The Terminally Ill Young Master is the Mad Dog of the Underworld-Chapter 133

[Translator - Pot]

[Proofreader - Kawaii]

Chapter 133: Half of My Ruthlessness Comes from You

The training grounds were eerily quiet.

I was alone in the deserted training area, honing my body and sword.

First, I pushed my body to its limits, running until I was completely exhausted. In this weakened state, I wielded Voyager of the Night and the bracelet sword, testing the martial techniques I had learned so far.

‘The difference in the shape and weight of the swords creates a much larger gap than I thought.’

When using the lightweight, thrust-focused bracelet sword, I became a more agile and sharp swordsman.

When wielding Voyager of the Night, which was sturdy and powerful but difficult to control, I became a disciplined warrior, hiding explosive strength within a refined and orderly demeanor.

“Hmm.”

After slashing and thrusting through the air for a while, I nodded in satisfaction.

“Not bad.”

My growing body and the river of mana diligently filling the vessel that was my body.

‘I’ve consumed a lot of good spirit medicines.’

That snake, Nepherus, seemed to have devoured all the treasures of the sea, as it unleashed a powerful breath attack. Since I absorbed all of that, it was more effective than any ordinary spirit medicine.

“Ugh.”

As my mind and body developed rapidly, I felt myself quickly approaching the level of mastery I had in my past life.

‘Now, let’s go again.’

With the treasured sword in hand, I began to practice the different martial systems I had learned.

When I wielded the dark sword techniques forged by Karzan, I felt as though I was walking through a fog of uncharted martial arts.

When I pursued the martial studies built by Grunewald, I gritted my teeth, feeling as though I was climbing an endless, towering peak.

‘In the end, I must merge these two into one.’

My talent isn’t limited to simply stealing others’ sword techniques. After stealing and making them my own, I must combine them and venture into uncharted territories.

‘Then what should I call it?’

Between form and formlessness, between speed and solidity, between the pinnacle of adaptability and the pinnacle of order?

‘No.’

I shook my head.

‘There’s no need to obsessively aim for the exact middle.’

That’s a foolish thought.

Some things lean closer to black, some closer to white, and some are deeply gray.

This is like looking at the stars in the night sky and creating constellations. Only with wisdom, standards, conviction, and depth can one create a proper map of the stars.

At some point, I had even set down my sword and fallen into deep meditation.

‘And I even forgot that I was meditating.’

In that extreme state of focus, I pondered martial studies, the sword, and the various energies that had entered my vessel.

The vast and gentle energy of the Eternal Ocean Chain Technique held the center.

The energies displaced by the rolling stones, the toxic energies that had settled in my organs and meridians, had retreated to more hidden places, areas of the body not yet conquered by the Eternal Ocean Chain Technique.

‘Now that I think about it.’

These energies, nestled in the tiniest blood vessels, had allowed me to expand the pathways for mana flow as I perceived and expelled them.

‘For an unintended coincidence, this is an excessively good effect.’

In short, I was lucky.

Seizing the opportunity, I began to chase after the internal claws that kept digging for escape routes.

‘Stay there. Trying to run? Good, go there. I’ll corner you and clean you all up at once.’

At this moment, my human body became both the sea and the earth, and I became a general leading an army on that battlefield.

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Guiding the energy of the Eternal Ocean Chain Technique, I traversed plains, wastelands, forests, and caves, hunting down the fleeing enemy skirmishers. Countless battles, ambushes, traps, and desperate last stands unfolded.

It happened in my right arm, near my dantian, along my spine, beside my heart and liver, winding around my intestines, and even behind my stomach like a river.

‘It hurts like hell, damn it.’

Stabbing pain, tearing pain, gouging pain, and sawing pain were felt throughout my organs and meridians, but I didn’t stop. I suddenly wondered if my energy and blood might twist, leading me to a state of mana deviation.

‘If Ulbhild were here, she would have infused me with energy to help or gently stopped me.’

