After the Rapel Family fell, Ranga was filled with a liveliness unlike before.
Once the people distributing drugs disappeared, the addicts naturally either left the city or gradually began to recover.
The gambling houses formerly operated by Rapel remained, but the rampant fists, knives, and cheating were swept away, and they were reformed so that only reasonable amounts could be wagered.
The loan-sharking operations were even changed so that they could only charge the interest rates established by the Empire.
Thanks to that, voices praising the Runei Family grew louder throughout Ranga.
“The elderly who remember Runei's former glory say that things have finally returned to normal.”
“I suppose they would. Ranga used to be a very pleasant place to live.”
It had been a long time.
Counting both the years before Kayden became Family Head and those after, several decades had passed.
During that time, Runei had fallen, and Ranga had become a lawless city.
But then Mitchell appeared, and everything returned to normal.
He was only a young man of twenty, and it wasn't as though his realm was particularly high either.
He had only just become a Grade 3 Aura User.
‘Of course, he's so strong that it's difficult to call him merely Grade 3…….’
And thanks to that Mitchell, Ranga had returned to normal.
“How are the officials at City Hall?”
“They've remained quiet so far.”
“Continue watching them, just in case.”
While Rapel had been running rampant, the officials had not joined them in committing evil deeds.
They had merely turned a blind eye.
That wasn't right either, but it was too little to justify submitting a petition to the Imperial Family.
But if they tried to pressure Runei to prevent Ranga from returning to normal, that would be another matter.
Kayden was preparing in advance for that possibility.
“They are not fools either. That is why they avoided becoming directly involved with Rapel all this time. So for now, they will likely remain quiet even while regretting that they can no longer receive kickbacks. There is no need to stir up trouble unnecessarily, so do not make the surveillance too obvious. More importantly, make sure word about Mitchell does not leak outside.”
“Why keep our benefactor a secret……?”
“That child Mitchell is too exceptional. It would be different if he already possessed power of his own, but does he not still lack the strength to protect himself?”
“Ah…….”
“We should make sure no pests swarm around Mitchell.”
“I understand. I'll pay attention to that as well.”
Kayden nodded and waited for the next report.
Edrick then pulled a document from inside his clothes and placed it on the desk.
“The report on the Wilson Family has arrived.”
“Oh-ho!”
Kayden brightened and hurriedly picked up the paper.
His eyes rapidly scanned its contents.
Only after he finally lowered the paper did Edrick speak.
“The Wilson Family was a family of the fallen Arbelon Principality.”
The Arbelon Principality had been a small nation located between the Carseon Empire and the Holy Empire.
However, its history was deep compared to its size.
For generations, the ruler of the Arbelon Principality had been called the ‘Knight King.’
As the ruler's title suggested, the Arbelon Principality revered chivalry, and knights were its ruling class.
At the same time, it was a nation whose knights were of an exceptionally high standard, giving it military power far beyond what its size suggested.
Thanks to that, it had maintained its independence as a principality since ancient times, and because of that background, the strongest member of the ruling prince's bloodline had traditionally become the Knight King.
There were also eleven families that supported the Knight King and the principality.
They were known as the ‘Eleven Generals of Arbelon.’
“Hmm…… the Wilson Family was one of the Eleven Generals of Arbelon?”
“Yes. When the Holy Empire invaded the principality, unlike the other ten families, the Wilson Family reportedly refused to submit to the Holy Empire. They continued serving the Knight King until the very end and fled with him, but their trail disappeared afterward. Although we cannot determine what happened to them after that, the Holy Empire apparently pursued them, so they most likely…….”
“I see……. In any case, now I know where Mitchell's talent came from. I suppose blood truly does tell.”
The Knight King of Arbelon and the families of the Eleven Generals had all possessed exceptional talent for swordsmanship.
If Mitchell's story was true, Kayden had to find some way to make him a member of the Family.
It was an opportunity to repay the debt he owed Mitchell for saving the Family while also bringing into their fold a child whose talent did not merely overflow, but poured forth like a waterfall.
‘It doesn't matter that I can't verify whether it's true.’
He hadn't personally seen Mitchell's talent with the sword.
