Chapter 173. Next Stage (2)

“…What are you here to say now?”

Gael spoke while lying on the ground.

He didn’t need to look to know who it was. It had to be the beggar old man. His footsteps, seemingly clumsy yet strangely balanced and rhythmic, were unlike anyone else’s.

“He’s been visiting me a lot lately.”

He didn’t know why the old man kept seeking him out. If he hadn’t been someone who offered helpful advice, Gael would have lost his temper long ago. He couldn’t chase him away… because the old man was stronger than him.

Regardless, the reason he didn’t outright avoid him was that the occasional bits of advice the old man tossed out were genuinely useful.

“But this time, he was only half right.”

The beggar old man had said it clearly.

That finding ease in your heart would change the world.

That breaking free from a repetitive, rigid routine to play, eat, and rest well would soften your mind and bring more insights.

Ultimately, it would make him strong enough to challenge Harang’s unreachable dominance.

…It was impossible.

That monstrous guy had once again far surpassed his expectations, achieving terrifying growth.

“I can never win!”

For a moment, that thought crossed his mind, the gap between them was so vast.

That frustration spilled out toward the beggar old man.

“If you’ve got nothing to say, leave. Or are you here to gawk at a loser’s pathetic state…”

“Why do you walk the path of the sword?”

“What?”

“Why do you tirelessly tread the difficult, grueling, lonely path of the sword… That’s what I’m asking.”

“…”

Gael fell silent.

Not because he had no answer, but because the answer was so obvious, and the old man surely knew it too.

Yet the beggar old man kept staring at Gael.

As if he wanted to hear the answer directly.

As if he wouldn’t be satisfied until he heard it aloud.

Unable to ignore that gaze, Gael gave the answer the old man wanted.

“…To defeat Harang.”

“Is that so? And why does Harang strive to win?”

“Well…”

Because if he doesn’t win, he’ll die… He couldn’t say that.

The old man, shrouded in mystery, was clearly not from the village. If he were, he wouldn’t treat Gael this way. Especially not another Godok.

“Hmm, hard to answer, I see.”

“…”

“Of course. It’s not a goal you chose for yourself, but one imposed by the group.”

“Group? Old man? What are you…”

“Why so surprised?”

The beggar old man grinned, showing his missing front teeth, and continued.

“A man who roams around with his real name and face, not bothering to hide his village origins… and now you’re shocked that your identity’s been found out?”

“…Who are you?”

Gael shot up from the ground, glaring sharply at the old man.

He had no choice.

A person who wasn’t from the village yet knew so much about it.

For Gael, this was an extremely dangerous individual. Far more perilous than encountering someone from the village. Facing a situation he had never even considered, his mind was filled with confusion. His breathing quickened with tension.

But the old man remained calm.

Still gazing at Gael with a composed expression, he continued speaking.

“That’s not important. Or maybe it is.”

“What do you…”

“But I can’t tell you now. I told Harang once, but I still lack the courage. I know better than anyone how terrifying the village is… I might end up abandoning everything and living as a fugitive again.”

“You, could you be…”

“Ah, you figured it out? You’re much sharper than Harang. But don’t say it out loud. Instead… shall we return to our earlier topic? That desire to defeat Harang—is it truly yours? Or is it a goal you were forced to set by the village’s coercion?”

“…”

“Of course, you can’t answer. Since childhood, you’ve been brainwashed to live solely for becoming ‘number one.’ But with that mindset, you’ll never defeat Harang. No, you might even fall behind Hagio. Because… they’ve already left the cage and started flying on their own terms.”

Humm-!

Swishhh!

“Hmm, not bad. But it’s still lacking. You know it too, don’t you? This won’t be enough to beat Harang.”

Gael suddenly drew his sword and attacked the old man.

But the old man effortlessly dodged and even had the leisure to take Gael’s back.

Gael was flustered.

He knew the old man was skilled, but he hadn’t expected the gap to be this wide.

Of course, the beggar old man didn’t care what Gael was thinking.

He just kept rambling on about what he wanted to say.

“Now that you’re free from the village, try thinking differently, even if it’s hard. Think thoughts you’ve never thought, things you couldn’t think… Do you really need to wield a sword to defeat Harang? No, do you even need to wield a sword at all? Start there. Go back to the root, to the very beginning… Find the reason you must wield a sword.”