If Venion was next to me, well, he would have nudged me again. A bit annoying, but for now, I’ll follow Venion’s encouragement.

‘Alright, let’s do more.’

Come to think of it, was Venion’s teaching method a high-level form of education? By gently prodding and teasing me, he made me determined to achieve more.

‘Right.’

Finally, I drove the toxic energies into my dantian. After fleeing and fleeing, the surrounded toxic energies—

‘Huh?’

They seemed to settle down as if preparing for a siege.

‘What’s this now?’

Are they calling for a truce? Suddenly quiet, I felt no pain in my dantian.

‘These bastards, they can be quiet…….’

They kept poking me, causing me pain until I gave up, right?

‘Insolent little things.’

I wanted to sweep them all away, but I had also expended a lot of mental energy.

‘Alright, let’s call it a draw for now.’

I let out a long sigh.

To summarize the chaos of this late-night ordeal…… I suppressed the rebellion of the energies that had become emboldened after consuming Nepherus’ breath, cornered them, and set up surveillance.

“That’s enough for today.”

When I opened my eyes, I realized my entire body was drenched in sweat.

“……Wow, aura.”

A more refined aura bloomed from my fingertips. Wrapped in a pure, blue light, it shot out and cleanly pierced a hole in the corner wall of the training grounds.

“Whoa.”

At this level, it seemed I could easily pierce through an armored opponent.

“Incredible power.”

An enormous amount of mana flowed more comfortably and swiftly through the pathways of my meridians. It was all thanks to sweeping away the obstacles that had settled throughout.

‘Good heavens.’

I realized I had mastered the Eternal Ocean Chain Technique to the 12th stage.

“This is absurd.”

To conquer a cultivation technique this quickly? It’s truly an unprecedented feat.

‘Does this mean I’ve reached the late stages of the 4th-tier?’

Breaking through to the 5th-tier isn’t far off. It’s a speed that defies common sense.

‘Today, I’ve grown stronger again.’

I chuckled to myself.

Becoming stronger is, in fact, such a simple principle. You meet strong enemies, defeat them, and throw their insights into the ocean of martial arts. Repeat this, and before you know it, you’ll reach a higher realm.

‘But I’m still far from where I need to be. I need much more power.’

If I lack strength, it’s not just me who will die.

‘To grow stronger from here…….’

I needed to learn the next level of martial arts.

According to Venion, the martial arts that only the direct descendants of the Grunewald can learn are divided into several stages.

‘The first is, as the name suggests, the entry stage.’

This is the stage where one learns basic martial arts like the Eternal Ocean Chain Technique, the Azure Sea Moon Shadow Swordsmanship, and the Scarlet Cloud Ghost Path.

In a way, I had already surpassed this stage the moment I began learning martial arts.

‘The second is the optimization stage.’

This stage involves understanding and applying the principles of martial arts through the guidance of a good teacher and numerous real battles, interpreting them in one’s own way.

Currently, I’m already beyond this stage, blending the martial studies of Karzan with those of Grunewald.

‘But the wings on both sides are still unbalanced.

The martial arts of Grunewald I’ve learned, in other words, the orthodox martial arts, are still not deep enough.

On the other hand, Karzan’s sword techniques have reached the late stages of the 7th-tier, and in terms of actual combat power, they’re comparable to the 8th-tier.

No matter how profound and vast Grunewald’s martial arts are, if I can only match them with basic techniques, it’s something I should be ashamed of.

‘Now, I must move into the third stage.’

What can be learned in the deepening stage are advanced martial arts that suit one’s unique characteristics, like Ulbhild’s Snow Blossom Sword Technique.

If my father, Karl, Verdzig, and Ulbhild each learned different martial arts, then I too can learn distinctly different ones.

‘However.’

As a direct descendant of the Grunewald, to learn these advanced martial arts, I first need the approval of the Clan Head and the council of elders.

“This is frustrating.”

I don’t even know what the conditions are.

Is it reaching the 5th-tier? If the condition is successfully completing the coming-of-age ceremony, then I’ll have to wait until next year.

