Transla⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌tor: Pai_

TL Note: I have changed "Six-Flame Dragon" and "Six-Flame Dragon Nation" to "Rou Hua Long" and "Rou Hua Long Nation". This is because the author provided the Hanja in this chapter. Previously, only 육화룡 was used, which translates to "Six-Flame Dragon". However, with the Hanja now provided, the meaning has changed.

육화룡 (肉化龍): This Hanja is derived from a Chinese term for a carp incarnating as a dragon after leaping over the dragon gate, written as 魚化龍 (Fish Incarnated Dragon, or Yu Hua Long). The author changed it to 肉化龍, which literally means 肉 (flesh/meat) + 化 (transformed) + 龍 (dragon), or "Flesh Incarnated Dragon". The direct romanization is "Rou Hua Long", which I have decided to use instead of the previous "Six-Flame Dragon".

Second, I am now using "Gang Qi (罡氣)" instead of "Qi Force". Previously, the author only used the Korean 강기, which means "Aura". Since the author also used the transliterated "Aura (오러)", I translated the other term as "Qi Force" to distinguish between them. However, now that the author has included the Hanja, the meaning has shifted closer to "astral qi" or "righteous qi" rather than a simple aura. The author used both terms in this chapter, and while they seem to refer to the same thing, this is not entirely clear. For this reason, I am using the romanized version as well.

Since we are on the bleeding edge of translations, this type of issue will occur more often, either due to typos/mistakes by the author or, as in this case, clearer meanings being provided in later chapters. I will let you all know about such changes as they occur. I have also updated all the old chapters with the new translations.

***

If someone were to ask, "What was the most nerve-wracking day of your life?" Mun Si-ah could have answered without hesitation.

Today. Right now.

Out of nowhere, the checkpoint had nearly exploded, and then their liege lord, the Obsidian Baron, had paid them a surprise visit.

On top of all that, she, a mere Mid-class Gatekeeper, had faced down reporters on behalf of the entire clan!

Si-ah's mental state was much like today's weather. It lurched and stormed all over the plac⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌e. To the point that her life achievement of incapacitating a mage with a single arrow felt trivial by comparison.

"This may be an uncomfortable question."

Still, the reporters' questions were finally winding down. This would be the last one.

"Would you say you have a good relationship with your brother?"

"Yes, I have always thought of him as an orabeoni I can be proud of. Given the nature of our job, we have to wake up earlier than anyone else in the Royal Capital. My orabeoni comes down from the watchtower at five in the morning to practice his spearwork. Every single day, without exception. Seeing that always makes me resolve to follow his example."

“Wow, what a heartwarming sibling bond. Thank you!”

The reporters scattered in small groups. Every one of them wore the face of a fishmonger who had hauled in the freshest catch and couldn't be more satisfied.

They chattered happily amongst themselves as they left: Man, kids these days sure have a way with words. Right? And the looks on 'em, nothing like us. The kingdom won't be falling apart anytime soon at this rate. All thanks to His Majesty's grace, of course. Chatter, chatter, jabber, jabber.

'It's over......!'

Si-ah, who had been wearing humanity's most powerful cosmetic technique, the business smile, caked on at full-coverage levels, finally let out a breath of relief.

'I'm not doing afternoon duty! The uncles and aunt can handle it. Dad too!'

'Honestly, if it weren't for the Illegitimate Child and me, the checkpoint would've burned down and His Excellency the Baron would've been soaked to the bone. This deserves vacation time, and not just a day off, a full vacation-level holiday!'

'My vacation starts now!'

Even so, Si-ah kept her guard up in case any reporters snuck back to spy on them. But as she was crossing the open yard, her facial muscles gave out completely.

That line she had delivered to the reporters, "I've always looked up to him as a brother I'm proud of", and the person responsible for playing the role of "a brother I'm proud of", the number one contributor to today's events, the Illegitimate Child... was digging a hole in the ground.

With a shovel.

"?"

No, he had already dug quite a lot. That Illegitimate Child, whose only redeeming quality was his frame, had most of his body buried underground and was barely visible.

Scrape! Thud! Dirt flew as he dug with ferocious intensity.

Even accounting for the rain softening the topsoil, the pit was far too deep to believe he had dug it in such a short time.

Perhaps someone else might have been impressed by his shoveling prowess, but Si-ah was not that someone, so profanity came first. What the hell is he up to now...

"Honestly, orabeoni. What are you doing?"

"Oh. My beloved little sister. Did you see the reporters off all right?"

"Yes. I used the invaluable strategy you taught me and sent them all away satisfied. But why on earth are you digging a hole......?"

"Rejoice, Si-ah. Your dear brother has obtained a Fateful Encounter."

Si-ah could not comprehend this. A Fateful Encounter? What Fateful Encounter? The only Fateful Encounter this lunatic had ever gotten in his life was being blessed with a sister as perfect as herself.

"According to this Fateful Encounter, qi flows through all things in the world, and if one want to perceive it clearly, the best places are either high up in the sky or deep underground. Now, it's not like your dear brother is a Celestial, so how would I get closer to the sky?"

