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Contrary to how he appeared on the outside, Theo let out a sigh of relief internally.

From the dungeon to the training grounds, his stamina and magic power were completely drained after the continuous battles.

After finishing the dungeon clear and stepping outside:

– Y-Young Master! We’ve all been searching for you! Where did you go?

– What’s the matter? Did something happen?

– There’s a brawl happening right now at the 4th training ground…!

He hadn’t had a proper chance to rest because he had rushed over upon hearing the urgent news that the 4th training ground had become a battlefield.

‘Still, I did get some rewards from clearing the dungeon.’

[Congratulations! You have successfully hunted the Lesser Drake and completed Tutorial Quest #12.]

[Evaluation: A+]

[You have obtained the ‘Tooth of the Lesser Drake’ as a reward.]

[You have obtained the ‘Claw of the Lesser Drake’ as a reward.]

[As a bonus reward for your high evaluation, you have gained access to the .]

The quest rewards he received after two months of waiting were more than worth it, fully compensating for the long anticipation.

First, the items.

—

[Tooth of the Lesser Drake]

· Type: Material

· Effect: Strengthening material for crafting weapons and armor. Increases durability.

· Usage Requirement: Level 10

—

[Claw of the Lesser Drake]

· Type: Material

· Effect: Strengthening material for crafting weapons and armor. Enhances sharpness.

· Usage Requirement: Level 10

—

Typically, if the form of the beasts from the Demonic Sea remained intact, one would call it a “jackpot” since they were highly useful for crafting weapons and armor.

And among such beasts, the high-ranking Lesser Drake had dulled even the sharp edge of Theo’s sword and posed a real threat to him.

Even without the , the materials from the Lesser Drake would surely be invaluable for crafting new weapons and armor.

However, out of everything Theo received as a reward, what excited him the most was something else entirely.

It was the ‘Skill.’

—

[Skill List (▼)]

– Lesser Drake’s Fear

– [None]

– [None]

—

[Lesser Drake’s Fear]

· Grade: D+

· Mastery: 1%

· Effect: Unleashes the intense killing intent unique to the Lesser Drake, overwhelming the surroundings. Instills fear in targets of a lower level than the caster.

—

The sharp, tingling sensation of the powerful killing intent could throw enemies into confusion and fear. In a battlefield where clear-headed judgment was essential, there could be no weapon more deadly than this.

In the ecosystem, the reason dragon species reigned as apex predators was precisely because of this.

Any living being exposed to a dragon’s killing intent was forced to bow their head.

And now, it seemed that this skill allowed one to artificially unleash such killing intent.

Even though it was from a lower-ranked Lesser Drake, there were still countless advantages to possessing it.

In fact, simply activating the skill allowed Theo to completely dominate the atmosphere of the 4th training ground.

Despite his lack of stamina, one reason Theo was able to overpower Holcus so swiftly was that he had crushed his spirit first.

‘Two empty slots left. I can learn two more skills like this…? This is practically a cheat.’

While savoring the effects of the skill, Theo remained on guard, still wary of Ray.

And then—

“The energy is brutal. It’s chaotic. We can’t talk like this. Let’s just meet at the Blossoming Ceremony.”

She muttered incomprehensible words, and just as she had appeared, Ray suddenly vanished again.

Whoosh!

Her movement technique was so swift that even Theo’s keen eyesight couldn’t track her.

“…?”

‘Talk? What does she mean?’

As always, just like in his past life, it was impossible to guess what Ray was thinking or what her true intentions were.

Meanwhile—

“W-We’ll just take our leave now…!”

Jenkins and his group, who had been trying to sneak away along with Ray and Holcus, slowly started retreating.

Slash!

Suddenly, Wellington swung his sword in a gust of wind, blocking their path.

“Leaving already? Shouldn’t you leave an arm behind first?”

“…!”

“…!”

“…!”

In an instant, the faces of Jenkins and his gang turned pale.

* * *

Evelyn felt a sharp throbbing in her temples.

A major commotion had occurred while she had briefly stepped away.

“So… they started badmouthing Young Master Theo first, and you lot couldn’t hold back and fought them?”

“Y-Yes, that’s right…”

“And that’s how this mess happened?”

Nod, nod…

His followers couldn’t meet Evelyn’s gaze and only stared at the ground.

Grit…

Every time the sound of her grinding teeth echoed, their heads drooped lower and lower.

After all, they knew from experience how terrifying Evelyn could be.

She wasn’t called the “Tiger Instructor” in the White Armored Dragon Cavalry for nothing.

“I told you repeatedly not to fight, didn’t I? And now look at this mess? I’m losing my mind.”

The incident at the 4th training ground had already spread like wildfire throughout Winterer.

