Chapter 29 : Training

Chapter 29: Training

Rumors about the ruins spread smoothly,

and the purge, drenched in the stench of blood, finally came to an end.

Every organization written in red and black on Seon’s kill list was wiped out.

I spared the simple accomplices, but I cut down without hesitation those whose crimes were unforgivable.

As for the ones who had tormented us all this time, I made sure to collect every bit of interest, even for the smallest grudge they had cast my way with a single glance.

The past three days, filled with blood and screams, had also been a time to make it absolutely clear to everyone who now ruled this city.

“From now on, we rule this city.”

It was 5 a.m., before dawn had even broken.

I gathered my younger brothers and sisters in the training grounds.

They must have been exhausted from these past days, yet everyone’s eyes sparkled.

I understood that feeling.

Because it was over now.

Those years of humiliation and pain under Count Kxias.

At last, they were over.

With our own strength, we had risen and claimed this city as our nest.

Nowhere in this wide city,

Was there anyone left who could oppress us.

“But this is where the real beginning lies. We have to defend the city from the demonic beasts swarming outside, control the ruffians who will crawl their way inside, and clash with the greedy Counts of Roberland, those bandit lords driven only by avarice.”

With each word I spoke, the gazes of my siblings deepened.

“Even so, right now, we’re standing at the threshold of a dream. For the first time in lives that had only ever been stolen from us.”

A dream.

I let that word fall from my lips.

“We can shape this city however we desire, rebuild our fallen House by founding a kingdom, and perhaps... even avenge ourselves upon the Empire and reclaim the Banroa Kingdom.”

Their eyes burned with fierce emotion.

Though we had left our kingdom at a young age, everyone remembered.

The older ones remembered our parents’ faces and the beauty of the knightly kingdom, Banroa. The younger ones carried in their hearts the knights who died shielding us until the very end, and the traditions of our House that those knights entrusted to us.

So,

Though we had lived in insignificance for such a long time,

The truth was, we had never once been insignificant.

For we always carried lofty ideals, pride, and our sense of duty in our hearts.

That was why this moment, when we seized a city of our own... was the starting point of a dream that no one had ever spoken aloud, but that everyone had secretly held in their hearts.

Fwoosh! Fwooosh!

True to the bloodline of Banroa’s nobility,

Flames blossomed deep within their pupils, all at once.

Dim lights, not very bright, but since the dawn had not yet broken, they glittered all the same.

I gave them a single nod before turning my gaze away.

To my brothers and sisters who carried a different bloodline from ours.

“Those of you who aren’t from the Banroa Kingdom, it’s the same for you. You will also establish Houses of your own.”

At those words, I saw Seklan and the others suddenly choke up.

They were among the many orphans we had taken in when we came to Kushan City—children who, by chance, possessed unusual talent in martial arts.

I called them out as fairly as the rest.

“I know. I may not know it all, but I know a little. That you’ve felt like outsiders. It’s inevitable. Our pasts are different. Just as I can’t understand your pain, you can’t understand mine. The loss of noble status as we fled our kingdom, the annihilation of ancient Houses—that’s not something we can know of each other, is it?”

I looked at Seklan and the children one by one.

“Our pasts are different. But… our future will move in the same direction. We’ll create a world of our own. In that world, each of you will become the lord of a House, and together—as comrades, friends, and family—we’ll share that future.”

The children whispered the word ‘House...’ under their breath.

Their gazes grew complicated.

Of course.

For orphans in this lawless city of Kushan, who had each lost their parents in tragic ways... the words their own House would strike with a resonance unlike any other.

My family, my refuge, my House.

“That’s why we must become stronger. To dream bigger. To rebuild and to establish our Houses. That’s why I called you this early. From now on, every day at this hour, we’ll train.”

The siblings straightened their postures and looked at me.

It was a good look in their eyes.

And I didn’t say this just because they were my siblings—their talents were extraordinary, without exception.

I could hardly wait to see how quickly they would grow.

“There’s a swordsmanship I’ve come to know recently. I’ll teach it to you. No Aura allowed. This is pure swordsmanship that returns to the very basics.”

At my explanation, Katrina shot her hand up with a question.

“Huh? I thought you were going to teach us Aura?”

“Not Aura. You’ll learn about the sword itself.”

“Would that even mean anything for me? Wouldn’t it be better to train Aura in that time and aim for Swordmaster...?”

Katrina, who had recently advanced to Peak Expert, seemed impatient to become a Swordmaster as soon as possible.

But Swordmaster, huh...

“I’ll guarantee you this. If you learn this, you’ll become even stronger. Stronger than Swordmaster.”

I was certain. If Katrina learned the ancient swordsmanship even to the level of a Low-grade Expert, she wouldn’t easily lose to an average Swordmaster.

The ancient swordsmanship itself was immensely powerful, but when fused with modern Aura swordsmanship, it became nothing short of deathly qi.

That was why this was right. For Katrina to become a Swordmaster through Aura, it would take her at least a few more years. But if she reached the Stage of Reading the Sword and drew forth Sword Energy, that would happen much sooner.

It wouldn’t be long before the entire continent was left in shock.

