“What is this?”
When Arthur entered the space with the underground tombs, it was as bright as day.
He looked around, searching for the reason.
It was because of an intense light leaking from ahead.
As he approached the light, he saw it was none other than Teheran Julius's golden coffin that was shining.
And that light shot upwards. Looking closely, he saw a bell at the top.
This was the reason the bell had been shining.
“It's as if it called .”
Arthur stepped onto the platform and stood before the golden coffin.
Then, after taking a long, deep breath, he placed his palm on the center of the coffin.
At that mont, a golden light shone from his hand, and simultaneously, the eyes of the dragon-shaped sculptures placed at the corners of the coffin flashed and shot out a pure white light.
The beams of light shone on Arthur's palm, which was placed on the center of the coffin, and on the back of his hand, a fist-sized dragon appeared like a hologram.
The dragon looked at Arthur and roared as if unleashing a breath attack.
Far from being surprised, Arthur watched silently as Teheran's voice echoed in his mind.
-O successor who has inherited my legacy, listen carefully to what I am about to say. I have a secret…
After hearing all of Teheran's words, Arthur's face hardened.
He had learned an unexpected truth.
The surge of power that felt like a mana rampage was a side effect of the mana training thod.
He said that as Arthur grew stronger, the mana rampages would also worsen.
Then, if it reached a point where he could no longer handle the rampage, he would beco a berserker.
If that happened, another Demon King would appear in the world.
‘Dammit.’
-Do not worry. According to Kanmurasas, if you reach the 9th star, the mana rampage will stop. At your current growth rate, I believe it is fully possible.
‘The 9th star…’
The path ahead seed impossibly long.
But to protect the House of Count Julius, he had to beco stronger.
And as always, giving up was not an option.
‘I will do my best.’
-I will trust you. Now, I will give you what I promised.
Clunk.
The lid of the golden coffin vanished, revealing the inside.
Inside were bones, presumably Teheran's, and a golden helt.
The helt from the armor had been buried with Teheran when he died.
-This helt is now yours.
‘Didn't you say it would give absolute power?’
-Wear the helt and state what you desire.
‘What I desire?’
-What you need to beco stronger. Then, I will give it to you.
‘If it's what I need…’
Arthur wore a serious expression, seemingly lost in thought, before one thing ca to mind.
A gun!
Van had made him the CheyTac, but he needed a perfect gun besides that.
It was sothing that didn't exist in this world, but since magic existed, perhaps it was possible.
-If you have decided, place the helt on your head.
Arthur nodded and lifted the helt out of the coffin.
It was much lighter than he expected, and it was in the shape of a dragon—the symbol of the House of Count Julius—with its mouth agape.
The sight of it left a very strong impression.
To think that Teheran had fought wearing sothing like this, he could imagine how much fear it must have struck in his enemies.
With the sa feeling as when he first wore a combat helt, Arthur put on the helt.
It fit perfectly, as if it were his own.
He thought it would feel stuffy like wearing a helt, but he felt nothing of the sort. Instead, for so reason, he felt his fighting spirit ignite.
‘Not bad.’
Just as Arthur wore a satisfied expression…
-We et again here.
‘Huh? This voice is…’
It was Kanmurasas.
It seed he had also made arrangents within the helt.
-Now, state what you desire.
‘What I desire is…’
Arthur thought back on all the guns he had ever used.
From the M16 he first touched when he entered the Nonsan Training Center to the K2 rifle.
Even the Cheytac that had beco an extension of himself.
Dozens of guns unfolded before him like a panorama.
‘I really miss it.’
-Understood.
‘What do you an, you understand?’
As Arthur looked puzzled, the golden coffin lted as if it were ice.
“What the!”
Arthur shouted without realizing it.
He quickly tried to step down from the platform, but his feet wouldn't lift off the floor.
“What's with this now?”
While he was panicking, the coffin had completely lted and turned into a golden liquid.
As if it were alive, it approached Arthur's feet and climbed up his two legs.
“W-what is this!”
Arthur's eyes widened.
The golden liquid, which had risen to his chest, spread to both of his arms. And when it reached the tips of his ten fingers, a trendous energy burst forth from his palms as if exploding.
“What on earth is happening?”
Arthur was extrely flustered by the sudden situation.
He tensed up, sensing that another fortunate turn of events was about to occur.
Because every ti such an event occurred, it was accompanied by excruciating pain.
However, apart from emitting a trendous energy, no other abnormal symptoms appeared.
Then, the energy gradually weakened, and the golden liquid disappeared as if it had been absorbed into his body.
As Arthur tilted his head in confusion, the voice of Kanmurasas was heard.
-Successor of Teheran.
‘What was that phenonon just now?’
-I have given you what you desire, so please, I hope you will defeat the Demon King.
‘Wait a minute, I haven't received anything. What are you talking about, Kanmurasas?’
Once again, he left after only saying what he had to say.
After that, Teheran's voice was no longer heard either.
“What did he give ?”
Arthur moved his hands around, examining them, but he couldn't find anything different.
His feet, which had been stuck to the floor, now moved freely.
When he turned to step down from the platform, his jaw dropped at the sight before him.
“What is this?”
The tombs of the family heads were glowing brightly.
-Successor.
Teheran's voice was heard.
‘What did you give ?’
-How you use that power is entirely up to you.
‘Up to ?’
-Our work is done. Now, go and et Rumakas.
‘Rumakas? Who is that?’
-He is the guardian deity of the House of Count Julius.
‘A guardian deity?’
-I will look forward to the day you seize the golden glory.
