as fast and thunderous as the sound itself.

    ¡°Hoo¡­!¡±

    He exhaled heavily again, a bead of sweat running down his cheek.

    p, p, p, p!

    A sound of apuse came from behind him.

    Theo turned his head. It was Selperd.

    ¡°You¡¯re now able to execute ten sword strokes in a single breath? You¡¯ve improved a lot.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s still not easy.¡±

    Even pulling off ten regr Dragon sh strikes was challenging enough, but executing ten strikes infused with the Nibelung technique?

    Selperd¡¯s face twisted in incredulity.

    ¡°Hey, hey. Maintaining that ridiculous Inner Aura or whatever it is, and managing to unleash ten sword strokes in a sh? That¡¯s practically cheating. A single slip and anyone nearby could lose their head.¡±

    Selperd, who had witnessed Theo¡¯s grueling training up close, looked exhausted.

    Out of curiosity, he had even tried Kriemhild¡¯s technique himself a few times.

    It was inhumane.

    One wrong move could cause the sword to explode, injuring the user, and there was a high chance of magic bacsh, making it too dangerous to attempt lightly.

    Even here, in this sanctuary, the risk was undeniable.

    Above all, the breathing technique was entirely different from Ragnar¡¯s system.

    ¡®And he¡¯s doing that without any trouble.¡¯

    He was a monster who could casually absorb and handle the distinct styles of the . Perhaps it was no surprise.

    Selperd had long since ssified Theo¡¯s abilities as ¡°beyond standard.¡± Otherwise, none of it made any sense.

    ¡°That aside, what brings you here?¡± Theo asked.

    ¡°A gift.¡±

    ¡°A gift?¡±

    Surprised, Theo watched as Selperd handed him a neatly wrapped package.

    ¡°A New Year¡¯s gift. Lady Cecilia and the Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce sent it together.¡±

    Theo¡¯s eyes widened as he epted the gift.

    Both of them, together?

    It was an unexpectedbination.

    Inside the box, he found a neatly folded white ceremonial uniform.

    <i>

    ¡°It¡¯s a fine outfit,¡± Selperd remarked.

    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±

    Theo ran his hand gently over the fabric, feeling a slight pang in his chest.

    Selperd, finding Theo¡¯s reaction endearing, chuckled and waved a slip of paper in the air.

    ¡°Since you¡¯ve been sweating, try the outfit after you¡¯ve bathed and refreshed yourself. Oh, and there¡¯s another order here.¡±

    Theo took a moment to gather his emotions, then looked up slowly.

    ¡°They want you to head north as soon as your task here isplete.¡±

    ¡°The situation at the front lines must not be going well.¡±

    ¡°Seems that way, with someone there who knows us all too well.¡±

    Theo and his team had meticulously reported all the recent events on the Floating Archipgo to Winterer, detailing the disruption of Troyban¡¯s plot. Winterer had praised them for their efforts in crushing Troyban¡¯s conspiracy but also issued orders to prepare for imminent deployment.

    They were on standby, awaiting a new assignment.

    During this time, Theo¡¯s group had been following the war between Ragnar and Troyban through various news outlets, albeit superficially.

    .

    .

    .

    Every article and editorial seemed to be filled with unfavorable news about Ragnar.

    Selperd nced at the stack of newspapers piled in one corner and continued.

    ¡°Besides, it¡¯s not just the Sacred Demon Church that¡¯s oddly joined forces with Troyban. Essentially, Ragnar¡¯s facing a two-front war, so they¡¯re likely stretched thin.¡±

    Theo nodded silently.

    This was something he had witnessed in his previous life as well.

    ¡®There were always many who disliked Ragnar¡¯s rule or wanted to check its dominance.¡¯

    Winterer would soon realize that this war wasn¡¯t merely a dispute with Troyban but a battle against an alliance of anti-Ragnar factions.

    Judging by the groups involved, it was already toorge to ignore.

    The Red-White Mercenaries.

