บท 16: Chapter 16-Onwards to O’Brien Empire
Ernst and Nadia were travelling leisurely along the Mountain Range of Magical Beast. Along the way, Nadia will hunt and kill a magical beast to hone her battle skills, while Ernst is observing her in the distance.
Every so often, Ernst will play music with his flute after meditating, sometime he makes stone sculptures. This is his new routine. When he feels he needed to train, he will train. When it's time to relax, he will relax. He understands long ago that training and relaxation needs to be balance.
Before leaving Hess City, he bought numerous wines. At first, he disliked to drink wine, but after being teased by Yale into drinking wine two years ago at their family gathering. From then on, he started to drink wine occasionally.
Ernst and Nadia were now at the core region of the Mountain Range of Magical Beast. They decided to stop there temporarily because many Saint-level magical beasts are living in this area. Tyrant Wyrm, Golden Dragon, Thunder Lizard, Tricerotops Wyrm, Violet-Eyed Goldfur Ape, Violet Tattooed Bear, Bloody-Eyed Maned Lion and many more. Ernst and Nadia provoke and fight these Saint-level magical beasts one by one.
First, they went to the territory of the Tyrant Wyrm and beat the magical beast heavily. After battling the Tyrant Wyrm, Ernst heals its injuries and left. They went to another area where Saint-level magical beast lives and beat it, heal it, then leave. They repeat the process until they provoke many Saint-level magical beasts into fighting them.
At first, they were very furious at Ernst and Nadia but knowing they could not win, they decided to fight with him. After fighting a Saint-level magical beast, Ernst will heal them to full health. Making the indignant magical beasts minimize their hate against them.
Nadia was the most excited since fighting 9th rank magical beasts do not give her enough thrill in battle, it's just like fighting a child for her. But fighting a Saint-level magical beast is different, giving her so much pressure.
After six months of fighting, Ernst and Nadia gain many insights during their battles. Their opponent's Saint-level magical beast also gain something from the constant battle. They can fight all they want and not worrying about injuries because somebody will take care of them. Finally, they recognized Ernst and Nadia.
After staying in the core region for six months, they bid farewell to the Saint-level magical beast and continued their journey.
After one year after leaving Hess City, Ernst and Nadia finally left the boundary of the Mountain Range of Magical Beast and arrive at the territory of the O'Brien Empire. Ernst turns eighteen years old.
"Nadia, how do you feel about our journey?"
"Master. It's great. I got to fight so many Saint-level magical beasts. I have gained plenty of insights during the battle and I feel like my breakthrough, to the Saint-level is just around the corner."
"You are right. Through constant life and death battles can we gain insight and understanding of our battle skills will also get deeper."
"See that village over there? We will stay there for a while" Ernst saw a village not far from the border of the Mountain Range of Magical Beast.
The people begun to panic, when Ernst and Nadia entered the village. Seeing a huge and ferocious Velocidragon in the village, the people begin to hide in their houses, while some courageous ones look directly at the new visitors.
A concern guard approaches them and said. "Milord Magus. How may our humble village of service to you?"
Ernst disembarks. "We are just passing by. We will stay in the village while training in the outskirt of the Mountain Range of Magical Beast. Is there an inn in this village?"
"Yes Milord Magus. I will bring you there."
Ernst followed the guard to the inn. "By the way, what is the name of this village? How far is this village from the nearest city?"
"Milord Magus. This is Maple Village. The nearest city to our village is Blackrock City. If you take a carriage, you will arrive there in three days."
After arriving at the inn, Ernst gave a gold coin to the guard for accompanying him.
Ernst takes a shower, eat a hearty meal and sleep well for the whole night. In the afternoon, he roams around the village.
Suddenly, he heard a painful cry. When he walks at the direction of the sound, he saw a young boy around 12 years old is beaten by four youngsters.
"Cough!"
"Cough!"
The four youngsters stop their actions, hearing the cough. They look around and saw a young man observing them. They recalled that this young man owned the Velocidragon they saw yesterday. Likewise, they felt afraid and started to run away.
