Despite many people starting to prepare in the shadows, on the outside, it was rather peaceful.

Ironhold blazed with celebration. Torches burned from every battlement, and the clang of tankards echoed through the taverns.

Another wave had fallen, another victory carved into the iron legacy of Norvaegard's shield—the Thorneharts. Bards sang, soldiers drank, and children paraded wooden swords, shouting

"For the North!"

The soldiers who returned, as well as the members of Thornefang, told tales of their battle against the monster waves.

The way they recounted their battle against the ancient being, a Frost Titan, was vivid. This was a being so powerful that it nearly killed them all. If not for Sir Thalos and the Iron Duke, they might have lost that battle.

They spoke of how the Iron Duke was able to cut the very sky itself. They also talked about how Lucen, the young Thornehart, was able to defeat a powerful monster by himself.

The tale spread even faster than the time Lucen and the former mercenary group, now Thornefang, defeated a young dragon.

Everyone now knew of Stellhart's victory against the monster wave. Still, that wasn't what they focused on.

Every generation of Thornehart, from the first Duke Edric Thornehart to the current Duke Vardon Thornehart, has successfully defended the north of Norvaegard from any and all hostile entities.

So hearing of their victory wasn't much news to them, though a little surprising; Lucen Thornehart being there was also something they expected.

What they didn't expect was how many survived this monster wave. In the past, every monster wave meant a lot of deaths. After which, the Duke of Stellhart would ask other nobles to send a few men to help with defending.

Most people use this chance to send a few spies, but this time around, the Iron Duke would not request such aid since not many died.

This then begs the question, why did so many survive? Were the monsters weaker this wave? The answer to that was no. In fact, the monsters of this wave were stronger than the average monster wave.

The only difference from before was Lucen and his Thornefang. Could a child of thirteen, alongside former mercenaries and a few young ones, change the tide of battle that much?

The answer they reached was that Lucen and Thornefang weren't that strong; it was the weapon Lucen created that was strong.

Many remembered the unique magic Lucen showed in the duel against Reginald. They also remember the rumor that Lucen created a weapon that makes thunder.

Many of the nobles tried to recreate the weapon they saw, but even after creating the exterior, they did not understand how it worked.

Of course, there were some who understood a metal object being pushed outward by an explosion, but they did not understand how the explosion was produced, if not by magic. Placing runes could produce a similar effect, but it would still need mana to operate.

Yet, based on what some say they saw and the others who had seen the weapons Thornefang used, Lucen's creation had shown no signs of runes. No glow of mana. No activation chant. Nothing that fit the rules they knew.

This just frustrated those who wanted to recreate the weapon.

***

Of course, there were some who weren't that interested in Lucen's weapons, like Duke Kaelvar Runescar.

He was more interested in the part of the story that said Vardon cut the very sky itself.

"Hoh, as expected of my best friend and rival. To think he was hiding such a technique from me. Should I go to Ironhold and have a good duel with him? What do you think, my lovely daughter?"

Kaelvar asked his daughter Elyra, who was swinging her sword behind him. She became fired up after learning that Lucen returned from the monster wave and made great contributions.

"You do what you want, father."

"How cold my lovely daughter. Are you perhaps still mad that I didn't allow you to go on the battlefield?" Kaelvar asked. Elyra did not answer and simply continued practicing her sword forms.

"Don't be like that, my daughter. You must understand that, unlike the Thorneharts, who have the duty of protecting Norvaegard and are the first to act when a threat comes. We Runescars are the blade of Norvaegard. We only move if someone is meant to die. If I send you to the battlefield, people might think that you were ordered by the King himself to intervene in whatever battle you join."

"Then what about you, Father? You swing your sword wherever you please."

"Ha! That's because I am the Duke. Who would dare tell me where to swing my sword? They also know about my personality. Unlike you, who are always so serious, I just do whatever I want." Kaelvar said, laughing heartily as he crossed his arms.

Elyra stopped mid-swing and sighed, wiping the sweat from her brow. "Sometimes I wonder if Mother was right about you being impossible."

"She says that because she loves me." Kaelvar grinned, entirely unbothered. "So do you want to go to Ironhold? You could spar with him again."

"There's no point, I'll just lose again... That duel with him last time had taught me the limit of my sword skills. As I am now, my sword will not reach him."

