A Disaster-Level Assassin Has Been Freed

Chapter 132: Aura Cultivation Method (1)

Few could ascend to the rank of Graduate.

Many claimed that effort could surpass talent, but those who actually proved it were rare. To reiterate, less than 1% of those who walked the path of the sword could reach the Graduate level.

Yet, defying such common standards, there were those who achieved great feats at an astonishing speed.

The Next Generation.

A term used to collectively refer to young geniuses under 40 who reached the Graduate level in their 20s, and Ransel Grantz, the genius of Nadan Kingdom, was one of the mere 50 such talents on the continent.

“An unusual figure appeared at the ball?”

For the first time in a while, he showed interest in social gossip.

This was no ordinary occurrence.

From a young age with memories to his current age of 32, he had devoted himself daily to training. Though others praised him as an unparalleled genius and the kingdom’s greatest talent, Ransel Grantz’s current skill was backed by immense effort.

Of course.

“Ah, are you talking about that young mercenary?”

“Yes.”

His interest was piqued because it was a story related to the sword. Had it been anything else, even if a stunning beauty had appeared at the ball, he wouldn’t have cared.

‘Tch, he’s already so accomplished… I wish he’d ease up a bit.’

The servant assisting Ransel Grantz thought to himself.

Truly, he was already remarkable. Most reached the level he was at in their 50s, but he had stepped into it at 23 and continued to grow stronger since.

It wasn’t just his swordsmanship that was impressive.

His appearance? Outstanding.

His status? Impeccable.

His character? Exemplary.

He possessed all the qualities of an ideal man, yet he spent his days without a thought for marriage, which the servant found regrettable.

Of course, that was merely the servant’s perspective, and Ransel Grantz’s thoughts were different.

Right now, he was solely fixated on the news that a ‘Gold Plate Mercenary’ had appeared at the ball hosted by Andy Shepler.

“From what I heard… Yes. He introduced himself to the ladies as a Gold Plate Mercenary. His name is Harang… No surname, so he’s likely a commoner.”

“That’s typical for mercenaries. So, how is he? Does it seem like there’s any falsehood in his claims?”

“Sigh, I figured you’d be interested, so I looked into it.”

The servant sighed as he answered.

When he spoke of beautiful ladies’ backgrounds, Ransel remained expressionless, but the moment he heard of a new Gold Plate Mercenary, his eyes sparkled, and he pressed for details.

It was understandable.

In his 20s.

Not his 40s, not his 30s, but in his 20s, a mercenary had received a ‘Gold Plate’ from the Mercenary King.

This was a significant event even on a kingdom-wide scale, and for Ransel Grantz, it was like rain in a drought.

‘Sir Grantz is always thirsty for worthy sparring partners.’

What was the problem with reaching Graduate at a young age?

Finding a suitable opponent became incredibly difficult.

Among peers, there were none who could match him, rendering practice ineffective. Yet, requesting spars from older veteran knights was rarely accepted.

Why?

Because it would wound their pride.

If they lost to a much younger junior, or even if rumors spread that they fought on equal terms, their honor would plummet.

‘Of course, Xanthos Bogen, the kingdom’s second-strongest, occasionally spars with him, but that’s hardly enough.’

Lately, even Xanthos had been avoiding him, citing busy public duties, which only made Ransel more attentive to such news.

Thinking this far, the servant smacked his lips and asked in a subtle tone, “The lady I mentioned last time, you’re not interested, right?”

“I’m still not drawn to such things.”

“Sigh…”

“Don’t change the subject. Continue what you were saying. So, what did you find out… Is it true?”

Ransel Grantz asked again in a low voice.

The servant, looking at him, shook his head.

But what could he do? He had no choice but to give the answer his master wanted.

After a brief pause, the servant spoke, “It’s true. I asked the mercenary brokerage, and they said the Mercenary King Austin personally awarded him a Special Gold Plate.”

“……!”

Ransel Grantz’s face lit up.

Of course, he didn’t expect the mercenary to be an extraordinary master.

At best, he was in his early 20s. As a swordsman, he still had much time to mature.

But that was fine.

The prospect of crossing swords with a fresh, younger peer—someone not an old veteran—brightened his expression considerably.

“Since he’s a mercenary, he probably doesn’t care about face as much as noble families or stuffy swordsmanship hall elders…”

“That’s uncertain.”

“Don’t rain on my parade. My body’s already itching to spar with him.”

“Tch, as you wish.”

“Right. So, gather his personal information immediately. His appearance, exact age, main areas of activity… Even if I can’t meet him now, I need to be ready to find him when I have time.”

“I’ve already prepared all that.”

“Oh, excellent. You’re the best.”

Seeing the servant hand over a file envelope right after he spoke, Ransel Grantz flashed a wide smile.

A refreshing grin that could charm even men.

As the servant, still reluctant to give up on marriage prospects, watched, the master’s hand suddenly stopped flipping through the file.

He asked, “Is something wrong?”

“A black-haired young man…”

“Yes? Black hair? Oh, right. They did say it’s rare. Not unheard of, but uncommon.”

“Indeed. Uncommon.”

Ransel nodded.

Yes, black hair was rare.

Not as rare as finding a needle in a sand dune, but you might see only one or two in a bustling market all day.

Suddenly, a figure he’d encountered in an ancient dungeon came to mind.

A black-haired young man, about ten years younger than him.

Someone he’d kept a close eye on, yet who vanished in an instant, lingering in his thoughts for a long time…

‘…Could it be that the Gold Plate Mercenary who appeared at the ball is the same person?’

