Chapter 12: Chapter 12

Chapter 12: The Warrior’s Encouragement Method

I woke up to the sound of someone pounding on the door.

When I looked outside the window, the sun was already rising. Who could be visiting at such an early hour?

I trudged to the door and opened it.

The man who spoke to me had an impressive mustache.

His gleaming armor and longsword hanging from his waist made it clear that he held a high position.

“I am Mikelan, captain of the guard of the Kellyburn Ducal House. The Duke wishes to see you, so it would be best if you came quietly.”

It sounded like a suggestion, but it was a threat. His eyes made it clear that even if I refused, he would drag me there by force.

What could this be about?

Jack had said he would handle things in my stead. Could this visit have something to do with him?

For now, I decided to follow Mikelan’s lead. My opponent was an Imperial noble—a duke, no less. It was best not to cause any unnecessary friction.

Even if something did happen, I had Count Reinhardt’s letter with me. Since Kellyburn was of equal rank, they wouldn’t dare act rashly if I showed it.

When I obediently showed willingness to go along, Mikelan blinked in mild surprise.

To people like them, a northern warrior was just an uncivilized barbarian who couldn’t be reasoned with. My behavior must have caught him off guard.

Mikelan furrowed his brow, as though something about the situation felt off.

And so, I followed him to the Duke’s residence. Chapters fırst released on NoveI-Fire.ɴet

It didn’t take long before we arrived. Thanks to Jack’s inn being nearby, the walk took no more than ten minutes.

I couldn’t help but exclaim at the sight of the mansion. As expected of one of the Empire’s few ducal estates, the building was breathtaking.

Even from the entrance, before stepping inside, the air of grandeur was palpable.

I glanced at Mikelan, wordlessly urging him to let me in. He chuckled and spoke to the guards.

Without a word, the guards granted us entry.

I couldn’t stop myself from admiring the beauty of the Kellyburn estate—the perfectly sculpted gardens, the fountain spraying crystal-clear water, and the sweet scent of flowers brushing past my nose.

It was so elegant that even the wealthiest merchants of the Martial World would never have experienced such splendor.

“Stop gawking and keep up.”

Because of Mikelan’s impatient urging, I didn’t get to look around for long.

He led me swiftly through the corridors until we reached the Duke’s office. By the time I blinked, we were already standing before its door.

“My lord, I have brought the warrior named Leon, as you commanded.”

Mikelan opened the door and stepped inside. I naturally followed him in—

The Duke of Kellyburn’s sharp voice cut through the air.

He was a man with strikingly keen features. The monocle perched on his eye lent him both an intellectual and a strict impression.

“I’ve heard from Count Withers. You came to assist me?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

The Duke didn’t seem pleased to see me. His eyes radiated distrust.

“To be frank, I don’t like you.”

His tone was laced with displeasure.

“What use do I have for a mere boy who’s barely reached manhood? Even if Count Withers recommended you, I can’t take your worth on faith this time.”

I immediately understood what he wanted. He wanted proof—proof that I was capable. It was only natural.

Even with Reinhardt’s endorsement, I was still, to him, a novice. Of course, if he knew my age from my previous life, he’d think otherwise—but that wasn’t something he could possibly know.

“What should I do to prove myself?”

When I got straight to the point, the corners of the Duke’s mouth twitched. The tension in his expression eased slightly—clearly, I’d given the right answer.

“Mikelan, have your disciple duel with Leon. If he turns out to be useful, bring him back to me.”

Mikelan bowed his head in response. When the Duke turned back to his papers, Mikelan gestured for me to follow.

We headed to the training grounds where soldiers were in the midst of drills. Knights were training bare-chested, their muscles slick with sweat.

Mikelan pointed to a blond man.

“I have a favor to ask.”

The man called Ryan immediately ran over. The heat radiating from his body showed how hard he’d been training.

“I want you to spar with this mercenary. Do you have time?”

Ryan scanned me up and down, then tilted his head.

“His outfit isn’t Imperial. Is he from another land?”

“He’s a warrior from Elphrel. Count Withers sent him to aid our territory.”

Ryan’s eyes widened as he looked at me in disbelief. His face screamed skepticism—clearly, he didn’t buy Mikelan’s words.

But Mikelan didn’t seem to care in the least.

“I’ll let you decide whether he’s worth anything.”

The match was quickly arranged. The soldiers nearby, having overheard, cleared the sparring ground—though they stayed clustered along the edges, whispering among themselves in curiosity.

“Hey, stop staring off.”

Ryan’s voice snapped my attention back.

“I can’t imagine what the Count was thinking, sending a barbarian like you. Even if this is the captain’s order, I’m not so idle as to waste my time on the likes of you.”

I stared at him quietly, eyes carrying a wordless “So what?”

He cursed, the veins on his forehead bulging with fury.

“Did you even hear me?”

“I did. You said you don’t have time, and if you want to save some, we should start the fight already.”

I spoke with a bored expression.

“I wonder how long you plan to keep talking. Are Imperials always this fond of fighting with their mouths?”