Ernst observes the beaten young boy, but did not say anything. He knows the boy is still conscious and looking at him. The young boy feels that he is safe, closes his eyes.
Suddenly, he heard a sound of running footsteps and arrives at the beaten young boy. There is a middle age man with beard and a teenage girl of around 15 years old.
"Young master Keane, please wake up. Who bullied you?" Ask the middle age guy.
The young boy move and open his eyes. "Grandpa Lambert, thank goodness you are here or else I will be beaten badly. They said, they want my sister Jenne to accompany them. I got angry, and got into a fight. Thankfully, somebody had saved me."
Keane looks at Ernst direction, while Ernst was lost in thought. "Keane, Lambert and Jenne. It seems these groups of people met Linley, and hire him to protect them during their travel to Cerre prefecture in the original canon."
"Milord. I would like to thank you for saving my brother." Jenne bowed.
"It's no big deal. I'm just passing by." Ernst's look at three people, then left.
After seeing Ernst off. Lambert spoke. "To think that, we will meet the owner of the Velocidragon. It seems he is not a bad guy. What do you think about him, young master Keane?"
"Grandpa Lambert, I think that gentleman is mighty. Hopefully, he can train me, so no one will bully me and sister again."
"Yes, he is indeed strong. Stronger than me. If he can tame a Velocidragon, he must be at least a 9th rank warrior or an 8th rank magus."
"I will go and ask him to train me later."
"Keane, don't make trouble." Jenne said with warning.
Keane seems caught and understand her sister's meaning, he feels helpless. Right, the person who saved has no responsibility to teach him.
Lambert look at the siblings and sigh. "Well, let's go home for now and treat young master's injuries." Old Lambert mentioned them to leave.
Ernst continued walking along the streets of the village, but recalling the beautiful Jenne, he can't help but smile. She is one of the top 3 beauties Ernst has seen so far. But she is just a teenager now.
On the following day, Ernst got visitors when he was eating at the Inn's restaurant. He saw Jenne and Keane waiting for him.
"Milord, can I have a moment of your time, please? I know I'm being rude, but can you please teach me to fight?" Keane asks.
Ernst looks at Jenne and then Keane, he said sarcastically. "You already know that you are rude to me. Why bother saying it? Teaching a spoiled brat like you, was your Grandpa Lambert not there to teach you? Why not ask him?" He stares at them angrily. Actually, Ernst was just teasing them. His anger is just a facade.
The two siblings felt shameful. "Please forgive my younger, brother Milord, he still young?" Jenne kneels to the ground and beg.
"He is now scheming against me, you called him young?" Ernst left the two siblings, but not faraway.
"Keane, it seems we make a big trouble this time. Let's go home and talk to Grandpa Lambert."
Keane follows her sister home. He felt powerless.
In a not far corner, Ernst saw the two siblings leave. He is just testing the character of Jenne and Keane. He will observe them for a while, if they are persistent of wanting him to teach them, he will teach them. If they give up, then so be it. He will leave this small village.
Every day, Ernst would see Keane being bullied by teenagers, while the nobles really lusted Jenne's beauty. Keane actually is not bad, but sometimes hardheaded. Jenne on the other hand, always stays in the house, but cannot escape from the harassment of the village nobles.
On the sixth day, the two siblings again came to Ernst and beg him to teach them.
"We apologized for bothering you, Milord. But please kindly help us. I want to protect my sister against those nobles. I would like to be strong. Furthermore, I don't want to be bullied again." Keane kneeled and begs.
"Milord, please train us to fight. We are now an orphan. Our father's first wife will get us killed, that's why we run into this village." Jenne also joins her brother kneeling on the ground.
Ernst observes the two siblings kneeling on the ground, for a member of a noble family kneeling and begging someone is very hard for them. His heart softens.
"Alright, I will give you two a chance. Every morning and afternoon, you will do 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, 100 squat jumps and 10-kilometer run for a month. If you can't do these simple things, then you are not worth my time." Ernst left after giving instruction. He had a small smile after leaving.
