The Dragon Slayer Who Regressed After 1,000 Years - Chapter 51

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Dragon Slayer Regression — Episode 51
‘This… how is this…?’
Yandre had already heard the rumors.
That the newest recruit joining today was the youngest Sword Master.
Of course, before seeing it with his own eyes, he’d dismissed it as nonsense, but he supposed there had to be some truth to it.
That was likely why His Majesty had pushed so hard to bring him into the order.
But what had truly shocked Yandre was not merely the sensation of 7th-tier Aura emanating from Cain’s chest.
‘The purity of that Aura is absurdly high…!’
Normally, once a warrior reached the rank of Sword Master and beyond, they could gauge an opponent’s level through Aura Sense.
By projecting one’s own force into the other and observing how smoothly it passed through, one could estimate the Aura Purity of the target.
Yet Cain’s Aura was purer than any Aura Knight Yandre had ever encountered.
‘I’ve never seen Aura with such purity before.’
High purity meant the wielder had spent a long time meticulously and cleanly filtering the mana scattered through the air—and that itself was a measure of true skill.
‘Either he put in tremendous effort, or he’s a monster born harmonized with mana from birth.’
Cain felt Yandre’s gaze upon him.
He’d noticed the commander using Aura Sense to examine his own force.
‘He would have already heard about the youngest Sword Master, yet he looks that surprised… it must be because of the Aura Purity.’
Cain’s extraordinarily high Aura Purity was a gift from having absorbed the Dragon Heart.
Dragons, by their very nature, inhaled mana as easily as they breathed.
That heart was an organ that transmuted all impurities into pure mana.
Knowing the efficacy of such a Dragon Heart, Cain’s condition was hardly surprising at all.
“I am honored to meet you. I am Cain Asel.”
“Ah, I am Yandre Nemesik, commander of the Imperial Knight Order. Welcome to the Empire.”
As Cain placed his hand to his chest in salute, Yandre returned the gesture with a light tap to his shoulder.
So he knew the protocols of the Empire.
The first impression was hardly unfavorable.
A sturdy frame, an impressive height.
Most of all, his eyes held a living fire.
“To become a Sword Master at so young an age—you must be blessed with extraordinary talent.”
“You are too kind. I was simply fortunate in my birth, nothing more.”
And humble besides.
Yandre’s mouth curved with satisfaction.
“Do follow me. I shall show you to your quarters first. Young Master Valentius, you will accompany us.”
“Very well.”
As Cain followed him, he took in his surroundings.
‘It remains unchanged.’
Before the Regression, Cain had first set foot in this place at forty years of age.
He’d not touched a sword until thirty; only after steeling his resolve did he reach the rank of Sword Master ten years later, earning his place here.
Now he had arrived twenty years ahead of schedule.
Lost in these reflections, Yandre had already opened a door to a room.
“These are the quarters for our members. We have prepared a particularly spacious room for you, so you shall want for nothing. An attendant is stationed here, so should you need anything at all, please do not hesitate to ask.”
“I am grateful for your consideration.”
“Then rest and settle in at your leisure.”
Once Yandre had departed, Valentius slowly toured the chamber.
The nobleman’s son found the member’s quarters quite fascinating.
“Your first time here?”
“Pardon? Ah, yes. It has been my dream since childhood to become a member of the Imperial Knight Order, but I could not awaken my Aura, so I had resigned myself to letting it go. Yet thanks to you, Master, I’ve now proudly joined today.”
“All the same, you should be glad. You’ve achieved your dream.”
“Yes. It is all thanks to you, Master.”
“I’m tired of hearing that. Don’t you have anything else to say?”
Valentius answered with a playful sparkle in his eyes.
“I love you.”
“Don’t say such revolting things.”
Though Cain meant it sincerely, Valentius took it as a jest and merely grinned.
Presently, as if recalling something, Valentius ventured carefully forward.
“But Master, do you know which unit we shall be assigned to?”
“As recruits, we’ll be placed in the 3rd Unit.”
“The 3rd Unit… I was hoping to avoid that.”
Cain looked at him questioningly, and Valentius scratched his head.
“My brother Cassius is in the 2nd Unit. He mentioned that the commander of the 3rd Unit finds it amusing to torment the newcomers.”
“What’s your name?”
“Grokus Almon, sir.”
Cain fell silent for a moment, thinking.
It was an unfamiliar name.
When he had joined the Imperial Knight Order before the Regression, there had been no one by that name.
But it hardly mattered.
‘So it begins.’
The Imperial Knight Order, after his long absence, felt like a second home.
Yet the times had changed, and with them, his circumstances.
‘I’m walking into the enemy’s lair.’
The Empire had already fallen under Alton’s grip.
His influence reached everywhere—even the Emperor himself was not exempt.
‘To hold a blade to his throat, I must first prove myself here and climb to a position of real power.’
Cain’s gaze turned cold and hard.

