Chapter 3
Chapter 3
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 3
Chapter Title: Dragon Slayer
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My prediction was spot on.
The triplets blocking my path with their sleazy expressions.
The fourth son, 'Tony de Strange,' who would later grow into one of the Five Great Generals of the continent.
The fifth, 'Jony de Strange,' reborn as his right-hand man and loyal hunting dog.
And 'Rony de Strange,' who would become the lord of the slums to handle their dirty work.
Trash who would later form an organization called 'Big Gang' and rebel against the family.
'It started from this moment.'
Them starting to bully me.
These three were legitimate children even in the main house. Their blood was a bit purer than mine, a bastard's.
That didn't mean they had superior talent to me. It was just that their mother had strong influence in the castle, allowing them better education.
Still, as three of the seven direct siblings carrying the Strange Family blood, they weren't to be ignored.
"Hey-. Din, why are you standing there like a mute who ate honey?"
"Like a mute?"
"Like a mute?"
Even after all this time, their voices were still annoying as hell.
How could kids barely six years old make faces like that?
'Well...'
In the past, at five years old, I had endured their bullying.
I didn't want to stir up trouble by touching my brothers unnecessarily. Back then, their group intimidation had gotten to me.
No matter how exceptional my talent was, I wasn't sure if I was stronger than them.
Well, once my talent surfaced at nine years old, even those three quieted down.
But after graduating from the academy, they still occasionally aimed for my neck, so it's fair to call them lifelong enemies.
'I'll crush them now.'
This life is different from my previous one.
I'm strong. Stronger than those three.
I know that for a fact.
Besides, even if I beat them up now, it wouldn't cause any major issues.
Father isn't the type to fuss over trivial matters like this.
To him, legitimate or bastard, direct or collateral—none of that matters.
He only keeps those among his blood who can survive in this world of the weak devoured by the strong.
I've experienced it firsthand, so I know.
I know what he's thinking and what drives him.
If he ever intervened personally in a sibling fight, there'd be only one reason.
'To take note of the victor.'
Anyway, their threat to me now gives me justification to protect myself.
They started the provocation first.
I replied without changing my expression.
"Shut up."
Tony, the eldest of the triplets, tilted his head.
"Huh? What did you just say?"
"What did you just say?!"
"What did you just say!!"
Rony and Jony echoed him like a damn parrot.
I shrugged lightly and pointed at Tony.
"I said shut up."
Tony looked genuinely flustered by my reaction.
And he had every reason to be. Even the adult nannies and knights in the castle cowered before these kids. For his one-year-younger brother to come out this strong must have been shocking.
"...Have you lost your mind? You told your brother to shut up?"
"Bro, this guy's gone crazy. We need to teach him a lesson."
"Yeah, how about breaking his finger? No, no, let's pull all his teeth so he can't talk back!"
Were these really conversations between six-year-olds? Perfect candidates for a beating.
Tony stepped closer, pressuring me.
"Din, not gonna answer? Lost your mind? Oh- I get it. It's because your mom's dead, right? She died giving birth to you. Makes sense you'd go crazy without a mom!"
After that, no words came from my mouth.
Tony's vision flashed white. A dull 'thwack!' sounded from his mouth, followed by a barrage of my fists.
Blood trickled from his busted lip, and a broken front tooth hit the ground.
"Gah!"
Tony groaned, face twisted in agony. Rony and Jony tried to intervene late, but their strength couldn't stop me.
I'm not just strong. My battle sense, honed on the battlefield, is on another level entirely.
Far beyond what kids this age could match.
"You three won't be acting cocky anymore."
In an instant, I struck each of their ribs once. Then I stomped Tony's solar plexus and grabbed Rony and Jony's heads, smashing them together.
A short, dull 'thud' echoed.
"Argh!"
"Argh!"
Rony and Jony clutched their heads in unison.
"Din, you damn dog!"
Tony charged with a scream.
"Uwaaaah-!"
"You're dead meat, for real!"
Desperate for a counterattack, he did something taboo in the family.
Summoning a Guardian Spirit inside the castle was forbidden. Without just cause, it could lead to summary execution.
This was a rule set by the family head, Roys himself. No one could break it.
Not if they wanted to grow up out of his sight.
Yet Tony summoned his Guardian Spirit.
Shhh...
A misty aura erupted from Tony's back, revealing his Guardian Spirit.
Gerry, the western king said to have dominated battlefields in a body of steel without armor.
A muscular giant with a bushy beard reaching his chest glared at me.
"You're dead!"
Tony wiped his bloodied face with his palm.
With a fury-filled expression, he pointed at me and drew his Guardian Spirit into his body.
Whoosh!
In an instant, Tony's body bulked up with muscle.