‘A whole year. That’s too much time to waste.’

As I muttered this, I suddenly realized.

‘Hmm, saying I have too much time left sounds a bit crazy for someone living on borrowed time, doesn’t it?’

Anyway, I haven’t even fully mastered the techniques of the Azure Sea Moon Shadow Swordsmanship yet.

Once I’ve mastered that, I’ll have fully achieved two of Grunewald’s martial arts.

* * *

Upon hearing the report that both the assassination and robbery attempts on Peter had failed, Verdzig, instead of immediately venting his anger on his subordinates, calmly analyzed the situation that led to the failure.

“How coincidental. Why did the security guards show up there?”

Verdzig had obtained the patrol routes and schedules of the security guards and spread them out. Gathering such information was nothing significant to him.

“It changed suddenly a few days ago. There doesn’t seem to have been any official orders or directives from above.”

At the butler’s words, Verdzig swept back his waterfall-like hair.

“Find out if it was a coincidence or if there’s another reason.”

“Understood.”

Verdzig chuckled.

“No matter how perfect the plan, the world has a way of unraveling due to unintended coincidences.”

But more important than regretting what’s already done is correctly analyzing the information gained from it.

‘No matter how recklessly he acts, his essence remains the same.’

Look at Allenvert’s reaction—sending a Royal Guard to find Peter the moment he was late returning.

Verdzig confirmed that his younger brother cared quite a bit for that insignificant servant.

“He cares for his people. A good trait for a human, but……”

Verdzig twisted his lips.

“Humanity is not a virtue suitable for ruling this vast duchy. It’s more fitting for a thug or the owner of a small alley shop.”

Yesterday, Allenvert made a big mistake.

‘You’ve exposed your weakness.’

Despite appearing completely changed, there was one thing about Allenvert that remained the same.

‘Your attachments are your shackles.’

Now, if he wished, he could take Peter’s family hostage.

If he wanted a more cunning method, he could cause an “accident” to Jeffrey’s father, collapsing the heart of that Royal Guard captain.

‘Little brother, you still don’t realize. If you just give up a bit of your humanity, the number of options available to you increases significantly.’

Now recognizing Allenvert as a rival equal to or even more threatening than Karl, Verdzig began to reveal his wolf-like nature.

‘In the end, only one child can inherit the title of Duke Grunewald.’

And he had no intention of yielding that inheritance to anyone.

‘Until now, I’ve respected the line our father drew.’

But he didn’t know how long he could keep doing that. He wasn’t the type to let a rival grow strong enough to challenge him.

With Allenvert emerging as the most formidable opponent, it was right to nip him in the bud before he grew too powerful.

‘But father’s attitude towards Allenvert is unusual.’

Even though he seemed to maintain strict neutrality, father was actually quite favorable towards Allenvert.

Whether it was out of guilt for past mistakes or genuine appreciation for Allenvert’s qualities and character, Verdzig couldn’t be sure.

‘If you expect human warmth from your successor, father, that’s a contradiction.’

Looking at his past actions, wasn’t father himself a man even more ruthless than Verdzig?

Verdzig clearly remembered how his father had subdued his maternal clan, the Bergens, and broken their wings.

‘You even knew about the Bergen’s desire for revenge and yet kept them as allies.’

Look at that cold political judgment. Truly, the embodiment of politics.

……Not that Verdzig particularly burned with a desire for his maternal clan’s revenge.

However, Verdzig was receiving generous support in exchange for fulfilling their desires. In fact, most of the power of the Bergen Count clan was already his.

‘Half of my ruthlessness comes from you, father.’

……Verdzig gazed at the black flame flickering in his heart.

It was dark and cold.

This was the very force that had shaped the current Verdzig.

Yet, even he couldn’t foresee how Allenvert would exploit his weaknesses and strike back.

“……I’m curious, Allen. What move will you make next?”

[Translator - Pot]

[Proofreader - Kawaii]