Chapter 32: Struggle, Acquisition, Enjoyment (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 32: Struggle, Acquisition, Enjoyment (2)
Fuuu…
Returning to his room, Jin took a long, deep breath. Only after bolting the door and leaning against it did he feel the tension finally begin to drain away.
Or perhaps, it was more accurate to say he was finally allowing himself to show it.
God, I thought my heart was going to stop.
Looking back on the conversation with his uncle, Zed Runcandel, Jin found his own audacity surprising.
Thanks to his regression, he knew Zed’s personality, his own strengths, and exactly what to say. But even so, his opponent was a man of Zed’s caliber.
If he had shown even a flicker of fear while provoking him, he would have surely lost a limb. Or, as Zed had threatened, his head might have actually rolled.
But Jin had pulled it off. He had left an indelible, powerful impression on both Zed and the cadets, and he had seized the initiative in the hierarchy war against the Tona brothers from the very start.
It might have seemed a small reward for a gamble involving his life, but Jin knew better. In Runcandel, life and death often hinged on the smallest things, and nothing could be gained without giving one’s absolute all.
Struggle, Acquisition, Enjoyment… I’m certain of it. Not every regressor could do what I’m doing.
The three great virtues of Runcandel, which he had loathed so much in his past life.
Now, Jin embodied them more than anyone.
“Gilly.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
“The hierarchy war with the Tona brothers has begun in earnest. But it seems Myu and Anne are backing them.”
Gilly’s hands, which had been busy wiping a teacup, went still.
She had expected Jin to begin his hierarchy war with the Tona brothers once he reached the Intermediate Class. It was unavoidable, given that they now moved in the same circles.
However, the fact that the Tona brothers had backers was outside her calculations. A fierce light glinted in her eyes.
“The young ladies… Are you certain?”
“Yes. I cut down a cadet who was with them today, and it turns out he belonged to their faction. Besides, there’s no way the Tona brothers could have a 5-star knight in their faction already.”
No matter how direct the lineage, a faction usually consisted of those weaker than its leader. The Tona brothers were currently only mid-rank 3-star knights.
“Haa, I didn’t expect the young ladies to start checking you already. They are already active Flagbearers.”
Since Myu and Anne were 7-star knights who had already distinguished themselves on various battlefields, they had earned the right to be Flagbearers of the clan.
Of Cyron’s thirteen children, only four had yet to become Flagbearers: Jin, the Tona brothers, and the youngest daughter, Yona.
Gilly’s expression turned somber as she aimlessly fiddled with the dry cloth in her hands.
“The fact that my sisters are checking me is actually something to be happy about. It means that even though they’re already Flagbearers, they’re worried about their much younger brother.”
“Even so, this is too much! You are only fifteen, Young Master. It is an unspoken rule that Flagbearers fight amongst themselves!” Gilly vented, her frustration boiling over.
“It’s fine. I just have to change their perception from being merely ‘worried’ to being ‘terrified.’”
Poof!
The sound of Murakan, who had been basking in the sun as a cat, transforming back into a human echoed through the room.
“What, what? What are you talking about? Let me in on it.”
After Gilly gave him a brief explanation, Murakan let out a groan.
“It’s a shame I can’t reveal my true identity. I could swallow two 7-star knights in one bite. Why are those girls so desperate to devour you, the only one in the family who will eventually be able to chew up and spit out the Zipple?”
Chew up and spit out the Zipple.
Murakan’s phrasing was perfectly accurate. As long as Jin wielded Solderet’s power, once his growth was complete, Runcandel would trample the Zipple and rise to the apex of the world.
For now, the Zipple held the advantage. If an all-out war broke out, they would ultimately emerge victorious.
There were two reasons why the Zipple had not yet engaged in total war with Runcandel.
First, the Zipple would suffer irreparable damage even if they won. Second, the existence of Cyron Runcandel.
But there was one more thing the Zipple didn’t know. Solderet, the god they so desperately yearned for, was currently with Jin.
“Is it because they don’t know you’re Solderet’s contractor?”
“No, they just hate anyone who shows potential. If they knew I was the contractor, they’d probably be ten times more aggressive. I’d be lucky to still be breathing.”
“Tsk, this family is just as shitty as it was a thousand years ago. Though your First Patriarch wasn’t exactly heartless, even if he was a total prick.”
“……Then what do you plan to do now, Young Master?”
“What else? My sisters have already taken a hit. The cadet I cut down was one of the top-ranked students in the Intermediate Class. Not only was he defeated by me on my first day, but he was also publicly claimed by the Tona brothers.”
Jin explained the events at the training ground in detail.
Kajin was no longer publicly part of Anne’s faction. This was because the Tona brothers had explicitly used the phrase ‘my cadet.’
“Because of this, the Tona brothers are going to get thrashed by our sisters. I bet they’ll show up to the training ground tomorrow with faces swollen like steamed buns. Effectively, it’s become difficult for them to pressure me using the Intermediate Class factions.”
If a king provides a general with excellent troops and the general loses them all on the first day, the king won’t give that general another chance.
That was exactly the situation between Myu, Anne, and the Tona brothers.
