Bad Born Blood

Translator: FenrirTL
Editor: Greedy
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< Chapter 15 >

I visited Kinuan for the first time in a while. It was my first visit since going to the colosseum.

Kinuan was reading a paper book—a rare sight these days.

“Looks like this new combat method has become second nature to you?”

Kinuan said, looking at me. He had closed the book so its cover was hidden.

“Thanks to what I learned from you, Instructor, I’ve become stronger. I could really tell while sparring with other cadets.”

“That strength was yours from the start. You’ve only changed how you use it. It’s a kind of reallocation and optimization.”

I looked at Kinuan, filled with anticipation. My skills had noticeably improved in just a month. I could feel my body itching, heating up. I couldn’t wait any longer.

“I want to move on to the next stage.”

“……Do you remember the name of the book I was reading and then closed?”

Kinuan asked abruptly. I hesitated before replying.

“I don’t know.”

I only remembered that the book’s color was blue. Kinuan tapped the table with his fingers upon hearing my answer. A pattern in the shape of a sharp eye appeared as a hologram.

“In an ancient language, ‘Arkies’ means sharp eye. Do you know what that means?”

“Insight.”

My response was swift, as if I’d prepared for it. Kinuan’s eyes widened slightly, as though surprised.

It was a simple deduction. The Arkies Combat Method maximizes insight, allowing one to assess and optimize both the environment and the enemy as well as oneself.

“……Because insight has always been the essence of the Arkies Combat Method. It’s always been both the beginning and the end.”

I added to my statement.

“You’ve understood it perfectly, Luka.”

Kinuan had never explicitly spoken about the true nature of the Arkies Combat Method. He had always referenced it indirectly, through metaphors and actions.

Mastering and approaching the Arkies Combat Method based on only these fragments was the first step and qualification for learning it.

I felt like I had a vague sense of what the next stage of the Arkies Combat Method would be. Kinuan’s next question followed.

“Do you remember how many times I tapped the table to activate the hologram?”

I didn’t know this either. I hadn’t paid attention.

“I don’t know.”

At my answer, Kinuan tapped the table again to turn off the hologram. He closed his eyes slightly and spoke.

“You keep your terminal in your left inner pocket. And your right leg has a slight synchronization error with your nervous system. You’ll need to get that serviced later. When you entered my office, even though you’re not left-handed, you opened the door with your left hand. That’s because you suddenly boosted the output of your right arm during sparring this morning, so it must still feel numb.”

I unconsciously brushed my hand over the front of my upper garment. As Kinuan said, the terminal was in my left pocket. And, just as he’d pointed out, my right arm still felt numb from the strain on my nervous system.

‘He’s probably right about the right leg’s synchronization not being perfect either.’

I hadn’t even noticed these imbalances in myself. Most likely, it would’ve taken a few more days before the errors increased enough for me to realize something was wrong.

Kinuan’s observational skill was remarkable. He knew my body better than I did.

“So this time, it’s about maximizing observation?”

“Don’t overlook even the smallest details. By gathering minor clues, we can see the outline of the whole picture. Do you remember the question you asked me last time?”

I knew exactly what he was referring to. And I still hadn’t received an answer.

“You mentioned that even if a fight broke out in Aleph’s office, you’d be able to get out safely.”

At that time, armed gang members were stationed both inside and outside Aleph’s office. We were as good as unarmed, and no matter how skilled we were, it would’ve been nearly impossible to escape unscathed.

“When the fight began, I would have lowered myself to avoid the line of fire.”

I frowned. I didn’t find his response convincing.

“The ones with guns were Aleph and the gang members. If your first move was to hide, you’d miss your chance to attack and end up riddled with bullets.”

“You would secure the chance to attack. In that situation, you’d face the gang and Aleph head-on, even if it meant taking a bullet or two.”

Honestly, I didn’t like Kinuan’s answer. What I’d wanted was a clever way to turn that situation around.

“What would you have done if I weren’t there? What if I chose to hide or run instead of attacking the gang?”

“If you weren’t there, I would have avoided that situation entirely. We would have met in a more crowded place. And the idea of you hiding or running is nonsense. You’re a soldier trained to act with a strong, aggressive approach. You don’t make self-preservation-driven judgments or take such actions.”

He was right. I would’ve subdued Aleph and the gang somehow, even if it meant getting hurt.

