Chapter 50

"Please treat that arrogant brat more harshly than the other trainees."

Limer pointed at Marta, who stepped forward confidently.

"I understand."

Jake nodded and summoned an orc. It was larger and more ferocious-looking than the orc that had fought Baren.

"Rup Strength, Rup Agility…."

Jake used a little more mana than he had with Baren to increase the monster's strength and agility, then loosened his control.

"Kraaaaaa!"

The orc roared and charged like a bull.

"Just a monster!"

Marta gritted her teeth and kicked off the ground. She swung her sword at the charging orc.

"Krooo!"

The orc also swung its greatsword at an incredible speed.

Bang!

The swords collided with an explosive force, but neither the orc nor Marta was pushed back or retreated.

It was as if they had planted their feet in the ground, swinging their swords at each other's necks at close range.

Bang! Kwaang!

With a sound like shattering rocks, the swords clashed countless times.

"Kraaaaaa!"

Marta twisted her waist, pulling out all of her Titan Aura.

"Krrrr!"

The orc deflected the greatsword with the steel on its shoulder and drew its sword.

Squeak!

A decisive strike. Marta's sword found its way through the gap and cleanly severed the orc's neck.

"Huff."

She glared at the orc's body that had sunk to the ground, then straightened up and exhaled.

"It took a whole day to catch just one of these. Don't go around saying you're from the same place as me. It's embarrassing."

"Keh."

Baren clenched his jaw at Marta's words. Having seen her overpower the orc with sheer strength and cut off its breath in one go, he had nothing to say.

"Marta."

Laon called out to Marta, who was walking away.

"Go get your shoulder treated after training. There might be some lingering effects."

"...."

Marta pouted and turned her head away. As the leader, she had given her advice, and now it was up to her to take care of herself. She turned her head.

Snap!

At Jake's gesture, the orc's body disappeared, but the crimson blood seeped into the ground, and the stench of blood spread across the training ground.

"Ugh…."

Runan's trembling grew more intense. Her pink lips turned blue.

-If I undo the curse, why is he just standing there?

'It's not the right time.'

To heal a deep wound, it must be allowed to fester and rot. Only then can the wound be cleanly healed.

Laon tapped his fingers as he watched Jake summon the third orc.

It wasn't time to burst the swollen blister yet.

* * *

The life-and-death struggle between the trainees and the monsters continued.

Thanks to Baren and Marta opening the gates well, the trainees were tense but didn't run away in fear.

It took a long time, but eventually, all the trainees managed to cut off the orc's breath, whether by striking the head, heart, or engaging in a fierce battle.

Laon looked at the training ground as the sun began to set. Dorian was shouting and stepping on the ground.

"Kraaaaaa!"

The orc roared and followed, but Dorian's feet were so fast that it couldn't catch him.

"Hyaah!"

Dorian shouted in fear and swung his sword. The orc's waist, not its neck, was cut off.

"Hiik!"

"Ugh!"

Dorian, more surprised than the injured orc, jumped and ran away. The enraged orc roared and charged.

"What is that?"

"Hey, when will it end?"

"It's already been 30 minutes. 30 minutes."

"At least his speed and agility are good."

"Now only Laon and Runan are left. They'll finish it faster, right?"

The trainees sighed and watched Dorian and the orc's chase.

Laon watched Dorian's feet and licked his lips.

'If he just had a little more courage…'

Dorian was fast and his sword was sharp, but he was too afraid. If he could just reduce that fear, he could be right behind Marta, Runan, and Baren.

Swish.

He turned his head at the sound of sand crumbling. Runan was clutching the sand on the ground so hard that her nails bled.

"Ugh…."

Her face was pale, her lips were bitten to the point of bleeding, and her hands and feet were shaking as if in an earthquake.

It was a typical sight of a person terrified to the core.

Limer, standing on the platform, narrowed his eyes and looked at Runan. He was probably considering whether to send her back.

'That won't do.'

This was the best moment to burst the festering blister.

Laon stood up and approached Runan. Her trembling subsided slightly.

"Scared?"

"...."

Runan didn't turn her head or answer.

"Even a trainee holding a sword for the first time, or a seasoned swordsman who has stood on the battlefield hundreds of times, can be afraid of blood."