    The Rose House.

    The First Sword Assembly.

    The ck Shadow Sword Unit.

    The Wandering Knights¡¯ Alliance.

    And besides former retainer factions from the Gathering of the Hidden Dragons,

    There were also the Eastern Magic Tower,

    The Southern Beastfolk Front,

    And even certain margraves and great noble families seizing this opportunity to undermine Ragnar, reaching out from the shadows.

    The lingering grudges that Ragnar had umted as the ruler of the North wereing to a head.

    ¡®This, in the end, was the catalyst that ignited the mes of the Great War.¡¯

    But that was still a few years in the future, a conflict yet toe.

    For now, Ragnar¡¯s focus was on quelling the fires of the immediate war.

    It was precisely for this reason that Theo and hispanions were given the standby order¡ªto curb any covert attempts to disrupt the battle.

    Ragnar regarded this entire conflict as nothing more than a ¡°rebellion.¡±

    It seemed, however, that they now had a new mission.

    ¡°What are we supposed to do while en route?¡±

    ¡°Bingo.¡±

    Selperd¡¯s eyes deepened.

    ¡°They want us to bring back a young girl from some remote ce.¡±

    At that moment, Theo realized who this girl was.

    ¡®So, it¡¯s time for this already.¡¯

    Cassandra Edda.

    A figure who would soon be known as the Sorceress Empress¡ª

    The first mage ever to ascend to the imperial throne.

    </i>

 Chapter 133

    Chapter 133: Sixteen Years Old (3) >

    Currently, the imperial family was viewed as little more than a nominal entity.

    However, they had once been the founding members of ¡®Eda,¡¯ the world¡¯s greatest nation.

    Naturally, the members of this lineage were all remarkable, renowned for being born with talents that rivaled even those of the Ragnar.

    ¨C Future Vision.

    An extraordinary ability to catch glimpses of the future was engraved within their gic lineage.

    But as generations passed, the bloodline thinned, and the glimpses into the future grew shorter or began to deviate.

    These days, most of them couldn¡¯t even catch a glimpse.

    Yet,

    ¡®A royal family member who could foresee the future urately was born for the first time in decades.¡¯

    A girl around nine years old.

    However, there was one fatal issue surrounding her.

    ¡®She was an illegitimate child, born in a brothel to the Emperor¡¯s distant fourteenth cousin.¡¯

    The imperial family scarcely recognized her as one of their own, viewing her as the most distant of distant kin.

    Moreover, her lowly bloodline meant that most people didn¡¯t even know of her existence.

    Even her own father was unaware of her.

    ¡®They say she only became aware of her status when Troyban, having suddenly visited, revealed it to her¡ªa girl who¡¯d been living as a destitute in the brothel day by day.¡¯

    Her mother had kept her silence out of fear that the imperial family would retaliate for producing ¡°tainted blood.¡±

    However, Troyban was the first to discover her and ced her under their protection, using her abilities solely for their benefit.

    ¡®Later, as Troyban fell, she wandered from ce to ce, eventually being forced onto the imperial throne after the empire¡¯s copse¡­¡¯

    A woman born to a tragic fate.

    Regardless of her abilities or potential, she spent her life as nothing more than a puppet for power-hungry schemers before passing away.

    ¡®And yet, Ragnar already had an idea of Cassandra¡¯s whereabouts?¡¯

    Perhaps it was because the war with Troyban had happened several years earlier than in recorded history.

    The most crucial point, however, was that Ragnar¡¯s intelligencework had detected her.

    Since Theo also intended tomission ck Snow to locate Cassandra upon his return, he felt it was a fortunate turn of events.

    ¡°Where is she located?¡±

    Theo asked, and Selperd replied simply.

    ¡°Priamos.¡±

    For a moment, Theo¡¯s eyes gleamed.

    It was a city within Troyban¡¯s territory.

