novelraw Chapter 9 : Chapter 9
Chapter 9 : Chapter 9
Chapter 9: Double Time
“I apologize.”
Ered bowed his waist at a ninety-degree angle.
The opponent was a senior Prominence.
Even after the man had revealed his identity, Ered had acted with murderous intent, blinded by his competitive spirit.
“Your tenacity is remarkable. Indeed, just as I’ve heard.”
Just as he's heard?
Ered tilted his head.
Come to think of it, the man had said the same thing moments ago.
“May I ask from whom you heard about me?”
“Head Instructor Verdo. He’s my classmate.”
In an instant, the strength left Ered’s hand, nearly causing him to drop his Arcane Sword.
“Did you just say... classmate?”
Verdo’s face flashed through his mind—including his bald head that reflected the sunlight so brilliantly.
He couldn't believe it.
‘Classmate? Not his uncle?’
Verdo looked at least ten years older.
The man before him looked to be in his early thirties at most.
“Well... I suppose being classmates doesn't necessarily mean you’re the same age.”
“We are the same age. Thirty-three. My birthday is actually earlier than Verdo’s.”
My god.
“I-I see. That aside, please speak comfortably to me.”
“I’d rather not.”
“…Pardon?”
“I prefer using honorifics. I’m the type who likes to maintain a proper distance.”
An unusual person indeed.
“My introduction is late. My name is Jinfre Odert. I am the Commander of Obsidian.”
…Obsidian?
It would be a lie to say he wasn't shocked.
Ered, standing at attention, straightened his back even further.
The Commander of Obsidian.
That meant he held a General’s rank.
Jinfre, with his faint blue-tinted hair, possessed an intellectual image.
He had an appearance far removed from a soldier.
One would believe it if he were called a scholar.
Perhaps that was why the surprise was even greater.
A man who earned his stars in his early thirties.
Even considering that a Prominence is an elite soldier, it was an incredibly high-speed promotion.
Obsidian was the so-called "Guards of the Night."
‘Not the actual Imperial Guard, though.’
The true Imperial Guard existed separately within the Imperial Household.
However, the fact that the term "Guard" was attached to Obsidian as a nickname implied they possessed an influence within the Empire that could not be ignored.
If the Imperial Guard operated in the light, Obsidian was the opposite.
Investigation, assassination, intelligence, infiltration….
An institution that secretly investigated and eliminated elements opposing the Emperor and the Empire.
It was a group where only the top-tier elites among the Prominence were selected.
The Commander of Obsidian, possessing a status rivaling the Imperial Guard, had personally come to find him.
“I don't need to tell you why I’ve come to find you, do I?”
Jinfre’s single sentence hung in the air.
‘There's no way I wouldn't know.’
Ered’s brain began to spin rapidly.
‘To think Obsidian would show interest in me.’
There were few options more attractive than Obsidian.
Of course, the Imperial Guard existed, but one couldn't just enter there.
The criteria were extremely picky.
Every member of the Imperial Guard was a Prominence.
Being a Prominence was simply the baseline requirement.
He had heard the last time a cadet from Redstone Academy was drafted into the Imperial Guard was five years ago.
…Suddenly, Lensis came to mind.
If it were that guy, he might receive the call from the Guard.
‘Even that great young master can't be certain of passing the Guard’s standards, so let alone me.’
The thought left a bitter taste.
From that perspective, Obsidian's offer was bound to be tempting.
“I don't expect an answer right away. There is plenty of time.”
Jinfre pulled out a cigar and bit into it.
To ruin one's own body like that.
To Ered, who had nothing but his body, it was an incomprehensible act.
Of course, he wasn't stupid enough to speak such harsh words to a superior far above him.
“Where did you learn it?”
Jinfre asked abruptly.
“Pardon?”
“Double Time.”
Ered went blank for a moment after receiving the question.
‘Double Time?’
It was a term he had never heard in his life.
‘Is this also a test? What answer is he looking for?’
Ered’s eyes shifted busily as he contemplated.
Seeing this, a strange light flickered in Jinfre’s eyes.
