Chapter 85
A dark night where even the moonlight was hidden by clouds.
A time when only the several candles placed in the training ground illuminated the darkness.
In the center sat Callias.
With his sword at his side.
Kneeling, as if pondering something, or perhaps regulating his breath, he remained still like a stone statue.
One minute, ten minutes, an hour passed. Then, with divine power slowly blooming, Callias moved.
Whoosh- Slowly rising, he grabbed his sword and drew it up to his head.
His eyes were gazing at empty space, but what reflected on his retina was a single man.
The one who had provoked him, shaking hair that seemed like the sun.
The cult's traitor and apostate, Luteon.
Huuuuung-!
Killing intent spread out.
As the dozens of candles extinguished one by one, and even the last remaining candle went out.
Taaeng-
Callias threw his sword down.
The dying candles flared up again, consuming the smoke.
Sweat flowing down his cheek soaked the training ground floor.
"It doesn't work."
It didn't go well.
What didn't work?
That would obviously be the Higanbana.
If he tried, he could do it.
First, unfold Pahwaro.
Unfold Baekmyodo.
Pierce the subtle intersection of the two and wrap them into one on the sword.
It looks like sword gang but it's not sword gang; it's a complex repelling force contained as one that explodes upon colliding with the opponent's divine power.
That is the Higanbana.
But it takes too long.
There are too many preparatory movements and techniques needed to form the Higanbana.
They are flashy techniques for that purpose, but having achieved it once, Callias wanted to wield the Higanbana freely.
The Higanbana with the sequence eliminated.
"If I could do this freely, it seems like I'd catch a clue to forming the Fourth Peak..."
It wasn't a vain greed.
Manhwabongyuk was at the Three Peaks, but there was no progress in growth.
It was because he was at a dead end.
Leaving the North, he gathered divine power in his lower abdomen whenever he had the chance, but couldn't catch even a slight clue to form the Fourth Peak.
It's difficult.
Too difficult even among the difficult.
He missed the power of Sasajakbi so much.
He even thought about deliberately creating a near-death situation, but without holy water and without anything prepared, he couldn't do it.
It's a continuous series of frustrating situations.
"The wall is too high."
The sensation from that time.
The sensation of killing Gunjang still remained intact in these hands.
However, since he wasn't quite in his right mind at that time, even when he tried to do it again, he kept failing repeatedly.
"There's no progress."
Blocked by a wall.
Callias's growth had stopped, just like his grumbling.
Of course, he had achieved remarkable growth compared to when he was in the North, but he was still hungry, and there seemed to be a smell of a feast just a little ways ahead.
However, a solid wall was blocking the way in front of it.
If only he could tear this down.
Then it felt like he would shoot up continuously!
"This just won't work."
Callias flopped down and crossed his legs in a lotus position.
Then, observing himself.
[Manhwabongyuk - Three Peaks]
In his dantian, three sturdy buds were positioned, and within them was the seed of the defeated god.
He wondered if he could make further use of it, but it was useless.
He hadn't missed a day of training and tested it whenever he had the chance, but there had been no particular results so far.
Since that time, it had been quiet as if it had fulfilled its role. Honestly, he didn't even know where the seed was in his dantian.
It had hidden its traces as if it had completely melted away.
When he touched it thinking it might be in the Three Peaks, there was only silence.
He wished someone would tell him.
"Let's just train."
Callias touched the Three Peaks.
More precisely, he touched the divine meridians.
Divine meridians.
A circulation path in the form of stems connected to the buds of the Three Peaks.
When divine power is concentrated into this, the stems burrow throughout the entire body as if alive.
The divine meridians extend from the dantian like stems, reaching various divine blood points throughout the body.
Just like tree roots.
"Here is the limit."
But it can't extend all the way to the end.
Currently, only up to around the solar plexus.
This is the limit.
When he released his concentration, the stems of the divine meridians withered again and were drawn back into the dantian.
Once again in a form connected to the Three Peaks.
Through several tests, the effects and efficacy of the divine meridians had already been verified.
"When I unfold the divine meridians, the circulation of divine power becomes faster and more abundant."
Divine power is drawn from the outside.
What it meets first are the divine blood points, and with the divine meridians, the circulation speed and amount become 2-3 times faster than originally.
Originally, if you were moving one box, having divine meridians is like carrying and running with two or three boxes.
In other words, the efficiency is insanely good.
The purity of divine power.
And because the response is quick, it's useful when engaging in high-speed combat.
Being able to mobilize divine power faster than others is no different from meaning you can move faster and more strongly than others.
It can also shorten the time to concentrate and gather divine power in the dantian for the explosive physical enhancement when the Three Peaks bloom.
The utility of the divine meridians is not influenced by realm, so as he continues to train, the area he can unfold will gradually widen.
"Huu."
Having organized his thoughts, Callias took out a silver cup from his chest.
The items obtained from the North all had their uses determined.
There were 3 holy stones, and he gave one to Emily, so two remained.
These two he planned to take when he gained confidence to break through the wall.
However, he didn't know how to accept this one.
Click.
The silver cup.
It was the Holy Grail of the defeated god.
"What on earth is this?"
What kind of use does it have?
When you say Holy Grail, purification naturally comes to mind, so he put water in it, but there was no reaction.
Even when he put blood in, there was no reaction.
"It doesn't hold divine power either. Even when I put a holy stone in, nothing. If you're going to give something, at least tell me how to use it."
Tsk, Callias clicked his tongue and recovered the Holy Grail.
Before he knew it, the surroundings had brightened.
While he was worrying, the night had retreated and the sun had risen over the mountains.
"Training alone is getting tiresome. There's no meaning without progress."
If he had a master, it would be perfect, but there was no suitable person.