Besides, what mattered most right now was whether he could create a convincing story.
A story that would give him leverage at the Family meeting.
“Understood. Good work. Let me know if any other information comes in.”
“Yes, understood.”
Just as Edrick was about to leave the office, Kayden stopped him.
“What happened to Rapel's remnants?”
“Once even Barke died, they all scattered. Most seem to have fled the north.”
“Is that so? Then the immediate crisis has been dealt with. Tell Grant that he may leave now.”
They were going to become brothers anyway, so wouldn't it be better for them to grow closer?
The Family meeting hadn't even begun yet, but Kayden's mind was already filled with thoughts of his new son.
***
“Finally!”
The moment Kayden gave him permission, Grant mounted a single horse and raced straight toward the Demonic Region.
After riding for several days without rest, the massive rock wall in the distance grew larger and larger until he finally reached the entrance to the Demonic Region.
‘So this is Grimwall. But where could Mitchell be?’
Places where one could gather information tended to be similar wherever one went.
Grant headed straight to the inn and asked his questions while ordering food.
The innkeeper thought for a moment before speaking.
“There was someone who asked something similar a few days ago…… Is the person you're looking for around your age, with black hair?”
“Yes, that's him!”
“Then you should ask that large man sitting over there. The person you're looking for got a map from him before entering the Demonic Region.”
“Thank you. Pack the food for me. I think I'll be heading in immediately too.”
Grant rose from his seat and immediately approached the hunter, asking about Mitchell and the map.
The hunter nodded vigorously as though he naturally remembered him.
Then he pulled a map from inside his clothes.
“1 gold.”
Grant scowled at the unexpectedly high price.
But the map itself was also better than he had expected, and he was told that Mitchell had paid the same amount, so he handed over 1 gold without complaint.
“Here.”
“Heh heh, good thing I made one in advance. Seems you're looking for that young man. Good luck.”
Grant gave a rough nod, immediately picked up the packed food, and left the inn.
Without looking back, Grant ran toward the Demonic Region.
There was only one thought in his head.
‘I can't let that bastard Mitchell be the only one who gets stronger!’
As the one who would soon become his older brother, shouldn't Grant set an example?
No matter how much of a genius Mitchell was, there was still a considerable difference between their realms.
Grant would have to keep working diligently from now on if he didn't want Mitchell to catch up.
“Wait for me, Mitchell! I'm coming!”
Meanwhile, the hunter watched Grant's retreating back and scratched the back of his head.
“I was going to tell him about a good place to set up camp near the entrance…….”
That way, he would be able to meet the friend he was supposedly looking for.
“Well, if he can't figure it out, he'll come back.”
The hunter turned around again and gulped down his beer.
***
A month had passed since Mitchell entered the Demonic Region.
During that time, Mitchell had been living an extremely monotonous daily routine.
As soon as he woke up, he first circulated the Heaven-Breaking Internal Cultivation Method, then ate breakfast.
Afterward, he did nothing but hunt until sunset.
Once he finished dinner, he repeatedly trained Heaven-Breaking Annihilation and Heaven-Breaking Tremor.
Thanks to that, he had now raised his success rate with Heaven-Breaking Tremor considerably.
“HAAH!”
Mitchell stared at the approaching pack of Red-Eyed Rabbits and drove his sword into the ground.
The energy gathered at the sword's tip spread outward in waves.
Then the shockwave expanded, shaking the ground.
RUMBLE—
SKREEEE!
The Red-Eyed Rabbits caught within it lost their balance and came to a halt.
But that wasn't all.
Thanks to the effects of the Heaven-Breaking Internal Cultivation Method, the creatures also suffered a shock that shook their souls, freezing them in place.
Mitchell immediately charged and unleashed Heaven-Breaking Annihilation.
Energy gathered around his sword.
Unlike before, Mitchell's Heaven-Breaking Annihilation was smaller, but it felt far denser.
That was because he had put much more effort into compressing it.
HMMMM—
In terms of difficulty alone, it was twice as hard as simply pouring energy into the technique without restraint.
That was unavoidable, since he had to move while continuously maintaining Sword Energy compressed to its absolute limit.
