Episode 2. molting (2)
The Crotan Peninsula, which is said to resemble a dragon’s head.
Among them, Irons Manor, located in a place corresponding to the dragon’s mouth, was excited with a festive atmosphere.
It was none other than one piece of news that made this remote territory shake up.
[Prince Gunther is going to take the test of the cradle, and it will be revealed for everyone to see!]
A few days ago, the contents officially announced by the lord castle.
This quickly spread throughout the territory, and people gathered in groups of twos and threes to talk about it.
“If the test of the cradle… Will the Black Swordsmen come too? I never thought the day would come when I see the Black Swordsman in my life.”
“Who is it? This is all thanks to Gongja-nim!”
“That’s it, but… Can Confucius enter the cradle? Even geniuses who are famous for being a cradle fail the proof test? Maybe our Confucius… … .”
“Oh, that sounds unlucky! How can our Confucius fall!”
Fifteen years ago, a boy was born to the Irons family.
Yeongji’s heir, who was named Gunter, showed extraordinary talent from a young age and made a name for himself as a genius.
So many years passed… … .
Gunther, who has become the pride of the territory, declares that he will enter the ‘dragon’s cradle’ built by the sword master for the geniuses of the world.
Young Ji-min and his retainers were delighted.
“God is watching over our estate, cancer! No way!”
“If, following the head of the household, the young master also visits the cradle… Irons’ glory will shine even brighter!”
The current head of household also went to the dragon’s cradle 20 years ago.
As a result, the Irons, who were only a small estate on the outskirts, became an influential family in the Crotan administration in just one generation.
A genius born in the cradle, that one existence.
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Moreover, there was a story that the current head of the family always talked about about his son.
[Gunter’s talent surpassed mine.]
Another genius acknowledged by a genius.
The current head of household declared that the test process would be open to the public because he had no doubt that his son would pass the test of Yoram.
This was a kind of performance to show the locals that Irons would continue to maintain its glory in the future generations.
The housekeeper’s goal worked well, and the whole territory was excited with hope.
In addition, rumors that heated up the atmosphere of the territory even more came from the lord’s castle.
[The master is staying as a guest of the lord!]
celebrity.
The ripple effect of the mentioned word was incomparable to the test of the cradle.
A system of martial arts that was established after the sword master, Luke Rider.
Starting from unofficial level 5, unofficial level 1.
After that, the existence beyond the realm of the level starts from the official 1st level and gradually increases the number of levels.
The state of official 9th Dan that only a few geniuses reach after long training.
And the glorious adjective attached to the name of a being who broke the status and went beyond the ninth level to another realm was a master.
The number of masters officially counted worldwide is only 22.
Excluding the sword master, who is called a superman, they were actually the strongest people in the human world.
Such a being is in this faraway land!
And that, of course, at the time of Confucius Gunther’s cradle exam!
What was the reason for staying as the lord’s guest?
“You must have come to see Confucius, right?”
“Perhaps they are coming to accept our Confucius as their disciple!”
“Huh, our Confucius is going to become a disciple of a master… … .”
If that were true, it was said that a master who was treated as the same level as a strategic weapon could be placed in the back boat.
“I hear, where is it… Did they say that a young princess in a rural estate became a disciple of a master and the family that had been ruined came back to life? You’re so mad!”
“If our Confucius becomes a master’s disciple… Krotan is our territory’s hold!”
Yeongji was buzzing with growing hope and excitement.
However, unlike the hustle and bustle of the territory, the atmosphere of the lord’s castle was quite cool.
“You said you left?”
A low voice in the silence.
The owner was none other than the owner of the estate.
Ashraf Irons.
The Lord of Irons and a swordsman called the Blue Wolf.
At the lord’s firm voice, the chief chamberlain’s head sank deeply.
“As confirmed, yes. The room I gave you two days ago seemed empty, so I waited… He never came back after that.”
Ashraf’s face hardened even more at the report of the chief chamberlain that the master had left.
At this, the chief of staff noticed and opened his mouth.
“Are you trying to find out where he went by releasing people even now?”
“It is done.”
Ashraf shook his head lightly.
“If he decides to leave, we will not be able to pursue him.”
Ashraf’s face was full of regret when he said that.
‘He left… … .’
After hearing the news that ‘him’ was looking for a disciple, he was able to arrange a position with difficulty using his past relationship as an excuse.
And he thought that if it was Gunther’s talent, he would be able to catch the master’s eyes and become his disciple, but the evaluation he made after seeing Gunther was simple.
[A child is better than a father.]
That was all.
After that, the Master, who hadn’t said much, left like the wind as he had come.
‘Gunther’s talent… It must have failed to meet his standards.’
Ashraf, who could not easily unravel his stiff face, tried to look away and opened his mouth.
