NOVEL NEXT
Chapter 31
[Translator – Kie]
[Proofreader – Kawaii]
Chapter 31: Leaf Plains (1)
After that day, Damien dedicated himself to training.
Thanks to the elixir, his physical abilities had improved dramatically, but he still had a long way to go.
Currently, Damien’s physical abilities were at a low-class level. To reach higher levels, he needed to further train his body.
Above all, it was important to train the body to fully absorb the elixir.
Consider this revised version for better flow:
Imagine mana as water, and the body as its vessel. To hold a substantial amount of water, the vessel must be both wide and sturdy.
‘I like that the Duke has so many training equipment.’
The Duke’s estate had all sorts of training tools for his knights.
Opportunities to use so many tools were rare. Damien utilized all the tools to train his body.
However, there was a specific type of training that Damien invested the most time in.
It was training through sparring, which proved to be the most effective. “Ughhhh…”
“Hoooo…”
Inside the training ground arranged within the estate, around five knights were sprawled.
“These pitiful things.”
Damien remarked, gazing down at the knights.
“What will you do if you collapse before me, wearing magical equipment, before I even step forward?”
Unlike the lightly dressed knights, Damien wore magical accessories resembling bracelets and anklets on various parts of his body.
To maximize the training effect by using magical equipment that increases the body’s weight or hindered movement, he intentionally wore them.
On the first day, he wore only about seven, but now it was over ten.
As his physical abilities increased, he increased the number of magical accessories.
“You can’t get up right away! Should I knock some sense into you by hitting your head a few times?”
The knights rose from their positions at Damien’s intimidation. It was as if their previous moans were lies.
“As the days go by, your tricks seem to increase.”
Damien smirked at the knights.
“What good are the so-called knights of the estate if they flee in fear when faced with a challenge?”
As knights, they felt unjustly treated.
For over 20 days, Damien subjected them to beatings disguised as sparring sessions.
During this time, the knights had made strenuous efforts to land a blow on him.
Yet, not even a corner of his clothes had been touched. The knights hadn’t relinquished their pride without cause.
“It seems you’re getting used to my tricks. From now on, I’ll extend the sparring sessions.”
At Damien’s words, the faces of the knights turned pale. He glanced around at them and chuckled.
“Just kidding. We’ll end today’s sparring with this.”
“What?”
One of the knights, surprised by the unexpected statement, asked.
It was Pavel Vermound, the leader of the duel knights.
“Y-you’re stopping?”
“Why? Don’t like it?”
“No… no! We like it!”
Pavel Vermound hastily exclaimed. The other knights vigorously nodded their heads.
“But, we’re just curious why you’re ending it earlier than usual.”
“In two days, we will have a duel with the Marquis. Starting today, there will be no more sparring. Take the remaining two days to reflect on what I’ve taught you while resting.”
The knights looked bewildered at Damien’s words.
“What have we learned? Weren’t we just getting beaten up?” Their inner thoughts were clearly transmitted.
“Seems like no one has truly understood.”
Watching those knights, Damien inwardly smirked.
There were two main reasons why Damien sparred with them.
One was for physical conditioning.
If the goal was merely to increase strength, training with tools would be more effective. However, sparring allowed the use of all muscles necessary for combat.
Even in his previous life as a mercenary, Damien primarily enjoyed training through sparring.
The second reason was to win in duels.
According to Damien’s judgment, the knights of the duchy couldn’t defeat the Marquis’s knights. The Marquis’s knights were just too exceptional.
To win in a duel, Damien had to win two out of three duels.
Even if Damien managed to defeat Michael Ryan Bloom, if the other knights were defeated, he would lose the overall duel.
Therefore, Damien trained the knights while conditioning his body.
“No one has figured out what swordsmanship I’ve been using so far.”
When Damien sparred with the knights, he employed the Lion’s Roar Swordsmanship, a technique commonly practiced by Marquis Ryan Bloom’s knights.
If they become familiar with the swordsmanship used by their adversaries, Damien could lead the duel more advantageously.
“I find myself wondering if I can pull off a victory tomorrow like this,” Damien pondered inwardly.
“…”
Among them, only one person, Pavel Vermound, was seen with his chin in his hand, deep in thought.
“Oh?”
Among the duel knights, Pavel Vermound stood out. Not only did he possess leadership skills to the extent of being the eldest, but he also had outstanding talent.
“I can expect something from him.”
A subtle smile appeared on Damien’s lips as he observed Pavel Vermound.
***
After parting ways with the knights, Damien returned to his room.
Summoning his attendant, he gave clear instructions,
“No one is allowed to enter from now on. Even if His Excellency comes, do not open the door.”
Damien sat in the middle of the room and took out a small glass bottle from his pocket.
Shimmering within the bottle was a liquid of sparkling blue, as if infused with the gems.
A smile naturally formed on Damien’s lips as he looked at the liquid.
“The time to consume this has finally come.”
Damien had refrained from consuming the mana crystallization elixir given by the Duke until now.
It was to ensure that his body was in the perfect state to fully absorb the elixir.
