The Mad Spearman of the Northern Front - Chapter 23

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Mad Spearman of the Northern Front (23)

Ding!

The bell sound that rang every time the door opened somehow didn’t seem so bad.

Seeing Arteon return earlier than expected, the old man asked.

“Did things go well?”

“Well, I think I need to wait and see for now.”

“Heh heh heh, not getting too deeply involved would be good for you too.”

Was it because he had discovered the old man’s true identity?

He was certainly smiling, but his eyes seemed strangely sharp.

Arteon approached him.

“May I ask one more thing?”

“Heh heh, as long as the price is right?”

“Would this be enough?”

Arteon took out a gold coin from his pocket and placed it on the table.

The old man burst into laughter.

“Keh keh keh keh keh! The young fellow is too greedy for money. You might get into big trouble that way.”

“From the information you gave me this time… there’s something I’d like to know in more detail.”

“Why is a soldier interested in the thief guild?”

The old man slyly placed his finger on the gold coin on the table.

Arteon chuckled and asked his question.

“At this rate, it seems like the little master’s faction will collapse… would there be any good way to turn things around?”

“Are you making a deal with the little master’s side? That’s quite a reckless decision.”

“I’m just asking. Or don’t you know?”

When Arteon pulled the gold coin toward himself.

“Whoa whoa, I didn’t say I don’t know.”

The old man pressed down on the gold coin with his finger and immediately continued.

“If it’s that, there’s a very simple method. After all, even thief guilds have no choice but to operate by the logic of power.”

The old man’s explanation continued.

Perhaps because he quite wanted the gold coin he was pressing down with his finger, there was considerable force in his voice.

“How about it, this should be sufficient.”

“Nothing’s easy, is it.”

“Heh heh heh, if it were easy, that clever little master wouldn’t be in such a predicament.”

“Thank you for the answer.”

With those words, Arteon let go of the gold coin and went up to the second floor.

The situation had been completely sorted out by the conversation just now.

‘Then…’

The note had been delivered.

Now there was nothing to do but wait for a reply.

It would be nice if it came quickly, but he’d probably have to wait a few days.

It would be quite a shocking proposal for them too.

‘Anyway, I just need to depart from here in three weeks.’

Since there was plenty of time, there was no need to be impatient.

Rather, it was even better since he could do the personal training he’d been putting off.

Arteon sat on the floor and closed his eyes.

Whooooooom!

The mana gathering around Arteon’s body slowly began to swirl around him.

‘…The speed is definitely getting slower.’

He hadn’t even reached 3rd Star yet, but unlike at first, his growth rate seemed to be slowing down.

No, to be precise, the speed at which Arteon had grown when he first trained was ridiculously fast.

While his constant effort played a big part, the magic circle Belkain had created and the cold northern climate had further accelerated the Vargas Mana Cultivation Method.

Though he understood this intellectually, the amount of mana that increased more slowly than before made Arteon impatient.

‘With this level of power… it’s impossible.’

Everyone couldn’t hide their amazement at his one-on-one fight with a Kar Tribe intermediate warrior.

But Arteon knew.

Beyond intermediate warriors, there were advanced warriors and the truly strong Kar Tribe warriors above them.

If he faced those guys at his current level… he’d guarantee he’d die within 10 seconds.

The Kar Tribe was a place where such monsters existed.

“Phew…”

Though impatience gradually weighed on his shoulders, Arteon maintained his composure as much as possible and focused on the mana cultivation method.

And how much time had passed?

Sweat flowing from his body had dampened the floor, and his lips began to tremble faintly.

Operating mana continuously for several hours without rest required tremendous concentration and stamina in itself.

Doing it for as long as possible was advantageous for mana training.

But eventually, sensing a presence nearby, Arteon slowly opened his eyes.

“…That’s much faster than expected?”

When Arteon turned his head to look at the window.

The door that had been closed was now open, and there stood a woman wearing a black mask, looking at Arteon with sharp eyes.

And before Arteon could react.

Swoosh!

The woman, who had drawn her sword at some point, rushed toward Arteon.

Whisk!

The dagger she swung barely grazed Arteon’s cheek as it cut through the air.

Perhaps not expecting her attack to fail in such a situation, the woman’s center of gravity momentarily collapsed.

At that moment…

Thud!

Arteon pushed her arm and threw her onto the bed.

Crash!

Since she fell on the bed, she probably didn’t receive much impact, but it still made quite a loud noise.

As Arteon got up from his position.

The woman quickly got up and repositioned herself, saying.

“You… who exactly are you? Why did someone from the military department come looking for me?”

“I’ll wash up and come out, so wait. I’ll tell you my business after I come out.”

“What?”

The woman asked, but Arteon headed to the bathroom attached to the room without hesitation.

It was just scooping water from the bathtub with a basin to wash, but.

“Phew.”

Still, after washing off the sweat, Arteon roughly dried his body with a towel and came out, putting on a robe-like garment.

The masked woman, overwhelmed by Arteon’s presence, could only watch him warily.

