Chapter 73

Niko Nereyades.

Commander of Cordis’s 11th Legion.

He had held that position for over half a century and there were often times when the nickname 'Whale of Hobel Bay' was more familiar than his own name.

Although he was nearing eighty now, in his youth he had been one of the Ten Great Generals, the Nine Harbors General.

Even old, the robust Whale had left many legends from his glorious younger days.

It was this man who had carried the gravely injured Marina Debius, after her fight with Yosef Haider, through fifteen hundred magi-cavalry and it was this man who had brought the lion whose jaws the Second Prince Secundus had torn at nine years old (some say the lion simply got into the cart itself when Niko merely glared at it).

Particularly famous was the time he punched the Great Emperor Continua in the face.

No matter how full of vigor he was, no matter that it was before the Emperor's enthronement, no matter that he had been forced into the position of one of the Ten Great Generals which he so disliked!

‘He's the man who punched the Great Emperor Continua, that damned father!’

Anyway, Niko Nereyades, an old fisherman, boasts many legends.

If he wielded the great oar with the strength to raise and lower an anchor with one hand, even a tsunami would collapse.

‘It wouldn't be pleasant to fight such a man.’

I glanced at the large oar.

Outwardly, it looked like an ordinary oar, large enough for twenty men to cling to.

But the reality was different.

It had an iron core inside, making it so heavy that fifty men, not twenty, would have to cling to it.

It was an item that could not possibly be used by anyone other than Niko Nereyades.

Even now, no one noticed the confusion, but the deck was tilted towards the side where Niko stood.

It was because of that ridiculously large and heavy oar.

That man was a different kind of threat from Amethus.

To the point where the horned white snake Lacrosha seemed cute.

‘There's nothing to gain, but I can't avoid him either.’

Since he had come after me, I would just confront him.

It was highly unlikely that he would just capture Kifkos and release the others.

‘There's no reason to avoid him either… not anymore.’

I gave a slight smile.

There was a reason to smile even in front of an Imperial Legion Commander.

I put my hand in my pocket and opened my mouth.

“A pre-battle drink would be alright, wouldn't it?”

“Is there such a thing as a pre-battle drink for a fight?”

“It's my internal rule.”

His audacious confidence was astonishing.

Niko did not even frown, merely watching.

I took out a small bottle from my pocket.

It was Horem Amrita, which I had bought from Kifkos for a large sum.

And a few more pouches.

Niko's eyebrows arched.

He didn't know what kind of foolishness it was, but his tone was as if telling me to go ahead.

Kifkos and Gloriosus, along with the other men, had the same reaction.

Dozens of gazes focused on my fingertips.

“A little of this, a little of that, and also……”

I calmly took out a few ingredients and put them into the bottle.

Two spoonfuls of Senevia leaf powder (only from Schmeizen was permitted), three drops of mana activator with a purity of 99 or higher and well, other ingredients that didn't need to be explained, measuring them precisely into the bottle.

Kifkos tilted his head.

What was he doing in front of Niko Nereyades?

The other men were also confused.

Only Niko, however, had a stiff face.

The old fisherman's eyes were now blazing blue.

“Now, finally……”

I pricked my finger and drew blood.

Adding a single drop of my own blood and mixing it well would complete it.

Niko glared at me with a ferocious expression, enough to make even a monster of the deep sea flee.

“Kid……”

Astonishment seeped out.

“How do you know that formula……?”

“Indeed. How would I know?”

I shook the small bottle well.

To ensure the contents were evenly mixed.

Soon, heat rose from within, and the bottle began to warm up.

I calmly counted the numbers.

Around the count of eight, the bottle suddenly turned cold.

I, without hesitation, poured the contents into my mouth.

“Ugh! What a terrible taste.”

“……”

Niko did not answer.

Instead, he merely gripped the large oar he used as a weapon, firmly, more firmly than ever.

I snickered.

‘It's no wonder he's surprised. To think a kid would concoct Lahukala right before his eyes.’

