Chapter 35: Week One of Training (3) - Manhwa chapter 26

Two weeks later…

Three hundred guild members gathered once again on the open field, but they were not the same as before.

Their skin had tanned, and their muscles bulged. They sported various wounds all over their bodies. Their eyes gleamed with such ferocity that anyone who looked at them could feel the hostility emanating from within.

Excellent! They look absolutely fierce!

Louis gazed upon his warriors with pride.

It had been six brutal weeks of training. Initially, some had questioned why they needed to go through this, but as time passed, those doubts disappeared, leaving only determination to survive by any means necessary. That tenacity transformed these men.

But that bitterness had forged them into who they were now.

“Haah…” Pablo marveled at how much his men had transformed over six short weeks.

Who would’ve guessed these warriors used to be clumsy beginners just months ago?

They’re like veterans of countless battles.

Or barbarian warriors…

The endless training and Louis’s near-brainwashing mental conditioning bore fruit. The guild master approached his fierce-looking subordinates with pride radiating from every word he spoke.

“I am extremely satisfied. I commend you all for sticking with it until the end without any dropouts.”

“Graaah!”

“You’ve all worked hard.”

“Graaah!”

The three hundred warriors roared at once.

Pablo grimaced as his jaw dropped open.

Speak…speak properly, you idiots!

Perhaps their brains had regressed to primitive times due to relentless training and nonstop drilling. It seemed like they’d forgotten how to respond with simple words such as “yes” or “no.”

As Pablo shook his head in disbelief, Louis continued.

“I’m sure everyone is wondering why you have endured so much pain.”

“…”

“In other words, why did you need to go through this hellish training? Are you curious?”

“Graaah!”

“It’s because…”

All three hundred soldiers anxiously awaited Louis’s response.

He slowly continued. “Because you were chosen.”

“…?!” Pablo cocked his head at this vague explanation, confusion written all over his face.

Haven’t I heard something like this before?

A sense of unease began to grow within him, but he didn’t have time to dwell on it as light radiating from Louis engulfed everyone present.

Louis transformed into a giant several dozen meters tall.

Whoosh!

The sudden appearance of such a colossal being shook the very air around them. The giant had neutral features and wore shining white armor.

Electric sparks crackled around its body incessantly. The guild members froze at the sight of this awe-inspiring being, forgetting to either run away or fight back.

The deep and majestic voice of the giant echoed through their ears.

“Hear me, humans.”

Boom.

Each word reverberated with power.

“I am Carlos, chosen by the Almighty, and I have selected you as my warriors.”

The self-proclaimed deity’s declaration sent shock waves through everyone’s minds.

Chosen?

We’ve been chosen?

There was something oddly resonant about the word chosen, especially when uttered by none other than Carlos, the legendary god who had stood against the Demon God ages ago and built mountains from demon corpses.

It would have been more surprising if they weren’t shaken by his appearance.

Meanwhile, within the body of Carlos, Louis was hard at work manipulating the dragon heart inside a space isolated from the outside world using holy magic.

So much to do!

He separated and distorted space to refract and reflect light. The apparition the guild members were currently witnessing had been conjured with holy magic—like a hologram. It could be exposed upon closer inspection, but that issue was being addressed by the twins.

“Zap!”

“Zap!”

The twins emitted continuous bolts of lightning like electric eels, distracting the guild members as their electricity swirled around the illusion. Additionally, Louis took further precautions.

If I manipulate space while affecting the atmosphere!

While manipulating both space and power attributes simultaneously, Louis opened his mouth.

“Yes indeed. You have been chosen.”

Louis’s voice, reminiscent of a cuckoo call, resonated throughout the holy magic-infused area, transforming it into a booming, majestic tone.

“Yes indeed. You have been chosen.”

Thanks to Louis and the twins’ relentless efforts, the guild members were fully accepting the existence they beheld before them. With diligence, Louis continued using holy magic to maintain the illusionary deity while reciting prepared lines:

“In the distant future, calamity shall befall this land. Prepare yourselves for the impending disaster. As my chosen ones, you will become the light that dispels the encroaching darkness and the sword that judges evil.”

Louis borrowed these lines from Valentina’s message within the Hero’s Tomb not too long ago. Seeing the dazed expressions on his guildmates’ faces, Louis smiled to himself.

That should be enough. Time to wrap this up.

This was the culmination of six weeks of training, making what he planned next crucial. Louis increased his lightning attribute power significantly.

Engraving!

His holy magic seamlessly merged with the false aura emitted by his decoy body and naturally affected the guild members without them realizing it. From now on, they would never forget what happened today until their dying breaths.

“Behold!”

Fin, now!

Yes, sir!

As soon as Fin received Louis’s telepathic command, he poured a liquid onto the tree planted earlier.

Swoosh, swoosh!

Grrrroooommm…

The tiny sapling rapidly grew into a colossal tree, causing Louis to snicker.

