Chapter 28 : Storm’s Breeding Ground – (5)

“You’re asking me to train you?”

Ivan, the former hunter, squinted and looked at the young man named Aiden in front of him.

At this point, it wasn’t surprising that Aiden had come for a visit.

He had been to the Glintmarch tavern on the last Sabbath as well.

But today, Aiden was alone.

Camilla and Guildmaster Ayla’s apprentice weren’t accompanying him.

And then, Aiden suddenly spoke up.

“Training? What kind of training are you talking about?”

“I want to learn close combat techniques, including swordsmanship, like a hunter would.”

“Why?”

“I am still inexperienced. The vampires I’ve faced so far were blood mages who were weak in close combat, but I’ve heard that there are many vampires skilled in swordsmanship or spear techniques.”

“That’s not wrong. In human society, there are far more swordsmen who simply wield swords than mages.”

Ivan nodded, and Aiden, with a determined look in his eyes, spoke again.

“I must defeat the Vampire Queen. To do that, I need to become stronger. Ivan, you were once a hunter who even hunted the Jinjo. I wish to learn from you.”

“Hah.”

Everyone in Glintmarch knew Ivan’s background.

Even within the training hall, Ivan was renowned as a former guildmaster.

But no one had ever come to ask him for personal training.

Perhaps it was to be expected. Life at the training hall was tough, and who would come down to the foothills on their peaceful holiday to ask a retired hunter with a bad leg to teach them swordsmanship?

In that sense, this Aiden was quite the character.

‘Where did the priest find a guy like this?’

His gaze was intense.

There was a clear determination in it.

Most importantly, the guy was a vampire’s subordinate.

Even in the worst-case scenario, it would be better to see what kind of skills he had.

Ivan finished his thoughts and spoke.

“Fine. I don’t have anything else to do anyway, so I’ll take a look at your swordsmanship before Camilla comes back to slack off.”

“Thank you!”

Aiden’s face lit up, and he drew a wooden sword, getting into position.

“Well, where should we start?”

Aiden asked, looking at Ivan. But Ivan was just staring at him with a disapproving expression.

Confused, Aiden tilted his head, but before he could say anything, Ivan spoke.

“Didn’t you ask me to teach you swordsmanship?”

“Yes? …Ah, that’s right.”

“Then why are you not looking at me?”

Ivan took a step forward, raised his cane, and swung it at Aiden.

A clean strike.

The cane hit Aiden’s forehead.

“Ugh!”

Aiden stumbled backward, landing on his bottom, staring up at Ivan with a confused expression.

“Is this really what you’re asking for? Advice on your stance?”

Ivan felt a strange thrill as he spoke.

“Did you come all the way here just for advice on your stance? Ridiculous. Pick up your sword, and fight me until you can defeat this old, worn-out man. That’s my teaching.”

“Is that really the case? But…”

Aiden’s gaze shifted to Ivan’s left leg.

The leg Ivan lost in a bloody battle with the Vampire Queen. Now, Ivan was a one-legged man.

“What’s the matter? Do you think an old, retired crippled hunter will be easy to beat?”

Ivan grinned maliciously.

I looked at Ivan while holding my wooden sword.

When I first sought Ivan’s teaching, I thought it would only be about receiving some advice on swordsmanship.

Ivan had a bad leg and was already far past his prime.

Having retired from the front lines, he wouldn’t be able to physically demonstrate anything.

But that was my mistake.

“Ugh!”

Clang!

The sound of Ivan’s cane hitting my body echoed.

I tried to block it with my sword as I adjusted my stance, but all my efforts were in vain. Bruises were starting to appear on my body.

“The body of a vampire is truly convenient, isn’t it? No need for mercy in your strikes, you can just hit as much as you like.”

Ivan fought well, considering he had only one leg.

No, he fought too well.

He was wielding nothing but a cane, but his attacks were sharper than the sickle of a reaper.

Clang!

Maybe this was normal.

For someone like Ivan, a legendary hunter who had hunted vampires, including the Jinjo, the absence of one leg would barely be a meaningful handicap.

“Your movements aren’t bad, but your thinking is too rigid.”

Ivan tilted his head and swung his cane like a whip, targeting my leg.

Boom! My vision spun.

The next moment, I found myself flipped over and crashing to the ground.

Stars danced in front of my eyes.

My mind was hazy, but I knew I didn’t have the luxury to stay down.

As I tried to steady myself, I saw Ivan’s leg.

Surprisingly, despite only having one leg, Ivan hadn’t moved a single step during the entire sparring session.

“Impressive, isn’t it?”

Noticing my gaze, Ivan asked.

“You didn’t move?”

“I didn’t need to, so I didn’t. Unnecessary movements are of no use in a fight.”

I charged forward and swung my wooden sword, but Ivan easily wrapped his cane around my sword and deflected it.

Yet his legs never moved.

