Speaker A
This guy is Kim Jin Ho, an MMA fighter and world champion for over 40 years.
Kim Jin Ho, a legendary MMA fighter, reincarnates as a mage in a brutal prison, struggling to survive and regain his powers.
Ask about this video. Answers come from its transcript only — with the timestamp, so you can check them.
Generated from the transcript and can be wrong — check the timestamp.
Key Takeaways
- Reincarnation into a weaker body challenges Jin Ho's identity and abilities.
- Zero mana is a critical obstacle for a mage, requiring creative solutions.
- Physical prowess remains a key advantage despite magical limitations.
- Alliances and understanding prison dynamics are vital for survival.
- The system window introduces RPG-style progression elements to the story.
What the video covers
- Kim Jin Ho, a world champion MMA fighter, dies suddenly and reincarnates in a new world as a prisoner named Arahan.
- He finds himself in Butcher Prison, a harsh place where mages are despised and subjected to brutal treatment and hard labor.
- Jin Ho struggles with his new weak body and zero mana despite having maxed physical stats and rare S-rank traits.
- He discovers a mysterious system window that synchronizes his powers and gradually unlocks his fighting potential.
- Jin Ho, now called Zed, faces hostility from other inmates and guards but begins to fight back using his MMA skills.
- He forms a tentative bond with a fellow prisoner named Rio, who warns him about dangers and shares survival tips.
- Zed analyzes his situation, determined to overcome his physical limitations and the mana issue through training and strategy.
- The prison environment is brutal, with executions and harsh punishments, emphasizing the stakes of survival.
- Zed's journey is about reclaiming his strength, understanding his new identity, and navigating the complex prison hierarchy.
- The story blends martial arts, magic, reincarnation, and system game mechanics in a dark fantasy setting.
Chapters
- 00:00Introduction to Kim Jin Ho and his unbeatable MMA career
- 14:25Reincarnation and escape attempt from Butcher Prison
- 28:29Confrontation with General Clark and prison life begins
- 42:47Jin Ho's struggle with his new body and zero mana
- 57:10First fight in the cafeteria and discovery of system window
- 71:27Building alliances with Rio and understanding prison politics
- 85:45Zed's analysis of his stats and planning for survival
- 99:51Execution day and deeper insight into prison hierarchy
Full Transcript — Download SRT & Markdown
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Millions of people watch his fights because the guy's a genius. The cameraman can barely even catch his movements. In all these years, nobody's ever given him a real fight. Jinho beat everyone. His life was way too easy. So,
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his secret hobby was playing the hardest games out there, but not even Elden Ring was hard enough. Jinho played a game called Last Saber for 10 years. And guess what? Here, too, this bastard had no rivals and became the undisputed
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number one. He was basically sad about not having a single worthy opponent on Earth. So, the gods heard his complaints. Lightning shot down from the clouds and struck Jinho's apartment directly. Instant death. His first ever defeat. Then Jinho woke up somewhere else. When he opened his eyes, some ugly
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girl told him he was falling behind. Right now, our boy is escaping from prison. The girl, number 172, complains that this is their last chance to break out of Butcher Prison. Our guy, still confused, notices the uniforms, the flag
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on the wall. This isn't a dream. The girl drags him forward so they don't fall behind. But mid-run, Jinho stops and tells her to pay attention. This is the most secure prison of them all. There's no way escaping right now is
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this easy.
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He yanks the girl back by force. The prisoners desperately rush toward the exit, and one of them even starts laughing hysterically as he gets close, but their joy is short-lived. Out of nowhere, someone rips the man's arm right off. It's the dreaded General Clark. Laughing, the
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general announces he's going to kill everyone and orders their execution. The woman wonders why this is happening while Jinho realizes it was a trap all along. The prisoners desperately flee from the gate, leaving the ground stained with blood. Afterward, Clark orders the survivors to fall in, and a
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guard screams at them to line up. Lifeless bodies cover the floor. Number 172 stares at one of them and ends up throwing up. Seeing this, a guard walks over and kicks her in the stomach, warning her that he didn't give anyone
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permission to move and that he'll kill anyone who disobeys. He then glares at Jin Ho, calling him a coward for not even having the guts to run. The guard sneers that mages are nothing but cowards, tells him he'll regret not
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dying here, and calls him Arahan. Before walking away, the guard warns them to wait for their punishment. Staring at his reflection in a puddle, Jinho wonders if he really is this Arahan guy. A week passes. Daily life in the prison
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consists of stacking rocks all day. Meaningless hard labor designed purely to torment the inmates. Since they are mages, they are completely despised here. Jinho recalls trying to use magic the night before, but it didn't work. He finds this bizarre since he knows the Arahan family is famous for producing
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incredibly talented mages. A guard snaps him out of his thoughts, barking at him to move the rocks faster. As he follows orders, Jinho notices a floating system window and wonders what it is. Later in the cafeteria, Jinho stares at his food,
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thinking about how hard he has to work every day just to get a meal. Number 172 calls out to him, asking if he's going to skip his food. He says no, but slides his portion over to her. The woman remarks that Jinho is special for not
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avoiding her like everyone else does. It turns out the supreme mage of the Arahan family has red eyes and rumor has it he can kill with just a glance. Jinho wonders why she's even in this prison. She warns him to be extra careful today.
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According to her, the workload increased because of him and several inmates are furious about it. She tells him to watch out, especially for number 589. He asks if warning him isn't dangerous for her, but she says she doesn't care. Jinho
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then tells her to step back. The sound of heavy footsteps fills the room. Jinho tells her that her warning just came true. Several men glare at him and she freezes in fear when she sees inmate 589. Furious, the man blames Jin Ho for
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their increased workload. Jinho mockingly asks if that really happened, but 589 cuts him off and throws a massive punch. The blow lands dead on, shocking the woman, but the attacker quickly looks confused. Smiling, Jinho shrugs off the attack completely unharmed and counters with a knee
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straight to the guy's face, shocking everyone. However, the man doesn't take any damage. Jinho is stunned and as he gets hoisted off the ground, he realizes just how weak his current body is. The inmate tosses him across the cafeteria
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like a ragdoll. The man mocks him, asking where the little rat went and declares that he's finished. Suddenly, the system window pops up again. A message on the screen announces that the synchronization is complete, leaving Jinho with a huge grin on his face. The cafeteria goes dead silent as Zed feels
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his new power surging through him. Ready for a fight, he warms up and notices how much lighter he feels. Brimming with confidence, he challenges the man again.
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The opponent just laughs, calling Zed arrogant for someone who got abandoned by his own clan. Zed tells him to shut up and dares him to bring it on. The inmate charges, shouting that he's going to end Zed right here, but Zed counters
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instantly with a swift kick. The man blocks and grabs his leg, furiously yelling that he's going to teach Zed a lesson he'll never forget. But right then, Zed spins and hits him with a brutal kick from his other leg,
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staggering back in total confusion. The man can't even process what just happened. Before he can recover, Zed unleashes another kick, following it up with a relentless barrage of strikes. Unable to defend himself, the man takes every single hit. Zed sets up and delivers one final crushing kick,
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knocking his opponent out cold on the floor. Looking down at him, Zed mutters that this is exactly why he doesn't like using his legs to fight. Furious, the other prisoners start closing in. Zed steps over the fallen man and warns them
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that if they take one more step, he'll snap the guy's arm. The lackeys hesitate, not sure if he's bluffing, but then Zed presses his foot down on their leader, which is enough to send one of them running to call the guard. The woman
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walks up to Zed, asking when he learned to fight like that, and wonders if he was always this tall. He just shrugs and jokes that if she keeps lifting rocks, she'll probably grow taller, too. Zed turns his attention back to his status
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window to check his stats. He's shocked to see his mana is at zero. He can't wrap his head around it. He's a mage, so a body with zero mana makes absolutely no sense. Lying down, he questions how he could have possibly reincarnated into
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such a terrible character. Trying to stay calm, Zed analyzes his stats and notices his strength, luck,
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agility, and perception are all maxed out. Still, he realizes that even with max stats, a human body shouldn't be able to handle 100 points of strength. He figures he can overcome the physical
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penalties with training, but his current diet is terrible. Zed also spots several S-rank traits he's never seen before. He concludes that he still has plenty of time and that there has to be a way to fix his mana issue. With a heavy sigh,
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the woman remarks that it's that time again, leaving Zed confused. She explains that those people are on death row and it's time for them to be executed after their last meal. Zed nods, saying he understands and asks for
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her name. Surprised, she realizes she's only ever called him by his prisoner number. She tells him her name is just Rio, explaining that street people don't have clans and asks for his name in return. He tells her he's Z Arahan, then
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asks if she wants to get out of this place. Rio says she doesn't plan on staying long either since she has her own reasons for leaving. She adds that the only way out is through the front gate and the head guard is the only one
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with the key. Zed asks.