The elixir Horem Amrita contained astonishing healing powers.

However, if it went through a specific process, this power could be surprisingly manifested in a different direction.

Lahukala was such an enhanced medicine.

“This, it tastes terrible and is unbelievably potent, but……”

Within a few seconds, it diverted the power that could even revive a severed breath entirely towards enhancing physical abilities.

A single drop of Lahukala could transform even a farmhand who had never held a sword into a berserker who could tear a knight's neck.

“Isn't it useful, being able to surprise a Legion Commander with a kid like me?”

“……”

Lahukala was dangerous.

It should not be allowed to circulate.

The Empire had erased its manufacturing method and forbidden the trade of the most important ingredients, including Horem Amrita.

They had also not forgotten to attach a plausible justification.

It was a deep secret that would never have seen the light of day again if not for me, the regressor.

“…I need to hear your name.”

Niko's eyes calmly churned like a stormy sea.

His undisguised killing intent fiercely struck my skin.

I let out a small laugh.

I was beginning to feel Lahukala's power surge.

“I heard the Whale of Hobel Bay asks for a name when he meets an opponent he must kill.”

“Haven't you heard that I've never asked for a name and failed to kill them?”

“I'd like to pretend I didn't hear that.”

Niko flicked a piece of the deck, sending it flying.

It had enough force to crush a human skull.

I blocked it.

Not with ‘Fantasy Finger’, but with my own hand.

It was surprisingly easy, even to myself.

I, Shion Pollinglight, met Niko's eyes directly.

“Pasionus Peleus.”

“That's a lie.”

“I have my reasons.”

“I am Niko.”

Even with a fake name, Niko Nereyades did not hesitate to reveal his own name.

I put on a liar's smile.

“Then.”

Niko charged.

He gripped the end of the oar and swung it wide.

It was so ridiculously large that there was no suitable place to dodge.

Therefore, I did not dodge.

I plunged in, further strengthening my body with Mana Armor Valziart.

It was a basic method for dealing with long weapons.

As the oar swung, I tilted it from below, and the ‘Fantasy Finger’ also joined in.

The trajectory curved and Niko's upper body opened up.

The old fisherman snorted.

If the trajectory was curved, he would just correct it with greater force.

The fisherman's forearm swelled as if it would burst and the immensely heavy oar slammed down on my head.

Beneath my clothes was all Valziart.

It was because I was deceiving him about my size.

Therefore, it was easy to show strange movements with just a slight manipulation.

I flowed back, dodging the oar and retreated three steps.

Since the attack was not my objective from the beginning, there was no hesitation.

I dodged, but Niko continued to strike down.

The deck shattered once more and scattered.

The men fell in shock and Kifkos let out a groan, recalling the cost of purchasing the ship.

A brief opening, Niko was already gripping the oar like a spear.

The oar thrusts.

It resembled the Debius Forged Horn.

When you think it has been thrust, it has already pierced.

But I knew the relationship between Niko and the Debius family.

By the time he gripped the oar like a spear, I had already finished preparing to dodge.

Niko attacked.

Each strike was incredibly heavy.

His will to definitely kill me was palpable.

I understood.

Lahukala was a top-secret classified item managed by the Cordis military.

I had no intention of dying.

Therefore, I dodged.

I dodged again and again.

With Lahukala and Valziart combined, my eleven-year-old body had no shortcomings whatsoever.

The ‘Fantasy Finger’ flew in all directions.

Even with my body strengthened, I was still far from Niko's level.

Without the help of invisible hands, I couldn't even escape.

But I still had some leeway and saved ‘The Unclosable Twenty Steps’.

It was an Ars suitable for seizing the moment to turn the tide.

‘Just, just a little bit……’

Sweat flowed down my forehead.

I couldn't help but smile.

Fighting against Niko Nereyades gave me a thrill.

‘…It feels like I'm back to that time.’

