episode_0009

“Hehe… Entering at just the right moment… Cough, cough!”

I never expected the opportunity to test Danjeon would come so soon.

Although Danjeon hadn’t fully recovered yet, it was nearing completion.

“Kikru?! Kikururururu!”

The griffin that spotted me seemed even angrier and began to charge towards me as if possessed.

I slowly got up, my legs trembling with immense pain.

I relied on my mental strength. If I relaxed even a bit, I felt like I would lose consciousness.

“So… you want to start the unfinished second round, huh?”

“Kikururururu-!”

The griffin charged at me with the intent to kill.

I gathered all my strength and threw my body to the left.

“Suck!”

-Crash!

The griffin crashed into the massive oak tree I had been sitting against.

-Creak! Crackling sounds…

Soon, the tree the griffin hit shattered and collapsed weakly to the side.

The thought that if I had stayed seated, I would have been crushed along with the tree sent shivers down my spine.

“Indeed, the King’s Qi opening ceremony should be at this level! Come at me, you colorful beast!”

“Kikururururu!”

The griffin fiercely charged again.

Seemingly not recovered from the previous leg injury, it limped towards me, leaning to the right.

“Is that your spot!”

Thunder Sword Technique, 3-second form. Il Do Yang Dan.

With Kang Yeon Cho’s effects depleted, I had to rely on Danjeon’s magic this time.

It was the first time using magic after Danjeon’s reconstruction. I wanted to find a safer way, but there was no immediate way to avoid the attack.

“I have to try!”

I imagined moving Danjeon’s magic as I did when meditating with mana.

Once to the right.

Once to the left.

Mana followed the flow of blood throughout my body.

-Zap!

-Thud!

-Crash!

“Kikururururu!”

I dodged.

I dodged faster than the griffin’s charge.

My body reacted, spinning at an incredible speed. It was a movement enhanced by magic.

It was more splendid than the trickery of Kang Yeon Cho and the most perfect rotation I had cast so far.

“Haha…! This fool Gongja’s body is strong in real combat!”

“Kikururururu!”

To the distracted griffin, I linked the next forms one after another.

The final move. Rotating for a horizontal slash, Il Do Yang Dan.

But casting just that seemed lacking.

So, I cast Piercing from the 1-second form, Vertical Slash from the 2-second form, and Horizontal Slash from the 3-second form consecutively.

In line with the characteristics of the Thunder Sword Technique, I rotated like lightning, using its momentum to attack brilliantly.

The target was the griffin’s right leg joint.

I gathered all my strength and swung the sword.

“Die! You lowly minion-!”

-Swish!

-Thud!

-Shaaaah!

-Squeeeak! Shaaaahhh!

“Kikruk?!”

A precise strike aimed at the joint.

The consecutive strikes tore through the griffin’s flesh, causing significant bleeding.

“Kikururururu-!”

The griffin screamed in agony, its cries piercing to the ears of anyone listening.

“This is it!”

If not now, I wouldn’t get to experiment.

Aura Blade.

A skill attacking with mana enveloping the blade.

I imagined mana flowing from my hand gripping the sword handle to the blade.

Gradually, mana flowed from my hand to the handle, then to the blade.

-Woooooom….

The sword began to change.

A faint blue aura emerged from the sword like tiny lightning bolts.

It was mana surrounding the blade.

“Wait, this is working! Isn’t this supposed to activate at Danjeon Level 3?!”

Danjeon Level 3 realm.

Danjeon levels ranged up to 10, and Level 3 was at least equivalent to a Sword Expert.

Did the reconstructed Danjeon possess talents at a Level 3 realm?

Fortunately, despite many questions arising, I had no time to think about them now.

I was satisfied with having the means to bring this situation to an end.

“Thank you for contributing to my experience points, Griffin.”

“Kkirururu… Kkirurururu!”

The griffin, missing its right leg, glared at me limping.

I reinforced my legs with mana and explosively leaped up.

“Haap!”

Light.

Using mana makes my body infinitely lighter.

How much lighter would I be if I shed all my flesh?

Setting aside such intriguing thoughts, I floated in the sky and aimed my sword at the griffin’s head.

With added acceleration, I swiftly descended towards the griffin’s head.

-Phooooom!

In no time, my sword deeply pierced the griffin’s head.

“Kkiru, Kkiruu….”