    * * *

    ¡°Are you leaving now?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Thank you for everything.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s us who should be grateful. You helped us protect our homnd.¡±

    Vittorio and the Kriemhild Knights came to the port to bid farewell to Theo and his party.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be in touch about the jointpany whenever something importantes up.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m counting on you.¡±

    After exchanging brief farewells, Theo¡¯s group boarded the ship, and upon reaching the continent, they boarded a Magic Train.

    As they traveled toward Troyban¡¯s territory, they took extra precautions to conceal their identities.

    ¡°Today¡¯s outfit¡ªisn¡¯t that the one your mother gave you?¡±

    Selperd, noticing Theo¡¯s attire, gave him a double thumbs-up.

    Theo scratched his cheek with an awkward smile.

    ¡°Does¡­ does it suit me?¡±

    ¡°Of course. You look fantastic. Though it¡¯s white, it doesn¡¯t resemble the White Armored Dragon Cavalry uniform at all. You look like a well-dressed young master from a wealthy family. Ah, I¡¯m jealous. Wish I had a mother like that.¡±

    Theo¡¯s nose reddened.

    ¡°Is this the first time you¡¯ve worn it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a gift from Lady Cecilia and the Mistress of Plum Blossom Pce. They said it¡¯s thetest piece from High Theodor.¡±

    ¡°Oh! With those two¡¯s sense of style, it makes sense.¡±

    Arin looked Theo up and down multiple times, grinning mischievously.

    ¡°Junior, can you pull some strings for me? Maybe a discount for a friend?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll ask them next time.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Arin pumped her fist triumphantly, while Theo, feeling a tug on his sleeve, turned to see Ray looking up at him with wide, intent eyes.

    ¡°¡­.¡±

    Without a single word, she made it perfectly clear what she wanted.

    He chuckled, unable to hold back a smile.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll ask for you too.¡±

    But,

    She shook her head.

    ¡°Huh? Then?¡±

    ¡°¡­.¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    ¡°¡­.¡±

    ¡°Oh! Of course, I¡¯ll ask the Mistress of Water Lily Pce for you, too. Matching outfits for mother and daughter would look adorable, wouldn¡¯t they?¡±

    Only then did Ray release his sleeve, a broad smile spreading across her face.

    Screeee! Scree!

    As if it wanted to join the cheerful atmosphere, even the shadow beside them began to wiggle eagerly.

    ¡®You too?¡¯

    Scree!

    ¡®No, not you.¡¯

    Screeee! Scree! Screee?!

    It jumped up, clearly upset about being excluded.

    ¡®Do you have any idea how big you¡¯ve gotten?¡¯

    Keeeek!

    ¡®But isn¡¯t that the kind of thing friends should do for each other?¡¯

    Keek! Keeek!

    ¡®Fine. I¡¯ll consider it if you behave for a while.¡¯

    Keeeeeeeek!

    Theoughed at Umbra¡¯s grumbling protests.

    Keeek!

    The more heughed, the sulkier Umbra became.

    Just as Theo was about to relent and say he understood, a loud voice rang out.

    ¡°Hey, what do you think you¡¯re doing? Get down immediately!¡±

    ¡°Please! Please, let us on! We can¡¯t survive here any longer!¡±

    ¡°Hurry up and get lost! Do you know where you¡¯re trying to climb?¡±

    Outside the window of their first-ss carriage,

    a struggle had broken out between the impoverished people trying to board the Magic Train and the conductors who were pushing them back.

    Thwack! Thwack!

    The conductors swung their clubs forcefully, trying to drive the poor away from the doors.

    But there were so many of them, faces filled with desperation, that they clung to the doors without any intention of letting go.

    ¡°Ugh! This won¡¯t do! Tell the engineer to start the train immediately!¡±

    ¡°But if we do that, the people hanging on will¡ª¡±

    ¡°Do you think those beggars matter? If we keep this up, the train will be overrun!¡±

    ¡°Oh, understood!¡±

    After a few moments ofmotion, the Magic Train began to move again, letting out a loud hiss as it rolled forward.

