The Terminally Ill Young Master is the Mad Dog of the Underworld - Chapter 11
Chapter 11: Lost in Time
“Ahem, um, Young Master?”
I looked up at the librarian’s hesitant call.
“Yes, what is it?”
“Did… did you really choose that book because of its name?”
“It’s half a joke, but not entirely untrue.”
“I plan to browse through everything and pick what interests me, so might as well start with books whose titles catch my eye.”
Just looking at this name – ‘Seven Stars of the Black Sea Technique’?
It seems to mean something about seven stars rising over a dark ocean. I’m not sure what it means, but isn’t it cool?
“I see, so that was your reason.”
The librarian carefully suggested.
“Would you mind explaining more? I could help recommend some selections based on what you’re looking for.”
“Oh?”
If he was offering, it would save me some effort.
Surprised by such kindness, I asked.
“It seems I haven’t made a bad impression on you.”
“Bad impression?”
“From what I’ve observed walking around, I seem to be generally treated as an outcast.”
The librarian waved his hand dismissively.
“Young Master, you used to visit here often since childhood, looking for books and chatting with me.”
“So we had such a connection.”
“…It’s regrettable that you’ve forgotten.”
The melancholy in the librarian’s voice resembled Peter’s.
“This old man is simply delighted to see you again after so long. At some point, you started sending others to borrow books instead.”
“I heard I became a recluse due to my deep mental affliction.”
“Yes, but now I don’t sense any trace of that in you.”
“That’s generally true.”
“How fortunate. To think a fever cured a mental illness – truly a miraculous tale not found in any books.”
So his kindness wasn’t simply due to boredom. I nodded, understanding there was history between us.
“By the way, are you well-versed in martial arts?”
“As you can see, I’m not suited for physical labor, but I do have an academic interest in martial arts.”
“I see.”
Scholars are those who view study as both a hobby and a pleasure.
This old man was a librarian with a scholar’s soul. Getting advice from such a person would be most welcome.
“Though you may not remember, the House of Grunewald is one of the kingdom’s foremost martial arts families.”
“To that extent?”
“Yes, to that extent.”
The librarian stated firmly.
“They are also descendants of a legendary Knight King who left behind mythical achievements.”
“Knight King?”
“Yes. In fact, our Kingdom of Litvaleur was long divided into several small kingdoms, experiencing a lengthy period of warring states. It was about 200 years ago when our founding monarch began the unification wars to establish the current dynasty.”
“200 years ago?”
“It was during the time of Duke Vitenfeld Grunewald, who created that very Seven Stars of the Black Sea technique you’ve chosen.”
“Ah.”
I looked at the old martial arts manual with fresh eyes.
“He achieved great merit in establishing the kingdom by allying with an ambitious neighboring king, and was honorably granted the title of Duke.”
“So our ancestor transformed from a king of a small country to a duke of a great kingdom.”
“The kings who lost in the unification wars faced extinction or similar ruin, so it was the best choice to preserve the family.”
This was a history I never had the chance to properly learn during my time in Karzan.
“At that time, the King presented Duke Vitenfeld with a sword and bestowed upon him the honorable title of ‘My Sword and the Continent’s Greatest Warrior’.”
While the title of the continent’s greatest warrior might be somewhat exaggerated, it wasn’t a designation that could be given to just anyone.
“Fascinating. Was Grunewald’s martial prowess truly that formidable?”
I enthusiastically engaged with the librarian’s words.
“If he was so remarkable, why is this martial art manual being so neglected?”
“Firstly, there existed a supreme martial art specifically for the clan head. Secondly, this was created more as a ‘pastime’ and thus wasn’t well-known even within the family. Thirdly, as I mentioned, it’s difficult to comprehend and inefficient at accumulating mana…”
“That seems worthy of its undervaluation then?”
I pushed away the martial arts manual with its merely impressive name.
“They say nothing good comes from fancy titles, and this seems to be exactly that.”
“That’s not true. If I may say so ‘once one truly understands its principles’ I guarantee this isn’t a manual that should be languishing here. Duke Vitenfeld was considered a genius of martial arts in his time.”
“Really?”
I pulled the manual back towards me.
“Very well. Then I should give it a read.”
The librarian looked at me somewhat pityingly.
“Ahem, let me continue. Unlike the chaos of the founding period, times have changed significantly. Grunewald City, the capital of the Duchy, is a naturally blessed trading port. Later clan heads emphasized trade through this port, governance, and politics, gradually increasing the importance of civilian arts.”
