Novel Full Chapter 175 : Chapter 175
Chapter 175. My goal is to pioneer the Great Forest (1)
“Hey, you crazy bastard.”
“What? You ugly bastard.”
At the Radiant Dragon Great Master’s blunt response, the Ugly Dragon Scholar, Jaegal Hyeon, clutched the back of his neck, composed his breathing, and said.
“What sudden whim made you pick a fight with the guys from the Asura Gate? Huh?”
The Asura Gate.
It was a large unorthodox sect led by Namyeong, the Black Evil Blood Hand, one of the Ten Great Evils.
A place that even the Nine Sects One Gang or the Five Great Clans were reluctant to clash with head-on….
This unprecedented troublemaker had rammed right into it.
As a result, he had defeated 500 elite disciples of the Asura Gate, and to top it off, the gate master, the Black Evil Blood Hand, had also retreated with serious injuries.
But in return, the Radiant Dragon Great Master did not escape unscathed.
The Ugly Dragon Scholar, Jaegal Hyeon, looked at his friend, who was tightly bound to the bed.
“Your wife must be furious.”
On the bed of the Radiant Dragon Great Master, who was wrapped in bandages from head to toe and had acupuncture needles densely placed all over his body while being restrained….
[Do not feed. Especially, if you give him alcohol, you will die.]
A warning sign was written.
There were very few people who could reduce the great Radiant Dragon Great Master, Jin Cheon, to this state.
Who else could do this but the Divine Doctor Saintess, Dang Suryeon, famous for a temper that even the notoriously ill-tempered Sichuan Tang Clan couldn’t handle?
Jaegal Hyeon placed a hand on his forehead, sighed, and said.
“Let me ask first. Why did you do it?”
“I couldn’t help it. I didn’t do it without reason. There was a perfectly valid reason.”
“So what was that valid reason?”
“Those bastards….”
“Those bastards?”
“They were glaring at me.”
“……”
‘Why am I friends with this bastard? Why me? What kind of karma did I accumulate in my past life….’
Jaegal Hyeon looked up at the ceiling of the room with a sorrowful expression.
“Haaa…. My friend.”
“What? My ugly friend?”
“Can’t you think and act with a little more common sense?”
“If an unorthodox faction member glares at me, I beat them up. What could be more common sense in thought and action than that?”
“……”
This bastard is a lost cause.
How did such a scoundrel come to be called a Great Master?
‘What is this Jianghu coming to….’
In fact, he knew the reason.
The Radiant Dragon Great Master, who was passing by, had discovered the Asura Gate extorting and tormenting innocent commoners, and that was the beginning of the incident.
After beheading the culprits at that time and returning the stolen goods to the commoners, the Radiant Dragon Great Master, for the sake of the commoners who feared retaliation, went to the Asura Gate’s branch himself and turned the whole place upside down.
Naturally, the Asura Gate was not one to take a beating lying down and immediately mobilized their disciples to strike back.
As a result, the small spark instantly spread like a wildfire, and the enlarged fight escalated into a one-versus-many war of the Asura Gate versus the Radiant Dragon Great Master.
There was no time for the Murim Alliance or the Unorthodox Alliance to intervene.
The Asura Gate couldn’t back down for the sake of their pride, and the Radiant Dragon Great Master… was the Radiant Dragon Great Master.
What could one expect?
“Looking at the unorthodox faction bastards these days, I tell you. Their sprouts are rotten. Rotten.”
“……”
“How dare they torment commoners in front of this elder? Then, according to the laws of the Jianghu, they deserve to be beaten, right? Right? Am I wrong?”
“……”
“But what did they dare to say? Revenge? Reveeenge? Since when did these unorthodox faction scumbags dare to speak of revenge? I should just hang them upside down and flay them alive.”
Jaegal Hyeon let out a sigh.
Yes. Well, although it made his blood boil, what he said was correct.
A hero of the Jianghu should not stand by when seeing injustice. Yes. That was right, but….
“So you, by yourself, caused trouble within the Asura Gate’s territory, dealt with all the guys who came at you, and beat Namyeong, the Black Evil Blood Hand, to a pulp?”
“Ahem!”
“You crazy bastard!”
That’s right. No matter how righteous the cause, isn’t there a limit to things in this world?
In the first place, the place where that incident occurred was originally the territory of the Asura Gate.
Even the masters of the Nine Sects One Gang would not recklessly charge in there without a plan.
Setting aside justice and all that, if you make an enemy of a large unorthodox sect like the Asura Gate just to save a few commoners, how would you handle the aftermath? But….
“How come you guys at the Twin Dragon Sect don’t know any moderation?”
“Ahem!”
“That’s not a compliment, you crazy bastard!”
“Hey, I think it is.”
Jaegal Hyeon let out a deep sigh.
‘Anyway, this crazy bastard….’
He almost died.
No joke, he really almost died.