    Poooooo!

    ¡°No, nooo!¡±

    ¡°Please! Take me with you too!¡±

    ¡°Aaaah!¡±

    Despite the desperate cries and people clinging on, the Magic Train kept rolling, pulling away from the station withplete indifference.

    Most of the poor clinging to the train eventually fell onto the tracks in a dangerous tumble, but a few managed to get aboard, only to be detained by the conductors¡ªor, in some cases, clung precariously to the outer wall.

    ¡°¡­What on earth is happening?¡±

    Arin¡¯s eyes widened as she took in the entire scene.

    Selperd swallowed hard, while Ray looked up at Theo silently.

    Theo let out a small sigh.

    ¡°They saidst year¡¯s crop failures and famine were the worst in history. Looks like it¡¯s worse than we thought.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d heard about it but had no idea it was this bad.¡±

    Over the past few years, severe droughts had led to a sharp rise in the number of poor people across the empire.

    Industrial cities weed the influx of cheapbor, but in rural areas, whole regions had been devastated.

    This was one of the main causes that had intensified the Great War.

    Creeeak¡ª

    ¡°Sorry to disturb your rest. Themotion has been contained, and we will ensure that such incidents won¡¯t happen again.¡±

    It seemed there had been quite a fewints, as a weary-looking conductor approached them, bowing in apology.

    Arin asked, ¡°They looked like impoverished folks. What will happen to them?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ve all been detained and will be handed over to the guards at the next station.¡±

    ¡°I understand. Thank you for your efforts.¡±

    The conductor bowed once more in apology before moving to the next carriage.

    ¡°I heard the crop failures are worse the farther ind we go¡­ We might see this more often,¡± Selperd sighed, his tone heavy.

    The mood grew somber.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Theo idly touched his clothes.

    His spotless white outfit.

    In contrast, the impoverished people wore filthy clothes that hadn¡¯t been washed, reeking with an unmistakable stench.

    The two images kept contrasting in his mind.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get any unnecessary ideas.¡±

    But Theo¡¯s thoughts didn¡¯t linger long.

    Selperd was watching him intently.

    His gaze was serious, unlike usual.

    ¡°You¡¯re you, and they¡¯re them. Unless you n to take in every one of those poor people, don¡¯t get any ideas about intervening. Right now, the missiones first.¡±

    ¡°Yes. I understand.¡±

    Theo nodded heavily.

    The Great War was an unchangeable course of history.

    No matter how much he involved himself, nothing would truly change.

    He knew that stepping in would be of no help at all.

    In fact, he preferred not to interfere with the great tide of history if possible.

    Yet, for some reason, he couldn¡¯t quite let go of the hem of his clothes, his grip remaining tight.

    * * *

    ¡°This is Priamos Station. Please be mindful of the gap between the train and the tform when disembarking¡­¡±

    Theo and his group slowly disembarked from the Magic Train.

    A chilling wind pped against their faces, greeting them with a barrenndscape.

    ¡°It¡¯s no different here, either.¡±

    The scene surrounding Priamos Station looked much like the deste views they¡¯d seen throughout the entire train journey.

    Bare, dry branches.

    Empty fields.

    Abandoned homes.

    And many impoverished people gathered near the station.

    ¡°Please, spare a coin, kind sirs!¡±

    ¡°I have children starving at home. I beg for your mercy¡­!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll be trapped here if we stay any longer. Let¡¯s move quickly.¡±

    Following Selperd¡¯s lead, they pressed forward.

    The city felt even more deserted up close than it had from the outside.

    Not a single sign of smoke or life.

    ¡°¡­The target is in a small vige on the outskirts of the city. Let¡¯s head there.¡±

    By now, even Selperd, who had been trying to maintain hisposure, sounded somber.

    But when they arrived at the vige¡­

    ¡°¡­.¡±

    ¡°¡­.¡±

    ¡°¡­What now?¡±

    ¡­it had been reduced to ashes.

