Chapter 17

“Warriors of Haider, listen!”

Rene Haider spoke solemnly.

“Her Highness Leniar will be here soon. We must stop the Second Prince's group until then.”

Fifteen warriors nodded in unison.

Their thick forearms and sharp axes were reassuring.

They were the Haider warriors, members of one of the six warrior corps that symbolized the Duchy of Volmark.

Rene Haider was the grandson of the Haider Warrior Corps' commander.

“They must have already spotted us. If they're not fools, they'll launch a surprise attack.”

The warriors were confident.

There was no need or thought to hide.

A single axe was sufficient.

“But we are the honorable Haider warriors. We will face them head-on……”

“Hey-!”

At the shout, he turned his head to see a giant waving his hand.

“You're sister Leniar's men, right? Just wait right there!”

“…Is that prince a fool?”

Rene Haider muttered.

A giant three heads taller than others was not common.

Secundus laughed heartily as he strode closer.

He was alone.

Rene Haider was bewildered.

No surprise attack, and the prince was charging into the enemy camp alone?

No matter how strong he was, it was a foolish act.

While Rene Haider was flustered, Secundus uprooted a tree.

“It felt weird to come empty-handed, so here's a gift!”

“…Damn it!”

A considerably thick tree flew towards the warriors.

Secundus grinned and flexed his forearms even more.

Trees and rocks flew like toys, and they made roars that were not toy-like at all.

“Wh-what kind of strength is that!”

A warrior who had dodged a rock and a tree exclaimed.

“They say the Second Prince is more beast than a beast, and the rumors are really……”

“You, that’s harsh for a first meeting.”

“……!”

The warrior hastily raised his axe, but Secundus was faster.

A rock-like fist struck the warrior's throat, solar plexus, and groin.

Without even a scream, one warrior fell.

“How foolish! Into the enemy camp alone and bare-handed?”

“Do you take the axes of Haider lightly?”

The reputation of the Haider Warrior Corps was not for nothing.

Though one of their comrades had fallen without even a scream, their morale was not broken at all.

It was just that their opponent was a bad match.

Secundus clicked his tongue, his steel-like biceps bulging.

“Aren't you the ones taking my hands lightly?”

Secundus strode forward.

Then, he grabbed the axe blade of the foremost warrior.

Even though he grabbed the blade, not a single scratch appeared on his hand.

“These are the hands that tore a lion's jaws apart at the age of nine. They're more dangerous than your axes.”

Before they had a chance to be surprised, the muscular prince tore the axe apart.

“……”

“……”

The steel axe was torn in two.

It wasn't broken or shattered, but torn apart like a piece of paper.

The Haider warriors were speechless, alternating their gazes between the axe (that was) tumbling on the ground and their own axes.

‘Wait, is an axe something that can be torn?’

‘My axe… I still have payments left on it……’

‘More importantly, is it even right to use the expression ‘torn’ for an axe?’

Secundus threateningly raised his hand.

“Doesn't seem so funny now, does it?”

The faces of the Haider warriors turned pale.

“You all need to train more.”

“Are you just arriving now?”

Secundus waved his hand in welcome.

Beside him, more than ten warriors lay fallen.

All of them were unconscious, with no major injuries.

“Tie them up.”

His confidants moved quickly.

Recognizing the fallen as Haider warriors, I shook my head.

‘As expected of Secundus.’

One of the six warrior corps that symbolized the Duchy of Volmark.

To think he subdued them so easily, even if they weren't the elites.

There was nothing to say but 'as expected of Secundus'.

“What is it, Zionis, got something to say?”

Secundus, feeling my gaze, threw a question.

I didn't hide it and answered honestly.

“You are amazing, brother.”

“Haha. You'll have to show your skills soon enough.”

“I don't have anything to call skills.”

“If that were the case, you wouldn't have obtained a Treasure.”

The giant’s gaze was sharp.

It was clear he saw through my childish act to some extent.

I shrugged my shoulders as if I didn't know what he was talking about, and Secundus didn't press further.

“Let me tell you in advance, Zionis, only you and I will enter the trial site.”

“…This is the first I'm hearing of it?”

My eyes sank.

“I can understand leaving the confidants, but why brother Kateka?”

“I… cannot go below the ground……”

Kateka Keshulei interjected with a gloomy voice.

“I am bound… by a few restrictions……”

‘Ah.’

I had an idea of what he meant.

Kateka Keshulei, the Reclusive Prince enchanted by mystery.

The owner of a life bound by restrictions and taboos in exchange for the talent to glimpse the heavens.

Secundus let out a hearty laugh.

“Kateka has many inconveniences. He can't eat raw meat, nor can he go to places that are too high or too low.”

“…It's not that inconvenient.”

Kateka shook his head.

It might seem inconvenient to others, but to him, it was daily life.

He had never experienced a life without restrictions or taboos.

“Instead of entering, I'll set up a barrier here……. Sister Leniar might come before we leave……”

The fact that the Haider Warrior Corps was waiting meant that Leniar already knew of this location.

She would be prepared for a clash, so she would bring a considerable number of troops.

Kateka Keshulei’s face still had a gloomy look, but he didn't seem to lack confidence.

