Chapter 30

Chapter 11. Enrolment, Entrance Ceremony (3)

Immersed in the warm water, Jin reviewed the gains from this mission.

First, he had solidified the respect and trust of the cadets. How many Runkandels would risk their lives to save a single cadet? Perhaps if a hundred cadets were to risk their lives to save Runkandel, it might be different.

There were many cadets with high potential among the juniors. Mesa and Velop, of course, and most of the cadets who participated in this mission were like that.

They would never forget this rescue.

‘Though I didn’t do it just to gain respect and trust, it turned out incredibly well.’

Saving Mesa wasn’t a purely calculated move.

Having lived a total of 43 years, combining his past and present lives, he had experienced enough age and had the ability. He couldn’t just stand by and watch a young girl suffer right in front of him.

He felt a renewed sense of pride. If he hadn’t saved Mesa today, Jin might have suffered from self-loathing for a while. He didn’t return to this life to see such a sight.

He had felt enough powerlessness in his past life.

Now was the time to enjoy something different.

“Hmm.”

Whoosh!

A black sphere formed above his foam-covered palms.

‘This is the essence of a 4-star spirit...’

There wasn’t much difference in appearance from when he was 3-star, but the weight was different. The essence of the spirit, which tingled at his fingertips, felt even heavier.

The essence of a 4-star spirit has the same destructive power as a 6-star aura or magic.

It was on a different level from ordinary strength. In fact, because the spirit essence was superior in terms of compatibility, Jin had already surpassed his past life in terms of pure destructive power.

‘However, with my sword skills still at 3-star, it’s hard to fully utilize the power of the spirit essence.’

The spirit essence is most efficient when used through a sword. It is maximized when used with special swords like ‘Braadamante’ or ‘Varisada,’ which are specifically crafted for spirit essence.

Solderet is the god of shadows and the god of swords.

Naturally, magic and spirit essence don’t go well together. Still, the reason mages pray to Solderet is because of the superiority of the spirit essence itself.

‘Just because they don’t go well together doesn’t mean they’re useless.’

It’s a matter of efficiency.

And Jin could always choose the more efficient option. He could use both sword and magic simultaneously.

‘I need to achieve 6-star sword skills within the next five years.’

6-star sword skills.

People often classify 1-star to 2-star as beginners, 3-star to 4-star as ordinary knights, 5-star as excellent knights, and 6-star as very excellent knights. The classification for mages is similar.

From 7-star onwards, they are considered ‘masters.’

Still, there are quite a few masters in this vast world. With a population of over two billion on the continent, it’s only natural.

7-star is considered a transcendent existence to ordinary people, but among martial artists, those classified as ‘out of the ordinary’ start from 8-star.

The number of people who achieve 8-star is significantly reduced.

It’s said that even if you search the world for 9-star experts, including those in seclusion, there are fewer than a hundred. 10-star is even rarer.

And in this world, there is only one.

The unique realm, ‘Sagehood,’ is a domain that transcends human limits, akin to a demigod.

‘In this life, I will reach there. No, even beyond that.’

To do that, he first needed to successfully counter the brothers’ imminent checks, which would begin with his promotion to the intermediate class.

Earlier, Mu, Ann, and Tona brothers had a conversation in Jin’s absence.

Jin had already roughly predicted how the Tona brothers would act. Having spent 25 years at the bottom of Runkandel in his past life, he couldn’t be unaware.

In his past life, he had been dropped from the junior class, so he had never experienced the intermediate class directly. However, he was well aware that the atmosphere there was like a wild jungle.

In that sense, the intermediate class is not a place for logic.

The same goes for a real jungle. In the jungle, you occasionally find clever animals, but they are usually in the middle to lower part of the food chain.

So, what kind of animal dominates the jungle?

‘The intermediate class is dominated by strength.’

It’s an animal with overwhelming strength and ferocity.

* * *

February 1795.

The announcement of the cadets’ achievements was over.

All the juniors, including Jin, who participated in the mission, were promoted to the intermediate class. Jin, as the representative of the junior class, received a plaque and encouragement from the Runkandel elders, and the dormitories of the promoted cadets were changed.

Jin was also advised by the second butler, Petro, to move to a new room. Rosa had offered him a large room in the center of the mansion.

It was the room used by Jin’s older brother and the eldest son of the family, ‘Joshua Runkandel,’ when he was young. No one had used it since Joshua.

“Petro, tell Mother that I’m fine. I just want to stay in this room.”

“Master, the room used by Master Joshua is one of the best in the Sword Garden, and it has symbolic significance. It’s a room reserved only for the eldest son of the family.”

“I understand that, but I like it here. Please explain it to her so she doesn’t get upset. Got it?”

Petro had been observing Jin’s personality over the past few years. The youngest master he knew had never changed his mind once.

That’s why he was so disappointed.

Why was he refusing a room that symbolized the eldest son? The other brothers would have drooled over it!

“Young Master, please reconsider.”

“I appreciate your concern, but I’ve already said I don’t need it. If you find it so precious, you can use it.”

“Master!”

“Haha, it’s just a room. Go on. I don’t like such a large and imposing room anyway.”

Petro bowed, as if he had noticed something.

The youngest master he had been watching for years possessed an incredible insight, despite being only fifteen.

‘He recognized that the room offered by Lady Rosa was not a reward but a test!’

