*Thump. Thump.*
I walked out acting as if nothing was wrong, but my heart was still racing.
I had to face my older brother’s sword using only swordsmanship, without any magic.
When one reaches the state of selflessness, their swordsmanship skills often transcend their actual physical strength.
Dealing with that power using only swordsmanship was no easy feat.
A sword thrusting instinctively was sometimes more fierce than a sword imbued with calculated techniques.
I had to dodge those strikes and push back just enough.
I couldn’t simply suppress him.
If I dared to overpower him forcefully, I might have shattered his state of selflessness.
Because I had to lead him while accepting his strikes, it was more exhausting than ever.
“I’d rather deal with 100 more scoundrels.”
For instance, it would have been easier to face ten more people like the late Max. It was that difficult.
“Since I’ve cleared the debt, someone of my brother’s caliber should be quite helpful later.”
Still, it was quite fulfilling to lead a family member to a higher realm.
If my older brother, the future Master of the House, became stronger and more competent, wouldn’t my life become that much easier in the future?
‘I’ve cleaned up the territory, and I’m developing it a bit…’
The more contributions I made, the more crumbs would fall my way.
Even if I were to become independent later, I could receive significant help. It was always easier to move out of a rich house than a poor one.
‘The place where Kim Seonggeon lived was even worse.’
Even in the Korea of my past life, those born with dirt spoons struggled to get a single room, while those with gold spoons started with a house. That was just how the world worked.
So, I couldn’t help but feel proud and satisfied. The only regrettable thing was…
“Everyone except me is gaining enlightenment. It’s not like I’m an enlightenment vending machine.”
I was sowing the seeds of enlightenment everywhere, yet I found it difficult to attain it myself.
Even my Master, who had been having heated discussions about mana lately, was a prime example.
‘His achievements are rising.’
Though he hadn’t reached a full enlightenment yet, he was building a very deep foundation. His mastery was becoming so profound that it would ignite given the right spark.
My understanding of mana itself was also increasing, but it hadn’t led to a breakthrough yet.
“This is the one thing I’m missing.”
Everything else was going well, making this one small regret stand out.
***
The family was suddenly swept up in a training craze.
This fever even spread down to the vassals. It was a natural progression.
“The Master of the House is personally training on the field…”
“If he comes out after his training and sees we’re in a poor state, he might roar at us.”
“You’re right.”
Even my good-natured father was always strict when it came to training. It was because one needed power.
The threat of the North was ever-present, and dangers from other territories were always looming. If we lost our strength here, we would inevitably be left behind. Even now, countless noble families were falling into ruin because they couldn’t build or maintain their power.
“We need to reorganize the training schedule.”
“This is the first time we’ve set it this intensely during winter…”
“Let’s just say we’re trying out a new type of training.”
Because of this, the vassals also began to move for their own training.
The knights suffered the most. Ordinary soldiers would damage their bodies if they overexerted themselves in the winter since they lacked orcs, but that wasn’t the case for knights.
“KHAAAT!”
“Move more! More! What if the Count comes out and sees you!”
Despite it being the middle of winter when bodies usually huddled for warmth, they began training so intensely that their bodies ran hot.
In a situation where our total combat power was rising due to this untimely fever…
Though I was the one who caused this situation, I was the only one…
“Hmm… This is freedom.”
I was relaxed. Thanks to everyone focusing on their own tasks, I had some free time to myself.
I was the only one lounging at the training grounds. Hoden, my vassal, seemingly hated the sight of it.
“Urgh… Then why don’t you train with us, My Lord?”
“You haven’t even finished the basics yet. Why would I train with you?”
I offered a light rebuke.
*Whish— thud!*
When I fired a finger blast of Qi that suited the comment…
“Urgh… T-That’s unfair…”
“Oh? You still have the energy to flap your mouth?”
“……”
His mouth, which had been opening easily, shut tight in an instant.
‘This is great…’
My family was getting stronger through training. My father’s territory was becoming powerful and prosperous.
I was the one who started all of this, but now I was the one with the most leisure. This was only possible because I had set things up properly.
And among the things I had set in motion…
“This is why they say you never know how things will turn out. Hmm… Anyway, is it about time?”
There was one more thing that was nearing its harvest.
***
The foundation of the Vinland Knights, who were in charge of the northern part of Ophern, was originally a group of rangers.
When the knight order was formed later, they set aside their ranger roles. However, they hadn’t completely disappeared.
The original rangers remained as part of the Vinland Knights, but those who insisted on the ranger roles transformed into something else.
They specialized in tracking and stealth—things the now-heavily armored knights could no longer do efficiently.
They were not knights, yet they were treated better than knights. They were the ones who secretly handled the Count’s dirty work.
The Black Crows of Ophern.
They became the hidden strength of the Count of Ophern. Starting from the North, they spread out in all directions—east, west, south, and north.
The Crows brought news back to the family and acted as a force that could control the knights by posing as members of the order. They also served as executioners who eliminated anyone who dared to target the Count’s family within the territory.
While any high-ranking noble might have such an organization, the Black Crows of the Count of Ophern were special. Since they always received the best support, their pride was extraordinary.
The problem was that their pride had been severely damaged recently.
‘This isn’t good.’
Things were happening that even they, the ones in charge of intelligence, couldn’t figure out.