“Well, against vampires, it’s a different story. They have far greater strength and regeneration than humans, so meeting their swords head-on would be a suicidal move. That’s why you either deflect, dodge, or outright avoid them.”

“I’ve heard that nowadays, hunters focus more on evasion than direct strikes.”

“Yes.”

The training manuals at the academy also included advice on how to handle vampires skilled in swordsmanship.

Most of the focus was on avoiding the opponent’s sword.

“I think that’s a decent approach,” Ivan muttered.

“That doesn’t mean the old ways are worthless, though. Especially for someone like you, Aiden.”

“What do you mean?”

“Yeah, for a monster like you, with vampire blood in your veins, it’s an ideal method. In that sense, you made a good choice by seeking me out.”

Ivan smirked, a sense of joy evident on his face.

Though he had long retired, it seemed Ivan still longed for his life as a hunter.

Otherwise, there was no way he would look so delighted teaching a newcomer.

“I’ll teach you the old-school methods.”

From there on, Ivan continued to beat me up.

Throughout all this, he never took a single step.

So this is how I ended up a mess? Aiden really is reckless…

The day after the Sabbath, I sought out Eleonora.

The training yesterday had been more exhausting than hunting a regular vampire.

Ivan, that old man, must’ve had quite a lot of stress built up.

My wounds were healed, but the exhaustion remained. My head still ached from where Ivan had persistently struck me.

“Still, it wasn’t entirely without help. I think I’ve gotten better at utilizing my vampire strength.”

“Strength?”

“My physical abilities.”

“Ah. Well, it’s clear that Aiden’s physical abilities are above those of most veteran hunters.”

I flexed my hand, testing it out.

“This power, in a way, could be seen as a gift from Lily, so it’s not surprising.”

For some reason, this thought suddenly crossed my mind.

“Hey, Eleonora.”

“Yes?”

“How strong are the Jinjo?”

At my question, Eleonora gave me her usual sly smile and poked me in the side.

“What’s this? Are you thinking about your little sister? Isn’t the love between siblings a bit too deep?”

“That’s not it.”

“Of course, it’s not. I can see the love for your sister all over your face. Ah, what a shame. If there had been a spot, I would have gladly been Aiden’s little sister too. Then I’d be a vampire too, right?”

“…Stop joking and answer my question.”

“Hmm. The Jinjo, you say?”

Eleonora’s expression changed instantly.

“You’ve probably already heard about the Royal Blood of the Jinjo. What exactly are you curious about?”

“Even the Hunter Guild hunts Jinjo, right? They must have classified their level of danger. I’m curious about how dangerous Jinjo are.”

How strong are the Jinjo?

And how strong must one be to hunt them?

My understanding of the Jinjo was vague. The academy’s textbooks only covered regular vampires, not the Jinjo.

“Hmm. The Jinjo, you see, are like regular vampires in that their level of danger varies greatly depending on the individual. Even in the Vampire Kingdom, there’s a hierarchy. Typically, the Jinjo can be considered at the Duke level in terms of vampires.”

“Duke level?”

“Yes. The vampires Aiden caught, like Jursach and Hoover, were at the Baron level, so Dukes are several steps higher in rank. I haven’t actually faced a Jinjo myself, but I’ve heard stories from veteran hunters.”

“What did they say?”

Eleonora hesitated for a moment before speaking.

“They called them a living disaster.”

“A what?”

“Yes. The Jinjo are on a completely different level from regular vampires. Aiden, be careful. If you attack a Jinjo out of shortsighted hatred, you’ll never make it back alive.”

It was the first time I had ever seen Eleonora look so serious.

“Typically, to hunt a Jinjo, you need at least eight veteran hunters, and half of them will die, while the rest will be seriously injured. Even then, the success rate of hunting a Jinjo is less than 50%.”

“That high…?”

“Yes. That high.”

Eleonora’s words naturally made me think back to the Vampire Queen I encountered at Stormgate.

In reality, she had killed all the citizens and guards who were gathered in the square overnight.

Not only that, she had flown in the air.

Even with just her physical abilities on display, she was that powerful.

And if the Vampire Queen used blood magic in a battle…

Is it because she’s one of the Jinjo’s kin?

I felt a chill run down my spine.

“But don’t worry, Aiden,” Eleonora said, placing her hand on my shoulder.

“If you’re with me, you’ll definitely become stronger than a Jinjo.”

“Hey, Eleonora.”

“Yes?”

“What’s that in your hand?”

“This?”

Eleonora smiled slyly.

“It’s a stake.”

“Did something break down somewhere?”

“…No.”

“Where do you plan on using it?”

“Well, for your body, Aiden.”
Before I knew it, Eleonora’s hand had gripped my shoulder tightly, not letting go.

“Don’t worry. You won’t die. I’m just curious about how much of a stake a vampire needs to have driven through them before they’re rendered incapable of fighting.”

Eleonora exhaled sharply.

For sure, the woman standing before me was more frightening than Ivan.