“You look like you have no idea.”
“…To be honest, that is the case.”
Ered decided to tell the truth.
He had already been seen through anyway. It was better to be honest than to tell a clumsy lie.
“That’s quite unexpected.”
Jinfre scattered tobacco smoke into the air.
He had a pensive expression.
Ered could only wait and watch his reaction until he spoke again.
“Didn't you feel it when fighting me? The feeling that surrounding objects and sounds gradually fade as focus is brought to a single point. In that moment, it even feels as if time has slowed down.”
Ered couldn't help but be startled.
It was a terrifyingly accurate description.
“Double Time. It refers to a state of hyper-focus caused by extrasensory perception.”
Jinfre defined Double Time simply and clearly.
Ered slowly chewed over the situation from that moment.
‘Come to think of it, I was incredibly focused. To find a flaw in Jinfre’s defense at any cost.’
Was it called Double Time because it felt like time had expanded twofold?
“It’s my first time hearing of it.”
“That makes sense. Double Time isn't covered even in the Prominence curriculum. In the first place, it’s not an exclusive privilege of the Prominence.”
“Are you saying an ordinary person can use something like Double Time?”
“It’s not impossible. Though it’s by no means a common phenomenon.”
A rare ability.
That was why Jinfre had assumed Ered had naturally been taught Double Time by someone.
“It isn't easy to immerse oneself with full power into something. Humans are contradictory animals. The more they try to escape distracting thoughts, the more they tend to be seized by them.”
“Is that so?”
A crease appeared on Ered’s chin.
It wasn't exactly a relatable story.
He had lived his life devoted to the single goal of becoming a Prominence, without wasting a single second.
“You have a look that doesn't empathize. Your tenacity is innate. There are cases where those who are desperate for life awaken to Double Time. I see why Verdo cherishes you.”
By any standard, Jinfre possessed profound knowledge regarding Double Time.
At this point, Ered couldn't help but ask a question.
“Is Lord Jinfre also a Double Time user?”
“That is correct.”
As expected.
“When I delivered the final blow to you, I had activated Double Time.”
Ered hadn't detected that movement at all.
He had been hit helplessly.
So that was the power of Double Time.
‘So that’s why he said I won.’
In a moment of crisis, Jinfre had released the restrictions he had placed on himself.
At that point, he had cleanly conceded the match.
“I advise you to remember that sensation and polish it well. It will become a precious weapon.”
At those words from Jinfre, Ered was seized by a sense of elation.
Because his natural talent was meager, he had put in more than double the effort of others.
He was happy that a special weapon existed even for someone as ordinary as himself.
Double Time, huh.
Even that bastard Lensis probably wouldn't know about this.
“I will keep that in mind.”
“And one more thing. Passion and recklessness are separated by a thin line. I hope you distinguish that boundary well. Earlier, you could have died.”
“Does that mean you almost killed me...?”
Jinfre shook his head.
“Not me; you almost killed yourself.”
What could this mean?
Ered only blinked his eyes.
“Double Time is an ability where controlling the pace is of utmost importance. If you overuse it beyond what is necessary, your brain will enter overload. This is going to be a long story.”
Jinfre took out a new cigar and lit it.
“Maintaining concentration for a long period causes fatigue in the brain. So imagine what Double Time does.”
It would degenerate into a state where the term "fatigue" is insufficient.
“Double Time is an ability that overworks the brain. What happens if you put more firewood than necessary into a furnace?”
“A fire would break out.”
“The overflowing fire will consume even things it shouldn't. What if such a thing happens inside a person’s head?”
Jinfre aimed his hand, shaped like a gun, at his own temple.
“Pop.”
At that point, Ered also felt something.
The feeling of his head heating up as if lava were flowing when he entered Double Time.
‘It was a warning signal.’
If he had ignored it and continued to fight while maintaining Double Time, his head might have exploded by now.
“Anyway, I didn't know you were a Double Time user. It’s a new discovery. It’s much better than relying on the Red Magic Stone. That thing, honestly, isn't all that great.”
Jinfre’s words were ambiguous.