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a guard announces that under Clark's orders, their workload is going to double over the next few days. He challenges anyone to rebel against the guardian. One man tries to protest, but he's immediately cut off as a sword is
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drawn and held right to his throat. The guard says he's just passing down orders, and if anyone has a problem, they can take it up with the higherups.
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An inmate asks what's going on, mocking them, the guard asks if they seriously don't know whose fault this is yet. Everyone turns to glare at Zed coughing.
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The guard says he's going to step out for a smoke and we'll be right back, leaving Zed all alone against the furious inmates. Zed tells Rio to get away from him quickly. He realizes Clark is starting a prison riot using him as
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bait. Rio backs away, worried since this time even the guards are against him. Ganging up, the inmates say they're going to finish Zed off. He simply tells himself this was bound to happen. Everyone charges at Zed. Defending himself, he easily knocks out the first guy, sending him face first onto the
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ground. The prisoners threaten him, saying he's dead meat now. Excited, Zed gets ready to fight. As everyone rushes him at once, he doesn't flinch, throwing punches and kicks at everyone around him. He finally feels the thrill he's been craving and is happy to experience that feeling again. Locked in, [music]
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Zed dodges an attack from behind and counters with a kick to the jaw, taking them down one by one. From a distance, Rio watches everything in disbelief. A man approaches and calls out to her. Back in the fight, Zed is unstoppable,
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leaving his opponents completely dazed. He lands a solid punch, dodges another attack, and counters. Hooked on the adrenaline, he realizes he wants more and more. With a terrifying look on his face, Zed hears heavy footsteps and turns around. A man holding Rio hostage tells him to stop causing trouble and
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just die already. Zed glares at them furiously and grins. He calls them trash and tells them they just made the biggest mistake of their lives. Zed curses at them and gets ready to strike. One of the inmates mocks him, calling
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him a two circuit knight, and yells that Zed is going to die right here. But then Zed simply vanishes, leaving the man confused. The inmate is shocked to see him suddenly standing on the other side and screams that it's impossible since
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Zed shouldn't be able to use magic. Zed replies that this isn't magic and unleashes a barrage of direct hits, knocking his opponent out cold. Right after, Warden Clark arrives and demands to know what's going on. Before Zed can
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say a word, Rio cuts in and explains he was taken hostage in an attempt to kill Zed. Looking around, the warden figures everyone here is just a bunch of incompetence. Clark then asks Zed if he used magic to win. Zed mocks the warden,
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saying he has no idea, which makes Clark furious. The warden unleashes his aura, crushing everyone around them to the ground. Clark is shocked to see that Zed isn't affected at all, thanks to a trait that makes him immune. Zed realizes this
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is an insane mental defense skill, but figures it's the bare minimum for someone who once reached the peak of Earth. There's no way a mere five circuit amateur can hold him down. Meanwhile, the warden is in complete disbelief. Unable to comprehend how Zed is still standing without using any
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mana, the warden gears up and pushes his power even higher, but Zed doesn't budge. Zed's trait triggers, showing it's an S-rank skill, and that Clark stands no chance of stopping him. Clark is left completely speechless. The guards, who are being crushed by the intense pressure, beg the warden to
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stop. He finally lets up, and Zed thinks to himself that if Clark hadn't stopped, he would have drawn his sword. Frustrated, the warden glares at him and orders everyone back to work. But Zed stops him, saying he can't leave just
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yet. He explains he's sick of stacking rocks and getting attacked and threatens to take everyone out right then and there. Rio cuts in asking if he's lost his mind. Zed then announces he wants to be the next inmate on death row. The
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warden is baffled and warns him he'll let it slide if it's a joke. Zed assures him he's dead serious and tells Clark to register his name on the crystal ball.
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The warden then orders his men to bring it out. Zed announces he's going to choose his last meal right now, demanding a generous serving of varity beef, one of the most exquisite dishes in all of Last Savior. They say even a
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single bite of this meat can restore lost strength. Zed argues that since this meal is literally costing him his life, it's the least they can do, especially since he only deals with S-rank items. Rio asks if he's absolutely sure about going to death row. Zed replies that Rio is coming with
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him and orders enough food for two. Clark agrees to make it happen, and Zed adds that this is the bare minimum for taking the life of an Araan. Because the varity meat is so rare, it takes an entire week to source. Rio grumbles that
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the day they die is fast approaching. Meanwhile, Zed recalls that once a stat hits 100 points, any extra points usually transfer to other attributes.
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But since he's a special case and his stats are locked, his only option is for those points to go into mana. After a week passes, a guard calls out to him and Zed asks if it's finally meal time. The steak they serve is so delicious
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that Rio is practically in tears, claiming he's never eaten anything this good in his life. Thanks to the miraculous meal, several of their debuffs are temporarily deactivated. Right after, Zed feels the block on his experience points loosen up. He's satisfied to see his first goal is
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complete. Back in his office, Clark is still reeling from what happened. He tries to understand how Zed resisted his pressure without using any magic, especially since he's still a five circuit knight, even in retirement. The warden vows he won't make the same mistake twice, and promises Zed will pay
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for humiliating him. In his cell, Rio thanks Zed for the meal, saying she could die happy right now. Zed replies that he has no intention of dying.
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Internally, he realizes he's never felt this energized and can't wait to test out his new powers. Hearing the door open, Zed mutters that Clark is finally here, wondering what he'll do next. The director just growls Zed's name, and Zed
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fires back, asking if Clark is upset because there's no food left, staring him right down. Clark thinks to himself that Zed is just a spoiled bastard riding on his family's coattails. He reaches out and touches Zed, thinking that today the kid will finally wythe in agony. The Aahan bloodline is the
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absolute elite when it comes to magic. Anyone with info on them stands to make a fortune, and depending on what they know, they could end up filthy rich. Zed watches Clark step closer and realizes the director is using a magic tool.
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Clark then screams at Zed, asking how he likes this power, but the director is shocked to see Zed still standing. Frustrated, the director strikes Rio, knocking her out. Seeing this, Zed tells Clark to behave himself. Completely losing his cool, Clark lunges and grabs Zed, releasing his aura to crush him.
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Zed simply breaks free and reminds him he told him to take it easy. He warns Clark that if he wants him dead, he should do it right with a public execution instead of whining like a sore loser. Zed notes to himself that his
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mana has no effect on Clark, meaning the director must be at least a six circuit mage. That's when Zed finally unleashes the power of the Aahan bloodline, which lets him match someone far stronger than him. Humiliated and shaken, Clark
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deactivates the magic tool. Zed asks if he's done making a scene. Clark ignores him and warns that the execution will take place tomorrow morning. Back in his office, Clark writes a letter to pass on his newly acquired info about the
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Araanss. He feels exhausted from channeling so much mana into the magic device, but tells himself he still has to finish this report. Elsewhere, Rio lies on the ground. Zed asks if she's okay, and she groans that she's not. Zed
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praises her anyway, saying she's got quick fingers for managing to steal the director's keys. He commends her on a job well done, and Rio asks if he's really fine after holding out against Clark's aura for so long. Zed says he's
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good, adding that if she wants to get stronger, she should keep stacking those stones. He notices that his growth delay penalties have been reduced. Realizing that Varity's steak really is delicious and packed with nutrients. Zed wishes he could remove all his restrictions right now, but knows that's not happening yet.
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He calls out to Rio and tells her that tonight once she's recovered, they're breaking out. She asks if the director might catch them, but Zed assures her Clark is completely drained from using so much mana and is probably passed out
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cold. Rio asks if he's absolutely sure about that. The truth is, Clark's magic tool was so highly coveted that Zed can't even remember its name, and by now, the director has to be completely knocked out. Once night falls, Zed
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announces it's time to get out of there. Rio asks him one more time if he's really okay, and he tells her that if she's scared, so be it. She points out that there's no key to the cell and asks what they're supposed to do, but Zed
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just tells her to step back for a second. He kicks the cell door with all his strength. Shocked, Rio asks what kind of power that is and if he's even a mage. Suddenly, the guards hear the noise and shout at the prisoner. Zed
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says it's pretty obvious what's happening. It's a prison break, and the two of them take off running. Rio yells for Zed to look ahead. They run straight into a whole squad of guards blocking the door. Swords drawn to stop them at
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all costs. Zed tells her not to stop and to keep running. Rio agrees even though she's terrified. One of the guards lunges with a sword. Zed counters instantly, grabs the man's face, and slams him away, sending him crashing
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into his allies and pushing the whole group back. The guard in front looks back in total confusion, getting furious. Before he can even react, Zed strikes him directly in the throat, leaving him gasping for air. Without missing a beat, Zed rushes toward the others and stops right in front of the
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fallen guards. One of them reaches out, but Zed kicks his hand away. The rest of the guards raise their weapons. After dodging a slash, Zed spins in the air and lands a kick on an enemy. Using the ground to pivot, he dodges another sword
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and kicks a guard right in the face, knocking him cold. He then spots two more guards rushing him and counters them both instantly. Watching from a distance, Rio mutters that the whole thing is just insane. Sometime later, Clark returns to the cell block only to find his guards wiped out on the floor.
