Chapter 68: The old days continue (2)
FQqTlRA worthy being shines everywhere.UB5
CuK“There it is! Hurry up and drive!”A1fLV8E
0RDVDh“What a ruckus!”BOR46
xUNAnd everyone was compelled to covet the shining being.F4s
qHZaewl“…!”tV5Z
kAGfz9A black horse fled under a night sky of a similar hue.a8Idb6X
RZYeW1LIt relinquished its duty as the group’s leader and came to seek the boy for memories of that day, but humans’ greed for possessing a shining being was blocking the boy’s path to moving forward.caQ
GZwxYwRopes filled with sinister spells flew towards the black horse.GSt
UwE903Everywhere.WSrUVf
53ZJd7On the horizon of the world where you and I meet, and become one.c6C
gxQtvvYA broader world would ensure greater possibilities, but the boy who had faced the worm of death like him that day was not here.VwVwS
42BTherefore, the black horse had no choice but to handle all of this alone.y3ult
5kcNeigh!guAdN
a0AThe black horse’s whinny echoed under the waxing moon.IWx9
pdv***oHBO3
2D8CkUnder a sunny summer sky, a carriage full of hay passed through a meadow.XHIh
a3gD2An old man with a straw hat and a yawning child beside him.gqe
OE2H8R8And even a young man with a long chin driving a horse while carrying them in a carriage.fk8dQ
NMYT0XsSeeing them crowded in a small carriage seemed far removed from knights or swordsmen.wTIW
NUQ8u0“Where are we going?”OAjPUk
kk1n“To Varna.”adjU
FLQJ“But is it okay to just relax like this?”TbmbhH
RS1O7“We’ll get there on our own.”SEn
suTjKtRCurrently, the group was quietly following the ascending journey towards Varna.LMR4I5
eXMcAccording to Ramund, the horse that was supposed to be a ghost horse was not only fast, but it always watched from a distance and controlled whether people traveled in the carriage or cart.lIdsJ
IQCfZ5“This guy has clear intentions. It’s definitely not something common.”G9eHnX
Tde“…!”DaWR
hMIUpon hearing the old man’s words, memories of that day naturally came to Vlad and Goethe’s minds.wyA2
WeWMXnA headless knight in a foggy village. With a ghost horse riding.MvQDiTD
AQgAs soon as I saw it, I realized it was suitable for me.45Sm
uAahn“The sky is beautiful. The wind blows too.”YWBYlZ
UqDCdULRegardless of the concerns of the two, Ramund seemed to like the current situation and moved calmly.okBO
P84w2q0He pulled out a piece of hay from the cargo, bit into it, and started chewing it playfully.alN
hwDLrRr“How long has it been since you learned to use Aura?”MFNi
aBmp“It’s been about three months. No, four months…”lyBo
azIKj“Did you get it from Deirmar?”XBr0QTI
UQHDv“Yes.”v0K
UXL“Mmm.”gg5Y
yvQCLv6The old man was lost in thought as he looked at the child’s back through the gap in his straw hat.GnUK3
z8oFThe purpose of coming here in the first place was to investigate the unknown horse, but honestly, it didn’t matter if he couldn’t find it.b4IW3Il
tppRjAnyway, the main reason Ramund stayed in Soara was because of the boy in front of him.rh6pv
gVOAAll he wanted to do was stay by Vlad’s side for a few days while he searched for the horse, observe, judge, and teach him anything if he was good at it.FfpV
SjF5xf“Three months is a bit fast.”AYBZr
O7CoY“What?”5JT
REcCIn response to the boy’s question, Ramund took off his straw hat and made eye contact with Vlad.eYxhP
CwN“Compared to when I woke up, my aura is stronger. It’s surprising that you still haven’t found your own color.”88Qwvp
2g7Pk“…”scSE
7FFWjKWhen the Aura story came up, Vlad began to listen to the old man without showing it.7GM
PBYJager and the voice always emphasized the basics and didn’t teach the boy much about Aura.ZZYk
kE8XyJust light up and move on.SLwRRnP
JlsvgGP“A user of Aura is the concrete embodiment of an image. Not being able to find the color also means that your world hasn’t been built yet.”PkteC7
K5Im“How do I find the color?”G8nj
17ARbhRamund sounded as he looked into the boy’s blue eyes.ms90Wmc
lTxLFQOStill, you shouldn’t tell yourself too much.6975Vd
FwfIZBecause Jager must have his own direction in mind.o2ae
