The Training

I am afraid of fighting. I fear getting hit and losing the fight.

More than dying in a battle, I am afraid of not being able to protect her, and it’s hard and frightening to engage in training that makes me cough up blood and grind my bones to fill my lack of strength.

―Strange Star Kim Han’s monologue.

Signs of a full-fledged training craze were starting to appear. It wasn’t uncommon to see representatives carrying a yellow ticket called a registration certificate, visiting magic towers, swordsmanship guilds, and various other guilds.

As mentioned earlier, the yellow ticket, known as a registration certificate, doesn’t look special at first glance.

However, with this registration certificate, one can visit Exorsus’s magic tower, temple, or various guilds, and if they can find them, even seek out a transcendent to receive ‘instruction’ in skills.

But, when seeking out a transcendent, one must know the exact name of the skill they wish to learn from the transcendent’s repertoire.

Typically, after a consultation with their patron god, representatives would seek out the guild recommended by the god. Normally, the relationship between gods and transcendents isn’t good.

However, if the exact skill name is known, the transcendent can negotiate but cannot outright refuse.

This is the duty and punishment of transcendents living in this ‘Battlefield of the Gods.’

The ‘instruction’ mentioned earlier is a power bestowed by the Creator to transcendents and their representatives, allowing a representative to grasp the basics of a skill in just a few minutes through knowledge transfer, and with effort, they might even realize its profound secrets.

This registration certificate can be traded among representatives. In principle, it is entirely possible to buy and sell them, exchanging compensation by mutual agreement.

Of course, there was no foolish representative who would make such a trade. If they did, they might get punished by their supervising god.

Yet, there are two foolish individuals right in front of me doing just that.

“Are you really going to do it? This isn’t my will. You’re doing this purely out of your own free will, right?”

“Yes, yes, yes. Please…”

Nod, nod, nod.

“Hmm… I don’t really need that certificate, you know? What do you want in return for giving it to me?”

“Sob… Please, please accept it. Please… Sob, hiccup! Aaaah!”

Shake, shake, shake… Tremble, tremble.

The item ‘Binding of Love and Hate’ wrapped around the two individuals does not violate the ‘settings’ of Exorsus at all.

It requires the prerequisite condition of being in a ‘neutralized state,’ but if this condition is met, any representative with strength 161 or lower is inevitably bound by these ropes.

And the burning pain, laughter, and pleasure that change every 15 minutes fall far short of the harm restricted by the ‘settings.’

However, the person experiencing it goes insane.

Most representatives might be able to endure the burning pain.

But as I experienced not long ago, the uncontrollable laughter can lead to breathing difficulties. Add to that the unwanted extreme pleasure.

Due to the ‘settings’ in Exorsus, which primarily aim to ‘protect’ representatives, these two pieces of trash were pleading with me, unable to lose their minds from this ‘mere’ level of pain.

“I’ll stop it while we talk. Stop.”

They sent even more earnest looks as they watched the ropes freeze in response to the command.

Unos, who couldn’t speak due to a severed tongue, nodded with all his might, while Katarina alternated between saying ‘please’ and ‘save me.’

Especially, Unos’s eyes were like those of a truly loyal subject. Eyes that say he would never betray. Eyes that shout, ‘I am absolutely not that kind of person!’

‘Ha, bastard. If someone saw you, they’d think it’s real, you bastard.’

The status window was miserable.

A chuckle escaped at the explanation that ‘injuries worsened due to incorrect treatment.’

Moreover, I felt a sense of satisfaction that even with a semi-divine grade potion and a priest’s spell, the success rate was only 1%.

However, unlike such a physical grade, affinity remained an enemy.

If you look closely, the physical stats kept declining, but the intellect had recovered by 20.
In other words, it meant he was scheming.

“You all know I don’t really need that certificate. I already have two. Two is enough.”

“St-still, the more the better, right…? It’s not just that certificate. I-I’ll give you all of this too.”

Rustle. As if she had a hidden pocket somewhere, Katarina poured out various bottles.

Unidentifiable bottles. However, when ‘Verify’ was activated, names appeared one by one.

Just by the item names, you can roughly guess what kind of potions they are. This woman is amazing. How did she gather only these kinds of things?

Look at those names, they’re truly terrifying. Especially that ‘Last Drop.’ What kind of drop is it referring to?

“You’re amazing too.”

“H-hehe. Thank you.”

This woman took it as a compliment. Truly, isn’t this the kind of person the great netizens call ‘no answer’?

“I don’t need those either. They’re all either aphrodisiacs or poisons, aren’t they?”

“H-how did you know…? No, more importantly, I’m sure you could use them… Sob sob. I really have nothing else…”

Turning my gaze from the sobbing Katarina to Unos, he was pointing at his chest with his eyes, grunting.

When Katarina saw that, she rushed over and pulled open Unos’s jacket, revealing a small coin pouch hanging inside.

Katarina roughly tore the pouch and respectfully offered it to me with both hands.

“What?”

A spatial expansion magic pouch with a Unique Plus?

“Why isn’t there an owner registered for this?”

At my words, Unos turned his gaze sadly to his chest. At first, I didn’t understand, but it seemed he was pointing to his broken mana core.

“Proceed.”

Along with the message that the process was successfully completed, the contents of the subspace connected to the pouch began to appear in my mind.

Gold coins, jewels, weapons, and various books.

“Books?”

I pulled out a book, and it was so thick that it could be used as a weapon when swung.

“What?”

Is it like this?

It was the same before, but I didn’t want to study even in the ‘Battlefield of the Gods.’