With that thought, Ransel Grantz flipped through the file a bit more.

But he didn’t linger on it forever.

Handing the file back to the servant, he began walking somewhere.

“M-Master? Where are you going all of a sudden?”

“To the training ground.”

“What? The training ground? You were just training!”

“Training is never enough.”

Even Ransel Grantz, saying this, thought he was pushing himself a bit too hard today.

But he couldn’t help it.

He, who had been called the kingdom’s greatest genius, unmatched even among his peers in neighboring countries, now had a young man with even greater talent within his reach.

‘If I’m to meet such an extraordinary junior, I need to prepare myself properly.’

Ransel Grantz smiled again.

It was fun. Exciting.

Indeed, he was destined to never stray from the sword.

With that thought, the kingdom’s greatest talent devoted himself to afternoon training once more.

* * *

“We’re finally here.”

“Indeed. Good work.”

“You worked hard too. It feels a shame to part like this—how about a beer?”

“No, sorry, but…”

Harang glanced down at his chest and gave an awkward smile.

Understanding his meaning, Sheratiya nodded as if she’d expected it, saying, “Got it. Fair enough, you’d be eager. It’s not just anything—it’s the Aura Cultivation Method of Delkaro.”

“Honestly, I’m not sure how important it being Delkaro’s is… but I’m a bit excited to finally connect with an Aura Cultivation Method.”

Harang’s words were sincere.

Though he had reached the Graduate level without an Aura Cultivation Method, there were times he wondered if one was truly necessary.

But after hearing not just the Eddy Family but even the Mercenary King passionately emphasize its importance, he couldn’t help but grow curious.

He had considered reading the translated book during their travels, but the advice of Professor Gabone Emans held him back.

‘Make sure to read it in a safe place.’

‘Why?’

‘Why? Do you know how many people, engrossed in Aura Cultivation Methods, forgot time and place, trained without proper defenses, and got stabbed to death?’

‘Is that so?’

‘Yes. This book teaches you to focus on your inner world and build energy. If you’re just skimming it, fine, but the moment you think about the content, you’ll want to try it immediately. That’s when it gets dangerous.’

‘Hm…’

Half-convinced by the reasoning, Harang promised to comply and exercised immense patience to not flip open the book.

A day passed, then two, then a week, and now, having arrived in Marzen, he could no longer wait.

After a final farewell to Sheratiya, he immediately headed to the Eddy Mercenary Corps’ hideout.

“Hey! Boss! You’re ba—”

“You’re here, Boss!”

“Sorry, let’s talk later.”

“Huh? Oh? Uh, yes!”

“Yes, understood…”

Thud-thud-thud!

Before Eddy and Pale could finish, Harang swiftly disappeared deep into the building.

Judging by the direction, he was heading to the private training room.

Realizing this, Pale muttered in a low voice, “Looks like the Aura Cultivation Method issue was resolved properly.”

“Oh, right. That’s why he went to the Royal Academy, isn’t it? From his expression, it seems you’re right—it worked out well. That’s a relief.”

“He was this strong without an Aura Cultivation Method. Just how much stronger is he planning to get…?”

Pale muttered with an expression of disbelief.

It was only natural.

Every Graduate-level swordsman he knew had learned an Aura Cultivation Method from a renowned swordsmanship hall or a prestigious swordsmanship family. He had never seen someone like Harang, who reached that level through sheer physical training and real-world experience.

This meant that this opportunity could serve as a new stepping stone for Boss Harang’s growth!

“Maybe… he’ll even become a Sword Master someday?”

“Hm…”

Eddy let out a groan.

Normally, he would have scoffed at such an absurd notion.

It was inevitable. While Graduate was a realm one could barely reach with luck and talent, Master was a realm of dreams and fantasies.

But if it was Harang.

If it was their leader, somehow it felt like such a fantasy could become reality.

‘Of course, it won’t be easy.’

‘No matter how great Boss Harang is, there are only 30 Sword Masters across the continent. Even the superpower Holy Kingdom has only seven in that supreme realm. To expect that already…’

‘Better not make a fuss about it. I don’t want to burden him.’

Since everyone knew how difficult it was to become a Sword Master, no one openly mentioned the possibility afterward. Even the tactless Fist Brothers and young Glen kept quiet, only exchanging glances.

Then, Darren, the former assassin who had been silent, spoke with a voice tinged with subtle expectation, “Maybe…”

“Maybe?”

“For the six of us…”

“The six of us?”

“He might teach us, don’t you think?”

“Teach what? Don’t beat around the bush, just say it…”

“The Aura Cultivation Method.”

“……!”

“……!”

“……!”

Everyone wore shocked expressions.

To be more precise, it was closer to disbelief at how he could dare say such a thing.

To covet the Aura Cultivation Method, a treasure as precious as life itself to a swordsman!

‘What a shameless guy!’

‘Tch, we’ve been too lenient, and now this guy thinks Boss is a pushover or something?’

Such thoughts flashed through Eddy and Pale’s minds in an instant.

But they didn’t voice them.

Because they were happy.

Honestly, just imagining it… felt so good.

“……”

“……”

“……”

A deeper, heavier silence settled among the six mercenaries like fog.

Meanwhile, Harang, having entered the private training room, flipped open the first page of the book.

[Just to be clear.]

[If you’re below the Graduate level and trying to learn this cultivation method, stop immediately.]

‘…The author of this book is insanely arrogant.’

Harang let out a hollow laugh.