Wolves of Hader

Chapter 129

I went down to the castle's underground storeroom.

I stacked the gold bars brought from the Order in the empty storeroom next to the piled gold coins.

Afterward, I called in the officers.

The officers entered the castle's conference room.

They looked like prisoners.

"Have a seat."

Seeing my face, the anger they had been holding back seemed to well up.

"What do you think you're doing right now?"

"Didn't you sign the undertaking?"

"Are you really going to train us?"

"Please, just sit for now."

"Damn it, what the hell is this situation?"

The officers sat down, grumbling.

I didn't raise my voice, worried that Allen might run up from the floor below.

"For the next six months, I will increase your combat strength tenfold from what it is now. If you keep up your training, you could become a Sword of Light within five years."

"How?"

"You're the ones who can't even beat our youngest member. It's a shame, but I plan to pass on some techniques to you."

"You mean the sword technique of your house?"

"Yes."

"Nonsense. Even your father only became a Sword of Light in his late thirties. We acknowledge the sword technique of your house, but ours is nothing to scoff at, either."

"I am still training in the Hader family sword technique. The meaning in the swordsmanship runs so deep, I can't say for sure when I'll master it."

The officers frowned.

"What are you talking about? How can you pass on sword techniques you yourself haven't mastered?"

I handed out sheets of paper.

"Alright. Please write your house's sword techniques here. Depending on their nature, I'll pass on a new sword technique to suit you."

"You're crazy."

"That's what I'm saying. Who in the world would reveal their house's secret sword technique?"

"It took me ten years, training since I was seven, to barely grasp the essence of our sword technique. Do you really think you can understand its profundity?"

I stared at the officers.

"There should be a trade if you want something."

"So, you'll give us some half-baked sword technique, and expect our house's secret arts in return?"

"Then at least tell me the nature of your sword technique."

"What are you going to do with that information?"

"I want to see if there are similar ones."

Frankly, I didn't really need the sword techniques from these houses.

I just wanted to understand ours better, perhaps even create a new one.

Our house's sword technique is called the [Sword of the Star].

It's said that stars swirl around the sword.

Probably, it has a lightning attribute.

The officers just sat there, indifferent.

It was probably the first time in their lives they had been beaten like that and suffered such hardship riding in a carriage.

"You should endure this much if you want to become a Sword of Light. It seems you want to receive, but not give."

"Hey! Did we ask for anything from you?"

"I see."

But one of them was a bit different.

It was Brai from the central army.

"Seeing as my father trusts you, it doesn't seem like a lie. Is it really possible?"

"It is, as long as you work hard."

"Are you saying you're even a Sword of Light?"

"There's no reason I can't be."

"What?"

All five of their mouths dropped open.

They just sat there, mouths agape, frozen.

Should I say *ting!* to break the silence?

"Later on, even if you beg for my instruction, you won't get it. For us, this is just giving away, and we're even using precious magic stones. To be honest, I'm hesitating about whether I should go this far."

"Are you seriously a Sword of Light?"

"There are only two Swords of Light on our side. So, we need to raise at least some of you to that level to prepare for the future. Do you think I have nothing better to do?"

No one spoke.

I spoke again.

"Therefore, once we've made our contribution, you should help me, too. If we go through all this trouble to make you Swords of Light and then you betray me, that'll be a problem."

"How exactly are we supposed to help you?"

"Treat me as your commander."

"What?"

"I can only give orders as the commander. Of course, only when it's just us. And if you ignore this good faith and turn your backs on me..."

I started releasing my magic power.

The magic power I had kept hidden until now.

"Gah!"

The five officers stiffened in an instant, jaws dropping.

Their bodies shook.

Streams of magic power tied them up, making them unable to move.

"I can take back the power I passed on to you. Do you doubt if that's possible? It is. You'll know why if you possess my technique."

This wasn't just a threat.

I could ask the elementals that were with them.

Just ask them to leave.

"Ha...!"

