The hunters watched, a mixture of profound shock and burgeoning awe etched onto their rugged faces. Before them lay Kaelthar, not merely a monstrous beast, but the undeniable deity of this mountain range. Born from the very primordial essence of the world's nature, he was the silent, colossal guardian who kept the towering peaks in check, his vigilant presence the unseen force that sustained the very life pulsating through the mountains. Legends whispered of his fierce, unyielding territoriality. It was said that centuries ago, when a chieftain, arrogant and blind with ambition, dared to lay claim to the mountain for himself, Kaelthar had not struck the chieftain directly. Instead, with a raw, primal roar that shook the very foundations of the earth, he had struck the mountains themselves, causing fissures to rip through the stone and echoes of his power to reverberate for miles, a potent, undeniable display of his absolute dominion over the peaks.
"Then... Just how strong is Lord Ri-hyun, to have subdued such a being?" one grizzled hunter breathed, his voice barely a whisper, eyes wide with a mixture of fear and newfound reverence.
"Only those at the unparalleled level of a Warlord would be able to contend with Kaelthar's sheer, untamed power," another replied, his voice laced with the gravity of the statement. The implication hung heavy in the air: Ri-hyun was, by their very reckoning, a Warlord, a force of nature in human form.
"Immediately, help Lord Ri-hyun! We must aid him in whatever way we can!" a third hunter bellowed, breaking the spell of stunned silence.
With a newfound surge of purpose, the hunters, their collective strength straining, carefully lifted Kaelthar onto their shoulders, a strange procession as they returned to the village, accompanied by the enigmatic Ri-hyun. The entire journey was conducted in a hushed, reverent silence, the weight of what had transpired settling deeply within their minds.
Upon their arrival back in the small, bustling heart of the village, Ri-hyun, his expression a mask of calm concern, immediately sought an update. "How are the two right now?" he inquired, his gaze sweeping over the faces of the village elders.
"They are still unconscious, my lord," came the solemn reply from Remus, the village elder. "Ciro's condition isn't in a serious state, due to his naturally robust physique, but the deep burns he sustained will still require a considerable amount of time to fully heal."
"Then what of Ael?" Ri-hyun pressed, his voice betraying a hint of urgency.
Remus's brow furrowed with a mixture of bewilderment and alarm. "His energy is going berserk, my lord. It is our first time witnessing anything of this magnitude. It is as if he is being boiled from within, his internal energies warring against each other."
Ri-hyun paused for a beat, his keen senses already perceiving the chaotic internal struggle within Ael. Without a word, he knelt down with practiced ease, his palm gently but firmly coming to rest upon Ael's chest. A subtle ripple of energy emanated from his touch. "Leave us," he commanded, his voice low but firm, brooking no argument.
Remus, a man of deep understanding and unwavering loyalty, immediately grasped the gravity of the situation. He swiftly issued orders, instructing everyone in the vicinity to not approach the small, humble house where Ciro and Ael lay, an invisible boundary of solemn privacy descending upon the dwelling.
Ri-hyun's diagnostic gaze, internal and ethereal, traversed Ael's body. "His yang qi is circulating aggressively through his meridians," he murmured to himself, the words laden with a precise, arcane knowledge. "This is a full-blown Yang Fire Rebellion. I'll need to cool him down, and more importantly, connect his meridians with mine so I can draw the excess yang qi from his body and restore the delicate balance of his energy."
With that, Ri-hyun sat down in a lotus position, his back straight, a picture of serene resolve. He took Ael's hand in his, holding it tightly, his grip unyielding.
Ael, stirring faintly, moaned, "Lord... Ri-hyun..."
"Shut up and clench your teeth," Ri-hyun commanded, his voice sharp but devoid of malice, a surgeon preparing for a painful but necessary procedure.
"What...? Urgh!" Ael's protest was cut short by a gasp of pain.
Ri-hyun, with a swift, almost imperceptible movement, sealed Ael's primary meridian to halt the chaotic circulation of yang qi. Then, with a surge of controlled power, he forced his own serene yin qi into Ael's body, a cool, calming balm against the internal inferno, simultaneously drawing in the rampant, destructive yang qi.
"It's cold!" Ael exclaimed, the unexpected sensation a stark contrast to the burning agony he had been experiencing.
