Crack!
With a sharp sound of a wooden sword, another thug collapsed, foaming at the mouth.
“Damn it! What are you doing?!”
“Get out of the way, you bastard!”
In the confined space, surrounding a single person naturally restricted movement.
Myers seized every opening his enemies revealed, striking their heads with his wooden sword and shield.
Of course, he didn’t emerge unscathed.
A small dagger was lodged in his side, and his body bore bruises from being battered with clubs.
Ethan, arms crossed, observed the fight.
He’s doing better than I expected.
Myers had already taken down over a dozen thugs.
Considering he was armed only with a crude wooden shield and a wooden sword, it was an impressive feat.
Just a few days ago, Myers’ skills were so poor he could hardly be called a knight.
But now?
He was starting to look the part.
His shield technique, in particular, was noteworthy.
If judged solely on shieldwork, he seemed like a seasoned soldier who’d trained for over a year.
He’s decisive and has some guts.
When the dagger came for his side, dodging would have exposed him to more attacks.
Instead, Myers chose to take the hit—a choice Ethan deemed close to optimal, if not perfect.
If he pulls through this fight successfully…
It might be time to pit him against stronger opponents in real combat.
As Ethan watched Myers fight, Hans, who was also observing, clicked his tongue in disbelief.
What a ruthless bastard.
The eldest son, Ethan, was cold to an almost cruel degree.
Just three minutes ago, Hans had seen it clearly: one of the thugs had driven a dagger deep into Myers’ side.
And Ethan?
He just stood there, arms crossed, watching.
Not only did he not flinch, but he even nodded approvingly, as if Myers had taken the stab well.
Hans had expected at least a flicker of concern from Ethan when the dagger struck, but…
What a naive thought.
It was a foolish expectation.
Hans shivered.
This so-called “training” was practically throwing his younger brother into a death trap.
As Hans was lost in thought, Ethan spoke up.
“What do you think?”
“Man, the youngest lord is really something! It hasn’t even been a week since he started using a shield, right?”
“Exactly.”
“To think he’s holding his own against those vicious thugs without falling behind! Ha! Truly worthy of a hero’s lineage!”
Ethan nodded in satisfaction.
Bloodlines clearly mattered.
On this point, he and Hans were in complete agreement.
Some of the thugs scowled at their conversation.
Their comrades were dropping like flies under Myers’ wooden sword, yet these two were casually singing his praises!
They wanted to turn their daggers on them, but the sight of their unconscious allies embedded in the walls kept them in check.
At that moment, a booming voice echoed from above.
“Who dares harass the brothers of the Red Scorpion?!”
The voice was laced with mana, resonating powerfully.
Myers and the thugs on the first floor flinched.
Ethan’s eyes gleamed with interest.
Mana.
To amplify a voice with mana, one needed to resonate their mana core—a feat requiring at least mid-tier 1-star knight proficiency.
For a mere village thug, it was impressive.
There was a significant gap between a brute with raw strength and a 1-star knight who’d awakened mana.
Heavy footsteps descended from the upper floor.
A massive figure appeared—Wirdan, the leader of the Red Scorpion.
He quickly summoned one of his men.
“Who’s that guy?”
“He’s the one the second-in-command was dealing with.”
“The youngest son of the ducal family?”
“Yes.”
“Then that guy must be…”
Wirdan glanced at the lean man—Ethan.
A few days ago, Alfonso, one of the Red Scorpion’s lieutenants, had returned with his limbs shattered.
“Big brother… the eldest son… he’s a monster,” Alfonso had said, his eyes filled with terror he’d never shown before.
The eldest son.
Wirdan’s eyes glinted.
He’d heard Ethan had crippled Alfonso’s crew with just his fists.
While Wirdan could do the same, caution was warranted.
Even if I deal with him, I need to consult the baron first.
Baron Helmut, the local lord, would need to be contacted.
That way, even if they dealt with this arrogant noble, they could pin the blame elsewhere.
Wirdan addressed Ethan.
“So, you’re the one who crippled my dear brother?”
“You catch on quick.”
“Hmph. I’m sorry about what happened to your little brother. So, how about you leave now?”
They say absurdity can leave you speechless.
Ethan felt exactly that.