“Don’t tell me... Oppa, the reason you suddenly became so strong, is that?”

“Correct.”

At my short affirmation—

Fwoooosh!

—the atmosphere among the children shifted.

I could feel their burning eagerness to learn.

“All right then, first, swords... draw!”

Cha-cha-chang!

Seventeen in total.

All of my siblings drew their swords at once.

“Now I’ll lay out the rules. First, during training hours, I’m not your Hyung or Oppa. I’m your Master. I’ll never go easy on you. Second, from this moment on, twenty-four hours a day, in every circumstance, you will never let your sword leave your hand.”

The beginning of ancient swordsmanship lay in communicating with the Sword Spirit.

To do that, one first had to grow completely familiar with the sword.

Until it felt like an extension of one’s own body.

“What about meals?”

Varen muttered the question, and I answered right away.

“You can hold a spoon with one hand, can’t you?”

Then Katrina shot her hand up again.

“Then what about the bathroom?!”

Needless to say.

“Whether big or small, you must keep the sword in your hand. Even when you sleep, don’t let it go.”

“Eeeeh?! That’s insane!”

“Put it into practice yourself. If you want to get stronger quickly.”

“What if we get hurt?”

“You’re all Experts, aren’t you? If you get hurt by your own blade, you deserve to die.”

I spoke strictly, then swept my gaze across my siblings.

Ah—

not siblings.

At least in this moment, they were my disciples.

My heart ached, but...

It had to be harsh. The harsher, the better. Only then would they survive and stay unscathed in this ruthless land.

Shiiing—

I drew my sword and finished announcing the rules.

“Third, wherever, whenever—block on your own. Counterattack on your own...”

Whack!

With the flat of my curved training sword, I struck Katrina hard across the cheek.

Sorry, Katrina. But the eldest had to be struck first.

Her head snapped to the side with a sharp twist.

Spittle sprayed into the air.

“!!!”

Wide-eyed disciples—no longer just younger siblings—stared at me.

I plunged right into them.

After all, only by experiencing it firsthand could one grow quickly.

Only by being struck until dazed, and swinging the sword until dazed, could the communication with the sword deepen.

There was no malice behind it.

Smack!

This time, I struck Daisy’s wrist with the flat of the blade.

“Argh!”

Daisy clutched her wrist and dropped to the ground.

You—what did you call me the other day?

‘Old man, stop poking your nose in?’

Wasn’t it that?

Thwack!

“Kyaaak!”

Next, Seon grabbed his crown and dropped to his knees.

You—you once joined hands with the rebels behind my back, didn’t you?

When the sudden storm of violence broke out, the siblings scattered in every direction, chaos erupting.

That’s it. React.

Focus as if it were real combat.

That was the whole reason I beat them so mercilessly.

There was absolutely no malice in it.

“Uwaah! What the hell are you doing all of a sudden!”

“Smile! Keep smiling! You’re hitting us while grinning!”

“He’s insane!”

Hmm, I guess the thought of their skills improving so quickly had unknowingly brought a smile to my lips.

*         *         *

It must have been about thirty minutes after I started hitting them.

A murderous edge began creeping into the swords the children swung.

But it was still nowhere near enough.

“Why can’t any of you land a hit...”

“Stop smiling! You’re making me even angrier!”

“Argh! Then don’t make that crying face! If you’re going to cry, don’t get hit in the first place!”

“Die... just die... please, just die...!”

Wails and curses broke out from all directions.

But truthfully, we’d grown up playing rough since we were young, so this sort of thing was nothing new to us.

The sight of everyone’s eyes shining as they desperately tried to land even a single blow on me—it was almost adorable.

And yet...

‘What’s up with him?’

One silver-haired head kept catching my attention.

‘Is he sick?’

Catch Soroa.

Twenty-one years old. Male.

He’d gone out on an expedition with Katrina and returned half a year later. But his expression was nothing like the one I remembered.

‘Why does he look so anxious?’

There was something strangely lifeless about him, and he couldn’t focus.

The Catch I remembered always had his eyes sparkling, moving more passionately than anyone else...

“Surround him! Attack from all sides at once.”

“Let’s go!”

Even Varen, usually lazy to the core, charged with sharp eyes.

“...”

Catch, meanwhile, only hovered at the side, pretending to move, watching others’ reactions.

Smack!

It was so strange that I deliberately struck him across the head—

“...”

—but he didn’t even let out the usual curse. He just slinked backward, withdrawing.

Whack! Thwack!

I couldn’t just let that slide.

I chased him down, smacking his hand and calf, but Catch only made a few half-hearted attempts to block before hurriedly hiding among the other siblings.

Rather than showing improvement since last time, he couldn’t even display half of his original ability.

‘What’s really going on with him...?’

Everyone else was ablaze, but he alone seemed buried in shadow.

Far too different from the Catch I knew.

On the other hand,

there was someone who burned even hotter than I remembered.

“One more time, Oppa! Hraaaagh!”

Katrina Egion.

Even though her face was swollen and bruised black and blue, she didn’t shrink back in the slightest.

Her orange mane, like a lion’s, whipped through the air as she charged endlessly.

