Chapter 14: Qi and Mana (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 14: Qi and Mana (3)
It was truly strange.
Just as seeing the boy named Kevin had reminded him of the Mad Demon, Chris brought to mind another figure from his past.
'He resembles the Blood Demon.'
The Blood Demon and the Mad Demon.
They were the subordinates who had followed Roman most faithfully.
If the Mad Demon earned his moniker because he was crazy enough to throw himself into a pit of fire at a single word from his master, the Blood Demon was a supreme expert who had already dominated the Murim long before becoming his subordinate. As the leader of the Blood Demon Cult, clashing with him over the hegemony of the Demonic Path had been inevitable. The Heavenly Demon and the Blood Demon had once waged a fierce battle across a vast plain.
The clash had been cataclysmic.
A single stomp of a foot overturned the earth; a single swing of a sword split the heavens.
That day, the Blood Demon was defeated.
Although he was a historical figure who had unified the Blood Demon Cult, the martial might of his opponent—the Heavenly Demon, Baek Joong-hyuk—existed on an entirely different level.
He was a Demon God.
The Blood Demon knelt.
Coughing up mouthfuls of blood, he looked up at the Heavenly Demon and uttered something utterly absurd:
"...In all my life, I have never seen anyone as strong as you. I admit defeat. From this day forth, the Blood Demon Cult will submit to the Demonic Cult of the Heavenly Demon, Baek Joong-hyuk. That being said... how on earth does one become as strong as you? Since I am to serve you anyway, wouldn't it be beneficial for both of us if I became stronger?"
He was an arrogant, yet uniquely fascinating man.
Even with a face that looked ready to succumb to death at any moment, the Blood Demon cast aside his pride to ask how he could improve. At first, Roman hadn't liked his attitude, but the Blood Demon was not a man to go back on his word. From then on, he followed the Heavenly Demon with absolute loyalty. He discarded his pride as the apex of the Blood Demon Cult and poured his heart and soul into growing stronger.
Thanks to him, the Demonic Cult's conquest of the Murim went much smoother. After all, the Namgung Clan Head—hailed as one of the three greatest masters of the Righteous Faction—had his head severed not by the Heavenly Demon, Baek Joong-hyuk, but by the Blood Demon's blade.
Chris and the Blood Demon.
They were cut from the same cloth.
Chris's flushed face couldn't hide his wounded pride, yet he suppressed it, driven by a burning desire to grow stronger.
'Revealing one's desires is the most human trait of all.'
Roman liked that.
He had always preferred honest people.
Rather than keeping hypocrites who claimed to want nothing while pulling strings in the shadows, he surrounded himself with those who boldly demanded what they desired. The nature of that desire didn't matter. If they wanted wealth, he would grant them wealth; if they wanted strength, he would make them strong. The stronger a person's desires, the less likely they were to ever betray him.
Why?
Because they knew the consequences of betrayal.
Those with strong ambitions were quick to face reality, and Roman was a mountain they could never hope to scale.
'What should I do with this guy?'
His interest was piqued.
It was obvious that Chris disliked him. There was likely some bad blood between them in the past, but what mattered to Roman wasn't their previous ill will. It was Chris's thirst for strength.
Moreover...
'His talent isn't bad.'
Chris's physical frame was solid.
If he had steadily trained in martial arts using Roman's methods, his innate talent would have been enough to already set his sights beyond the first-class realm. However, he was currently unable to utilize his potential properly due to a garbage training method.
Observing Chris closely, Roman let out a faint smile and spoke in a casual tone.
"I cannot give you the answer."
"...Then what on earth do you expect me to do?"
"I told you. Do not blindly follow a method passed down by someone else. Even if I were to hand you the answer, it would be no different from the life you have lived so far. So, if you truly want to find the answer, do whatever it takes to stay by my side from now on. In six months, I will head to the battlefield. Watch closely how I grow stronger, and how I crush my enemies as I face countless foes. If you are still standing by my side ten years from now..."
Chris's eyes shook.
Roman looked straight into them.
Then, he spoke with absolute certainty.
"You will undoubtedly find your answer."
*
The training was over.
Left alone in the spot where Roman had departed, Chris looked up at the blue sky and let out a deep sigh.
"Haaah."
War.
It was something he would have to experience eventually.
Although he knew it was a knight's destiny, he had never once imagined he would march onto the battlefield following the Fool of Dmitry. It would have been better if it were the second son. If it were him, a man who had already made a name for himself in the capital, Chris would have followed with pride. But the current situation was utterly absurd.
'My own method.'
Roman's advice.
It was the first time he had ever heard such words.
For someone who had been hailed as a genius simply for mastering techniques passed down through the generations, Roman's words sent shockwaves through his mind.
At first, he tried to dismiss it.
He tried to write it off as nonsense, feeling as though his years of hard work were being invalidated. But the more he dwelled on Roman's words, the faster his heart beat. He wasn't wrong. Knowledge passed down through generations ultimately originated from another human being. There couldn't be only one path to becoming strong as a swordsman, so why had he strived so hard to stick to their methods until now? If he had pondered a bit more and gone through some trial and error, might he have found a path better suited for himself?
His mind tangled into a complex web of thoughts.
If Roman had been a man of mere words, Chris wouldn't have agonized over this so much.
But the Roman he had experienced firsthand, even if only briefly, was not the man rumored to be the Fool of Dmitry.
'The Young Master's talent is real. I don't know how he became so strong in such a short time, but the Young Master—who had less physical strength than an ordinary person just two years ago—has completely changed. His solid swordsmanship and his talent for emitting Aura... Unless he has been hiding his strength since childhood, he must have found his own method.'
