The Beginning of Revenge
“Everyone, step back.”
“Yes!”
“Yes!”
The servants and maids retreated.
It was the absolute command of Arthur, head of the Press family.
(The Beginning of Revenge)
📍 Grade:C
📍 Cash Reward:2,000 | Reality Gold:2,000
📍 Reward:Charisma +1
📍 Penalty for Failure:All Stats -20
📍 Description: The painful memories of your previous life are right before your eyes. Don't hold back—crush them mercilessly.
That’s the plan.
Arthur quickly closed the quest window.
“This bastard shows no sign of remorse……”
“Shut up.”
Arthur cut him off curtly.
In the end, one of them couldn’t hold back.
The man who had sexually harassed Runi—the one Arthur had his eye on—drew his sword and charged.
He probably didn’t intend to kill.
But that was even better.
I’ve got justification now.
Justification was key in all things.
Hans, the servants, and maids turned pale as they saw the territory soldier draw his sword.
“Y-Young master……!”
The moment those words burst from Hans’s mouth—
Thwack!
Before the man could swing, Arthur seized his throat with thumb and forefinger, clamping down with crushing force.
“Gurk!”
The man’s face turned beet red as his airway was blocked.
It was inhuman grip strength.
Incredible. And impossibly fast—too quick to track with the naked eye.
Arthur kicked his groin with all his might.
Crack!
With a gruesome sound, the man’s mouth gaped open as he slowly toppled over.
It had probably burst.
“You crazy bastard!”
“Stand down.”
The shit-soaked territory soldiers were about to charge en masse when a chilling voice rang out.
Turning, they saw Colton drawing his sword from his waist, glaring at Arthur.
“I’ll give you a chance.”
He sneered down at the shorter Arthur.
“Kneel right now and lick these guys clean. I’ll let it slide this once. Oh, and after, say, ‘A moron like me deserves this.’”
He grinned wickedly.
Arthur shrugged at the words, glancing at the shit with exaggerated nonchalance.
“Oh, you want to eat it? You think it suits you?”
“You little……”
Arthur picked up the sword dropped by the man who had collapsed clutching his groin.
Just beating them down would be no fun.
“You want a duel or what?”
Arthur nodded without a word.
At the mention of a duel, the territory soldiers behind snorted with laughter, calling him insane.
Colton was the son of Knight Captain Colos.
He was destined to lead Brat Territory’s knights as captain one day.
But Arthur had already scanned him.
Colton was weaker.
Even if his stats were lower, Arthur was confident he could crush a worm like Colton.
I’ll humiliate you.
You bark. I’ll show them.
That was Arthur’s plan.
Duels on the Asgard Continent were typically formal affairs—mutual respect, attacks without intent to kill.
And afterward, a clear hierarchy emerged.
What the hell is he thinking……?
Instructor Lauden watched with a grim sigh.
Arthur was exceptional.
A true son of Acaus, a genius without question.
He’d been impressive in the territory war exam and today’s training.
But against Colton now? No contest.
Lauden wanted to stop this foolish duel.
Arthur could be in real danger.
And shit-soaked bully Colton wouldn’t stop at a simple duel.
But speaking up wouldn’t help.
Plus, reining in Colton would bring Colos’s wrath down on him.
“Fine. Let’s do it properly, then.”
Colton gripped his sword hilt with both hands, raising the tip skyward in salute with a curt nod.
Arthur mirrored the stance perfectly.
So refined?
Lauden blinked in surprise.
Arthur’s pre-duel etiquette looked far more polished than Colton’s.
Colton thrust at Arthur.
Shing!
As the blade stabbed forward with full force, screams and laughter erupted from the crowd—everyone but Arthur.
Arthur casually deflected it.
Colton’s brow furrowed at the impact.
What strength……!
He was stunned.
From that small frame?
That’s when Arthur closed in swiftly.
Startled, Colton raised his knee.
Arthur smashed the pommel into it.
Crunch!
“Agh!”
A scream tore from Colton’s lips.
In that instant, Arthur gripped his sword left-handed and slapped Colton’s cheek right-handed with all his power.
Slap!
“Guh, you bastard!”
As Colton’s head snapped around in fury, charging again—
Slap!
Arthur slapped him again, full force.