No matter how hard I beat her, her fighting spirit never ran dry.

Smack!

Oh. That one landed cleanly. Surely she won’t be able to get up after this?

“Haaa-yit-cha! One more time!”

Thwack!

Now she’s really finished.

“Keugh! This time for sure!”

Smack!

Ah—did I hit too hard?

“Okay! Got it! I understand now!”

‘...’

No, but seriously—how is she this sturdy??

Katrina displayed stamina and toughness that shocked even me, a Swordmaster.

As she radiated boundless energy, the mood grew ever more heated.

I had meant to strike at the level of five, but I ended up beating them at the level of ten.

“Unni... let’s stop.”

“Noona... are you sure you’re not hurt...?”

In the end, the others cautiously stepped in to try and stop Katrina.

“Let me go!! Hraah! One more time!”

But she only shook them off and rampaged further.

Her overflowing energy forcibly carried the atmosphere along.

Even Catch Soroa, who had looked anxious and timid before, got swept up in that energy and swung his sword frantically.

In the end, this grueling beating only ended once Katrina collapsed unconscious.

It was far later than I had originally planned to stop.

“Huff... huff....”

“Ughhh...”

“It hurts!”

Some couldn’t catch their breath. Some groaned. Some cursed.

I looked down silently at my siblings in all their variety.

To be honest, I was impressed.

‘...This might be faster than I thought.’

Katrina played a big role.

I already knew they all had talent.

But with this much fervor and determination as well...

I could already see the day looming when they would shock the entire continent.

Especially Catch Soroa.

‘He’s got incredible talent.’

Swept up in the mood Katrina had created, Catch had briefly managed to focus.

And in that short span, the sword he swung was swift, yet endlessly precise.

So much so that he stood out even among siblings of remarkable talent.

But... what was wrong with him?

Even now, he looked uneasy, hesitant.

For the moment, I threw out some casual praise.

“Catch.”

“Yeah?”

“You did well. Your sword was sharp.”

But he only gave a bitter smile.

“No, Hyung. I can’t do it anyway. ...Training’s over, right? I’m going to eat.”

Then, letting his sword dangle weakly, he trudged away.

‘What? Can’t do it anyway?’

He said it with such a forlorn tone.

It weighed heavily on my mind.

But,

‘...I’ll just watch for now.’

There was a certain comfort that came with nonchalance—that was part of my philosophy.

Everyone bore their own burdens. No one else could lightly shoulder them, nor would it be right to try.

Better to watch silently, let them rest a while, walk beside them when the time was right, offer a word of encouragement or advice. To approach with a kind of detached warmth, timing it carefully.

I didn’t know what troubled him, but—stay strong, Catch.

*         *         *

That night.

“Phew... exhausting.”

Catch Soroa returned to his room, his face weary.

Clang—

He tossed his sword carelessly aside and went in to wash.

After a hot wash, he threw himself straight onto the bed.

He had no intention whatsoever of following Ransen’s words about always keeping the sword in his hand.

What was the point, when for him it was all futile anyway?

“Feels good to lie down...”

It had been such an exhausting day that he thought he’d fall asleep the moment he closed his eyes.

But—

“...I can’t sleep.”

His mind grew clearer instead.

“Maybe it’s because I swung a sword again after so long...”

The truth was—

He had once loved the sword.

Until just a few months ago, he had never neglected his training, not for a single day.

Catch muttered to himself.

“...I wanted to be good too.”

Because he was the eldest son of Count House of Soroa.

Because he had to inherit his House’s fast, precise sword.

Because he had to grow stronger, to protect his younger sibling.

Because he simply liked the sword.

Morning and night, he had always swung it.

But now...

“No matter how much I swing... I’m still hopeless.”

He had realized it.

That he had no talent.

Twenty-one years old. A Mid-grade Expert.

And even then, only at a pitifully low level of mid-grade.

When he returned to the city,

Zaltran, a year younger, had already reached high-grade.

He lost even to Seon, who wasn’t even specialized in swordsmanship.

He lost to Mika, two years his junior. And worst of all, he lost to his own younger brother, Gepetto.

Defeated by his own sibling. Protect his brother? What a joke. He was the one who might as well beg to be protected.

‘If not the sword... is there anything else I could do well...?’

The problem was Aura.

Aura had never once obeyed his will properly.

His Aura Mastery was abysmal.

‘They say Ransen-hyung’s swordsmanship doesn’t need Aura... but in the end, if my Aura’s weak, won’t it still be useless?’

That was how it seemed to Catch’s understanding.

So he felt it keenly.

This was his limit.

There were many like him. Those who reached mid-grade in their twenties and never went higher. Or those who scraped into high-grade only after turning fifty.

A lifetime spent stuck at Mid-grade Expert.

Even if he learned new swordsmanship, he’d just be a slightly stronger Mid-grade Expert.

“...”

Just being awake was agony.

He pulled the blanket over his head.

Wuuung—

Wuuung—

The sword he’d tossed onto the floor earlier began to hum again and again.

Catch had no idea why it sometimes cried out like that.

“Shut up. I said shut up.”

He only pressed the pillow tighter over his ears and burrowed deeper into the bed.

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