All expression vanished from Ryan’s face. When rage surpassed its limits, people often grew cold—and that was exactly what was happening to him.

Without another word, Ryan drew his sword.

“I won’t use my sword. There’s something I want to test.”

“…Are you mocking me?”

“I was, just a moment ago. But not anymore.”

At first glance, it might have sounded like teasing, but I was serious.

Ryan, with his sword drawn, was entirely different from before.

His lowered stance carried the tension of a predator ready to strike at any moment, and his eyes—darting dozens of times within a breath—reflected sharp insight, seeking to read every trace of my movement.

Realizing that I was being sincere, Ryan’s expression twisted into something peculiar. But soon, his face hardened again as he spoke in a low, cold tone.

I merely replied by crooking my finger at him, inviting him to come.

In an instant, Ryan stomped his foot and used the rebound to launch himself explosively forward. It was the same principle as the Gungshin Tanyeong, a technique from the Martial World that used elastic recoil for sudden bursts of speed.

I hadn’t expected to see a martial method from my previous life used here. Smiling faintly, I took a step forward.

My movement was as light as if I were stepping on clouds. Compared to Ryan’s powerful dash, it lacked impact—

but that single step of mine far outpaced his ten.

In an instant, my form reached striking distance. The Body Movement Technique I had learned yesterday while practicing the Warrior’s Encouragement Method shone brilliantly.

Shock flickered across Ryan’s face—he hadn’t even seen my movement.

Did I… fail to see his step?

Ryan was a prodigy recognized by Mikelan, the captain of the guard. Yet he, a trained knight, had been overwhelmed in speed by a so-called barbarian?

Ryan immediately twisted his body to retreat, intending to regain distance and compose himself.

But my hand was faster. I snatched his wrist mid-motion—using the Restraining Hand Technique, another move I had practiced the day before.

My hand coiled around his wrist like a snake constricting its prey. To a true master, it was a crude and shallow technique, but Ryan wasn’t a warrior of the Martial World. Unfamiliar with the art, he was helpless before its mysterious effectiveness.

His eyes trembled—confusion and shock mixed in his gaze at this unfamiliar technique.

However, Ryan quickly broke free. My mastery of the technique wasn’t yet complete.

Having regained his footing, Ryan stared at me grimly. That brief exchange had told him enough— I wasn’t someone to underestimate.

I clicked my tongue in mild regret. If only I’d had one more week to master the Restraining Hand, I wouldn’t have lost my grip on him.

Let’s test something else.

Both the Body Movement Technique and the Restraining Hand had worked to some degree.

That meant the Warrior’s Encouragement Method, which I’d practiced most intensively yesterday, would surely be more effective.

I adjusted my stance. It was a form commonly used by martial artists, but this wasn’t the Martial World.

Ryan’s eyes filled with confusion at the sight of it.

Once again, my body blurred forward. The movement was so fluid that even afterimages lingered.

I thrust my fist toward him—not merely a physical punch, but one infused with the inner power I drew from my lower abdomen.

At the same moment, a spiral of lightning crackled around my fist.

It was the natural manifestation of energy from the Infinite Void Heart Fist.

Ryan’s eyes went wide. Lightning formed around my fist—of course he was stunned.

After all, Ryan knew nothing of martial techniques or internal energy. His shock was inevitable.

I could already sense victory.

With the Body Movement Technique, my speed now bordered on the unbelievable—even I was surprised by how fast I’d become.

There was no way Ryan could react in time.

As expected, he failed to defend himself. He must have lacked experience dealing with close-range attacks.

My fist slammed into his abdomen, followed by a deafening explosion of sound.

Unable to endure the force, Ryan’s body was hurled backward, fluttering through the air before slamming against the training ground wall— and even then, his body bounced across the floor several times like a skipping stone.

His body finally went limp. Seeing him lie motionless, the surrounding soldiers began murmuring in alarm.

Meanwhile, I remained frozen mid-punch, my arm still extended.

I blinked, stunned at the sheer power of the Warrior’s Encouragement Method.

Was this truly the power of the Infinite Void Heart Fist?

It didn’t make sense. I had clearly held back my strength. Ryan shouldn’t have been sent flying like that.

The soldiers rushed to Ryan’s side. I swallowed nervously. He didn’t actually die, did he?

“He’s alive! Bring a stretcher, quick!”

Thankfully, Ryan survived. Though he looked dead where he lay, he was still breathing.

I let out a sigh of relief—only for Mikelan to approach me with a dark look.

“Were you trying to kill Ryan?”

His voice carried a faint killing intent. I averted my eyes slightly and answered,

“It was an accident. I didn’t realize my strength had increased that much.”

“You expect me to believe that?”

“I thought he could endure at least that much.”

It wasn’t a lie. I truly hadn’t known my strength had grown so much.

Besides, I hadn’t imagined that a soldier of noble service—one who looked like an elite—would fall from a single blow.

I had assumed he would withstand it, at least somewhat.

Mikelan’s expression twisted with complicated emotion. He looked at me as though I were a troublesome problem he now had to deal with.

“Follow me. I’ll have to report this to the Duke.”