Chasing the retreating Colton, he kept slapping.
Slap!
Slap!
Colton couldn’t believe it.
Getting hit by cowardly Arthur? Pathetic Arthur?
As Arthur dodged another wild swing, kneed him down, and raised his hand again, Colton flinched instinctively, squeezing his eyes shut and recoiling.
“This eye level suits us just fine.”
Arthur smirked and turned away.
Anyone could see it: Arthur’s victory.
The territory soldiers shuddered under his icy gaze, faces pale with shock.
Even the Press servants and maids gaped in astonishment.
“Colton…… stand down!”
Instructor Lauden’s voice came from afar.
Knew it.
Arthur’s lips twisted.
He’d anticipated it—that’s why he’d proposed the duel.
For ironclad justification.
Was it the heightened Sense stat?
Arthur felt thick killing intent from behind.
The sword slicing air was aimed to gut him.
Clang!
Spinning, Arthur parried, grabbed Colton’s wrist, yanked him close, and snapped his arm with brutal force.
Crack!
“Gaaah!”
Colton screamed, writhing on the shit-covered ground.
The soldiers lunged but recoiled at Arthur’s glare.
He was hiding it……
Lauden realized.
Even in training, Arthur hadn’t shown his full power.
“Stop!”
Knight squad members burst in, having heard the news.
They checked Colton and drew swords.
Shing!
Shing!
His den, as expected.
But Arthur didn’t flinch.
He shielded the terrified servants coldly, glaring them down.
“What the hell is this?!”
“You, some newbie soldier. Even if you die, you’ve got no—”
“He does.”
Stepping forward was none other than Instructor Lauden.
The one man Arthur trusted in Brat Territory’s training camp.
In his previous life, when fire consumed his home and everyone died, Lauden had been in charge of him.
He’d said: Feel wronged? Then get strong. Crush them underfoot.
Lauden knew Colos orchestrated it all. He’d shown Arthur the wartime draft notice, urged him to leave.
A man who knew right from wrong.
Though just an instructor now, Lauden had once served Acaus as a knight.
His rank wasn’t low—many knights respected him, beyond their reach.
“Look around. Hundreds of territory soldiers as witnesses. Colton tried to kill Arthur in that duel.”
The knights faltered at Lauden’s intervention.
This defied Colos.
Just a boy before……
When Acaus announced a healthy son, Lauden had visited the Press mansion to see him.
That frail child had grown into this resolute man.
You’ve learned what to protect, like your father.
The spitting image.
He didn’t scorn servants.
Lauden felt ashamed.
Knowing Colos’s backlash, he spoke firmly anyway.
“Touch a finger to Arthur, and I won’t stand by.”
The knights trembled at his steely gaze.
His skill outmatched the vice-captain.
He chose instructor duty—and excelled.
The soldiers eyed the standoff.
He’s lost it……
They gonna kill Arthur? I didn’t dream of soldier life in this rotten territory for this.
Colton’s clearly wrong.
Those not Colos’s dogs saw it objectively.
Colton’s fault.
Evidence was plain.
“Drinking openly in the training camp, too. Colton’s a squad leader—and a minor. Want more?”
One knight bit his lip.
“No.”
“Understood.”
They backed off, realizing it was indefensible against Colos’s own.
They rushed to the writhing Colton.
“Let’s go.”
Arthur followed silently as Lauden led.
Had the knights pushed, he’d have flattened them.
That’s enough for today.
Arthur escorted the Press servants to the training camp gate.
“Y-Young master……”
“Thank you.”
“Thank you!”
He’d risked everything for them.
Hans and Runi sobbed like babies.
Yet Hans wailed at Lauden.
“Boo-hoo, what about our lunch pay?”
Arthur couldn’t help but grin.
“I’ll collect it. Head back worry-free.”
“Come back safe.”
“Yeah.”
Arthur watched them go.
“Haa.”
A sigh came.
Its owner draped an arm limply over Arthur’s shoulder.
“What were you thinking? You held back fine till now, didn’t you?”
It might seem that way.
Lauden figured Arthur had been play-acting the coward.
Yet he smiled softly at him.
“I didn’t hold back.”
“Then what?”
Arthur’s lips twisted.
“I was just biding my time.”
Lauden’s jaw dropped.