Chapter 14

After finishing breakfast, Rao returned to the training ground.

-This food is disgustingly tasteless. If such trash was served when I was in the Underworld, I would have crushed the chef's head.

‘Huh? You can taste it?’

-I can share your senses indirectly, especially taste. I was known as a gourmet even when I was in the Underworld...

‘You talk too much. You could have just said you could taste it because of the shared senses.’

-Shut up! I am known for being taciturn... Ugh!

‘It’s hard to digest. Be quiet for a bit.’

Rao tapped the bracelet to silence Las and looked up at the platform.

Rimer was lying on the platform as if taking a nap, completely motionless, like a statue.

-What a repulsive sight. I want to rip off those pointy ears.

Las, who seemed to get angry whenever he saw Rimer, exhaled a cold breath.

‘The Light Sword of Sieghart...’

Rimer, known as the Light Sword of Sieghart, possessed formidable martial prowess, but rumors had it that his personality was not just light but frivolous.

I thought it was just a rumor, but seeing Rimer now, the information was frighteningly accurate.

‘But he has no weaknesses.’

Even lying sprawled out like that, he showed no vulnerabilities.

It seems that even though he retired due to serious injuries, the martial prowess he once had as a Master hasn’t completely disappeared.

-I will rip off those ears first when I consume your body.

‘Sure, if that happens.’

It’s unlikely, but...

“Ahem!”

Rimer only got up and stretched slowly after all the temporary trainees had gathered and a considerable amount of time had passed.

“Did you eat well?”

“Yes.”

The children’s responses were sluggish, as their stamina hadn’t fully recovered.

“Then let’s start the next training session.”

Rimer smiled. As his gaze fell on the wooden swords placed in one corner of the training ground, the children’s expressions brightened.

“Swords are fine, but follow the posture I show you.”

However, he teased the children by not picking up a wooden sword but instead spreading his feet shoulder-width apart and bending his knees.

“Wait, aren’t we learning swordsmanship?”

One of the collateral descendants raised his hand and shouted.

“No?”

“We thought we were learning swordsmanship...”

“You’re right. The Light Sword is famous for his swordsmanship, so why...”

“Swords? Swords are great. But can you run before you learn to walk?”

Rimer’s lips curled up. Despite his cheerful laugh, it felt like a cold wind was blowing.

“Can you, who lack physical strength, mental fortitude, and proper posture, learn proper swordsmanship?”

“Ah...”

“Every time I say this, you don’t have to follow my instructions. If you take responsibility, it’s fine.”

His voice was playful, but the training ground fell silent.

“Those who want to follow, follow. Those who want to do other training, move to the right.”

Of course, no one moved. Everyone stood there, looking at Rimer.

“Then let’s start again. Spread your feet shoulder-width apart and bend your knees until your thighs are parallel to the ground.”

“Yes!”

The children easily followed the posture.

“This posture is called Ma Bo. It means the posture of riding a horse and is the foundation of all martial arts, including swords, spears, and fists. Maintain this posture until I say stop.”

“Yes!”

The children shouted loudly and raised their arms. Since it was one of the basic postures, no one failed to follow it.

-Training the body in such an undignified posture, humans are truly despicable.

‘You couldn’t even take over a human body.’

-Ugh, that’s a different case...

‘I need to focus, so be quiet.’

Rao tapped the flower bracelet and closed his eyes.

‘This is an important time.’

Using the ring of fire, he could gain a lot even from such basic training. Even if the training time was the same, what he gained was different from the other children.

“Then I’ll take a short nap.”

Rimer lay down again and started dozing off, while the Ma Bo posture continued uninterrupted.

“Ugh...”

“Ugh!”

“How long are we going to do this!”

The children trembled as if in an earthquake. This was the first time they had held the Ma Bo posture for so long.

Only the upper group, including Lunan and Buren, and Rao maintained the correct posture.

“What is he, anyway?”

“How can he endure this!”

“He has the worst constitution, right?”

“I heard he was a patient...”

Rao, despite sweating profusely, did not lose his posture. His posture was the most accurate, surpassing anyone in the training ground.

“Ugh!”

“I can’t lose.”

“How can I stop when he’s enduring like that!”

The children who were about to give up and release the Ma Bo posture clenched their teeth and maintained their posture when they saw Rao, a member of the lower group, enduring.

However, Rao was actually quite relaxed.

‘This is nothing.’

In his previous life, he had practiced Ma Bo with stones tied to his thighs and back at a younger age. Compared to that, this training was easy.

Of course, the pain from the cold spreading over his tired body was intense. It felt like his flesh was tearing and his bones were freezing, but this was an opportunity to become stronger.

Rao maintained the Ma Bo posture while rotating the ring of fire to absorb the spreading cold into his body.

The amount of cold absorbed was considerable, and the achievement of the ring of fire increased again.

At this rate, he could easily win the bet with Las. Of course, Las didn’t know that.

Rao, lost in his own world, was brought back to reality by applause from the platform.

“Stop!”

