Chapter 38
Chapter 38
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 38
Chapter Title: Get Stronger by Today's Share
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Hum!
He placed his hands on the floor and pushed himself up. Along with the pleasant weight enveloping his entire body, Kang Geohan connected with the Kingdom Train Mimir.
An instantaneous expansion of vision and perception!
"Ah...!"
It was thrilling. A tiny human assimilating with a train far larger than any Gigant.
Chug, chug, chug!
He could feel the train's vibrations throughout his body.
The wind battering across the vast plains, the distant texture of shattering through it and pushing forward.
The ground surging ever closer with each moment. All of it prickled sensitively against his skin, raising goosebumps.
This exhilarating assimilation grew stronger the higher the output.
"0.5%"
"0.65%!"
Amid the immense pressure, Kang Geohan rapidly increased the output while performing squats.
He activated his Full-Body Mirror ability, meticulously squeezing out every strand of mana fiber to challenge his limits.
Whoa—!?
Every time Kang Geohan ramped up the output, exclamations echoed from outside the room.
Suddenly, Kang Geohan wondered.
"How high has Lanis Kain pushed his output right now?"
He couldn't know. But judging from the heated gasps and the voice saying, "Both of them are no joke, huh?" it seemed like a close contest was unfolding.
However,
"0.75%!"
Kang Geohan soon hit his limit.
His knees trembled as he squatted and stood, his back wobbling. Darkness crept into his vision, breathing grew labored.
3RM. He was wringing out mana until he could only manage three reps with none left afterward, but the sheer amount of mana fiber he possessed was vastly inferior to begin with.
At 0.75% output, Kang Geohan could go no further.
The murmurs outside began to die down. Voices like, "Ah, is that it?" and "Still, that's impressive enough."
But Kang Geohan gritted his teeth.
Not yet. Not quite.
He hadn't even matched yesterday's personal record.
He still had one more card up his sleeve.
"Today... I'll set a new record."
Crunch!
He had already completed hours of stretching right after waking up that morning.
Thanks to that, he could use it now.
The mana fiber conversion technique taught by Kalts.
Kang Geohan began twisting his body's mana fibers. He couldn't twist them much—just once, twice, and barely a third time. Releasing the twisted mana fibers, he unleashed a burst of power that surpassed his limits in an instant.
With his remaining strength, he challenged a weight he couldn't even handle twice—just once.
Sizzle—!
Steam rose from his entire body.
"Grghhh!"
His vision went pitch black for a moment. He was on the verge of blacking out from the excessive pressure.
But Kang Geohan managed to step forward one more time. Planting both feet firmly, he tensed his glutes and thighs, straightened his back, and rose!
Fwoooom!
The entire Train Pressure Room shook, spewing steam.
"1 percent! I broke past 1 percent!"
"Crazy... Isn't he the new knight who just got White?"
"Is that even possible?"
Exclamations burst from outside the room. Kang Geohan smiled in satisfaction as he released the tension from his body.
"Personal best."
1.03 percent. He had handled over 1 percent of this massive train's output. He had shattered the 1 percent barrier, which he had never crossed before.
[Mana: 0/74]
[Using all mana fibers increases Willpower by +1.]
He had used every ounce efficiently. The pleasant exhaustion throughout his body. Even the satisfying notification of his Willpower rising.
"I wonder... did I catch up to the noble young master?"
He had poured out everything so perfectly that he didn't feel like he had lost.
Helena, with over 1,000 pindems of mana fiber, still held a personal best of only 0.72 percent, didn't she?
Even against an opponent with 1,321 pindems, he thought it was a fight worth having.
With that thought, Kang Geohan opened the door and stepped out.
But by then, the outside had fallen silent.
The gathered onlookers didn't spare Kang Geohan a glance, all fixated on the Train Pressure Room where Lanis Kain had entered.
"He hasn't come out yet?"
Kang Geohan had already exhausted all his strength, yet Lanis Kain was still inside, pushing the output higher.
The output displayed above that door caught Kang Geohan's eye.
