The Regressed Magic Swordsman Devours the North - Chapter 38

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

Episode 38. A Tiger Father Does Not Beget a Hound Child
The nights in the Yarel Mountain Range were not particularly cold.
Being the southernmost point of the Northern Region and early September still held the grip of summer, so a campfire was enough to make a passable camp.
But.
Pitter-patter—tap, pitter-patter-patter—
Raindrops fell on the vegetation. Clouds obscured the moonlight, and the sound of rain swallowed the silence whole.
Hisss—hiss—
The campfire wheezed like a sick thing, then lost its strength and died.
The knights guided the people into the building. Yet—without the campfire, the interior was colder than the outside.
The dropping temperature brought by the rain was partly to blame.
Bwindol asked Sylvia.
“Some of those weakened appear unable to endure the cold.”
It was a question searching for a solution. But Sylvia had none to offer.
“All we can do is distribute extra clothing and leather blankets, light the lanterns, and bar the doors.”
In a proper building, the heat from the lantern flames and the warmth of gathered bodies would have made the interior comfortable.
But this was a Mountain Stronghold. The repairs had been so neglected that wind whistled through even with the doors closed.
A person in sound health could endure one night. The problem was those weakened by savage beatings and abuse.
For them, this moment felt as torturous as being cast naked into the heart of a snow-covered mountain.
The Bilton Family had no concern for such people. If they died, they’d simply toss the corpses down a ravine and be done with it.
Sylvia, Bwindol, Bill, and Louie felt utterly helpless.
Executing dangerous missions—they were capable of that.
Dismantling criminal organizations—they were capable of that too.
They had confidence.
But for what purpose had all of that been?
Was it not to save the Territory Residents caught in desperation?
A helplessness born of being human, and of being a knight, pressed down upon them.
But then.
Whoooosh—
Warm radiance spread through the room. The moisture that had come with the rain retreated, and a gentle comfort enfolded the people.
The knights turned their heads toward the source of that warmth. There stood Sion, a knight with brilliant golden hair.
In Sion’s hand gleamed a fist-sized jewel that shone with a brilliant crimson light.
A Sun Stone.
Until now, Sion had kept the Sun Stone wrapped in Sealing Cloth to prevent its mana from leaking.
Now he had removed the wrapping.
“Sion…”
“Sir.”
His comrades did not ask him where the Sun Stone had suddenly come from, or say things like “If you had something like that, you should have mentioned it earlier.”
Rather, at some moment.
The way they looked at Sion changed.
There was something slightly admirable about it.
Something that seemed worthy of respect.
At any rate, that was how it was.
While some knights stayed to guard the people, the rest gathered in another building.
Flicker—
The lantern flame pushed back the darkness and illuminated the map on the table, while the steady patter of rain created a constant drone.
Through that noise, Sion briefed them matter-of-factly—everything that had happened so far, and everything yet to come.
“So tonight, we will sweep the lawless ones from the Yarel Mountain Range.”
The moment Sion’s final words fell, the Snow Leopard Unit knights erupted in a great cheer.
Roaaaaar—
And then.
They chattered noisily.
Seems like the weather’s on our side? What about the hostages in the stronghold? Haven’t done an ambush in ages. Things like that.
Even knowing they would have to kill many people from here on, there was not a trace of tension in their demeanor. Rather, it felt like a festival.
Sylvia, Bwindol, Bill, and Louie watched the scene in bewilderment. These are knights? Or barbarians?
But.
Sion’s gaze was different.
‘These people are warriors.’
Though their manner of speech and expression seemed casual and rough like street thugs, their words’ content, their eyes, and their smallest movements were unmistakably those of seasoned knights.
As they listened to the operation, they naturally began discussing positions—”who goes where,” “I’ll go with so-and-so to here”—
And the deployment they worked out was flawless in every respect.
He had calculated precisely how to conceal himself during the assault and how to execute every last one of them without mercy.
And then.