The two siblings look at Ernst leaving back and look at each other and felt hopeful. They are very resolute to be strong and will endure training for a month.
In the morning, Ernst wakes early. He saw the two siblings pouring with sweat while running around the village. The villagers look at them curiously. In this village, gossips travel fast. Many of them know that Jenne and Keane beg a stranger to train them.
Ernst did not supervise them. He continued his training. Every few days, he will enter the outskirts of the Mountain Range of Magical Beast to fight and spar with Nadia. Nadia did not stay in the village, but living in the forest. Nadia's size is massive, so she stay-out from the village.
After one month of Saitama's exercise, Jenne and Keane finally finished Ernst basic requirement. They notice their body is many times stronger than in the past one month. They are happy to know such simple exercise will strengthen them faster.
Ernst meets them at night. "Prepare extra clothes and weapon. Tomorrow, you will follow me to the Mountain Range of Magical Beast. You two will stay there for six months. Every day you will train and fight magical beast. If you are afraid, you don't need to come." After saying his piece, Ernst left. He was happy for the two of them. Acting cold on the sibling for the past month, feels unbearable for him.
The siblings were nervous and afraid, but they are determined to be strong. They ask for advice on their Grandpa Lambert, but were told to follow Ernst because he will not harm them.
In the morning, Jenne and Keane arrive in the village entrance. There, they saw a massive Velocidragon.
Ernst control wind elemental essence around the two siblings to let them fly and board on Nadia's back.
"This is Nadia, my magical beast companion. A 9th rank Velocidragon."
"Roaaaar!"
"Nadia, let's go. Ernst asked her to enter the outer region of the Mountain Range of Magical Beast. Jenne and Keane are terrified, it was their first time entering the forest.
Ernst groups travel inside the forest and stops at the place where there is a big clearing and a river. The place is a good place for training and only low level magical beast live here.
"We will stay here for six months. Starting today, I will teach you how to use a sword. In the afternoon, you will around the forest with various obstacles I had created. In the evening, you will meditate and review what you learn during the day. After one month, the two of you shall fight a magical beast. As long as you don't die, you will become stronger after a month."
Afterwards, Ernst instructed them on the basics of using the sword. After teaching the two siblings, he left them with Nadia guarding them. He went to the big clearing to make a circular obstacle course around five kilometers in diameter. Ernst makes a similar obstacle course use by military Special Forces he had read from the novel. The training course will improve their physical ability such as strength, speed, endurance, and stamina.
Ernst went back with a dead magical beast that will serve as their lunch. The two siblings are still training with their sword.
In the afternoon, after eating and ample rest. They went to the training ground, while Nadia is patrolling the perimeter.
Ernst instructed Jenne and Keane on how to complete the obstacle course. After giving some advice, he left the two siblings and observes from afar.
Jenne and Keane are trying hard to complete the obstacle course. They suffer different injuries along the way. The training was really hard, making them cry. But who could be blame but themselves, they are the one who insist in the training. Ernst saw their hard work and did not give up, he smiles and nodded.
After training, he heals the injuries of Jenne and Keane with Light-style magic. Their injury heals immediately, seeing these, both of them were happy. Now, they are not worry being injured during training because someone will heal them.
"Tomorrow your training will be double, next week it will be triple and after three weeks it will become quadruple. So eat as much you can and ready yourselves."
At night, Ernst teaches them how to use battle Qi. After teaching them, he left and let the two siblings meditates. He takes out his flute and play music.
Every day, Jenne and Keane will wake up early and eat breakfast, then proceeds with their sword training. In the afternoon, they will run around the obstacle course and at night they will meditate.
After one month of training, Jenne and Keane were promoted to 1st rank warrior. Their body and fighting strength were enough to fight against the magical beast.
On the following day.
In front of Jenne and Keane is a 1st rank Windwolf, who snarls at them angrily.
"Growl!"
