Chapter 8: Hunting an Abomination [1]

"You called for me, Lord Baron."

The deep, gravelly voice of a middle-aged man echoed from the hallway, followed by a firm, disciplined knock against the heavy oak door of Craig’s bedchamber.

"Come in," Craig called out, a faint smile touching his lips as he finished adjusting the cuffs of his dark leather tunic.

The doors swung inward, and a broad-shouldered veteran stepped into the room.

He was draped in polished silver plate armor, the roaring dragon insignia of the Darkstar direct bloodline prominently etched onto his breastplate.

His hand rested habitually on the pommel of his longsword, but the moment his eyes landed on the youth standing in the center of the room, his stride seized up entirely.

Ser Hughway froze, completely forgetting to offer his customary noble bow.

"Lo—Lord Baron..." Ser Hughway gasped, his weathered face pale with disbelief as his throat worked frantically. "Have you... have you perhaps awakened your mana core?"

"What do you think?" Craig answered, his golden eyes gleaming with a razor-sharp grin.

Ser Hughway’s heart skipped a violent beat.

The oppressive, dense aura drifting off the fifteen-year-old was unmistakable—it was the pure, refined energy of an awakened warrior.

Snapping back to his military discipline, the veteran knight dropped heavily onto one knee, slamming his right fist over his breastplate and bowing his head until his brow nearly touched the floorboards.

"I deeply apologize for my insolence, my Lord!" Ser Hughway declared, his voice trembling with a mix of shock and fierce pride.

"I greet the Lord Baron of Lucerion, Seventh Young Master Craig von Darkstar!"

"Stand up, Hughway. It’s fine," Craig said softly, taking a step forward. "It seems those two patrol knights are trustworthy. Since you were completely unaware of my breakthrough until just now, they clearly kept their mouths shut."

"They knew better than to spread news of your personal affairs without orders, my Lord," Hughway replied, rising to his feet with a stiff nod.

"They likely believed I intended to keep my awakening a secret for the time being," Craig mused, placing a firm, reassuring hand on the knight’s armored shoulder.

Ser Hughway was a true Darkstar loyalist—a seasoned warrior who held the rank of a Sword Master.

In the hierarchy of the realm, he was a true Ranker, the sole high-class knight assigned by the family elders to protect the Seventh Young Master on the dangerous northern frontier.

The political structure of the Darkstar Duchy was brutally meritocratic.

The higher a successor candidate climbed, the greater the military assets granted to them. Craig’s eldest brothers and sisters.

The First, Second, and Third Young Masters and Mistresses—had already expanded their territorial titles from Baronies to entire Counties.

They governed vast tracts of land and commanded garrisons containing four or more Sword Master class Rankers.

Craig, as the youngest and least politically backed contender, had been given the bare minimum: a single frontier Barony and one Sword Master.

Staring at Ser Hughway, Craig exhaled a deep sigh, in his past life, Ser Hughway had died even the second Apocalypse had begun.

Ser Hughway died defending him from the Second Young Master’s assasination attempt.

Killed by three Sword Masters.

This time, he will make sure such doesn’t happen again.

"Tonight, we leave for the City of Dragons," Craig stated, his tone shifting into the cool, authoritative cadence of a General.

"The Dragon’s Calling Ceremony begins in two days."

Ser Hughway’s eyes lit up. "Understood, Lord Baron. I shall prepare the personal guard for departure."

"Before that, give me a brief report," Craig instructed, walking toward the grand window overlooking his domain.

"How is the Lucerion Barony faring?"

"Everything is running smoothly, my Lord," Hughway reported, standing at attention.

"The administrative cabinet has been working tirelessly to stabilize the agricultural yields and reinforce the border checkpoints. However... it remains severely lacking when compared to the wealth and infrastructure of the central territories."

"I know," Craig sighed deeply, looking out over the rolling, mist-shrouded hills of his frontier land. "Because I am merely a Seventh Young Master, this Barony stands completely isolated.

It doesn’t fall under the jurisdiction or protection of a regional Viscounty or County."

He turned back toward the knight, a cold, knowing smile playing on his lips. "It means we receive zero financial or military aid from the central duchy. The other successors certainly won’t offer a copper coin to help me grow—to them, every young master is a direct threat to the succession line that must either be crushed or starved out."

Craig paused, his gaze darkening slightly as he added, "Though, as long as the territory remains stable and the borders hold, it serves its purpose for now."

"Your strategic foresight honors the Darkstar bloodline, Lord Baron," Hughway said respectfully.

"Prepare my horse," Craig instructed smoothly, turning toward his weapon rack.

Ser Hughway raised his head, a slight frown of confusion breaking his stern features.

"If I may ask, my Lord... where are we heading before our departure tonight?"

"To the underground prison," Craig replied with a low chuckle. "I intend to test my newly awakened talent on that captured Abomination."

"Awakened Talent?" Ser Hughway mumbled, his eyes widened in genuine shock, his breath catching in his chest. "You... you didn’t just awaken a mana core, Lord Baron? You awakened a Talent as well?"

He took a breathless step forward, his voice rising with unsuppressed excitement.

"Does that mean... you have officially become a Ranker?"

"What do you think?" Craig winked, his golden eyes flashing with quiet amusement. "My Talent aligns with the Swordsmanship path, though I must say, it is quite unique compared to standard martial abilities."

He picked up a dark, high-collared riding coat from a nearby chair and draped it over his broad shoulders.

"I am about to finish dressing. You may take your leave now and have the mounts brought to the courtyard."

Craig checked the leather straps of his armguards, his voice leaving no room for delay.

"In thirty minutes, we ride."

"At once, Lord Baron!" Ser Hughway saluted sharply, his heart pounding with renewed vigor.

He turned on his heel and marched out of the bedchamber, pulling the oak doors shut behind