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Translator: M.S
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: Training
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The rumors about the ruins were spreading smoothly,
and the purge, stained with the stench of blood, had come to an end.
Every organization marked in red and black on Sea’s kill list had been dealt with.
Simple affiliates were spared, but those whose crimes were severe were decisively culled.
As for those who had tormented us, we paid them back with hefty interest for every grudge, down to the slightest glare.
The past three days, filled with blood and screams, had also served to firmly establish just who the masters of this city were.
“From now on, we rule this city.”
It was 5 a.m., before the break of dawn.
I had gathered my siblings in the training yard.
Despite how tired they must have been these past few days, their eyes sparkled.
I understood how they felt.
It was all over.
Those years under Ksias, filled with humiliation and suffering.
They were finally over.
We had risen up on our own and made this city our nest.
Nowhere in this vast city,
was there anyone left to oppress us.
“But the real work starts now. We have to defend the city from the demonic beasts swarming outside, control the scoundrels who will try to crawl in, and contend with the greedy robber barons of Roverland.”
With every word I spoke, my siblings’ gazes deepened.
“Still, we now stand at the threshold of a dream. For the first time in our lives, where we've only ever had things taken from us.”
A dream.
I spoke the word aloud.
“We can shape this city as we please, establish a kingdom to rebuild our fallen house. And perhaps… we might even take revenge on the empire and reclaim the Kingdom of Vanroah.”
Passion flared in everyone's eyes.
They had left the kingdom at a young age, but they all remembered.
The older ones remembered their parents' faces and the beautiful knight-kingdom of Vanroah. Even the younger ones held in their hearts the knights who died protecting us to the very end, and the secret arts of our house that they had passed down.
So,
we may have lived insignificantly for a long time,
but in truth, not a single moment was insignificant.
Because we always carried lofty ideals, pride, and a sense of duty in our hearts.
So this moment, having taken a city… it was the starting point of a dream no one had spoken of, but everyone had cherished in their hearts.
*Fwoosh! Fwoosh!*
As befitting those with the blood of Vanroah nobility.
Every one of them had a fire igniting in the depths of their pupils.
It was a faint light, not very bright, but because dawn had not yet broken, it shone quite brilliantly.
I gave a single nod and turned my gaze.
To our siblings who did not share our bloodline.
“The same goes for those of you not from the Vanroah Kingdom. You, too, will establish your own houses.”
At those words, I could see Seklan and the other kids getting emotional.
They were the orphans we had taken in since coming to Kushan City, the ones who showed a particular talent for the martial arts.
I addressed them all equally.
“I know. I don't know everything, but I know a little. I know you feel like outsiders. That can't be helped. Our pasts are different. Just as I can't know your pain, you can't know ours. Fleeing the kingdom, losing a noble status, seeing an ancient house annihilated… we can't truly know each other's experiences, can we?”
I looked at Seklan and the others, one by one.
“Our pasts are different. But… our future will head in the same direction. We'll build our own world. A future where everyone is the head of their own house, where we will always be comrades, friends, and family, together.”
The kids muttered under their breath, "A house…"
Their eyes grew complicated.
Of course.
For orphans who had lost their parents to their own tragic stories in this lawless city of Kushan… the idea of having their own house was bound to resonate differently.
My family, my shelter, my house.
“That's why we have to get stronger. To dream bigger dreams. To rebuild and found our houses. That's why I called you all here so early. From now on, we'll train at this time, every single day.”
My siblings straightened their posture and looked at me.
Their eyes were good.
And I'm not just saying this because they're my siblings, but they're all exceptionally talented.
I looked forward to seeing how quickly these kids would grow.
“There's a sword art I learned recently. I'm going to teach it to you. No Aura allowed. This is pure swordsmanship that goes back to the absolute basics.”
At my explanation, Katrina shot her hand up with a question.
“Huh? Weren't you going to teach us about Aura?”
“We're going to learn about the sword itself, not Aura.”
“Will that even be useful for me? I feel like it'd be better to train my Aura and aim for Sword Master in that time…”
Having recently reached the highest level of Expert, Katrina seemed eager to become a Sword Master.
But a Sword Master…
“I guarantee it. If you learn this, you'll become stronger. Stronger than a Sword Master.”
I was certain. If Katrina learned the ancient sword art even to the level of a low-grade Expert, she wouldn't lose easily to most Sword Masters.
The ancient sword art was powerful on its own, but when combined with modern Aura swordsmanship, it became downright broken.
So this was the right way. It would take Katrina several more years at the very least to become a Sword Master through Aura, but reaching the stage of the Reading Sword and drawing out Sword Ki would be quick.
Before long, the entire continent would be astonished.
“Don't tell me… is that the reason you suddenly got so strong, brother?”
“That's right.”
At my short affirmation,
*Fwoosh!*
the kids' energy changed.