Ever since my regression, I had constantly pretended to be a child.

It was natural, as all the Septem Arcana were closed and I had an eleven-year-old body.

I realized that this was my first proper fight since my regression.

Until now, I had only been running or deceiving, or pretending to run and then deceiving.

Niko charged relentlessly.

The deck was turning into rags, and the men's screams harmonized.

Kifkos was on the verge of fainting.

I was still unharmed, but I couldn't even properly touch Niko's body.

“Kid.”

A wide, sweeping strike.

I dodged it lightly.

My ankle was slightly grazed, and there was a sharp pain.

But I was protected by Valziart, so it was not a problem.

Niko pushed his body forward, but then I retreated again.

“Didn't you say you would surprise me? That's not much.”

“Because it starts now.”

I was merely running away.

Niko Nereyades had not yet used even a quarter of his power.

However, I, Shion Pollinglight, was also waiting.

‘It's about time.’

What I had been waiting for was for Lahukala to circulate throughout my body.

For my eleven-year-old body to be somewhat closer to that of the hero before my regression.

‘The third secret is the heaviest.’

Many preparations were needed.

‘Fantasy Finger’ was originally an auxiliary Ars for using the third secret.

And on top of that, Mana Armor Valziart and Lahukala.

I had tried my best to use the third secret with my shabby body.

‘Again, it's time for secrets.’

The seven Ars through the promise of seven secrets.

Septem Arcana.

The third.

***

The third flame rose fiercely.

It swirled and screamed.

‘Do not forget, you must not forget!’

‘Destroy it, you must destroy it!!’

‘Cordis, Cordis-!’

I hated the Empire.

I hated it so much I couldn't stand it.

Even though I had abandoned the name Zionis, the fifth prince, son of the Great Emperor Continua, the smell of Cordis permeated my blood.

So I spilled all my blood and threw it away.

My heart was also discarded along with it.

My bloodline, having spilled all its heart and blood, dried up and hardened terribly.

And yet, something still lingered.

It was a persistent clamor.

There was no difference in calling it anger or hatred.

My pulse pounded.

Anger remained in the place where blood had disappeared, fiercely throbbing.

The throbbing pulse nailed him into adolescence.

It was ridiculous to call this nailed state a hero.

But whenever I laughed, the shouts always tore at me.

‘Are you laughing? Do you dare to laugh?’

‘Have you already forgotten? Have you forgotten what was taken from you, what was stolen from you?’

‘You, have you forgotten, how could you forget!’

“I have not forgotten!”

I, Shion Pollinglight, cried out.

“I cannot forget!”

I clutched my chest.

I clutched my temples and clutched my neck.

And so, tearing open my own bloodline, I screamed back at the throbbing screams within it.

“-I will, not, forget-!!!”

It was being forgotten.

But I will not forget.

I couldn't achieve it.

But I will achieve it.

I had no choice but to give up, but I would not give up.

I would try.

I will succeed.

I had to succeed.

I had to achieve it.

I would overcome any contradiction and destroy it, that thousand-year Empire!

Therefore, the third secret.

‘He does not give up’.

Wellspring of anger.

Gnashing teeth.

Inside, anger surged, and outside, I suppressed it with stubbornness.

Each time my pulse pounded, there was a hammering sound.

In every vein, clang, clang, a sorrowful sound echoed.

How could it not hurt?

How could it not be agonizing?

With each pulse, there were screams and pains that made my skin crawl.

However, there was also an abundance of stubbornness, venom, and will.

In between, I inserted my bloodline.

And so I pressed down fiercely on my own bloodline.

As if folding steel, I hammered it madly every moment.

I gripped it.

The secret in my hand was my own blood and bloodline.

Too tough for a bloodline.

So tough that it hardened and gleamed fiery red like metal.

Too hot for blood.

It heated up my bloodline so much that my entire body was burning with a smoky smell.

The third Ars, forged by duty and stubbornness.

‘The Heated Iron Bloodline’.

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