However, thanks to that, after the initial compression of the Sword Energy, the amount of dark Aura consumed was almost negligible.
Mitchell checked the completed Heaven-Breaking Annihilation and charged toward the Red-Eyed Rabbits.
Only when he drew close did the Red-Eyed Rabbits regain their senses and counterattack.
But hunting creatures whose movements had already been slowed by the shock was easy.
SLASH—
Mitchell continued cutting down the Red-Eyed Rabbits, and before long, the battle was over.
He looked at the dozen or so Red-Eyed Rabbits lying on the ground.
A laugh escaped him before he realized it.
“Heh heh heh.”
Only a month ago, he had fled after hunting a single one.
But now, even after fighting more than ten of them at once, he still had the leisure to stand there like this.
“Man, I wonder if I'm growing too fast.”
[What bullshit.]
“Aren't you being a little stingy with praise for such an accomplished disciple?”
[You have merely learned how to use your martial arts. Your realm itself has not risen. Rather, you should think of it as finally learning to properly use what you already possessed.]
Mitchell nodded at Calian's words.
But the smile on his face did not disappear.
The effects produced by the new martial arts and their synergy were simply too good.
Mitchell grinned brightly and gave a thumbs-up.
“Master, everything you say is right. That's why I'm even more grateful.”
[Heh heh, you brat. Do you think suddenly flattering me will make me praise you?]
Despite his words, Calian's voice was cheerful.
Mitchell's realm might not have risen, but he was indeed absorbing Calian's teachings at remarkable speed.
As his master, Calian could not help but be pleased.
“Forget the praise. Can't you teach me some more martial arts? I've absorbed everything I've learned so far pretty well.”
[Forget it. That is impossible at your current level. Once you reach Grade 4, I may at least consider teaching you more.]
“Hmm…….”
A deflated sound escaped Mitchell.
He had diligently converted the souls of Red-Eyed Rabbits into dark Aura, but the wall of Grade 4 was high.
That was because the final hurdle required to cross into the next realm remained before him.
‘When am I ever going to reach Grade 4……? My dark Aura isn't increasing anymore either.’
Between the elixir he had consumed before and all the dark Aura he had accumulated from Red-Eyed Rabbit souls, Mitchell's physical body had reached its limit.
As a result, even when he broke down souls and practiced circulation and breathing, the dark Aura was no longer absorbed and simply flowed straight out of his body.
‘He said I need enlightenment once my dark Aura is full…….’
Just as he had at the Rapel Family, Mitchell could still feel something faintly tantalizing him.
The problem was that the sensation had made no progress whatsoever since the moment his dark Aura reached its limit.
Mitchell quietly thought about what the problem could be, but no matter how much he considered it, he couldn't come up with a clear solution.
At times like this, naturally, he had to rely on his master.
Mitchell cautiously asked Calian about his problem.
[You are only asking now?]
“Oh! Is there a way to attain enlightenment?”
[No. Enlightenment regarding martial arts is not something another person can simply give you.]
What the hell…… he made it sound like there was.
Mitchell let out a deep sigh of disappointment, and Calian laughed before continuing.
[Keul keul. Still, because your realm is so pitifully low, I can offer you some help. I shall show you my path, but you must see for yourself what lies at its end.]
“You could've told me that from the beginning…….”
[You did not ask. Even with your master beside you, you looked so admirably self-important as you struggled by yourself that I decided to watch.]
“…….”
Mitchell shook his head at his master's strangely perverse streak.
What could he do?
He was the man's disciple.
Mitchell decided to let it go.
“So what's that path?”
[From now on, hunt Magic Beasts other than Red-Eyed Rabbits. And hunt as many different kinds of Demonic Creatures as possible.]
Mitchell didn't know what he would gain from doing that, but a new path had opened before him nonetheless.
That alone relieved much of his frustration.
“I'll eat some lunch first, then head out…… Hm?”
Mitchell reached the camp, then stopped in the middle of speaking.
The tent and campfire that should have greeted him had been thrown into disarray.
Moreover, most of the Red-Eyed Rabbit meat he had smoked to preserve for a long time was gone.
Something had clearly attacked the camp.
Mitchell hurriedly drew his sword.