Chapter 26
Chapter 26
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: Episode 007 (1)
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Ree-disaster-class hunting dog has returned
1.
Suuuup, suuuu─.
With every inhale and exhale, the air in the training hall began to stir sluggishly.
It wasn't the stale, heavy air typical of a sealed space.
Rather than ordinary air, it rippled like gray mist, carrying an ominous vibe that sent chills down the spine.
At the center of the closed-door training hall, that aura rose, pulsing heavily in sync with Kuhn's breathing, swirling around his body like a shroud.
The scale was smaller, but the sight of the air rotating in a circle was just like transplanting a miniature supercell right here.
And it wasn't just the swirling aura around the training hall reacting to Kuhn's breath.
Suuuup, suuuuu─.
Every time Kuhn inhaled and exhaled, the stains and shadows on the walls writhed as if they'd gained a will of their own.
Shadows invisible to anyone else, perceptible only to Kuhn.
Their true nature was the traces of spirits drawn in by the breathing method of Monstrous Strength and Chaotic Spirits.
Like the inexplicable handprints or face marks on the walls of a haunted ruin, those shadows flickered along the walls.
And at the same time, this scene revealed just how much stronger the demonic power of Monstrous Strength and Chaotic Spirits had grown over the past year.
For espionage and intel gathering, tracking, evasion, or disrupting enemies.
There were countless ways to utilize these wandering souls if he could control them at will.
But─…
'That won't be easy.'
As he'd explained before, these spirits didn't move with any will or thought of their own.
There was no way to assign them tasks or issue commands.
'Is this the best I can do for now?'
Kuhn muttered to himself as he felt a few of the gathered spirits idly tickling his fingertips.
Not long after, as he continued breathing in and out.
How much time had passed?
Around the time the angle and hue of the sunlight filtering through the narrow window bars had shifted slightly, Kuhn gradually altered his breathing.
The rhythm between his steady inhales and exhales quickened bit by bit.
It was proof that his breath, slowed for aura breathing practice, was returning to normal.
At the same time, the shadows and gray mist faded away.
Finally, confirming the mist that had filled the training hall was completely gone, Kuhn slowly half-opened his eyes.
Flash─
In that instant, eyes enchanted with magic to change color flared with a vivid red glow.
Was it an illusion?
For a split second, the whites of his eyes surrounding the pupils seemed dyed pitch black.
Whoooosh─.
Blink a few slow times, and the intense glow pouring from his eyes gradually dimmed.
The blackened pupils returned to their original hue.
With a deep sigh, Kuhn exhaled sharply.
"Hoo."
A long exhale, as if expelling stale breath.
Turning his head, his face reflected back from the water puddle provided for hydration.
The man staring up from the surface looked utterly transformed compared to a year ago.
'Should I cut my hair a bit?'
His skin had grown even paler from lack of sunlight, but that aside, his unkempt hair now reached down to his wingbones.
The most striking change, however, was in his physique.
'Hmm.'
Shrug off his clothes, and the muscles hidden beneath sprang into view.
Gone was the skeletal, sickly gauntness; now, traces of muscle bulged prominently in places.
Not overly large, but perfectly proportioned—no deficiencies.
His pristine white skin blending over them evoked an ancient marble sculpture.
And despite their modest size, no one could dismiss those muscles lightly.
After all, Kuhn had long trained his aura while simultaneously compressing the density of his muscles and bones.
Even at the same size, his muscles unleashed far greater power than most.
Moreover, the changes weren't merely external.
Though not visible, focusing his mind revealed vast magical power circulating around his heart.
Magical power accumulated through the Monstrous Strength and Chaotic Spirits aura breathing method.
'Daily doses of the 독단 poison, plus absorbing about thirty percent of the death energy bound by the Dream of the Dead curse….'
If his magical power hadn't grown several times over, that would be the real surprise.
Naturally, as his mastery of Monstrous Strength and Chaotic Spirits advanced, the number of sorceries he could wield increased as well.
'At this level….'
Assessing his own power in his mind, a crooked smile tugged at Kuhn's lips.
A bit lopsided, but the smile of one who'd achieved his goal.
'In conclusion, I've completely surpassed my target.'
