The demon thing made Rowan uneasy. Whatever it was, unlimited power without consequences just made him suspicious. He already had the black dream. That was the sa kind of power, but at least you had to kill enemies to get it—felt like a trial, like you were earning your reward.
In the end, he couldn't go through with connecting to the demon Akatabert.
'Pandevus was a demon worshiper.'
Through the eyes, he could also see the connection between Pandevus and Akatabert. And he realized the crest's power ca from the demon Akatabert. But the weird thing was that Pandevus knew how to use mana control.
'If he knew magic, it would've manifested as a black gate.'
But it didn't. And that raised another question.
'He didn't know magic, but he could use mana control.'
The truth hidden in that contradiction flickered before Rowan like a mirage. Just out of reach.
Snap!
Whatever. Rowan shook himself and got ready to decide. The Incomplete Werewolf Traits had serious side effects.
The disgusting parchnt creation thod, three types of crest creation, connection to the demon Akatabert—all demon-related, so they had to go.
That left only two options.
Pandevus's mana control and Pandevus's mana. Here, Rowan was careful.
Thinking simply, Rowan had mana. Everyone had mana. But mana control was power held by only a few.
Looking at gains, getting Pandevus's mana control made sense. Because it was rare.
'Lies grow bigger the more you feed them until they're too big to swallow.'
The knight's secret technique. That hadn't caused any direct damage. But Rowan knew plenty about the twisted paths lies take. You get caught eventually.
Even if he got mana control, he couldn't use it for magic right away, and he'd have to make up a fake story about where he learned it. And if that story was missing the rituals and protocols that wizards in this world had?
'I'd beco an enemy to all wizards.'
That ant rebelling against the establishnt. But getting Pandevus's mana gave him nothing. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.
[I don't get what you're agonizing over.]
"What?"
Suddenly Gulliver Alastor spoke up. That was pretty surprising for Rowan. The guy usually had a policy of only responding if you greeted him first.
[Why are you so scared? Isn't there power without consequences right in front of you?]
"That's crazy. How can I trust that?"
[Transcendent power equals rank of existence. His strength cos from outside this world. Unless he makes you submit, he can't do anything. That's why all demon worshipers follow demons.]
Very convincing. Why would anyone beco a demon worshiper? Because demons hand out favors like suckers. Massive power without consequences! Physical abilities that let you jump over three standing n with just leg strength, and even though you're a mutant werewolf that loses its reason, it gives you at least minimal reason.
You could call it powerful strength way beyond normal. But Rowan didn't think so.
"If the temple catches , I'm done."
Rowan was even thinking about burning all his disgusting parchnts.
[The temple's chronically understaffed. Ever seen them in your life? At best they live in citadels and cities, barely keeping up with healing the sick and injured. Divine power can't be wasted. No way they'd use it for checkpoints.]
"...Still, I can't trust demons. You never know what'll happen."
[Won't argue with that.]
"Why are you trying to help ?"
[Because you're slow as hell. If it were ...]
Gulliver shut his mouth. He knew the difference between himself and Rowan. No point in saying more. Gulliver's form wrapped in black smoke and disappeared.
'Says his piece and leaves. Damn bastard.'
Obviously Rowan wasn't going to just take his advice. Gulliver saw Rowan's capacity as huge—thought he could take big risky steps. But Rowan didn't want that kind of risk.
The stable paycheck ntality. John grew up in a country that valued stable jobs above all. He was thinking thoughts that contradicted his bold decision to live by the sword and climb the ranks.
The average person's attitude—spending big money freely while pinching pennies on bus fare and every last coin. Plus he didn't think well of demons anyway.
Especially since Gulliver couldn't deny that demons couldn't be trusted.
'I'm already anxious about the black dream, and you want to add demons on top of that?'
He couldn't choose carelessly. In the end, Rowan didn't get anything imdiately useful from this black dream. Because of his policy of not wanting drawbacks and risks.
He took Pandevus's mana control. Rowan could feel the flow of mana. But that flow was limited to himself. He couldn't feel any mana outside his own body at all. Seed like that was magic's domain.
It was like having his hands and feet cut off, but he had no other choice.
Waking from the dream, Rowan imdiately threw the parchnts with demon crests into the furnace and burned them.
Imagining an orc warrior, he finished his dawn training. Espin was still sleeping, and only Doren joined him for personal training.
The captured bandits stayed tied up in the cave. The soldiers didn't make a temporary wooden prison. The rchant group might show up any ti. Believing they'd co within three to five days like they said was too trusting—this world's sense of ti was terrible.