Was he saying the act of relying on the stone was not great?
Or that the Red Magic Stone itself was not great?
‘Either way, why is he telling me not to rely on it?’
Ered narrowed his eyes.
He had crawled desperately all this time solely to obtain the Red Magic Stone.
‘Maybe he’s saying that because of the side effects.’
The Red Magic Stone is a resource with a high synchronization rate with the human body, but that doesn't mean it’s without side effects.
In fact, the final years of the Prominence were generally not good.
‘Specifically, it’s said they suffer from auditory and visual hallucinations. In severe cases, they become madmen.’
For that reason, it was common for them to return the Red Magic Stone and retire at an early age.
Of course, not everyone was like that.
‘It’s just a matter of mindset. They are culled because they are weak.’
Ered drew a cold smile.
He would never become like them.
***
‘Obsidian, huh.’
Ered recalled his meeting with Jinfre.
Obsidian was a group that took on all sorts of dangerous missions.
The danger might even surpass that of the Imperial Guard.
Therefore, the mortality rate was also high.
To put it another way, it was an environment perfect for building achievements.
‘I must not walk the same path as others. Because I started from a disadvantaged starting line.’
Obsidian's recruitment offer struck his heart like destiny.
‘The pay is also quite significant.’
In many ways, it was worth taking the risk.
The advantages didn't end there.
Jinfre, the Double Time user.
If he worked under him, he might be able to inherit his know-how.
It was the first unique weapon he had discovered.
Ered wanted to become proficient in Double Time even a day sooner.
“Ered.”
Just as he had finished his outing and returned to Redstone Academy, someone called out to him.
A familiar face.
‘Was her name Renee?’
She was one of the few female peers in the same class.
“Head Instructor Verdo is looking for you.”
“Got it.”
Verdo’s summons was something he had expected. It was hard to believe, but Verdo was Jinfre’s classmate.
‘He must have received word that Jinfre contacted me.’
***
“How was it? The skill of the Commander of the Night Guards.”
As soon as Ered entered the office, Verdo threw out a question.
“I was beaten without even being able to lift a finger.”
“Too much modesty.”
Verdo curled one corner of his mouth.
He seemed to know something already.
“I didn't know either. To think Jinfre would show interest in you.”
Verdo spoke with his chin resting on his interlaced hands.
“Did you perhaps tell him about me? He kept saying ‘just as I’ve heard’ quite a lot.”
“Hm. I did mention it occasionally. Rest easy. I never spoke ill of you.”
Verdo laughed heartily.
“Even now, there are moments that remain in my memory when I look at you. When you refused to join the formation during early training, saying it wasn't enough. It was also quite impressive when you had your first virtual combat training. Come to think of it, the sight of you right before receiving the second heart comes to mind too. I could even feel madness.”
Ered recalled the events of that time.
“Come to think of it, Head Instructor, you often laughed as if it were interesting when you looked at me.”
Ered realized the timing of the anecdotes he just heard overlapped with the times Verdo had laughed.
“I prefer students who overflow with passion.”
Verdo chuckled repeatedly.
“Anyway, have you made a decision?”
“Am I allowed to go to Obsidian?”
“There’s no particular problem. Your future dispatch missions will be replaced by activities in Obsidian. There will even be extra points added. It’s not an easy thing to join Obsidian as a cadet.”
Verdo slowly sat upright.
The loose atmosphere grew strangely tense.
Ered unknowingly swallowed hard.
It probably wasn't just his imagination.
A Prominence’s senses were sharp.
“From the moment Jinfre approached you, I intended to place you in Obsidian. Even if you refused Obsidian's offer.”
Verdo’s words were meaningful.
“What I am about to tell you is top secret.”
He stood up from his chair and drew the curtains at the window.
“…Understood.”
Sweat broke out in Ered’s clenched hands.
Top secret.
It meant he would die if he spoke of it.
“I have obtained information that Jinfre Odert has contacted the rebels.”
Ered felt as if he had been struck by lightning.
The words from Verdo’s mouth far exceeded his expectations.
“I would like you to verify the truth of that.”