    The vige, already barren, had been swept by fire, leaving it a ghost town devoid of any inhabitants.

    Selperd pressed a hand to his forehead.

    In this condition, they would need to ask around for information about their target¡¯s whereabouts¡­ But he was worried about attracting attention in Troyban¡¯s territory, where enemies could appear at any moment.

    Their mission was to escort the target to Winterer as discreetly as possible.

    This was, after all, deep within Troyban¡¯s territory.

    Revealing their identities could put them in significant danger¡­

    ¡°It seems something happened here.¡±

    Theo, while examining the vige, narrowed his eyes slightly.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°They tried to cover their tracks as much as possible, but it appears this fire was intentionally set. There are signs of looting here and there.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Theo sifted through the ckened sand, uncovering faint signs: bloodstained ground, indicating substantial blood loss, and dozens of hasty footprints leading away from the scene.

    ¡°It looks like there was a kidnapping. Judging by the state of things¡­ it happened about one to three hours ago.¡±

    Selperd¡¯s eyes widened.

    ¡°Troyban! They can¡¯t have gotten far. Let¡¯s go after them.¡±

    At that moment¡ª

    Ding!

    [A quest has arrived.]

    ¡ª

    [Scenario Quest #5]

    The being who glimpses time is ipatible with you, who have defied it. Secure her to prepare for any potential threat.

    ¨C Difficulty: A+

    ¨C Reward: Clue to the Secrets of Time

    ¨C Failure Consequence: Death

    ¡ª

    ¡°¡®Any potential threat?¡¯¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

 Chapter 134

    Chapter 134: Sixteen Years Old (4) >

    A quest, appearing after such a long time.

    But rather than feeling relief, Theo felt a chill down his spine.

    ¡®It¡¯s true¡ªthere¡¯s no way a regressor like me and a seer could bepatible.¡¯

    A seer typically foresaw a fixed future, while a regressor like himself strove to change the future they knew.

    They were fundamentally opposed, incapable of coexisting.

    With Troyban as their current adversary,

    if they managed to secure the seer, Theo couldn¡¯t predict how the timeline might shift.

    ¡®And, above all, I can¡¯t even begin to guess what this Secrets of Time entails.¡¯

    Theo wondered if he might be able to uncover the mystery of this quest and the messages that seemed visible only to him among the other chosen ones.

    Of course, to do so, he had toplete the quest.

    The chase had begun.

    * * *

    ¡°Hey! What the hell are you doing drawing that card?¡±

    ¡°Die.¡±

    ¡°Die.¡±

    ¡°Goddamn it!¡±

    ¡°Hahaha! Guess I¡¯ll be feasting well this round too!¡±

    At the base of a low mountain not far from Priamos,

    a dozen or so mercenaries were gathered in a hunter¡¯s cabin, sharing drinks andughing uproariously.

    Underneath the haze of tobo smokey a pile of cards and betting money.

    Thump! Thump! Thump!

    The winnersughed in satisfaction, while the losers vented their frustration by kicking the walls.

    A young girl huddled in a corner flinched at each rise in their voices.

    I¡¯m scared¡­ Mama¡­

    Please¡­ please, save me¡­

    ¡°Ned, one more round? Call?¡±

    ¡°Shit! Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m broke? At this rate, I¡¯ll have to get an advance on my pay when we get back!¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯re out?¡±

    ¡°I said I¡¯m out of money, damn it!¡±

    The mercenary, Ned, cursed and sprang to his feet. He then spotted the girl still shivering in the corner and mmed his fist hard against the wall above her.

    Bang!

    The girl jerked her head up in shock.

    Her unfocused eyes drifted in Ned¡¯s direction.

    The girl was blind.

    ¡°When the hell are theying to pick up this brat? Didn¡¯t they say they¡¯d be here by now?¡±

    ¡°Hey, hey, don¡¯t go taking out your anger on the poor kid. She can¡¯t even see, for crying out loud. Isn¡¯t that right, sweetheart? There, there.¡±

    The girl buried her head back into her knees.