– Over the past two months, the Cripple of the Rose Palace kept undergoing intense closed-door training with the sword technique he learned from the family head and became incredibly strong.

– The Four Lords of the North heard about this and confronted Theo.

– Theo defeated all Four Lords with a single strike.

– The Black Bear suffered serious injuries and was rushed to the emergency room, the Snowfield Sword ran away, and the Sword Lion kneeled down.

– The Cripple of the Rose Palace claimed there was no one among them who could match him, so he declared that anyone wanting to prove their strength should come to the 4th training ground.

Some of these rumors were true, while others were wildly exaggerated.

But one thing was certain.

Theo’s name had been seared into the minds of everyone in Winterer.

– Flash Tiger.

A nickname that had previously circulated among only a few had now spread widely.

“Being moderately famous is good, but too much fame only invites more scrutiny.”

Evelyn, however, wasn’t pleased with this situation.

Moderate fame was undoubtedly beneficial.

But an overwhelming reputation only drew unnecessary attention and wariness.

Especially with a major event like the Blossoming Ceremony just around the corner, it could be more of a disadvantage than a benefit.

“The Blossoming Ceremony isn’t just about individual skills; teamwork is just as important.”

If several people conspired to target Theo, using teamwork to undermine him, they could definitely succeed.

Whether Theo was aware of Evelyn’s concerns or not, he was currently sparring with Wellington, whom he hadn’t seen in a long time.

Clang, clang, clang—

‘He’s become much sharper. More relentless.’

Each time Theo’s sword flashed, Wellington’s steps retreated further and further.

The difference in skill between the two was now clear to anyone watching.

Wellington still possessed greater mastery of swordsmanship.

But Theo’s sword had an uncanny ability to swiftly pinpoint and relentlessly exploit his opponent’s weaknesses.

It didn’t feel like a sparring match, but more like a full-fledged duel.

It wasn’t just swordsmanship; it resembled gladiatorial combat.

‘Has he actually been in real battles somewhere?’

Wellington knew well that Theo hadn’t left the Camellia Palace in all this time, yet he couldn’t help but have such thoughts.

The air around Theo reeked of someone who had survived countless battlefields and life-or-death situations.

People like that weren’t called swordsmen.

They were called warriors.

Perhaps this was the closest someone could come to embodying Ragnar.

‘His growth rate is beyond ridiculous.’

Evelyn inwardly clicked her tongue.

As a teacher, seeing your disciple grow stronger is a source of joy, but it also comes with its own burden.

Of course, there was absolutely no intention of giving up on this fun.

‘For the next five days, I need to focus on refining those rough movements.’

Evelyn decided to set her worries aside for now.

The scrutiny from those around them was already unavoidable.

So then?

What else could be done?

The only solution was to make Theo so overwhelmingly strong that no amount of scrutiny or opposition could do anything to stop him.

Evelyn was already planning to make Theo the main star of the Blossoming Ceremony.

If Julius were to find out, he would undoubtedly throw a fit, complaining about how there were now too many rivals.

Well, what could be done?

‘You reap what you sow.’

After tormenting her all this time, now their esteemed leader should have a taste of hardship too, right?

The thought of Julius pulling his hair out made Evelyn suddenly feel much better.

Hehehe!

“……”

“……”

“……”

Sybil and the other followers, witnessing Evelyn’s laughter, shivered and quickly turned their heads away, pretending they hadn’t seen anything.

On the way home after all the training had ended, Wellington was engulfed in a strange, indescribable feeling.

‘I really can’t compete with him in terms of skill anymore.’

Wellington recalled Theo’s overwhelming presence when he faced off against Ray and Holcus, and he let out a small, hollow laugh.

Just two months ago, before Theo had started his rigorous training, Wellington didn’t think he would lose if he gave it his all.

What on earth had happened during that time?

Theo seemed like an entirely different person now.

His martial aura, skills, and battle sense were all honed to a razor-sharp edge.

‘I never thought he would be able to defeat Holcus with a single strike…’

Even he couldn’t do that.

The skill gap between the Four Lords of the North hadn’t changed much, neither in the past nor in the present.

‘I thought I had gotten stronger too. I’ve put in just as much effort.’

Wellington absentmindedly fiddled with the hilt of the sword hanging at his waist.

“Is this what they call the difference in talent?”

He was genuinely happy that his friend had grown stronger.

The fact that Theo had shattered the disregard he’d once faced from his family and was finally receiving attention was something he was proud of, as if it were his own achievement.

And yet.

He couldn’t shake this bitter feeling.

Talent.

Maybe it was because of that word.

He couldn’t get rid of the memory of something his father had said to him once.

– Is it because half of your blood is lowborn? It’s such a shame you lack talent. It saddens me that you’re the only heir Heaven has allowed me.