When he came to his senses, Rimer was nodding and the children were sitting down, kneading their thighs like dough.

-How long will you ignore the words of your king!

‘Sorry, I didn’t hear you.’

-This despicable creature really...

Las, who had been muttering, cursed at himself for only now reacting.

“Huff...”

Rao, regardless of what Las did, took a deep breath and relaxed the muscles in his thighs and waist.

Ding!

[You have completed extreme training beyond your physical limits.]

[Your physical strength has increased.]

The message that his physical strength had increased appeared again. Feeling the vitality returning to his trembling thighs, he straightened his back.

“Just like yesterday, some of you held on until the end, while others gave up.”

Rimer, looking at the children who had stood until the end, wiggled his fingers.

“Let me repeat, I only give instructions; I don’t directly involve myself in your training. You must surpass your limits on your own. You must endure, even if you think you’ve done enough, to pass the exam in six months.”

He maintained his sly smile as he continued.

“This is the last time I’ll say this. From now on, I won’t care whether you give up or hold on until the end.”

Rimer, after telling them to relax their thighs for tomorrow’s training, disappeared.

-For an elf who believes in the god of nature to preach mental fortitude is absurd. Mental fortitude crumbles in the face of overwhelming power.

‘That’s not true.’

-What do you mean?

‘Mental fortitude is important.’

Rao shook his head while loosening his legs.

-You’re just a puppy who hasn’t experienced true power. If you felt the power of your king, you would immediately bow down...

‘I withstood your attacks with mental fortitude, didn’t I?’

-I, I haven’t regained my full power yet!

‘I’m just a child, right?’

-That, that’s...

Las’s voice sank like a wet towel.

‘Mental fortitude can’t be meaningless.’

Mental fortitude and physical strength are like muscles. They have limits, but they get stronger the more you use them.

In his previous life, he had faced countless crises but had survived many times by pushing his physical and mental limits to the extreme.

‘Then let’s go.’

After loosening the muscles in his thighs and buttocks, Rao entered the indoor training ground.

The training ground was equipped with various training devices to improve strength and agility.

-Are you training again?

‘Yes.’

He nodded. To improve his stats, he had to push his body and mental fortitude to the limit, like squeezing a dried squid.

To him, additional training was not boring or difficult but a moment filled with anticipation.

Rao started with basic exercises like push-ups and planks.

-It’s really frustrating. It’s like watching a caterpillar hanging from a tree.

‘A caterpillar on a branch will eventually become a butterfly and fly away.’

-The only way for you to become a butterfly is to offer your body to your king.

‘That’s not a butterfly but a moth with poison. Wake up from your dream.’

He waved his hands and bent his arms again. It wasn’t just about the number of repetitions but about stimulating the muscles by slowly bending and extending his arms.

His chest muscles ached as if they were about to tear, but the pain was almost welcome. The current pain would become his future abilities and physical strength.

While doing abdominal exercises after push-ups, children started entering the training ground.

They glanced at him and started training separately.

Lunan and Buren also entered and looked around the equipment.

Lunan grabbed a piece of equipment alone, and Buren, after staring at him intently, left again.

He went to the wooden swords and started swinging them.

Whoosh!

The collateral descendants, who usually followed Buren, also picked up wooden swords and started practicing the sword techniques they had learned.

-That guy has picked up a sword.

‘Yes.’

-Aren’t you going to pick one up?

‘Not necessary right now.’

What he needed now was not a sword but basic physical strength, strength, and agility.

Besides, the sword skills of the children, including Buren, were not even at the walking stage. Practicing swordsmanship without a guide with such rudimentary skills was a waste of time.

Rao continued his tedious and difficult training, regardless of what others were doing, hoping for more progress tomorrow.

* * *

Lunan Slieron has no interest in others.

It’s not because he thinks he’s superior due to his talent.

It’s because he locked the door to his heart after a significant disappointment from someone he trusted.

But recently, someone has caught his attention.

It’s not the elf Rimer, known as the Light Sword of Sieghart, nor Buren Sieghart, whom others call his rival.

Rao Sieghart.

The son of Sylvia, who was expelled from the main line and became a collateral descendant, kept drawing his gaze.

‘Why am I drawn to him?’

It’s the first time he’s felt interested in someone or found someone familiar.

‘Is it because of the cold?’

Rao’s mana circuit was said to be filled with intense cold. Perhaps his frost ability felt a sense of familiarity with Rao’s cold.

‘That’s it.’

Lunan, now aware of the reason, tried to lose interest.

But the more he tried, the more he couldn’t take his eyes off Rao.

‘He grows fast.’

Rao’s growth rate was beyond the norm.

A month ago, he was completely emaciated with no muscles, but now he had some muscle mass.

‘Moreover.’

Yesterday, he was in the lowest group, but today he caught up with the mid-lower group.

Even he, with his innate talent, couldn’t grow that fast. It was unrealistic.

“Huff!”

Lunan, lifting a 60kg device with ease, kept glancing at Rao.

“It’s really strange.”