[1.3%]
"1.3 percent?"
Just past 1 percent had made his mind hazy, and this was 0.3 percent more?
But Lanis Kain didn't stop there.
[1.5%]
Lanis Kain was three years younger than Kang Geohan. One year younger than Helena and Loen. Just 16 years old. In 21st-century terms, a boy who had only just started high school freshman year.
And that boy was single-handedly handling 1.5 percent of a train carrying dozens of Gigants and thousands of people.
Siiiizzle—
The output climbed so high that steam leaked fiercely from the door cracks like a pressure cooker. His vision clouded thickly, as if on fire.
Amid it, the number changed again.
[1.75%]
[2.01%]
[2.31%]
Hiss—
Siiiizzle—
The numbers kept rising without end.
Lanis Kain maintained that insane output without emerging.
Kang Geohan felt utterly deflated.
"Is this what a noble is?"
He had thought he had a shot, but now that thought felt embarrassing.
"The opponent... is on another level...?"
Unlike the heavenly tribe, which he had always seen as distant, had he subconsciously viewed nobles as reachable—with effort, he could stand shoulder to shoulder?
The situation was profoundly shocking.
"But how is that possible?"
A sudden question arose.
Kang Geohan had unleashed all his 3RM power in one burst. Not content, he had maximized the mana fiber conversion Kalts taught him.
Even with everything mobilized, he had only touched 1 percent for a fleeting moment.
In contrast, Lanis Kain had reached over 2.31 percent—more than double—and was still holding it without coming out. Meaning he had reserves left.
"Holding it like this... means he used at most 10RM power. Even with plenty of margin, he achieves this output?"
It was incomprehensible. Lanis Kain's mana fiber wasn't even quite double Kang Geohan's. Yet the output he handled far exceeded double. And without dumping it all at once like Kang Geohan!
"Why? How?"
Just then, Kalts approached and glanced at Kang Geohan's shaken eyes before speaking.
"Master. That's a noble."
"No... bles?"
"Yes. Those who inherit special secret arts passed down through generations. Every noble has one. Whether it's a technique for handling mana fiber like Young Master Lanis Kain or forging special metals like Burjoji Baron. They build their own unassailable domains that ordinary folk can't even touch the heels of, based on such unique skills. That's a noble."
Only then did Kang Geohan understand.
"Mana fiber conversion...!"
Thanks to Kalts, Kang Geohan had barely begun to grasp it, but Lanis Kain wielded it masterfully—no, beyond mastery, applying his noble house's secret art to an astonishing level.
"But even so... is a noble house's secret art that powerful...?"
Sizzle—
As Kang Geohan pondered, Lanis Kain finally ended his challenge.
Emerging from the door, an absurd 2.36 percent was displayed above his head.
Kang Geohan stared blankly at that number, 2.36 percent.
A gap like a massive wall. That was the chasm Kang Geohan, who had sworn to become a noble, must overcome.
* * *
-This train is passing through the blizzard zone. A place of extreme blizzards year-round, so please refrain from exiting to the terrace or other outdoor areas as much as possible. We repeat...
The train smoothly traversed between developed and undeveloped lands. Returning from the gym, Kang Geohan hurriedly started eating.
"Good work today. Alright, mana fibers, time to eat."
The window of opportunity.
Right after training, when existing muscle tissue is damaged and the body prepares to build new muscle. The theory went that ingesting protein—the raw material for muscles—at that moment accelerated growth.
Gym-goers chugged protein shakes and supplements to seize that window before it closed.
Mana fibers worked the same way.
When body tissues broke down under mana fiber pressure, creating space for new growth, swiftly ingesting dark mana accelerated mana fiber development.
Kang Geohan never missed that window.
Thud.
Munch, munch.
Gulp.
He diligently chewed and swallowed the pre-cooked ogre meat.
Crunch, cruuunch.
Activating Full-Body Mirror, he saw his mana fibers greedily devouring dark mana.
"Eat up and grow big. The golden supplement's effect is wearing off, so squeeze out every last bit."