"There!" Ri-hyun finally released the seal, allowing the infused yin qi to circulate freely through Ael's still-burned meridians, providing a soothing, cooling effect. Crucially, he left behind a perfectly measured portion of Ael's original yang qi, a delicate balance struck to harmonize with the newly introduced yin qi. Almost immediately, Ael's ragged breathing calmed, deepening into the steady rhythm of sleep.
Ri-hyun leaned back, a faint sheen of perspiration on his brow, the effort not insignificant even for him. "All they need now is rest," he declared, his voice a little softer, a hint of satisfaction in his tone.
"Hm?" Ri-hyun's attention was drawn to a sudden, ethereal glow that manifested before him. A shimmering screen materialized, displaying a series of luminous characters.
[An amazing feat has been achieved.]
[Calculating rewards...]
[Defeated the Mara Mountain's warden Kaelthar.]
[1100 exp has been credited to the system. Status points have been automatically allocated.]
[
Name: Baek Ri-hyun
Title: None
Age: Unknown
Level: 116
Attributes:
- Physical Power: SSS+
- Speed: A+
- Mana: NONE
- Durability: SSS+
- Magical Power: NONE
Unique Skills:
- Myriad Forms Asura Art: Mastered
- Nine Hells Domain: Mastered
Traits:
- Sovereign's Authority
- Hellfire Immunity
- Fire Immunity
- Infernal Regeneration
- Aura of Tyranny
]
Ri-hyun's eyes scanned the information, a faint, almost imperceptible smile playing on his lips. "I've been studying this magical illusion until now, and still it's amazing to me to this day," he mused aloud, a profound sense of wonder in his voice. "To think the effects of these status points would strengthen me this much. I should be careful, though; whoever is capable of blessing me with this form of illusion is a strong one, indeed. Their reach extends far beyond what I initially perceived."
Two days passed in a blur of recovery and quiet industry. Ciro and Ael, remarkably resilient, were able to return to their hunting duties, though with a minimal restriction on the sheer output of power they could exert. The deep burns on Ciro's body and the residual lingering effects of the Yang Fire Rebellion on Ael necessitated a degree of caution, but their quick recovery was a testament to Ri-hyun's intervention.
Ri-hyun, meanwhile, remained in the small, meticulously crafted office of the manor that had been built for him by the grateful villagers. The weight of the village's future rested heavily on his shoulders. He reviewed the sparse ledgers, his brow furrowed in thought.
"The funds are running dangerously low for the village because of the extensive reconstruction efforts," he murmured to himself, the grim reality of their financial situation starkly apparent. "If this continues, the village will meet a starving end. Other than the harvests from the farms, is there something here, within this mountain, that holds more significant value... a hidden resource that could alleviate their plight?"
Ri-hyun closed his eyes, his mind entering a state of profound concentration, his senses extending beyond the physical, probing the very essence of the mountain around him. He sought not a physical object, but a whisper of energy, a resonance that bespoke of latent power or untapped wealth.
Soon after, a faint, undeniable lingering energy brushed against his heightened senses. It was cold, yet strangely familiar, a subtle hum that emanated from the very depths of the village's cave dungeon. A flicker of recognition sparked within him. He stood up abruptly, a sudden urgency in his movements, and ran towards the cave.
Upon entering, he was met only with the familiar sight of empty cages, remnants of the dark days when the villagers had been enslaved. Yet, as he drew closer, the cold, familiar energy intensified, pulsing with a newfound strength from behind the cave's solid, unyielding walls.
"It's here," he declared, his voice ringing with discovery. Without hesitation, Ri-hyun charged his fist, his body humming with controlled power, and delivered a devastating blow. The cave wall exploded inwards with a deafening roar, revealing a hidden chamber. Within the newly exposed cavern, glimmering in the faint light, were countless veins of extraordinary minerals.
"This is it...!" Ri-hyun exclaimed, his eyes alight with a triumphant gleam.
"My lord!" Ciro and Ael, having heard the thunderous bash from the shattered wall, arrived, their faces etched with concern that quickly transformed into utter astonishment at the sight before them.
"These are...?" Ael began, his voice filled with a disbelieving awe.
"Arcanites!" Ciro finished, his voice a reverent whisper.
Arcanite, as Ciro knew, was a pale blue-gray ore, threaded with faint, ethereal, glowing striations of silver. It was a mana-conductive metal, formed from highly condensed concentrations of mana, a rare and incredibly valuable resource in their world. The sheer quantity within this hidden chamber was enough to astound even a seasoned trader.