    They were monsters.

    The devils who had burned her vige.

    She hadn¡¯t had a close rtionship with the vigers.

    They always called her mother filthy names, constantly discriminating against her.

    Still, she hadn¡¯t thought they deserved to die like that.

    In moments like these, she bitterly resented her blindness.

    If only the asional ¡®afterimages¡¯ that haunted her would appear now to help her¡­

    Once again, the scene was eerily quiet.

    ¡°Damn it! We need to get her out of here to make any money off this. Argh!¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s a valuable asset. Don¡¯t even think about touching her.¡±

    ¡°You think I¡¯m an idiot? I know better than that!¡±

    ¡°Good, then.¡±

    Ned crossed his arms, snorting with frustration. He kept ncing at his watch, clearly anxious to get his hands on some cash.

    ¡°Oh, what¡¯s this? Want me to lend you some?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re just gonna p some crazy interest on it, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°This time, for the low, low rate of only 450% interest per day!¡±

    ¡°You damn thief.¡±

    ¡°Then forget it.¡±

    ¡°Hmph! Who said I wouldn¡¯t take it?¡±

    ¡°Haha, that¡¯s why I like you!¡±

    In the end, Ned epted the money hispanion handed over, eagerly grabbing another hand of cards.

    ¡°So, about that¡­¡±

    ¡°About what?¡±

    ¡°Is it true what they say? That kid can see the fut¡ª¡±

    Smack!

    The sound of a fresh card beingid on the table cut Ned off.

    ¡°It¡¯s our mercenary group¡¯s policy not to pry too deeply into a client¡¯s orders. Haven¡¯t forgotten that rule, have you?¡±

    ¡°Hey, hey, no need to re at me like that. I was just curious.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen plenty of people end up dead from a moment¡¯s curiosity, friend,¡± replied the mercenary dealing the cards, his tone steady as he dealt out another one.

    ¡°Even if she could see the future, it won¡¯t change the fact that you¡¯re a sucker.¡±

    ¡°You little¡­ This time, I¡¯m gonna strip you down to yourst stitch!¡±

    ¡°Go ahead. Do your worst, haha!¡±

    The group¡¯sughter grew louder, and the card game resumed with renewed intensity.

    Then, the girl who had been curled up in a corner suddenly raised her head.

    Her strange behavior drew the mercenaries¡¯ attention.

    ¡°The world¡­ it¡¯s turning blue.¡±

    She seemed dazed, as if in a trance.

    ¡°All of you. You¡¯ll be buried there. Without a trace left behind.¡±

    ¡°What the hell is she going on about?¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    ¡°There will be monsters everywhere¡­ and the dead will rise over them. And¡­ and¡­¡±

    ¡°Damn it! Enough with the nonsense!¡±

    Just as Ned stood up, unable to hold back his irritation¡ª

    Boom!

    The cabin wall exploded.

    A torrent of dark energy poured in.

    Shwish, shwish, shwish!

    ¡°Aaaagh!¡±

    ¡°Damn it!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re under attack!¡±

    ¡°Goddamn it! I was just about to hit the jackpot! You had to ruin it!¡±

    ¡°Are you crazy? Do you even care about that right now?¡±

    The mercenaries flipped over the table, using it as a shield to brace for the onught of attacks.

    Some of them moved swiftly to secure the girl¡¯s safety.

    Aside from Ned¡¯s mutteredints, they responded with remarkable coordination.

    They were clearly not a ragtag bunch, but trained veterans.

    The problem, however, was that¡ª

    ¡°There you are.¡±

    ¡ªthe attackers were veterans far superior to them.

    A shadow writhed in the dim light.

    Then, a massive maw emerged suddenly from the darkness, snapping down on the legs of the mercenaries who¡¯d been reaching for the girl.

