Chapter 15
Chapter 15
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: Magic Suit
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So Gun-ak left the inn early the morning after Sophia departed and headed straight for Todun Mountain.
The road from Todun City directly to the mountain was well-paved thanks to the mining operations.
However, So Gun-ak climbed toward the base of the opposite side of the mountain.
These days, with no one traveling it, vines had overgrown everywhere, making the path treacherous. But originally, it had been a straight trail blazed by explorers for mining development.
Todun Mountain, with its three peaks, was vast but not particularly dangerous. After a massive monster extermination campaign, most monsters had vanished from the mountain.
The wild animals that served as their prey had also dwindled due to indiscriminate hunting, leaving the mountain's food chain all but barren.
Only small herbivores like rabbits or squirrels appeared occasionally.
And on that first day, So Gun-ak discovered an abandoned mine. For the past fortnight since, he had been coming here.
There were a few dilapidated log cabins scattered about, giving it a gloomy air, but it was a fine spot where he could settle in and undertake secluded training if he had no better place to stay.
Best of all, since no one ever came here, there were no interruptions whatsoever.
"Hah!"
Whoosh! Bang!
The spear thrust into empty air produced a menacing sound.
Whoooosh, whoooosh.
His swings were so swift that the spear shaft bent like a bow. After executing the first through tenth forms of the Extreme Spear Ten Principles in sequence, So Gun-ak wiped the sweat from his brow with his sleeve and broke into a satisfied smile.
"Looks like I've reached five stars."
Revisiting spear techniques he already knew by heart wasn't difficult in theory, but there could be no discrepancy—not even a fraction of an inch—between the movements in his mind and those performed in reality.
That was precisely why one must never neglect training the forms.
Some forms required a certain level of internal energy to execute properly, underscoring once more the importance of steadily building up one's vitality, spirit, and essence.
"Hwarang, Chu-a."
Roar... Whiiiing.
At So Gun-ak's call, Hwarang and Chu-a immediately revealed themselves.
"Let me know if anyone approaches."
At his command, the two vanished from the spot in an instant. They had merely concealed their forms; the spirits patrolled the surroundings, faithfully carrying out So Gun-ak's orders.
So Gun-ak plopped down on the ground and neatly placed his spear beside him. It was merely a training weapon until his true one was completed, but he handled it with care all the same.
"Huuuuuup."
Seating himself cross-legged, So Gun-ak closed his eyes and slowly drew in his breath. Whether due to the influence of the abandoned mine or its westward location in a shaded vale, he couldn't say—but this place was rich in yin energy.
Even though the Great Heavenly Demon Sovereign Art was a fiercely yang-dominant cultivation method, it didn't mean yin energy was superfluous.
No cultivation art ignored the harmony of yin and yang. The only difference lay in which took precedence—yin leading or yang leading.
Whether yin or yang, a land brimming with potent energy was the ideal training ground for So Gun-ak right now. Circulating energy in such a place greatly aided in accumulating internal energy.
Thanks to that, his internal energy now approached thirty years' worth.
Considering it had taken fifty days to build up twenty years' worth after possessing Jamie's body, the mere five years gained in the forty-five days since arriving in Todun City might seem meager. But for So Gun-ak, it was a satisfactory achievement.
After all, the higher one's cultivation realm, the harder it became to accumulate energy.
Swish.
A pleasant breeze ruffled his hair, and So Gun-ak opened his eyes.
It was a signal from Chu-a. The spirit materialized, spinning in circles before So Gun-ak before pointing toward the upper slopes with a finger.
Though the trees were dense and obscured the view, he could sense the presence of a group approaching along the ridge.
'About ten of them?'
So Gun-ak prepared to quietly employ stealth techniques. There was no reason to cross paths with them.
At that moment, Hwarang appeared and barked furiously toward the lower slopes.
"Hm."
Another group was ascending the very path So Gun-ak had taken. Their presences were distinct and unmasked—high-level experts numbering around twenty.
So Gun-ak considered slipping away, but saw no need to flee on his account.
He had no idea what business brought the two groups here, but he doubted it involved him.
He could simply hide quietly, wait for them to finish and leave, then reclaim the spot.
So Gun-ak swiftly scaled a large tree and perched on a thick branch, completely masking his presence.
Whiiiish.
Chu-a summoned a gentle breeze to waft So Gun-ak's scent skyward.
'Good work.'
At the praise, Chu-a playfully feigned shyness before redoubling its efforts, adjusting the winds to ensure no trace scent escaped downward.
Moments later, the group descending from above met the one ascending from below in the wide clearing of the abandoned mine where So Gun-ak had been training.
7. Magic Suit
Twelve burly men trudged up the mountain path. All of them looked strong and capable, the sort you'd peg as back-alley thugs or mercenaries. But since each carried a weapon, mercenaries seemed the safer bet.
