Chapter 72

Theo’s eyes shot open.

‘Did he notice the Hatchling Synchronization?’

No, judging by his expression, it didn’t seem like that.

However, it looked like he had figured out the cause of Theo’s severe headache, though he pretended not to know.

“What is Upper Dantian?”

“Hm? You don’t even know what Upper Dantian is, yet you’ve opened it?”

“Yes. I don’t know.”

“Hah! How is such a thing possible?”

“……?”

“I’ve heard that many of those born with the title ‘genius’ are born with the Upper Dantian already open. Could it be because of that? But even so, it seems like it hasn’t been open for long… How could you not know about it?”

“I would appreciate it if you could explain it so I can understand.”

Trainer stroked his chin, organizing his thoughts before he spoke.

“Hmm. Simply put, it means that a portion of your brain’s capacity has greatly expanded, or that the functionality of your brain has significantly enhanced.”

“……!”

“I see you seem to have some idea of what I’m talking about.”

“Captain, are you saying that Theo has surpassed the ‘Wall’?”

At that moment, Evelyn interrupted and asked.

The ‘Wall’ referred to the line that separated ordinary humans from superhumans.

It was a realm that anyone who wielded a sword longed to surpass.

However, most failed, leaving it as an ideal they could never reach.

Even within the House of Ragnar, only a few, including the Nine Dragons, had managed to surpass this ‘Wall.’

Evelyn herself had yet to cross it.

But since she had confronted the ‘Wall,’ she had a vague understanding of what lay beyond it.

It was a place that did not belong to ordinary people.

In that place, one could observe the world from an entirely different perspective.

Additionally, they could perceive themselves from a different point in time.

Furthermore,

It was deeply connected to the brain, often referred to as the body’s great .

It seemed that the ‘Upper Dantian’ Trainer mentioned was the gate that led to that expanded area of the brain.

“That’s impossible. Even the Black Iron Cavalry Captain only managed to surpass the Wall after turning twenty. Fifteen is far too early, especially for someone who just underwent the Blossoming Ceremony.”

Trainer shook his head.

“Then…?”

“It’s just that the order of things has changed.”

At that moment, Evelyn felt as though she understood something.

“Typically, people open the Upper Dantian after they’ve surpassed the Wall, but you’re saying that Theo was born with the Upper Dantian already open.”

“Exactly. Typically, those born with their Upper Dantian open possess such exceptional qualities that they are often called geniuses. The Black Iron Cavalry Captain is a prime example. I heard he was like that when he was young as well.”

“Then it must be much easier for those kinds of people to surpass the Wall.”

“You can’t say it’s that simple.”

“……?”

“People born with their Upper Dantian open usually have significant side effects that come with it.”

Trainer explained that if the Upper Dantian was incompletely open, the person might think differently from ordinary people, or their body could be unbalanced, making them abnormally weak.

For the person themselves, it could often be more of a curse.

“But… this guy… hmm, it doesn’t seem like he was born that way. It feels like it opened suddenly. Even now, it’s slowly opening, little by little.”

At that moment, something flashed through Theo’s mind.

‘As expected, it’s because of the rank-up in the Hatchling Synchronization.’

And,

The rank-up of the skill seemed to imply that he was getting closer to the level of a superhuman.

– Amon originally symbolizes the ‘hidden being,’ representing all things invisible. Another name for Amon is ‘Om’ the sound that resonated in the beginning and a sacred vibration that condenses the essence of the universe. Just chanting it is said to purify the soul.

When one senses the sound that resonated in the beginning, it purifies their soul.

This would naturally lead to the expansion of the Upper Dantian.

– Amon is the ‘Sound of the Soul’ and the ‘Vibration of Truth.’ It expands spiritual waves, allowing one to perceive the essence of things and hear the voice of latent thoughts within them. When you reach a certain level, you will be able to hear my voice as well.

The expansion of spiritual waves signifies a rise in rank.

Somehow, he felt as though he was getting closer to what Lodbrok had mentioned.

Thump, thump, thump!

His heart raced with excitement.

The prospect of growing stronger was enough to make his heart pound.

“Your vessel has expanded tremendously. It’s incomprehensibly larger than the amount of content you currently possess. What do you think happens then?”

“Many parts of it will be left empty.”

Trainer nodded heavily and continued.