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One man tries to push himself up, apologizes and reports that the prisoners have escaped. Infuriated, the director orders a manhunt for the fugitives. Near the detention center, Rio keeps watch and tells Zed that it looks like they successfully lost the guards. She explains they've made it to
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the nearest town. Zed thinks this place is too obvious and that search parties will be crawling all over it soon, but Rio explains that the other towns are way too far and that their best bet is to blend in with the locals. Handing him
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some clothes, Zed complains that they look like beggar rags, but he ends up putting them on anyway. Rio tells him to wait right there and not move while she goes to grab some supplies. 2 hours later, she returns. During her search,
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she managed to get colored contacts since red eyes are a dead giveaway for an Arahan. Rio explains that in the southern region, which is ruled by the dog Bahal, blue eyes are much more common. In his past life, Zed's game
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character was a Bahal, but in this new life, he's an Arahan. Snapping him out of his thoughts, Rio says she found a good spot and tells him to follow her.
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Inside an abandoned barn, Zed wonders how he ended up in this situation. He asks himself if he can really trust a purse snatcher like Rio, but right now he doesn't have a choice. At the same time, Rio is also wondering if she can
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trust him. The next morning, Zed realizes just how dark it was the night before and can barely believe he actually slept in a place like that. Rio cuts in, joking that for a nobleman, this must have been a terrible place to
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sleep. Zed tells her he's not going to settle for this and that he'll find a way to make some money. Rio asks how he plans to do that and offers to teach him how to steal purses. He rejects the offer and tells her to find a place
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known as the arena. It's an underground fight club, the perfect environment for a champion like him. A little later, the crowd is going wild. Shocked, Rio asks if they're in the right place, and Zed confirms they are. In the ring, a brutal
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combo of strikes is going down. One of the fighters tries to defend himself, but gets hit dead, making the crowd cheer even louder. Rio is still completely stunned by the whole thing. Then, a new guy enters the fight and
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immediately lands a straight punch. He follows it up with a terrifying combination of blows. Rio warns Zed that the fighter is going to die if this keeps up, but then she realizes Zed is gone. Suddenly, the entire crowd gasps.
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Zed appears right in the ring and tells the man to stop hitting since his opponent is already knocked out. From a distance, Rio watches the scene, absolutely terrified. Meanwhile, Zed confronts the referee for letting this happen. The fighter pulls away and asks Zed if he's some kind of noble. Zed asks
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him if he still hasn't figured it out, calling the fighter nothing but a fraud.
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Everyone around them starts booing Zed. So Zed announces he'll take responsibility and show them something incredibly fun and unforgettable. From the sidelines, Rio screams at him. She says there was no reason to get involved in a fight like this, especially since he knows the risks. But Zed tells Rio to
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shut up and bet all their money on him. He tells her they'll be able to have a massive feast once he wins. With that, the fight begins. The opponent wonders how Zed can stay so calm. He can't understand how a 15-year-old kid can
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have such stable, confident posture and breathing. The fighter finds Zed terrifying, unable to explain why he's trembling, and gets pissed off, realizing he's scared of a kid. But before he can even launch an attack, Zed counters, landing two direct punches right to his face. Keeping his distance,
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Zed explains that you shouldn't pull your shoulders back before throwing a punch. He says a punch should go straight from your guard to your opponent's face, taking the shortest, cleanest path possible. As he says this, he lands another heavy hit. In the crowd, Rio's eyes widen in fear as she
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watches Zed effortlessly dominate Eka's. She is completely stunned. Back in the ring, Aikas is also shocked to find himself losing to a kid. He's totally flustered, unable to comprehend how Zed is dodging everything and countering so easily. Zed decides to stop playing around and finishes the fight with a
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powerful punch, finally knocking Aika's down. He turns to the referee and asks if he's going to call the match. With no way to rig the fight now, the ref has no choice but to declare Zed the winner. Privately, Zed thinks he probably should
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have held back a bit more. Later, Zed is arguing over his payout, which is way lower than he expected. Terrified, the clerk claims that was the exact amount he was handed. Zed grumbles that the payout shouldn't be this low. He calls
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Rio over and asks how much she bet, reminding her that he told her to go allin. Rio replies that she hates gambling and that they needed money for dinner, so she didn't bet everything. An unfamiliar woman interrupts them, asking
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for a moment of their time. Zed asks who she is, smiling. The woman says he probably doesn't know her, and introduces herself as Herna, the arena manager. Zed just walks right past her, saying he doesn't have time for this.
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Immediately, guards block his path. Zed asks if they want to end up like Aikas, and the guards stay silent. Herna then mentions that Aikas was one of the top champions she recruited, asking Zed if he gets what she's implying. In the end,
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she says she'll let him go for today since they'll run into each other again anyway, admitting she just loves strong fighters like him. Elsewhere, Rio warns Zed that he shouldn't be so arrogant with Herna. She explains that Herna
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isn't just the arena manager. She basically runs the whole city and is a greedy sly fox. Zed knows she only approached him out of self-interest.
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Back when he was Jyn, this happened all the time. As soon as he started making a name for himself, everyone wanted a piece of him because his talent was highly profitable. Zed reflects that meeting his coach was pure luck since he
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was the one who turned him into a champion. Thanks to him, Zed stopped being a naive kid who fell for everyone's tricks. Snapping out of his thoughts, Zed hears Rio talking about the Varity meat and tells her to hold
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on. He realizes the meat isn't actually Varity. Zed finds this highly suspicious since it took the guards a whole week to get some due to how exclusive it is.
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Meaning there's no way all these people could be eating the exact same thing. Rio asks if it really matters once it's in your stomach, but Zed says it does.
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They aren't getting any of the meat's actual benefits and are just getting ripped off in a total scam. Just then, the waiter tells him to just eat and get lost, complaining that Zed is taking too long for someone who only ordered a
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single portion. Zed cuts him off, stating he ordered varity and demanding they bring him the real thing. The waiter replies that street tricks won't work here. Zed then demands to see the boss, threatening to make a massive scene if they don't comply. Seeing no other option, the waiter agrees to take
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him to the back. When they get to the back, the boss asks if they're the ones causing trouble. Zed replies that he isn't looking for a fight, but the restaurant is the one causing problems by selling fake food. The boss says he
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likes brave young men, but they picked the absolute worst time to act tough. Zed fires back, telling the man he's way too confident and that if he takes a step forward, he's going to lose his life. Right then, the boss's henchmen
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attack, ready to crush Zed's ego, but as expected, none of them can even land a hit on him. Zed easily counters, slamming the men into the ground with massive force. The boss is in complete shock seeing all the damage, while Rio
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cheers for the victory. Terrified, the boss asks what Zed wants. Zed says that now they're finally speaking the same language and demands fair compensation for the trouble. He orders the man to refund their money and pay for all the
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[music] food they eat, including real varity stakes. The boss quickly agrees to everything. Later, Rio is incredibly happy, having never slept in such a nice bed before. She tells Zed he's amazing and that she expected nothing less from
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a nobleman. Zed explains that if rumors about the fake meat spread, the restaurant would go under. So, the boss had no choice but to agree. Soon, they head to bed. In the middle of the night, Rio is still awake and asks if Zed is
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sleeping. She watches him, notices he isn't moving, and gets ready to slip out. Zed, who was actually still awake, just watches her leave in silence. A few days later, Rio asks when they're having breakfast because she's starving. She
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mentions that Zed should take at least one day off, trying to understand why he loves training so much since mages usually hate sweating and physical effort. Meanwhile, Zed is frustrated, wondering why his mana isn't increasing at all. He finally tells Rio it's time to eat and promises they're having steak
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today, making her extremely happy. As they walk through the city, Zed asks how many gold coins they have left. Rio says there are only a few. Zed thinks to himself that she must take him for an idiot just because he's from a noble
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family. But he played that game for years and knows 50 gold coins don't just disappear like that. He wonders if Rio is gambling or if it's pure greed, but decides to keep playing dumb for now. Back at the restaurant, a henchman tells
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the boss that Zed has arrived. The owner is way too proud to just accept that kind of humiliation and declares he'll have his revenge today. When Zed and Rio get to their table, the waiter says he prepared plenty of meat and tells them
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to call him if they need anything. Zed is highly suspicious of the warm welcome. He notices there are no assassins inside the restaurant and tries to figure out what's going on. Rio snaps him out of his thoughts and tells
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him to eat. She says their wraps are special and can be eaten in a single bite. Zed thinks everything seems fine, but warns her they still need to be careful. Just as he's about to eat, he realizes the food is poisoned and yells
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at Rio to spit out whatever is in her mouth immediately. Rio spits it all out and panics, asking if she's going to die from the poison. Zed reassures her that it was a very small amount and shouldn't affect her. He finally understands their
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plan, but notes that it's useless against him since he's immune to poison. Rio asks how he noticed it when the food had no smell or taste. He replies that it's because he's an Arahan. She then asks what they're going to do now that
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the restaurant is trying to kill them, and Zed replies that they're going to make them pay dearly for this. The boss wonders why Zed is bossing everyone around instead of just eating quietly and leaving. Zed tells him he called him
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over to settle some unfinished business, believing they'll die soon anyway since they ate all the food. The boss asks what the misunderstanding is this time.
