Chapter 24
Chapter 24
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: Episode 006 (3)
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"Huff... huff..."
Every time he drew in a breath and let it out, hot gasps poured from his mouth. His training uniform had been soaked through with sweat long ago.
The sweat-drenched fabric clung stickily to his skin.
"Hoo... hoo..."
It had been a full month since he'd entered the closed-door training hall. In that time, Kuhn's routine had consisted of nothing particularly special.
He'd wake in the morning, do some light stretching, then swallow the pre-prepared poison pill to bulk up using Monstrous Strength and Chaotic Spirits.
After that, he'd train with the sword nonstop until sunset, when he'd finally analyze and study the martial arts manual of the Nightmare Sword.
That was essentially the entirety of Kuhn's training regimen.
'Of course, voluntarily swallowing poison already puts it far beyond ordinary from the start...'
One thing had changed, though: with no one watching, he was pushing himself a bit harder, more strictly.
"Huff... huff..."
The one silver lining was that the inner chamber of the closed-door training hall came fully stocked with nearly everything needed for practice.
'Preserved foods like jerky, biscuits, cheese, and smoked salted meat, of course. And right beside them, underground water drawn up by magic...'
Spare wooden swords and training uniforms, candles and flint for after dark—everything was prepared.
As he caught his breath, Kuhn slowly shifted his gaze. Once more, he scanned the interior of the training hall with deliberate, unhurried eyes.
'One odd thing, though: the hall feels a bit smaller than it looked from outside...'
He turned his head, and the space—roughly ten meters wide and long—came into sharp focus.
About fifty square meters.
-20 pyeong-
A hair under that. Not spacious by any means, but more than enough for a single trainee. Plenty of room to swing a sword, do basic exercises, even some sprinting.
Yet Kuhn still felt it was cramped. And there was a good reason for that.
'If there are about a hundred such halls...'
It wouldn't be a small setup by any stretch.
But even then, did the total size match the building's exterior? Hardly.
Kuhn twitched the fingers gripping his wooden sword lightly.
'So the question is, what are those extra spaces being used for...?'
The same puzzle he'd pondered when he first entered. As he mulled it over, Kuhn absentmindedly tilted his head.
'Hmm.'
His eyes settled on the back wall of the training hall.
'When I tapped it just in case, it echoed hollowly, like there's empty space behind it.'
A sound that could only come from another room beyond the wall.
So...
'Is this a double-layered structure, with more space past the training hall?'
Not that it was more than a guess. Until he smashed through, he couldn't know for sure what lay beyond.
One thing was clear, though: this building might not be just a simple closed-door training facility.
"...Hoo."
Kuhn let out a quiet sigh as he chewed on the thought.
Then he raised his lowered sword once more, carefully.
Short break over.
Breath steadied—time to resume training.
'Keep going until the sun fully vanishes beyond the window slit.'
It'd be better with a sparring partner, but expecting that during closed-door training was asking too much.
As Kuhn steeled himself to continue...
Grrrrowl—.
"...?"
A familiar growl pierced his ears out of nowhere.
At the same instant, a shadow shot up through the narrow barred window letting in the sunlight.
He started to turn at the sudden sight, then froze with a jolt.
Perked ears. Three swishing tails.
The shape of the shadow felt oddly familiar.
"You're—"
Grrrrowl!!
The creature, locking eyes with him, let out its signature growl as it hopped lightly through the bars and into the hall.
Like it was scolding him for making it work so hard to find him.
Kuhn started to mutter, 'How did you get all the way here?' then chuckled despite himself.
Wild animals didn't have many ways to track someone down.
'Its nose, probably. Followed my scent straight here.'
Even so.
The forest near the Three Caves training ground was quite a distance away.
To cover that relying solely on smell, pinpointing the spot...
'Definitely not an ordinary animal.'
Another question bubbled up in Kuhn's mind: 'Why?'
'I shared some meat, sure, but no reason for it to seek me out specifically.'
Come to think of it, it'd always lingered around him, showing a strange sort of fondness.
Maybe this visit was tied to that affection?
He'd lowered his wooden sword and was lost in thought for a moment when the creature, sniffing around the hall, suddenly blocked his path.
Grrrrowl—.
