Genius Gamer Reborn into a Family of Heroes

Chapter 74

The Tyrant’s Qualities

The next morning, Harang woke up early and immediately donned his light combat uniform before leaving the Green-White Palace.

Four knights stood in formation in front of the palace, waiting for him.

“Shall we go, Polden Harang?”

Harang nodded silently.

Today was the day he was to face the punishment handed down by his family, so it was necessary to remain composed. Even on a day like this, Harang, known for his quiet demeanor and lack of expression, often received comments about how mature and composed he was for his age.

‘He seems calm.’

The punishment Harang was about to receive, The Gladiator’s Blood Duel, involved facing dozens of monstrous lions one after the other—an ordeal even a 4-star knight would struggle to handle.

Fighting one lion at a time was manageable. However, as soon as one lion fell, another would emerge immediately, leaving no time to rest.

According to myth, a legendary hero had once fought a hundred such monstrous lions in succession. But as this was a punishment, Harang only had to face a mere thirty.

To Harang, however, ‘mere’ might be the wrong word. Perhaps ‘an overwhelming’ number would be more fitting.

‘Young Master Harang is still only at the 4-star level.’

‘No matter how impressive his skills are, and no matter that he’s of Kaladan blood, allowing him to wield swordsmanship far superior to that of other 4-star knights…’

‘Facing thirty lions is simply impossible.’

Such were the thoughts of the knights escorting Harang to the arena.

They couldn’t help but think that Harang would suffer severe injuries during the punishment.

After traveling for about three hours by carriage, they arrived at a barren, isolated coliseum-like structure, which felt as desolate as a prison.

It was a place known as the Shadow Arena, where those who committed serious crimes in Kaladan had their strength tested.

There were even rumors of some who, despite being dragged here for their heinous acts as brutal killers, showed such extraordinary prowess that they were recruited to serve as Kaladan’s shadows.

This Shadow Arena was a secretive place, hidden from the public eye.

The process of entering the arena was cold and devoid of conversation. The knights exchanged a few silent gestures before guiding Harang deeper inside. In no time, he was standing at the center of the bloodstained arena.

Clang! Thud!

As soon as Harang stepped into the arena, a massive iron door slammed shut behind him, completely cutting off any retreat.

Simultaneously, the iron gate on the opposite side began to rise. From the darkness, two glowing red eyes flickered.

‘The monstrous lion, Racherion.’

The creature that slowly emerged from behind the iron bars was a Racherion, a lion more than twice the size of a normal one.

Its entire body was bulging with muscles, veins pulsating as if it could charge forward and tear its prey apart at any moment.

What was unique about the Racherion was that, despite being a quadruped, it specialized in attacking with its foreclaws, which were so powerful that they could rip through a knight’s armor with ease.

But the most terrifying thing about the Racherion was that, even when it wasn’t hungry, it derived perverse pleasure from tormenting and destroying creatures weaker than itself.

That was precisely the reason why Racherion was classified as a monster.

‘I’ve heard stories about a bloodline punished by having one or two limbs blown off.’

However, even in the long history of Kaladan, such bloodlines were extremely rare.

No matter how harsh Kaladan was, they only imposed such punishment when a bloodline had barely enough strength to endure it.

In other words, even if someone fell here and ended up half-paralyzed, it was not the family’s responsibility, but their own.

Of course, the knights gathered here to watch Harang’s blood duel might have harbored some doubts, wondering, ‘Is this punishment really fitting?’ But none dared to express it.

The Moon of Kaladan, the Sky of Kaladan.

After all, it was a punishment personally decreed by Duke Kalel Paul Kaladan.

“……”

Harang had been about to put on the helmet he held in his left hand but casually tossed it to the ground. As he glanced around, he noticed a few figures in robes scattered in places that seemed to serve as viewing areas.

They were likely members of his bloodline who had come to witness his defeat, or knights under Kaladan who had come to observe the situation.

‘I didn’t think there’d be no eyes on me, but there’s quite a few.’

Not only were the knights who guarded the blood duel arena watching, but many others from various families were silently hiding in the shadows, observing Harang.

“Hm…”

Whether they watched or not didn’t matter.

In fact, Harang was the type to perform even better when someone was watching. It could be considered a habit ingrained from his days as a professional gamer.

Harang looked down at his longsword. Since he was being punished, he wasn’t allowed to use his personal equipment, like Cheongwolheun.

He could only use the weapons and armor provided to him, which was why he was currently equipped with the standard lightweight armor and a longsword commonly issued to Kaladan knights.

‘It’s lighter than I expected.’

The longsword wasn’t particularly long, and it was much lighter than he had anticipated. To be honest, it felt like he was holding a toothpick.

After swinging the sword a few times through the air, Harang focused his gaze straight ahead.

– Grrr…

Racherion, having spotted Harang the moment it entered the blood duel arena, slowly began to approach.

Judging by the drool dripping from its mouth, it seemed to have been starved for some time. Its already ferocious nature appeared to have become even more savage.

Harang raised the longsword he had been issued and pointed it forward.

