Setting For Harm-Instant Death, Facing The Terror (2)

On the first day of the fifth year we spent sparring and partying. The next day was eaten up by the legion house’s “Setting” and hangovers, so we got nothing done.

Today—January 3rd, the third day—we still couldn’t depart for the Garden of Gods because visitors arrived that morning.

“Hello, Captain.”

They called me ‘Captain’ even though they weren’t part of our legion. Yet even addressed that way, neither I nor my legionmates felt uncomfortable.

They were representatives who had passed my Monster Wave test and fought alongside me.

They each had their reasons, but only seventy-nine people showed up—fewer than I expected.

“Long time no see, Cécile.”

Her silver hair gleamed as if dusted with frost, her ears were pointed, and her skin was so clear and sparkling it looked dusted with glass. The elf who’d caused a fuss with Fabreus after the Monster Wave—and had asked me what it took to become a Rebound Legion member—stepped forward as their representative to greet me.

I hadn’t forgotten her name; I returned her greeting.

I couldn’t tell if all elves were like this or if it was just her, but Cécile, who always wore that peculiar smile, explained why she’d come.

“Has it really been that long? It doesn’t feel like it. Anyway, we’re here to become legion members, like you said before.”

“Ah… I see.”

Honestly, I’d forgotten about them. Two weeks had already passed since the Monster Wave ended, but Manus’s actions had kept me distracted—and I had seen Fabreus’s true form. Violentia pestered me daily, Giorgio kept dropping by unexpectedly, and two days ago I sparred with Proy.

“Is that offer you made then still valid?”

“Our soldier Lee Hyo-ju must’ve already told you: you’d have to sign a contract, and once you join you can’t withdraw.”

“Yes.”

“So you accept all that and want to join? All of you?”

At my question, Cécile glanced around at the others and met my gaze.

“All of us gathered here would do that.”

“Hmm… why?”

“…Yes?”

“No, I mean why you? Aren’t there more people on the Heavenly God or Demon God sides? Not to brag, but given that you withstood my momentum, if you joined either side you’d at least be treated as mid-level commanders. Mid-level aside, considering the numbers in those two factions you’d each end up with subordinates in the hundreds.”

I wasn’t asking just for the sake of it. Our legion members had unusual backgrounds: they all had very bad relationships with their patron gods, yet they were people I could trust. Each bore a deep grudge and bit their teeth through harsh training to overcome it.

But were these applicants really like that?

“Since you’re asking the obvious, I’ll answer. You and the Rebound Legion did what Violentia and Benialis couldn’t, right? In other words, that means the Rebound Legion is stronger than the two factions, yes?”

While the representatives behind her looked shocked, Cécile’s big eyes sparkled as she continued.

“A strong legion and strong comrades increase your survival chances. Of course you could die—we all could. But you can die anywhere. For representatives it’s one or the other: die or survive. My patron god said they’d send an assassin the moment I surrendered to kill me.”

“Is that all?”

“No. Besides, aren’t Violentia and Benialis groups that would never form alliances? Among representative organizations, none could follow the Rebound Legion.”

Cécile finished in a confident tone, like a professor lecturing on international affairs, as if to say, ‘What, do you doubt me?’

“So that’s your reasoning?”

But I couldn’t fully trust them. The deep-rooted trauma from betrayal made me hesitate whenever I had to accept someone new.

“As you all know, having fought together is one thing; a test is a test. Ready?”

“Yes!”

“Hazel, Lee Hyo-ju, you’re judges. Intervene if it gets dangerous.”

“Yes.”

“Understood.”

“Arun, Hugo, Soria, and Proy Rium.”

When I called Proy Rium’s name, those who hadn’t reacted to Arun, Hugo, and Soria turned to look between me and Proy.

“Step forward. Warriors, pick Proy Rium or Hugo. Mages, pick Arun or Soria. Priests we’ll handle separately. This isn’t about winning—just do your best. Remember: selection is purely subjective. Begin.”

Nobody stepped forward.

Silence hung over the training ground until Arun, in his usual silly manner, stepped up and urged the applicants to hurry.

“Come on, come on. Finish quickly and let’s eat. They said there’s meat for lunch today.”

“Meat?!”

Perhaps offended by Arun and Naruan’s usual foolish banter, Cécile hardened her face and stood at the edge of the training ground.

“I’ll take Arun!”

“Okay!”

Oblivious Arun happily ran in and stood opposite Cécile. The remaining seventy-eight representatives arranged themselves as if to watch the duel.

“What are you doing? There are still three more people to face. Step up. I didn’t place two judges for nothing.”

Some were surprised, some agreed, and some were displeased. I could understand their bruised pride; Arun’s foolish comment had made the situation awkward.