“You’ve all heard Sion’s plan? Not a second to waste. Begin the operation, but remember three things.
First. Protect the hostages. Kill everything else.
Second. Use the Detection Artifact to sweep up not just their supplies, but also maps, ledgers—everything.
Third. Don’t rush. Leave no trace.”
Commander Julian’s orders, in turn.
Judgment and action.
Both were flawless.
Twenty-seven snow leopards’ eyes gleamed with cold light. But then—
“Wait, please.”
Sion dumped sixteen fist-sized stones from his pack onto the table.
Rumble, rumble, rumble—
“Take all of these with you.”
Stones wrapped in pristine Sealing Cloth. One didn’t need to ask what they were.
Sion turned to face the Snow Leopard Unit and elaborated on the crucial point.
“Fourth. Tonight, you must feed the people being held as hostages well, let them sleep, and tend to their wounds.”
The organizations hiding in the Yarel Mountain Range—were they truly preparing for war? They had abundant supplies of food, potions, and more. Those would suffice.
“Fifth. When close together, stay in groups and keep watch through the night. Then move again when day breaks.”
When Sion finished speaking, the Snow Leopard Unit looked to Julian, and Julian nodded.
Follow as he says, the gesture meant.
The knights immediately gathered the Sun Stones. And before leaving, they came back to Sion, bumped his shoulder lightly, ruffled his hair roughly, and spoke.
“Young master, won’t you join us?”
“I’ll see you again.”
“Your attention to detail is remarkable.”
“I’ll put it to good use.”
“When you become someone even greater, use us a lot more, yeah?”
And then.
With a rumble, they dashed out of the Mountain Stronghold and tore up the mountain path. There was no hesitation.
Sion stood for a moment.
Wondering if there were any other variables.
Thinking about who should set up the perimeter watch.
***
I ordered Bwindol and Bille to guard the Bilton Family’s Mountain Stronghold.
I assigned Sylvia and Louie to watch the section from the Travis region leading over into the Yarel Mountain Range.
What was I doing? Of course.
I moved to sweep away the evil.
Julian took the farthest point from the Bilton Family’s Mountain Stronghold.
Next came the senior knights. Then the mid-rank knights, then the junior knights in order.
I was assigned a position not too far away.
No, actually—except for where Julian and the senior knights were going, most positions weren’t that far out anyway.
The reason was simple.
Even criminal organizations knew it: in mountains like these, there might be undisputed Demon Beasts or Divine Beasts still prowling.
In other words, within the Lawless Zone there existed another buffer zone of peril.
Wheee—whoooosh—wheee—whoooosh—
How long had I been running?
A palisaded Mountain Stronghold came into view. I surveyed the interior while keeping my body hidden in darkness.
I slipped in quietly through one end of the stronghold and used Mana Detection to gauge the bandits’ numbers and distance.
‘No Black Mana, as expected.’
This was an odd habit that formed after discovering the traitor during the Gold Star Society incident.
Namely, regularly using Mana Detection to check if anyone around me had Black Mana clinging to them.
My companions and the Snow Leopard Unit were clean.
The bandits, too, were clean.
Save for one.
Sion went through the buildings one by one from the edge of the palisade.
Hiding my body in shadow, masking my presence with the sound of rain, I slipped into rooms and swiftly, precisely cut down my enemies’ throats.
Most had sheltered indoors to escape the rain, making the work straightforward.
Some were sprawled asleep, drunk. Others were attempting unspeakable acts with captured women.
I killed them all in one swift stroke.
There was no mercy.
The world would end soon enough; he had no time to waste on trash like this.
He gave them no chance to repent. For those who crossed every line, redemption itself was a luxury.
Blood pooled in the wooden structures of the stronghold. Thick, guilty blood.
When every remaining bandit inside the Mountain Stronghold had been dealt with, the smell of damp water mingled with a heavy iron reek.
Of course, the rain that washed clean swept away even that coppery stench.
