The Men of the Kingdom Part I

by Kugane Maruyama

  He saw Renner’s beautiful face.

  They say a person’s life flashes before their eyes when they’re on the brink of death. Supposedly, that’s the brain groping through the memories of the person’s entire past for a possible way to escape, so Climb found it strange that the last thing he would see was the smile of the master he loved and respected.

  Yes, she was smiling.

  She hadn’t smiled for him when she was young right after she saved him. When did she start smiling for me?

  He couldn’t remember. But he did remember her timidly doing so.

  Would that smile become a frown when she heard he’d died? Would thick clouds blot out the sun?

  Dammit!

  Climb’s heart flooded with rage.

  His life had been tossed into the street, and she had picked it up. That meant this life was not his. He existed for Renner, to make her even a little happier…

  There has to be some way to escape!

  The fierce emotion shattered the chains of fear.

  His hands moved.

  His feet moved.

  The eyes he’d been trying to squeeze shut flew open and frantically shifted to the fist rushing at him with incredible speed.

  It was like all his body’s senses had been sharpened to extremes, as if he could detect the slightest vibration in the air.

  It’s said there exists a phenomenon known as hysterical strength. It’s the unbelievable potential people are able to exhibit in extreme situations because their brain releases the limiter holding back their physical power.

  The brain secretes large volumes of hormones, concentrating the mental faculties all for the purpose of survival. Suddenly, the person can process a vast amount of information at high speed in order to discern the appropriate course of action.

  Climb entered the realm of the best warriors for a brief moment. But Sebas’s attack was still faster. Surely it was already too late. He probably wouldn’t have time to dodge the fist. Still, he had to move. There was no way he could give up. He could tell he was moving like a tortoise in this intensely compressed period of time, but he desperately twisted his body.

  Then—

  Sebas’s fist blew by Climb’s face. The ensuing wind pulled out a few of his hairs.

  A quiet voice reached his ears.

  “Congratulations. How does it feel to have conquered the fear of death?”

  …

  Climb stood there with a dazed expression, not understanding what he’d just been asked.

  “How was it? How did it feel to face death? And how does it feel to have overcome it?”

  Breathing hard, Climb stared at Sebas with an empty expression, as if he’d lost something. It was like his intent to kill had been nothing more than a lie. Sebas’s words sank into his brain, and he finally felt relief flooding him.

  As if the violent drive to kill had been propping him up, Climb crumpled to the ground like a marionette whose strings had been cut. Flat on the road, he voraciously sucked fresh air into his lungs.

  “…You’re lucky you didn’t die of shock. It happens sometimes. People become convinced they will actually die and give up on life.”

  Climb still tasted something bitter in the back of his throat. He was sure it was the taste of death.

  “If we repeat this a few times, you should end up able to overcome ordinary fear. We need to be careful, though, because this stimulates your survival instincts. If they grow numb to it, you won’t be able to recognize clear danger. You always need situational awareness.”

  “…F-forgive me, but who or what are you?” Climb gasped from below.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Th-that killing resolve was not the sort a normal person can project. So what in the world—?”

  “For now, let’s say I’m just an old man who has confidence in his strength.”

  Climb couldn’t take his eyes off Sebas’s smiling face. The expression seemed to be born of kindness, but it also seemed like the fierce grin of one with absolute power far surpassing even Gazef.

  A man who might far exceed Gazef, the strongest warrior from any of the nearby nations…

  Climb decided his curiosity would be satisfied with that. He didn’t think it would be right to press the issue.

  Still, the question of who this old man Sebas was lingered stubbornly in his mind. He even wondered if he might be one of the Thirteen Heroes.

  “Then I think it’s about time to get goi—”

  “W-wait! There’s something I want to ask you!”

  A terrified voice echoed out from behind them, interrupting Sebas.

  4

  3 Late Fire Moon (September) 9:42 AM

  Brain left Gazef’s house.

  He turned around and, thinking ahead to his return, took mental note of what the building looked like. When Gazef had brought him here, he’d been only half-conscious due to his low body temperature, so he didn’t really remember it.

  The location of Gazef’s house he knew because he’d been gathering information on him in order to challenge him to a duel in the future. But that was just secondhand information, and there were slight discrepancies with the truth.

  “Psh, there’s no sword stuck in the roof.” Cursing the information dealer who told him such half-baked rumors, he took a close look at the house.

  It was far smaller than the mansions nobles lived in and seemed more like a place for regular citizens with a little extra money. Still, it was more than big enough for Gazef and the elderly couple who served him.

  Having memorized the image, Brain set off.

  He wasn’t going anywhere in particular.

  Before, he might have wanted to go hunting for weapons, armor, or magic items but not anymore.

  “I wonder what I should do…” His grumbles disappeared into the air.

  He thought he wouldn’t mind just vanishing somewhere. He was still actually attracted to the idea of dying.

  When he searched his heart for what he desired, all he found was a gaping hole. His goal had been completely destroyed. Not even a husk of it remained.

  So why…?