However, while Ciro and Ael were captivated by the gleaming abundance of Arcanites, Ri-hyun's gaze was fixed on a different, even more enigmatic metal within the newly discovered cave.
"This... Is Cold Iron," Ri-hyun stated, his voice a low, thoughtful murmur.
"Cold Iron? That's Star Iron, my lord," Ciro corrected him, a hint of confusion in his tone. "Star Iron is known for its incredible durability and ability to conduct mana, making it invaluable for crafting."
Ri-hyun turned to Ciro, a curious glint in his eye. "You seem to know a great deal about these metals."
Ciro's expression softened, a touch of melancholy entering his eyes. "I came from a noble family that dealt extensively with trading, my lord, specializing in rare minerals and magical artifacts. Though I'm here now..." He trailed off, the unspoken tragedy of his past hanging in the air.
Ri-hyun, understanding the unspoken pain, gently placed a hand on Ciro's shoulder, a gesture of profound empathy. "Whatever happened, stay strong. Your knowledge will be invaluable to this village." He then turned to Ael, his voice firm with purpose. "Since you know about trading, Ciro, I'll leave it to you to manage the extraction and sales of these resources. Ael, gather the hunters and get ready to harvest these metals. We have a goldmine here."
"Yes, my lord!" Ael saluted crisply, his eyes gleaming with excitement and renewed hope for the village, and he quickly exited the cave to rally the others.
"Ciro, what's the situation with Kaelthar?" Ri-hyun asked, turning back to the young man.
"Kaelthar is resting in the empty hut, my lord, recovering slowly," Ciro replied, the respect for the mountain deity still evident in his voice.
"Stay here until Ael and the hunters arrive to begin the harvest. I'll go see Kaelthar." With that, Ri-hyun disappeared into thin air, his movement so swift as to be almost an illusion, and reappeared inside the humble hut where Kaelthar was lying upon a makeshift bed of gathered leaves.
"Wake up, Kaelthar," Ri-hyun said, his voice calm and clear. "I know you're already awake."
"You... Just what are you?" A heavy, resonant voice rumbled from Kaelthar, filled with a primal curiosity and a hint of trepidation. The deity's eyes, like ancient, molten gold, fixed on Ri-hyun.
"You're the warden of these mountains," Ri-hyun stated, a flicker of something akin to respect in his gaze. "I wasn't expecting such a small land to possess a warden of your power."
"I was born in these mountains," Kaelthar explained, his voice gaining a weary resonance. "That is why I live to protect it from monsters like you."
"I'll take that as a compliment," Ri-hyun replied, a faint, wry smile touching his lips. "But to say you live to protect it, you are doing a pretty bad job at it, aren't you? This mountain and its people were enslaved by an organization of humans for far too long, yet its warden was nowhere to be seen."
"...I have no excuse," Kaelthar admitted, a deep sigh escaping him, a sound like shifting earth. "I fell into a deep slumber many years ago, forced to heal myself from a fatal wound given to me by your humans. A wound unlike any other I had suffered."
"A human was able to hurt you so gravely? Now I'm genuinely curious," Ri-hyun mused, a flicker of intrigue in his eyes.
"It was a female swordsman," Kaelthar recounted, his voice tinged with a distant memory of awe and pain. "Her blade, though seemingly ordinary, pierced through my skin, a wound that no other blade, no other attack, could inflict."
Ri-hyun's mind raced, connecting the dots. If even a group of highly skilled masters or grandmasters would struggle against a being of Kaelthar's raw power, then the individual capable of inflicting such a wound could only be someone operating on an entirely different plane of existence.
"Either somebody in the Unrestrained Realm or above..." Ri-hyun concluded silently, the implications of such power daunting.
"Still... I left the people to suffer due to my own weakness and left them in the hands of evil," Kaelthar lamented, a profound sense of failure in his tone.
"Step down, Kaelthar," Ri-hyun said, his voice firm, resolute. "I'll handle the mountains and its people. Take your rest. Your duty as the warden is now fulfilled."
With those words, Ri-hyun walked outside, the crisp mountain air filling his lungs. He looked out over the vast expanse of the mountain, a new vision forming in his mind.
The mountain's blessings, once hidden and exploited, would now be meticulously managed, transformed into a sea of finance, ensuring the prosperity and security of the village and its people. His work was far from over; it had only just begun.