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Zed says they came to make peace by sharing a meal and then Rio hands a piece of the wrap to the boss. Suspecting something, the boss hesitates, but Zed explains it's a gesture of reconciliation. The boss refuses the food. Zed asks why he won't eat it, questioning if the meat is
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poisoned. The boss denies it, but Zed cuts him off, saying he seems to enjoy playing games. Zed kicks the table aside and walks straight toward the boss. It turns out they didn't actually eat the meat, [music] they just hid it. Zed says
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he only planned to drop by every now and then and asks how he dares to poison his food. The boss demands proof for the accusations, revealing the true color of his pupils. Zed asks how he dares to deceive an Arahan. The boss panics when
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he sees those red eyes. Zed declares that he will pay for trying to kill an Arahan, noting that if a single person dies here, nobody will even notice.
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Desperate, the boss begs for mercy. He wonders why a western Arahan would be in the south pretending to be a mere wanderer. completely overwhelmed by Zed's incredible power. Zed says he'll show mercy just this once, but demands that his identity remain a secret. On top of that, he wants half of the boss's
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wealth to overlook the whole thing. Touched by the Aahan's generosity, the boss doesn't hesitate to split his fortune since money is useless if he's dead. Putting his contact lens back in, Zed tells Rio they'll leave town as soon
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as they get the money. Suddenly, Herna interrupts them. She points out that Zed has revealed himself to be someone very important. Zed wonders if she realized he is an Araan. Since the boss was too terrified to speak, there was only one
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place she could have gotten that information. They decide to take their conversation somewhere private. Once they're alone, Zed asks if she has something to discuss. Herna cuts in, saying she actually came to talk to a client. Zed then realizes that Rio was the client. Herna explains she
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investigated what the girl asked for, but she needs more money. Rio snaps, saying she already paid a fortune. But Herna counters that the amount barely covers her daily meals and that finding a missing person is extremely difficult.
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Watching the exchange, Zed puts the pieces together. [music] Zed asks Herna if he fulfills her request, she'll keep her promise to find Rio's missing sister. Herna agrees, revealing her request is simple. She wants him to fight Aika's again. Zed calmly accepts and asks if this will settle Rio's debt.
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She reassures him it will, claiming she never breaks a promise. Later, Zed asks Rio why she looks so downcast even though they just made a ton of money.
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She apologizes for lying to him for so long. Zed reveals he knew the truth from the very beginning. He just didn't realize she was working for Herna. He explains he played along because the help Rio provided was worth it. He then
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asks her not to hide anything from him again, saying that the worst thing in the world is betrayal. He reassures her that her past doesn't define who she is, and Rio promises to remember that. Rio begs Zed not to go through with the
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rematch against Aika's, suggesting they just take the money and run. He asks what they'll do about her sister. Rio replies that it's no use because Herna will just betray them again. It turns out Rio wasn't naive enough to be
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fooled. She was just so desperate that she clung to a rotten rope knowing it could snap at any moment. Herna was exactly the kind of person who would betray a desperate child. Zed says he originally planned on leaving but
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changed his mind. Rio warns him that Herna is going to use everything she has against him in this rematch, so it's better to just avoid it. But Zed says he's taking the fight anyway. He explains that whenever he sees trash, he
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just feels obligated to clean it up. Meanwhile, back in Carryon, guards are rushing around. One of them reports that everyone has been gathered. Clark is absolutely furious as he warns his men. He tells them he's going to finish them
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off this time, declaring that Zed Araan's days are officially numbered. A few days later, Zed wonders why Aikas seems so confident and senses that something is off. Rio makes him promise that if things get too dangerous, he'll forfeit. The referee starts the rematch, but the crowd is immediately confused by
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what they're seeing. Rio realizes right away that is copying Zed's movements. Ikas thinks to himself that the only reason he even showed up for this fight was because Herna guaranteed he would win. He tries to figure out how his
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opponent can be an Araan without any mana. He focuses on landing direct punches and kicks, bragging that he practiced all of Zed's moves and realized just how useful they are. Zed finds this unexpected, takes a closer look at his stance, and lands a direct punch on him. Aikas tries to process the
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attack for a moment, realizes how weak the punch actually was, and screams that Zed is nothing but a manalless failure. The crowd doesn't understand how Aika suddenly got so strong, but Zed quickly realizes he's wearing an ogre belt. The
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item reduces all incoming physical damage by 90%. Since Zed has zero mana, Aika's has literally become his worst possible matchup. Watching from a distance, Rio tries to understand why Zed can't seem to deal any real damage.
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She yells out, begging him to stop, but he just tells her to watch what he's about to do. That's when she notices Zed is actually smiling. Back in the ring, Aikas asks him if he's going to surrender. Zed says no, claiming he was
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just surprised. [music] Akas flinches when he sees his opponent change his stance, and Zed tells him this is the moment he's been waiting for. Before Aikas can even process what that means, he takes a direct kick to the head that
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leaves him completely dazed. Zed immediately follows up with a kick straight to the stomach. In that exact moment, the strongest man on Earth, Kim Jin Ho, feels true excitement for the very first time. No one had ever been
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able to last a single minute against him, which meant he could never use his full power in a fight. Seeing that is still standing after taking all those hits, Zed, or rather Jinho, realizes this is going to be his best fight yet
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since his opponent won't go down easily, he goes in for another high kick. Akis tries to block it, but quickly realizes this is no ordinary strike. The kick changes direction midair and connects with his head again. Zed spins and lands
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a clean hit right to Aikas' stomach. And this time, Aikas actually feels the damage. Jinho keeps unleashing a barrage of blows. Aikas [music] panics, completely unable to defend himself, while Zed tells him he better not fall, especially since he claimed those hits didn't even hurt. Desperate, Aikas
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thinks about giving up, but gets hit again, shocking everyone watching. Without missing a beat, Zed unleashes a horizontal kick right into the ogre belt, shattering the item. Aikas collapses to the ground. Zed asks him what's wrong and questions if he's really not going to get back up and keep
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fighting. Aikas admits defeat, but Zed cuts him off. Stepping on his mouth, Zed tells him this isn't enough yet and says it would be a waste to end it like this.
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Right then, his contact lens fails, revealing his true pupil color. Ekas is completely shocked to see the red eyes and passes out on the spot. Right after, Zed feels a strange sensation flowing through his body and realizes the moment
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he's been waiting for has finally arrived. His mana is finally above zero. Zed feels his entire body flooded with endorphins. In the middle of it all, he notices the place has gone dead silent. Rio runs over and asks why he took his
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lenses out. Zed wonders if his real eyes are showing and notices they're even redder than before. That's when the crowd realizes the color of Zed's eyes.
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A man screams that he's an Araan and that they're all going to die. Zed immediately tells Rio to run too since the guards will be here soon. He yells back that he'll return later for Herna to keep her promise. Furious, Herna
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regrets not listening to her henchmen and swears she'll destroy Zed Araan. Elsewhere, Herna wonders where she went wrong. She spent 600 gold coins on a three-year contract for Aikas, 200 on the belt, and another 1,200 on the director of Carryon. That's a total loss of 2,000 gold coins. She screams in
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anger, saying she should have listened to Director Clark from the start, and vows that Zed will pay one way or another. Meanwhile, Zed and Rio are hiding out since the city is crawling with carry-on guards. Rio scouts the
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area to check if the coast is clear, but bumps straight into one of Hera's goons.