The griffin, with damage to its skull, rolled its eyes until the whites showed, then closed them.

“Ah, ugh….”

I sat down as if collapsing, leaning against the dead griffin.

The situation had completely concluded.

“Haha, ha…. Damn it….”

Soon, the tension began to dissipate.

Due to the adrenaline rush during battle, the pain that I momentarily forgot rushed back all at once.

Side effects from excessive consumption of Strong Reinforcement Grass.

Side effects from overdosing on Extreme Bitterroot and Dark Sweet after forcibly reversing them.

Even side effects from forcefully drawing out magic without fully restoring the means.

My whole body was engulfed in excruciating pain.

Unable to endure any longer, shock set in, and I immediately lost consciousness.

I fainted while still sitting with the griffin supporting my back.

***

A soft sensation enveloped my entire body.

Was it a comforter made of goose feathers or a cotton bed?

Lying still, I felt like I was being sucked into the softness.

That was the first sensation I felt upon regaining consciousness.

‘…What is this.’

I slowly opened my eyes.

I saw the familiar ceiling.

‘Brace Manor?’

Looking around, I realized I was in my bedroom.

…What happened?

What about the griffin?

As I wandered around foolishly, unable to grasp the situation, the door to my room opened.

“…Oh!”

A maid entered my room.

Upon seeing me awake, she was startled, then ran through the hallway calling out excitedly.

“Lord! Master has awakened!!”

Deja vu.

This situation… feels like I’ve experienced it before.

Shortly after, Pablo and Sara came into my room.

Pablo remained stoic, while Sara seemed somewhat displeased. She appeared to have some grievances against me.

Sara approached me boldly as I lay in bed.

“You! What kind of trouble have you caused again!”

Trouble?

I only went to fix the means.

“Sneaking out with the family’s knights and servants to play in Tai Pan, are you in your right mind or not?!”

I felt a bit choked up.

Is pointing out something to a patient who just woke up the first thing you do? And based on mere speculation?

I could tell that more than a day had passed since I fainted.

But instead of worrying about a patient who had been unconscious for so long, she started scolding me. It didn’t sit well with me.

Isn’t it common to explain the situation at times like this?

What is she expecting from me….

“I didn’t go out to play.”

“What?”

“I said I didn’t go out to play.”

“Then what did you go out for?”

“To fix the means.”

“Huh?”

Sara looked down at me with a mix of disdain and confusion.

I nonchalantly responded with a poker face.

Then Pablo asked me.

“…We received compensation for capturing the griffin.”

It couldn’t have been more than a week, yet they already received it.

They work fast. Efficient even in paperwork….

Wait, did they handle it quickly because we’re a noble family?

“Good. Add it to Father’s allowance.”

“Did you really capture the griffin?”

“Yes.”

“Don’t lie!”

Sara interjected as if the conversation was absurd.

“Did you catch a griffin? Griffins are high-level magical creatures that even 3rd-rank knights struggle to capture! How could someone as chubby and clumsy as you manage to catch a griffin?”

Sarah was taken aback by Sara’s teasing.

Starting to get a bit annoyed now.

Did you not hear what I said earlier?

“Poor memory? You went to fix your clumsiness, didn’t you?”

“What, what…?! You need to make sense even when talking nonsense…!”

This time, Pablo chimed in on the conversation with me.

“I heard a rumor that Lady Eris received separate swordsmanship training.”

At this, Sarah widened her eyes as if to say, ‘What nonsense is this?’

“Oh, Father… What are you saying…?”

“It’s true. Rumor has it that Lady Eris and Cyan are often seen alone together at night by the maids.”

……..

Sarah looked at me as if shocked.

Well, what can I do if she keeps staring like that.

I only received swordsmanship training from her.

It was legitimate. Pablo’s words do ring true in context, but…

It seemed like Sarah misunderstood things in a different way.

“So, does that mean… there’s also a ridiculous rumor going around that Lady Eris had an affair with that guy outside the mansion at midnight…”

Tears started welling up in Sarah’s eyes.

…That rumor was completely twisted.

It was just a casual stroll, not an affair, so such misunderstandings were troublesome.

No matter how much we deny it, the maids seem to distort rumors….

My head began to throb painfully.

To avoid putting Lady Eris in an awkward position later on, I should clarify things to everyone quickly.