Chapter 21

Chapter 9: What Exactly Is the Eye of the Heart? (4)

Belop, standing in front of Jin with a wooden sword in hand, was drenched in cold sweat. It wasn't just a figure of speech; he was wiping his forehead and the corners of his eyes every few seconds, his pupils trembling.

Since becoming a squire cadet, he had never been so much in the spotlight as he was today, and it was only natural that he would be this way.

Even Belop, who was half out of his wits, and the other cadets watching Jin and Belop, couldn't help but ponder the meaning of Jin's words just now.

In this Runkandel.

You can't survive that way.

'Why did Young Master say such a thing to me...?'

Is it because I'm too weak? Too timid? Even as his body trembled, such questions crossed Belop's mind.

'Is Young Master Jin so frustrated with Belop that he wants to humiliate him?'

'Is this a warning that I'm too weak to survive in Runkandel?'

'Young Master Jin is more cruel than I thought...'

The other cadets felt the same way.

Regardless, Jin only tightened his grip on his wooden sword as he stared directly at Belop.

"Belop."

"Ah! Yes, yes, Young Master."

Tittering laughter erupted from the cadets. The cadet who couldn't hold back his laughter instinctively clamped his hand over his mouth, expecting Galon's stern reprimand.

But neither Galon nor Jin paid any attention to the laughing cadet.

"I've already fought ten people and my stamina is greatly depleted."

"That's true, Young Master."

Belop, who had just regained his composure, answered clearly.

"And you are still in good condition, right?"

"Yes."

"Even so."

Jin took a step closer to Belop and continued.

"I will be stronger than you. Except for Galon, I could probably win one more time against anyone here."

Belop nodded silently, unable to formulate a response.

"That's why I want to fight you."

"Young Master, I don't understand what you mean... Ah!"

Crack!

In an instant, Jin's wooden sword struck Belop's shoulder. Belop was startled and stumbled but didn't suffer any other harm.

After that, a series of fluid attacks followed. Belop retreated, dodging the attacks.

"You're doing well."

"Thank you. Ugh!"

Swish!

Suddenly, Jin scooped up a handful of sand from the training ground and threw it in Belop's face. Belop, barely enduring the stinging pain in his eyes, could only grip his wooden sword tightly.

"Y-Young Master...!?"

Jin, without answering, grabbed Belop's side. Crack! As Jin's shin struck Belop's thigh, Belop let out a low groan and fell to the ground.

"I didn't call you here to spar. I said I want to fight."

Jin leaned in close to Belop, who opened his eyes, red from the sand, and looked up at him.

"I said, 'probably.' Probably, I could win against everyone here again right now. That means I'm not entirely sure. Wipe your face."

Belop used his sleeve to brush the sand from his face and eyes.

"Then, Young Master, are you saying that I am an opponent you can't be sure of?"

"Finally, we're on the same page. This isn't a sparring match; it's a fight. Do it properly. I could have killed you just now while you were on the ground."

"Young Master."

"But since you couldn't read my intentions, I showed mercy. Get up; I won't hold back from now on."

A voice so low and sinister that it couldn't be mistaken for a playful prank.

Jin turned and put some distance between them. Belop, bowing his head and letting out a long sigh, slowly stood up and raised his wooden sword.

At that moment, the watching cadets began to wonder if Jin had gone mad.

Some thought, even if Belop was a bit dim, this was going too far.

Others thought that Galon should step in to stop the situation from escalating.

Galon, however, watched silently.

Frustration and anger began to well up in the cadets' hearts. If even the great 7-star knight, Runkandel's sword instructor, couldn't stop Jin Runkandel, what could they do?

Frustration at their own helplessness and anger at why the strongest in the training class, Jin, had chosen the weakest, Belop, as his prey.

Where was Runkandel's honor? Was it honorable to throw sand at a weaker opponent?

The cadets all wore such expressions.

But in the next moment, their distorted faces turned to shock.

Rumble!

Belop's wooden sword began to glow with an aura. Though faint and dim, it was enough to add a lethal cutting force to the sword.

"Aura...!"

The cadets, who had been shocked by the sudden display of aura from the perennial last-place student, had no time to process it.

If this continued, one of them might die.

"Instructor! You have to stop this! This is a training class!"

"Instructor Galon..."

"Sword instructor, Galon Altemiro!"

Jin called out to Galon, staring at him intently.

"Speak, Young Master."

"Keep what you saw today a secret. Don't tell any other Runkandel."

"Understood."

Meanwhile, Belop had extinguished the aura on his wooden sword.