  Glancing down at his right hand, he saw his katana. Under his shirt there was mail.

  He’d been holding his katana so tightly on his way to the capital out of fear. Even though he knew it would have no effect on the monster Shalltear, who repelled his full-strength attacks with a fingernail, he was anxious without it.

  So why am I holding it now? I should have been able to leave it behind. Am I still anxious? Brain thought but then shook his head.

  No.

  But in the end, he couldn’t figure out what motivation caused him to bring the sword.

  Brain walked along, remembering the way the royal capital was the first time he visited it. Some buildings, like the wizards’ guild and the castle, hadn’t changed, but he also saw lots of new edifices. As he enjoyed the stroll down memory lane, he came upon a disturbance happening down the road.

  He frowned at the commotion. He could sense the bristling sensation of violence from the center of the crowd.

  Guess I’ll go somewhere else, he thought, but just as he’d turned his feet in a different direction, an old man caught his eye. He was approaching the center of the crowd with such fluid motions he seemed to be gliding.

  “…H-huh? What the heck? How does he do that?” The words slipped out of Brain’s mouth in spite of himself as he blinked several times. The way the old man moved was just too unbelievable. Brain thought he must have just seen a waking dream or the workings of some kind of magic spell.

  Brain probably couldn’t do that himself. It was a skill that required a complete grasp of another’s consciousness as well as the overall waves of the pushing and shoving crowd.

  It was the pinnacle of movement itself.

  With zero hesitation, Brain’s legs carried him toward the crowd of people.

  After pushing and shoving his way through to the center, Brain emerged just in time to see the
old man swiftly whack the other man’s jaw.

  What the heck? Would I even be able to block that? Seems…tricky? Was he manipulating the guy’s attention and gaze? Maybe I’m thinking too hard. Still, that punch was clean enough to be included in a training manual. As Brain ruminated on the attack he’d just witnessed, an impressed grunt escaped his lips.

  It wasn’t as if he’d seen it clearly, and it was extremely difficult to evaluate fistfighters and swordsmen on the same scale. Still, from just that short amount of time, he’d understood that the man was terribly strong.

  It’s possible he’s stronger than me.

  Biting his lower lip, he compared the old man’s profile to all the strong people he could remember, but there wasn’t a match. Who in the world is this guy?

  A moment later the old man had left the circle of onlookers. A boy walked off after him. As if tempted by the boy’s actions, Brain followed behind him.

  The old man seemed to have eyes in the back of his head, so Brain couldn’t bring himself to trail directly behind him, but he didn’t have that worry with the boy. He also shrewdly considered that even if the boy were found out, he would be safe.

  As soon as he started after them, he realized there were multiple people shadowing either the old man or the boy, but Brain didn’t care.

  Eventually the two of them turned down dimmer and dirtier streets. Brain became concerned. It was almost like the man was leading them somewhere.

  Just as he started to question if the boy didn’t wonder where they were going, he called out to the old man.

  Fortunately for Brain, they began having a conversation immediately around a corner, so he hid himself behind it and listened.

  To sum up their conversation, the boy wanted lessons from the old man. There’s no way. An old guy that strong would never take this little turd as a disciple. Comparing their ability levels, Brain figured that if the boy was a pebble, the old man was a huge gem. Their worlds were too far apart. How sad. How incredibly sad that he can’t even see the gap in their abilities. Leave it at that, kid, Brain whispered silently in his head.

  It was meant for the boy, but at the same time he was mocking his foolish old self, who had been convinced he was the strongest.

  As he listened—he couldn’t have cared less about the brothel—the old man appeared to offer the boy some training this one time. He had no idea what the old man saw in him.

  What could it mean? Or am I missing something? Nah, that can’t be. That brat has barely any ability as a warrior and next to no potential!

  What kind of training would it be? He could hear from his current position, but he couldn’t see. Letting his curiosity get the better of him, he moved, concealing his presence, to peek around the corner. That was when—

  A horrifying presence pierced his entire body.

  He let out a wordless shriek.

  His entire body froze.

  It was like the breath of a gigantic carnivorous beast. The world was so coated in an overwhelming sense of impending death that he couldn’t blink, much less move. He felt like even his heart had stopped.

  This presence could have rivaled that of the one Brain believed to be the most powerful in the whole world—Shalltear Bloodfallen’s.

  Far from seeming to stop, a weaker man’s heart would probably have actually failed.

  His legs shook so hard he fell back onto his butt. If this is what it’s like for me, that kid’s probably dead—passed out if he’s lucky!

  Scared though he was, Brain crawled into a position from which he could see the two figures, and what he saw was so unbelievable he completely forgot his fear for a split second.

  The boy was still standing.

  The same fear assailing Brain made the younger man’s legs tremble, but he was still standing.

  Wh-what the heck? How can that kid still be on his feet?! Brain couldn’t understand how the boy could stand if his own legs had humiliatingly given out under the fear.

  Does he have a magic item or martial art that protects him from fear? Or is he a talent holder?

