Roksu and Cale walked through the streets of the upscale part of Puzzle City. It was still quite early and cold, so the two of them were bundled up. And since they both ditched the humans that wished to follow them, Cale had a sword strapped to his waist, slightly hidden by the long cloak.
"So behind this area, there's a cave?"
"Yes," Roksu nodded, eyes fleeting around to note the large houses.
This was the district where the wealthiest residents of Puzzle City lived. Behind this area was a small mountain. And on that mountain, there was a cave where a person lived till they were 150. That was where the Vitality of Heart was located.
Since they couldn't take anyone with them, they naturally didn't take a carriage either. The only reason Hilsman and Pimley finally let down their words is because Roksu had declared they'd be disguised. Thus, Balint had once again cast magic over the two of them, mimicking the same disguises he had given them last time. With this and Cale glaring daggers into everyone as if daring them to disobey, they were allowed to leave.
They soon reached the end of the district and the mountain. Cale and Roksu silently began to walk up, their boots crunching at dried leaves and ducking under a few branches. Cale pulled out his sword at one point, "Move,"
Roksu stepped back and let Cale just cut down the branches allowing them to traverse easier and quicker. Roksu realized something as they hiked, "It's fortunate there's no snow,"
"Very fortunate,"
As they searched for the cave, Roksu decided to bring up an overlying weight, "Cale. What is your opinion on Ron?"
Cale was momentarily taken aback by the sudden question. However, he quickly made up his mind and answered, "What do you mean? He's an annoying old man,"
"Cale, you know what I'm talking about," Roksu sighed, "It's not that unreasonable seeing his suspicions. But I have been saying things, yet I'm not actually sure what you're planning,"
"That's cause I'm not planning anything,"
"You're letting me handle it?"Roksu frowned, "I'm not fond of him,"
Cale smiled, "Yes, I can tell,"
"Ron has been your servant for 16 years," Roksu suddenly announced.
Cale paused, glancing back, "Yes?"
"That means Ron has taken care of you before Countess Violan arrived,"
Cale hummed, curious where this was going, "So?"
Roksu furrowed his eyebrows, "I've been operating under the assumption Ron doesn't know of your little obsession. But every time I think about how long Ron's been serving you, I doubt that assumption,"
"..."
Cale remained silent for a moment. The words replayed in his head and the two of them remained holding the gaze. In the end, Cale smiled. Roksu noticed the lack of emotion in the usually red eyes.
"Right, Ron has been my servant for 16 years. He is the only servant who attends to me properly. His only fault is his obsession with sour tea. Whether assassin or not, whether he is aware or not, it does not matter. Because Ron has not done anything to me. Ron is someone well-liked throughout the estate. This is a reason my Father can leave me to my devices. Ron has never left my side even when no one would fault him for it. That is enough for me to be subservient to him,"
The novel is recited in Roksu's mind. His lips pressed tightly together.
Cale looked to the side, "If you're asking about trust? Well, trust is a word I do not believe in. It is fickle and a contract that can never be advantageous. There is no person in this world that can be trusted,"
Cale brings his eyes back to Roksu's, "You or Ron. Both are the same. You are both people I value. But I will never assign my full trust. I will believe in your loyalty, your person, your contracts,"
Cale turned back around and kept walking, "Those are worth more. This is something I have learned,"
Roksu's eyes remained on the younger teenager who was on a self-imposed path to destruction. He had realized it, of course. The walls that were lowered within the Nyphan Estate were never all of them. He did not expect anything less. It wasn't a surprise because Roksu was the same. He had also not completely given all the information or explanations to Cale.
Contracts.
Ron was Cale's servant. It was a contract.
Roksu and Cale only stood by one another because of their deal, because of the war. When it was all over, they would both go their separate ways. Cale's reputation by then should be cemented enough that he can probably buy Roksu a piece of land and a villa, allowing him to live peacefully. Roksu is already planning on gathering money, so that won't be a worry either.
That's right.
But there was something about this conversation that made Roksu think there was a weight. The back of Cale looked oddly large to him. Too large, and too burdened. It reminded him of himself.
He didn't like it.
There should not be another person like him in this world.
He alone was enough to live a life like this.
"Did you hear?"