It was a miracle he was alive; if he had arrived just a little later, he might have really died.
It’s not like he has spare lives, so why does this guy always do this?
He always has ‘sucker Master’ on his lips, but looking at it objectively from a step back, this guy is no pushover either.
Still, what could he do?
This crazy bastard might not know moderation, but he did act righteously.
So, as a friend, and as a member of the orthodox faction, he had to help with the aftermath.
“The Asura Gate…. Their official disciples alone number over a thousand. How should we deal with them?”
“Hehehehe….”
“Don’t laugh. You bastard!”
* * *
“Hey, he’s enjoying it too….”
“……”
“Hehehe. I know you like it.”
“……”
“Playing hard to get when you like it….”
“……”
Isabella, watching Patrick muttering with a lewd smile, said.
“April.”
“Yes, Princess.”
“What kind of dream do you think he’s having?”
“……”
Even April couldn’t defend him this time.
Patrick Schneider.
This was on the third day after he had collapsed.
* * *
Nom nom, chomp chomp, gobble gobble.
All sorts of sounds a person makes when eating in a hurry could be heard.
Beside him, April was bringing food, and Matthew and Isabella were staring at the piling empty dishes with expressions of awe.
“Hasn’t that guy eaten more than his own body weight by now?”
“Probably….”
“Is this even possible?”
“Is this the first time you’ve seen him do the impossible?”
“Ah…. That’s true.”
Patrick, receiving the awe-filled gazes of Matthew and Isabella, finished his meal and said while gulping down water.
“Hooo…. A bottle of alcohol would be perfect right now.”
“You cannot.”
“April, how could you do this to me….”
The look in his eyes was one of staring at a grave traitor.
But April didn’t flinch.
“For your recovery, alcohol is not allowed.”
April said so and poured Patrick some tea.
April would follow most of Patrick’s orders, but the story was different when his health was involved.
But just then….
“It’s been a while. Patrick Schneider.”
“Uh… you are?”
Someone appeared, opening the door.
Red hair and brown eyes.
A scholarly, intellectual impression, and a sword that didn’t match it. This man was….
“Who… are you?”
He seemed to have seen him somewhere but couldn’t remember.
The opponent creased his brow and adjusted his glasses, and Isabella, who was next to him, nudged him with her elbow and said.
“He’s the opponent you met at Arcana.”
“That prince from the Yusef Kingdom?”
“No, not him….”
“The Sword Saint’s grandson?”
“……”
Isabella looked despairing, with a face that said, ‘What did I expect from this bastard?’
And the opponent pushed up his glasses and said, trying his best to remain calm.
“I am Riman Ciera, a magic swordsman from the Tower of Truth. Do you remember?”
“Ah, that guy from back then….”
“That’s right. I am the one….”
“…The logical bastard.”
Is that how he remembered him?
It seemed that although he didn’t know the name, he remembered the person himself.
Well, it was a rather unforgettable encounter.
“You’re the one who did that weird thing and self-destructed back then, right?”
“It was not self-destruction. It was a process of trial and error for success.”
“Isn’t that self-destruction?”
“It is not.”
“Hey, don’t deny it. It is.”
“I said it’s not.”
“Oh? Really? So, have you made any progress with what you were doing back then?”
“…Not yet.”
“Tsk tsk tsk, see? You haven’t done it yet, right? You couldn’t do it, right? You haven’t even gotten a clue, right?”
“……”
“And what? A proooocess of triaaaal and errrrrooor for suuuuccess….”
Flinch.
It was a face that would infuriate any human. But do you know what was even more infuriating?
“Tsk tsk tsk, those are things that people who have achieved results say. Not someone who wastes time with no achievements.”
“……”
“Who can’t say plausible-sounding things? Am I wrong?”
“……”
The truly infuriating thing was that everything he said was right.
To Riman Ciera, who couldn’t say a word back, Patrick put an arm around his shoulder in a friendly manner and said.
“Don’t take it personally. This is all because big bro wants you to do well.”
“You are younger than me.”
“It’s okay. If you’re good at fighting, you’re the big bro.”
“That’s illogical.”
“Shh, shh, just listen. Big bro is saying good things right now, isn’t he?”
“……”
“Life, you see. It’s so damn tough that it’s hard to succeed even if you only do what you’re good at. So don’t do things you can’t, and do what you’re good at. Why waste time with useless stubbornness.”
“What I’m good at?”
“Yeah. I saw back then, you were pretty good with a sword.”
This was true.
Magic swordsmen, due to their training to handle Soul Weapons, did not have very high levels of swordsmanship.
But Riman Ciera, despite his young age, purely showed a 5-star level.
If the level of Arcana had been ordinary, he would have been at a level to aim for victory with his swordsmanship alone.
Patrick patted Riman Ciera’s shoulder and said.
“Focus on the sword. If you pour your life into the sword with your talent, you’ll become something.”
