Chapter 7 - Dragon Demon Princess (1)
The Balan forest was not a land, where humans lived. It was placed on a map within the Rulain kingdom’s boundaries, but in reality, the monsters that threatened humans lived there instead of humans.
That is why the Rulain kingdom’s western border guard is not an army meant to fight against humans. They observe the movements of the monsters inside the Balan forest, and their goal was to protect the kingdom’s territories from the threat.
However, there was a group of human in the middle of the forest. They weren’t the western border guards, but they were human wearing suspicious black clothes.
“The person coming to the fort is Princess Arrieta.”
“Is it the Dragon Demon Prince or should I say the Dragon Demon Princess?”
“Does it matter?”
“No. According to the rumors regarding the strength of the Dragon Demon Princess, we might not have enough members here.”
They exchanged suspicious conversations. They didn’t show any signs of being nervous even when they were in the middle of the lands dominated by monsters.
“The Dragon Demon Prince debut was not too long ago, so I thought he would send her to a public function. I never expected him to send the Dragon Demon Princess to such a far away place.”
“Instead of the sending the Dragon Demon Prince to a far away Western borders, they must have calculated that it must be better for him to work on matters that appeal the people right now.”
“Hmm. Fortunately, the Dragon Demon Princess is not travelling with a lot people.”
“Then we will somehow find a way. Even if the Dragon Demon Princess is powerful, she is merely a young girl.”
All of a sudden, one amongst them asked a question.
“Is that ruin really the cursed Carlos’ ruin?”
Carlos.
He was a friend of Azell. It was also the name of a hero , and the most notorious archmage in recorded history.
Carlos’ magic was determined to be far away beyond the the average. He had died about 150 years ago, but the items he left behind was considered to be very valuable.
It was hypothesized that the ruins found by the Rulain kingdom’s western border guard in the Balana forest was a ruin left by Carlos. After receiving this report, the royal family was surprised. They decided to dispatch Arrieta Vile Rulain, who was called the Dragon Demon Princess, and numerous magicians.
“We weren’t able to confirm it. However, we are assuming it to be true.”
“Still there aren’t any decent magician in this place so there is a high probability that someone jumped to a conclusion.”
“If this is Carlos’ ruin, then we can’t stay still. However, there is no need to act now, so let us wait and see.”
“Of course. It would be a problem if they become suspicious.”
2
He didn’t move fast. He was moving very slowly and carefully. One step. He was concentrating on taking one step at a time. It was so slow that it could be considered yawn inducingly boring, but he slowly continued to send punches and kicks into the air. It was fascinating to see him able to maintain his balance while doing this action.
It was more amazing to see his entire body drenched in sweat as if it was raining. He looked like a person who had moved the most in this world.(TLN: translates awkwardly)
He didn’t wear any cloth on his upper body, and it could be seen that the fine muscles, which weren’t angled yet, were twitching. He move his whole body laboriously.
One could hear the muscles screaming just by looking at him.
“Hoo-ooh.” (TLN: exhaling)
How long has he been like that?
Suddenly, he released his stance while exhaling. He picked up a towel that was placed next to him, and he started wiping his body while mumbling.
“Ah, it’s hard. Since my body is all messed up, it feels like I’m dying.”
“That is an interesting training method.”
After watching Azell train, Rick complimented him as if he didn’t understand it.
Azell asked him a question.
“Is it really amazing?”
“Yes.”
“Which part? Why?”
“Can you really exercise just by moving slowly? I don’t understand how those movments could cause you to sweat so much.”
“The knights here do not train in slow chain and fast chain movements?”
“Fast chain?”
“That is… One has to repeat slow and fast chain movements to grasp the balance of the technique. Fast chain movement is the normal training, which uses quick movements. Slow chain is the opposite. One has to train very slowly to prevent the body from being under the mercy of strength, and this allow one to correct erroneous postures.”
“I’ve never heard of such training methods. Well I guess I’m not a knight, so it’s possible that I don’t know about it. However, it doesn’t look like a normal training method.”
“Mmm. I guess it isn’t something soldiers would use. Any ways, you are curious as to why I’m sweating so much?”
After Azell asked the question, he approached Rick. Rick suddenly felt an unknown feeling of danger, so he started backing up slowly while cringing.
Azell smiled a suspicious grin, and he grabbed Rick’s shoulder.
“Feel it yourself.”
Ku-kung! (TLN: sfx of pressure)
Suddenly a heavy sound started spreading.
No, he thought he heard it, but Rick was mistaken. In reality, no sound was emitted. He felt a pressure press down on his whole body, and it had created a vibration inside. He had confused this with sound.
“Kuk!”
Rick groaned and he fell onto his knees.
His body became heavy like a ball of steel. No, this was above and beyond that level. It felt like some power grabbed his body, and it was crushing him.
This was happening inside his body! He couldn’t even stand up. The power caused it to be difficult for him to even move a finger.
Azell looked down on him and asked a question.
“Now you know why I was sweating so much?”
“This, what is this…”
“It’s my special training method. Try moving your body in that condition. It will temper you a lot.”