The former possibility...
It made no sense.
There was no reason for him to hide his strength, nor any reason to suddenly reveal it only now.
Roman had grown strong in a very short period of time.
Looking into Roman's eyes as he spoke with absolute certainty, Chris felt an indescribable sense of trust take root in his heart.
That day, Chris fell deep into thought.
The sun set, and the sun rose again.
Having skipped meals to the point of looking gaunt and haggard, he finally made his decision and set off.
'I want to grow stronger.'
It was his life's goal.
His deepest desire lay in martial power.
He went to see his master, Knight Commander Jonathan, and honestly declared his intention to follow Roman to the battlefield.
Hearing that, Jonathan looked at Chris with a calm expression.
"...Something must have happened."
On a battlefield strewn with corpses, Jonathan had first laid eyes on a young boy weeping over his mother's body. That boy was Chris. He was a talented child, and his desire for strength was so intense that he grew rapidly. He had followed Jonathan like a father ever since. For Chris to leave his side and follow Roman, Jonathan was certain there had to be a special reason.
Mutual trust.
The two of them trusted each other completely.
Even though Chris didn't explain his reasoning, Jonathan nodded.
"If you say so, there must be a special reason. From now on, you are no longer part of the Dmitry Knights. As Young Master Roman's escort, stay by his side no matter what, and make sure you achieve your goal."
"...Thank you."
Jonathan chuckled.
That young child.
Seeing the dark-skinned boy who had grown up so much now leaving his side brought a bittersweet ache to his heart.
"Thanks to you, I've learned one thing. If the Chris I know is willing to follow him, then Young Master Roman is no longer the fool people claim him to be. Make some time starting tomorrow. If you want to survive on the battlefield, you ought to have at least one secret weapon of your own."
"...Master!"
Chris's eyes widened.
No matter what days lay ahead, Jonathan was, without a doubt, the master Chris would follow with all his heart.
*
Six months later.
In six months, Roman would be leaving Dmitry, whether he wanted to or not.
While other nobles would be weeping and making a fuss over being drafted, Roman's heart was already racing at the thought.
'I am not someone who can grow like a flower in a greenhouse. I must experience many things and ultimately stand at the apex to be satisfied. Therefore, for the sake of what comes six months from now, I need to start preparing today.'
There was no such thing as perfect preparation in this world.
Variables were, by nature, unpredictable.
However, fortifying oneself was a different matter.
If he established a solid foundation capable of overcoming any adversity, he was confident he would achieve his goals at the end of his hardships.
After parting with Chris, Roman visited the territory's library.
There, he read through various kinds of books.
[...The 6-Star Realm signifies that one has transcended human limits. The Aura emitted through the sword extends over a dozen meters, and attacks that condense and detonate mana are powerful enough to sweep away dozens of soldiers at once. There are currently twelve known 6-Star knights on the continent. They are titled the Twelve Swords of the Continent, and they receive VIP treatment in every nation.]
The Twelve Swords of the Continent.
Even from the written information alone, they were clearly powerful individuals.
If they could project an Aura reaching over a dozen meters despite their inefficient emission of Qi, they had certainly reached the peak of martial power through this world's unique methods. Though he didn't know how they would measure up by Murim standards, they were not opponents the current Roman could afford to face recklessly.
Furthermore...
[From the 7th Circle onward, they are called Archmages. They are demigods; walking natural disasters. A single spell can overturn the earth and collapse the sky. In situations against multiple opponents, an Archmage is an even more terrifying existence than a 6-Star knight.]
Magic.
It was a power that did not exist in the Murim.
The more he read about this new world, the clearer it became what he needed to do right now.
'I do not know when these figures mentioned in the books might appear as my enemies. The probability of such a trial befalling a country bumpkin of Dmitry is extremely slim, but variables are dangerous precisely because they cannot be predicted. As I am now, I cannot perfectly respond to those variables. Therefore, I must push forward whenever the opportunity arises.'
Thud.
He closed the book.
There was something he had to do right now.
*
Roman summoned Hans.
No matter when or where, Hans scurried over as if he had been eagerly awaiting Roman's call.
"Did you call for me, Young Master?"
"I have a task for you."
"Please give the order."
Hans's attitude was deeply respectful.
The incident with Blood Fang had been the catalyst for him to see Roman in an entirely new light. Moved by the words that acknowledged him—a mere servant—Hans had resolved to risk his life for Roman.
Some might mock Hans for risking his insignificant life over a few simple words. But everyone held different values, and to Hans, Roman had become a truly special existence.
"I need a space to train. The size doesn't matter, but it must be completely isolated from the outside. More importantly, the soundproofing must be absolute. Being disturbed during training is the absolute worst."
"Understood."
Hans bowed his head.
He didn't ask any questions about what kind of training Roman was doing, or why he needed such a space. Anyone else would have asked a dozen questions, but Hans simply complied with Roman's orders.
"Also, do you know the whereabouts of the boy named Kevin we met before?"
"Yes. Thinking that you might look for him, Young Master, I have already arranged a separate residence for him."
"Excellent."
A faint smile played on Roman's lips.
Reading his master's mind and acting in advance—Hans was a man who naturally earned his favor.
"Tell me where Kevin is. Back then, I made a promise to that boy. I promised him that I would resolve the problem plaguing him through the proper channels. Since I have eliminated the root cause—Blood Fang—just as he wished, shouldn't I go and deliver the good news myself? And while I'm at it, I also have a certain purpose in mind for him."
Kevin.
The child who resembled the Mad Demon.
Perhaps due to his lingering thoughts of Chris, Roman found himself wanting to see the boy again.