Roksu flinched, glancing up to where a person had revealed himself. Ron softly landed beside him, but still hidden behind the tree if Cale turned around, "I changed his poopy diapers and raised him since he was young,"
Roksu and Ron held a firm gaze between them. Roksu turned away and began following Cale, "Do not follow us,"
"I know that, punk,"
Ron watched until the two had left his sight. He turned and walked back to the inn at a slower pace than when he came, "I shouldn't have come,
They say you get more fickle as you get older. This fickleness was such a pain.
Cale and Roksu arrived at the entrance to the cave a few minutes later. Cale glanced at the small hole and then at Rosksu, "...you're going through there?"
Roksu grumbled, "I shouldn't have worn light colors,"
Cale agreed but that was not his only worry. The cave looked small and Roksu was by no means small. He had broad shoulders and was extremely tall, standing at 182 centimeters. Compared to Cale (who had yet to finish growing) who was at 172, Roksu was often towering others. Did Cale also mention the fact that Roksu was well built and if he had trained in sword, he wouldn't have much difficulty with grasping movements.
"...well, have fun. I'll wait here,"
Roksu groaned. He crouched down and moved the shrubs out of the way of the entrance. He then took another sigh and began to make his way through the squeeze. His face immediately twisted in discomfort. He was just barely able to fit. His shoulders were scraping against the wall and he could barely move.
Cale slapped a hand over his mouth at the bark of laughter that threatened to sound. He could just imagine the curses Roksu was letting out. He bit his hand lightly and began trembling at the thought. As Roksu entered the tunnel, traces of his presence were not left at the entrance. As Cale began to enter a few sword forms, his eyes caught a small reptile footprint at the entrance.
This time, the laughter could not be restrained.
Within the cave, Roksu was relieved to find that the cave was getting wider after crawling for about five minutes.
'Taylor must've been really desperate. He crawled in here even with his disabled lower body,'
Since you had to stack the rock tower with your own strength, the eldest son Taylor had to personally come here. What took Roksu five minutes to do probably took Taylor much, much longer.
Roksu stood back up once it was wide enough and started to walk farther in. The farther he went in, the clearer the noise in his ear became.
Swiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiish. Swiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiish.
It was the sound of the wind. The sound that appeared when the winds were hitting each other became louder as he walked farther into the cave. Finally, Roksu located some cloth and a pillar that was probably a hut a long time ago.
After taking a single look at it, Roksu continued to walk farther inside.
Swiiiiiiiiiiiish.
The sound of the wind became even stronger.
Boom. Boom.
He could even hear the wind crashing into the cave walls like a giant fist. Roksu started to walk even faster.
'The wind. I wonder if it will sound like this when I get the, 'Sound of the Wind,' ancient power later.'
Shield. Then Recovery. Then quick feet. That was Roksu's plan of action. Roksu finally had to stop walking after thinking about the next ancient power he would be trying to get.
It wasn't that he stopped walking, it was that he was forced to stop walking.
"Wow."
This was even worse than Roksu had expected.
A large underground area had appeared in front of roksu. At the same time, a vicious wind tornado filled his gaze.
Boom, boom!
The rocks on the cave walls were slowly crumbling because of the tornado. There were quite a bit of rocks on the ground that let Roksu know that this area was consistently getting larger.
Roksu looked back and forth between the underground area and the path that he traveled to get here. He felt like he would be pushed back by the wind if he went inside. Well, not just pushed back, but smashed against the wall, which would probably seriously injure him.
That was how strong the wind was.
"Mm."
Of course, the center of that tornado will be calm, as it is the eye of the storm.
'I guess it would have been impossible for Taylor without Cage's help.'
He now understood why the novel said the two of them had struggled for a whole week. However, Roks started to smile. It was now going to be a battle against time.
Roksu stepped into the underground area, into the vicious tornado, without any hesitation. Roksu's disguised brown hair started to flutter along with his clothes.
At the same time...
"N, no! You will get hurt! You are extremely weak!"
The dragon appeared at the back of the path and shouted urgently.
Also at the same time ...
"...Huh?"
The dragon could see a large shield with silver wings appear and surround Roksu.
The wings, which were shining so brightly that it could be called holy, surrounded Roksu while the large shield blocked the wind. The shield and the wings were keeping Roksu safe.
Roksu turned around. His eyes opened widely as his gaze landed on the dragon.
"What the hell are you doing here?"
The Black Dragon could not say anything in response.
Instead, the Black Dragon just slowly crawled back into the path. While Roksu was watching the dragon in disbelief, he could hear a quiet voice piercing through the wind to reach his ear.