'Stupid idiot.'
He's digging his own grave.
To pull that stunt knowing who my Guardian Spirit is.
"Guardian Spirit, you brought yours out first."
The tower teeming with ferocious monsters so powerful that even seasoned adventurers couldn't approach.
And those driven by desire to grow stronger under the 'god's' blessing, the tower's master.
One of them, 'Roys de Strange,' was in the midst of training when the family’s guardian knight came to meet him.
For one reason only: to report on the fight between Berddin and his brothers.
"Din took on three alone."
"Yes."
"And Tony summoned his Guardian Spirit inside the castle?"
"...Yes."
Roys stroked his chin with an intrigued expression.
"Any deaths?"
The guardian knight replied with a tense face.
"No! Young Masters Tony, Jony, and Rony all have broken arms and legs, but their lives are not in danger."
"And Din?"
"Young Master Din has not a single scratch."
"I see."
"Yes, according to the nanny. After fighting the other young masters, he returned to his room and said, 'I'm hungry after playing in so long...'."
The knight's response made Roys's lips twitch upward.
But the smile vanished quickly. Having finished his thoughts, Roys spoke coldly to the knight.
"Understood. Go find Valentine immediately and relay this."
"Lady Valentine?"
"Yes, my training isn't over yet, so I can't return to the castle. Tell her to handle this in my stead."
"...Understood."
"And if someone tried to harm another using a Guardian Spirit inside the castle, they must face the consequences."
Roys handed the knight a dagger from his waist with a meaningful look.
"Relay this to Valentine as well."
A week had passed since the fight with my brothers.
As expected, Father paid no attention to the incident.
I thought I'd at least get a warning, but there was zero reaction.
Well, for someone who believes only the strong survive, this level of scuffle is probably just kids' play or a way to learn survival.
'Those punks could have died if things went wrong.'
Whoosh!
As I pondered, my Guardian Spirit Siegfried ignited his massive body in flames.
I knew why he was acting out. We're not contracted yet.
Yet I'd used his power, so this was his way of expressing displeasure.
'Can't be helped.'
The time isn't right yet.
I had good reason for delaying the contract with Siegfried. Contracting a Guardian Spirit comes with restrictions.
Knights can't learn mana after opening aura.
Mages can't learn aura after opening mana.
Contracting a Guardian Spirit naturally unlocks the latent ki pathway, forcing a choice between mana or aura.
'Until now, that is.'
I plan to master both mana and aura.
To do that, I put off contracting Siegfried. Half-forced, disregarding his will.
No one knows now, but soon a new technique will emerge.
A transcendent power using aura and mana simultaneously.
Of course, no one in this era possesses it.
It can only appear after the power struggle between our swordmaster 'Strange Family' and the magic house 'Glazer Family' ends.
A knight contracts a mana-granting Guardian Spirit after learning aura.
A mage contracts an aura-granting Guardian Spirit after learning mana.
Following this order allows housing both kis in one body.
Meaning knights and mages must share awakening methods.
'And...'
Even knowing the method, few can wield aura and mana together.
To combine them, mana and aura must be separated into head and heart. Failure means one explodes, killing you.
Thus, you need overflowing talent to sense and separate the flows, or learn the complex separation control spell devised by the Glazer archmage.
'I can do both, of course.'
Shhh.
I focused my mind, gathering ki in my palm. I never mastered mana in my past life, but I'd learned the opening method.
Studying how to kill mages more efficiently.
A faint blue mist formed, only to scatter in the breeze from the window.
Far from true mana. It needs to be a sticky blue liquid flowing to count as opened.
"Grrr!!!"
Siegfried roared in protest, mouth agape.
Well, more like baring his teeth? No contract yet, so I can't hear his voice.
"Not yet. Just wait a bit longer."
"Rawr!!!"
Siegfried's fiery temper.
I'd briefly explained why no contract yet, but he shoved the long contract scroll in my face with a dissatisfied glare.
To a third party, it looked like he'd punch me any second.
"...It'll be over soon."
I sparked another mana seed at my fingertip and continued.
Shhh...
"Latest by dinner tonight, sooner maybe lunch. Once mana opens, we'll contract right away. Don't be impatient."
Once I master mana like this. I can wield both powers.
Then, among countless knights and mages on the continent, only I could host two Guardian Spirits.
'The first and the last.'
Now that I've returned.
This method won't be revealed anymore.
Knock knock.
Someone rapped on the door.
I quickly hid the mana and grabbed a random book, flipping it open.
Flip.
"Come in-"
Before I finished.
"I'm coming in."
The person outside replied and entered.
'...This voice.'
Click.
'Valentine de Strange.'
And the trash triplet brothers following her.
'Why are they here together?'