* * *
The Imperial Knight Order was divided into three units.
Yandre served as commander overseeing all three, with each unit led by its own captain.
Recruits, regardless of skill, began in the 3rd Unit, and were promoted to the 2nd Unit and then the 1st Unit as they accumulated merit and proved their abilities.
So the postings for Cain and Valentius were obvious.
“Captain Grokus.”
“Yes, Commander.”
“I’ve assigned two new recruits to the 3rd Unit today. Look after them, will you?”
Grokus, whose bronze skin and massive frame made him loom like a mountain, grinned widely.
His expression resembled that of a beast eyeing fresh prey.
“New recruits? Two of them?”
“Didn’t I mention it yesterday? They’d be arriving today.”
“Ah, I heard something about it, but then I got distracted with a woman and wine, so I forgot the whole thing.”
“Go see to them. They’re in Room 8.”
“Understood.”
Grokus was already grinning from ear to ear.
The thought of tormenting the new arrivals had him positively elated.
“Heh-heh, let’s see just how fresh these little chicks are.”
Grokus chuckled to himself as he made his way to the room.
He kicked the door open without hesitation.
Bang!
Inside were a startled green-haired young man and a blond youth regarding him with utter indifference.
‘Is that him?’
To the eyes of a Sword Master, it was plain to see.
The blond youth was the one who’d made a name for himself as the youngest Sword Master among the recruits.
“Oi, you chicks! Your welcoming ceremony awaits. Come on out!”
“W-who are you……?”
“Come to think of it, I forgot to introduce myself! I’m Grokus Almon, and I’ll be looking after you two in the 3rd Unit from now on. Call me Captain Almon!”
“Gasp…….”
Valentius swallowed hard, and Grokus’s eyes narrowed.
“What are you gawking at? Aren’t you coming?”
“Y-yes! Right away!”
The two followed Grokus toward the Training Ground.
The sheer scope of it—lined with everything from wooden swords to real blades—left Valentius speechless.
“This is where you two will be training from now on. See those seniors over there working out?”
As Valentius stood staring vacantly, Grokus struck him on the back of the head.
“Why are you just standing there? Aren’t you going to greet the senior knights?”
“O-oh, yes, yes!”
The moment Valentius moved to comply, Cain stepped forward.
“Don’t go, Valentius.”
“What are you doing?”
“That’s enough of your games, Captain Almon.”
When Cain met his gaze directly, Grokus’s eyes widened.
“What did you just say to me?”
“I said to stop the games. After all, isn’t that right? The Imperial Knight Order has no notion of seniority. Other knight orders may, but the Imperial Knight Order selects only the finest—there’s no room for such rank nonsense. If this is a place where only skill speaks, then there’s no reason we should accept such treatment simply because we’re recruits, is there?”
His tone was measured, but barely half of it registered in Grokus’s mind.
What irked him was that this fresh-faced recruit had dared to talk back to him.
“You’re talking back to your captain right now?”
“I’m not talking back—I’m stating facts.”
“What’s your name?”
“Cain Asel.”
“So you’re the one—the royal from Asel.”
The corners of Grokus’s mouth lifted sharply.
“Raised in some backwater kingdom, it seems. You’ve got no manners, you brat. You dare to defy your captain?”
“I was merely commenting on an unjust act.”
“Listen here.”
He furrowed his brow deliberately, and the knights watching held their breath.
“You think you’re somebody special just because you joined the Imperial Knight Order? Just because you awakened Sword Force at the youngest age, the world suddenly looks easy to you?”
“That’s not it. I simply couldn’t stand seeing my disciple treated carelessly.”
“Your disciple…?”
At those words, Grokus’s eyes widened, but a booming laugh erupted from his throat.
“Kaha! You two are hilarious! Playing make-believe—master and student? What are you, children playing house? Krkrkr!”
“…….”
Valentius’s face flushed, but Cain remained composed.
“Whether you take me as your master or I take you as my student, as long as it doesn’t hinder training, what’s the problem?”
“Look at this punk. Thinks he’s a master and everything, running his mouth like that?”
Grokus could bear it no longer.
He wanted to show this loudmouth what the bitter taste of the world felt like.
He wanted to teach him how vast the world beyond the well truly was.
“You. Draw your sword.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’ll teach you a lesson.”
Cain didn’t refuse. He simply took a wooden sword from the rack.
Grokus grinned at the one-sided scolding about to unfold.
“A frog in a well always needs a sound beating.”
Having said as much, Grokus asked Cain.
“Ready?”
“Yes.”
“Then block this well.”
The moment the words left his mouth—
Thud!
Grokus’s form vanished in an instant.

* * *
Commander Yandre was reviewing new personnel records in his office.
‘Cain Asel. Reached 2-star Aura within days of taking up a sword, participated in various dragon hunts, and recently at 7-star, took down a dragon single-handedly and saved an entire village? This… does that even make sense?’
It was difficult to take the documents from Asel Kingdom at face value, but if true, His Majesty’s attitude made sense.
Such a genius appeared perhaps once in a thousand years.
‘Well, I’ll find out soon enough whether it’s true or not during his time in the order.’
With that thought, Yandre closed the records and stepped out of his office into the corridor.
He wanted to check whether Captain Grokus was harassing the newcomer again.
But then he noticed the knights suddenly running up and down the corridor.
“They should greet the commander if they see him…”
“Oh, good day, Commander!”
“Where are you all rushing off to?”
“There’s a fight at the Training Ground!”
“A fight?”
“The captain and a recruit are sparring!”
At that, his first thought was of Grokus.
So that reckless fool had caused trouble after all.
But sparring with a recruit?
‘Who could he mean?’
Whatever it was, it wouldn’t end well.
Grokus had the temperament of a wild beast—a man whose fists moved faster than his words.
Yandre ran after the knights toward the Training Ground, worry gnawing at him.
And then, in that instant, Yandre’s eyes flew wide with shock.
“Grokus…?”
The wild stallion of a man lay sprawled across the Training Ground floor, motionless.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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