Honestly, it would also hurt his pride.
"What's old man Bernard up to?"
He was momentarily lost in sentiment, but soon shook his head and stood up.
'Even if the old man is there, it would be hard for him to help.'
Since he only has one arm.
"Come to think of it, the duel was today, wasn't it?"
Since arriving in the capital, he hadn't properly used his body.
Since the vice-captain is making a fuss about having a match, he should beat that guy up first and consider the state of his training.
"Should I write a letter when I get back."
That old fart.
He might be cursing up a storm because he hasn't received a single letter.
* * *
"That guy is truly insolent."
"Dad is always like that."
Hah! Hah!
Looking at the future prospective knights swinging their swords, Bernard cursed Callias together with Emily.
Even at cursing her father, Emily showed little reaction.
She just propped her chin on her hand as if bored, watching her peers training.
"Do you have no opponent?"
"There isn't one among my peers."
"Zerban at your age would be a bit different though."
"They seemed similar to me."
A knight under her, a child who had faced orcs on the battlefield.
She wouldn't be satisfied with kids her age.
"Ahem, if he hadn't done useless things, he would have arrived in the capital with time to spare. But with not a single contact, what can you do. Emily, it seems you might have been abandoned."
"Not really. It doesn't matter."
"For someone who says that, you sure call him 'Dad' quite easily. You must have called him Dad often in your heart? But Callias himself has never heard it, so that guy must feel quite betrayed. Hahaha!"
"Stop drinking so much. You smell."
"It's holy water! Holy water! Hehehe!"
Gulp gulp.
"Kya-! This is why I live."
"Just drinking alcohol every day. If you're going to do that, at least spar with me."
"You want to spar with an old man with only one arm left?"
"You're still strong though."
"Forget it, kid."
Bernard, who had given a flick, emptied the liquor bottle and exhaled a hot breath.
"Emily. Tell me now. Do you know where Ribon and Rini went?"
"Why do you want to know?"
"I'm curious. It doesn't matter if you tell me now. They won't be able to hide that they're Zerbans no matter where they go anyway."
Black hair and ashen pupils are impossible to hide no matter how much they try.
"They didn't specifically tell me. I just roughly know."
"So, where did they go?"
"They said they were leaving because they thought they'd die."
"Where to?"
The capital of Carpe.
"As expected, they followed that guy."
"They must have thought that was the only way to survive. There's no one in the North who would become their shade."
"Will Callias become their shade?"
"He won't kill them at least."
"You don't have to go?"
"I... said I'd wait."
The child's lowered eyes contained longing for her father.
"That insolent one will be back in no time. If you wait for that, it won't be enough even when you become an adult, you know?"
"Then... should I go too?"
* * *
Same time.
I furrowed my brow.
"Why are you guys here?"
"We greet the next head of the Zerban family."
"Isn't he a Count right now?"
"He's the Inquisition Commander. It would be better to call him Commander."
From the left, Orphin de Liopeng.
Rini von Zerban.
And lastly, Ribon von Zerban.
"We're not Inquisitors. So you should call him Count."
"Since the young lady is a Zerban, wouldn't it be better to call her the next head?"
"The highest position is Count. So calling him Count now would look best from the outside as well."
"I understand. Then, Count."
Thud.
Orphin knelt. As she knelt, Ribon and Rini also knelt together.
"Please accept us."
A female knight's knees.
This is quite precious.
However.
"I refuse."
One Brance is enough for useless things. I have no such obligation either.
"That's...! I'm fine! But these people..."
"What are these kids."
"We have nowhere to go."
"Did you sell off the North where you were born and raised? Go back up to the North."
Why did these guys come down.
"Then we'll die."
Rini pleaded.
Did she get taller? It seems like she grew a bit even though I haven't seen her in just a few months.
"Why would you die. You're Zerbans."
Even if they're a branch family, they're still Zerbans.
Who would dare try to kill a Zerban.
In the North, only demonic beasts and orcs could harm a Zerban.
"Because we think we'll die at the hands of Zerbans."
Dying at the hands of Zerbans.
I didn't think of that.
"Do you know what they call us? The shame of Zerban! They call us the son and daughter of a traitor. The knights who used to give us gifts now frown when they see us."
"The blood of Zerban runs cold."
It was the symbolic phrase of Zerban.
If unnecessary, cold blood that has become useless is bound to be shaken off.
They must be saying they have no intention of keeping the children of a traitor, who are no different from a stain on Zerban, around for long.
Honestly, since Callias was from the main family, it was roughly overlooked, but originally in the branch families of Zerban, killing each other was a common occurrence.
There's also a chance the family elders would step in and eliminate them before anyone else touches them.
'Come to think of it, the family head told me to handle it as I saw fit, but I came down after forgetting about it.'
I had completely forgotten about it because I was busy with various things.
"Please!"
"Please!!"
"P-Please."
Except for Ribon, who seemed to find kneeling hurtful to his pride, they were quite a pitiful sight.
While I was wondering what to do, Brance came driving a carriage.
"Whoa, whoa. Hm? What's going on here?"
Hearing that pathetic tone of voice, the atmosphere was ruined.
"Stand up for now. I have business to attend to."
"What kind of..."
I scratched the bridge of my nose.
"The vice-captain challenged me to a duel."
"I'm coming too!"
"Me too..."
"May I accompany you as well."
"The carriage is a bit small for all of us to go together..."
Just as I was about to say it was small...
"...You brought an unnecessarily large one."
He had rented an unnecessarily large carriage.
"Did I do well? When they see this, even those Inquisition guys will once again realize your magnificence!"
He's a completely useless guy anyway.
"Tch, get on."
"Yes sir!!"