I immediately released the magic.

All five slumped in their chairs, gasping for air. Their eyes had changed.

"Tell me your attributes."

While the rest were terrified,

Brai was first to speak.

"Our family's sword technique has a cold attribute, called the [Sword of Snow]. At my father's level, it's powerful enough to create a blizzard storm."

"What about you, Lingo of the northern army?"

"Our sword technique is called the [Dance of Flames]. At mastery, your sword is wreathed in fire. I heard that a Sword of Light in our house created pillars of fire back in the day."

Those two sword techniques, I could use as well.

"Next, Code of the capital defense army."

"Our sword technique is the [Song of the Lake Faerie]. It's a sonic sword technique. It can be weak one-on-one, but against multiple people, there's nothing better."

Looks like I might get a buff sword technique.

An unexpected gain.

"What about you, Oren of the imperial knight order?"

Oren hesitated.

I seemed to be a Sword of Light for real, so he couldn't even complain.

Finally, he opened his mouth.

"Our family's sword technique is non-elemental. But the magic power manipulation and concentration arts are among the best in the empire. Thanks to that, we've produced three Swords of Light."

This sword technique would be a huge help.

For me and for my squad.

"Mango of the imperial palace security?"

"Ours has a wind attribute. Together with the Duke of Privy's house, we're known as the empire's two swift-sword techniques."

"What's the difference with the Privy house?"

"The Privy family's sword technique is said to transform into a swift technique. In our case, everything is about speed. We named it [Sword Riding the Wind]."

This sword technique would be useful for the intelligence squad.

There are similarities.

"There's no lightning attribute, I see."

"The grand duke's sword technique is lightning."

"Is that so?"

"Isn't your house's technique lightning? I heard the imperial bloodline's sword technique traces back to the first emperor."

The grand duke's sword technique probably amounts to [Sword of Lightning]. The simpler the name, the older the technique.

"The way magic power is used probably differs, right?"

"Of course."

I realized it would be difficult to raise even our house's sword technique to a high level.

They said themselves it took them ages to master their own.

"Listen carefully."

"Speak."

"Once you complete basic training, I'll pass on a technique in line with each of your attributes. But to use the techniques properly, you'll need equipment we made."

"Are you really going to teach us sword techniques?"

"Of course. There are six techniques in all. Each one costs 1,000 gold coins. If you learn all six, I'll give you a discount—5,000 gold coins in total."

"What?!"

The officers' eyes widened.

They looked like they'd been struck by lightning.

I smiled as I continued speaking.

"If you raise each technique to the highest level, you'll have few rivals. So 1,000 gold coins per technique is basically a giveaway."

"Five thousand gold coins is more than I'd make in my entire life! My house doesn't even have that much!"

"I expect so."

The officers' eyes sparkled.

They were tempted but it seemed ridiculous and hard to believe me.

I smiled again.

"If you don't have the money, describe your house's sword technique and magic power manipulation method. If your notes are rough, I'll teach you only a movement technique; if you write them perfectly, I'll teach you all six techniques."

The officers fell silent, mouths agape.

That was an even harsher demand.

"I'll be clear. I'm only going to adapt your sword techniques. I'm not planning to master them. Why?"

The officers even swallowed dryly.

"To be blunt, my sword technique is one hundred times better than yours."

"Words are cheap!"

I pointed from one wall to another.

"How many steps between there and there?"

"About ten steps."

"My squad can leap those ten steps at a go. Do your sword techniques allow that?"

"You're telling us to believe that?"

"You can see for yourselves starting tomorrow. Why would I lie about something you'll witness soon?"

The officers were half out of their minds.

They simply couldn't imagine such feats.

It isn't a distance a person can cross in a single leap.

"Don't neglect your house sword techniques either. If you master ours, yours will improve tremendously as well."

I held out the sheets of paper.

"So, will you pay 5,000 gold coins, or will you write your sword technique and magic power method? If only we keep our mouths shut, no one will ever know."