Runan's jaw moved slightly.

"I'm the same. So is Dorian, who is fighting now. Everyone who has fought is afraid."

"R-really?"

A hoarse voice came from Runan.

"Yes. But do you know what's even more terrifying?"

She slowly shook her head as if she didn't know.

"Being so terrified that you can't do anything."

Laon's eyes glinted eerily. The assassin's nature of Laon Zighardt seeped out.

"If you just stand there, frozen in fear, nothing will change. Nothing will be resolved."

In fact, he was afraid.

He was afraid that his current comfortable life would make his desire for revenge against Darius Robert fade.

He was also afraid.

He was afraid that his revenge and actions might bring bad results to Sylvia and the maids in the annex.

He was afraid and scared, but he had no intention of giving up either.

He would find a way to take revenge on Darius and ensure that Sylvia and the maids could live happily, no matter what.

Laon reaffirmed this and turned to Runan.

"You must have something like that too."

She bit her thumb with her left hand, causing a wound.

Snap.

The red blood droplet from her thumb fell to the ground, and Runan took a step back, her teeth chattering.

"Ah…."

"Don't run away. If not now, you won't be able to overcome it."

"La, Laon. Laon!"

"Blood is scary. But…."

Laon approached Runan, who had retreated as if lying down, and held her hand. The blood from his fingers stained her white hand red.

"It's nothing. Blood won't harm you in any way."

"Huh?"

Runan's eyes widened as she saw the blood droplets flowing down her hand. She looked surprised, realizing that the blood didn't hurt, didn't make her sad, and wasn't heavy.

"I don't know exactly what your brother did to you. But the more you're afraid, the deeper that man's shadow will loom over you."

"Ah…."

Runan's trembling began to noticeably subside.

"If you keep running away out of fear, you'll be dragged around for life. Runan Slier. Only you can protect yourself and your family."

Laon sincerely advised her. Runan's appearance reminded him of his own in a past life, being dragged around by Darius.

"Uaaaaa! I'm going to die!"

Dorian, who had barely managed to pierce the orc's heart, collapsed.

"I barely won. I almost died. Kuh!"

He muttered, wiping his tears with his sleeve.

"Do you have a squirrel?"

Laon stood up and looked at Dorian.

"A squirrel? I don't have one. Oh, I do."

Dorian muttered, "Why do I have this?" and pulled out a wooden squirrel from his pouch. It was a cute squirrel with red eyes.

"Here."

Laon took the wooden squirrel from Dorian and handed it to Runan. She took it with trembling hands.

"That's all the advice I have. I'll speak the rest with my sword."

Laon walked to the training ground after saying this.

* * *

-You're acting out of character.

Ras snorted and sneered.

'You could think that way.'

Laon nodded. He had indeed acted out of character, as Ras said.

Of course, it was partly because she was the first person to show him consideration, but that wasn't all.

It reminded him of his past life.

The image of his past self, brainwashed by Darius Robert, overlapped with Runan, and he couldn't help but reach out and speak.

'But this is the last time.'

The verbal advice was over. Now it was the sword. If this didn't help her break free from the blood brainwashing, that would be the end.

-You're stupid. Worry about yourself. It's obvious you won't be able to reach out properly like the other scum.

'Hmm?'

Hearing Ras's words, a good idea came to mind.

'Shall we make a bet?'

-A bet?

'Yes. A very favorable one for you.'

-What is it?

'If I can't cut the orc in one strike, I'll accept your anger. Just one strike.'

-One strike? Are you serious?

'Of course.'

-You seem to think that giving some advice from a book makes killing trivial.

Ras chuckled and made the bracelet vibrate.

-Fine. Just one strike. Two swings mean your loss.

The message for the bet appeared as his laughter subsided.

[<Rage> proposes the third bet.]

Condition: Cut the enhanced orc's neck in one strike.

Success: All stats +2, random trait.

Failure: Generate 10 points of <Rage> emotion.

'I accept.'

Laon smiled invisibly at Ras and walked to the training ground.

"Oh, you're not the last?"

Limer whistled. His eyes sparkled with amusement, having clearly heard everything Laon said to Runan.

