Chapter 107
Chapter 107
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 107
Chapter Title: Ambushed While Training in the Great Demon Vein
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Several years had passed since Geon-woo connected Earth to this world via the dimensional passageway.
His clinic in Teopoli was thriving, always packed to capacity.
“Frixel’s been quite persistent, my lord.”
The first to seek out Geon-woo upon his return from the Demon Blood Mountains was Ilryeong.
These days, she was essentially running the clinic in his stead, so she was briefing him on the events during his absence.
“What? Asking for more spots again?”
“Yes. He practically begged for them.”
“Is Frixel’s faction smaller than Olka’s?”
At this point, the succession race in the Peniell family was dominated by Olka and Frixel, who had pulled far ahead of the other candidates.
The prevailing view was that one of them would become the next family head.
As such, both Olka and Frixel were vying to squeeze their factions into Geon-woo’s clinic.
Given the unique properties of the Peniell family’s mind power, improvements in physical abilities served as a direct gauge of combat strength gains.
“That’s not it. Olka’s making similar demands. Regardless of faction, they want more spots for Peniell bloodkin.”
“Hm. So both Frixel and Olka are asking for the same thing?”
“It benefits the entire Peniell family, so no one can really object.”
“But the problem is we don’t have room for any more new members.”
“The best solution is still to sideline Tebrus, isn’t it?”
“That’s one option, but I don’t see the need. Do we really have to accommodate Peniell that much?”
Geon-woo showed clear reluctance, signaling his refusal.
“Still, don’t we need to give Frixel a little boost? It feels like Olka’s pulling ahead more and more.”
Ilryeong cautiously offered her opinion in response to his reaction.
“Boost Frixel?”
“Yes.”
“Olka’s that far ahead already?”
“It’s because of Gangsigong. In truth, Frixel’s abilities surpass Olka’s. The reason Olka’s leading is the support from his subordinates tempered by Gangsigong.”
“You’ve never liked Olka much, have you, Ilryeong?”
“Olka’s shown a lot of selfishness. He’s caused trouble for you, my lord, multiple times for his own gain.”
“It was just minor stuff. Nothing that caused any real issues, right?”
“Apart from a bit of help at the clinic’s outset, he hasn’t shown much goodwill.”
“So, cut him loose and back Frixel?”
“Even considering your relationship with Priscilla of the Ice Garden, that might be best.”
“Priscilla…”
Geon-woo looked slightly pensive at Ilryeong’s words.
And for good reason—unexpectedly, Frixel of the Peniell family and Priscilla, mistress of the Ice Garden, were blood relatives.
Priscilla was Frixel’s grandmother.
Frixel’s middle name was Grust, which matched Priscilla’s surname.
“That’s tricky. If it were just mutual exchange, fine—but I’d rather avoid anything deeper.”
Geon-woo drew a firm line at Ilryeong’s suggestion to consider his ties with Priscilla.
“Pardon? Why? Why keep your distance from Priscilla?”
Ilryeong asked in surprise, as if it were the last thing she expected.
“You know why I’ve been gathering implant recipients and heading to the Demon Blood Mountains, right?”
Even now, Earth talents who had received bio-armor implants were cultivating chaotic mana within the Demon Blood core in the Demon Blood Mountains.
Among the talents summoned from Earth, several were bio-armor implant recipients, and Geon-woo had all of them absorbing the Demon Blood’s chaotic mana.
Thanks to that, he now had nearly thirty subordinates who could wield chaotic mana.
The annual influx from Earth totaled under three hundred people.
On average, about ten of those three hundred were bio-armor implant recipients.
After three years, he had finally gathered just over thirty.
“The Demon Blood Mountains? It’s the fastest way to build powerful forces through chaotic mana cultivation. So the ultimate goal is to bolster military strength.”
Ilryeong answered without hesitation, as if it were an easy question.
“Right. And why build that strength?”
“To launch a dimensional expedition. Against Earth.”
“Exactly. That’s why I’ve been training to get even a bit stronger myself.”
“That’s true, but accumulating chaotic mana in your body seems too dangerous, my lord. Maybe it’s time to stop…”
“Ah, we agreed not to bring that up. You promised, too, didn’t you, Ilryeong?”
“Ah, my apologies, my lord.”
“Anyway, let’s get back to our earlier talk. What were we discussing?”
“Military expansion?”
“Before that.”
“Priscilla! Yes, you said getting close to Priscilla would be problematic, and that led to talk of building strength for the dimensional expedition.”
“So, putting it all together, what does that imply?”
“That Priscilla could become a rival or even an enemy in your plans? Something like that?”
“Hahaha. Exactly. You’re sharp, Ilryeong. Just a hint, and you string it all together like beads on a necklace.”