In his past life, this thug wouldn’t have dared meet his eyes, yet here he was, acting magnanimous.
“Big brother, what should I do? Take him on?”
“You keep handling those guys.”
A mana-using thug was too much for Myers, who was still in the process of emptying his mana reserves.
Ethan stepped forward.
The Essence of Fire in his wrist began to heat up, and mana flared like flames in his hand.
Wirdan’s expression hardened.
Mana burning like that?
He’d heard of such mana before: The mana of a swordsmanship dynasty burns like dark crimson flames.
It wasn’t quite the same shade, but the fiery nature matched the tales of the ducal family’s heads.
Still, Wirdan couldn’t back down.
Retreating now would mean never returning to this area.
With a heavy breath, mana from Wirdan’s core enveloped his arms.
At that moment, Ethan spoke.
“That mana breathing technique—who taught you?”
“Why should I tell you?”
“You will.”
Ethan charged.
Wirdan threw a mana-infused punch at Ethan’s face.
With a swift dodge and minimal movement, Ethan grabbed Wirdan’s joint.
There was no need to break his arm outright—the fiery mana from the Essence of Fire seeped into Wirdan’s arm.
“Urgh!”
Wirdan grimaced as his arm felt like it’d burst into flames.
He tried to counter with his own mana, but Ethan’s fiery mana devoured it, growing stronger.
Damn it!
At point-blank range, the two exchanged blows.
But only one side landed hits.
“Gah!”
Blood poured from Wirdan’s mouth as Ethan’s relentless strikes pummeled him.
The speed, power, and control were on another level.
Ethan seemed to anticipate every move, shattering Wirdan’s bones with precise punches.
In less than a minute, Wirdan collapsed.
“Big brother!” the thugs cried.
“Eyes on me, you bastards!”
Myers roared, swinging his sword like a wolf among rabbits.
The thugs’ morale plummeted without their leader, and they began to fall one by one.
As the remaining thugs fled upstairs, the fight reached a lull.
“My lord, shall I clean up?”
Hans asked.
“Do it.”
Hans began rummaging through the fallen thugs’ belongings.
Ethan approached Wirdan.
“Who taught you?”
“Cough!”
“You even stole our family’s martial techniques.”
Wirdan stayed silent, his lips sealed despite his thuggish nature.
Ethan grabbed his wrist.
If he wouldn’t talk, Ethan would make him.
He channeled mana into Wirdan’s broken hand.
“Aaagh!”
Wirdan screamed as the fiery mana invaded his body, targeting his mana core.
A broken bone could heal, but a destroyed mana core meant losing everything.
“Stop!” Wirdan pleaded.
“The Kargas Baron! They taught me!”
Ethan sighed.
The Kargas Baron.
Not only did they disrespect the main family, but they’d leaked the ducal family’s breathing techniques and martial arts to trash like this—knowledge reserved for knights who’d passed rigorous trials.
The crime was grave.
It was time for punishment.
As Ethan prepared to pour more mana, Hans rushed over.
“Hey! Where’s the secret safe?”
“What…?”
“Don’t play dumb! Everyone knows you’ve been skimming extra cash besides the tributes! Where’s the safe?!”
Hans rubbed his hands eagerly.
“My lord, this guy’s a real piece of work—gambling, drugs, even assassination contracts.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes! A crook like him must have a fortune stashed away. Leave it to me, and I’ll find it.”
Ethan nodded.
Hans pulled out a small pouch filled with tools—hammers, awls, nails, pliers.
Wirdan trembled, unable to do more than writhe due to his broken limbs.
“Stay still, you bastard! My lord, give me a moment, and I’ll have it sorted.”
“Do it.”
Ethan left Myers with Hans for safety and went to inspect the upper floors.
The screams from below gradually faded.
Soon, Hans and Myers returned, footsteps light.
“Found it! In the office on the third floor…”
Hans flung open the office door and rummaged under the desk, pulling out a small box.
With a click, he unlocked it.
“Hah! Diamonds?! And rubies, sapphires…!”
Hans’ eyes gleamed at the sizable gems, clearly worth a fortune.
But something else caught his attention.
Oh?
His eyes lit up as he examined the contents of the box.