Chapter 88
Chapter 88
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 88
Chapter Title: Dodging Stones
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Stones were flying through the air at Kallias's mansion as the squad members hurled them relentlessly.
“Hah! Hyaah!!”
Clang! Chink! Thwack!
Eleven men were pelting a single target.
The Heretic Inquisitor at the center parried and dodged with his sword, training hard.
He deflected stones flying from unknown directions, evaded them, and blocked with minimal damage when escape was impossible.
Those who had passed a certain physical fitness threshold were undergoing this drill.
“Ow! S-Stop!”
One Heretic Inquisitor, battered by stones in several places, called for surrender.
Blood trickled faintly from his head.
“Treat him. Next.”
“Hoo… Come on!”
It was the Sixth Squad's squad leader.
Kallias nodded with satisfaction, thinking the man had walked right into it.
“Throw.”
“Hup! Hyaah!!”
Clang! Chink!
He held up well for the first five minutes or so.
Slicing incoming stones, batting them away, dodging—quite impressive.
But once six minutes passed.
A stone infused with Kallias's genuine divine power slammed into Diego's side!
Thud!
“Guh!”
From there, it all fell apart.
Thud! Thump! Thwack!
“Urk! Which bastard is that! Stop throwing!”
“Throw harder.”
In the midst of it, a blind shot nailed the squad leader right in the jewels.
The red-eyed squad leader clutched his groin in agony.
“Argh! You son of a bitch! Who was it!”
He bellowed in outrage.
Kallias casually hurled a few more stones in an instant, nailing the man's forehead and groin.
“Grr! Fuck!! Who!!”
Kallias raised his hand calmly.
“Me. If you're pissed, dodge. Your enemies won't give a damn about your situation and stop attacking.”
“Damn it!”
Whether from injustice or rage, the squad leader bit his lip and resumed batting away stones.
But after a few more hits, he stepped down from the training ground.
Bruises covered his body.
They limited each person to about fifteen minutes.
Yet almost no one lasted the full fifteen.
Kallias had set the primary goal for the Sixth Squad as physical conditioning, with dodging stones as secondary.
They were still pathetic, but he believed consistent practice would yield results.
Every drop of sweat shed here would save a drop of blood later.
‘That aside, this is fun.’
And it was definitely helping.
He could see their growth day by day in their evasive footwork and sensing presences.
From morning till lunch: mountain runs.
From lunch till afternoon: stone dodging and sparring.
The intensity was so brutal, improvement was inevitable.
“On the battlefield, these stones could be arrows, spears, or stray axes. Don't hold back just because they're comrades—throw harder. That's how you survive for real.”
“Yes, sir!!”
Before long, the squad members responded with vigorous affirmations to Kallias's words, and even the squad leader, despite his dissatisfied face, obeyed orders without defiance.
On the first day, suspicion was unavoidable.
They'd just gritted their teeth and followed orders for the sake of sparring.
But as one day passed, then two, their mindset shifted.
“Squad leader, drink this.”
“What the hell is this stuff he keeps making us drink? Sheesh.”
“But it makes your body tingle nicely, right? Feels sturdier too—must be something good in it.”
“Tastes sweet too.”
Kallias watched the squad members downing the mysterious liquid with a meaningful gaze.
They were changing, little by little.
‘It’s working.’
The brew was a mix of dragon blood and troll potion brought by Beatrice.
Of course, diluted to a millionth concentration—it was still experimental.
Uncertain side effects, but after thorough testing, he deemed it safe enough for life.
He believed it would regenerate overworked muscles and bones, making them tougher.
‘Extremely diluted, after all.’
No major issues so far.
No short-term effects, but he was eager for the long-term data.
Kallias approached the squad leader, who was resting and applying salve.
He was tending to his sword.
“Diego, nice work snagging a spirit sword. What's its unique ability?”
“It's Diego. And I don't recall any obligation to tell you. Don't really want to anyway.”
Kallias picked up a stone immediately.
The startled man slowly drew his sword.
“This sword was my father. Named Viego after him.”
“Was he a fallen king or something?”
“What nonsense. He was an outstanding paladin. Father always said swords carry weight. Fittingly, Viego can become lighter or heavier.”
An ability to alter the sword's weight.
Depending on usage, it could serve as a swift blade or a heavy one.
“Fine sword.”
In a way, akin to the Tyrant Sword. A step below, but wielded situationally, few paladins could block it.
“But why's your skill so lackluster? You're wasting it.”
Perhaps the blunt truth hit hard; bloodshot eyes glared immediately.
“Glare all you want—what can you do? Your sword didn't even graze my toe. Still haven't grasped reality?”
“……No, sir.”
“Diego, know why you're weak?”
“It's Diego. No idea.”
“You rely too much on your sword. No drawing Viego for a while. Prove you've grown, and I'll allow it.”
“What……!”
“Captain's order.”
“…….”
“Use standard iron swords or church-issued carcass swords until then.”
Leaving the dazed Diego, Kallias surveyed the mansion courtyard.
Those still needing endurance training were out on runs.
He spotted Brans and the twins in the ranks.
“Brans.”
“Yes, sir!”
“Prepare lunch appropriately.”