Sensing that he too was about to disappear, Arthur quickly said.
‘Wait! You have to explain!’
It was just as he expected.
Like Kanmurasas, he too vanished.
“Damn it!”
Arthur grimaced and looked around.
The light from the tombs was also unusual.
Anticipating that another unexpected situation could occur, he tensed up and stepped down from the platform.
As he passed the tombs lining both sides of the passage, the light flashed brightly and was sucked into the helt as if being absorbed.
Each ti the light from a tomb was absorbed, the ssages left by the masters of the tombs echoed in Arthur's mind.
-For the golden glory.
-For the golden glory.
-For the golden glory.
The sa ssages were heard over and over.
Without realizing it, Arthur stopped in front of the very last tomb.
It was the tomb of Count Malcolm Julius.
It shone exceptionally brighter than the other tombs.
He could feel a warm heat from the light, as if it conveyed a special affection for his son.
And just as he thought…
-My son…
Arthur seed to be lost in thought for a mont before he replied.
‘Yes.’
-I am sorry. For leaving you with such a heavy burden…
‘I can overco it.’
-Thank you for growing up so splendidly.
‘Don't worry, and please rest in peace.’
-Yes, I will trust you. For the golden glory.
Fwoosh!
The light from the tomb was sucked into the helt.
With that light, the light from all the tombs had been absorbed into the helt.
The dragon crest on the helt shone intensely, and at the sa ti, Arthur's eyes also shone intensely.
It was like that for a mont.
The light vanished without a trace.
Arthur's eyes had beco much deeper than before, and a noble grace, as well as an extraordinary aura, flowed from him.
His entire atmosphere had completely changed.
“Hmm.”
Arthur could vaguely feel it too.
Aside from that, what was certain was that his wildly fluctuating mana had cald down, and he could now use it whenever he wished.
However, he couldn't feel what was called the 'absolute power'.
Since it was said that using that power was up to him, he decided to find a way sohow.
Before that, there was sothing he needed to check.
The corners of Arthur's mouth curled up.
“I wonder how much stronger I've beco.”
***
“Young Master! Where have you been?”
Skevin, who appeared at the training ground, had a face full of worry.
When he had gone back up to the castle wall with Aild, he saw that he was gone and had searched every corner of the castle with the Knight Order.
Then, he had heard through Andrew that Arthur was looking for him at the training ground and had rushed over.
Arthur, who had left the helt on the platform, nodded calmly.
“I had sothing to check.”
“Are you alright?”
“I'm fine now.”
“Still, you should go see Young Master Aild…!”
Skevin's eyes widened when he t Arthur's gaze.
He felt overwheld by the aura emanating from his deepened gaze.
Co to think of it, his atmosphere had changed.
The noble grace he felt was reminiscent of the late Count Malcolm.
And yet, his aura was so heavy and sharp that ordinary people would instinctively bow their heads.
‘What happened in that short ti…?’
Arthur noticed the wavering in Skevin's eyes and asked.
“What is it?”
“Your atmosphere seems to have changed a lot, Young Master…”
“Sothing like that happened.”
Arthur answered vaguely and took a step back. Then he raised his right hand and beckoned.
“What are you doing?”
At the sudden action, Skevin looked puzzled.
“Just co at . Then your questions will be answered.”
“Suddenly a sparring match…”
“Focus!”
Arthur kicked off the ground and charged.
Skevin's eyes shot open at the sudden situation.
But what was more surprising was that he had lost track of Arthur's movents, and his fist was already right in front of his nose.
Even for a surprise attack, this was an unbelievable situation.
“Y-Young Master…”
Arthur withdrew his fist and stepped back again.
“I have sothing I need to confirm, so do it properly.”
“I understand what you an.”
Skevin looked at Arthur with a serious face and then nodded.
“May I use my sword?”
“I don't mind.”
As Arthur beckoned with his hand as if to say 'co on', Skevin's expression beca resolute.
“You'll need to be careful.”
As soon as Skevin finished speaking, he drew up his mana and unleashed his power.
An intense aura burst forth from him.
Arthur had beco too strong to be treated with the sa restraint as before.
He instinctively realized he had to give it his all.
The mont their eyes t, Skevin rushed forward and threw a punch.
The fist, imbued with a terrifying energy, flew like a flash of lightning.
Just as it was about to strike Arthur's face…
He vanished, and the fist cut through empty air.
“Th-this is!”
Just as Skevin was greatly surprised, he heard Arthur's voice from behind him.
“How about you draw your sword?”
“Very well.”
Skevin turned around and drew his sword without hesitation.
He thrust the sword toward Arthur's heart like lightning.
A deep blue aura was wrapped around the sword.
It was an attack carrying imnse power, but Arthur didn't even blink as he parried the sword with his fist.
“Hah!”
Skevin was aghast.
In that mont, Arthur closed in on Skevin's chest and said in a low voice.
“I know how much stronger I've beco. Rest for a bit.”
Arthur planted his fist into Skevin's stomach.
Thwack!
“Keuk!”
Skevin dropped to his knees on the spot and collapsed forward.
Arthur glanced toward the West Mountain Range, then put on his helt and left the training ground.
A short while later.
Arthur stood before the cliff, wearing the helt.
While facing Skevin, he had suddenly rembered the dragon crest he had discovered at the bottom of the cliff.
He wondered if the qualification to enter that space perhaps ant reaching the 4th star.
And he had a thought that the voice he heard there might have been ‘Rumakas’.
“I'll know once I check.”
Arthur leaped down without hesitation.
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