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The man tells them he was sent to fetch them and says they better get in the carriage since no one else is going to give them a ride. Once inside the carriage, Rio asks if they're going to be okay. Zed replies that it's obviously
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a trap, but he agreed to get in to finally settle things with Herna. When they reach their destination, several guards are waiting an ambush. Clark asks Zed how he plans to escape now, calling them rats who had the nerve to steal his
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key. Rio has no idea what to do. Herna cuts in and tells Zed that if he had just teamed up with her, things wouldn't have ended this way. Zed fires back that he'd never team up with her in a million years and would rather die. Clark then
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warns Zed that his life ends today and orders his men to surround them. Zed tells Rio to back off. Clark comments that Zed has a lot of nerve trying to face him when he's just a mage. Zed replies that their chances of winning
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are exactly the same. At that moment, Zed really did have a 50% chance of winning. Even though Clark was a five circuit knight, Zed's odds of victory were still incredibly high. Clark says he's going to wipe that smug look off
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his face and warns Zed he's going all out right from the start. He charges in headon, but Zed just stands his ground. In that exact moment, Zed taps into the feeling he's been chasing and awakens the champion within. He activates his
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champion's will. His eyes glow red and a massive explosion rips through the area, leaving Rio in a total panic. Once the dust settles, Clark is standing right in front of his own attack until someone yells at him to look up. Zed is hovering
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high in the air, staring down at him. Clark wonders how Zed got his hands on that kind of power. Without a word, Zed counterattacks. Clark tries to block it, but the sheer force of the blow pushes him back, making him struggle to hold
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his ground. As he recovers, Clark can't wrap his head around how Zed is using lightning. Lightning is the one special element that bypasses all basic magic, making it the holy grail for every mage. Even the strongest leader of the Aahan
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family line couldn't master it. Everyone watching is completely blown away by what they're seeing. Clark then claims Zed is relying way too much on his bloodline, calling it a huge mistake. He unleashes a massive horizontal slash, but Zed dodges it easily. Clark immediately follows up with a vertical
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swing, which Zed also avoids without breaking a sweat. Clark gears up for another strike, but Zed lunges forward. Clark tries to hit him only to slam right into a lightning shield. This gives Zed the perfect opening to close
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the gap. He lands a direct hit, leaving the director literally shocked. The fight drags on for a while. Clark keeps trying to land a hit, but Zed dodges every single attack until he finds a gap in the director's defense. Zed lands a
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solid punch. Clark is baffled as to why a mage is throwing punches since the golden rule of this world has always been that mages keep their distance from knights. Since Zed is fighting hand-to- hand, Clark realizes he can't treat him
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like a regular mage and needs to put some distance between them. But Zed instantly closes the gap again. Clark looks for an opening but can't find one, taking another hit instead. Zed connects with another strike on the director who
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fails to defend himself. The force of the blow sends Clark flying back, crashing straight into a nearby mountain. From a distance, Clark watches Zed walk up to him. Once the mage gets close, Clark says he expected nothing less from the Arahan family and tells Zed to just finish him off. Zed asks if
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he wants to know why he lost. Clark says no, but Zed ignores him, stating that the director lost because he didn't train as hard as he did. Hearing this makes Clark furious. He snaps, saying it's impossible for a privileged Aahan
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to have actually worked hard and blames people like Zed for ruining his life. Zed fires back, pointing out that he's actually weaker than the director and that Clark would have easily won if he had more experience. However, Clark's
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own inferiority complex blinded him and stopped him from growing, making him the sole reason for his own defeat. Clark refuses to listen and just tells Zed to end it already. Zed hesitates, realizing that if he kills the director, the
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Empire will put a bounty on his head. While he's distracted, his skill deactivated and his power fades. Right then, Hera screams, ordering everyone to attack. Zed realizes dealing with this many guards is going to be a massive headache. Suddenly, a violent storm kicks up, completely blocking his
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vision. He tries to see through the chaos. And as the storm dies down, he's shocked by what he sees. Everyone around him has mysteriously dropped dead. Zed wonders who could have done this, quickly realizing that someone is going
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to frame him for all these deaths. Terrified, he starts shouting and looking everywhere for Rio. When he finally spots her, he lets out a huge sigh of relief. Rio asks him if he was the one behind all the carnage, but Zed
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tells her no. He explains that a highle mage nearby must have carried out the attack, and warns her that they need to get out of there right now. Just then, Rio picks up a piece of paper from the ground, calls Zed over, and says
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something is really off. Meanwhile, a man watches them from a distance. Later, in a different spot, Zed realizes the item is a magic scroll and injects his mana into it. The symbol that appears belongs to Arahan's secret organization,
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people who swore loyalty to the family and work directly for the boss. On the back of the paper, Zed spots the number four. He remembers that one means acceptance, two means rejection, three is negotiation, and four stands for
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protection. He realizes the Arahan family is trying to protect him because he awakened his mana. He also notices that his mana increased from level one to two after defeating Clark, proving that this world really does work, just like the game. Rio calls out to him, asking what their next move is. Zed
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tells her they're heading to the city where his sister disappeared, but Rio points out that before they can even get there, the Empire will put a bounty on his head, and traveling without a carriage is impossible. Hearing this,
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Zed says they need to adjust their route and head to Tamaya instead. Somewhere in Tamaya, a man appears alongside his comrades. They've traveled there to hunt down an Arahan. Bahal, who used to be Jinho's character back when he lived on
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Earth, declares he's here to take the life of a dishonorable Arahan. In a flashback, Bahal kneels before the king, who informs him of a new mission. An Arahan, who was locked up, has escaped from the facility and killed the
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director in charge. The king leaves the matter entirely to Bahal, the successor to the whole empire, who swears on his life that he will carry out the order.
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Cut back to the present, and Rio says their plan is pure madness. Only an idiot would charge straight through a dangerous forest. The areas surrounding the Empire are used as defense sectors against demonic beasts, with each family responsible for their own zone. The south, which is where they're heading,
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is guarded by the Bahal family. Their goal in going to Tamaya is to access a teleportation portal, but the fee is so high that even nobles rarely use it. Rio warns Zed that he'll only start listening to her once they run face
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first into a beast. Later, Zed tells Rio to eat up, saying, "You never know when death might come knocking. Suddenly, a vibration shakes the entire area. Zed moves fast to hide them both, keeping watch from just outside their camp." Rio
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asks if it's a demonic beast approaching, but Zed knows the vibrations aren't right for that. When he spots horses with glowing blue eyes, he realizes it's the Bahal Knights. Even from a distance, he counts over 50 of them and prays they'll just ride past. But then, one of the men shouts that he
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found traces of a camp. With so many enemies, it's only a matter of time before they're caught. Rio tells Zed to run, believing the knights will kill him, but spare her since she hasn't done anything wrong. Zed notices she's
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trembling with fear and doesn't even believe her own words. He tells her not to worry. He has a plan that just might work. Zed steps out of the forest thinking this is the perfect time to test out Ahan's protection since it was
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only a matter of time before they found him anyway and he figured he might die either way. He introduces himself to the knights right away. One of them attacks but Zed dodges it easily. As another knight charges in, Zed notices an
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invisible barrier shielding him. Suddenly, a dark voice orders the attacker to back off. The knight instantly obeys and asks who said that.
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Zed is shocked that the Araan organization is watching him this closely. Even with his perception maxed out, he hadn't sensed a thing. The hooded man tells the knights to retreat, promising they won't be harmed if they leave. Just then, another man steps up to challenge the Arahan guardian. The
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hooded man quickly identifies him as Torres Bahal. Seeing Torres feels strangely familiar to Zed since Torres was his main character in his past life.