    ¡°Argh!¡±

    ¡°W-what the hell is that? Where did this thinge fr¡ª!¡±

    Umbra¡¯s overwhelming, unnatural appearance threw them into utter chaos.

    ¡°No, no! My payday!¡±

    ¡°You lunatic! Where are you going?¡±

    Ned clutched his sword and rushed toward the girl in desperation.

    His assigned role in an emergency was to buy time so that Team Two could evacuate the girl to another location.

    But now he was broke, and after losing his hand in the game, he was drowning in debt¡ªthere was no way he could focus on his mission.

    Better to grab the girl and run! He could pocket the reward himself if he escaped alone¡­ it¡¯d be perfect¡­

    Boom!

    But Ned¡¯s thoughts didn¡¯tst long.

    A thunderous crash erupted as a dazzling, golden light zed in front of him.

    The world will turn yellow.

    The words the girl had muttered earlier flickered in his mind.

    You¡¯ll all be buried there. Without a trace left behind.

    The nonsense he¡¯d brushed off as mere babble had be reality.

    ¡°So she really could see the future¡­!¡±

    His vision was filled with blinding yellow.

    And that was the end of his thoughts.

    Lightning crashed down, piercing through the roof, slicing Ned cleanly in half, and incinerating him. The lightning strike scattered fragments of intense heat and electrical energy outward in a fan-shaped st.

    The entire area, save for the girl, was engulfed in a scorching inferno, sting away over half the mercenaries.

    Through the shattered wall, Theo and his team charged in, smashing through any cover the mercenaries had tried to use.

    The simultaneous attacks from both sides instantly shattered the mercenaries¡¯ defenses, trapping them all in a deadly ambush.

    ¡°You¡¯re safe now. Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    It was in this moment that Theo rescued the girl.

    A solid chest.

    A warmth even greater than his voice.

    Though the girl didn¡¯t know who he was, she felt a strange, unfamiliar sense of peace for the first time.

    * * *

    The girl dreamed.

    You are a precious, special child, Cassandra. Never forget that, no matter what.

    Her mother had often held her close and whispered those words.

    At the time, she hadn¡¯t understood.

    What did it mean?

    But it hadn¡¯t mattered.

    Living in a vige with her mother, her friends, and the vigers¡ªshe¡¯d been so happy.

    Not being able to see?

    It hadn¡¯t been much of a bother.

    The only minor inconvenience was¡­

    She asionally had what she called -dreams.-

    -Did you have another dream?-

    -Yep!-

    -What did you see this time?-

    -A really handsome big brother appeared!-

    -A big brother?-

    -Yeah, a super-duper handsome one! He put me on something weird and zoomed! We flew up into the sky!-

    Sometimes, she didn¡¯t mind having such -dreams.- After all, when she dreamed, it was the only time she could -see- anything at all.

    Though most of the time, she disliked these dreams¡ªprobably because they were usually nightmares.

    Like the one she¡¯d had just before dawn today.

    -Mom¡­ are you awake?-

    -Oh, my daughter had another strange ¡°dream,¡± didn¡¯t she?-

    -Yeah¡­ but in the dream, you and everyone in the vige, they¡­ they¡­!-

    Even though she dismissed it as just a silly dream, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to mention that she¡¯d seen her mother and the vigers getting hurt.

    The fear that it might actually happen held her back.

    -That must¡¯ve been so scary.-

    -Yeah. Can you hold me?-

    -Oh dear, you¡¯re still such a baby. But don¡¯t worry, Cassandra. You don¡¯t need to let these -dreams- trouble you so much.-

    Whenever she had a nightmare, her mother would hold Cassandra close, reassuring her.

    -Whatever you may see, this world is far bigger and more vibrant than anything in your dreams. Someday, you¡¯ll find a friend who¡¯ll take you to explore that world.-

    Her mother¡¯s embrace was so warm that Cassandra would drift back to sleep in peace.