“The mana derived from the mana crystallization elixir is comparable to the mana accumulated over a decade.”
In terms of the available amount, it wasn’t exceptionally high, considering its reputation as a renowned elixir.
However, the true advantage of the mana crystallization elixir lies elsewhere. It instantly heightened the sensitivity of the body to mana upon consumption.
This heightened sensitivity leads to a notable enhancement in manipulating, accumulating, and recovering mana.
It was indeed a great elixir.
‘Shall I test it out?’
He consumed the mana crystallization elixir, the sensation akin to swallowing dense, viscous honey.
As a result, he keenly sensed the elixir making its way down his throat, settling vividly in his stomach.
Once the liquid had settled, the elixir ignited with intense heat.
The flames sparked by the elixir swiftly spread throughout his body, purging impurities and penetrating deeply into his muscles and organs.
“…So, this is how you enhance sensitivity. I wondered how to increase responsiveness. I never thought it would be through this method.”
Similar to how clay transforms into pottery through the heat of a kiln, the elixir’s efficacy shared its resemblance. It fortified the body by harnessing high-purity mana.
“If it were anyone else, they might have remained motionless,” remarked Damien.
He then starts using the Supreme Absorption Technique.
By absorbing external mana, he directed the flow into the mana crystallization elixir, amplifying the flames to an even greater intensity.
How much time had passed like this?
“…Phew.”
Damien exhaled a long breath and opened his eyes. In an instant, a flash of blue radiance appeared in his eyes.
Damien stood up from his seat, and something like gray ash gently fell.
It was the impurities burned by the elixir, expelled from his body.
“Excellent.”
He skillfully manipulated mana. In the past, every maneuver of mana felt like traversing a gravel field.
Yet now, it was akin to effortlessly gliding on ice.
The pace at which he manipulated mana saw a remarkable surge.
“Let’s put it to the test,” he decided.
Slowly extending his hand into the vacant space, he closed his fingers around the air. Around his hand, a gathering of blue radiance commenced.
Step by step, the radiance assumed the silhouette of a sword.
If anyone had observed this display, astonishment would have undoubtedly seized them.
Overlaying aura onto a sword was standard practice, but condensing the aura to manifest a tangible form was beyond the imagination of a Low-class knight.
Mid-class level experts could extend their aura to strike enemies at a distance.
Yet, shaping a weapon entirely through the aura, as Damien demonstrated, was nothing short of extraordinary.
Such a skill was typically within the realm of a High-class expert, at the very least.
“This should do.”
He casually swung the ethereal sword.
The perceptible feeling of air being sliced was undeniable. Damien gazed at the sword, satisfaction evident on his face.
“Now I’m just one step away from forming an Aura Blade.”
***
[Translator – Kie]
[Proofreader -Kawaii]
The two days passed quickly.
On the day of the duel, Damien, along with the Duke, headed towards the Leaf Plains.
“We seem to have arrived a bit late,” the Duke remarked as they reached the plains.
There, the forces of the Marquis had already set up camp and were waiting.
“Damien, what is your assessment of their forces??”
Damien was standing right next to the Duke, treated as if he were a close aide despite being an outsider.
Damien squinted his eyes as he observed the Marquis’s soldiers.
“Overall, it seems to be a high-quality army.”
Both the level of equipment the soldiers wore and the atmosphere each individual exuded was noteworthy.
Matching the reputation of being the top knight family in the Apple Kingdom, the Marquis’s soldiers were formidable.
“Isn’t that right? Even if nothing else, I envy those soldiers. If I could, I’d want to learn how to raise soldiers like them.”
The Duke chuckled as he spoke.
In Damien’s opinion, it was just empty talk.
A Duke with such strong pride as he wouldn’t genuinely envy the Marquis. Even if he did, he would deny it and turn away.
Whether the Duke’s arrival at the Marquis’s camp was noticed, a messenger was seen departing.
The messenger, having arrived in front of the Duke, dismounted and said, “Lord Goldpixie, His Excellency the Marquis suggests that representatives meet on the plains before the duel begins!”
After delivering the message, the messenger returned to the Marquis’s camp.
The Duke’s gaze shifted alternately between Damien and Karl Heimlich.
“With the Marquis suggesting it like that, we have no choice but to go. Will you both follow?”
Damien and Karl Heimlich nodded.
The three of them rode towards the center of the plains.
***
Around that time, a small commotion was unfolding in the Marquis’s camp.
“Michael! Can’t you get up right now?”
The Marquis shouted angrily as he entered a tent.
The interior of the tent was surprisingly modest compared to its size, which could accommodate dozens of people.
A single bed.
One sword.
That was all there was.
On the bed, someone had flipped the blanket over and was sound asleep.
“We’ve just received guests from the Duke! We need to go greet the Duke, so why are you still sleeping?”
Despite the Marquis’s consecutive shouting, there was no sign of the person waking up.
The Marquis’s face gradually turned red. Unable to contain his anger, he swept the bed aside.
“Get up immediately!”
The Marquis shouted with infused mana. The thunderous roar shook the tent and the ground.
“Oh, come on.”