fbXvVP“Expose yourself a bit more to the world. Don’t hide it too much.”6PB4Su
kAzr“What does that mean?”4CZI
wG7xRamund pondered Vlad’s question for a moment, then opened his mouth, thinking everything would be fine.NCh4
w4iME“Try to create a device that brings out the world inside you outward. Knights call it a key.”dO4
rPy“A key?”7NNrtUy
iECVlad’s eyes moved quickly as he heard the words for the first time.MY8wRah
G97ORamund seemed amazed to see the boy trying to grasp even one of his words.6RhymXn
VUaWHLU“It’s nothing special. Have you seen knights who use Aura?”Ptr1ZA
BaA“I have.”Mk3
M6U“Do you just think they use Aura?”cuxx6
7uzL31“…So they use it differently?”rzllsPq
jcG“You lack observation skills.”qN4
cKjpvRamund leaned on the haystack and gave the boy a meaningful smile.GQLJ
HW0E“Think about it. Why don’t you perform certain actions before invoking the aura?”9lnciX
6dZrP9“Action?”tvLT
nD9HwWhen Vlad heard the old man’s words, he frowned and started thinking hard.b0Z0oaL
rLUWhen other knights summoned auras, it was always an urgent situation, so there was no time to look at it properly.wut3a
ew2XvqCHowever, there were several scenes that came to mind as he listened to Ramund.Frsy
6fApg“Sword and shield clash…”VnWG2
rao4t7Pablo, the knight who led him down the path of becoming an Aura user.yUWc
aEuMgHe clashed his sword and shield and asked the boy his name.Qfc2P
sSfTThe sound of that moment was still alive in Vlad’s ears.BMg1
sNld“Huh?”bDUGO4
JBBuc6Rutiger Bayezid, who killed the Worm of Death.BLgG
eGEyzvIt was like an active volcano and seemed to have moved his sword with his fingers.v0bCi
l1l3NDLHe couldn’t be sure because he saw it from afar.3M4z2xT
7f6“And…”aqpEwl
gMcheGodín, the Blue Moonlight Knight.ri8MEPd
MZBThe Aura master the boy saw for the first time.FAOm
bO0u“Maybe also because you’re aligning your mouth with the sword?”tDM
Zocw“That’s possible. It’s about invoking your own world intensely through certain actions.”nAJZ
7FcThat was the key.LNIkxb
e4s7It was a tool to open wide your own imaginary world, like a ritual.PCW
uLo“But I only use it.”McbDbd
7MU8Lq“That’s why you’re wrong.”UCt
dE5CfHVlad had nothing to say in response to Ramund.7JtQy
pwmt64YCertainly, compared to other knights’ auras, his aura only emitted a faint glow.YjsqjX
z1V“Jager may have told you when the right time is, but it wouldn’t be a bad idea to think about it in advance now.”wen
JZr1BAn awareness that opens the world wide.pVTkuAy
eDgCRvSince it was a technique that only knights firmly established in their own world could use, he might still be far from being used by a child.qOs
FUhzPFeeling the state of other knights in the distance, Vlad felt a part of his heart suffocating, so he raised his hand.tIII
9XC[Bow!]qpns
7Jf1“Bow!”3y7gSR
G2T26N“…Huh?”Fkkly
qalPadAs Vlad listened to the sudden warnings from the voice, he instinctively lowered his head.rzt
fUeKiThump-!DSaRX
CLFgNc“Huh?”4QAw
4JqAIVlad made a surprised noise and turned his head towards the sound.retO
T1ltThere was Ramund holding trembling arrows.oGQSVV
lz8u“Things aren’t settling easily.”VxF
2FZcdlRamund’s eyes through the straw hat began to turn fierce.rHUkHSc
7nM“It’s an attack!”OfMNn15
ig6N5“It’s a group of bandits! Everyone, be on guard!”QWQgD63
9klVlThe travel process came to a halt.pU1
oU19xBAt the same time, cheers echoed all around.Iuw
mmKmAnd there were arrows flying from the hill.IbhsZQ
6pX“Turn the carriage around!”HyVP
UqjrO“Where?!”lpIU5T7
J9TiXEqRamund quickly pointed in the direction the arrows were coming from.SdL3
cepNKqc“Mount the horses! Don’t let any of them escape! Coachman!”NJw34bq
0QnO6J“Yes? Yes!”ynWa5
HRbsAlthough it was a regrettable situation, Ramund quickly assessed the situation and started giving instructions to Vlad and Goethe.TMPu
vPQbjThanks to such a natural and agile response, Vlad and Goethe were able to snap back to normalcy quickly.KXRcHxq
G8CYoRB“What is it? Are they a group of magic bandits?”F1n8
