Chapter 32
Chapter 32
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 32
Chapter Title: What Are You?
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“Thank you?”
The knight clad in blue armor looked down at Kang Geohan.
Then, in a voice laced with reluctance, he spoke.
“So, aren’t we allowing you this conversation right now?”
Kang Geohan was dumbfounded.
‘So... you want me to be grateful just for letting me talk to you like this... something like that?’
Celestials. Their arrogance defied imagination.
The blue-armored knight spoke.
“So. You’re one of them?”
Kang Geohan swallowed his boiling anger and puffed out his chest.
“My three friends and I did it together.”
He glanced at Helena, Loen, and Harkrux. All three were stiff, overwhelmed by the Celestial’s presence.
Kang Geohan shouted inwardly.
‘Step up! You have to step up now! If you don’t stand tall, they won’t even notice you. Don’t chicken out!’
Perhaps his plea reached them. Loen spoke first.
“Y-Yes, th-that’s right! We d-defeated the m-monster...!”
His knees were knocking together, but Loen managed to get the words out somehow.
“...All four of us... fought together.”
Harkrux bit his lip until it bled, refusing to yield to the pressure. The Celestial shot him a scornful glance, but he stood firm and made his presence known.
The surprise came from Helena.
Pale and shaken, she glanced at Kang Geohan, took a deep breath, and sharpened her gaze.
She crossed her palms in an X over her eyes and bowed deeply.
“Greetings to the heirs of glory. Kang Geohan Yellow, Loen Yellow, Harkrux Yellow, and I, Helena Yellow, joined forces to slay the monster. We freed the corpses and arms that were captured by it. This is an indisputable fact, recorded in the eyes watching from the heavens.”
At her greeting, the three Celestials showed interest all at once.
The blue-armored Celestial knight responded with a gesture like flicking water from his fingers.
“Impressive. To know our etiquette... Hm, very well.”
The blue-armored knight nodded, and the white-armored knight pulled four leaf-woven pouches from his pocket and tossed them over with a flick.
The pouches floated lightly through the air, like lily pads on water, drifting toward Kang Geohan and his friends.
As the four caught them, the blue-armored knight said,
“The debt is paid. No more words.”
It was a warning. Low but laced with blatant killing intent.
This time, even Kang Geohan couldn’t speak.
He could only swallow his frustration inwardly.
‘That’s it?’
No explanation of what they were, no word on whether the reward was sufficient. Just a one-sided declaration.
Then they resumed their own business.
The white-armored knight walked off without looking back, gathering the young Celestial’s corpse and arms.
With some technique, merely touching them made the body and gear vanish into thin air, swallowed up.
Having finished their task, the Celestials mounted wyverns and griffins and ascended into the sky without meeting anyone’s eyes.
The humans didn’t dare call out to them, or even look up—they just stared straight ahead.
Even after they left, no one could speak for a long while.
It was the day the entire selection training camp, with its hundreds of Gigants, was utterly crushed by just three Celestials.
Only the fresh, summery scent of sun-dried laundry lingered in the clearing.
* * *
It was a shock.
The encounter with the Celestials hit Kang Geohan like a thunderbolt.
‘So... pathetic.’
Some praised him for speaking up and getting a reward amid it all, but Kang Geohan felt none of that satisfaction.
‘Embarrassing...’
What was the point of building muscle and demonic essence?
There were many benefits, but one was the ability to stand tall with confidence.
A reliable power in any situation. Not just physical strength, but mental fortitude too—the proof of it all.
Kang Geohan had been quite satisfied with his rapidly growing muscles and demonic essence day by day.
But before the Celestials, it all crumbled.
Like a scrawny frame with ribs showing through a shirtless chest, Kang Geohan felt utterly insignificant and shabby.
‘In the end, all we got was this one pill they tossed like charity...’
Kang Geohan gazed down at the golden pill before him, his heart a tangle of emotions.
It was what had been in the pouch. A thumbnail-sized golden pellet.
[Golden Nutrient Pill]
Contains golden mystery.
Consuming it greatly boosts demonic essence stimulation efficiency for three days and sharply increases dark mana absorption.
Of course, it was treasure. It was the first time he’d seen “greatly” in the nutritional info window. But.
‘They didn’t even tell us how to use it...’
If it worked, great; if not, oh well. Nothing to regret, nothing to waste—they probably didn’t care.
Just self-satisfaction that they’d cleared their debt.
That was the Celestial attitude.
Treasure to humans, but nothing to them.
Damn it...
‘My pride’s wounded.’
Kang Geohan gritted his teeth.
‘I’ll get stronger.’
Strong enough to stand eye-to-eye with those superior beings. That strong.
With that vow, he glared at the golden nutrient pill.
He wanted to swallow it right then, but decided to hold off.
‘Tomorrow’s results and unit assignments are coming...’
He’d told his comrades the same. The pill from the Celestials likely boosted training efficiency, so best to take it after assignments, when they could focus on training.
Sorting his thoughts, Kang Geohan slipped the golden nutrient pill back into the pouch.
Thump thump.
His heart pounded wildly.
From anger.
From the desire to grow stronger.
From anticipation for the new life ahead.
He wouldn’t sleep easily tonight.
* * *
The training camp slept.
Training camp director Harun Basio faced a late-night visitor.
“Sir Zaxen Silver?”
“Yes.”
“...Busy night for guests. What brings a rider from the Eastern Expeditionary Force at this hour?”
Zaxen Silver. The knight with neatly combed brown hair gave a slight smile.
“I’m here for enlistment tests.”
“Enlistment tests?”
“Yes. For top trainees aspiring to join the expeditionary force.”