I could feel the burning heat of their desire to learn.
“Alright then, first… draw your swords!”
*Shing! Shing!*
Seventeen in total.
My siblings drew their swords in unison.
“I'll now lay down the rules. First, during training hours, I am not your brother. I am your master. I will show no mercy. Second, from this moment on, for 24 hours a day, you will keep your swords drawn and never let them leave your hands, no matter the situation.”
The beginning of the ancient sword art is communicating with the Sword Spirit.
To do that, you first have to become unconditionally familiar with your sword.
Until it feels like a part of your own body.
“What about eating?”
Baren muttered the question, so I answered immediately.
“You only need one hand to hold a spoon, don't you?”
This time, Katrina's hand shot up.
“What about the bathroom?!”
That goes without saying.
“Whether it's number one or number two, you handle your business with the sword in your hand. Don't let go of it when you sleep, either.”
“Eek?! No way!”
“Do it yourself. If you want to get strong quickly.”
“What if we get hurt?”
“You're all Experts. If you get hurt by your own sword, you might as well go die.”
I spoke sternly, then scanned my siblings.
Ah,
not my siblings.
For this moment, they are my disciples.
It pains my heart, but…
it has to be harsh. The harsher, the better. That's the only way they won't get killed or injured in this cruel land.
*Shing—*
I drew my own sword and continued with the rules.
“Third, anytime, anywhere, you block on your own. You counter on your own… now!”
*WHACK!*
I struck Katrina's cheek with the flat of my flexible training sword.
Sorry, Katrina. But the eldest has to get hit first.
Katrina's head snapped to the side!
A spray of saliva flew through the air.
“!!!”
My wide-eyed siblings—no, disciples.
I dove in among them.
They say you learn fastest by experiencing it firsthand, so I had no choice.
You have to get beaten until you're out of your mind and swing your sword until you're out of your mind. That's how you deepen your communication with the sword.
There are absolutely no hard feelings.
*Smack!*
This time, I hit Daisy's wrist with the flat of the blade.
“Aack!”
Daisy clutched her wrist and crumpled to the ground.
You, what did you say to me last time?
'Stop being such a meddlesome old man?'
Was that it?
*Thwack!*
“Gah!”
This time, Sea clutched the top of her head and collapsed.
And you collaborated with the rebels without telling me, didn't you?
As violence rained down out of nowhere, my siblings scattered in all directions, chaos erupting.
That's it. React.
Focus like it's a real battle.
That's why I'm beating you mercilessly.
Absolutely no hard feelings.
“Aargh! What are you doing all of a sudden!”
“He's smiling! He's smiling! He's smiling while he's hitting us!”
“He's a madman!”
Ahem, I suppose a smile just naturally spread across my face thinking about how much my siblings' skills would improve.
* * *
I think it was about thirty minutes after I started hitting them.
A murderous intent began to seep into the swords the kids were swinging.
But not a chance.
“Why can't I hit him…”
“Stop smiling! It's pissing me off!”
“Agh! Then don't look like you're about to cry! If you're going to do that, then just stop hitting us!”
“Die… Die… Please just die…!”
Wails came from all over,
but in truth, we'd always played rough since we were kids, so we were used to this.
The sight of them all, eyes gleaming, trying desperately to land even a single blow on me was almost cute.
But…
'What's with that kid?'
One silver-haired head kept catching my eye.
'Is he sick or something?'
Catch Soroa.
21 years old. Male.
He was the one who went out scouting with Katrina and returned after half a year… but the look on his face was completely different from what I remembered.
'Why does he look so anxious?'
He was strangely listless and couldn't focus.
The Catch in my memory was a kid whose eyes always sparkled, who threw himself into training more passionately than anyone…
“Get him! We'll attack from all sides at once.”
“Here we go!”
Even Baren, who lived and breathed laziness, was charging with sharp eyes.
“…”
Catch just glanced around from the side, busy just going through the motions.
*CRACK!*
It was so strange that I deliberately smacked him on the head, but even then,
“…”
he didn't even utter a common curse, just meekly retreated.
*WHACK!*
*Thwack!*
I couldn't just let it be.
I purposely chased him, hitting the back of his hand and his calf, but after a few attempts to block, Catch hastily hid among the others.
Far from having improved since I last saw him, he didn't seem to be using even half of his original skill.
'Seriously, what's wrong with him…?'
Everyone was fired up, but he alone seemed stuck in the shadows.
He was so different from the Catch I knew.
On the other hand,
there was someone far more fiery than I remembered.
“One more time, brother! Hyaah!”
Katrina Egion.
Her face was swollen and her eyes were black and blue, but she wasn't discouraged in the slightest.
She charged relentlessly, her orange hair flying like a lion's mane.
No matter how much I hit her, her fighting spirit never waned.
*WHACK!*
Oh, that was a solid hit. She won't be getting up now, right?