“How is your preparation for the exam going?”
“We are preparing without a hitch.”
“Take care until the end.”
“I will. Then I will step back to finish the preparations.”
The chief servant, bowing his head deeply toward the master, withdrew from the office.
“Hmm… … .”
Ashraf’s low moaning revealed his regret and discomfort.
At the time, he didn’t even know.
The ‘he’ who thought he had left was still staying in his territory.
And, as if it were destined, they faced a new relationship.
* * *
Early evening at Irons Manor, where the dark sunset light began to set.
with my daughter-
“Yuri, come again when something good comes in!”
“I see.”
A boy with a bag of money from the herbalist walked out the door.
Black hair and golden eyes.
Unlike the shabby clothes, white skin and distinct features.
And a handsome boy with a small tear under his left eye that creates a strange atmosphere.
Yuri, now 15, stuffed her purse into her pocket and entered the alley of the shopping district.
And that was the moment.
“hey!”
Yuri’s footsteps stopped at the familiar voice from behind.
“ha.”
He sighed and turned around.
The place where the eyes of the glass reached.
There was a tall boy with shaggy hair standing there.
Yuri’s impression of seeing this was crumpled.
“… Is it you again?”
His name is Dutz.
He was an orphan who went to the Irons estate before Yuri.
If Yuri moved alone without forming a group, he was the one who gathered the same orphans and pretended to be a leader.
Also, a tribe that fights against Yuri to the extent of being strange.
Could it be called an enmity with Yuri?
Of course, Duts hated Yuri unilaterally.
‘I haven’t seen you for a while, but it’s starting again.’
Dutz smirked, revealing his broken front teeth, as if proving Yuri’s expectations.
“You bastard… It went well.”
The boy’s low voice was quite menacing.
But Yuri just sighed.
“ha… What are you doing today?”
“also? Oh again?! Is that what the guy who messed with my teeth would say!”
“So who’s going to attack?”
“shut up! Today I will pull out all your teeth! I’ll make you live by drinking only soup for the rest of your life!”
As soon as he finished his words, ten children appeared behind Dutz.
And that wasn’t all.
Jerk-.
Several boys with clubs also appeared in the alley across the street.
Fully enclosed glass.
Dutz’s smirk got worse, as if he liked the current situation.
“I knew you were coming to sell herbs today, and I’ve been waiting here since morning, this is it!”
“oh? Why did you use your hair so much? Doesn’t it seem like you’re wearing four heads simply to adjust the center of gravity on both shoulders?
“… Let’s see if you can talk nonsense like that in a little while.”
Dutz, who had his eyes widened, gave a chin gesture, and the boys closed their distance from Yuri and went in.
Average age 17 years old.
It was also a violent group of 20 boys with clubs, enough to steam enough for a few adults.
Anyone can see that it is impossible for Yuri, who has a small body, to face each other.
However, despite the dangerous situation, Yuri’s face showed irritation instead of fear.
“But were you born with the ability to learn in your mother’s womb?”
Well, if you have the ability to learn in the first place, you won’t attack again even if you get beaten every time.
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Mumbling softly, Yuri quickly glanced around.
Soon, a low clicking sound came out of his mouth.
“Sheesh.”
I was prepared, and it was quite good.
‘I can’t really see a hole to get out of.’
Normally, they would have chosen the hit-and-run tactic of guerrilla warfare, but that was impossible due to the conditions of the narrow alley.
‘Don’t wear your hair like a pig.’
It’s a big deal if you get steamed with a stick here.
His only wealth is his body.
If you get sick, there is no one to take care of you and no one to take care of you.
You just have to starve to death.
‘I can’t help it. a little… Let’s just dip our feet in and then take them out.’
I didn’t like the situation, but for now it was just ‘that way’.
“Whoa… … .”
Having made her decision, Yuri slightly closed her eyes and let out a long breath.
Then his shadow fluctuated strangely.
But this is only a very brief moment.
None of those who surrounded Yuri noticed the change.
and.
flash-.
Yuri’s golden eyes shone through the open eyes.
“I’m busy, so let’s finish quickly.”
Otherwise, the ‘curse’ will deepen, and you don’t know when ‘it’ will come out.
Yuri, who made a quick decision, threw herself.
The boys who saw this also took action in earnest.
“Hit!”
“Kill!”
“Aww!”
Boys wielding sticks like swords.
Hung- Hung-.
Because it was a narrow alley, it was difficult to avoid the mighty swing of the club.
But today’s glass was different.
Hung-.
He twisted his body to lightly avoid the club that was slammed from the top of the front.
Woodeuk-.
I blew off the jaw of the guy on the other side with my fist.
Hung-.
After ducking the upper body to avoid the attack coming from behind.
puck-.
“Kek?!”
Yuri put a hind kick into the stomach of the attacker.
