Chapter 13
Chapter 13
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: The First Mission
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Crack, crackle...
He slowly worked out the stiff muscles in his shoulders and neck.
"Ugh, it's been a while, so it feels awkward. Well... it must've hurt a bit. But it was worth it, so don't feel too hard done by."
Ian muttered as he rolled his shoulders.
To any onlooker, it had probably just looked like Ian wildly thrashing the insolent Ralph.
But in truth, there was a reason Ian had beaten Ralph like a dog on the hottest day of summer.
On the Northern Continent of Krohoka, there were quite a few warriors who, like Lucas in his past life, had received the blessings of the plains.
They possessed innate divine power, but ironically, that very power meant they had no reason to develop aura cultivation methods, unlike on other continents.
By the time intercontinental exchanges increased and they learned of aura cultivation methods...
The Northern Continent had already spent ages searching for ways to unclog the hardened mana pathways of fully mature warriors.
The secret technique they had discovered was exactly what Ian had just performed on Ralph.
Meridian Pushing Strike.
Sweep the target's entire body, strike it, push, and tap.
The body, subjected to repeated intense external shocks, temporarily expands its blocked internal mana pathways in a bid for survival.
If one then cultivates aura during that window, the effects are far greater than usual cultivation.
Though not as permanently effective as the spirit elixirs refined on the Eastern Continent, consistent application over long periods could yield comparable results. It was one of the Eastern Continent's secret arts.
Despite its incredible efficiency, few on either continent—even among the hardy Northern warriors—used Meridian Pushing Strike regularly.
It came with the minor drawback of requiring one to endure bone-shattering pain every single day.
"Kids these days have no grit... tsk tsk."
Uttering words like some old geezer, Ian thought of Ralph sprawled out on the training grounds.
'He must've noticed by now.'
Temperamental as he was, the guy wasn't stupid.
He could easily guess the source of the changes in his body.
Soon enough, he'd realize.
That the pessimism and despair he'd wallowed in were utterly pathetic and childish.
There were no unsolvable problems in this world.
If you looked, a path always existed.
He'd soon see how narrow-minded and foolish it was to shut down his own potential just because he couldn't obtain spirit elixirs.
"Let's see... We've talked to those three, at least a bit. Tomorrow, I should chat with the mage and the priest."
Ian crossed his arms, lost in thought.
What should he say to those two?
Unlike the three he'd spoken to so far, magic and divine power were outside his expertise.
He couldn't pinpoint their troubles precisely.
Right then...
...Whoosh! Thunk!
"...Hm?"
A faint sound came from nearby.
So soft even Ian might have missed it without listening closely.
Drawn by the periodic noise, Ian spotted a young girl in a veil ahead.
Not on the training grounds, but in the small yard attached to her quarters, fiddling with something.
Fidget, fidget!
The timid girl, crouched low with a stick in hand, slowly stood, something hooked on it.
Screeech!
Unlike her shy demeanor, she yanked the line with surprising force.
Releasing her right hand, whatever was hooked flew and embedded itself in the yard wall.
...Whoosh! Thunk!
Exactly the sound Ian had heard from his quarters earlier.
Now he saw it.
A slightly bent small rod in the girl's hand, with a line attached.
"Ugh... How can I stop getting so tense..."
Startled by her own single arrow shot, the girl glanced around nervously.
Ian's lips curved upward at the sight.
Looked like he knew what to say to at least one more.
After thoroughly thrashing Ralph and sharing a quiet nighttime talk with the girl in priestly robes, Ian planned to speak with the last one—the mage—the next morning.
Unfortunately, his plans fell through.
For some reason, the squad members—who usually spent their time however they pleased—had all gathered on the training grounds at dawn.
What had drawn them together was a single decree from the Patriarch's Hall.
The newly formed strike squad, Latent Dragon Squad, had received its official debut assignment.
"Well, it did take longer than expected."
Most strike squads in the Lichtenauer Martial Clan were dispatched to border regions plagued by great calamities.
Their role was to protect Aslan Kingdom's people from monsters.
But humans needed rest, too.
The clan's squads rotated missions with similarly skilled and influential units.
In that context, granting the newly formed Latent Dragon Squad over a week was arguably considerate.
Flip!
Ralph, uncharacteristically(?) up early and first to check the decree, turned the first page.
The squad's mission finally revealed itself.
And Ralph's face drained of color.
"Th-this crazy..."
"What's wrong?"
Noting Ralph's unusual expression, Ryu An snatched the decree from his hands.
Soon, his face matched Ralph's pallor.
As the squad members' expressions shifted one by one, Ian finally read the decree.
Its bold script commanded the Latent Dragon Squad:
"First mission's orc subjugation, huh."
A chuckle escaped Ian's lips.
Scratch what he said earlier.