“No time,” I said, prodding them. One by one they stepped forward.

A warrior stepped up and chose Proy Rium almost immediately. Almost at the same time another representative stepped forward with a face that said, ‘what a shame…’

Tsk. They’re asking to get themselves killed.

Like I’ve said before, my old self wasn’t a nice guy—more wreck than person. Lacking seniority, he took combat and strength seriously but in daily life was a ‘Naruan + Arun’ level of nonsense.

“You’re happy to choose me? Hahaha, well then…”

As expected, Proy Rium—hair neatly styled, beard cleanly shaved—flushed and stepped forward.

“Proy Rium!”

“Yes…?”

“Don’t kill them. It’s a test, a test.”

“I know.”

Proy Rium said he knew with a nonchalant face, but his eyes shone like a beast’s in the dark—pure killing intent.

“Wipe away that gleaming killing intent first and then lie to me, you spineless fool.”

“…Ugh. I’m sorry.”

“It’s a test. Do not kill.”

“Is it enough if I just don’t kill them?”

“You can break bones if you must.”

“…Yes.”

Proy Rium’s expression soured. A representative who’d chosen him exchanged a look that asked why he seemed so down. The two faced each other on one side of the training ground.

“…Ara.”

“Hm?”

“Block him. If you block, I’ll acknowledge you.”

“What the…! Ugh!”

The representative who’d chosen Proy found courage, but before he could act Proy muttered softly and released a surge. A whirlwind of force slammed like a storm.

Rumble—

The force Proy Rium generated made the ground tremble. That attack far exceeded anything a test should demand.

Kwang—!

A thunderous impact rang out, and everyone preparing for duels froze and turned toward the source. Strength and agility both read 136—a heavier, rougher force than most. His fist, shrouded in force, looked twice the size of a human head in a deceptive illusion.

If anything, the only saving grace was that he hadn’t added the vibration of force he usually employed.

“Tch. Lee Hyo-ju.”

“Time stop.”

The blue mana orb leaving Lee Hyo-ju’s hand trailed a white tail and pierced the lump of force Proy had launched, shattering it.

The representative who’d stepped up to test himself spat blood from his mouth despite the shattered fragments. His legs trembled; his eyes were wide as he fought to keep from collapsing.

“Proy Rium, is my instruction hard to understand?”

“…I’m sorry.”

Apologetic, Proy sank back into gloom and lowered his head. Yet he glanced at Lee Hyo-ju, seeing her anew for having blocked his attack with a few mana spells.

“You, stand by again until someone points you out. From now on just defend. And you who chose Proy Rium! You’re eliminated.”

“…Ugh!”

At the word ‘eliminated,’ the representative collapsed to the training ground; his forced stance gave out. Mae Young-ryeong approached and treated him with her trademark expressionless face; he bowed his head and left.

Did that representative’s silhouette overlap with his own?

The subsequent attacks from the representatives were fierce, as if their opponents were the absurd monstrous beasts from the Monster Wave. All sorts of dirty tricks came out, leaving those facing them dumbfounded.

In particular, Cécile suddenly ripped off her top and charged in with her body, and Arun panicked, screaming and running around like a madman. Hazel thankfully intervened and ended the two fools’ antics, but the battle remained a mess.

I’d had others go out instead of me because my power, Confirmation, couldn’t check many at once—and yet this was the result.

The training ground was already in chaos. When I forbade stripping, all sorts of bizarre methods appeared, and in the end it tapered off inconclusively. The only fortunate thing was that amid the chaos there was enough time to separate the wheat from the chaff, and the ground was littered with underwear whose owners were unknown.

I selected only those whose affinity toward me was at the ‘trust’ level. Skill can be raised later through brutal training at the legion house until you cough blood.

Moreover, I couldn’t understand why those whose affinity was ‘wary’ had even come.

“You, why on earth did you come to our legion? You had a face full of complaints at my every word the whole time.”

“…Yes?”

A surprised male representative.

“You, you, and the five over there. You too. Anyone—say your reasons.”

The representatives I pointed at had been ‘wary’ toward me from the moment they entered.

Trust > Fondness > Friendly > Neutral > Wary > Hostile > Enemy.

Considering they’d fought together for over fifty days and I already knew them, ‘neutral’ would be odd, let alone ‘wary.’

“I-I don’t…”

“We don’t know anything.”

“Oh? Look at that—‘we’, huh? So you five being collectively displeased with me isn’t coincidence but planned? Suddenly I’m very curious.”

Members who’d been busy arguing about lunch menus as if not listening to me suddenly shifted demeanor. In an instant, the members surrounded the seventy-nine representatives.

Proy Rium, in particular, blinked and had already grabbed the napes of the five representatives with both hands.

That day, we recruited twenty-nine members.