“So, in the end, if a fight broke out, I would’ve been injured one way or another.”

Kinuan was assuming my injury as if it were an inevitable outcome. For the first time, I felt a hint of contempt toward him.

“Luka, you’re under a misconception. The Arkies Combat Method isn’t some miracle or magic that defies reality. It doesn’t make the impossible possible. I have more experience and a sharper judgment than you. In that situation, it’s right for you to play the role of a shield. You likely wouldn’t have noticed that Aleph’s fingers were modified into guns, nor that there was a hidden passage behind the left wall cabinet.”

Noticing my dissatisfaction, Kinuan continued to speak.

“You probably intended to take down the guards first and then deal with Aleph as he drew his gun. But if you’d followed that sequence, you’d have taken a bullet to the back of the head. Aleph can fire with a simple movement of folding his fingers. By hiding and getting out of the line of fire, I can stop Aleph while you subdue the gang. Do you understand now?”

I couldn’t say a word. I hadn’t known that Aleph’s fingers were modified into guns. That was an unforeseen factor in my plan. Nor had I known about the hidden passage.

“……I understand.”

Kinuan’s observational and perceptive abilities were superhuman. Even within the same space and time, he gathered far more information than I did.

And there was something here I wanted to confirm.

“Excessive expansion of perception can cause brain dysfunction.”

Kinuan tapped his temple with his finger.

“Take note of this, Luka. The Arkies Combat Method pushes the brain to its limits, utilizing all available resources. Do you know what that means? It can’t be used as the standard combat method for the Imperial Guard.”

I flinched at his words, a chill running down my spine. I realized I’d overlooked something important. Soon, I understood exactly what Kinuan’s words meant.

“You can’t use the Arkies Combat Method while wearing the Legion! Damn it…”

I couldn’t hold back my frustration. Someday, if I became a member of the Imperial Guard, I would be granted the Legion, a full body mechanical armor. During critical battles, I would go to the front lines equipped with the Legion.

The Arkies Combat Method would be meaningless for me when I wore the Legion.

The Legion, a full body mechanical armor that concentrated the Empire’s cutting-edge technology, couldn’t be worn continuously by anyone. As it operates on high-bandwidth signals, it requires the full capacity of the brain’s resources. Even with this, additional auxiliary processors need to be layered on just to control the Legion—this holds true even for elite soldiers who’ve trained their entire lives!

I should have realized this sooner.

I felt like my past month had been rendered meaningless. I even began to feel a surge of resentment toward Kinuan. Trying to steady my breath as it threatened to grow ragged, I took a deep, quiet inhale.

“For an Imperial Guard who’s been granted the Legion, the Arkies Combat Method is a useless skill. Unless, of course, it’s a very unusual situation.”

Mastering the Arkies Combat Method took both talent and time. It was an absurdly inefficient fighting method. At best, it was just a slight aid to the diversity of combat method.

“Ha ha…”

Kinuan laughed, his shoulders shaking, as though he found this all too amusing. Seeing him laugh while I frowned only deepened my irritation.

“If I’d known from the beginning that it was incompatible with the Legion, I wouldn’t have tried to learn it. All of this… it’s my own foolishness.”

I couldn’t really blame Kinuan. If I’d been just a bit sharper, I would have realized the true nature of the Arkies Combat Method sooner.

“You’re truly exceptional. Remarkably so. I thought it would take you at least another couple of months to figure it out.”

Even with his sincere compliment, I couldn’t bring myself to smile.

“Since Imperial Guards don’t wear the Legion at all times, learning the Arkies Combat Method might still be helpful. But I don’t see the need to master it at the cost of increased risk to brain function.”

I managed to restrain my frustration as I replied.

“So, is this the end?”

“Thank you for everything up to now, Instructor Kinuan. I’ll visit from time to time.”

I saluted as I spoke.

“Luka, you’re welcome to return anytime if you change your mind.”

But that wasn’t going to happen.

* * *

I didn’t visit Kinuan for more than two weeks. Then, one day, a summons arrived from the Imperial Guard Commander, Hemillas.

It had been three months since I last met with the Commander. He seemed to be leading a very demanding schedule.

‘Ilay did say there were hints of rebellion within the Empire. That must be why the Commander is so busy…’

Reflecting on this, I found myself standing outside the Commander’s office. The symbol of the Imperial Guard, a golden sword, was displayed there—elaborate yet not ostentatious.