“Ooh, ooh-gu-gu-gu-guk…..” (TLN: moaning/groaning sfx)
“For your information, I injected enough energy for this method to last around 30 seconds. After that, it’ll end. Even if you are lying down, it’ll be hard for you to breath, so it would be better for you to clench your teeth and move a little. It would be better for you to counterbalance that power.”
Azell spoke in a friendly manner. He put on his shirt and he sat on the bed.
“Ku, Ku-ook…..”
After hearing those words, Rick’s body trembled and he used all his might to start moving. After he put strength into his arms and legs, he succeeded in moving a little. He felt the pressure on his internal organs lessen by a little bit.
‘He was training in this condition for about 1 hour without him ever swaying. This bastard is a monster!”
Rick was exhausted just by crawling on his belly. Azell had trained with this technique for an hour. In his words, he had trained in the Slow chain method. He was a Spirit Order practitioner without a single ring, so how could he exhibit such superhuman ability?
As if Azell had read his mind, he spoke.
“Hu-hut.(TLN: short laugh) It’s not that impressive, so why are you reacting that way? That was the level of pressure I am able to maintain constantly. I can produce a stronger burst from time to time when I need it. If I applied that level of load on you, then your body will break into pieces.”
“I, I think my body is already sufficiently broken?”
Rick couldn’t even talk properly, so he protested his meaning through his gaze. However, Azell was happily watching Rick struggle.
‘You evil spirit-like bastard.’
It felt like an eternity before 30 second had passed. The pressure that was pressing on Rick started slowly dissipating.
In a moment, Rick’s felt his body become light. He pressed his head to the ground and moaned.
“Oooooooh……”
“How was it? Is it worth doing?”
“I’m, I’m going to die.”
“Even if you are an army doctor, you are still a soldier. Aren’t you a bit too weak? Shouldn’t you train regularly?”
“Shit. I’ve received the basic training.”
“Yet you can’t even endure that?”
“Eeeeeeek!”
Rick grinded his teeth, and he pushed his body up. He glared at Azell and spoke.
“How are you able to endure such pressure with your weakened body?”
“Of course, I’m not enduring it with only my body. I am also using the magical force. I am trying to balance the magical force that unites the physical strength and Spirit Order at the same time. Any ways, I am able to grow muscles all over my body in a short amount of time.”
Spirit Order practitioners could control parts of the body that normal people can’t control. Therefore, they are able to train in ways that can’t even be imagined by a normal person. Azell’s training method was like this.
After he tempered his body, Azell sat in the lotus position, and he meditated. Then a magical force aggregate, which was very dense that it almost emitted light, formed in both of his hand and he drank it.
‘Hmmm!’
His whole body’s energy pulse activated. The energy that was flowing within it was weak, but it circulated without any blockage.
‘Still it is fortunate that I don’t have to break all the blockage in my energy pulse from the beginning.’ (TLN: sounds like dantian concept)
Originally, the human’s energy pulse isn’t active, and it is blocked. While in the process of training Spirit Order, the energy pulse is activated, and one is able to break through the blockage. This creates a path that magical force will circulate through.
It takes a long time to be able to make the entire body’s energy pulse be useful. This was one of the most important jobs of Spirit Order. Fortunately, Azell’s energy pulse slowed down in function, rather then being blocked again.
‘At the very least, I was able to make one ring of life.’
The vessel at the very end of the heart gathered the magical force, and it formed into a small ring. He had gathered a highly dense amount of magical force, and he shaped its form. One had to continuously inject new magical force to stabilize it. One had to go through these steps to create a ring of life.
Right now it was in an incomplete state, and it was barely able to circle around the heart. However, it was important that Azell was able to make a stabilized ring of life.
It was less effective then directly circling it around the heart, but he was roughly able to imitate its function with the Spirit Order techniques. (TLN: he laid a foundation for ring, but it’s incomplete. But using spirit order technique, he can mimic a stable ring. )
Azell spoke after he examined himself.
“Let us go eat.”
“You don’t miss a meal.”
” The three meal times are precious.”
Azell led the way, while humming.
3
Azell was able to devour 7 servings again. He had consumed food and drank water until his stomach was full. It was amazing that he didn’t have a stomach ache. After he drank his fill, he drummed his hands against his stomach in satisfaction.
“Ah, I’m full. Now I know the real value of food after starving for a long time.”
“Now that you have gained some weight, do you need to eat that much?”
Rick was fed up with it so he asked.
Azell had gained a lot of weight compared to yesterday night. He should be close to his normal weight now.
“Mmmm. After today, I’ll return to eating a normal amount. My body doesn’t absorb everything so I do expel a lot of waste. If I want to build more muscle, then I have to gain more weight.”
“Well, it’s no surprise, coming from you.”
Rick shook his head from side to side. Of course, Azell didn’t pay attention to his attitude.
After finishing the meal, both of them headed toward Giles’ barracks. Giles was listening to a report from his aide, so they waited outside for a moment.
“Hmm. I made you wait.”
After the aide left, he motioned Azell and Rick to sit in the chairs.
Rick asked.
“Did the patrol find something?”