For the past decade or more, Wellington had clutched his sword every night, foregoing sleep, all to gain his father’s recognition.

How much harsher did he need to clutch his sword to progress?

Clench.

Just as Wellington’s grip on his sword tightened—

Swish!

“…Who’s there?”

Wellington, stopping in his tracks, suddenly drew his sword from his waist and aimed it behind him.

His sharp gaze pierced through the empty alley.

And then.

“If you won’t come out, I’ll assume your intent is malicious and cut you down…!”

“As expected, I cannot rival your senses, Young Master.”

Step, step—

A familiar face emerged from the alley that had seemed empty just moments ago.

Wellington’s eyes widened slightly.

He had encountered someone he hadn’t anticipated at all.

“Ralph?”

It was Ralph Giggs, the chief butler of the House of Narcio, dressed in his formal butler attire. He had cared for Wellington since his childhood.

“Have you been well, Young Master?”

“So-so. But why are you here?”

“Naturally, I came to see you, with the Blossoming Ceremony approaching.”

“Me? Isn’t the family not particularly interested in me?”

Although Wellington typically maintained a polite demeanor when dealing with others, his tone now was particularly cold.

Ralph gave a wry smile.

“How can you say such a thing? You are the one destined to carry the future of the main family… But before that, I must ask for your understanding on one matter.”

“Understanding?”

“Yes. Initially, I was only supposed to come with the retainers, but, unfortunately, I was required to bring another guest with me.”

Thud, thud—

Behind Ralph, another figure appeared, walking silently.

In that moment, Wellington’s face hardened.

* * *

Swish—

Slide!

‘Ray Ragnar?’

Theo, on his way back to the Camellia Palace, narrowed his eyes at the strange sensation of someone secretly tailing him.

She was trying to move quietly, or so she thought.

But there was no way she could escape Theo’s sharp senses.

‘She didn’t leave the vicinity of the training grounds during the entire practice session either. Why is she following me now? Does she want a proper duel?’

But it didn’t seem to be that either.

‘If that were the case, she would’ve come out sooner and challenged me to a duel.’

In truth, Ray Ragnar, despite her cold exterior, often engaged in impulsive actions, making her a significant headache for the intelligence bureau in Theo’s past life.

– Don’t try to understand Ray Ragnar. It’ll only drive you insane. Just accept that she’ll act how she acts.

That advice had been passed around frequently.

If Ray had a reason, she would eventually make it known.

For now, Theo decided to feign ignorance.

‘Still, Theo Ragnar, you’ve come a long way. Not only have you caught the attention of the Four Lords of the North, but you’re also being compared to them.’

It was a situation he never would have imagined in his previous life.

Standing shoulder to shoulder with those he had once admired was, without a doubt, a joyous thing.

It meant he was finally being recognized as a swordsman.

But, contrary to what he had expected, he didn’t feel overly excited or elated.

Instead, he felt calm, almost indifferent.

It felt… natural, in a way.

‘Have my expectations become too high?’

Theo thought it was likely because he had witnessed the swordsmanship of Julius and Kyle.

The image of the Dragon Flash that remained deep in his mind had completely shifted his thoughts and interests.

“…….”

At some point, Theo reached his hand up toward the sky, where the moon hung bright.

He clenched his fist, but the moonlight simply slipped through his fingers.

It felt just like trying to grasp Dragon Flash.

‘I’ve been practicing continuously, trying to catch up somehow… but I’m not sure if I’m on the right path.’

Julius’s words about how difficult it would be had been true.

Climbing to such towering heights was incredibly hard.

In the process, you hardly noticed the scenery around you or the people climbing the same mountain with you.

The Four Lords of the North were just like that.

Maybe because of that…

Right now, in this moment, a small but significant shift was taking place inside Theo’s heart.

A desire to see the end of the sword.

The simple urge to be acknowledged by others through the sword had transformed.

Of course, his desire to become the head of his house and to hunt down the enemies of his past life hadn’t disappeared.

But now there was something more, a higher aspiration.

It meant he had gained an ideal to pursue.

Before, he had been too busy just getting through each day, blaming his poor circumstances for everything.

He hadn’t even considered breaking through those limitations.

But now, things were different.

He would shatter them, no matter what.

He would rise and reach that high place.

That was Theo’s vow.

Crack…

At that moment, the last remaining chains that had unknowingly bound his heart and body shattered and disappeared.

“…What is this?”

Just as Theo was about to step into the entrance of the Camellia Palace, feeling lighter and freer, he stopped in his tracks.

…….

For some reason, the Camellia Palace and its surroundings were far too quiet.

It felt… unnatural.

It seemed like there was an intruder.