So I kept my distance from books, and it became a habit, leaving the ‘Skill Book Creation’ level at 100 and forgetting about it until now.

“Do not learn.”

Let’s say I don’t master it, then what was just a magic book would turn into a skill book.

Not yet. I haven’t learned magic yet, but since the basics are important for all skills, I plan to learn magic calmly from the basics.

Not now, but one of the people who holds more than 60% importance in my plan is a mage.

“Hmm… So, after offering all of this, what do you want from me?”

“Fr-freedom!”

“Do you want to die?”

“Eek!!”

“Speak carefully. It’s your last chance.”

As I sternly put on a serious face filled with killing intent, Katarina began to ponder. Next to her, Unos was busy rolling his eyes in frustration.

Seeing the two of them like that, a sneer naturally formed on my lips.

The reason I cut off Unos’s tongue was because with that three-inch tongue, he mocked Lee Hyo-ju, who was called the Military Star for 31 years.

Preventing him from surrendering was one reason, but it was also in preparation for situations like this.

I could have healed his limbs, but I could never heal that tongue of his.

Of course, I plan to heal his limbs as much as possible when he’s on the brink of death.

Not yet. There’s still 4 years left, but I haven’t learned the skill that I must learn.

After pondering for a long time, Katarina cautiously opened her mouth.

“Uh… well, then at least loosen these ropes…”

“Hmm… Well, if it’s a gift that deserves that level of generosity , I should at least do that.”

“Th-thank you!!”

“Yes. I will let the ropes rest for a total of one hour a day.”

“…What?”

What Katarina probably wanted was to be released from the torture of the ropes. But I had no reason to grant that, nor did I want to.

Just a promise to stop the ropes for one hour a day. And even that, without specifying the time.

“Sob… Sob…”

“Alright. If you don’t like that, I’ll let you take a full day off once a month. How about today as your day off?”

“What? Really?! Yes, please!”

This monkey-like woman. Are you trying to trick me? You’re too dumb for words.

As expected, Unos was glaring at me, unable to say anything, just struggling with a “Uuuuu!”

But the most ridiculous scene unfolded right after.

Like someone who only hears what they want and thinks as they please, Katarina seemed to think Unos was happy, covering her mouth with one hand and laughing modestly.

“Hehehe. Yes, you owe me now. Hehehe.”

Wow. If I had to sum up Unos’s expression in one word, it would be that. Wow.

Unos, who could only move his head actively, wearily rested his once-raised head on the ground.

Was Unos’s worst choice being next to Katarina?

Her stupidity will be a bonus condition when I sell her as a slave in four years.

Moreover, the stimulants I just received. If used well, I could turn her into a woman addicted to pleasure.

If things go well, I might be able to obtain legendary-grade equipment that the empire or nobles possess.

“Alright. Since I received a gift today, I’m in a good mood. Rest for three days, both of you. I’ll inform Arun and Lee Hyo-ju.”

“Th-thank you! Thank you so much.”

Katarina smiled brightly, bowing repeatedly, while Unos’s eyes began to lose focus.

Humans, no, all animals, want to be comfortable. ‘Comfortable’ is a concept based on the premise of survival.

What if you took a break for three days from something you’ve been enduring and then started again? It would probably feel like a pure young man who had never watched adult videos sneaking a peek at them for three days.

I threw two registration cards, various potions(?), and a magic pouch into my inventory and instructed the mages guarding the room to put the two lovebirds back into their respective rooms.

Even as she was being moved by the mage, Katarina repeatedly thanked me, saying, “Thank you, thank you,” while Unos started drooling at the mouth.

Regardless, I headed to the room because there were things to prepare before starting the serious training.

As soon as I entered the room, an old man standing in one corner bowed politely. It was the tower master of the White Tower, Album.

Originally, he insisted on the necessity of 24-hour close protection, but there was no way I would allow such an inconvenient thing in my home.

So, they compromised by maintaining a system where one person would guard my room, the workshop, and the entrance to the personal training ground while inside the mansion, and the rest would take turns resting.

It was pleasant and satisfying to know that their loyalty was ensured by a soul slave contract, making them incapable of betrayal. However, they had the downside of exaggerating orders or being bothersome about safety issues.

“You have arrived, Master.”

“Oh, yes. You’ve worked hard.”

“Oh, no. How could you say such a hasty thing without seeing the work?”

“Okay, okay! That cheesy way of speaking…! How many times do I have to tell you? Don’t just stand there; sit down. It’s an order. Sit there and wait. I’m going to the training ground. It might take a few days. Even if it’s long, I’ll be out within a week, so pass that on.”

“Have a safe trip.”

“Alright.”

As my vision turned white, the heavy door of the underground training hall welcomed me.

The Tower Master of the White Magic Tower, Album, watched his master disappear beyond the magic circle with a satisfied expression.

Once the flow of mana subsided and his master had completely vanished, his expression immediately turned cold as he opened the communication channel used only by the tower masters.

“The Master has entered the training hall. Withdraw from the workshop and gather everyone in the room.”

*―*Finally! Got it.
*―*Heading there now!
*―**On it. *
*―*Understood.

In just a few short minutes after the communication, light gathered from the four corners of the room, forming the shape of people.

They had set unique coordinates to prepare for teleportation to the same space.

As soon as the four appeared, they approached Album.

“Are we ready?”

“Perfectly. Don’t worry.”

“Good. From now until the Master comes out, we maintain a security system that won’t falter even if a dragon falls. Contact the elders, check the magic circles, and above all, pay attention to the defense magic circle.”

“Got it!”

At Album’s words, the four shouted in unison.