"...I was ... just passing by."
"Tsk."
The Black Dragon's back flinched after hearing Roksu click his tongue, but Roksu did not have time to pay attention to the dragon. The cave's wind had a cycle of 3 hours of strong wind and 3 hours of weak wind. This was the moment that the wind started to get weaker. Of course, it would still become stronger the closer he got to the center.
Swiiiiiiiiiiiiish.
"Quite scary."
The wind was still pretty strong to be called the, 'weak phase.' The novel mentioned that the 150 year old man walked through this strong wind to get to the rock tower.
Roksu turned his gaze back to the center of the cave. The large underground area. In the middle of the tornado was a half-stacked rock tower. It looked like there were no winds over there. Next to the half-stacked rock tower were numerous other rocks.
'I need to stack all of those rocks up.'
The issue was getting to the tower. Stacking the rocks would not be a problem.
Roksu looked over the shield and the wings surrounding him, before taking a step forward.
The rough wind clashed against the shield. Even though the silver shield was transparent, it sounded like the wind was hitting a real metal shield.
That noise made the Black Dragon that was looking away slowly turn around to look at Roksu.
"...But you are weak..."
The Roksu that the dragon could see was having a difficult time, even though the shield and wings were protecting him. The wind that could not be blocked by the shield and wings was making his clothes flutter. The wind that seeped through the bottom of the shield made him stop moving every so often as well.
However, Roksu continued to step forward one step at a time. Then the dragon saw it.
Roksu was smiling. This human, that was nothing compared to that strong tornado, the same human that was weaker than even the servants he was traveling with, the human that was the weakest out of everybody he was traveling with, was smiling while pushing through this wind.
The dragon had never seen such a silver shield before. He had never seen such wings either. The dragon took a look at his own wings. It was very different from his wings. It was extremely beautiful. The dragon was curious as to what that power might be.
However, the dragon was focused not on the holy and magnificent shield nor wings. Its full attention was on the smiling Roksu.
And the target of the gaze, Roksu, was continuing to smile.
'It's doable. It's comfortable.'
It was a bit difficult and slow because of the wind, but it was actually a breeze. Compared to how Beacrox was almost killed by Ron while being taught his sword art, this was child's play.
This made Roksu once again feel like it really was best to earn something without putting in much effort.
There were no physical or mental strain endured when using the Indestructible Shield. There would be a short strain if it was to break, but it was not in any danger of breaking right now.
'It just gets pushed back.'
The shield just got pushed back if the wind was strong. Honestly speaking, Roksu had expected to be pushed back multiple times. That was why he had originally lowered the strength of the shield and enlarged it as much as possible. He had been planning on slowly shrinking the size of the shield whenever he got pushed back.
However, this shield was working better than Roksu had expected. That made Roksu a bit smug, but when he had reached about the halfway mark to the center of the tornado, he had to get rid of all side thoughts.
The novel had said that you would hear a voice once you got close to the center. It was supposed to be the voice of an old man.
Roksu was waiting for that voice. The tornado was supposed to get stronger once the voice started to appear.
I regret it.
He could hear the voice. But it was a bit odd.
Ahem, I regret it.
It was a sad old man.
"Tsk tsk."
Roksu clicked his tongue. None of these ancient powers were normal. Why did Taylor think the old man's voice was sincere? Roksu could not understand Taylor's train of thought.
However, Roksu stopped clicking his tongue and stopped moving.
The one that has a power that I am familiar with, I am hoping that you do not get this power.
"Hmm?"
'The one with a power I am familiar with?'
That phrase had caught Roksu's attention. At the same time, the wind started to get stronger and swept through the area.
The wind clashed even stronger against the transparent wind and made loud noises. However, Roksu's concerned expression was not because of the wind. His hair continued to flutter in the wind.
'Is he talking about the Indestructible Shield?'
The only thing that Roksu could deduce about this, 'familiar power,' was the Indestructible Shield. It had not said anything like that to Taylor in the novel. Did the owner of this ancient power know the owner of the Indestructible Shield? Multiple thoughts flew across Roksu's mind at once.
However, Roksu still chose to step forward for now. The wind would only get stronger if he delayed any longer.
I pretty much betrayed my comrades! I was a terrible person! Ahem, I stayed alive on my own and got old. How shameful am I?!
Roksu could only hear the old man's voice every so often as he was having difficulty stepping forward one step at a time.