“When I looked around this morning, it was indeed an enormous and prosperous port city.”
“That’s right.”
I asked
“So does the current Grunewald’s martial prowess pale in comparison to previous generations?”
“Not at all.”
The librarian firmly denied it.
“Grunewald’s martial arts remain powerful. However, in terms of reputation, it has somewhat faded compared to before.”
“Why is that?”
“While the current head, Duke Georg, possesses extraordinary battle powers and skills, he hasn’t had many occasions to display them publicly. Thus, his reputation hasn’t spread widely.”
“Hmm.”
Hasn’t had many occasions to display them publicly… It was an ambiguous statement.
Whether it meant he was passive about expanding influence, or there were circumstances unknown to me, I couldn’t tell.
Either way, given that I’d never heard the name in my previous life, it seemed clear that the clan head had concealed his strength.
‘I’ll learn more in time.’
“However, regardless of the era, Grunewald’s foundation lies in martial arts. The depth and diversity of our inherited martial arts are said to rival those of most kingdoms’ sacred techniques.”
If the librarian’s words were true, this could be an even greater opportunity than I’d initially expected.
“Hearing this makes me feel a surge of loyalty to the family.”
“That’s wonderful to hear!”
The librarian became excited, like a grandfather with an agreeable grandson.
“The overall characteristics of Grunewald martial arts are excellent stability and versatility.”
I nodded.
“So they probably don’t excel in explosive power?”
“Correct. But there are advantages.”
“One can maintain battle for long periods with minimal energy?”
“Oh! Yes, exactly!”
“And the high versatility means there’s little risk of conflict when learning higher-level techniques later?”
The librarian’s eyes widened.
“How brilliant! How do you understand three things from hearing just one?”
I couldn’t exactly say it was from direct experience. Let’s just chalk it up to my genius.
“Stability and versatility aren’t just about internal techniques. The pursuit of the perfect balance between offense and defense is the hallmark of Grunewald swordsmanship.”
“I suppose it emphasizes defense heavily.”
“Yes. The principle is that attacking blindly without knowing your opponent’s capabilities and tactics generally carries high risk.”
The balance between offense and defense essentially meant prioritizing a strategy of defending first, deflecting attacks, then counterattacking.
‘Not my style.’
But that’s precisely what made it more interesting.
The martial arts of Karzan the swordsman generally focused on surprise attacks, deception, improvisation, and flexibility.
‘If I combine solid defense and finding weaknesses with surprise attacks and deception, there could be a synergistic effect.’
My mouth watered. Various scenarios were already playing out in my mind.
But swordsmanship wasn’t the priority right now.
“I’d like to start with learning the internal techniques first.”
“Oh yes, swordsmanship without internal cultivation is only half complete. You understand this well without my explanation, which makes this easier.”
The librarian brought out a particularly well-worn book.
“This is the Eternal Ocean Chain Technique. Almost all Grunewald children, both direct and branch family members, begin accumulating mana through this technique.”
“I see.”
“If you master this deeply, you can later learn higher-level mental techniques according to your inclination.”
Indeed. How quickly and properly one masters these higher techniques would be one of the criteria for determining an heir’s qualities.
“So that’s why it’s called the ‘Chain Technique.'”
“Precisely.”
“Then what about this?”
I showed him the grandly-named Seven Stars of the Black Sea Technique.
“While that’s an excellent technique when applied at the entry level- but”
“But?”
“Paradoxically, it’s too profound for beginners to understand, and by the time one reaches the level to comprehend it, its necessity somewhat diminishes.”
“The more I hear, the more I understand why it was overlooked.”
Why is everything so ambiguous?
“Ahem. Think of it inversely. Unlike the Eternal Ocean Chain technique that doesn’t heavily depend on the user’s talent, this one’s results vary greatly depending on the user’s qualities and understanding.”
“Indeed.”
That was welcome news.
I’ve never once felt my talent was lacking. That was clear from the reactions of knights and swordsmen from prestigious families who had the chance to cross swords or train with me.
‘Well, let’s see.’
I had a nagging question for the librarian.
“Then wouldn’t this technique be unsuitable for me? From what I hear of my reputation, I’m not particularly gifted in martial arts.”
“Who could guarantee that? As far as I know, young master, you’ve never properly studied martial arts.”
The librarian shook his head.