“Nonsense!”

“It’s not nonsense. I’ll say it again—Harang trains his sword for his own reasons, not ones dictated by the village. That’s what’s created the gap between you and him.”

“Damn it, damn it!”

Whoosh!

WHOOSH-!

WHOOOOSH-!

A fierce wind blew. Sword strikes as powerful as those used against Harang seemed to tear the old man’s ragged clothes to shreds.

But that was all. Nothing but the wind touched the old man, and soon, an exhausted Gael could only pant heavily.

“If thinking for yourself isn’t familiar, seeking advice from others isn’t a bad idea. Listening to the perspectives of those who live different lives and hold different values will soften that mind of yours, hardened for nearly twenty years. So, don’t forget this old man’s words.”

Swish.

With that, the beggar old man swiftly vanished.

Gael couldn’t chase after him.

Not because he lacked the strength, but because the old man’s cryptic advice kept echoing in his mind.

“Why do I wield a sword? Why do I strive to defeat Harang?”

His life’s mission, which he had never once questioned.

The years he had spent striving for it came to mind.

The old man’s words, suggesting that this mission defined his limits, resonated deeply with Gael.

“…Even fall behind Hagio?”

No way.

That could never happen.

To be overtaken by Hagio, a mere 11th rank, when he was supposed to crush Harang and claim the top spot… It would be as if his entire world collapsed.

“But… I can’t just dismiss the old man’s words.”

Yes.

He didn’t know how, but Hagio had been growing at an insane rate since leaving the village.

He wasn’t doing any special training. Most of his days were spent taking care of children.

To Gael, such actions would seem not just bothersome but a waste of time.

Yet Hagio carried them out with such fulfillment, and the old man said that this mindset and behavior were what drove him to become a better swordsman.

“How could taking care of kids do that?”

It was impossible.

There was no way that could be true.

Harang’s case was far easier to understand. Teaching mercenaries, reflecting on himself, and gaining real combat experience through major missions—his growth made sense to Gael to some extent.

But Hagio, whose life revolved around caring for children…

“No matter how much I think about it alone, I won’t find answers.”

After mulling over countless thoughts, Gael finally reached a conclusion.

To go directly to the source.

To ask Hagio himself.

Nodding, Gael immediately headed toward Love’s Orphanage.

He was exhausted and wanted to collapse, but time was gold. Thinking of Harang, who was growing monstrously stronger by the moment, he couldn’t afford to waste a second.

But.

“Empty-handed?”

“…What?”

“Did you really think I’d just spill the secret to my growth for free? If so, you’re mistaken.”

“…”

“You know how it works out here. It’s all about give and take. If you want something from me, you’ve got to offer something I want in return.”

“…What do you want?”

Gael asked.

If he were a typical Godok, he would have intimidated Hagio to get what he wanted. In the village, the strong dominating the weak was natural—it was their way of life.

But Gael didn’t do that, and Hagio found that agreeable.

“As expected, you don’t fit with Godok.”

Truly, he didn’t.

Perhaps that’s why?

Unlike the others, Hagio wanted to help Gael break free from the village’s influence and live his own life. Coincidentally, the beggar old man and Hagio shared the same sentiment.

“Lend a hand.”

“What?”

“Help out at the orphanage. Five hours a day for a year, and I’ll tell you how I got so strong so fast.”

“…”

“If you don’t want to, fine.”

“Can you guarantee that your secret is worth investing five hours a day?”

Hummm-!

A powerful presence radiated from Gael’s body.

Hagio’s expression hardened.

As expected of the third rank, the aura was dense and robust.

“But it doesn’t feel threatening.”

That’s why he wanted to put Gael with the orphanage kids even more.

Nodding, Hagio spoke in a firm voice.

“I can guarantee it.”

No further conversation was needed.

To learn the secret of rapid growth.

To open a new world for someone who could become a friend.

The two men clasped each other’s hands firmly.

***

A few days later, Ransel Grantz, the Nadan Kingdom’s top prospect who hadn’t been seen in a while, brought new news.

“A swordsmanship festival held by the Seton Swordsmanship Hall?”

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