I was always hoping for everyone to come back to life. However, my wish was something that could not be achieved. I could only lament and cry! That was why I could not finish my rock tower.
"How annoying."
Roksu found the old man's lamenting voice to be annoying. Screw sincere, it was like he wanted to die. It was the style that Roksu hated. Epicureans were so much better.
Roksu centered his body after being slightly pushed back and put some strength into his legs. He could hear the voice once again after taking another step.
This restoration strength is useless. It is only capable of protecting myself. It is not helpful in any other way. I am a trash!
Roksu ignored the cries of the old man that rang through his mind. The power to protect himself was most important to Roksu. Who cares if it made him trash? None of it mattered as long as he could live.
Just five more steps. The center of the tornado was right in front of him.
Boom. Boom. Boom.
The sound of the wind that was clashing became stronger. It was as if a human was punching the shield.
'It might break.'
Roksu thought that the wind might now be strong enough for the shield to break. It should be doing more damage than just pushing him back now. The moment Roksu thought that the wind might cut him, he realized something else as well.
I did not die even when the wind cut me like a sharp blade.
It was the fact that the owners of these ancient powers were all extremely chatty.
Roksu immediately curled up and decreased the size of the shield. The shield was now smaller, but in return, it was much stronger. It was able to push back an even stronger force of wind.
Roksu reached out toward the transparent shield and clenched the transparent handle on the inside of the shield as he continued to move forward.
One step.
Restoration is a cursed power.
Two steps.
My heart was always beating. But I could not move on.
Three steps.
It was because I was afraid of death.
Four steps.
I was afraid of pain because I had always been injured, and I was even more afraid of death, the end of that pain.
And finally.
Roksu took the final fifth step.
The inside of the windless area sounded like it was raining all around Roksu. The eye of the storm. The winds were swarming the area outside this calm center. He could hear the old man's voice along with the sound of the wind.
I chose to throw everything else away so that I could continue to live.
That was the last thing the old man said.
"Tsk."
'Who cares about anything else? Living comes first.'
This old man had a lot of useless things to say. Roksu clicked his tongue and returned the shield back to his heart. The silver light surrounding him instantly disappeared.
He headed toward the half-completed rock tower and crouched down in front of it.
It was a normal rock tower that you could find at the top of a mountain.
However, all of these rocks were black. Just like the man-eating tree, these rocks that have existed since ancient times were different from normal rocks. Just like the wind surrounding this area.
"Whatever."
Roksu, who had been thinking about making it aesthetically pleasing, changed his mind. That would be too annoying. He took out a pair of gloves from his pocket and put them on before picking the rocks up to stack the rest of the rock tower.
The rock tower was being built up, one rock at a time.
It did not take that long. Even Taylor had completed this part pretty easily. However, Cage, who had not come into the central area and had instead waited outside the eye of the storm, suffered quite a bit. This central area, like with all ancient powers, was somewhere that a person could only enter on their own.
"It's easy."
Roksu picked up the last black rock and gently put it on top of the rock tower. It was at that moment.
The black rocks slowly turned white. At the same time, Roksu got up and looked around.
The wind was slowly dying down.
"...Huh?"
Roksu ignored the confused voice of the dragon and waited until all of the wind died down. He then crossed his arms and listened to the old man's voice. He had no choice.
I tried to fight with them. However, I did not know that I was so weak against pain. They were not people who served the lord. I only realized that after we all went our separate ways and I ended up alone.
The words of the old man caught Roksu's attention. He then recalled the words of the owner of the Indestructible Shield.
'The people in the Forest of Darkness who called themselves servants of the lord only gave me terrible food.'
He had a bad feeling that he had learned something he shouldn't have learned about.
He had an odd feeling that the things he just heard were things that he should not tell anybody else about in his entire life.
Roksu started to frown even more as the old man continued to speak. That voice was something only Roksu could hear, thus making the dragon hesitate while looking at the silently standing Roksu.
I piled the rocks. I piled them up hoping that I could turn back time, hoping that I could be happy. But then I destroyed it.
I hated my selfish self for thinking about my own happiness after betraying my comrades and running away.
"Sigh."
Roksu let out a long sigh. This old man really was frustrating. Roksu started to speak in frustration.
"It is human nature to be selfish."
The old man's voice disappeared for a moment.
'Is it over?'
Roksu started to smile thinking that the old man was finally getting to the end. However, the sobbing voice continued once more.