He couldn't help but grin.
Kuhn casually reached out and picked up a fresh training uniform from beside him.
Swish─.
'The old one was so worn it was unwearable anyway.'
Perfect timing to change.
Having swiftly donned the new uniform, Kuhn glanced back and looked up at the midday sky through the window slit, murmuring to himself.
"Come to think of it, is it today?"
Having a window letting in light was handy at times like this.
Unlike typical sealed training halls where tracking days was impossible, here he could precisely count the passage of time.
'Just in case, I did carve tallies on the wall with a broken wooden sword piece—.'
Mid-thought, Kuhn trailed off. His mind had naturally drifted to the remnants of the wooden sword broken during training.
'Come to think of it, it's already been three months since that guy stopped visiting?'
Turning his head, he saw piles of shattered wooden sword fragments next to the heap of worn training clothes.
Remnants from spars with him—nothing unusual about that.
'Nearly twenty wooden swords smashed….'
A slight exaggeration, but nearly two per month.
'Is something wrong?'
Thinking of the beast who growled daily for spars—a mix of fondness and bitterness—Kuhn gave a wry smile.
Of course, he wasn't overly worried.
After all, he wasn't the only one who'd grown through those spars.
'The guy kept getting stronger too.'
Indeed, three months ago, on his last visit, the beast's skill rivaled a top-tier aura practitioner—.
Not quite Expert-level, but easily a match for two or three standard first-rates.
Far beyond mere wild animal territory.
With that strength, he wouldn't just get beaten down anywhere—.
'Still, since it was the last time, it would've been nice to at least say goodbye.'
Beast or not, the help was undeniable.
The silver lining? The beast had an uncanny nose for scents.
So he might track Kuhn's scent again someday.
'Thanks can wait until then.'
Rattle─.
As Kuhn flung open the food supply crate, planning to set out the remaining jerky in the center, a heavy rumble echoed.
'This is…?'
Ruuuuumble─
Not just the stone floor beneath his feet—the vibration shook the walls and ceiling, the entire training hall intensely.
'The entrance opening?'
Most trainees, sensing the end, relaxed their bodies at the quake.
A sharp clang, and part of the opposite wall slid open. Simultaneously, arrows flew from beyond toward the hall's interior.
Shiiiip, shiiiip─!
Not just arrows.
As if triggering a trap, long spears and tiny darts shot toward Kuhn's position.
No doubt the same was happening in other rooms!
'So there was more to it?'
His thought ended as Kuhn spun on his heel.
Eyes darting, he counted the incoming arrows and darts.
'Seven arrows, ten darts, three spears!'
In that case─…!
Before the thought finished, the wooden sword in Kuhn's hand lashed out lightning-fast.
─Krararung, pow-pow-pow!
Sweeping the sword sequentially deflected the arrows, while he dropped into a low stance.
Then, a kick extended far out!
Targeting one of the nearby training uniforms.
Three spears whistled past his head with razor shrieks.
A fraction slower ducking, and he'd have been skewered.
A few strands of hair, caught in the aftermath, sliced off and fell.
'Now!'
Sensation splintered into microseconds.
Within it, Kuhn whipped his extended leg upward.
The training uniform hooked on his toe billowed like a military banner, blocking the final darts.
Pow-pow-pow!
Riddled instantly, it fell as even greater rags.
That was it.
The chaos vanished as if a lie,
Only wreckage of spears, arrows, and darts littered about, as Kuhn let out a short breath.
"Hah."
His only "injury" from the barrage: a few cut hairs.
'Given the building's size, I figured there'd be more….'
Who'd guess it was a trap sprung at the moment of relief.
'Vicious bastards.'
The training method felt not just ruthless, but downright malicious.
Kuhn stuck out his tongue in dismay at the Jordic talent-nurturing style, muttering.
'Attacks aimed precisely, speeds matching spears, arrows, darts—at minimum, second-rate aura practitioner level.'
'To escape unscathed, you need to be brushing against first-rate territory?'
Another heavy rumble, and this time the iron door truly began opening.
Ruuuuumble─.
Dust wafted, brilliant light pouring through the gap.
The year-long closed-door training had, at last, fully concluded.