"Ah, so... you're digging a hole to feel qi?"

"Correct. As expected of my little sister. Smart girl."

"......"

"Hmm. I wonder if I've dug deep enough."

Mun Su-ho sat cross-legged in the middle of the pit. Splash! Whether the muddy water pooled at the bottom soaked his rear or not, he could not have cared less.

And then, wouldn't you know it, that madman pulled a newspaper from inside his shirt, set it down in front of him, and suddenly started muttering.

"Ohhh! Teacher! I can feel it clearly!"

"......"

"The blinking of my eyes, the air going in and out of my lungs, even the position of my tongue inside my mouth. I can feel it all so vividly! So this is what qi is!"

"......"

"I can't believe I've been living all this time without sensing this. I've been losing out on life!"

Silently, she peered down into the pit, then lifted her head. She walked past with the gait of someone who had seen absolutely nothing.

'Proud orabeoni, my foot. No matter how vast the kingdom was, who would take in a lunatic like that?'

With one last sidelong glance at the pit, now so deep that not even his head was visible, Si-ah thought:

'Isn't there going to be another downpour?'

'If it doesn't rain again today and flood that hole, that would be proof that the heavens are slacking on the job.'

* * *

Of course, Mun Su-ho was not just shoveling for the sake of shoveling.

「Now that you’ve dug deep enough that your head no longer shows when seated, let’s try to awaken Qi Sense throughout your whole body!」

He was simply fulfilling his role as a diligent student, faithfully following the instructions of the Wellness Guide column.

"Yes, Teacher!"

Even if it was the Wellness Guide, there was really no need to shout enthusiastic replies to a newspaper that couldn't even hear him, but, well.

His enthusiasm was excessive, yet excess was always preferable when first learning something new. In his own estimation, Mun Su-ho was an excellent student.

「Isn't it uncomfortable how suddenly aware of your own breathing you've become? St⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌ill, rushing to inhale faster is strictly forbidden. According to several studies, it can actually be harmful to your training.」

「Focus on the cool energy rising from beneath the ground. If the ground is damp from rain, they say it's also great to take in the scent of the soil!」

By consuming the "Potion of Loyalty", Su-ho's body had become slightly different in constitution from an ordinary citizen of the kingdom.

The Potion of Loyalty had been created by a dragon named the Rou Hua Long. Rou Hua Long believed that the life of all things sprouted from within the earth, and for a Dragon Emper⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌or whose very concepts defined existence, this was no different from a universal truth.

"Oh."

The methodology of "sit cross-legged in a pit, concentrate, and you'll actually awaken your Qi Sense, seriously try it" would have been utterly useless to other citizens of the kingdom, earning nothing but mockery and scorn. But for Su-ho, it worked.

"Something is truly...... I can feel something, Teacher!"

「If you’ve managed to grasp the sensation, then for today, continue focusing on firmly making that feeling your own.」

"Yes, Teacher!"

The Elixir of Purification absorbed in the lost-and-found storage room, now forcibly renamed the Potion of Loyalty by its owner, stirred the Dragon Breath that had remained near his heart.

No. It had seen the meridians clogged with so much Impure Qi that it had given up all hope and assumed it would simply grow faint and disappear like this, but then, what was this?

A training method perfectly suited to its own energy was being activated!

If the Dragon Breath had a personality, it would have been something close to startled surprise.

Originally, thousands of years ago in the Rou Hua Long Nation, all the humans had trained exactly like this. Choosing damp earth, digging a hole, and sinking into meditation for the rest of the day was the unique training method of the Rou Hua Long Nation.

But 2,000 years ago, the Rou Hua Long himself got so astronomically furious with the human race that he slaughtered every last human under his care. In this world, guilt by association was sometimes applied on a species-wide scale.

Su-ho, who had lived his whole life in the kingdom, didn’t know it, but in this world, the average standard was apparently even more barbaric than the barbaric kingdom.

In any case, a cultivation method thought lost since that day had been rediscovered in a completely absurd place. The Dragon Breath, that professional maid who had been moping about being employed in such a garbage body, quickly regained her vitality.

Leaning on Rou Hua Long’s own concept that "the smell of earth is truly splendid" and "earth is the root of all things", the Dragon Breath began circulating vigorously through Su-ho's body once more.

"Mmm, oh....... oh?"

It was an exquisite Fateful Encounter.

Had Su-ho not consumed the Potion of Loyalty, had he failed to discover the correct method of usage through [Deep Investigation], or had he taken the potion but waited too long, allowing the Dragon Breath to vanish without a trace...

All of this training would have been meaningless. The Prophecy Newspaper's Wellness Guide column would have output nothing but the most generic information.

A difference of mere days had completely altered the path Su-ho would walk from here on!

He had boarded the last train without even knowing it.

'I see. The key is to draw in the Gang Qi mixed into all things through breathing, but to distinguish between breath and Gang Qi without confusing the two, and feel the Qi flowing within your body.'

'If air is fuel, then the human respiratory system is the filter. Only by removing as many impurities from the fuel as possible can you handle Gang Qi of higher purity.'