They dragged along a man bound with rope, his clothes ragged and filthy—clearly a mining slave. Yet there was something odd about him for a slave: his eyes gleamed with sharp intelligence that belied his wretched appearance.
"Why are you dragging me off like this?"
"Ah, we're just following orders. Quit rolling your eyes, or you might end up dead."
The slave flinched at the words of the mercenary leader, Lauter. He'd been biding his time for a chance to escape, but slipping away under their watch wouldn't be easy. Even if an opportunity arose, shaking off twelve men with his hands bound tight seemed impossible.
One thing was clear: he had to escape this situation. If raw strength wouldn't do it, he'd need another way...
"Who put you up to this?"
"Ah, you don't need to know. We just deliver you safe and sound and collect our pay."
Jake, the former heir of the Porun Merchant Group, racked his brains.
His family had gone bankrupt, saddled with massive debts. Though it was his father's debt, the burden fell on him too, reducing him to slavery. Who on earth would want someone like him now?
A name suddenly sprang to mind, and Jake probed cautiously.
"The Ramos Merchant Group?"
Leader Lauter startled briefly before brushing it off.
"Ah, shut it. One more peep out of you, and we'll gag you."
Jake's face fell. The man who'd bankrupted his family was none other than the leader of their rival, the Ramos Merchant Group. They'd crushed him thoroughly—why seek him out now?
'Could it be...?'
An uneasy thought struck him. Even in his enslaved life digging in the mines, he'd clung to hope. Though his family lost everything in the bankruptcy, he'd secretly stashed emergency funds in several hidden spots.
That was his sole lifeline. He'd toil diligently as a slave until the Ramos Merchant Group's watchful eyes slackened, then escape, recover the funds, shed his slave status, and make a comeback.
As the scion of a wealthy merchant house, Jake had studied at the Royal Academy, forging ties with many noble heirs. With their power and connections, revenge against the Ramos Merchant Group might not remain a mere dream.
'How did they find out?'
The circumstances pointed to the Ramos group sniffing out the existence of the hidden funds. But only he knew their locations. They'd learned of the funds but not where they were hidden—that had to be why they were snatching a fallen slave like him.
'Damn it. I thought Todun Mine was safe.'
Viscount Jamby personally oversaw the Todun Mine. While some workers were paid commoners, slaves made up a hefty portion.
To boost slave productivity, Viscount Jamby employed two policies: the carrot of promoting them to serfs with land after five years of service, and the stick of harsh punishment for escapees to enforce obedience.
No slave could leave except by completing those five years, not even if family scraped together the money to buy them out—he refused all such sales.
Since he wouldn't sell to the Ramos Merchant Group either, Jake had figured Todun Mine was the safest bet. He'd never dreamed they'd hire mercenaries to abduct him outright.
"Viscount Jamby's private guards won't let you get away with this!"
The mercenaries burst into laughter at Jake's words.
"You're marked as having run off on your own two feet, so worry about yourself."
"W-what?"
Lauter smacked the back of Jake's head for his slow uptake.
"Shut your trap and come along, kid. Think the viscount's lackeys don't take bribes just because he doesn't? You're dead meat to him anyway if you run."
Jake hung his head. They'd clearly bribed the mine guards. Even if he returned now, there was no future for him there.
'Maybe I should negotiate with the Ramos leader instead?'
If he kept his mouth shut, they couldn't find the funds. He could use that as leverage for a deal—maybe at least save his neck.
"This the right spot?"
At Lauter's question, his subordinate from Todun City nodded eagerly.
"Dead certain, boss. There's an abandoned mine here—perfect to stash him."
By now, Viscount Jamby's soldiers would be combing the mine and Todun City for the missing slave. It wasn't about valuing one runaway; it was to make an example and prevent unrest among the others.
But Jake wouldn't be caught, and after a few days, even the viscount would give up and things would quiet down. Then they'd just drag Jake to the handover point. Easy money.
Upon reaching the abandoned mine, Lauter nodded in approval. The eerie atmosphere ensured no one would come snooping.
"Find a decent spot to hole up."
A few underlings moved to search what looked like an old mine office log cabin. That's when presences stirred from below the mountain, putting the mercenaries on high alert as they scanned the surroundings. Weapons drawn, the mood turned deadly serious in an instant.
"The guards already?"
Fortune favored the mercenaries—the newcomers weren't Viscount Jamby's soldiers. Still, they kept their swords ready, for the arrivals exuded an ominous aura.
Their uniforms bore a red rose embroidered on the left breast, unmistakably knightly attire. Fifteen such knights escorted a pair of splendidly dressed man and woman, flanked by a rat-faced man bowing at the waist.