"Get closer to the back!"
"The front went down, what do you want!"
Since morning, six soldiers were moving a log with the branches cut off. It wasn't that big, but they had to go up the valley, so the guy at the bottom was dying. They kept switching positions as they went.
The plan was to drive the log into the cave and tie people tight against it. Easier than weaving a whole prison.
Espin washed up roughly and followed Rowan out. The Tracking rcenary Group wasn't put on labor duty but got patrol duty around the area.
Thud! Thud!
He saw a soldier using a wooden shovel to scoop dirt and pull up bushes by the roots. Moving bushes elsewhere for camouflage. You didn't see this often since they were vulnerable to fire attacks.
Since everyone was busy, the Tracking rcenary Group headed out quickly.
They couldn't do a fast full patrol. The army that set up three supply zones on the five-day route Rowan suggested. Those supplies included hoop rhinoceros leather armor too. Espin and Doren were wearing that armor.
"Huff! Huff!"
"Stop."
Rowan stopped walking after climbing up the rough forest hill with his hands. Espin and Doren following behind were breathing hard.
"You said we could fight in these, but I'm about to keel over."
Espin said defensively at Rowan's words. He forced his breathing to steady.
"It's not, that heavy."
"Hoooo. Hoo."
Doren didn't have the energy to answer. Wind blew hard over the hill. His sweat cooled and felt refreshing.
"It's not that different from leather armor, so why do I get tired so easily?"
Doren couldn't understand. Weight-wise, he was only carrying about 5-7kg spread across his body. Not even a backpack concentrated on his shoulders—it was armor.
No discomfort moving around at all. When they started out, the weight felt just right. But climbing one rough patch and his breathing went crazy.
"Didn't I tell you that's why you need ti to adapt?"
"No, but why do we have to wear two layers of outer clothes?"
"I should put chain mail on you, but we don't have money so that's how it is."
Espin shook his head and raised his hand.
"That's not it, Captain. You're just wearing it normally, aren't you?"
"Well, I've got the skills..."
"Hahaha!"
Doren suddenly laughed three big laughs. Then quickly made excuses.
"Ah! That's not it, it's just that Espin always acts better than ..."
"You need to wear three layers!"
The two had gotten pretty close. Then wolf Dono's nose flared big as he sniffed around. Rowan, Espin, and Doren all crouched low. Crow Kaiya was sleeping in the tent so wasn't there.
Brown wolf Dono moved leisurely. Consideration for the humans. They had to scout around carefully for a while. When they'd moved a good 1.5km, Rowan spotted a group.
They were gathering things that grew on the mountain. Mostly kids.
'Played outside and ran when trouble hit.'
The problem was they didn't get far. Because there was a six-year-old kid in the group. The oldest who looked like the leader was just holding a thick branch.
"Head back."
The noisy ones playing around thought they'd co pretty far. Which was true, but unluckily they got caught by the wolf's sense of sll.
The blood sll from a bird they caught with a sling and tied with rope. That alone got them tracked down.
They rushed from front and back at once.
"Run!"
"Kyaaaa!"
"This way!"
"Get Yon!"
The oldest kid playing leader with a branch rushed at Espin.
"You bad guys!"
Thwack.
"Guk!"
With a dull sound, he got hit by the shield before he could even swing the branch and fell backward.
Rowan caught the fast runners first. Didn't cut them. Hit their heads with the flat of his blade. Their friendship was so strong they ran together, so he caught them all.
"Ahhh!"
So kids got their legs bitten by wolf Dono.
He was this brutal because there was no law in this world. Law only existed for the establishnt, and revenge was tradition.
Even in modern tis with rule of law, revenge runs wild.
For his own safety, Rowan was ntally prepared and resolved to kill even kids. No room for anything else. Captured and worked as slaves, their resentnt would naturally turn toward the army, the lord, and the establishnt.
If he let them go, the Tracking rcenary Group might unluckily beco targets. Hypocrites were more vicious in so ways.
He dragged back six kids tied with rope. They were covered in tears and snot. Rowan didn't care. He had to shine in this long-term job sohow. Had to grab even small achievents.
"I'll get revenge! I'll kill everyone here!"
The hot-blooded one had to get beaten by soldiers until he was bloody pulp.
A week flew by. They built a new position for the ambush and waited for the enemy in perfect cover. At night they didn't even light torches outside. Only heated stones were distributed from the cave. That was enough.
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