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Torres focuses his attention on Zed, but the Arahan servant cuts him off and tells the knight to leave. The blonde knight, Torres, mentions he's heard of Arahan's secret organizations before. He gets ready to strike, claiming the servant is asking for a fight despite knowing who he is. Instantly, the hooded
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man casts a massive spell. Zed is stunned by the magic circle, realizing that anyone who attacks inside it will die. He figures this servant must be at least a seventh circle mage. Torres demands to know if Ahan wants a war with
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the Bahal family. The servant replies that they aren't looking for a fight and asks them to leave once more. This only furious Torres, who takes the request to leave as an insult. Watching from a distance, Zed realizes Torres is going
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to die if this keeps up. It's a fight he simply can't win. So, Zed steps in and asks the servant to call off the attack. The hooded man refuses, stating he only takes orders from the former lord, who told him to protect Zed, not to listen
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to him. Zed tries again, warning of the consequences of killing Torres and yells at the Bahal Knight to stop his attack, too. But Torres ignores him, declaring that Zed will pay for his crimes. Zed tries to explain that it's all a
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misunderstanding, but it's no use. Torres [music] won't listen. Torres charges at Zed, who just stands his ground. The attack explodes against the barrier. Zed realizes the mage decided to help him, and he's surprised Torres actually managed to pierce a seventh circle barrier. However, he notices
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Torres's technique is incomplete, and he's suffering from a severe backlash because he couldn't finish it. Zed warns him that he shouldn't use an incomplete secret technique. Torres asks how he knows about that, but immediately collapses, sending his guards rushing to his side. Zed warns the guards that
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Torres is suffering from mana backlash and tells them how to treat it. But to stabilize someone's circuits, you need stronger circuits than the injured person, and the only one capable of that here is Black Mirror. The mage can't
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believe his ears and asks if Zed really expects him to save an enemy. Zed explains that Torres is an old friend, and if he dies here, Araan will end up in a war. Black Mirror argues that Torres's death would actually benefit
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Arahan since he brought it on himself, and saving him isn't part of his mission. Zed disagrees, arguing that since he caused this situation, it is part of the mission. He warns Black Mirror that if he doesn't save Torres,
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his mission to protect him ends right here. Zed reminds him that he always keeps his word, and the mage should know that by now. Black Mirror warns that the Lord will be furious, but Zed doesn't back down and tells him to heal the
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knight. The mage finally complies, and Zed tells the guards to step back. Since Black Mirror is the only one with superior circuits, he successfully stabilizes and heals Torres. Shortly after, Zed notices Black Mirror has vanished, leaving behind another card with coordinates. The number on the card
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has changed to a nine, which stands for abandonment. Elsewhere in Tamaya, Rio asks if the people who helped them were really from the Black Mirror unit.
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Curious about what's on the new card. Zed explains the situation and asks how she even knows about the group. Rio replies that they are incredibly famous.
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Even kids know who they are and warns him that they need to be careful because everyone is watching them. Zed points out that if the tables were turned, he'd already be dead. He explains that while knights value honor above everything
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else, mages are the exact opposite. They only care about profit. Right then, a guard arrives and announces that the heir wants to speak with him. Inside the tent over a cup of tea, Zed asks Torres how he's feeling. Torres says he's doing
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better, and Zed tells him he can drop the formalities. When Zed asks how old he is, Torres replies that he's 17. Zed mentions that he's actually the youngest one there at 15. Watching them, [music] Rio wonders if she'd ever see members of
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Bahal and Ahan just sitting down and chatting peacefully. Torres thanks Zed for saving his life, which catches Zed off guard. He never thought he'd see a Bahal thanking a mage. Torres gets straight to the point about the director's murder, asking what really happened. Zed spends the next few
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minutes explaining the whole situation. After hearing the story, Torres admits it sounds like self-defense, [music] but asks if it's actually the truth. Zed points out that if he were lying, he would have just let Torres die instead of going out of his way to save him. Realizing Zed is right, the knight
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apologizes and asks Zed to accept a gift as a peace offering. Instead, Zed asks if he can request a favor, and Torres agrees. Zed asks him to find Rio's missing brother. Torres points out that this doesn't benefit Zed at all, but Zed
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says he doesn't care. The next morning, Rio is left wondering why someone would waste such a valuable favor on a complete stranger. While Zed tells her they'll be having breakfast soon, Torres notices Zed sweating and realizes it's because he has no mana, he's amazed that Zed hasn't given up despite his
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condition, doubting he'd have the strength to keep going if he were in the same shoes. His admiration for Zed grows even more and he decides he wants to become his friend. Later, everyone gathers to eat, and Rio is stunned by
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the massive spread of food. Torres says it's the least he could do for an Ahon, urging everyone to dig in since the food isn't just for show. Zed watches from a distance, noticing the table has no assigned seating based on rank. He
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thinks to himself that this is exactly why he respects Torres so much. Rio asks if it's really okay to eat and if the food might be poisoned. Zed assures her it's fine. Though deep down he's also a bit suspicious about why Torres is
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offering them something so expensive. Suddenly, one of the men stands up and excuses himself. Right after the rest of the group leaves, too, unable to stand being in the same room as an Araan. Once they're gone, Torres apologizes for the
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behavior. Zed tells him not to worry about it, explaining that people are raised to see mages as enemies, so their reaction is only natural. He adds that Torres's job as a leader is to guide them, not punish them. Hearing this,
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Torres thanks him for another valuable lesson. Wanting to lighten the mood, Zed asks what he's hiding. Torres asks if they can delay the search for Rio's brother by just one day. He explains that he wants to earn his men's respect
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first, and one day should be enough time. Zed checks with Rio, and she agrees. Later, out on the battlefield, a knight takes down a low-level beast.
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Torres commends him for the good job and orders everyone to move forward. Zed wonders why he was even brought along since Torres set up a frontal formation to patrol the area which is crawling with dangerous unknown beasts. But then
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it clicks. Torres wants to throw a feast after a major mission which would be the perfect opportunity to integrate Zed into the group. Zed thinks to himself that it's a pretty smart move for a 17-year-old. Just then, a guard calls
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out to Torres and points out some unfamiliar tracks. Torres asks if anyone knows what kind of creature made them. One of the knights suggests they should follow protocol and head back since they're dealing with an unidentified beast. But Torres brushes it off, asking if they are still in the first sector,
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because if they are, there's nothing to worry about in such a safe zone. Zed asks if he needs some help, and Torres is surprised that he actually recognizes the tracks. Zed explains that they belong to a basilis, a mid-grade beast
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that's pretty easy to handle. The guards immediately tell Torres not to listen to a mage who doesn't even live there and is from the West. Zed fires back, saying this beast isn't exclusive to their region, and that Ahan probably has much
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better records on it than the Bahal. This makes the guards furious and they tell Zed to stop mocking them. Losing his patience, Zed replies that they are the ones mocking themselves by being so disrespectful to the heir of Araan.
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Torres steps in and orders everyone to shut up. He starts to apologize to Zed for the trouble, but he's suddenly cut off by a beast's attack. [music] Torres immediately orders everyone into combat formation, telling them to spread out
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and surround the monster. The creature lunges at Torres, but he easily dodges its attacks. However, the moment he turns to talk to Zed, another beast strikes. He dodges again and realizes they are dealing with two of the same
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creatures. Torres and his knights prep a heavy blow to finish the fight, but their attack doesn't do a single scratch. Torres is baffled, but Zed already knew that these monsters couldn't be pierced by fifth circle energy. In fact, even attacks up to the ninth circle wouldn't work. Just [music]
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then, the creature prepares to counterattack. Seeing this, Zed screams for everyone to hit the dirt, and Torres echoes the order. Just about every soldier ducks, except for one guy who refuses to take orders from a mage. Zed calls him an idiot and barks at him to get down. The beast fires a barrage of
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spikes and everyone who listened to Zed ends up completely fine. Torres is absolutely stunned. Zed actually had to shove the stubborn guard to the ground himself. If he hadn't, [music] the guy would have been dead. Zed gets back on
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his feet and tells Torres to leave one of the beasts to him while the knights handle the other one. Torres asks if he can really take one down all by himself.