Look at it shoot up like crazy!

The specially formulated growth-inducing elixir was incredibly potent. More importantly, the location of where the tree had been planted held significance—it was both the former site of the frost orc village and Grower’s current home.

Louis pointed dramatically at the massive tree.

“This is the symbol of my promise.”

The guild members were astounded by the enormous tree that had sprouted from barren land.

But this wasn’t all. Next, Louis gestured toward the cliffside.

“And this shall be your trial to prove yourselves!”

Having finished his speech, Louis telepathically summoned someone waiting at the edge of the cliff.

Pablo!

…Yes, sir.

With a determined look on his face, Pablo gripped his war hammer tightly.

“Hmph!” He spat and swung it down hard on one corner of the cliff.

Bam! Cruuuush!

The cliff, which had been carefully weakened over several days, crumbled with just one strike. As it collapsed, writing etched onto the side was revealed: “Cave of Trials.”

Pablo marveled at how meticulously Louis planned everything.

I see why he asked me to carve this here…

While the guild members endured their hellish training, Pablo wasn’t sitting idle either. Using his immense strength, skills, and natural talent for crafting, he excavated the cave and set up various traps within it.

Using his immense strength, skills, and natural handiness, Louis had excavated this cave and set up various traps. Within lay not only the twins’ martial arts theories but also Louis’s carefully selected holy magic theories. Instead of simply handing them over, he’d devised these traps for one simple reason:

It looks more authentic this way!

Though basic, it was still quite meaningful to him.

As guild members turned their gazes toward the cliff, Louis continued his speech.

“Those who overcome this trial shall be duly rewarded!”

Each word uttered by the fake avatar caused the expressions of the guild members to shift. Seeing how resolute they looked, Louis delivered his final line with conviction.

“As long as the Promised Tree exists, I shall return.”

With this grand proclamation, Louis’s illusion shot up toward the sky.

Whooshhh.

As if to prove its words, it circled around the Promised Tree twice before disappearing completely.

And then…

I need to leave them with something to ponder!

The people were still staring blankly at where the dragon had vanished when they heard a soft voice echoing through the air.

“Have faith and wait for my return…”

That was the last thing anyone heard. The figures of Louis’s group could no longer be seen either.

“…”

Despite everything being over, nobody knew what to say. An oppressive silence engulfed the field, everyone wearing similar expressions as if they’d all shared the same dream.

“I see… That’s it.” Bandit No. 1 muttered quietly with sudden realization dawning on his face. “We were chosen! And that is why…!”

A sense of purpose washed over him, and soon, all three hundred bandits felt the same calling.

“We’ve been chosen!”

“That explains everything! So this is—!”

“Oh, great deity!”

“All hail Carlos!”

“Ahhh! Mighty Carlos!”

Passionate cries erupted from every corner of the group. Some couldn’t contain their emotions any longer as they knelt toward where the vision had disappeared, offering worship to their god.

Meanwhile, Louis observed them from afar.

“Heh-heh. Perfect!” He clapped gleefully like a cat who’d eaten its fill.

“Kee-hee-hee! That was fun!”

“Let’s do it again, Louis!”

“You’re amazing, Louis-sir!”

Louis’s shoulders swelled with pride at Fin and the twins’ praise. Pablo watched them from afar with pity.

Poor souls…

They would undoubtedly consider what they had witnessed to be divine intervention.

The tree left behind by the avatar will become sacred ground for sure.

And without anyone prompting them, those present would voluntarily protect this land where the avatar made his promise—generation after generation.

Their fate is like that of guard dogs forever chained up…

Pablo shuddered as something occurred to him.

Wait…

His face turned pale.

If they’re guard dogs…does that make me someone holding their leash?

As realization dawned on him, Pablo’s expression hardened. His eyes furtively glanced downward—at his “precious” possession.

Oh… It’s not actually a leash.

Pablo had something similar to a leash attached to him as well, albeit at a rather unfortunate location.

At that moment, his master tugged on Pablo’s precious line and spoke up.

“It’s time to leave now that everything is ready!”

”…Yes, sir. Let’s go.” With a resigned voice, Pablo slung his pre-packed backpack over his shoulder.

“All right, let’s move out!”

“Choo-chuufall!”

“Louis, where are we going this time?”

The twins chattered excitedly while hurrying alongside Louis, who led the way. Behind them trudged Pablo with dejected steps.

“Oh woe is me…”

Despite lamenting endlessly, he continued walking. After all, one cannot live life sulking forever.

Thus, Louis’s group departed, leaving behind the bizarre spectacle of three hundred people simultaneously crying out into the void.

And so…

Scriptwriter: Louis

Director: Louis

Main Actor: Louis

Supporting Actors: Khan & Kani

Assistance: Fin & Pablo

This was the script written by Louis to secure his future by just one centimeter. The outcome of this unparalleled performance remained unknown to them at that moment.