But his face no longer showed fear, only a hint of resignation and anger.

"Is this really what you want, Young Master?"

"You know how to use aura. It's best not to hold back."

Jin and Belop.

For a moment, they glared at each other. The cadets, who had been shouting to stop them, were sweating profusely, and a few endless seconds of silence passed.

Then, Belop made the first move. He moved with surprising agility, quickly grabbing Jin's side.

Crack! Jin blocked the wooden sword that struck him from behind.

The two, entangled, pushed against each other with all their might. The veins in the boys' forearms bulged, and the two wooden swords trembled under the equal strength.

"You made a mistake, Young Master. If you wanted to fight me."

Crack!

Jin's wooden sword began to split. Belop had reactivated the aura on his wooden sword.

"You should have done this before... fighting the other ten!"

Crunch!

Jin's wooden sword broke. To Belop and the cadets, the moment Belop's glowing wooden sword pierced Jin's shoulder seemed to move in slow motion.

The wooden sword would cut through Jin's shoulder and reach his heart. In that fleeting moment, Jin did not miss the look of despair on Belop's face.

The despair of being disliked by the youngest Runkandel.

And the despair of being forced to cut down Young Master Jin, who had shown him kindness. Belop's clear eyes were filled with such emotions.

"Where!"

Bang!

Something heavy struck the side of Belop's wooden sword. Runkandel-style martial arts, a chopping strike. It was Jin's solid palm.

The recoil from the wooden sword sent Belop's body reeling. As he lost his balance, Jin quickly grabbed him from behind and choked his neck.

"Ugh!"

Most of the cadets didn't even realize what had happened. Except for a few top-tier cadets like Mesa Milcano.

'Insane! What is this! Is he insane!?'

Mesa couldn't believe what she saw. Even though she had been shocked during the sparring match, it was nothing compared to the incredible display Jin had just shown.

"Gasp!"

Belop, choked from behind, gasped for breath. As the cadets, unable to bear it, stood up to intervene, Jin released his grip.

Belop, turning around, gritted his teeth and glared at Jin.

"Why did you stop? You said to do it properly. Don't stop, Young Master, you won, didn't you? Are you satisfied now? Do you find it fun to play with people? Huh?"

His voice was filled with indignation.

Jin shook his head.

"No, I don't."

"If you don't, then why...!"

"Provoking you like this is painful for me too. It's very painful."

"What do you know about me! What do you know that makes you do this to me?"

"I don't know you well. But I do know this. Consideration... is only possible when you become an incredibly strong person."

Belop, who had stopped moving, recalled Jin's first words.

In this Runkandel, you can't survive that way.

"You must have realized just now that you are weaker than me. And you are kinder than me. I like that about you. But if you only do good things, you can't survive in this hell."

As Jin spoke, the cadets didn't even breathe.

So the sound of Belop's choked sobs, trying to hold back his tears, was even more pronounced.

"Belop. Belop Schmitz. Look at me. Lift your head and look at me."

Their eyes met.

"Please, be strong enough to always keep your kind heart."

Jin paused, placing his hand on Belop's shoulder.

"Be strong. If possible, with me. And with everyone here. And, I'm sorry."

Belop nodded. Or perhaps he shook his head.

So Jin couldn't tell if it was a positive or negative response, but Belop soon moved towards the cadets.

At that moment, servants carrying large iron barrels filled with coarse food entered the training ground.

"Um... the atmosphere. Young Master Jin, Instructor Galon? Should we come back later?"

While the servants were gauging the situation, Belop spoke.

"Today, Young Master will receive it personally."

Jin smiled bitterly.

"Alright, I'll take yours as well today."

After the meal and before the afternoon training began, Galon quietly approached Jin.

"You've awakened Belop Schmitz. That boy has exceptional talent, but his character is weak, which has been a concern... Thanks to you, Young Master. It will be a good stimulus for him."

"Galon."

"Yes."

"Don't speak lightly of awakening or character. No matter my intentions, it must have been a great wound to Belop."

"Today, Young Master simply acted in the Runkandel way. Don't take it to heart. He is just a cadet, after all. He is not someone to be pitied by the one who will become the master."

Jin, about to glare at Galon, let out a wry smile.

"Sword instructor for squire cadets, Galon Altemiro. The only area where you can judge me is in swordsmanship. Drop your presumptuous examination."

Galon felt a chill run down his spine at Jin's response.

'The Black King's men called him a young emperor... Indeed, he is a predator.'

Galon bowed with a smile.

"I apologize, Young Master. As you said, I will keep today's events strictly confidential."