Considerate, my ass. No way this mission came without intent to crush Latent Dragon Squad.
Orcs.
Pig-like monsters, among the most common encountered alongside goblins during great calamities.
So common they might seem fitting for a new squad at first glance.
But orcs weren't pushovers, despite their reputation as local pests across the continent.
Unlike goblins—whose adults were child-sized—orks reached the strength of two or three adult men within a year of birth.
No matter their training, it was no easy task for a freshly formed squad of mere kids not yet adults.
And not just a stray orc, but an entire tribe?
Rush in half-cocked, and they'd end up as the orcs' next meal.
Considering most squads' debut was goblin hunts, Alex's influence in this decree was obvious.
But even Alex couldn't unilaterally doom a squad.
The final approval came from none other than the clan head, Paon Lichtenauer.
Ian could almost feel Paon's intentions through the words.
"...Putting us to the test, are you."
Ian's lips quirked up.
He could hear Paon's voice.
-Prove it to me. That what you showed at the Gate Opening Ceremony with the Weapon Orb wasn't luck.
This decree alone confirmed it: the Lichtenauer Martial Clan wasn't some warm, fuzzy family.
'Well, a clan facing great calamities needs this iron will.'
And that fact pleased Ian all the more, his lips curving higher.
"I'll show you. Gladly."
Crumple!
Ian balled up the decree and addressed the pale-faced squad calmly.
"Everyone, gear up and assemble here by noon. We depart immediately."
If it was a test, he'd just pass it.
By reminding them who he was.
In the Patriarch's Hall where the Lichtenauer Martial Clan's head resided...
Paon Lichtenauer lounged on his jade throne with a bored expression.
Tap, tap, tap!
But his fingers drumming the armrest betrayed his unease, unlike usual.
"Dear me, Patriarch. You'll wear a hole in the armrest."
Paon, lord of the absolute house of Bestrika on the Southern Continent.
Only one dared jest so casually with him.
Nedyr, the veteran mage from the Magic Tower who'd eaten the clan's rice longer than most, chuckled.
"Grr, that obvious?"
Their relationship was ambiguous—not quite vassal, not quite friend.
But that allowed Paon to drop his guard around Nedyr.
Paon recalled Alex's recent visit, vehemently pushing Ian's first mission.
-As a direct descendant, Ian begins not as a mere squad member, but as squad leader. If he gets a piddling goblin hunt like the others, his abilities will be doubted. Besides, our squad members may lack polish in character, but their skills surpass peers their age. I believe true ability and responsibility must go hand in hand.
Alex never pushed too hard from the start.
He drew circles slowly from the outside, building justification meticulously without rushing.
Not just anyone could wield such political acumen.
Considering he wasn't even thirty, he'd make a fine leader.
But that's precisely why Paon didn't fully welcome Alex's methods.
"Tch, Alex... He's capable, sure, but I hate his style. Far too petty for someone leading a division."
His martial talent wasn't lacking, either.
Otherwise, Paon never would've handed him a division.
'If only he'd focus more on that talent.'
The Martial Clan was Aslan Kingdom's spiritual pillar against great calamities.
An iron-blooded house clashing with transcendent beasts eyeing the throne.
Its lord had to be unbreakable, foremost in strength.
Scheming was for vassals, not the Patriarch.
Yet Alex, too clever by half, tried orchestrating everything—martial and intrigue alike.
"Heh heh! But you approved the Eldest Young Lord's scheme anyway, Patriarch. Your words and actions don't match."
"...You have a knack for phrasing truths annoyingly."
"Truth stings the ears, doesn't it? Heh heh heh!"
"Tch, if you can't watch your mouth..."
Coming out even against Nedyr, Paon slumped back, grumbling.
"You know full well why I allowed it, yet you keep at it?"
"Heh heh! Apologies, Patriarch. We old folks struggle to find joy beyond our tongues."
"That guy's yap never quits."
Paon's gaze drifted to a small table beside the throne.
A single document lay there.
Rustle!
Opening it again, a chuckle escaped Paon's lips.
"Alex wants to test the 'changed' Ian gradually to confirm his hunch... But the Patriarch's seat isn't for the overly cautious. Too much caution can turn easy paths into ordeals."
How could Paon not see through Alex's game?
Yet he'd played along because of a recent report.
After Ian claimed the Twin-Headed Blood Serpent at the Gate Opening Ceremony, Paon had quietly assigned watchers.
Ian's ceremony performance and casual acceptance of squad leadership despite Alex's pitch felt off.
The report proved his instincts right.
That single succinct line.
From it, Paon was certain.
Ian's odds of dying in Alex's scheme were near zero.
And accepting the squad wasn't stupidity.
Ian had confidence.
Confidence he could command it.
Alex would learn the hard way this time.
That excessive caution and scheming could backfire spectacularly.