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Zed tells him they don't have time to argue and to just trust him, and Torres quickly agrees. Zed notes to himself that even in a life ordeath situation, Torres is still worried about him, which only makes him respect the leader even
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more. Torres and his men charge into battle. Zed mutters that Torres isn't the only one who's going to fight seriously. He charges up his lightning once again, gets the creature's attention, and rushes straight at it without wasting a single second. As he closes in, Zed thinks to himself that
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finding a bassilisk right after a hunt is incredibly lucky. He braces for impact and aims straight for the monster's head. But right then, the creature collapses dead. Zed was really hoping to get a demon's breath drop. So, he's thrilled when he actually gets the material, which is used to craft
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elixirs. He immediately heads over to help the knights with the remaining monster. The fight was proving tough even for Torres. But suddenly, a massive bolt of lightning strikes the beast. Torres has no idea where the attack came from, but then Zed walks up and asks if he's all right. Torres screams in
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disbelief when he sees him. Right after the other knights also realize they just witnessed the legendary lightning power. Torres asks if that really is the power of lightning since he thought Zed had no mana. Zed explains that he only recently
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awakened it. Normally the mana ring around the heart forms at birth or at the very latest by age six. Torres is blown away that Zed's rings are just now starting to form at age 15. Thinking that even the heavens must have been
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moved by the boy's sheer willpower. Zed snaps him out of his thoughts, asking if he can keep the other basilisk's core. Torres agrees since Zed was the one who took it down. Zed thinks to himself that in his 10 years of playing the game,
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he's never managed to get two of those cores in a single day. Back at the camp, Zed and his power are the only things anyone is talking about. Many wonder how a magicless mage awakened the legendary chi of enlightenment while others regret
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not joining the hunt. At the victory banquet, a soldier thanks Zed for saving his life. Zed brushes it off, saying it was nothing and that he's just glad everyone is safe. Watching this, Rio asks Zed what on earth he did out there
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to have everyone talking about him. Zed explains that everyone likes him now, which is going to be incredibly useful when they start searching for Rio's missing sister. From across the room, Torres calls out to him, praising his great work and promising that everyone will do their absolute best to find
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Rio's sister. Zed thanks him and Torres mentions he has to head back home the next day. He says the boss is completely shocked by everything and that he's already bracing himself for a scolding, but he promises to join the search party
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the moment he leaves the estate. Zed turns to Rio and reassures him that Torres Bahal is going to help them. Overwhelmed with emotion, Rio tears up and thanks them both. The next day, Rio tells them his sister's name is Lisa.
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She's about to turn 13 and she has long waistlength blonde hair. When Zed asks if that's all they have to go on, Rio adds that she's also super cute. Zed passes these details along to the soldiers and tells the knights to search
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everywhere, even checking with the slave traders. He then asks Rio where the market he used to work at is located. Once they arrive, Zed decides to go in alone so he won't be recognized. Rio compliments him, saying he looks like a
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true noble. As soon as Zed steps inside, the merchant spots him, welcomes him, and asks how he can help. Zed asks if this is indeed the Hamill Company. The man tells him he's mistaken, explaining that this place is actually a slave
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market. Zed points out that the merchant literally just asked him what kind of merchandise he wanted. Instantly, the merchant's tone shifts. He accuses Zed of just pretending to be a noble, but Zed fires back, telling him he's making
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a huge mistake and that he actually is one. The merchant argues that to a real noble, slaves are just products, adding that nobles never walk around without an escort. Then the merchant asks if Dvito was the one who sent him. Zed mocks him,
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asking if he's actually smart or just playing dumb. While secretly wondering who this Dvito guy even is. The merchant, [music] completely oblivious to the danger he's in, tries to threaten him. Zed immediately strikes him, warning him that if he just answers the questions, he won't get beaten up
Speaker A
anymore. Zed slaps him again to wake him up, and demands to know what happened to the previous owner of the building, who Devito is, and where everyone else is.
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The merchant asks if he's talking about the products. Hearing that word, Zed slaps him across the face again and tells him to say it one more time. Every time the merchant tries to speak, he just gets slapped again. Zed reminds him
Speaker A
that slaves are human beings and shouldn't be treated like objects. He tells the man to show some decency and reveal where everyone is being kept.
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Terrified, the merchant immediately opens a door. But when Zed steps inside, he's absolutely horrified by what he sees. Staring at the room, Zed wonders how anyone could keep so many people in such awful conditions. He asks if there's anyone else, and the merchant says no. Looking around, Zed notices
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there are no blonde or young slaves, making him realize that Lisa must have already been sold. Zed warns the merchant that he's going to teach him one last lesson before leaving. He orders him to hand over the keys to
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every room and all the money from the safe. Shortly after, Zed locks the merchant inside the room, telling him he deserves to experience exactly what he put those people through. Later, at a different location, Zed distributes the money equally among the rescued slaves. The knights help the group find a decent
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place to stay, and while everyone is eating, Zed listens to their stories. An elderly man shares that he used to be a butler, but after his employer's family went bankrupt, he ended up being sold into slavery. Zed is shocked to learn
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the man used to serve the Churville family, considering they were supposedly wiped out. The Churville family was famous for producing legendary blacksmiths, much like the Araan family is known for their incredible mages.
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However, they met a tragic end after betraying the empire, and today their name is barely even mentioned. Since no heir survived, it was a massive loss for the Empire, which is constantly at war with beasts. Zed laments the end of the
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Churville bloodline. The old man then asks him to keep a secret and suggests they talk somewhere more private. Once they're alone, the old man reveals that the Sherville heir is actually alive. Zed immediately asks where he is. The
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old man explains that the heir and the former head of the family swapped clothes, tricking everyone into believing the lifeless body they found belonged to the young master. If everything went according to plan, he should be hiding in Meyers right now. Zed never expected to hear something
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like this, but he realizes that since the heir is a fugitive, finding him will be next to impossible. Still, he thanks the old man for the information, hoping their paths will cross someday. He then suggests they head back inside, noting
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that staying out there might look suspicious. Back inside, Rio is picking at her food. Zed asks if she's not hungry and tells her not to beat herself up over what happened today. He explains that the slave trader they encountered
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was just the tip of the iceberg and promises they'll look for more clues about Devito tomorrow. Hearing this, the old man cuts in, asking if Zed just said Devito. Panicking, he begs Zed not to go after that man. Zed shrugs it off,
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saying he has the Bahal soldiers on his side. But the old man insists, warning him that Devito has connections all over the empire, and his biggest client is an Aahan. Zed argues that there's no way an Arahan would come all the way to the
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south. The old man explains that one enemy's loss is another's gain. They're taking all the southern slaves just to hurt the Bahal family. Looking at it that way, Zed admits it actually makes sense. He starts to wonder if the Black
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Mirror Corps is protecting Dvito, because if they are, it could spark a silent war between the Ahans and the Bahals. Rio snaps Zed out of his thoughts and he notices how worried she looks. He tells her not to stress,
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reassuring her that while he's doing this to help her, he also just wants to do the right thing. He says he's only following his beliefs. And either way, Dvito has to be dealt with. The next day, at Dvito's slave market, a man
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welcomes Zed. Moments later, Zed bursts into a hall demanding to know where Dvito is. A thug mocks him, calling him just another arrogant noble. Zed mutters that hanging around the Araan family really ruined them before revealing his true identity. Instantly, everyone drops to the floor, begging for mercy.
