The Strongest in Our Neighborhood - 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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The Strongest in Our Neighborhood (51)
“How could I not know the Crerarion Mountain Range, which I’ve been familiar with since childhood?”
“You don’t know it precisely because you dismiss the minority tribes and slash-and-burn farmers of the Crerarion Mountain Range.”
“Honestly, aren’t they beneath notice? I’ve often seen mercenaries and hunters catching them to sell as slaves.”
“Those mercenaries and hunters risk tremendous danger to catch them, all for their own coin.”
“That may be, but that’s really all there is to it.”
“You don’t seem to understand: the tribes dwelling in the Deep Forest where high-tier monsters live are ones even mercenaries and hunters dare not touch. But if Master Jang Gain were to unite even those tribes, their strength would surpass this territory’s military power.”
“What? Father, come now—the knights and soldiers of this territory are quite formidable. How could you speak such words?”
“Even if the territory’s knights and soldiers are strong, we cannot dismiss the tribes of the Deep Forest. And if Master-tier Jang Gain leads them, even their small numbers would pose a grave threat. So we must treat him as well as we can while the opportunity remains.”
* * *
Yure’a Millay, having received a direct order from her father, was making genuine efforts to understand Jang Gain’s nature and win his favor.
“Master Jang Gain, I’ve purchased fifteen wagons’ worth of millet and mixed grains, eight wagons’ worth of ore, and I’ve called in slave merchants to purchase two hundred residents—inhabitants and minority tribes from the Crerarion Mountain Range—and granted them their freedom.”
Jang Gain’s expression darkened as he looked at the minority tribe members and slash-and-burn farmers Yure’a Millay had brought.
The men, whether children or adults, all bore Slave Marks upon their foreheads, while the women bore the same mark upon the backs of their hands. Their bodies were covered with bruises and bloodstains that appeared to come from whips and cudgels.
A long sigh.
A deep and sorrowful breath escaped Jang Gain’s lips.
“If you’ve granted them their freedom, then they’re no longer slaves, correct?”
“That’s right.”
“Then why didn’t you remove the Slave Marks from their foreheads and hands?”
Seeing Jang Gain’s expression grow grave, Yure’a Millay felt somewhat flustered.
On her father’s orders, she’d had the stewards and servants provide every comfort and spent considerable coin to purchase slaves, yet rather than praise, he was frowning—why?
“The marks are burn scars from a branding iron, so there’s no way to remove them.”
“The bruises, the bloodstains—even if they were captured and enslaved, isn’t this treatment far too brutal, especially toward children?”
“Brutal? Hmm! Slave merchants regard slaves as livestock rather than people, so they handle them quite roughly until they learn obedience.”
“Livestock, you say…. Sigh! The more I think on it, the more troubled I become.”
“Troubled? About what, precisely?”
Observing that the Count’s second son failed to grasp the danger Jang Gain himself perceived, his expression grew heavy with concern.
“I intend to return these people to their original homes. Even if I heal their wounds with potions, those Slave Marks on their foreheads and hands cannot be erased—can they?”
“No, you’re right. They’re burn scars and won’t fade.”
“When their families, relatives, and villagers see those Slave Marks, they will harbor resentment and rage.”
“Of course they’ll be angry.”
Yure’a Millay tilted her head as she answered. Why would their anger be a cause for concern?
There was little they could do even if they were angry.
“If they become angry, they may seek vengeance.”
“Vengeance? Against whom?”
“Against the mercenaries or hunters who captured them, against the slave merchants, or against those who enslaved them.”
“Vengeance requires the power to carry it out. These people were helpless when caught by hunters and mercenaries, helpless when sold into slavery here—what could they possibly do now?”
“While they’re few in number, they can do nothing. But if they gather and multiply into a multitude, then something becomes possible.”
“Is that so? Honestly, even if they grow in numbers, I don’t believe they could accomplish much. Still, since you say so, Master Jang Gain, I’ll keep it in mind. Ah! Or are you perhaps saying you’ll take their side? That would indeed be frightening.”
Jang Gain’s serious expression shifted to one of bewilderment as he stared at Yure’a Millay.
“Even without my support, they will become a grave threat. You’re treating the resentment born from their suffering far too lightly.”
“It seems to me that you’re being overly cautious, Master Jang Gain. There’s nothing to worry about unless you take their side.”
Jang Gain shook his head at the sight of Yure’a Millay, who dismissed his warning so casually.
When he later unified the various tribes of the Crerarion Mountain Range and became their lord, he would have to satisfy the accumulated hatred they’d harbored.
It occurred to him that he might even have to wage war against this kingdom.
‘I’m grateful for their help, but the seeds of malice they’ve sown will eventually return to the sower….’
* * *
Daren, a young Werewolf boy, gained the ability to transform into human form when he turned ten, and while playing in the forest with his older brothers in his human shape, he was captured by mercenaries and sold to a slave merchant.
‘I thought I’d never get to avenge my brothers who died at the mercenaries’ hands….’
As the shackles fell away and the Binding Restraint that suppressed his transformation was removed, his power slowly returned, and fur began to grow while fangs emerged.
By chance, the slave merchant who had whipped him and his subordinates were standing only about fifty meters away.
Once he regained his true strength through transformation, he meant to kill them and flee into the forest.
A low growl rumbled from deep within.
As the transformation progressed and wolf’s cry rather than human voice emerged from his throat—
“Wow! Fascinating. Is this boy the Humanoid Beast Race of the Werewolf tribe that Laila mentioned?”
“Yes. Seeing the fur sprouting and the snout extending, it appears the transformation is just beginning.”