Petro immediately returned to Rosa to convey Jin’s decision.

“Jin refused?”

“Yes, Lady.”

Rosa, leaning her chin on her hand and humming a light tune, seemed satisfied with Jin’s refusal of Joshua’s room.

‘Jin, our youngest son, is sometimes hard to tell if he has no greed or too much.’

Jin’s refusal of the prestigious eldest son’s room was not without reason.

The room, which had been vacant since Joshua moved out, was implicitly reserved for the child who would ‘take responsibility for the family.’ Entering the room also meant that the family would provide the necessary support.

Jin immediately recognized that it was a sweet bait with a hook. Once he moved into Joshua’s room, he would become a target for all the brothers who didn’t have the room.

‘Mother is quite mischievous.’

Click.

Jin fastened Braadamante to his waist and left the room.

He was going to check out the intermediate class cadets who would start training tomorrow.

“Young Master!”

“Scut, gather all the cadets who were promoted.”

“Yes.”

Mesa, Velop, and eight other cadets immediately ran out and gathered in Scut’s room. They were all a bit tense, trying to hold it in.

“From tomorrow, we’re in the intermediate class. Are you all prepared?”

“Yes!”

“You all know that from the intermediate class, various factions form under the name of ‘cliques.’ You know that, right?”

The cadets nodded. They knew better than anyone that they were Jin’s only clique.

Because of this, they would suffer from all kinds of territorial bullying and harassment.

It was natural. No crazy cadet would openly attack Jin, a pure-blooded Runkandel, but they could still target his clique.

“Don’t be too afraid. That’s why I came to talk to you.”

“Yes!”

The cadets answered with determined faces. Jin thought they were adorable.

The threats to these kids from tomorrow are obvious.

‘First, the Tona brothers.’

They are intimidated by Jin, but they must have prepared something.

‘And someone else who is helping the Tona brothers to check me. It’s likely to be Sister Mu or Ann. Or maybe Brother Vigo.’

Whoever is helping the Tona brothers,

Jin planned to suppress them decisively from the start.

“See you tomorrow. Oh, and during non-training hours, always move in groups of at least three. Personal actions are strictly prohibited until I completely dominate the intermediate class.”

“Understood!”

* * *

From the intermediate training class, the instructors were not invited like Garon Artemiro, but were directly appointed from the Runkandel elders.

The training for the intermediate class was a duty given to the elders who had served as 8-star knights and above, among those who did not become the head of the family.

Currently, there are about 150 cadets in the intermediate training class, and the elder in charge is ‘Jed Runkandel.’ A former 8-star knight, he is the younger brother of Siron.

“Attention.”

“Attention!”

The cadets gathered in the training ground repeated Jed’s words.

“This year, ten new cadets have joined, and twenty-seven have dropped out.”

Jed, standing on the podium, looked down at the cadets with a displeased expression. He was annoyed that the number of dropouts was more than the new cadets.

“New cadets, learn everything about the intermediate class from your seniors. My role is to teach and evaluate sword skills. You must handle all other incidents and accidents on your own, except for murder.”

“Understood!”

“I will ask the seniors. What do I always emphasize?”

“Runkandel has no place for the weak!”

“Runkandel has no place for the weak!”

Suddenly, the intermediate cadets raised their voices in unison. They were even glaring at the new cadets, with clear malice.

Jin’s cadets were struggling to even lift their heads under the pressure of their voices.

Anyone suddenly subjected to such an initiation would feel suffocated by the pressure.

Among the crowd shouting that the weak have no place, the Tona brothers were also present. Near them stood about six 4 to 5-star knights, who were part of Mu and Ann’s clique.

‘They’re making a lot of noise. The Tona brothers are over there... with a few nasty-looking guys around them. It’s Ann’s clique, no doubt.’

No place for the weak!

No place for the weak!

The chant continued without pause. The intermediate cadets seemed ready to keep shouting until the new cadets’ heads bowed.

Suddenly, Jin started walking towards the Tona brothers. His steps were light and calm, as if he were taking a stroll.

‘Why is he suddenly coming this way?’

‘Don’t be scared, we’re going to crush the youngest from today!’

The Tona brothers exchanged glances with a sense of determination and became even more aggressive. Jed, finding Jin’s approach interesting, stroked his beard.

Jin was about to stand right in front of the Tona brothers, and as the intermediate cadets’ attention shifted to him, all eyes were on him.

Swish!

Suddenly, Jin drew Braadamante and slashed something.

“Aaaah!”

The cadets’ malicious chants stopped instantly. They couldn’t even close their mouths in shock.

The Tona brothers were frozen like statues. Even Jed stopped stroking his beard.

Jin had slashed the arm of a cadet standing next to the Tona brothers.

He was a 5-star knight, which meant he was at the top of the food chain in the intermediate class.

There was no way to prepare for such a sudden attack.

No matter how pure-blooded a Runkandel might be, who would draw a sword on the first day of promotion, especially during an initiation ceremony encouraged by Jed?

Blood flowed from the cadet’s arm, and the Tona brothers were at a loss, as the atmosphere in the hall suddenly cooled.

Despite the 150 pairs of eyes focused on him, Jin didn’t add any explanation to his actions. He calmly sheathed his sword.

Instead, he said in a calm voice:

“Call the medical team.”

Jin thought to himself.

The ones who should be going through the initiation are not him, but them.