It bared its teeth and tapped a front paw toward him, as if...
'...provoking me? No, this is—.'
Kuhn's eyes rippled with realization—a beat late. No, two beats.
'...Come at me, if you dare?'
4.
A spire piercing straight toward the sky, visible even from kilometers away. Roads sliced straight like a massive blade had carved them.
And on either side, residential districts and bustling commercial areas laid out with precision.
Ancient Capital
Andras
This city, once the capital of an old kingdom, now served as the Jordic Family's foremost city—the beating heart of the North. Even the Emperor and imperial family tread carefully around the five great families. Each one's domain rivaled kingdoms from the history books. In truth, Andras was as good as the Jordic capital even now. Proving it, countless residents hurried through the streets, breathing life into the city. Merchant caravans hauling goods passed in and out of the east, west, south, and north gates multiple times a day. For late afternoon, the population density was absurd. The resident population alone numbered well over several hundred thousand. On event days or when merchants flooded in, floating population could spike to over a million—not uncommon. In the heart of that Andras stood a colossal castle. Sword Emperor Castle -劍皇城- From its innermost sanctum, an old man rubbed his chin with the back of his hand and spoke.
"...I see."
He sat high on the throne, leg crossed, gazing imperiously downward. His voice alone filled the vast audience chamber, yet it carried a strangely indifferent tone. But at those words, Killingham smiled faintly. 'He's taking an interest, after all.' Having served the old man for so long at his side, he easily caught the subtle curiosity laced in that voice. Naturally, the man on the throne was none other than the Jordic family head and Sword Emperor of the era, Ernst Jordic. Silver strands mingled in his mostly white hair, deep wrinkles etched by time hinting at his age. Easily over eighty. Yet his body showed no trace of decline. He felt less like a man and more like a sword in human form. His frame, forged like steel rather than flesh, exuded disciplined might and weight even through his robes. He could meet the Emperor blade-in-hand if he wished, or draw his sword against the entire continent on a whim. The pinnacle of all swordsmen, a giant of the age. Some upstart from the southern continent, Loberian Dun Bringer or whatever, was making waves lately—but nothing compared to this man. At least, that's what Killingham believed. And for such an Ernst to show curiosity about one of his blood kin? A rare event indeed.
"...Kuhn. Kuhn Jordic."
And the reason this man, nearing ninety yet still not retired from the front lines, was simple. No son or grandson worthy of entrusting the family. Others might call it stubborn folly. But even among grandmasters, differences existed plainly. To this titan of the era, even his eldest and second sons—nearing grandmastery themselves—weren't reliable enough. Then Kuhn Jordic had popped up. 'It started as an investigation into the elders' council seal being smuggled out and the forged orders...' That incident drew the family head's curiosity to a grandson who'd been as good as nonexistent. From there, the story shifted. Sensing it, Killingham glanced up and asked.
"Shall we test him?"
Words that might seem rude to the Sword Emperor. But only Killingham, who'd once called Ernst "hyungnim" and stormed battlefields together, could get away with it. A special privilege Ernst granted to bind "Killingham Mayer," not as family blood, to the Jordics. The Sword Emperor nodded heavily and continued.
"...That wouldn't be bad."
Beautiful flowers and mighty trees reveal their worth only after enduring trials and pests, or so they say. To judge if Kuhn Jordic was worthwhile timber, he'd need such bugs and ordeals first. But...
"Conveniently, he already has his grudge. No need to provide more."
Clearly referring to the forged orders from the elders' council that drove him into Lion’s Den. He murmured, then spoke again.
"And for a tree to grow strong, it needs ample sun and nutrients too."
"Hyungnim, do you mean...?"
"One resolves their own grudges. Wrap up the investigation into the seal smuggling and order forgery here. And..."
He paused a beat, then leaned deep into the throne's backrest to conclude.
"Strictly suppress all knowledge that Kuhn Jordic still survives in Lion’s Den. Understand my meaning?"
Not unlike saying he'd shield the boy until his skills were ready. Essentially flipping the forged orders to their advantage. But during that shield... The boy would face endless trials from his grandfather—the Sword Emperor, Ernst Jordic. Grasping the implication, Killingham dropped to one knee, bowing deeply.
"Understood."