Swordsmanship was originally developed to fight people, not beasts or monsters.

There was a reason why professional monster hunters or adventurers, who primarily dealt with creatures, preferred spears or battle hammers over swords.

But just because swords were less effective against monsters, did that mean you’d never face them in your life?

‘Kaladan’s punishments feel like homework for subjects you’re bad at.’

Kaladan was responsible for maintaining the monster security of the entire duchy.

Even for the greatest knight of the bloodline, the Polden Knight, monster extermination missions were naturally assigned.

Just because the odds were against them, would a knight of Kaladan turn their back and flee from a monster?

No.

— Kiyaaaak!

With a shriek as unpleasant as nails scraping a chalkboard, Racherion charged at Harang. If he had been facing a typical swordsman, counterattacks like the second form of the Wind Wolf Hundred Sword Art would have worked, but such techniques wouldn’t be effective against a monster.

‘In that case…’

Harang’s eyes settled and gradually took on a silver hue.

A sudden surge in synchronization!

Suddenly, Racherion’s movements seemed to slow, and Harang spotted a single gap in the creature’s aggressive charge.

However, instead of choosing to confront the beast head-on, Harang made a great leap backward, dodging Racherion’s claws that sliced through the air.

— Grrr…!!

Enraged by Harang’s swift evasion, Racherion leaped at him several times, and each time, Harang had to roll on the ground, narrowly avoiding the attacks.

Some of the lower-ranking knights watching shook their heads, clicking their tongues as if to dismiss the rumors they’d heard as exaggerated, but the higher-ranking knights’ eyes gleamed with recognition.

Harang’s movements were becoming… more agile, more precise!

Those quick on the uptake noticed what was happening: Harang was slowly but surely mimicking Racherion’s movements.

— Kiyaaaak!!

Finally, unable to contain its frustration, Racherion crouched down, gathering its strength, before leaping at Harang with everything it had.

Its charging speed was much faster than before, but even then, the knights were certain that Harang would roll out of the way once more. After all, how could anyone face a beast-like monster directly with a sword? Avoiding the attack seemed like the only logical choice.

But Harang’s actions were strange. Instead of rolling to the side to evade, he crouched as if preparing to leap straight at Racherion!

“Huh.”

A knight watching from the sidelines let out a gasp of disbelief, unable to believe what he was seeing.

And in the next moment, Harang charged straight at Racherion!

Knights of all ranks, regardless of their skill level, could sense it: Harang’s movements were now like those of a wild beast.

— Slash!

Man and monster clashed.

Without any technique or finesse, the outcome of this brute-force exchange—determined purely by physical ability—should have ended in a clear victory for the monster.

… Thud!

But the one who collapsed was not the human—it was the beast.

Racherion’s claws hadn’t even grazed Harang, but Harang’s sword had precisely severed the creature’s throat, sending a fountain of blood spraying into the air.

“How… how could that be…?”

“The rumors weren’t exaggerated at all… if anything, they were an understatement.”

The knights couldn’t contain their admiration for Harang’s seemingly reckless decision. To anyone else, it would have looked like a suicidal gamble, but given the result, wasn’t it a brilliant judgment?

Clang!

As soon as one monster fell, the iron gate opened again, releasing the next Racherion into the arena.

Harang’s response remained the same as before.

Harang charged at the monster rushing toward him, swinging his sword like claws, as if he were a beast aiming for its prey, tearing into its throat with a single strike.

His fighting style was unlike that of a knight. Nor did he resemble a monster hunter who, lacking brute strength, would rely on tools and machines to carefully bring down a beast over a long period of time.

Harang… it was as if he had become a Racherion himself.

He was mirroring the very movements of the monsters he fought, mimicking them exactly.

Instinctive movements, more akin to those of a wild animal.

Against an opponent where sword techniques were ineffective, this method was more efficient than any swordsmanship—something anyone present could see.

One monster. Two monsters. Three monsters.

The number of monsters Harang brought down continued to increase.

For a human to replicate the movements of a beast was no easy feat.

It was impossible to remain flawless forever.

Four monsters. Five. Six.

With each Racherion that fell, small wounds appeared on Harang’s body, one by one.

He was expending too much energy with each swing. Even though the fight hadn’t lasted long, he was rapidly becoming exhausted.

“Huff… huff…”

By the time he reached the seventh Racherion, he could no longer take it down in a single strike. The tenth one required no less than five swings before it finally fell.

In the end, this was the limit for a 4-star knight.

Taking down six in a row with a single strike had been impressive, but facing all thirty of them was too much.

Even as Harang panted heavily in exhaustion, the iron gate mercilessly opened again, revealing the fifteenth Racherion.

“……”

No matter how fatigued he was, Harang’s response remained the same. He charged like a beast, slashing at his enemy’s throat with sharp, claw-like strikes, and eventually, the Racherion collapsed.

This time, it had taken him no less than eleven swings to bring it down.

Thud!

Right after the fifteenth Racherion fell, Harang nearly collapsed, barely managing to support himself by planting his sword in the ground.