“Unless Dean Hermai himself comes, I can hold out for half a day……”

“Alright, Zionis.”

Secundus placed a hand on my shoulder.

“Now for the main event. Let's go get the Treasure.”

Shion and Secundus moved towards the old temple site.

A passage leading downwards was hidden among collapsed marble pillars.

Secundus jumped in first and I followed.

‘This temple was a place that served Shenaol.’

The image of an old man in a chariot was engraved in various places.

One of the Eight Gods served during the Hotus era, Shenaol of wisdom and peace.

Perhaps this temple was also a thousand years old.

The underground of the temple was filled with cobwebs.

Secundus walked without a care, and I did the same.

They exchanged trivial conversations.

“What kind of trial is it?”

“I don't know either.”

“I thought you had already been inside?”

“I couldn't even enter. The conditions were strict. You'll see the door soon.”

He was right.

There was a sophisticated door that didn't match the worn-out underground temple.

It was clear that it had been touched by human hands recently.

Something was written on it in the ancient Hotus language.

Secundus stopped in front of it.

“I haven't been beyond this point.”

“It certainly is making an unreasonable demand.”

I read the Hotus words written on the door.

It was an ancient language, but there was no problem reading it.

“To think it says for two successors to place their hands amicably.”

Secundus's eyes glinted with a strange light.

“Oho. You can read ancient Hotus?”

“Don't we all get tutors?”

“I kicked out my tutor because it was so boring.”

“……”

I didn't reply.

“Anyway, I understand why you brought me.”

“Then you know what to do, right?”

“Of course.”

I placed my palm on the door.

Secundus did the same.

A strange sensation brushed past.

A wave of mana had tested their qualifications.

The two princes were confident.

It was because they were the sons of the Great Emperor, with nothing to hide.

Rumble-!

The door opened.

It was the path to the Treasure.

A journey to get closer to the Imperial Throne.

But it was not one path.

Secundus uttered.

“Hmm. A forked road!”

“Now I see why two had to come.”

Two paths greeted them beyond the door.

A small sign had something written on it in Hotus.

Secundus gestured with his eyes, and I read it.

“The left is the easy and fast path. The right is the difficult and slow path… is what it says.”

The left path was wide open.

But the right path was blocked from the start by a huge iron door.

Though two princes had come, they had to part ways here.

“It also says it's unknown which path leads to the Treasure. Does the one who arrives first get to claim the Treasure?”

Secundus, having finished reading the sign, nodded.

“Hmm, this is troublesome.”

“…Wait, you can read ancient Hotus?”

“I said I kicked out the tutor, not that I couldn't read, didn't I?”

“……”

These princes and princesses were all sly foxes.

If I had tried to lie about what was written on the sign, I would have been caught immediately.

Of course, I had no intention of pulling such a shallow trick.

“Anyway, Zionis, which way will you go?”

“Why don't you yield the easy and fast path to your younger brother.”

“Then I'll take the difficult and slow path.”

The muscular prince showed a slight grin.

“If it's for my younger brother, of course.”

I shrugged my shoulders.

There was no reason to refuse him playing the role of the older brother.

Besides, I was still in the body of an eleven-year-old kid.

I wanted to conserve my strength.

Heading towards the wide-open left path, I asked.

“By the way, brother Secundus, let me ask just one thing.”

I gave a slight smile.

“What will you do if my path is the real one and I get the Treasure?”

“Do as you please.”

Secundus said, heading towards the right path.

The difficult and slow one.

A huge iron door was already blocking the way.

He clenched his fist tightly.

“If you can, that is!”

CRRRRRAAAAACK-!!!

A sound like a cannon blast erupted.

It was not a roar that a human fist could make.

The man who had shattered the iron door with a single punch threw his head back and laughed heartily.

“Zionis, it would be embarrassing if you took the easy and fast path and were still slower than me!”

Hahaha-!

The sound of laughter quickly faded away.

“…That man is like a tank!”

As expected of Secundus Debius.

In terms of physique alone, he was the strongest among the eight princes and princesses.

Even now, he could probably tear apart a few dozen knights with his bare hands.

“Well then, since my brother is gone too……”

A black shadow bloomed.

He wove the thread-like rising shadow over his body.

The frail body of an eleven-year-old swelled up.

His body soon changed into something like a beast glinting with a black sheen.

“It's finally your turn, Valziart.”

The Mana Armor did not answer.

Its soul was in a slumber from which it could not wake.

But its body followed my will.

The armor of black shadow moved as naturally and as powerfully as my own body.

I lightly kicked the ground.

The floor caved in, and the scenery receded far away.

A few arrows flew in, as if from a trap.

I didn't block them.

The arrows, far from piercing the shadow armor, bent pathetically and bounced off.

I snickered and raised my hand.

The shadow claws were sharp.

The stone floor was gouged out as if it were soft soil.

“Worthy of being Sen Sorti's masterpiece.”

The expression 'masterpiece' was not an overstatement.

To have this kind of power even when I wasn't used to it yet!

A kid who had never trained had obtained a physique comparable to an elite knight.

It was still lacking compared to the days when I was called a hero, but I was quite satisfied.

“Don't disappoint me in the future.”

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