Ssshh!

Before I could even touch the controls, the doors slid open to either side. I saluted and looked toward the Commander, who was seated inside.

“Take a seat and wait for a moment.”

The Commander’s pupils constantly shifted in color, signifying that his communication targets were changing by the second. Additionally, he had numerous holograms projected, handling communications and lower-security information simultaneously.

‘Is a rebellion truly happening?’

It was the first time I’d seen the Commander of the Imperial Guard so busy. For the past year or two, he’d shown up at cadet training frequently, making me wonder if he simply didn’t have much to do.

I sat in my chair, waiting for him to finish his work.

“Luka, how have you been lately?”

The Commander paused, then spoke, the holograms surrounding him vanishing all at once.

For him to ask about my well-being was unusual. After a brief moment of thought, I opened my mouth to reply.

“I’ve been spending my time in personal training. It’s been a while since I last received an assignment.”

“You won’t be receiving any field missions for the time being. We believe your abilities are already more than sufficient. You’re at a level where you can be an immediate asset without needing more field experience. You’ve proven as much by fulfilling your role under harsh conditions at the ruins.”

Whether this was good or fortunate, I wasn’t sure. While it felt good to be recognized, being sidelined from missions stung a bit. It meant losing chances to gain more combat experience.

“I appreciate the recognition, but I’m not sure how I feel about being left out of deployments.”

“Missions will be prioritized for other cadets who need more practical experience. I hope you can understand.”

“A soldier follows the decisions of their superiors.”

I listened closely, waiting for the Commander’s next words. It was about time he got to the main point; he hadn’t called me here just to chat about this.

“I hear you’ve been in frequent contact with Instructor Kinuan.”

The higher-ups were aware of every move a cadet made. They probably even knew about my visits to the black market in the lower district and my participation in the colosseum.

‘Cadets like me are the Empire’s assets, after all.’

I was about to reply, but the Commander continued speaking before I could.

“You’ve been learning the Arkies Victima technique under Instructor Kinuan, haven’t you?”

The Commander even mentioned the exact name of the Arkies Combat Method. Learning a combat style not listed in the Empire’s manuals was not exactly exemplary behavior.

‘Did he call me here to reprimand me for learning the Arkies Combat Method?’

It felt slightly uncomfortable, but it wasn’t a problem. I didn’t plan to continue studying the Arkies Combat Method, anyway.

“I’m not learning it any further.”

The Commander’s eyebrows rose. It seemed he hadn’t expected that I’d already quit.

“There have been several cadets who tried to learn the Arkies Combat Method under Instructor Kinuan. But not long after, Kinuan was the first to give up on teaching them.”

My eyes must have wavered slightly. The Commander didn’t miss the subtle hint.

“…If I’m not mistaken, it doesn’t seem like Kinuan was the one to give up this time. You were the one who quit first, weren’t you?”

“The Arkies Combat Method is incompatible with the Legion. I felt it held no value for someone bound to become part of the Guard.”

“You’ve already figured that much out, have you? Isn’t it ironic? Those who lack the aptitude for the Arkies Combat Method get turned away by Kinuan, while those who do have the aptitude soon realize they have no reason to continue with it. And so, aside from Kinuan, there’s no one who’s truly mastered the Arkies Combat Method.”

Anxiety crept up in me. I had the unsettling sense that an order I wouldn’t like was coming. And such premonitions rarely missed the mark.

“Do you want me to continue training in the Arkies Combat Method?”

“To be precise, I want you to maintain a close relationship with Kinuan. And to do so, it would be best for you to keep learning the Arkies Combat Method. This is an order.”

I opened my eyes wide. It was a form of surveillance. The Commander was wary of Kinuan. Against my will, a flood of speculations raced through my mind.

But I couldn’t question it. I had to set aside my doubts and follow orders. That was what it meant to be a soldier of the Empire.

Above all, I had a feeling that uncovering the truth would put my life at risk. The best way to protect a secret is often to eliminate the one who knows it.

“Understood. I will continue learning the Arkies Combat Method.”

There was only one response I could give.

“Luka, know that I’m keeping an eye on you. You’re the type who’s destined to advance.”

The Commander’s words left an impression.

Destined to advance… I seemed to recall hearing something similar from Kinuan as well.