His breathing was ragged, and the amount of blood he had lost was significant. He was probably feeling dizzy, making it difficult to even stand.

Moreover, he had used up nearly all of his mana earlier when he compressed it, leaving him with almost no aura left to draw on.

In other words, Harang was now in a state where he couldn’t take even a single step forward.

And yet.

For some reason, Harang felt… refreshed.

Despite his battered state, he had an inexplicable sense of confidence, the kind that made him feel like he wouldn’t lose, no matter what.

Clang!

Once again, the iron gate rose, and the next Racherion was about to emerge.

All the knights present instinctively felt that once this Racherion walked out, the punishment would be over.

It was the only logical conclusion.

After all, Harang no longer seemed to have the strength left to face another Racherion.

“…?”

But then, something strange happened.

— Grrrr….

The 16th Racherion, as soon as it appeared, bared its teeth and seemed to threaten Harang. But then, strangely, it did not charge. Instead, it lowered its head slightly!

“What… is this…?”

“What’s going on?”

“Why is the Racherion acting like that?”

Harang was utterly exhausted. Anyone could see that he appeared to be easy prey, almost begging to be devoured.

And yet, the Racherion couldn’t bring itself to attack him.

“What on earth is happening?”

Someone voiced the question.

“……”

Without a word, Harang walked toward the Racherion. And then something even more astonishing happened—the Racherion didn’t bare its fangs or prepare to strike. Instead, it slowly retreated to the side!

Harang calmly walked past the Racherion and, with one arm, held the iron gate that was beginning to close.

Clang!

“Uh, wait.”

The soldier who had been pressing the pulley button to close the gate panicked and quickly opened it again. Harang tied his hair back, then stepped inside.

“Wait! What are you doing?!”

“That place has free-roaming Racherions, not even chained up!”

“It’s dangerous! Stop him immediately!”

“But… isn’t there a rule that no one can interfere with a ‘Kaladan punishment’?”

As the knights debated in confusion, Harang strode confidently into the Racherion’s den.

“Damn it, better to be reprimanded for interfering with the punishment than to be blamed for letting a bloodline member die. Hurry, stop him!”

With no other choice, the knights rushed forward and entered the iron gate.

All they could hope for was that Harang hadn’t already fallen to the 23 remaining Racherions.

“Polden Knight Harang! Are you alright…?”

The knights, hastily drawing their swords to prepare for the Racherions, were left speechless by the sight that greeted them.

All of the remaining Racherions had their bellies pressed to the ground, heads bowed, and tails lowered in submission.

And all of them were bowing to none other than Harang.

‘W-what in the world…?!’

Monsters were not animals.

An animal might submit when faced with a stronger opponent, but a monster, driven by uncontrollable destructive urges without rationality, was nearly impossible to subdue.

But that’s the key—nearly impossible.

If what they were witnessing wasn’t just an ordinary situation… then, just maybe, such an unbelievable scene could indeed happen—just like right now.

‘But, that kind of thing should only be possible through extreme conditions, using some kind of forbidden sorcery or magic.’

‘And yet… the young master used no such sorcery.’

No, there wasn’t even the opportunity for something like that. The only equipment he had was the standard issue, and he had exhausted all of his aura, left utterly fatigued—yet somehow, he had tamed so many monsters at once?

If such an absurd spell existed, this world would have long ago fallen under the control of sorcerers who could command monsters.

In other words, what had subdued those monsters wasn’t sorcery or magic—it was pure presence.

Of course, it might seem impossible to believe. But this wasn’t the first time a story like this had surfaced throughout history.

Once every few decades, or perhaps even centuries.

There are those who leave an indelible mark on history.

From ancient legends, to biographies of great men, to tales of heroes—haven’t similar stories been passed down?

‘The hero of great strength, Myroden, subdued the Beast King with just a glance!’

‘The last knight of the Azas Kingdom, though on the verge of collapse, overwhelmed an army of ten thousand with sheer presence alone.’

‘The fallen demon knight, Alkaine, stood unmoving in place, making 100 white knights who came to face him freeze in terror, unable to move…’

But such feats were rarely, if ever, seen in reality.

They were the stuff of biographies, hero tales, legends, and myths.

And now, as this legendary scene unfolded before their very eyes, all the knights present were filled with a single, overwhelming emotion.

Awe.

Awe and respect toward the young knight who hadn’t even lived half as long as they had.

Without needing any signal, the knights who had drawn their swords to strike down the Racherions now raised their blades vertically in a salute.

The Sword Salute of Kaladan.

Though this was not an official ceremony and no chants were called out, the silent salute was enough to show their profound respect for Harang.

The Kaladan Punishment ended with the full support of the knights.

This event spread like wildfire through the family, carried by the mouths of the knights. A select few were able to interpret the deeper meaning behind the punishment.

‘Duke Kalel Paul Kaladan was testing whether the adopted child from a collateral line had the qualities of a conqueror. And he passed!’

This event was more than enough to send shockwaves through the direct Kaladan bloodline and stir up rumors among the Royal Polden Knights scattered across the world.