"Hrm."

The officers groaned.

"You'll begin basic training tomorrow. At minimum, it'll take a week. Decide by then."

"We've all done basic training."

"You'll need at least a month for our techniques. If your stamina isn't up to it, you can't do it. I'll make sure you reach the highest level while you're here."

I stood up.

"Well then. Rest well today."

Smiling, I left the conference room.

The officers sighed deeply,

like people who had lost their country.

/ / /

After breakfast, I headed to the barracks.

From early morning, the barracks rang with the sounds of new recruits training.

I spotted the five officers as well.

Our squad and the captain-ranked knights were in charge of the officers' training.

The officers' mental fortitude was far inferior to the soldiers we'd recruited—maybe that was why.

The five officers, all in underclothes, were rolling on the ground, soaked in sweat and dust.

It hadn't even been two hours since training started, but their legs were already trembling.

"Roll to the left! Roll to the right!"

"Can't we take a short break?"

"Shut your mouths and roll properly!"

Hans was running the training.

The officers frantically rolled left and right.

"Get up and run! For the finish line!"

"For the finish line!"

The officers ran toward the headquarters building.

It wasn't running so much as staggering.

Mango returned first; in the middle of it all, Code tripped and fell.

"Are you here to have fun or what?!"

"We were dragged here against our will..."

"No talking back!"

"Just a little rest, please?"

"Everyone except trainee Mango, get down! Quick, hit the ground! Push-ups, let's go! Chant the slogan!"

"Chant the slogan!"

"Get your mind together!"

"Get your mind together!"

"Focus!"

"Focus!"

"Too quiet! Mango trainee, you too, down!"

"Ah, why me?"

"Down! We are one!"

"We are one!"

"Focus! Get your mind together!"

"Focus! Get your mind together!"

"Everyone up!"

The officers scrambled to their feet.

"Watch your moves! Down again! Roll to the left!"

"Argh! You little bastards!"

"We're not little bastards, we're instructors!"

"How old do you think I am to be doing this?!"

"Everyone up! Five laps, quick! Run!"

"Run!"

The officers stumbled off, running back toward headquarters. Hans yelled as he watched them pant and struggle.

"Run faster! My grandmother runs faster than you! You couldn't even beat a seven-year-old child! Everything is a mess!"

"Arghhh!"

Before long, they'd be grateful.

Once our techniques and their sword skills merged, there'd be tremendous synergy.

I headed to the special forces training ground.

Thirty strike squad trainees were rolling with effort.

They were the best among the soldiers we'd recruited, specially selected.

Twenty-two in the strike squad, eight in the intelligence squad.

I strengthened the strike squad's intelligence and recon. That also included two buffers.

Since the strike squad had every position needed, they were becoming a perfectly independent unit.

After watching their training a bit longer, I headed back to the castle.

I was going to visit the new territory.

We'd made elemental weapons and various electrical devices there.

/ / /

The Gate of Magic remained open.

Since I'd gone to Tris, Urald and Wundbark had crossed back and forth a dozen times, and yet it still hadn't vanished.

"This way."

The waiting knight led us.

I crossed into the new territory with two Drans.

Leaving the tent with the Gate of Magic, we headed toward a building.

"Do you have any idea where they're from?"

"Not at all. They're people I've never seen before."

"Looking at their small boat, their home can't be far from here."

Following the knight, we entered a recently built structure.

It was intended as an inn once the construction of the territory was finished.

The security squad was guarding the building outside.

"Are they quiet?"

"Yes. They don't seem as afraid of us now. They're eating the food we send in without complaint."

We went up to the third floor.

Security watched over the hallways and stairs.

In the hallway, the knight stopped before one of the doors.

"Step back. They could attack."

"Be careful."

Clank.

The knight unlocked the door.

The door slowly opened.

Inside were eight men and women.

Amazingly—

They were all East Asians.

East Asians with very unusual features.