Monsters moving unpredictably were one thing, but the bandit group was the real problem. Whether they were wreaking havoc across the kingdom or not, the fact that they caused trouble in the Earl’s Territory was a painful blow.
Ident, the commander in charge of the Black Crows, felt humiliated by the fact that they hadn’t noticed the bandits rising up until it was too late.
“Are we there yet?”
“Almost there!”
“Good. Increase the speed!”
Perhaps because of that, his usual sly smile had vanished. Instead, he pushed the pace of the pursuit. The Crows took flight, constantly scouring the territory. Eventually, they managed to find one of the trails.
“Among the bandits running rampant, there were clearly two groups. One was the Blood Stream. We’ll have to track them further, but the problem is the other one.”
“There were definitely outsiders who mixed in.”
“Yes. That is the bigger problem.”
Not all bandit groups were the same. They had their own rules and internal organizations. While the Blood Stream was going wild, there was another force moving under the cover of the chaos.
“First, split into three groups. You guys pursue the Blood Stream.”
“Understood!”
The commander split the pursuit team into two. One would track the Blood Stream, which was causing trouble throughout the kingdom.
“I will follow the other trail. And you…”
“You want me to find out who is moving the monsters, right?”
Ident’s handpicked successor, the future commander Johansson, correctly read the commander’s mind.
Ident nodded with a satisfied smile.
“Yes. If possible, eliminate them all.”
“That will be difficult. They are very stealthy and seem quite skilled.”
Johansson never overexerted himself. He only moved as much as he was capable of. It was his greatest strength and advantage.
‘Sometimes you learn through adventure.’
This was the only disappointing thing about him. This business didn’t always run according to calculations. Things often went wrong. Johansson didn’t know that yet.
However, Ident believed that this would change as he gained more experience.
“Then just find their tracks by any means necessary. The Count will help with the rest.”
“Yes, sir! I accept your command!”
“……We aren’t knights. Anyway, get going!”
“Yes!”
The Black Crows split into three paths and moved out.
And Commander Ident…
“Phew… This is going to turn into something quite big.”
He realized that something even larger than his expectations was unfolding.
‘I must report this.’
While the Count was unaware, a threat was seeping toward the family like a creeping mist.
***
The place to harvest was close by.
‘This is it. No reason to miss it.’
Secret codes I had planted beforehand were scattered throughout the territory. Long, black blades. An ordinary person wouldn’t notice them, but they stood out clearly to my eyes.
*Tap.*
I performed the Heavenly Qi Movement and calmly followed the black blades. The trail ended inside the slums. It was a shabby shack. I opened the door to a place so pathetic it was embarrassing to even call it a house and stepped inside.
‘They’re moving well.’
The moment I entered the shack, I sensed presence from all around. It was a movement so stealthy that an average person wouldn’t have noticed. They had become busy because of me, the new visitor.
I pretended not to notice and pushed further inside. Hidden there was a black door that gave off a chill even in the middle of the day.
“Wow. This is well-made.”
The door, marked with the final code, was plastered with magic.
There were triple-layered lock spells. Armor spells were stacked on top of each other, and there was even a trap spell designed to trigger the moment someone tried to force it open.
‘I had a talent I didn’t even know about. I should put this to good use. Let’s see how far this goes.’
This was a door installed by someone with a talent for setting up magic circles rather than just using magic. And the owner of that door…
‘Is my person.’
It felt like finding an unexpected treasure. To test it out, I forced the door open.
*BOOM!*
The moment the door opened, an explosion occurred.
“Oh? Impressive. Shield.”
*Bang! Bang!*
Protecting my body with mana and inner strength, I marched forward, ignoring the successive magic explosions.
‘There are many.’
Everything from simple magic arrows to explosive magic and even poison gas was being released. It was powerful enough to kill an ordinary person the moment they stepped in. It showed how cowardly the person who made this door was, and at the same time…
‘It shows how competent they are.’
It was clear they had a specialized ability for making magic items. This wasn’t a place that could be easily breached. It was just that I, who had entered, was exceptionally strong.
I moved deeper, careful not to damage my clothes. Further. Deeper inside.
After passing through a long hallway, an open space appeared. It was too large to be inside what looked like a small shack from the outside. As soon as I entered, a loud shout rang out.
“Fire! FIRE!”
*Swish! Swish! Swish!*
Arrows flew in a rain-like barrage. They weren’t ordinary arrows either. In a small space like this, there was no time to pull and release a bow. What the opponent was firing were bolts from crossbows.
‘Oho? This is systematic.’
*Whish— whish—*
They had pre-loaded several bolts, as the barrage of arrows was endless. None of the shots overlapped. This place was designed to repel intruders with thorough preparation and a systematic approach.
“HAAAP!”
*Swoosh!*
I blocked the incoming arrows with the Suhjakyul and instantly lunged forward.
“H-He’s coming! Stab him!”
*Whoosh—*
Spears thrust out as if they had been waiting for me to arrive. This too was a dense attack, making it difficult to dodge.
“This just keeps getting better.”
*Pang. Pa-pa-pang.*
I struck down every spear shaft I could see using my hands imbued with Qi. The moment I got close to the one giving the orders after fending everyone off…
“A-Ack! S-Stop!”
The eyes of the person who had been commanding flew wide open. It was a familiar face.
“Yo.”
I gave him a bright, cheerful smile.
But for some reason…
“……Guh.”
Why was he reacting as if he had seen a ghost?