Arteon sat in a chair and looked at the woman.

“Rishiven?”

“…I’m asking the question first. Who are you?”

“I’m Arteon from the Imperial Northern Army 1st Division. I came because there’s something I want to deal with you.”

“A deal? What kind of deal would soldiers want to make with us?”

“You give me information, and I give you people a stable life.”

“…A stable life?”

“The ways thief guilds survive are mostly obvious. You steal and sell what you overhear. But most of it is dangerous work and often hard to sustain.”

They may call themselves thief guilds to sound impressive, but coldly speaking, they’re just bottom-dwellers from the back alleys who’ve gathered to rank themselves and help each other.

Of course, the information they obtain is often better than expected.

Especially in the case of quite famous thief guilds, they sometimes plant people in high-ranking nobles’ mansions or even the royal palace.

‘Making contact with them in my current state would be impossible…’

More than anything, there was a high possibility that such people were already in collusion with those who held power in the Empire.

Right now, when I couldn’t clearly identify who the enemy I was looking for was…

‘It’s a bit troublesome, but it’s important to build up steadily and surely from the bottom.’

Arteon looked at Rishiven.

Originally, Rishiven should have become the guild master and been struggling financially…

‘She’s still the sub-master.’

Moreover, Shadow Fang was currently in a state of confrontation due to the conflict between the guild master and Rishiven, the sub-master.

Seeing that Rishiven would become the master of the thief guild in the future, the winner of this conflict would be Rishiven.

But looking at the current situation, Rishiven and those who followed her seemed to be quite cornered.

‘Even if I left them alone, they’d manage well… but if I turn the tide because of me, I can make them owe me a debt.’

“You’re in conflict with Formanker, right? I’ll take care of it for you.”

“What did you say…?”

Rishiven’s eyes wavered slightly.

But soon she looked at Arteon with venomous eyes and said.

“What kind of skill do you have to take care of Formanker!”

At most, he looked to be in his mid-teens?

Even considering this and that, he was still a youngster who hadn’t even passed twenty.

But what…

However, that was the moment.

“…!”

Rishiven was startled and pressed her body tightly against the wall behind her.

If there hadn’t been a wall, it felt like she would have fallen back a good ten meters or more.

“H-h-h-how…?”

Rishiven’s expression froze completely.

As if she couldn’t even speak properly, she looked at Arteon while stuttering severely.

The incredible killing intent that had just burst forth from this boy.

For a moment, a chilling sensation as if someone was carving out her heart with a blade covered her entire body.

And…

“Your instincts seem good.”

Arteon spoke with a calm expression.

It wasn’t particularly that he had moved his mana or anything.

He had simply made up his mind to kill.

But on the battlefield for over ten years…

It was something he had acquired while taking the lives of thousands.

When he generated incredible killing intent with just his gaze and presence, Rishiven gulped.

“Do you… really intend to help me?”

“There are two subordinates protecting Formanker, right?”

“…Julan and Heirquan. They’re the most troublesome guys among Formanker’s subordinates.”

In fact, it was fair to say that the gap in power and strength with Formanker’s faction wasn’t narrowing because of these two.

“Both of them… are guys approaching 2nd Star. They can all use mana.”

“2nd Star?”

“…Yes.”

If ordinary soldiers were at a general level with no rank, even reaching 1st Star would allow one to fight on equal terms with about ten soldiers.

And among the guys in this thief guild, there were 2nd Star level ones.

“Just tell me where they’re located. Then I’ll handle them.”

“But… what’s your reason for doing this?”

“What do I gain by helping you?”

Rishiven nodded silently.

Her eyes seemed bewildered yet slightly fearful, perhaps because of the killing intent from before.

To that, Arteon said.

“Companions who fill each other’s needs going forward… something like that?”

“Companions?”

It felt like the tension suddenly deflated.

This was the first guy who came to the thief guild looking for companions.

But even Rishiven’s reaction couldn’t help but please Arteon.

Since he already knew too well what kind of person she was.

Starting as the master of the thief guild, she became a great merchant who supplied materials to the Northern Region.

It was precisely Rishiven who had boldly stepped foot in this place where everyone said it was dangerous and waved their hands in refusal, watching their backs.

If he gained her, he could not only get information but also make big money by utilizing the situations that would unfold.

‘Even if I left her alone anyway… she’d manage well on her own.’

I’ll pull her to the surface a bit faster. And make her my ally.

Never forgetting kindness was Rishiven’s philosophy.

“Don’t pretend not to know me later.”

Arteon stood up from his seat. And immediately grabbed Iglis that was placed on the table.

The moment mana flowing from Arteon’s hand was injected into Iglis.

Clank!

Iglis made its characteristic metallic sound and revealed its original form.

At that, Rishiven’s eyes wavered.

“Mana…?”

Though she couldn’t use it properly, she was still at a level where she could perceive mana.

To her muttering, Arteon spoke as if driving in the final nail.

“Then let’s begin.”

It was time to achieve the purpose of coming here.

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