“...Unprecedented, isn’t it? Retesting trainees whose evaluations are already complete here at the selection camp?”
“Here. A writ from His Majesty the King.”
Harun Basio’s eyes deepened as he read it.
“Conflict with Logot Kingdom has escalated that far?”
“It’s intensifying. We need not just talented recruits, but ones ready for immediate deployment. That’s why I’m selecting them myself.”
Tap tap. Harun Basio drummed his fingers on the desk, then pulled a few files from a binder and handed them to Zaxen Silver.
A smile curved Zaxen Silver’s lips as he read.
“Huh... intriguing. You’re saying a trainee conquered an entire zone outside the grounds?”
“That’s right. Our camp’s finest.”
“This’ll be fun.”
“You won’t be disappointed. So, how will the tests proceed?”
“In live combat format.”
“Live combat?”
“The goal is deployable talent. If any instructors stand out, I’ll take them too.”
“...So, what exactly do you plan?”
At Harun Basio’s question, Zaxen Silver’s smile deepened.
“Time to show these rear-echelon rookies the brutality of the front lines.”
* * *
In a tent with a chill wind blowing.
Harkrux couldn’t sleep.
The Celestials from earlier kept replaying in his mind.
‘...So strong. Just their gaze made it hard to breathe. Why the gap? Are humans truly inferior, like they say...?’
Suppressing the rising frustration, Harkrux tossed and turned.
Flutter flutter.
The tent shook in the wind.
Rustle.
But amid it, an odd sound. Not the tent flapping, but cloth rustling.
Harkrux was alert enough to notice, and his reaction swift.
He bolted up, grabbed the sword by his bed, and drew it.
“Who’s there?!”
“Not bad reaction.”
A voice came.
Flutter!
The tent flap opened wide. A shadow flew in. Harkrux swung reflexively. But the shadow closed in, blacking out his vision.
Thwack!
That was the last thing Harkrux remembered.
“Doesn’t freeze in a sudden attack, even counters... Sword tip’s sharp. Real combat experience? Usable.”
The muttering shadow—Zaxen Silver—glanced at the sprawled Harkrux and exited the tent.
Then similar scenes repeated.
Loen had finally calmed his shaking heart and dozed off. But at the chill wind lifting the flap, his eyes snapped open.
He reached for his sword and rolled behind the bed.
“Wh-who’s there?”
No answer—just a charging shadow. Loen hurled the bed with his over-40 strength points and drew his sword.
But he didn’t fight. Instead, he slashed the tent behind him to escape.
“Assail—!”
As he yelled to alert others,
Thwack!
Zaxen Silver vaulted the bed cleanly and struck Loen’s nape.
He evaluated the fallen Loen.
“Smart one. Calls for allies over direct confrontation in a surprise? Excellent.”
Next, he headed to Helena’s tent. There, Zaxen was surprised for the first time.
“...Were you waiting for me?”
Helena’s tent was brightly lit, and she sat primly in the center, sword laid across her knees.
As if she’d known Zaxen Silver was coming.
Helena rose slowly and said,
“I figured it was fifty-fifty. The east is unsettled, so the expeditionary force might test trainees directly. Glad... my preparations weren’t wasted.”
Helena glared, gripping her sword with both hands.
Zaxen Silver chuckled dryly.
“This isn’t just smarts... You know our Eastern Expeditionary Force well? Parents in the military?”
“...Does it matter?”
“Ah, no. Fine. Show me your skill.”
One stroke.
The black blade drew silently, aiming for Helena’s nape.
Sizzle! Steam burst from rapid mana surge as Helena dodged into Zaxen Silver’s guard. Her sword tip thrust at his chest.
But Zaxen Silver twisted slightly, evading with his ongoing swing. His left foot swept her right ankle.
Thud!
Helena’s body lifted like falling. Even then, her left foot aimed a temple kick.
But faster—Zaxen Silver’s fist slammed her airborne head.
Crack!
Thump.
Blood sprayed. Helena hit the ground. She didn’t lose consciousness.
Forehead split, blood pouring, she glared at Zaxen Silver with wide eyes.
“Whew. You took my fist with your forehead?”
Zaxen Silver was genuinely impressed. Instant wit to block an unavoidable strike with her hard forehead—that kept her awake.
He watched her rise and said,
“No need to see more. You’re the first not to pass out.”
“Pass...?”
“Yes. Welcome to Hell Unit.”
He waved and left Helena’s tent.
His steps lightened. These recruits were very satisfying.
‘Raphael White, was it? Just like the instructor said.’
Before trainees, Zaxen Silver had visited instructors first.
Only one caught his eye: Raphael White. Held his own for twenty exchanges against Zaxen Silver.
He’d said these trainees would impress.
He was right.
“Now... Kang Geohan? Top of this batch.”
An unusual trainee. Attitude score: 0. Persistence: 40. But perfect 100s in breakthrough and tough challenge scores—erased two lows, topped with dual 100s.
Theoretically possible, but he’d never thought it real.
“When I first saw those scores... I wondered if the camp’s evaluation was flawed...”
Seeing the trainees, expectations rose.
“Can you surprise me?”
He’d been surprised enough by Helena Yellow. Could this one top it?
Zaxen Silver approached Kang Geohan’s tent with curious anticipation.
But,
“What are you?”
A cold voice suddenly rang out.
A knight stood before Kang Geohan’s tent.
Kaltz Black.
He blocked the entrance crookedly, glaring at Zaxen Silver.
His blade gleamed sharply in the moonlight.
Zaxen Silver blinked.
“Wh-what? Wrong tent?”
He’d come to a trainee’s tent... What? A Gigant rider? Why a formidable knight suddenly?