"Then train until it does," Kaelvar said, his grin softening into something almost proud. "If your sword cannot reach him now, then hone your sword, make it sharper, faster. That's what a Runescar does, isn't it?"

Elyra, who was about to initiate the next sword form, stopped as she looked at her father. "There's no need to tell me that. I was going to do that from the start."

"As expected of my lovely daughter. Always thinking of ways to sharpen her skills... Well, I guess I don't need to see Ardy for now." Kaelvar mumbled the last part as he stood up and started stretching. "How about a light spar before we eat?"

The very second Kaelvar said those words, a sword was already near his face, but Kaelvar simply tilted his head slightly to avoid the attack. The father and daughter started an intense sparring session.

***

In the Capital City of Norvaegard, Caelhart, the news of Lucen's feats spread everywhere. He was the main topic in Lysette Crowlorne's gatherings.

There were a few people here related to a few knights of Stellhart. They told stories of what their distant cousins had told them about the monster waves.

Lysette was especially intrigued by the weapons that had no need for mana or aura, and anyone with enough skill could use them.

'To think he was hiding such an interesting thing.' Lysette then remembered Lucen's face and smiled. 'Who knew that his mask was better than I thought. To hide something like this. I hope to have another conversation with him.'

***

In a certain theater group, Harry Nidouhi was at his desk trying to write another play, but stopped as he leaned back from his chair.

"To think the story of Lucen Thornehart would become like this. If he continues onward with this pace, he will become as legendary as the first Duke himself. Still, it would have been better if he had stopped going around battlefields and concentrated on writing instead. That young boy is a genius; his words could move kingdoms and empires."

Even now that it had been months, the play Lucen wrote, The Man of a Thousand Quests, was still incredibly popular and what most people wanted to see.

'The other playwrights, including myself, tried to create a play with a similar feel to his play, but none could write it... Even I want to see more of what he could write... Should I perhaps move to Ironhold to get close to him and make him write more? For the kingdom, it needs to see more of his genius, of his plays...'

It was at that moment that Harry was reminded of Robert, and it made him unconsciously gnash his teeth.

"That mad alchemist!" Harry slammed his quill onto the desk, splattering ink across the parchment.

"He must be trying to influence young Lucen not to write and instead play with him with those potions and whatnot. That's right, I need to save that promising young man from foolishly tinkering, instead of writing things that would change the world."

Once he made the decision, Harry stood up from his chair and called the entire theater group for an important meeting. He, the playwright and owner of the theater, wanted to move to Ironhold.

***

Unaware of the effect he was having on many people, Lucen was currently training his swordsmanship alongside his genius of a younger brother, Cael, with Vahn as the one guiding their training.

Despite his lack of talent in swordsmanship, Lucen continued, since he wanted to get that swordsmanship skill. Also, the more skills and traits he had, the better.

[STATUS WINDOW]

Name: Lucen Thornehart

Age: 13

Class: Gun Mage

Level: 14

Health: 1315 / 1315

Mana: 364 / 364

Aura: Awakened (1st Mantle)

Mana Core: First Circle

SKILLS

+ Bullet Creation – Active (Intermediate)

+ Gun Creation – Active (Intermediate)

+ Gun Knowledge – Passive (Intermediate)

+ Marksmanship – Passive (Intermediate)

+ Gun Kata – Passive (Intermediate)

+ Alchemy – Passive (Intermediate)

+ Battle Instinct – Passive (Intermediate)

+ Regeneration – Passive (Novice)

+ Flame Resistance – Passive (Novice)

+ Poison Resistance – Passive (Novice)

+ RELEASE – Active (Novice)

+ Ricochet – Active (Novice)

+ Blacksmithing – Passive (Novice)

+ Ice Resistance – Passive (Novice)

+ Elemental Bullet – Active (Novice)

+ Killing Zone – Passive (Novice)

TRAITS

• Thornehart Lineage (Dormant)

• Foreign Soul (Unique)

+ Training Adept (Rare)

+ Grit (Normal)

+ Acting Adept (Rare)

+ Dragonkiller's Resolve (Epic)

+ To the One Who Had Been Given To (Legendary)

BLESSINGS

+ Unyielding

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