a0HLOS“…I think they’re more troublesome than those types.”uMtmzE
IX2wFEVlad asked, peeking his head in the direction of the arrow.QJJCv
4UQW5WWA group of men who seemed to be at least twenty were standing on horseback on a hill.dEKIYeb
ZmVCYGUnknown leather clothing and tattoos covering their heads and faces.cutJ
TqrAnd even the strange, incessant shouting.H7d4V
BVvf“They’re Barbarians.”eYwfwK
Wp6uulD“Barbarians?”4fV
tP1rWhen unexpected words came out of Ramund’s mouth, Vlad looked puzzled.Uyw
MPARCwKwasik-!M6y
1oiZjAt that moment, an arrow pierced Vlad’s side.pmJ2xn
7G7T“…”gTmk
DOiWIA barbarian man holding a bow on a distant hill.DPM
XRPd5dlVlad seemed to have made eye contact with the man.NgZuJzH
WF9yTwo people with beast-like eyes were facing each other.jNAcl
KMJ***wefNF
vMy4oA carriage engulfed in flames with acrid smoke. And the sound of barbarians shouting at the top of their lungs.OZH
3qFbzH“Shit!”WV0s
8SjIurxAnd the flying arrows.BcL5J3
yX6Vlad, who was looking at the trembling arrow on the ground, quickly used the carriage as a shield and began to monitor the situation.SZQ2PcC
4vaACI never thought things would end up like this.5CMBFOY
VXeAso“Why are the barbarians here?”k6S7
dFYTjbK“…”QaG
mK4kKFThe people from the North wouldn’t ignore the barbarians who, it was said, lived beyond the North.YqZi69O
Aw1d3OZVlad was well aware that there were people who rejected the teachings of the church and lived in their own realm.DSQ
HLv9q5d“Is this Bayezid County? No matter how far you go, it’s only a day’s journey from Soara.”Pfx
5QFRuM“That’s right.”E2C
qztCHowever, the issue was that it was Bayezid County, a zone far south from where barbarians usually appeared.Ur52
nIZrX8Even the experienced Ramund was lost in thought, biting his lip as if it were the first time he experienced something like this.rHzmHh
dPqfNo matter how much they thought about it, they had no reason or benefit to come to Bayezid County.1JvpGa
BSbu06But things happened, and now it’s time to act.NS7u
aZrCrunch-1ef
EDrv“I thought it would be a little more comfortable.”a0QRV
LjuVlad complained that something must have gone wrong in his life and drew his sword.5FfG
209vSEiRamund also unsheathed his sword and instructed Goethe.csxqdO
5wV0“Hey, coachman. Put the saddle on the horses. We need to ride to confront them.”DkERN
tGx5aneRamund was already thinking about how to handle the situation.w0w0
wqVnMqThe deep wrinkles on his forehead showed that the current situation was not easy.9qpf1M
Qnz0o“Except for a few warriors, they can’t even face the knights. We just need to neutralize the characteristic mobility of the barbarians.”8Ce
v0sELet’s reconsider.1i1jS
7op7v2DVlad had no choice but to bite his lip when Ramund said that everyone, regardless of age or sex, were excellent cavalry soldiers.uW9
hkNThe area related to words was one of the painful weaknesses of the boy.fKhrw
TQsB“Listen carefully! We don’t want to kill them all either!”hKGYpXK
fj3M5eThe barbarians, who had been threatening the process by launching arrows for a while, were now coming down the hill, making loud noises and pressing them, as if the time had come.ueR
7McNL“I’ll spare your lives as long as you pay the toll!”kzm
Wsgm“…”mWXq3e4
w4jDFWAmidst the silent crowd, a man who looked like a merchant raised his hand and shouted.vxBgLu
9N955lMHe was the chief lord leading this process.LG5M
uAid“I’ll pay the toll! Please, stop the attack!”6Tpxr
OuuOV7NThe corners of the mouths of the barbarians began to lift upon hearing the merchant’s words, which sounded like a surrender.SHfMrWb
jrh“How much do you want…”pxX768
geNl0pO“Everything you have!”CFeZo
VMHySThe leader of the barbarians shouted loudly as he looked at the puzzled look of the Lord.26JW
vuHW7“Leave with empty hands! For those who have something in their hands, it will become a fortune in the afterlife!”LFevq
AkJrThe barbarians celebrated their victory in advance by loudly circling around the process.dsl1d9