“M-Me, sir? I'm training too—it's exhausting!”
“A squad member reported seeing you with a local girl yesterday. Had time for that while whining about fatigue, huh.”
“……I'll get right on it.”
“It's not mating season—rein it in.”
“Yes, sir.”
In one corner, Orphin and another squad member were sparring steadily.
Kallias nodded in satisfaction at the sight.
Orphin had diligently twisted her swordsmanship to fit her blade.
Still awkward and unnatural, but after a few tries, she seemed convinced it suited her.
Without orders, she immersed herself in training, swinging her sword all day.
Her cultivation method was a bit erratic, but time would sort it.
“Wish Brans would learn a thing or two.”
Whirr.
Then, a spirit insect approached Kallias. Catching it on his finger, Orkal's voice emerged.
—It's me. Orkal.
“Found out?”
—Yes, just as you said. The captain was unexpected, and so was that one.
“Got it.”
Cryptic words, but Kallias understood and sent the insect off.
He immediately called for Rini.
Contrasting results from the pair he'd tasked with attaching Orkal's insects.
“M-Me? You called for me, right? Me?”
She grinned ear to ear, delighted.
“Got a job for you. Remember what I told you before?”
“To make friends?”
“Yeah.”
“But I haven't enrolled in the academy yet?”
“Doesn't matter. Same neighborhood.”
“Same neighborhood?”
Kallias smirked at the tilting head.
* * *
A lazy afternoon.
In Flora's home, where she read a book, a bruised boy burst in yelling.
“Boss, boss! Come out! Big trouble—our kids all got beat!!”
“What? Where!”
“Hurry!!”
Flora grabbed the wooden sword her father made and bolted out.
Rounding alley corners, they reached an empty lot—already ravaged by a storm.
Wooden-sword boys lay scattered, a girl at the center welcoming Flora.
“Her?”
“Boss, watch out. New girl who moved in today—she's no joke. Super strong!”
The advising underling's eye was swollen shut.
Flora swallowed hard.
Rare black hair in Kalladi.
And striking gray eyes.
A girl with an annoyingly cute face.
“Hi! I just moved here too. Heard you're the strongest around?”
Her innocent wave clashed with eyes gleaming like a predator spotting prey.
“I'm Rini. You?”
“Flora. No family name.”
Flora gripped her wooden sword tightly with both hands. Instinct.
“Let's see your skills. Been bored with just training lately!”
Rini kicked up a wooden sword at her feet and charged.
Thwack!
“Ugh!”
“Tough, huh?”
It was a wooden sword, yet felt like iron crashing down—heavy.
Same age, but the swing's weight differed.
“Oh, blocked that too? Impressive…!”
Crack! Thud!
Whoosh!
Spinning mid-air for momentum, the wooden sword smashed Flora's guard.
Clang!
An upward slash unraveled her guard, sending the sword flying.
With arms flung open, Rini's roundhouse kick pierced the gap sharply.
Smack!
“Gah!”
Thud! Boom!
Kicked in the gut, Flora rolled, then sprang up.
“Wow! You're really strong? Most wouldn't get up like those kids. Tough hide. Good instincts.”
Ordinarily, no one rises right after a hit like that.
Just local brats.
Flora bit her lip through the pain and asked.
“Your origins?”
“North. From the snowy lands.”
“North…! The snowfields guarded by House Jerban's knights? You're northern?”
“Yeah. You know it.”
The watching kids' eyes widened at "north."
“Who doesn't! North: Jerban! South: Luidren! East: Gradas! West: Orvid!”
Kids raised in the land of swords knew the four great nobles' fame.
Jerban chief among them.
Flora forgot the fight, asking incredulously.
“You're Jerban?”
“Yup.”
“Wow!”
“Jerban!!”
“A Jerban moved here!!”
The kids forgot their bruises, cheering.
Jerban's prestige awed even children.
“And Rini's got black hair and gray eyes! It's real!!”
Questions poured.
Does snow really pile to your head up north?
Do orcs really snatch you at night? Kid stuff.
Rini answered some, then turned to lone Flora.
“You're the boss here, Flora. Right?”
“How'd you know my name?”
“You're famous. Word is no one around here can touch you?”
“Yeah, that's true.”
Rini grinned at the wary Flora.
“Wanna come with me?”
“Suddenly? You and me?”
“Not curious? Where to. I'd be dying to know.”
She was.
A Jerban girl appearing out of nowhere, flattening the gang.
Same age, insanely strong—Jerban explained it. Not frustrating, but enviable.
House Jerban's swordmaster fame carried weight.
“I'm entering the academy. Royal Academy—you know? Graduate, get knighted.”
Royal Academy!
Elite course: finish four-year program, earn knighthood.
A Jerban fittingly aiming there—enviable, eliciting sighs.
“But the count sponsoring me has an open recommendation slot. Asked if I knew anyone. Handsome guy, big potential—I said I'd look into it.”
Explanation odd, but point clear.
Open slot on recommendation.
Seeking a candidate.
“Want to go to the academy?”
Gulp.
Irresistible temptation for a twelve-year-old.
Flora nodded unwittingly at "academy."
“Can I go too?”
Rini's lips curved into a smile.
“Of course.”