"That guy is the strongest here. Please bring out the strongest orc among your monsters."

"Understood."

Jake pursed his lips. He nodded decisively and began to chant a spell.

Wooom!

A blue magic circle rose from the ground, and a new orc appeared. It had a similar build to the previous orcs but more prominent muscles and numerous scars all over its body.

"Krrr!"

Even though the magic circle prevented it from moving, it still revealed its innate savagery.

Woooom!

Green and red magic circles covered the orc's upper body, and its aura rose exponentially.

Sssss!

As Jake extended his wrist, the orc transformed into a rough-looking man.

"Prepare for the duel."

Laon nodded. As he was about to loosen his left wrist and extend his right, the magic circle shattered like glass, and the orc lunged out.

"Kraaaaaa!"

It charged, roaring, and swung its blood-stained axe. Its speed and strength were on a completely different level from the other orcs.

"What, what!"

"Block it!"

"Damn!"

Everyone was taken aback, but Laon's eyes sank deeper.

'I knew it would happen.'

The moment he saw Jake's excited eyes, he had anticipated this situation.

Swish.

Laon drew his sword from his waist. A flower bloomed on the blade. A golden flower shimmered like mist in the sunset.

First Form of the Flower Technique.

Flame Spirit.

The flower petals sliced through the air.

Under the sunset. Another sunset was drawn, and the orc's movement stopped.

"Krrr…."

The orc couldn't even swing its raised axe before its head was severed.

Plop!

Under the overlapping golden sunset, a crimson blood spurted, and the orc's massive body sank.

A beauty so cruel that it could make the best painter in the continent break his brush.

The instructors who had rushed to stop the orc, the trainees who had jumped up in shock, and Jake, who had been controlling the orc, were all speechless.

Grrrr!

Laon raised his level from his past life and suppressed Jake. The aura of an assassin who had accumulated karma through killing made Jake clutch his throat and kneel.

"Krrr."

His eyes rolled back. He wanted to do more, but Runan was still waiting. After giving him a proper scare, he dampened his aura.

Whoosh.

Laon shook the blood off his blade and turned around.

"Kuh!"

"Damn…."

Baren ground his teeth so hard they almost cracked, and Marta narrowed her eyes and twisted her lips. Both looked extremely frustrated.

"Wha…."

"Wow…."

The trainees gaped wide enough for flies to enter. Their eyes shook violently as if hit by a wave.

"He's crazy."

"What kind of sword is that?"

"A, a single strike…."

The instructors also stood dumbfounded, as if they couldn't believe what they had seen.

After surveying everyone, he looked at Runan, who was at the back.

Her eyes were no longer shrouded in darkness. He nodded at her.

It's your turn now.

* * *

Runan clutched the wooden squirrel as she watched Laon walk to the training ground.

'Did he know all along?'

She had been careful not to say anything, fearing it might affect him. She had pretended everything was fine, thinking it would be okay, that it would just pass.

But he had approached her as if he knew everything.

Laon's calm voice felt like a hand slowly loosening the grip that had been squeezing her heart.

When he extended his blood-stained hand, she was scared. She wanted to run away immediately.

'But…'

When she took his hand and the blood stained her hand, she wasn't scared or afraid. There was only a warm feeling, like a dying ember.

Only then did she realize that blood itself wasn't scary. The dark shadow that had bound her heart felt a little lighter.

Runan regulated her breathing and looked at Laon standing in the training ground. Despite his small frame, he seemed inexplicably broad.

Wooom!

As she watched his back, tense, the orc's magic circle suddenly disappeared.

"Kraaaaaa!"

The orc roared ferociously and charged at Laon.

"No, no!"

As she stood up, her jaw trembling, Laon drew his sword.

A golden flower bloomed on the silver blade. The flower, shining with brilliant beauty, followed the sunset and was drawn.

The moment two sunsets overlapped, a fountain of blood spurted from the orc's neck.

It was beautiful.

The blood, which had been scary and terrifying since she was young, the blood that could never look like this, painted the air beautifully.

Laon shook off the blood from his sword and turned his head. His eyes said, "It's your turn now."

"Okay."

Runan stood up. Her hands no longer trembled.