Hung- Hung-.
“Whoa!”
puck- puck-.
“Kheep!”
He flung his fists and feet, lightly avoiding the attack that was being swung recklessly.
Every time that happened, the boys of Dutz’ gang fell out one by one.
The pupils of Dutz, who was watching the situation from afar, shook.
‘That monster bastard!’
For a few days, I figured out the roads that Yuri often went through, and unlike before, I even held a weapon in my hand.
I thought that this would be enough to show Yuri a good example.
‘That’s… What is that!’
To Dutz, Yuri’s body movements were unreasonable and foreign.
Also, it was so different from the skills of Yuri he knew.
‘Are there eyes on the back of your head?!’
Otherwise, is it possible to move like that?
Is that just a 15-year-old tramp kid?!
In the short time that Dutz was screaming inwardly, all 20 boys were lying on the dirt floor and groaning.
“Aww.”
“Keuk… … .”
Between the fallen boys, Yuri glared at Dutz.
Dutz’s shoulders trembled at the gaze directed at him.
He bit his lip hard.
“Aww! Get lost!”
Duts swung his club as if in a fit of fuss and charged.
King Hu-.
Still, it seems to be worth the hefty price, and the club flies with a more powerful blast than the boys who fell before.
However, Yuri lightly dodged this too and put a fist into Dutz’s stomach.
“Ouch?!”
Duts, choking on the pain that began in the pit of the stomach, collapsed to the floor with a gasp.
“… … ?!”
Duts, who was bluish and opened his mouth.
Yuri, squatting in front of him, slapped the boy on the cheek.
“Hey, hey! Breathe, breathe!”
“F-ha!”
After being slapped fifteen times on the cheek, Dutz gasped for air.
“Khehehehe.”
Yuri, who looked at Dutz who was drooling with pity, opened her mouth.
“Hey, let’s ask something.”
“… … .”
“Why do you hate me so much?”
That was a question that Yuri had had from before.
He had never done any harm to this guy’s gang.
But isn’t Duts always arguing with himself?
Every time that happened, I tried to squeeze it like now, but even so, he didn’t give up and started a fight.
What the hell was Dutz doing, Yuri couldn’t figure out why.
“Oops… … .”
The guy, who was curled up like a shrimp from the pain in his stomach, glared at the glass with a distorted face.
Awesome-.
A low sound flowed from the teeth that had been bitten hard.
“just… … .”
“just?”
“I just hate you! On the same orphan subject… He’s no different from us! A condescending attitude, as if only you were the best!”
The first time Dutz saw Yuri was half a year ago.
It was a time when he raised his power by gathering children who were in a similar situation to him.
Dutz had invited Yuri, who had just moved into the manor, to join him.
But the answer that came back was simple.
[go away.]
A short but sure refusal.
After that, Yuri continued her life alone without mixing with any group.
With an attitude that has nothing to do with you.
‘It was from then!’
Perhaps if someone asked when he started hating Yuri, Dutz could answer without hesitation.
It was the moment when he faced Yuri’s nonchalant eyes as he replied to his invitation to go away.
“Your eyes… … .”
“What color are my eyes?”
“Those smug eyes! What the heck is so good about you that you’re proud of yourself! What’s different about you!”
At Dutz’s cry, as if he had been overcome by something evil, the life in Yuri’s golden eyes disappeared.
Eyes that would never be thought of as those of a fifteen-year-old boy.
As indifferent as that day… No, Dutz’s spine felt chilly at the look in his eyes that seemed even deeper than that day.
Dutz closed his eyes as he felt that Yuri might do something at any moment.
but.
“Is that so?”
Yuri just got up from his seat without doing anything.
He looked down at Dutz and opened his mouth.
“I see you are misunderstanding something. I’ve never been bragging or anything like that.”
Yuri’s golden eyes, which scanned Dutz and the fallen boys, became cloudy as if they had lost their light.
“I just… … .”
He spat out a small word.
“I just thought it was boring.”
Saying that, Yuri put her hands in her pants pockets and left the alley.
Dutz, who was left behind, just stared at Yuri’s back as he walked away without saying a word.
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Moments later, Dutz’s gang groaned and stood up.
“Keuk, Dae, Captain… Let’s stop touching the glass now.”
“shut up! How long are you going to stay out of it! Wake up right now!”
“Aww!”
Dutz and his men, like defeated soldiers, supported each other and made their way through the alley.
Everyone leaves and the alley is engulfed in silence.
A dwarf shadow appeared wandering in a corner of an alley where no one thought there would be anyone.
A murmur flows from the shadow staring in the direction where the glass disappeared.
“In the mouth of the dragon… There was a monster bastard wearing a human mask. Phuhh.”
His low, muddy voice was full of deep excitement and joy.