“Exactly. Because of that, the contents inside can’t be properly contained and start wandering all over the place. It’s only natural that the confusion in your mind grows.”

“Then… what should I do?”

“What do you mean ‘what should you do’? You just have to wait it out.”

“……!”

“There are only two ways to calm the contents,” Trainer explained. “One is to quietly wait until the contents get used to the suddenly expanded vessel. Time will solve it. Even if the headaches get worse, all you can do is endure and wait.”

“…And the second?”

“This one is practically impossible, though.”

“Still, I’d like to hear it.”

“Pour more contents into the vessel so that it matches its size.”

“…!”

“You need to achieve a significant level of enlightenment or absorb a vast amount of knowledge, but that’s not something you can do immediately.”

Theo gritted his teeth.

“But… the headaches are getting worse. If this continues, I won’t be able to fight in the upcoming attack.”

“Do you really need to step in?”

“…?”

What was he talking about now?

“From what I hear, you’ve already done more than enough for a new recruit. Leave the rest to your comrades, to your seniors.”

The other members nodded vigorously in agreement.

“Captain Trainer is right.”

“Yeah. You should rest.”

“You’ve worked hard, kid. Take a good nap. When you wake up, we’ll be in Winterer.”

“Come on, you gotta give us a chance to shine, huh?”

Selperd humorously pounded his chest with a fist, grinning.

“What’s a rookie doing trying to take everything on? Leave this kind of stuff to your senior, idiot.”

“…”

For a moment, Theo’s mind went blank.

‘…Comrades.’

An odd heaviness welled up in his chest.

All this time, he had believed he had to step up and handle everything by himself.

But now, he was slowly realizing that wasn’t the case.

He was already a part of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry,

And the White Armored Dragon Cavalry was a unified shield—a family.

‘No… that means I have to act even more.’

This battle had already become a fight against Ed.

Without a doubt, the bombardment currently raining down from above was likely orchestrated by Ed’s lackeys.

If they were to crush Ed’s schemes, which were undoubtedly already in motion, they had to stop him here.

– Seizing Balmung.

It had become an absolute necessity.

‘I still can’t tell them about Ed. There’s no way to prove it, and I can’t reveal my source of information either.’

Fortunately, the seed of doubt about a spy within Ragnar had been planted. He would have to build from that.

Snap!

Theo bit down hard on the inside of his cheek.

The taste of blood filled his mouth, bringing an immediate sense of clarity.

Strength returned to his eyes.

“Indomitability and No Retreat, I was taught that this is the spirit of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry. So, I will fight.”

“Hmm…!”

Indomitability—never yielding.

No retreat—never stepping back.

As soon as Theo mentioned the motto of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry, Trainer fell silent, and both Selperd and the other members were visibly taken aback by Theo’s resolve.

At that moment,

“Captain, does the ‘contents’ you’re talking about also apply to the teachings of master swordsmen?”

Evelyn suddenly asked an unexpected question, causing Trainer to tilt his head in confusion.

“Well, nothing fills an expanded vessel better than that. But getting such teachings right now would be nearly impossible…”

“No, it exists.”

“…!?”n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Trainer didn’t even have time to ask what Evelyn meant.

Suddenly, Evelyn pulled out a booklet from her chest.

“I thought it might be too early to give this to you, but perhaps this is the right time after all.”

Theo took the booklet from Evelyn, his curiosity piqued as he looked it over.

-One Branch of Plum (一枝梅).

A plum blossom on the end of a single branch?

Theo was unsure what it meant, but the moment he opened the booklet, his eyes widened in shock.

“……!”

What he held in his hands was a collection of philosophical discussions.

It was a treatise on swordsmanship exchanged between the Mistress of plum Blossom Palace and Julius, the Dark Dragon.

The two had fiercely debated the principles of the sword, based on what they had each pursued their entire lives, even sparring with their swords when necessary, recording the entire process in the manuscript.

Julius: What do you believe a sword is, Sword Dragon?

Osa: I believe a sword is a flower.

Julius: A flower?

Osa: Yes. For a flower to bloom beautifully, it must go through a long and difficult process. The seed must sprout, the stem must grow strong, and the leaves must flourish, all while ensuring that the branch never breaks as it prepares for the flower bud to bloom…

Their discussions analyzed and compared the swordsmanship of the Sword Dragon and the Dark Dragon in such detail that any slight misstep could expose their weaknesses.