    But back then, she hadn¡¯t known.

    That -dream- would eventuallye true.

    And the man she saw so often in her dreams had finally appeared.

    -You¡¯re safe now. Don¡¯t worry.-

    The man who used to fly her around on the back of strange creatures in her dreams¡ª

    he was standing right in front of her.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡±

    When she cautiously regained consciousness,

    the voice she¡¯d heard before echoed softly nearby.

    * * *

    ¡°That¡ªthat¡ªthat¡¯s a m-m-monster!¡±

    ¡°Is that all you know how to say?¡±

    ¡°I swear! So please, just let me¡ª!¡±

    Selperd, unimpressed, silenced the trembling mercenary with a swift strike to his neck.

    -Thwack!-

    -Thud!-

    ¡°Talking about seeing death and summoning curses¡ªwhat on earth was he bbering about?¡±

    Selperd scratched the back of his head in annoyance.

    He¡¯d tried interrogating them, hoping to learn something useful, but only ended up feeling irritated.

    -Creak¡ª-

    Selperd stormed out, mming the door, and spotted Theo seated outside with the -target- lying across hisp.

    ¡°Well, well. When did you two get so close?¡±

    Could blind people sense when someone was handsome? The thought struck him as oddly curious.

    ¡°She just fell asleep a moment ago. She must have been exhausted.¡±

    ¡°Guess that makes sense. Poor thing.¡±

    ¡°So, did you find out anything useful?¡±

    At Arin¡¯s question, Selperd nodded grimly.

    ¡°These guys¡­ they were from the -Red-White Mercenaries.-¡±

    ¡°The -Gathering of the Hidden Dragons,- then?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    The -Red-White Mercenaries.-

    Originally a vassal group loyal to Ragnar, they¡¯d switched allegiances to Troyban at the onset of the Northern War.

    ¡°They had a reputation for being ruthless, so I know Winterer had been discussing sanctions against them¡­ but this time, they¡¯ve crossed the line¡ªway over the line.¡±

    ¡°I agree. How people wearing human faces canmit such atrocities, I can¡¯t understand.¡±

    Theo gently stroked Cassandra¡¯s head as she slept soundly, his eyes narrowing.

    During the entire pursuit to this location,

    they had witnessed one horror after another.

    Not only were there signs of looting, but traces of massacres were evident everywhere.

    A mass grave had even been found not far from here.

    He could only imagine the anguish Cassandra had endured¡ªlosing her family and friends overnight to be an orphan because of these people.

    Theo¡¯s chest tightened as memories of his past life resurfaced, of the day he¡¯d lost his family.

    ¡°Those traitors have only grown more vicious. Someday, they¡¯ll have to be wiped outpletely.¡±

    Grinding his teeth, Selperd turned his gaze toward Cassandra.

    ¡°But¡­ that girl, hmm.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡± Theo asked.

    ¡°Did you notice anything¡­ unusual about her?¡±

    Theo¡¯s eyes darkened as he guessed what Selperd might be getting at.

    Selperd lowered his voice into a mental transmission, apparently cautious that Cassandra might overhear.

    -Here¡¯s the thing¡ªhah! Those mercenaries were all muttering something strange. They kept saying that the girl was cursed, that¡¯s why they all died.-

    -Future vision!- Theo thought.

    It seemed that Selperd, unaware of Cassandra¡¯s true nature, was uncertain about how to interpret the information he¡¯d gathered.

    Feigning ignorance, Theo probed further.

    ¡¸Did they mention why they thought so?¡¹

    ¡¸They said¡­ she¡¯d seen them die before it happened. Not sure what to make of that.¡¹

    -Hmm. Did they say anything else that stood out?¡¹

    ¡°Yeah, there was one more thing, but it was so bizarre¡­¡±

    Scratching the back of his head, Selperd continued.

    ¡¸They said that a king would appear over a world covered in death, and if he reversed the wheels of the clock, all the dead would rise and walk again.¡¹

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