'If you can't tell the differen⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌ce between air and Gang Qi, you won't be able to filter out impurities, and your health and lifespan will just keep getting chipped away....... wait. Is that how aging works in this world?'

'They say Celestial Warriors can live for hundreds of years. So handling magic or Aura naturally extends your lifespan as a side effect.'

Su-ho suddenly snapped back to awareness.

"Hm?"

He blinked. It had gone dark all around him.

Startled, he looked up, and good heavens. Night had already fallen and everything was shrouded in darkness.

A gasp escaped him involuntarily. And not merely because he had lost track of time while absorbed in meditation.

In this world, nighttime was exceedingly dangerous!

As befitting a world where magic and Gang Qi actually existed, monsters and ghosts roamed freely, and in the Void beyond the Royal Territory, even space and time were warped. It was only because this was the Royal Capital that malevolent energies could not intrude at will.

So, in a panicked rush, Su-ho scrambled out of the pit as if someone might come and drag him away. Despite the hole being as deep as he was tall, getting out was easy.

All he did was spring up with a push of his legs, and it was as though the wind itself carried him, launching him high into the air.

"Oh."

The world looked different.

The Milky Way in the night sky poured down more vividly than usual. The energy of a crimson starlight rippling like an ocean on the far side of the heavens... Su-ho could somehow, ever so faintly, feel it.

In other words.

‘So I’ve reached Qi Refining Level 2...!’

Naturally, no such ranking system existed in either the kingdom or the Rou Hua Long Nation. Su-ho's current state would have just been lumped together under the rank of Lower Stream.

Even so, to have stabilized his realm in only a few days was tremendously fast. Su-ho had every right to be pleased.

"Oh shoot, this is no time for that. If I don't get back inside the Royal Capital quick, the creepy things will show up."

That was when it happened.

Something caught Su-ho's eye as he was about to dash for the gate. Whoosh, whoosh, someone was taking advantage of the night to scale the fortress wall.

"......?"

He thought it might be the work of a ghost, but something was off. For one thing, if it were a ghost, it should have been trying to pass through the gate, not the wall. The walls encircling the Royal Capital were themselves a kind of powerful collective enchantment.

More importantly, the face of the person who had jumped down from the wall and landed was familiar.

It was none other than the smuggler who, two days prior, had been caught by Su-ho while hauling a load of illegally cultivated Crystal Leaf and dragged off to prison.

"Huff, haah. Haaahhk......!"

The smuggler looked like a wreck. He was drenched in blood from head to toe, and his gait was visibly pained, as if he had overexerted himself jumping over the wall.

Still, even by the dim light of night his expression was bright, the look of a man certain that having fled this far, he could shake off his pursuers at last. But then...

"......"

"......"

Freeze.

The smuggler, who had been fleeing without looking back, slammed on the brakes. And for good reason, since Mun Su-ho was standing right there in front of him.

"Well, well. We meet again. Where are you off to in such a hurry?"

"Son of a..."

"Last time you were so polite with your formal speech, but it seems your language has gotten a bit rough since I saw you. His Majesty's grace must not have reached you."

"Nothing personal, but... no, actually it is personal, so die!"

The smuggler drew his dagger.

The exact details were hard for Su-ho to discern from where he stood, but it was likely a weapon barely secured during the jailbreak.

At first glance, charging at a spearman with nothing but a dagger looked suicidal. A few days ago, Su-ho himself would have thought the same and casually flicked his spear.

Not now.

"Oh?"

Gang Qi. Faint, but unmistakably, a red glow of Aura clung to the dagger.

Astonishingly, the smuggler who had been hauling illegal herbs was, in truth, a Gang Qi user!

So Su-ho answered in kind. Twirl, he spun his spear. His own Gang Qi was pitifully faint, but he strained to channel a red current of it along the shaft.

The escaped convict's eyes went wide.

Clang!

He had swung the dagger fully intending to slice through the gatekeeper like tofu, yet the gatekeeper's spear didn't budge an inch, deflecting his attack right back at him.

It was a disaster. Worse still, in that brief exchange, the convict got the distinct impression that he was actually being overpowered.

"A Gang Qi user!?"

This changed everything.

Gang Qi could only be met with Gang Qi. Barring the world's most wretched and cowardly species, mages, this was as good as a universal truth.

When two combatants were at similar levels of Gang Qi mastery, the difference in weapon reach naturally became decisive.

One had a dagger. The other had a spear. If the kingdom's warriors saw someone charging a spearman with one measly dagger, they would have marveled at what a novel method of suicide that was.

"That's impossible! Just a few days ago you didn't have a shred of Gang Qi......!"

"A true warrior conceals thirty percent of his strength."

Su-ho intoned with quiet gravitas.

His manner of speaking, too, had become rather solemn.

"Now that you have discerned that I am a Qi Refining Level 2 powerhouse, I cannot allow you to live. Nothing personal, but die."

'Qi Refining Level 2? What the hell is that?'

The escaped convict was utterly baffled.

And toward him, Su-ho's unreasonable strike came crashing down.

*****

Author's Note

Surprise weekend chapter!