And yet,

Neither of them cared about that in the slightest, engaging in profound conversation for the sake of Theo alone.

Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!

Theo’s heart raced.

-Do not feel burdened by your choices. No matter what you choose, I will always be on your side.

The words spoken by the Mistress of plum Blossom Palace during the naming ceremony suddenly echoed in Theo’s mind.

She had kept her promise to stand behind him no matter what.

‘I haven’t done anything for them… yet these people keep helping me.’

Julius was the one who taught Theo the joy of the sword.

The Mistress of plum Blossom Palace was the one who taught him the basics of swordsmanship.

They were always the ones who gave without holding back.

Filled with gratitude, Theo unknowingly squeezed his eyes shut.

[“Skill: Hatchling Synchronization” reads the lingering thoughts imprinted on the item.]

Whoooosh!

In that instant, the darkness in his vision flipped.

A tranquil night under the moonlight.

The Mistress of plum Blossom Palace and Julius stood facing each other, engaged in conversation.

-Do you think this book will be of great help to Theo?

-I only recorded our exchanges, but there are likely many parts he won’t fully grasp.

-Hmm? Then isn’t there no reason to make this book?

-There is, indeed.

The Mistress of plum Blossom Palace gently smiled in response to Julius’s question.

-It can serve as a guide.

-A guide, you say…

-As the captain of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry knows, Theo moves too quickly. And when you’re too fast, there are many things you miss.

-True. There are many things you can only understand when you take your time.

-Exactly. If you overlook such details, you’re bound to end up with a fragile sandcastle that crumbles easily.

-The captain of the Black Iron Cavalry has had to overcome such risks more than once.

-That’s why I believe this discourse will lay a foundation that fills in those lacking details.

The Mistress of plum Blossom Palace’s smile was brighter than ever before.

Her concern and care for Theo were more sincere than anyone else’s.

Julius, gazing intently at her, nodded heavily.

-Indeed. That is true. Very well, I shall do my part with more diligence.

-Speaking of which, isn’t the captain of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry already going above and beyond? Theo has already been accepted into your ranks, hasn’t he?

-You’re saying something strange, not like the Mistress of plum Blossom Palace at all.

Julius chuckled softly as he spoke.

-Because he has joined my ranks, I cherish him all the more. He is family now, after all.

Their conversation ended there.

And then,

Whooooosh—

The entirety of the “One Plum Branch” rushed into Theo’s mind.

Since it was simply a record of their conversation, the lingering thoughts easily transferred everything as it was.

Thanks to this,

Theo immediately grasped the central focus of the “One Plum Branch.”

The branch symbolizes the sword.

The plum blossom at the end of it represents swordsmanship.

The Mistress of plum Blossom Palace said:

To make a flower bloom splendidly, time and effort are required.

Swordsmanship is no different.

Without long training and research, one can never truly progress.

Julius, agreeing, asked:

So, is it over once the flower has bloomed?

.

.

.

Most of the conversation, which flowed seamlessly from one topic to another, was still beyond Theo’s understanding, especially as it delved deeper.

However, thanks to the guide they had created, many things that had previously felt overwhelming now unraveled with ease.

He was even able to observe his recently developed from a third-party perspective.

At the same time,

Whooooosh—

Theo felt the throbbing headache that had been nagging him quickly subside.

It wasn’t just the headache.

The fatigue that had clung to him also disappeared.

His mind felt as calm as if he had submerged himself in cold water.

“……”

In that profound silence,

Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump!

The only sound that echoed powerfully, like the steady beat of a ship’s horn, was the sound of his heart.

He could feel the flow of blood.

Thanks to the blood coursing through his body, he was able to observe his entire physique in fine detail.

At that moment, Theo realized something.

The Purge Cleansing Technique hadn’t been the end.

As his transformed body followed the expansion of his Upper Dantian, everything had now filled to match the newly enlarged vessel. Only now did the balance fall into place.

Mind. Energy. Body.

That balance was what mattered most.

[You have obtained new insight into swordsmanship. A massive amount of experience has accumulated, and your level has risen.]

[Your level has risen.]

Regaining his composure, Theo stood up.

His mind felt refreshed, as if it had been washed clean with water.