Only then did the boy lying on the bed groggily wake up.
Marquis Ryan Bloom looked at the boy as if finding him pathetic.
The boy’s name was Michael Ryan Bloom.
Renowned as the son of Marquis Ryan Bloom, he currently basked in great fame
Due to his small stature, he might be mistaken for a boy, but in reality, he had been an adult for a long time.
“Father, it’s noisy.”
At Michael’s words, the Marquis’s forehead veins bulged. Unconsciously, he clenched his fist.
“Why are you waking up someone who’s sleeping so well?”
“What I said… Where did you hear it…? Didn’t I say… that we have guests from the Duke… and need to go greet them?”
“That has nothing to do with me. Call me when it’s time for the duel.”
The Marquis spoke, holding back his anger.
“This duel is an opportunity to spread your name far and wide. It’s a chance that others wouldn’t get even if they paid for it.”
“I’m not interested,” Michael declared, attempting to recline back on the bed.
The Marquis sighed and spoke, “Damien will undoubtedly be there too.”
Michael Ryan Bloom, who was about to lie down on the bed, stopped abruptly.
“Why is that guy in the Duke’s camp?”
“You, always in a state of slumber, may not have heard, but Damien has been chosen as the representative on behalf of the Duke.”
“Oh, really? That’s convenient. I was already eager to take revenge on Erwin.”
For a brief moment, Michael’s usually relaxed face showed a glimpse of ferocity and then disappeared.
Although Michael was usually lazy, when it came to matters related to family, he charged in like an angry bull.
“That guy is rumored to have repelled an attack from a Low-Class. Quite impressive, don’t you think? The guy who was originally evaluated as a Junior Knight is now defeating a Low-Class and blocking an attack from a Mid-Class.”
“Impressive.”
“Ever wondered what he looks like? He might become your rival.”
“Father, please don’t say such things.”
Michael sat up and said, “Do you know how many times I’ve heard such words and ended up disappointed?”
“This time might be different.”
“It’s the same. They might be famous, but when you actually face them, they turn out to be nobodies.”
A haze seemed to obscure Michael Ryan Bloom’s pupils, rendering them cloudy.
Because of his outstanding talent and strength, Michael had never encountered a worthy opponent.
Ironically, due to being too exceptional, Michael wallowed in boredom.
“Ah, you’re finally awake.”
Michael got up from the bed and said, “Shall we go meet them?”
The Marquis, along with Michael, headed towards the center of the plain.
Already waiting there was the Duke.
Upon sighting the Marquis, the Duke immediately curled his lip and remarked, “Extending invitations and arriving tardy—still deficient in basic courtesy.”
In response to this taunt, the Marquis smiled and retorted, “Getting agitated over trivial matters. Is your perspective limited not just in sight but also in comprehension?”
The two men laughed loudly. Although they were laughing, the glint in their eyes was harsh.
“Sir Karl Heimlich, it’s been a while.”
“Nice to see you after a long time.”
Next, the Marquis turned to Karl Heimlich and spoke, and Karl Heimlich replied with a bow.
While considering age and experience, Karl Heimlich was longer in both. However, due to their equal High-Class status and the fact that the Marquis held a higher position, he often belittled Karl Heimlich.
“Don’t you get bored at the Duke’s place? Quit that and come over to our family.”
“I am thinking of burying my bones at Goldpixie Duchy.”
“That’s regrettable. It’s akin to throwing pearls before swine.”
The Marquis clicked his tongue, then turned his gaze away. If Karl Heimlich was on the Duke’s right, on the left was a young man they had never seen before.
“If my guess is correct, this youth is Damien Haksen.”
The Marquis glanced casually at the youth. However, when he faced the youth head-on, he felt a shock as if he had been hit on the back of the head.
‘What is this?’
The Marquis didn’t hold a favorable opinion of Damien Haksen. He was an enemy who had brought disgrace to the knight of the family, the second son who was so precious and well-raised.
On the other hand, he was curious. Damien’s actions were too radical, and the Marquis wanted to personally confirm what kind of person he was and how remarkable his talent was. Perhaps it could serve as a suitable stimulus for the indulgent Michael Ryan Bloom.
‘…What is this? A monster?’
The moment the Marquis saw Damien, he felt a chilling sensation in his spine. Fearing a High-Class knight to the extent of Low-Class was unreasonable.
The reason for the Marquis’s fear was Damien’s talent. When he saw Damien Haksen, the Marquis felt that there was something eerie about him.
Damien was not merely a knight who would end up as a plaything for the eldest son. He might be a monster who could rival the eldest son himself.
‘Oh no.’
The Marquis quickly turned to Michael. If he was shocked like this, there was no way Michael felt nothing.
“…?”
Michael was looking at Damien Haksen with a vacant expression on his face. He hadn’t blinked even once, as if he considered blinking a waste of time.
“Hah.”
A delighted sigh escaped Michael Ryan Bloom’s lips. In that instant, Michael’s hand instinctively gripped the sword’s hilt.
The blade unsheathed as he drew it forth.
[Translator – Kie]
[Proofreader -Kawaii]