  Those things weren’t completely out of the question, but seeing how helpless he looked, Brain sensed it was something else. It was an impossible conclusion, but it was the only one he could come up with: The boy was stronger than him.

  No way! There’s just no way that can be true!

  He was probably working out, but he wasn’t anywhere near big enough. Judging from his footwork and his technique as he’d tailed the old man, Brain didn’t think he could have a terrible amount of ability. The boy didn’t seem to be made of much, but this outcome said otherwise.

  Wh-what is going on? Am I really that weak?

  His vision began to blur.

  He realized he was crying, but he didn’t have the energy to wipe away the tears.

  “Wagh, ngh…ngh…” He frantically stifled his sobs, but the tears fell one after the other. “Why…? Why?”

  He clenched the dirt beneath him and stood up. Still, he was immobile under the desire to kill pummeling him. It was like his feet were under someone else’s control—they were paralyzed. It was all he could do to look up and observe the old man and the boy.

  He could see the boy’s back.

  The boy was still standing.

  He was still facing the old man projecting all that bloodthirst. He’d thought the boy was weak, but now he seemed so far beyond him.

  “Am I…”

  …really this weak?

  He was irritated at himself. Even when the killing urge vanished, he could barely stand.

  It seemed like the boy and the old man were going to continue their training but, unable to hold himself back any longer, Brain mustered his courage and jumped out from behind the corner. “W-wait!”

  In his current state, Brain didn’t have the wherewithal to consider that he shouldn’t interrupt them or that he should wait for a better moment.

  The boy whipped around with a jerk of his shoulders, startled at the panicked voice. If Brain had been in his position, he probably would have reacted the same way.

  “First, please accept my heartfelt apology for interrupting you. I couldn’t wait.”

  “…Do you know him, Sir Sebas?”

  “No, I do not. So you don’t know him, either…?”

  They regarded him suspiciously, but he had expected that. “My name is Brain Unglaus. Please allow me to apologize again for interrupting you. My deepest apologies.”

  He bowed even lower than the first time and sensed the pair shift slightly.

  When enough time had passed to properly express his regret, Brain lifted his head. He could tell they were a little less wary of him now.

  “And what is it you want?”

  At the old man’s question, Brain flicked his eyes to the boy.

  “What could you possibly want with me?”

  It was difficult for Brain, but he asked the puzzled boy, “Why…how…were you able to stand in the face of such murderous pressure?!”

  The boy’s eyes widened slightly. Because he was holding a neutral expression, even that small of a change implied a large emotional shock.

  “I want to know. That was beyond the realm of what a normal person can handle. Dammit—excuse my language—it was beyond what even I could take. But you’re different. You did it. You stood. How did you do it? Up against something so powerful?!”

  He was so agitated, it slipped into his speech. But he couldn’t hold himself back. He’d fled from the overwhelming power of Shalltear Bloodfallen. This boy had stood there when faced with an equal thirst for blood. Where does the gap come from?

  He just had to know.

  Perhaps his intention had gotten through. The boy seemed flustered but still gave the question careful consideration before replying, “…I don’t know. I have no idea why I was able to stand my ground in such a murderous storm. But it might have been…because I was thinking about my master.”

  “…Your master?”

  “Yes.
I was thinking about the person I serve…and I managed to hang on.”

  Brain wanted to shout, There’s no way that’s all you did! But the old man began to speak.

  “So your loyalty is so great it overcomes fear. Sir Unglaus, people can display unbelievable power if it’s for someone they hold dear, like how a mother can lift the beam of a collapsed house to save her child or how a man can hold his wife by one hand if she’s about to fall. That is, I believe, human strength. This boy was able to tap into that power. And he’s not the only one who can do that. If you have something you could never give up, you can probably display power beyond what you think you have, as well.”

  Brain couldn’t believe it. His thirst for power that he’d thought he could never give up had turned out to be meaningless, hadn’t it? He’d easily broken, become frightened, and run away.

  His expression had been clouding over, but he snapped back to attention as Sebas continued.

  “…When you cultivate something on your own, it’s weak—because if you bend, that’s the end. If instead, you build something with another person or for someone, you may bend, but you won’t break.”

  Brain wondered, Do I have anyone like that?

  But he didn’t. He’d decided they weren’t useful to him and thrown away those relationships. So the things he’d abandoned in his craving for power were actually the most important?

  Brain laughed. His whole life was mistake after mistake. And so he ended up grumbling, “I threw them all away. Do you think there’s anything I can do about it now?”

  “You’ll be all right. I don’t have any innate ability, and I was able to do it. I’m sure you can do it, Sir Unglaus! It’s never too late.”

  They were the baseless words of a boy. Still, Brain felt some warmth in his heart. “You’re kind…and strong… I’m sorry.”

  The boy answered the sudden apology with a blank expression. He was so strong, but Brain had been looking down on him as just a “turd.”

  I’m a fool. I’m just such a fool.

  “By the way, you wouldn’t happen to be the Brain Unglaus who once fought Sir Stronoff, would you?”