“Furthermore, my sisters can’t personally come to the Intermediate Class to crush me since they’re already Flagbearers. That leaves them with only one way to pressure me.”
As if realizing what he meant, Gilly let out a sigh.
“Missions!”
“Exactly. They’ll likely use their authority as Flagbearers to manipulate my mission schedule. They’ll pick out only the most disgustingly difficult missions and send me on them, desperately hoping I’ll die or get injured.”
“I will speak with the young ladies’ nannies. I cannot let such a thing happen.”
Kind and simple-hearted, Gilly didn’t often think deviously.
“No, Gilly. If you do that, my sisters might personally discipline you for overstepping your bounds. Besides, managing missions is the prerogative of the Flagbearers. We have no justification to stop them.”
“Damn it! Bloody—! Ah, I’m sorry, Young Master. I didn’t mean to…”
“It is quite alright, Strawberry Pie,” Murakan answered in her stead.
Jin gave a thin smile and continued.
“But there’s one thing my sisters don’t realize. Many high-difficulty missions are solo missions… and on a solo mission, I don’t need to limit my abilities, do I?”
Unlike group missions, there was no problem with using magic and spiritual energy if he was performing the task alone.
He just couldn't leave any witnesses to his use of magic, spiritual energy, or the secret techniques from the manuals. Or he could just kill every single witness.
“So, solo missions are actually an opportunity. I’d be grateful if they sent me on them. I was starting to feel stifled only using a sword anyway. I can just go, sweep everything aside with my hidden powers, and rack up achievements.”
Mission achievements were the absolute metric for evaluating the Intermediate Class.
There were cases where someone excelled at swordsmanship but was weak in actual combat, and cases where someone’s swordsmanship was slightly lacking but they were strong in the field. Naturally, the latter was more important.
Among those, high-difficulty solo missions were undoubtedly the best way to score points. Since solo missions mostly consisted of assassinations or espionage, they were considered the most dangerous.
“Not a bad idea, kid.”
“……If you use all your hidden strength, you should be able to match the lower-tier Upper-level Cadets.”
Murakan and Gilly knew Jin’s true combat power well. Since his swordsmanship was also growing at a rapid pace, he would likely reach the 4-star level before his first mission.
“Besides, if there’s a mission that seems impossible for you, I can just go along. Even on a solo mission, there’s no harm in bringing along a cat, right?”
“None at all. But you have something else to do.”
“What is it?”
“I’ll tell you later. Since we’ve reached an understanding, I’m going to receive training from Sister Luna. Don’t cause any trouble while I’m gone; stay quiet.”
*
The formal training for the Intermediate Class began.
The curriculum wasn't much different from the Beginner Class, except they now used live blades and the intensity was much higher.
However, once the afternoon training began, Jin and the Tona brothers were personally instructed in Runcandel Swordsmanship by Zed in a secret area within the training grounds. It was a privilege granted only to purebloods.
“Our family’s swordsmanship can be summarized in one word: the Path of the Overlord. It is destructive and relentless. The personality of Runcandel is etched directly into the blade.”
Jin and the Tonas, sitting in a formal posture, nodded.
Just as Jin had predicted, the Tona brothers’ faces were swollen like steamed buns, a result of the beating they had received from their sisters overnight.
However, Zed didn't even ask why their faces looked like that. He had already sensed, even before Jin arrived, that the Tona brothers’ potential was not of the highest caliber.
To think a moment would come when I actually feel sorry for the Tona brothers. Well, they brought it on themselves.
Though they had been bloodthirsty maniacs in his past life and were currently growing into prospective killers, the Tona brothers were still children who would be considered incredible geniuses in the outside world. But in Zed’s eyes, they fell far short of the mark and didn't warrant any special attention.
To make matters worse, their public humiliation by Jin yesterday only made Zed find them even more distasteful.
Still, it wasn't as if Zed had absolutely no affection for them.
—Do not defy the youngest until you are strong enough. That is, if you wish to live a long life. That boy is not your match.
Those were the words Zed had left them with after keeping only the Tona brothers behind at the training ground yesterday.
“As you well know, our family’s swordsmanship has no specific forms to speak of. Secret techniques and ultimate skills exist, but those can only be learned after becoming a Flagbearer.”
The Runcandel swordsmanship learned by the direct line was formless, different from what the ordinary cadets learned.
There were no forms, no laws, no footwork, and not even a proper stance. It was the most significant characteristic that distinguished Runcandel from other martial clans.
“Do you know why our family’s swordsmanship has no form?”
“It is because of the physical abilities and senses unique to the Runcandel bloodline.”
“Correct. The blessed bloodline of Runcandel is born with bodies and a sense for the sword that ordinary humans cannot even begin to imagine. Every single one of us, without exception!”
While the timing of the bloodline’s awakening and the level of ability varied, there had never been a Runcandel in a thousand years of history who did not enjoy those blessings.
In exchange, their affinity for mana was so low it defied explanation. This was why Jin was such an extraordinary existence even within Runcandel.
Zed continued his explanation.
“Therefore, what you will learn from me is simple and crude. Stand up.”