The blood-smell didn’t linger long.
***
The Snow Leopard Unit swept through every stronghold they found.
They killed the bandits, burned the bodies, gathered supplies, freed the captives, and assembled them together.
They emptied the strongholds’ stores to provide the survivors with water and food, warmed them with Sun Stones, and gave Potions to those who were ill.
Julian had run the furthest distance to clear the most distant stronghold.
On his return, he entrusted the rescued to a nearby senior knight and moved separately.
Rather than wandering alone, he checked on each scattered unit member one by one.
Whether anyone was wounded or dead, whether they were safe, what the situation was, how to guide the people—he saw to it all.
Despite his reputation as a madman and berserker, he displayed the bearing of a true commander.
When Julian, having confirmed all operational details, returned to the Bilton Family stronghold,
the sun had already begun to rise, and the darkness was retreating. The clouds had cleared as if the rain had never fallen.
Briefly, the world steeped in crimson in the rising dawn before finding its true color again.
Though the rain clouds had withdrawn, the sky was not cloudless; scattered cloud shadows drifted lazily across the Yarel Mountain Range.
As the wind picked up, the damp, acrid stench of blood wafted from everywhere.
In this Lawless Zone, the smell of blood was nothing new, but today was different.
This was not the blood of the innocent, as was customary, but of the guilty and wicked.
Sir Julian dragged over a roughly-made wooden chair and sat. Then he reviewed the operation in his mind.
“Hmm.”
‘It was nearly flawless.’
Because he and the Snow Leopard Unit had distinguished themselves?
No. It went deeper than that.
“Sion Karsen.”
As a boy, he’d been pure, even charming. Growing up, Julian had assumed he’d gone a bit mad.
Hearing the rumors, he’d thought—this reckless fool was tarnishing the Karsen Family name—
He’d thought that too.
But then.
Listening to Sion’s briefing and the operation itself, his mind changed.
Flashes of insight.
The ability to read people.
Bold decisiveness.
Information gathering, organization, and communication.
Code-breaking? Sealing Magic?
From incomprehensible theories to the deployment of reinforcements, from tactical execution to the ability to shore up gaps in the operation—
not a single element failed to astound him. How many vermin had he killed? How many Territory Residents had he saved?
Was cleaning out a criminal organization in the Yarel Mountain Range an easy task? If so, why had these scum existed for so long?
Decidedly.
It was not easy.
It was not something anyone could do.
Weather. Accurate intelligence.
Everything had to align perfectly.
Above all, it required audacity and speed.
If they’d gathered intelligence yesterday and spent a week preparing, all these dogs would have scattered.
Timing is everything in an operation.
In other words, he and the Snow Leopard Unit had merely kept pace. This operation from start to finish was Sion’s achievement alone.
“Extraordinary.”
Julian turned his thoughts to what awaited in Travis.
What was Sion’s mandate?
Iron Fang, Green Snake, Red Tri-Eye.
Investigation of these three organizations and the forces backing them.
Certainly, if he himself had taken the lead, he could have dismantled criminal outfits, but he could never have rooted out their patrons.
But Sion Karsen as he was now? Perhaps he could change something fundamental.
In that moment, Julian reflected.
How long had it been since he felt such anticipation about a person?
Truly, was this the blood of the Karsen Family?
“As I thought.”
So it was a tiger cub after all.
The Returned Sword Mage Devours the Northern Region
Author
: Bangsim
Production Date
: June 16, 2026
Publisher
: ACES Media Co., Ltd.
Editor-in-Chief
: ACES Media Editorial Team
Address
: 10F Urban Bench Building, 325 Teheran-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Email
: [email protected]
※ This work is published by ACES Media Co., Ltd. under contract with the copyright holder,
and may not be used in any form or by any means without permission from the company and author.
This e-book is protected by copyright law, and unauthorized reproduction or copying may result in legal liability.
UCI
: G720:N+A129-20260615032

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