The Windwolf attacks and jump, biting Keane's neck. Keane, though afraid, evade the bite of the Windwolf. On the side, seeing the opening, Jenne swings her sword to the neck of the Windwolf.
"Plop!"
The head of the Windwolf landed on the ground. This was their first kill. At first, they were nauseous, since they hadn't killed anyone in their life. But after their first kill, they become confident.
Nadia have gathered a bunch of low level magical beast and only releases one to fight with the two siblings.
Ernst was meditating with his Blackshadow sword across his lap, pondering on how to include the 'Way of Destruction in his sword attacks. He opens his eyes and saw the two siblings.
"Nadia, release two magical beasts at once. Let them fight hard."
"Roaaaar!"
Nadia releases two 1st rank Windwolves. The two Windwolves run and madly attack Jenne and Keane. The two siblings also charges at the Windwolves. They face one Windwolf each. The movements of Jenne and Keane were fast, easily evading the Windwolf attacks. They look for its weakness, when they saw on opening, they swing their sword, killing their opponents.
Jenne and Keane did not know how many magical beasts they had killed for the entire day. Their clothes were soaked with blood. They suffered injuries one after another. Especially, the last wave when they face a pack of Windwolves. It was a very hard fight. They can't even lift their sword and barely able to stand up. Suddenly, a white light enveloped them, their injuries were healing rapidly. Seeing this, they finally relax.
After five months of constant battle, Jenne and Keane can now be called a battle hardened warrior. After eating so many magical beast meats and fighting every day, they have a solid foundation. During the past month, they not only fought magical beast, but also human construct made with earth elemental essence many times. They also learn how to identify magical beast and how to fight them. Jenne and Keane are now both 3rd rank warriors.
Ernst approaches Jenne and Keane. "This day should be the end of your training, but seeing you dispose your opponents easily, I decided to extend your training for one more month." He observes their reaction but seeing no response from them. "What? You don't want to?" Nadia, throw them to the inner region."
"Roaaar!"
"Milord, wait for a moment. We did not say anything." Jenne and Keane felt bitter, but glad inside. They benefited a lot this past five months, fighting every day without fear of dying, only fools will not accept the training. Even though it's hard, they harvest a lot, aside from gaining battle experience. They also collect tons of magicite cores. Their household financial problem has been solved easily.
"Milord, we are willing."
"Alright, rest first. The two of you prepare tonight for a test." Ernst smiles mysteriously then left.
At night, Ernst is facing Jenne and Keane. "Sit cross-leg, close your eyes. Tell me if you perceive something." He controls a large amount of elemental essence around the two. After a while, there was no response. But, Jenne suddenly speaks. "Milord, there are so many blue particles approaching me. They seem to want to enter my body."
Ernst smiled. He returns the elemental essence to normal. "Now, did you still perceive those blue particles?"
"Milord, I still perceive, them but the quantity of particles decreases a lot."
"Open your eyes, both of you."
Jenne and Keane open their eyes. They are curious about what happened.
Ernst seriously speaks at them. "I did an elemental essence affinity test for both of you. I want to know if the of two you have talent to be a magus."
Jenne was surprise, while Keane was bitter.
'Jenne you have a natural talent for learning magic. The blue particles that you perceive are water elemental essence around you. You have a high water elemental essence affinity. So, every day, you have to meditate for two hours and absorb elemental essence in addition to fighting magical beast. On the contrary, Keane, you don't have this talent. Therefore, train hard to be a warrior. Now, get rest."
After one month of additional training. Ernst, Jenne and Keane returns back to the village. Jenne was riding a 8th rank Unicorn, while Keane was riding a 8th rank Electrobolt Panther. The two siblings are happy to return and also sad because Ernst was leaving.
At the village entrance, Ernst takes out his token and gave it to Jenne. "This is my token, if you need help. Show this token to any branch of Dawson Conglomerate. After I leave, continue your training. You only started your path of training. By the way, my name is Ernst."
"Goodbye!"
"Let's go Nadia."
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