Ahem. My older sister said the same thing. She was a really wonderful older sister. She was more reliable than anybody else. Ah, my older sister. Sob!
...The old man was crying.
"I'm going to go crazy."
Roksu was impatiently tapping the ground with his foot. Roksu did not want to keep standing here like this. He couldn't spend too much time and risk anyone going after him and Cale.
After crying for a while, the old man showed his thanks.
You, the one with the familiar power. That rude personality of yours makes me think of my older brother. I am very envious of how rude you are.
And, finally, the old man said the final words that Roksu had been waiting for. These were the same final words the old man had said to Taylor.
Break it. Then you will, 'overcome,' your limits.
Roksu started to smile and instantly kicked the rock tower without any hesitation.
The white rocks flew away to hit the ground and the wall. The dragon that had been watching Roksu flinched and stared at Roksu as if he was crazy. However, the following scene made the dragon gasp.
"Wow."
The brocken rock tower.
A white light floated up from underneath the rock tower.
Ooooooooong.
The gentle vibration that pulsated throughout the cave could be felt under Roksu's feet. At that moment, the light rushed toward Roksu.
Roksu reached his hand out to grab the light. The moment he grabbed it, the light shot toward Roksu's heart like an arrow. The light arrow pierced through Roksu's heart before flashing and disappearing.
"Huuuuu."
Roksu let out a deep breath. He then lowered his head to look under his shirt. The fancy shield tattoo that was over his heart had disappeared and had been replaced by a red heart.
Roksu could immediately feel the new vigor inside of his body. This vigor from the, 'Vitality of the Heart,' would make the shield even stronger. He would also recover at a much faster speed than normal people, even when he got injured.
Unlike the shield, which was a superpower, this was more apart of the physical strengths of the human body. This regenerative strength was so strong that it managed to last since the ancient times to be passed down like this.
Roksu brought forth the shield again.
"Just as I expected."
Roksu started to smile. The pattern on the shield had changed to a heart. The only difference from the tattoo on his chest was that it was silver and not red. He then returned the shield, before immediately starting to walk.
"You."
Roksu had walked toward the dragon, that was pretending like nothing was going on and instead kept staring up at the sky. Roksu just continued to stare at the dragon that was crouched down on the ground. He then stoically asked the dragon, as if he was throwing a rock into a lake.
"You want to come with me?"
"...You are so weak that you need protection. But I do not like humans."
The dragon answered, that way before starting to turn invisible. It had used its invisibility magic again. Roksu just snorted at the disappearing dragon.
"What a fickle punk."
He was also fickle for asking the question after telling the others to ignore the dragon, but this dragon was just as bad. However, he could not just ignore the dragon after it had jumped out earlier to try to save him.
Roksu looked around the cave, which no longer had any wind storms raging about, before turning around and heading out of the cave. Of course, he had to crawl back out as well.
When he got outside, he found Cale not too far away. As Cale had told him, the younger was running through sword forms with a focused and firm expression. Sensing him, Cale glanced over and broke form. He asked, "Well?"
"Got it,"
Cale smiled. He then looked at Roksu up and down, "Hm, amongst other things,"
His light-colored clothes were stained with dirt and a few pieces of rock. Not to mention the wind has messed up his hair. Roksu's nose scrunched at the sight. Cale then asked, "Hey, old man. You didn't happen to meet a cute kid in there right?"
A small pause occurred.
Roksu's eyebrow twitched, "You knew?"
"I saw him enter," Cale shamelessly confessed.
Roksu let out another exhausted sigh. He then glanced over to a patch of grass. A few small patches were flattened. He speaks blankly, "Oi, kid. We can see you standing in the grass,"
Cale also looked over, smiling in amusement as the four imprints suddenly let up. He spoke to the now-flying invisible dragon, "Hey kid, do you want some steak when we get back to the inn? We still have some of the meat you've been giving us,"
The two of them waited as no answer came for a few moments. Then, a voice mumbled from the branches, "I don't know what steak tastes like,"
Roksu watched as a determined and disapproving look came into Cale's eyes. Immediately, Roksu regrets all his decisions. He knew that these two punks were going to become a headache together.
"I'm getting steak for you," Cale grabs Roksu's hand and pulls him down the mountain, "Let's go so you can wash up and we can eat a meal before going to the shop,"
Roksu lamented helplessly, 'Cale, please, please, don't raise a dragon to be as crazy as you,'