Having felt a huge gap with Lanis Kain today, Kang Geohan chewed the ogre meat even more diligently to close it.
Finishing his combative meal, Kang Geohan glanced out the window at the blizzard-ravaged terrace.
There stood Helena White, staring blankly.
"Helena? It's cold—why's she out there?"
Kang Geohan opened the door and stepped out. Helena was in the next cabin over, so their terraces were separate.
But close enough to almost touch hands, allowing him to observe her closely.
"She must've been out here a while."
Even as a knight trained in mana fibers, Helena's cheeks and nose were red from the cold. Her breath froze mid-air, sparkling as it scattered.
"What're you doing? Eaten yet?"
"Ah... Sir Kang Geohan White?"
"You gotta eat. Especially right after training."
"Ah, right. Yeah. I'll eat in a bit."
Helena didn't turn to Kang Geohan, blankly gazing beyond the blizzard-swept snowfields.
Her ominous mood made him furrow his brow.
"Something wrong?"
Helena didn't answer. She stared at the snowfields a while longer before countering.
"Sir Kang Geohan White. Didn't you feel...挫折?"
"...Defeat?"
"Yeah. Lanis Kain... sir. A boy younger than you, strong solely because he's a noble? For someone aiming to be a noble, it must've been a shock."
Kang Geohan had never told Helena his goal. But she knew. She wasn't naive enough to miss Kalts Black claiming him as master.
"Shock? Yeah... I realized nobles are really far away."
"Exactly. Their house secret arts, the support from birth— they're incomparable. But that's not all. Skill alone won't make you a noble. You need influence and fame the kingdom can't ignore. The path you're on is that distant. ...Doesn't it complicate your heart?"
"Well... the one with the complicated heart right now seems to be you, not me."
Only then did Helena turn to Kang Geohan. He could see her eyes wavering.
"Maybe..."
Helena spoke bitterly, then cast her gaze far away again.
Watching her, Kang Geohan said,
"Still, this is what I thought."
Helena's gaze returned to him.
Kang Geohan recalled what happened in the gym earlier.
* * *
Emerging from the Train Pressure Room, Lanis Kain had said with a refreshed face.
"Ah...! Feels great. You were a worthy opponent. Nothing like that parasite."
Under Lanis's contemptuous gaze, Gerot gritted his teeth and bowed his head. Kang Geohan felt a bit sorry for Gerot, but Lanis seemed utterly indifferent.
"I apologize sincerely for insulting an honorable knight like you. And nobles don't apologize with mere words."
Lanis Kain smiled brightly and shouted.
"Bring it here!"
An attendant who had been watching from the side hurried over with what looked like a briefcase.
Click. Lanis Kain opened it.
Inside gleamed a golden gear.
Its surface was etched densely with fine circuits.
"It's an SPU upgrade part. Install it in your Gigant, and the sensory processing unit's performance improves. It'll definitely help. It's valuable, so let it erase my rudeness."
He seemed the type to flare like fire when angry, but generous once appeased.
Kang Geohan accepted the gift with thanks.
That was it. Lanis Kain waved and left the gym with his friends.
* * *
But the feelings Kang Geohan couldn't voice...
Braving the blizzard, he said to Helena,
"At first, it felt like charity. A great gift, but my pride stung. But then..."
"...Then?"
"It just felt good. I'll take this and get stronger. Step by step, steadily stronger, until one day I look back and reach the spot you're standing now... I'll get that strong. So, thanks. For giving me a stepping stone. Something like that."
"..."
"You can't get strong overnight. What's important is setting the right direction toward your goal. And taking one step at a time in that direction. That's all. So."
Kang Geohan reached out across the terrace, close enough to touch, and tapped Helena's shoulder.
"Eat up quick. The monster meat you bought from me. Get stronger by today's share. That's it."
At those words,
Helena stared at Kang Geohan.
"You seem simpler than you look sometimes."
"...What're you saying?"
"No, it's a compliment."
Helena ruffled her hair and chuckled. Snowflakes scattered from her purple bob, sparkling prettily.