“Now that I meet you, I see a flame that wasn’t there before. A youth’s potential, once resolved, is limitless.”
“…Ah.”
It was strange that this unnamed old man was the only one believing in my potential that no one else would currently trust.
‘Perhaps I misjudged this person somewhat.’
“That’s why I was surprised yet expectant when you chose it. You happened to select a technique well-suited for your current level.”
“The more I hear, the more curious I become.”
I asked.
“If I skip the Eternal Ocean Chain technique and learn this one first, is there any possibility of conflict?”
“From my understanding, no. However, the Seven Stars of the Black Sea technique skips many parts assuming deep comprehension of the Eternal Ocean Chain technique…”
“Then today I should start by reading the basics and then move on to the Seven Stars of the Black Sea technique to get ahead.”
“What? Even the Eternal Ocean Chain technique alone is lengthy and profound, difficult to master in one go.”
“We’ll try it first and see if it works.”
I sat down casually on the floor. The appropriately hard and uncomfortable ground actually helped awaken all my senses.
“You’re going to read it right now?”
“Quiet.”
“!”
The librarian fell silent.
“…”
I sensed the smell of old books, layered dust and stagnant air where no wind blew.
I imagined the quiet, small struggles of spiders walking in the darkness somewhere in this library and the insects caught in their traps.
…I’m quite a sensitive man.
It’s my chronic condition to often be on edge, rarely resting from observation and thought.
The essence of martial arts lies in not letting daily life and time pass meaninglessly.
‘The swordsman Karzan didn’t walk the night relying only on chance and talent.’
And now I forgot all of that.
It was to focus solely on the written characters and their meaning, awakening all senses before erasing them one by one.
-More important than accumulating mana is learning how to guide it along the correct path.
-The heart is a dam that holds mana, and the meridians are the waterways through which mana flows. If the dam dries or the waterways become blocked, water cannot flow properly.
-The dam that should hold mana need not be just one. The core of the Eternal Ocean Chain technique is storing mana in the heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, and spleen.
-Imagine the mana flowing from the heart branching out to connect the four organs.
-The most ideal method of mana cultivation is when the five axes interconnect to circulate power, and the mana flowing through the meridians moistens the entire body.
I felt a small thrill at the profound principles of martial arts contained in these concise sentences.
‘So this is what the word ‘chain’ meant.’
It was amazing.
‘If mana can be stored in other organs rather than just the heart, it would reduce the burden significantly and increase its capacity. Though it would take five times longer to fill, at the same level, the power would be several times greater…’
Accepting a new perspective always becomes a massive turning point. It felt like fireworks were exploding in my head.
‘The heart wasn’t everything.’
As a martial artist’s swordsman, I couldn’t dare approach this, only able to glimpse and hear bits of it…
‘An untaken path unfolds before me.’
Endless and distant, but it didn’t look so steep. And beside it, I saw the crooked ‘Path of Karzan’ that I had walked for so long.
It was a chaotic and treacherous path. A path where I sometimes turned back, sometimes stopped, sometimes went backwards, or got lost without knowing where to go.
Nevertheless, I could see that it was ultimately a path moving toward one direction.
‘I probably won’t be able to walk that path again.’
However, while walking and clearing this new path, I can always turn my head to examine and reminisce about the old one.
‘Though many techniques, insights, and sensations disappeared or deteriorated in my mind during those 17 years of sleep…’
I knew that as I progressed along this new path, recalling and organizing past realizations would unfold the process of advancing to another level.
In this state of complete absorption, encountering, understanding, and being captivated by martial arts principles…
I dreamed of the past.
‘If I had been stronger, I wouldn’t have had to leave you all.’
If I had returned as young Karzan instead of young Allenvert, grandfather wouldn’t have passed away in that bitterly cold ice.
Ivan wouldn’t have dared to look down on me and go hunting.
It’s all about power. Doesn’t a lion who can’t protect its pack have no qualification? Therefore, I will become a lion. That is my destiny.
Who gave me this destiny? Destiny isn’t something received from others. It’s something you seize for yourself.
‘I have two destinies.’
One is Karzan’s destiny, one is Allenvert’s destiny. And perhaps they’re not so different from each other.
For revenge from my past life, to win the succession battle, to obtain the Ereshkigal, to overcome my terminal condition, to uncover the secret behind my mother’s seclusion…
‘I need power.’
That power shouldn’t be too far away.
And so I lost track of time.
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