Killed Me? Now I Have Your Power

After killing Selene, Kaden didn't stop at that.

He took all of her belongings and placed them close to the territory of the Venil Household.

A family under the Cerveau banner, at the same level as the current Thornspire family.

Not particularly strong, but also not weak.

The reason Kaden chose that family was simple—they were in a very delicate relationship with the Cerveau, and all of it stemmed from Nuke—that smiling, hypocritical bastard.

That guy, wanting to train his mind-based abilities, had invited the heir of the Venil Household as a guest—warmly, politely—just to use him as a lab rat.

The poor guy ended up brain-dead, because Nuke wasn't yet good enough with his skills.

The Venil demanded justice.

And all the Cerveau gave them was a healing potion and a polite dismissal, as if the entire incident was barely worth their attention.

It was like they didn't care enough to even pretend to value the lives or pride of their vassals and that very incident made all the core members of the Venil loathe the Cerveau to their bones.

But they weren't fools.

They knew they were too weak to retaliate, so they clenched their teeth and continued to serve with polite smiles that promised ruin the moment an opportunity presented itself.

The Cerveau knew it too.

But they didn't care, because they had eyes everywhere.

They thought they wouldn't be caught off guard.

Again…they thought.

Kaden used that simmering dissatisfaction to his advantage.

He didn't directly plant Selene's belongings inside the Venil estate, that would be too obvious, too careless.

Instead, he placed them just far enough—far enough to not implicate directly, but close enough that, if someone were to track the direction the perpetrator came from, it would subtly point in only one direction…the Venil Household.

A very subtle move.

Once done, he had Rory destroy the belongings of Selene using her illusion powers, making herself look like one of those exotic white dog-type beasts the Venil's territory were known to tame,

White eyed dog type beast with snowy fur.

Once everything was settled, Kaden returned home as calmly as if he had just taken a peaceful walk through the garden.

…

Back in his room, Kaden was laying on his bed, eyes closed.

Rory was curled up at his left, eating happily some worm-like beasts Kaden had brought her.

Reditha rested at his right, now refusing to leave his side, always wanting to be near him as if competing with Rory.

A cute sword, indeed.

'I have to saturate my origin. I also need to go east and obtain the power of death.'

'Not to mention surpassing my stat limits and master my powers more thoroughly.'

His thoughts were spiraling again.

'Ah… I wanted to take a break and focus on learning blacksmithing and runesmithing peacefully, but damn it.'

He couldn't be sure how things would play out.

He didn't know if Goremaw would succeed in clearing that damn legendary dungeon.

Because if he did… things would only get harder.

'The Cerveau will be more shaken by the death of such a core figure… and my family will stir chaos everywhere, making it even harder for them to think clearly.'

But even that wouldn't be enough.

Not against manipulators like Brain, not against a family like the Cerveau that valued reputation over blood.

So Kaden would do what he did in his last life.

Ruin their reputation.

And how?

Of course…rumors.

Rumors were truly diabolical.

If they tried to defend themselves, people would whisper: why are they defending so hard? Maybe it's true.

If they stayed silent, then people would nod: see? They didn't deny it. Must be true.

No matter what they did, they would be judged.

And with the number of enemies they already had… Kaden just had to plant the seed.

Others would grow it for him.

This tactic wouldn't work on the Warborns.

Because everyone already knew what the Warborns were.

Foolish. Braindead. Honorable. War-loving.

A clan that didn't give a fuck about reputation.

How do you spread a rumor about people who don't even care what others think?

Kaden chuckled softly.

'I guess… there's a kind of strength in that too.'

But in the end, all thoughts about crafting, forging, runesmithing—those would have to wait.

The first step was to secure his family's safety, and saturate his origin.

Then he would return to Fokay, begin his evolution quest, and finally take the time to learn those professions.

Having decided on his course of action, Kaden closed his eyes gently—finally allowing himself to rest since coming back from Fokay.

And as he drifted toward the dream realm, a small mocking smile curled up his lips.

'I bet that princess is still in that forest, waiting for me to come back so she can try to capture me or even kill me…'

'Hehehe… wait for me there, golden voice.'

…

Morning came.

Caelion Household.

Inside a ruined room with its windows shattered, its walls cracked, its bed frame eaten by rust, a red-haired, red-eyed young man stared at his reflection in a broken mirror.

The image reflected was warped, and the cracked glass split his image. But you can clearly see that it was…

Zaki.

Standing in the room so generously assigned to him by his dear and loving family.

But Zaki, used to this, barely cared anymore.

After everything that happened with Kaden, Zaki had made a decision.

He would take control of his own life.

Serious. Motivated. Determined.

He had decided to follow Kaden's advice, the one Kaden had told him casually on the way back to Waverith.

The idea of setting small goals, of doing them, of staying consistent and that no matter the feeling, no matter the mood.

Discipline.

That was the word.

And that's what he needed.

Because as Kaden had told him: if you say you're going to do something, and then you actually do it even when you don't feel like it…

…wouldn't you be proud of yourself?

Even a little?

Because you kept your word.

Because you didn't betray yourself.

And gradually you will be self-confident.

That's the whole point.

So now, every morning, Zaki had made a promise to himself.

To look in the mirror and say the words.

"I am self-confident."

Simple.

Firm.

Even if part of him didn't believe it, it didn't matter.

He would say it again. And again. And again.

Until the day he truly believed it.

And when he finally did…

His Origin would respond.

Because belief, for someone like him, was power.

And so he continued, without stopping, without hesitation.

Disciplined.

Focused.

After all just like Kaden had said…

A goal without discipline is nothing but fantasy.

—End of Chapter 126—