At Patrick’s words, Riman Ciera removed the hand from his shoulder, pushed up his glasses, and said.
“I refuse.”
“Hoh? Why?”
“Because before I am a swordsman, I am a researcher who explores the unknown.”
“Oh, is that so.”
Riman Ciera pushed up his glasses once more and said.
“Logically, I can admit that you are a greater person than me. Your words are probably right.”
“……”
“But that doesn’t mean you can decide the direction of my life.”
“……”
“I decide my own life.”
Patrick looked at Riman Ciera with a sullen expression.
Unwavering eyes and a firm voice.
This was not a person who could be persuaded.
“Well, do as you please then.”
Patrick gave up refreshingly.
His attitude was one of ‘if you don’t listen, it’s your loss,’ but inwardly….
‘Sooooometimes, kids like this pull off something big. Though it’s as rare as a bean sprouting in a drought.’
He also had such thoughts.
Above all, as that logical glasses-wearing guy said, you take care of your own life.
“So why are you here?”
To Patrick, who was getting to the point, Riman Ciera said.
“Patrick Schneider.”
“What?”
“The Seven Sages are looking for you.”
“……”
In that moment, Patrick’s expression hardened. Riman Ciera nodded as if in understanding.
“Don’t be too nervous and follow me. They simply wish to have a conversation.”
“No, that’s not it.”
“What is it?”
“Can I ask one thing?”
“What is it?”
Patrick said with a very serious expression.
“Is there alcohol there?”
“……”
In that moment, everyone in the room let out a deep sigh.
* * *
The Tower of Truth.
It was not a nation, but a transnational organization with power comparable to a nation.
The astronomical amount of money earned from the magical artifacts created and the mages dispatched from the Tower of Truth.
And the power of the magic swordsmen trained at the Tower of Truth.
It possessed both wealth and military power, and above all, it was a place that led the indispensable technology of magic.
The prestige of this organization could be said to be the third on the continent, following the Venator Empire and the Saint Louis Holy Theocracy.
And the highest decision-makers who led the Tower of Truth were called the Seven Sages.
The major and minor affairs of the Tower of Truth were managed by them through meetings.
Just like right now.
“What is the Kaisar Kingdom’s reaction?”
“They are demanding the handover of the Double Dragon and are waiting with their troops outside the Tower’s territory.”
“Insolent fools.”
“They’ve completely lost their senses.”
“Hehehe…. How about we just burn them all?”
Despite being pressured by a nation that had mobilized its military, the Seven Sages were not shaken in the slightest.
That was because pressure using force was only effective when the strong used it against the weak.
No matter what the Kaisar Kingdom did, the Tower of Truth had no need to budge.
“Let’s leave them be for now. Our policy regarding the Double Dragon has not yet been fully decided.”
“If worst comes to worst, we can hand him over.”
“If worst comes to worst, that is.”
“Hmmm, that arrogant kid will finally break his stubbornness this time.”
For the past three years.
The Tower of Truth had periodically sent people to Patrick and proposed various conditions.
It was a request to share information about Patrick’s swordsmanship and related techniques.
The swordsmanship Patrick displayed at Arcana was reported to the Tower of Truth through the mages’ image vision magic.
A swordsmanship completely different from the existing ones.
And the secret to being able to activate a Soul Weapon without being a magic swordsman.
To the mages with a vigorous intellectual curiosity, Patrick was like an oasis encountered in a desert.
So, they sent a polite invitation to Patrick along with a request to share the secret of his techniques.
And Patrick’s response to that request was….
[If you give me a Soul Weapon, I’ll think about it.]
That was all.
It wasn’t a promise to teach them unconditionally, but that he would think about it.
Even though the letter bore the signatures of the Seven Sages and promised a huge reward, what Patrick wanted was clear.
A Soul Weapon.
He had boldly demanded the highest level of secret held by the Tower of Truth.
This was impossible.
No matter how coveted Patrick’s techniques were, the Soul Weapon was a line that could not be crossed.
In the end, the Tower of Truth and Patrick had been in a standoff for the past three years, exchanging numerous letters without either side yielding an inch.
And a while ago.
April, who had received a letter from Patrick, arrived at the Tower of Truth.
[If you help, I’ll help you too.]
It was a short message, but it was enough.
The Seven Sages immediately dispatched magic swordsmen and a mage from the 6th floor to rescue Patrick.
It would cause friction with the Kaisar Kingdom, but for the mages thirsty for the exploration of the unknown, that was something they were willing to endure.
And now….
“Sages, the Double Dragon has arrived.”
“Hmm, let him in.”
Finally, the person they had been waiting for appeared before their eyes.
Patrick, guided by Riman Ciera through the opened doors, bowed politely before the Seven Sages.
“Patrick Schneider of the Atronia Kingdom greets the Sages.”
It was an extremely polite and perfect greeting.
Anyone seeing it would think he was a real noble.
…Ah, he was a noble.