nmf13The merchants were perplexed by the barbarians’ excessive demands, and several mercenaries who had been hired to protect the trade only showed trembling eyes and loss of appetite.BNKo
b785YEven if I leave my luggage, will they let me go?kdATFKT
o4CNkLY“I don’t like those bastards.”wzkjLW
IOj“I also tried to get along with them, but it didn’t work.”rB8f
7B0No one in the group expected things to turn out like this.SJe8Yhb
T7nW1AzHowever, life is always a series of unpredictable events, and sometimes there are moments when we must silently endure trials that come like a typhoon.YoA2eEa
T1EoNow was that moment.J4R
sBWNxIA“I came here to hunt a horse. What is this?”hAzr
9hBdfEven though things turned out this way, the approaching barbarians probably didn’t expect the group to be here either.rVYp
smcuXVlad quietly closed his left eye and listened to the sound of the horses’ hooves approaching.xUQ9JtQ
6L4avR“Get ready.”U6g02
MTgQ“Yes.”b28
RPUA retired knight and a boy who wants to become a knight.lvwj1
T4bGt5Although neither of them was an active knight, the swords they wielded held great power.PXNJ
cwPViFThe only problem was that the power didn’t reach the opponent.f7a
QSV0TUnlike Ramund, who grabbed the reins of the horse and prepared to leave, Vlad was only given one chance.mu6Qr
XYfJust one moment when they approached the process.EU1B4
f8jS1ckThat might be the only chance given to a boy who doesn’t know how to ride a horse.IK0xPq
VAQplMW“Ah…”kJklp
BqV8RqVlad held his breath as he waited for the men to approach with loud noises.iDya
UyxHowever, the boy’s weakness was not only his inability to ride a horse.72eVumZ
9f9AnNeigh-!qlLsXgr
QSWe0There’s something there!PRnW
0kh1aThe horses were startled!hrjgn6
0da77“Shit!”YAm9Jl
OwVIVlad, who had been silently waiting for the barbarians, felt that things were going wrong when he saw them suddenly stop.uHFsmJ
idwIn the end, it was the strange force that the boy hadn’t been able to control that held the child’s ankle tightly.qXg0MvS
SwT5N“Get out! Now!”kTbp7P7
cr1SgHD“Damn it!”S92
ldvUWe couldn’t get as close as we intended and didn’t even dismount from the horses.roI
CODrTmZBut I couldn’t wait any longer, so the only moment I had to wield my sword was now.4nqd
AeVL9n3Although Ramund was old, he spurred his horse and moved like lightning.jCt02
75WMl2His whole body was already covered in a sparkling aura.vdBwlcp
mMwCeZ“What are those!”yA9BD7
lVhq“Turn your horse around! Increase the distance!”UlN
OUi3SSeeing the two people charging at them with unusual momentum, the barbarians tried to retreat, but Ramund had already gotten too close.B6CJ
jwj“You! How dare you tell me where this is?”BWNPhV
wocxugURamund stopped the barbarians with a thunderous shout and began to wield his sword fiercely.7v0JJx
h6mzSince they were destroying the land he had dedicated his entire life to protect, they didn’t deserve mercy.oeuEIHx
IL0Red blood began to spurt onto his old sword.UM4
goM9“It’s Aura!”nM0wmLK
gKw“Why is there a knight here!?”2Ce
sRHThe barbarians, surprised to see the radiant Ramund, grabbed the reins and quickly began to turn.IhIFe2g
HkKQQy“Where are you going, you bastards!”4kOO
AoSho2Although he arrived later than Ramund, Vlad rushed forward with his characteristic agile movements and grabbed the nearest barbarian.goR1vcQ
v6dPfC[Aim for the horse!]Df5P2
810Following the advice of the voice, he cut the knees of the horse, and the barbarian riding it lost balance and began to topple over.Pb1uJ
wOU“Ahh!”HGsjkt
XyQ0dePain and fear.ypabmqs
2OLThe horse, trying to escape everything Vlad gave it, began to run wildly without paying attention to its rider, and the boy seized the opportunity and quickly grabbed the barbarian riding on top of it.sF1LhhK
3goYN“Keuuk!”vZQ5yt
FFfz“Smile like before! You bastard!”pn8
tNkfThe sword gleamed, including the cost of making it work ungracefully.tdu
b6zMkOWords of crying and blood bursting forth.U0KnK