“Priscilla really could be a rival in the dimensional expeditions? But she’s from a lower dimension.”
“Not just her—anyone who’s built up significant power is someone to watch. Sigh.”
Geon-woo let out a small sigh.
“What do you mean by that?”
“When launching an expedition from a higher dimension to a lower one…”
“The system imposes heavy restrictions. Sure, it blocks death or dissolution via adventure protections or promises resurrection in the home dimension.”
“The issue is the expedition itself. Not just anyone can go.”
“You’ve mentioned that already. You need a certain scale to qualify.”
Attacks, conquests, colonization, or plundering of lower dimensions require system approval—and a minimum scale.
Plus, Geon-woo had learned a new fact.
“But it’s not just about building up forces.”
“Then what else is needed?”
“Once you hit the threshold for qualification, you have to compete in trials for the occasional expedition slots that drop.”
“Trials?”
“Dozens to nearly a thousand forces vie for them, and the winners get the expedition rights.”
“Wow! They must kill each other fighting over it.”
“Plenty of factions get wiped out.”
“So, you might face Priscilla in those trials? That’s why you’re keeping distance.”
Ilryeong nodded to herself, finally grasping Geon-woo’s stance.
“Right. I heard she enters every time to claim dimensional expedition rights.”
“Every time?”
“Yeah. Whenever there’s a chance.”
“She’s challenged often but never succeeded?”
“But things have changed now.”
Geon-woo looked a touch regretful.
“I see. The Ice Garden has grown much larger than before, strengthening Priscilla as a result. And that’s all thanks to your deals with her.”
“I didn’t expect it to turn out like this. Anyway, that’s why getting too close to Frixel is awkward. Not that I plan to back Olka either.”
“So what will you do?”
“Just watch and wait. If Frixel’s truly desperate, he’ll borrow Priscilla’s power. Could even work in our favor.”
Maybe Priscilla would skip the trials to help Frixel?
Geon-woo quietly harbored that hope.
* * *
“Hm?”
Geon-woo, deep in mana cultivation with full focus, sensed something off and opened his eyes.
Presences were closing in, encircling his training ground.
“How did they find this place?”
He was in the main Demon Vein of the Great Demon Blood, far from tributary streams—a spot even locals avoided.
So many presences here meant…
“They’re targeting me… But am I really the goal?”
Geon-woo muttered as he rose to his feet.
But then.
“Long time no see.”
The moment he spotted Vladikrau greeting him at the training ground entrance, suspicion turned to certainty.
“I heard you were excommunicated from the school?”
Geon-woo asked in genuine surprise at Vladikrau’s appearance.
He had figured the Tebrus outcast might resurface someday.
Just not here, today.
“I dealt major damage to the school, so excommunication was inevitable.”
Vladikrau replied calmly, as if it were no big deal.
“Is that so? Then you shouldn’t have any grudges against me, right? The root reason I attacked you was because you struck first.”
“Everyone twists events to suit themselves. Our bad blood goes back further, doesn’t it?”
“What? Your fellow disciple Marake attacking me?”
“Before that.”
“Your school head threatening my clinic?”
“…”
“What? Cat got your tongue? No matter how far back you go, Tebrus started it all—pretty grim, huh?”
“You’ve got a slick tongue. But no matter what you say, the blame for our enmity lies with you.”
“With me?”
“Weaklings irking the strong is a mistake in itself.”
“Huh?! What? Haha, that’s how it works? Wow, so weaklings like us are wrong just for existing? Hahaha.”
Geon-woo burst into loud laughter, his face a mask of disbelief.
It was unmistakably mockery aimed at Vladikrau.
“Quite relaxed, I see. But to me, it’s just bluffing. Isn’t it?”
Vladikrau glanced back as he spoke.
A new figure emerged at the training ground entrance.
“I hear you’ve been accumulating chaotic mana lately. But it’s dangerously unstable? One slip in control, and you’ll self-destruct?”
“Marquis Sherpalt knows about it too—clearly, this Geon-woo’s intel is hot stuff.”
“Vladikrau and Sherpalt? Any latecomers joining?”
Geon-woo, treated like a strawman before them, suddenly interjected with a question.
“We’ve got a fine ally, but it’s just us two here.”
“No need to bother him anyway.”
Vladikrau and Sherpalt teased Geon-woo in perfect sync, like old pals.
“So it’s just you two?”
But as soon as Geon-woo judged it was only them, his posture straightened, and the suppressed aura began surging forth.
“What’s that? Think we’re pushovers?”
“As if we don’t know your condition? Bluffing gains you nothing!”
Contrary to expectations, Geon-woo’s confident demeanor made Vladikrau and Sherpalt’s eyes flicker uncertainly.