Daren froze mid-transformation, startled by the voices behind him.
‘When did they…?’
Turning around, he saw Yure’a from the Earl’s House standing beside a man bearing the scent of a Wind Spirit and a mage.
The moment he laid eyes on the three, his tail, hidden within his trousers, instinctively curled.
‘I sensed the earl’s child and his subordinates’ presence, but I couldn’t detect these two at all!’
“A person transforming into a wolf—I’ve never seen such a thing. Wolf boy, what’s your name?”
“My n-name is Daren.”
Daren hastily reverted to human form and bowed his head.
“Just now, the energy inside your body shifted violently and surged explosively. Does becoming a wolf make you stronger?”
“Yes! Ah, yes.”
“When you grow stronger, were you thinking of attacking those people?”
“Pardon? Oh, no.”
“No? Your eyes said otherwise—the moment you finished transforming, you looked ready to rush forward and tear into them.”
“That’s not true. I only wanted to try transforming once since the Binding Restraint came off.”
Jang Gain let out a soft chuckle watching the wolf boy’s flustered expression.
“I understand you hold a grudge against that slave trader, but with your current strength, you couldn’t even graze his collar—you’d be killed by his subordinates instead.”
“What? Surely not. You’re underestimating my strength. I may be weaker than you, sir, who carries a spirit’s power, but I’m more than capable of defeating the slave trader’s subordinates.”
“You can’t. Besides, you don’t even have a weapon right now. You can’t defeat an armed opponent barehanded.”
“If I transform, I can easily kill them with my claws and fangs.”
“Your Aura Sense is keen enough to gauge an opponent’s strength, it seems. But even if your aura is greater than the slave trader’s subordinates’, you lack real combat experience—you won’t win.”
Daren’s eyes flashed with wounded pride at Jang Gain’s words.
“How can you be so certain my combat experience is lacking?”
“You won’t accept what I’m saying, so why don’t you fight and see for yourself? Yure’a, could you call one of that slave trader’s subordinates?”
“Ah, of course.”
Shortly after, when Yure’a Millay called for the slave trader, he came with one of his men.
Jang Gain singled out the one whose aura felt strongest among the trader’s subordinates.
“What is your name?”
“My name is Dekal.”
“This Werewolf boy claims he can defeat you. Would you care to fight?”
Dekal’s expression turned incredulous as he stared at Daren.
“This wretch was one of our caravan’s slaves, and he thinks he can beat me?”
“Yes. Now that the Binding Restraint is off, he claims he’ll win if he transforms into a wolf.”
“Ha! Even if this brat does transform into a wolf, how dare he underestimate me like this? I’ll teach him a proper lesson.”
After provoking Dekal, Jang Gain turned to face Daren.
“Daren, are you really certain you can beat Dekal?”
“Absolutely. Though I should warn you—I might lose control of my strength and hurt him badly. Is that alright?”
“Don’t worry. As long as he doesn’t die, I have High-Grade Potions.”
“Ha! What nonsense. Boy, you should be worried about whether you’ll survive my blade. Steel has no eyes.”
“Both of you seem eager for this. Let’s begin at once.”
Jang Gain stepped back, clearing the space around them. Gray fur sprouted thickly across Daren’s body as his snout protruded and his limbs transformed into those of a wolf.
Jang Gain’s eyes widened at the sight of the transformed Daren.
‘He looks like a wolf, yet he’s standing upright on two legs like a man!’
While a wolf’s attack patterns were relatively simple, assuming a stance so similar to a human’s would make them far more versatile, he thought.
Roaaaaaaagh……
The transformed Daren kicked off the ground and lunged at Dekal.
“Hm!”
Dekal brought down his pre-drawn blade toward Daren’s head, but Daren dodged and snapped at his throat.
Clack.
In an instant, Dekal blocked Daren’s jaws with a small Hand Shield, and Daren clamped down on it.
Crunch.
Then Dekal thrust his sword at Daren’s belly; unable to fully evade, Daren’s flank was slashed open.
Daren spat out the shield he’d been biting and lunged again for Dekal’s throat, but Dekal’s kick sent him stumbling backward. Before he could even regain his footing, the blade caught his forearm.
Roaaaaagh!
Daren charged forward again with a furious howl, but Dekal sidestepped with ease and drove his sword at Daren’s throat.
Thunk.
Daren hastily blocked with his forearm, but he couldn’t avoid the follow-up blow from the Hand Shield, which struck him across the face.
Staggering backward, Daren reeled. Dekal pursued, thrusting his blade at the boy’s neck.
“Stop!”
Jang Gain’s voice suddenly boomed out.
But Dekal, hearing it, didn’t stop—he extended his sword to skewer Daren’s throat.
Clanng.
Dekal’s blade struck something invisible and veered off course.
Dekal gripped his sword tighter to keep from losing it, turning his head toward the direction from which something had flown.
There stood Jang Gain with his hand extended toward him, one finger stretched out straight in the blade’s original direction.
“Oh, Aura Projection!”
Dekal’s pupils trembled like aspen leaves in the wind.
It was common knowledge that only knights who had reached Expert Peak Tier could execute Aura Projection.
Roooaaar!
In the moment Dekal hesitated, the wolf boy Daren lunged toward him.
Snap.
In that instant, Jang Gain extended a second finger of the hand still brimming with energy.
And with a sharp crack, Daren’s jaw snapped sideways as he came charging in.
Crash, bang, bang…….
Dekal’s eyes darted between Jang Gain’s extended second finger and Daren, who was rolling across the ground some distance away.
He hadn’t caught sight of the Aura Projection the first time, but this time he clearly saw him fire it from his finger.

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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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