“Heave-ho! One more!”
*CRACK!*
It's really over now.
“Keuk! This time for real!”
*SMACK!*
Whoops, did I hit her too hard?
“Okay! I've figured it out!”
'...'
Seriously, why is she so durable??
Katrina boasted enough stamina and toughness to shock even me, a Sword Master.
As Katrina unleashed limitless energy, the atmosphere grew more and more intense.
I'd originally planned to hit them at a level 5 intensity, but it ended up becoming a 10?
“Sister… let's stop.”
“Noona… doesn't it hurt…?”
Eventually, the other kids started subtly trying to hold Katrina back.
“Let me go!! Graah! One more time!”
Katrina shook them off and continued her rampage.
Her overflowing energy forcibly drove the mood.
Even Catch Soroa, who had looked so anxious and withdrawn, got swept up in the atmosphere and swung his sword frantically.
In the end, this brutal assault could only end after Katrina passed out.
It was long after the time I had originally planned.
“Hah… hah…”
“Aigoo…”
“It hurts!”
Some couldn't catch their breath. Some were groaning. Some were fuming.
I quietly looked down at my diverse group of siblings.
Honestly, I was impressed.
'…They might get there faster than I thought.'
Katrina played a huge role.
I knew they were all talented.
But if they have this much passion and fighting spirit…
the day they would astonish the entire continent already seemed to shimmer before my eyes.
Especially Catch Soroa.
'His talent is incredible.'
Catch had been swept up by the atmosphere Katrina created and had focused, if only for a moment.
The sword he swung in that brief instant was both fast and endlessly precise.
To the point of being unparalleled even among his talented siblings.
But… why is he like that?
Even now, it was the same. He looked anxious, always glancing around.
I casually threw him a compliment.
“Catch.”
“Yeah?”
“You did well. Your sword was very sharp.”
But he just smiled bitterly.
“No, hyung. It's no use for me anyway. …Training's over, right? I'm gonna go eat.”
Then, he let his sword hang limply and trudged away.
'What? No use?'
He said that so wistfully.
It bothered me a lot.
However,
'…I'll just watch for now.'
That there is a comfort in nonchalance—that was a sort of philosophy of mine.
Everyone has their own burden to bear. Someone else can't rashly lift it for them, nor is it right for them to do so.
Just watch quietly, let them rest for a moment, walk beside them, offer a word of encouragement or advice. I'll watch for the right timing and approach him that way—casually, yet kindly.
I don't know what's troubling you, but hang in there, Catch.
* * *
That night.
“Hoo… that was tough.”
Catch Soroa returned to his room, his face weary.
*Clang—*
He carelessly tossed the sword he was holding aside and went to wash up.
After a hot shower, he threw himself onto his bed.
He had no intention of following Lansen's order to keep his sword in hand at all times.
It was a waste of effort for him, anyway.
“Lying down feels good…”
It had been such a tiring day, he thought he would fall asleep the moment he closed his eyes.
But,
“……I can't sleep.”
His mind grew clearer and clearer.
“Is it because I swung a sword for the first time in a while…”
In fact,
he had loved the sword.
To the point that until a few months ago, he had never neglected his training for a single day.
Catch muttered.
“……I wanted to be good, too.”
Because he was the eldest son of Count Soroa.
Because he had to inherit the family's swift and precise sword art.
Because he had to get stronger to protect his younger brother.
Because he just liked the sword.
Morning and night, he had always swung his sword.
But now…
“No matter how much I swing my sword… it's no use for me.”
He had come to realize it.
That he had no talent.
21 years old. Mid-level Expert.
A very low-level one at that.
When he returned to the city,
Saltsran, a year younger, was already high-level.
He lost in a spar against Sea, for whom swordsmanship wasn't even a specialty.
He lost to Mika, who was two years younger, and even to his own brother, Gepetto.
He lost to his own little brother. Protecting him? What a joke. It was at the point where he'd have to ask to be protected instead.
'Besides the sword… is there something else… something I can be good at?'
Aura was the problem.
His Aura never did what he wanted it to.
His control over Aura was atrocious.
'Lansen-hyung said the sword art he's teaching doesn't require Aura… but in the end, if your Aura is weak, it's probably useless too, right?'
That's how it was in Catch's common sense.
And so, he keenly felt it.
This was his limit.
There were many people like that. Those who reach the mid-level in their twenties and never make it to high-level, or those who barely reach it after turning 50.
A mid-level Expert for life.
Even if he learned a new sword art, he'd just be a slightly stronger mid-level Expert.
“…”
Just being awake was agonizing.
He pulled the covers over his head, but,
*Hum—*
*Huuuum—*
The sword he'd tossed on the floor earlier kept humming.
The sword sometimes cried out, but Catch had no idea why.
“Shut up. I said, shut up.”
He just covered his ears with his pillow and burrowed deeper into his bed.
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