8btOxThe spirits of the barbarians began to be disturbed by the two people who suddenly rushed out.yG3kRK
gPLqhH“Return, Vlad! Go and protect the people!”TuZW
AFkXuTAlthough it was a half-failed surprise attack, the two men managed to defeat the barbarians with their own skills.hRqloj
w9ZPB“Aaaah!”ZZp
SDJ“No, no!”TGOdW4
mEBVMBut the process was long, and the only men who opposed the barbarians were Vlad and Ramund.om2
wYz9qOBecause the barbarians were fleeing, using the crying people as sacrifices.bMjp
vxNzh“Those bastards.”xlWt3kL
V98a2pVlad cursed quietly at the fleeing barbarians, but it was inevitable.ZyO
QXAIoThey were simply barbarians and had no reason to risk their lives in such an unfavorable situation.HOejS2
BlzjB“Captain!”Jp7e
teDjAt least Goethe was fighting hard with a sword, but he was skilled at holding a sword, not wielding it.Vfn0
nJEThere was blood and screams everywhere.sL6Lur
y6N[Slowly consolidate your territory. You can’t protect everyone here.]lrqS
M7OBmAN‘Darn it…’Xn1f5SN
U5ThFjaThe voice was right.I4Z
ChVQVThe tip of Vlad’s sword couldn’t stop the barbarians who constantly attacked and fled.oz7
UMHfNjbI don’t know if he would have moved with them on horseback, but Vlad was just a person stuck to the ground.f1u
wwAx“Shit!”Fjy
UJijUNGet down and fight.NuYcx
tUDMDon’t act like a coward.jw3HKg8
v8yHowever, as if mocking the boy’s thoughts, the barbarians, like a swarm of bees, constantly swarmed around the procession, stealing, killing, and injuring people.oPKzHBZ
147Horses and mobility.M4u8GuM
ypVomAXThe people who were trampled by the barbarians’ unique tactics had no choice but to sit and release deadly screams.WfbQvp
2psML“Mom, Mom!”Cnv5f5
he4The blood-covered father grabbed the child, who lay in a mess on the ground, and hugged him.2SMV
GoBznSeeing the terrible scene, Vlad quickly looked for Ramund, but he too was found in a difficult situation.thy
esQhNRamund’s horse was a pack horse, and that alone wasn’t enough to catch and stop the agile barbarians.1MxbNDd
tpdsQgYOn the contrary, even in such bad conditions, Ramund’s ability to cut down a man who looks like the leader of the barbarians and drive him out of the procession must be considered remarkable.cIYtMg
ZghvAJFThe boy became angry at finding himself once again helpless.2OlA5
OuSEWQThe world has many different appearances.lq6faPW
TNYIt’s so high you can’t reach it, it’s so big you can’t handle it, and it’s so fast you can’t catch it.Xhsfn
Bv03toVlad bit his lip as he felt various limitations on him.m4JBQ
wH8It happened again like this.fCp
kdGWNeigh-!WB48T
t6dThere was a sound that reached Vlad’s ears in a moment and that he couldn’t handle on his own.YCV
7jx0KM“…!”QE9S
j3C3inIt was a sound he hadn’t heard in a long time, but he recognized it immediately.uaP4xR
FM7ry“What is that!”iGfgAh
j3lP“It’s him!”iuuA
uIKg0“Then he escaped!”hTWBKU
U1XA black dot began to approach from far away.hoAXFH6
HGrHowever, in the blink of an eye, there was a presence approaching through the barbarians.Sez1pSc
Osk2LXRVlad realized that the black eyes like a wolf’s mouth now running towards him were looking for him.kB4Brk
0Bwy“I’m here!”iKZym
1Znk57The sunlight shone on the sword held high.OwWG1Mr
RoxSjRLook, I’m here.OIsd
A8TA2kThe boy who couldn’t move and the horse that had to dodge the lasso recognized each other.0wirw
2GPJ“…!”jMOBY
qE0EThe dark night that passed quickly left a star above me.W0Xh2
Sv3Vlad suddenly looked up and reached out his hand as he had done that day unconsciously.tkAX
rbrThe flow of air between his fingers spoke.dVW
k3gBA“Let’s go!”dKad8Rk
E45CujNeigh–!6YU0
ChaI can run now.jCPh
y6EYou don’t have to endure it anymore.1oOmDM
L2bGThe sword that had nowhere to go rose upward.iZYVF6
Ipa2k3The world flowing through the boy’s left eye.EG8T
f0vkhMlA white horn rising smoothly on a black horse.ay7E
f0esTYThe two worlds began to meet at the end of each other’s limitations.4dW2C
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