Speaker A
However, one of the men catches Zed's eye. He asks if that's Devito, even though he's dressed like a low-level thug. Suddenly, a voice calls out from above. The man asks what brings such a noble guest to his place, mentioning he
Speaker A
heard Zed destroyed one of his businesses. He wraps up by saying he didn't think Zed would have the guts to actually show up there. Zed gets straight to the point. He declares that as of today, Arahan is cutting ties with
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Devito and demands that he release all the slaves. Hearing [music] this, Devito bursts out laughing. Zed threatens him, but Dvito just mocks him, asking if Zed is actually planning to kill him. Dvito says he's done talking. He won't kill
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Zed since he's a noble, but he's going to teach him a lesson he'll never forget. Zed analyzes the situation. He figures the only member of the Black Mirror Corps there must be the hooded man. And if the enemy has five mana
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circuits or fewer, he actually has a shot at winning. Suddenly, Zed hears a familiar shout. With a massive explosion, Torres bursts in [music] to help, catching Zed completely off guard. Torres yells that by order of the emperor, they can take down all the enemies without mercy. Dvito panics at
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Torres's sudden arrival and dives to the ground to dodge an attack. Something lands right next to him, and he quickly gets up in shock when he sees it's his dead comrade. Torres warns Dvito that he's under arrest for kidnapping and
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tarnishing Bahal's honor, declaring that his first punishment will be losing a limb. Dvito begs for mercy, but it's no use. Torres slices his arm off. A second later, Dvito's other arm goes flying into the air. Dvito keeps begging, but
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Torres lands one final blow, putting an end to him. Zed thanks Torres for the help and asks how he got here. Torres explains that the emperor issued a new decree. When Zed asks if he's already dealt with the other slave traders,
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Torres explains that he sent out other squads but came to this one personally since it was the most important. He then asks if Zed was planning to take down Devito all by himself. Zed confirms he was, and Torres warns him not to push
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his luck by doing everything alone, especially since he just unlocked his mana. While Torres talks, Zed realizes how lucky he got. The blame for all of this would fall on Bahal instead of him, which would force Arahan to make a move
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soon. Looking at the hooded man unconscious on the ground, Zed wonders why he didn't fight, whether it was out of loyalty to Arahan or if he just didn't want to. A guard calls out to Torres, reporting that they've gathered
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all the slaves. They were poor people who had been kidnapped and forced into labor. Seeing the crowd, Torres orders his men to gather every blonde girl they can find. Just then, [music] Rio spots someone with yellow hair and calls out
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his sister's name, Lisa. But as he gets closer, he realizes he was mistaken. Zed thinks there's a chance she might have already been sold since young girls are highly sought after. Trying to keep Rio's spirits up, Zed tells him not to
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give up. A guard then reports that all the cells have been cleared and the last of the slaves are heading out. Outside, the guard mentions that the king decreed the remaining slaves be taken to the castle, and Torres agrees. He thanks Rio
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and Zed for their help with the raid and wishes them luck in finding Rio's sister. Suddenly, a horse nays, startling a young girl who trips and falls. Torres goes over to help her up, and when he asks if she's okay, he
Speaker A
notices she has blonde hair. Zed quickly calls out to her, asking if she's seen a kid who looks like her. The girl turns around and calls out to Rio. Seeing this, Rio runs over and gives Lisa a massive hug, which gets everyone
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emotional. Zed points out that they must have missed her because of her hood, but then he notices Torres is crying and starts teasing him. Torres asks how Zed can be so heartless and not feel [music] anything. Later, Torres tells everyone
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to eat and drink as much as they want. Lisa is blown away by the sheer amount of food. Torres hands her a plate and tells her to eat up, and she shily thanks him. Torres tells her she doesn't have to be so formal since he and Rio
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are friends. He then introduces Zed, saying that even though he seems cold, he's actually a good guy. Zed can't help but find the situation weird, thinking about how he's technically over 40 years old, yet here he is hanging out with a
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15-year-old and his 13-year-old sister. On the other side, Rio helps his little sister, telling her she can eat as much as she wants since his friends are incredibly rich. As the night goes on, the siblings conversation brightens up
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the whole place. Watching them, Zed thinks to himself that this has to be his most peaceful day since arriving in this world. But suddenly, someone bursts through the door, calling for Torres. Zed recognizes him instantly. It's the vice captain of the Bahal. Torres asks why he's there, and the vice captain
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replies that he's there to enforce the lord's new decree. He immediately draws his sword and points it at Zed. Zed size, realizing he can never catch a break in this world. Right then, the captain announces that the king has
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ordered them to bring Arahan in. Later, Zed is riding in a carriage. The captain goes over the rules, warning him never to look directly at the lord and to kneel the moment he sees him. When the captain tries to give another order, Zed
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cuts him off, asking who he thinks he is to boss around an Arahan. The captain warns him that he's not at home anymore, but in Bahal, and that he'll lose his head if he shows any more disrespect. Even so, Zed doesn't back down,
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demanding that the captain show some respect himself. When they arrive at the castle, Zed realizes he has to show at least some basic manners as the Arahan heir, or he'll probably end up dead. He feels trapped. If he bows, they'll think
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he's weak, but if he's too confident, he'll end up angering the lord. Once inside, Zed notices the room looks exactly like the one in the game. Since there's no sign of being on the seventh floor, he figures he was summoned as a
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guest, meaning things might not be so bad. Suddenly, a voice speaks up saying he's the first Aahan to ever set foot in Bahal Castle. Zed looks for the source of the voice and realizes the lord is standing right behind him. The pressure
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coming off the king is so overwhelming that Zed can't even move. He wonders if it's aura, but quickly realizes it's just the sheer presence of the king of Bahal since his own special trait makes him immune to normal aura. This meant
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the monarch was beyond the 10th circle, a true master swordsman. The king sits down and stares at him in silence for a moment. He praises Zed's courage but warns him to watch his manners in the Bahal manner. Zed thinks fast knowing he
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can't show weakness by kneeling or they'll never take him seriously. Instead, [music] he decides to thank the king for the invitation. The lord finds his choice of words strange. So Zed explains that being escorted by guards in a carriage is how you treat a guest. He adds that since he is in Bahal, he
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will follow local customs and bow to the lord. Surprised by his boldness, the king tells him to sit and invites him to have some coffee. Zed can hardly believe his plan actually worked. The king snaps him out of his thoughts, revealing he
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only called him there out of personal curiosity. The lord asks if he went after Dvito because of the royal decree, but Zed says no. He explains he acted on his own because human trafficking goes against his values. Zed decides to tell
Speaker A
the truth, knowing you can't lie to a master swordsman. The king asks if he knew about Dvito's connections to his family. [music] Zed confirms he had heard the rumors, but became absolutely sure the moment he saw Dvito in person.
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The king warns him that House Ahan won't let this slide and will punish him. But Zed declares he's ready for the consequences and has no regrets. The lord is impressed that Zed acted knowing full well he was going against his own
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house and that stepping into the castle put him in even more danger. The king concludes that Torres was right to call him an honorable mage and invites him to stay the night and join him for breakfast the next morning. Zed stands
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up and thanks him with a night salute. The king comments that he never expected to see a mage salute him like that. Later in the guest room, Zed feels completely drained from the meeting. He realizes being honest was his best move.
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If the Lord was anything like his in-game version, Zed's head would have rolled. His stomach rumbles and soon a massive feast is served while a servant politely wishes him a good meal from the doorway. However, panic sets in when Zed
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notices something. It was another card from the black mirror core. Terrified, he rushes out to look for any members of the group, but finds no one. Back in his room, he channels Mana into the card to reveal the message. A new number
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appears, signifying either a return or an aborted mission. This could only have been sent by the head of House Arahan. The next day, Zad is reeling, wondering just how far Arahan's reach actually goes. A voice calls out, snapping him
Speaker A
out of his thoughts. When he opens the door, he finds himself face to face with Torres. A little later in the hallway, Torres asks if the Lord really invited Zad to breakfast. He assures Zad that he's safe now, but Zad has his doubts.
Speaker A
Torres explains that the patriarch has already figured out what Zad is really like. Everything is fine, and the lord even wants to lift the bounty on his head. Zad plays dumb and asks about this bounty privately. He knows his life
Speaker A
would be perfect right now if Arahan weren't summoning him back. He realizes there's no escaping Aahan no matter where he goes. After breakfast, Torres takes him on a tour of the estate, ending at the knight's training grounds.
Speaker A
He mentions this is a special place, asking if Zad has heard that the white horses of Bahal choose their own riders. The ones right in front of them didn't have owners yet. Zad asks why there's only one horse there. Torres explains
Speaker A
that the animal has rejected every single candidate. They try to find him a rider every 3 months, but this horse has been holding out for 2 years, even rejecting the patriarch himself. Zad asks how that's even possible since
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these beasts are supposed to choose the strongest riders. Torres explains that's not always how it works, and this horse is an exception. He asks if the Bahal horses caught Zad's eye, and Zad says yes. Torres boasts that they're the most
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beautiful horses in the world, and there's a reason people call them divine beasts. Zad then walks up to the horse, looks it in the eye, and places his hand on it. Suddenly, someone interrupts him. It's the vice captain of the Bahal
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Knights. He claims he just came by to say hello, but immediately starts mocking Zad for being with an Arahan. Torres steps in, demanding respect since Zad is a guest of the patriarch. The vice captain apologizes, but then turns
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to Zad and challenges him to a friendly spar. Torres questions his attitude, reminding him once again that Zad is a guest. The vice captain promises it'll be a clean duel, but Torres insists that Zad isn't ready. As the man keeps
Speaker A
pushing during the argument, Zad cuts in and accepts the challenge. He tells the vice captain that if he wants a fight, he's got one. Down in the arena, the vice captain announces he'll only use a wooden sword. Zad tells him he shouldn't
Speaker A
do that, warning him he'll regret it. Watching from the sidelines, Torres wonders what Zad is thinking, accepting a close combat fight when he's actually a mage. Back in the [music] arena, the vice captain asks if Zad really thinks
Speaker A
he can win. Zad replies he's about 50% sure of his victory. His opponent calls him optimistic, but Zad fires back, saying he just hopes the vice captain can last at least a few hits. The vice captain notices Zad's highly rumored
Speaker A
energy. He comments that while it's a terrifying power, it's not a real threat because Zad's mana doesn't even amount to two circuits. So, the fight will end quickly. With that, the match begins and both of them charge at each other.
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Seeing Zad rush forward, the vice captain wonders why on earth a mage is going for close combat instead of keeping his distance. He decides to go easy on him since he can't go around killing a guest. Suddenly, his sword is
Speaker A
forced to the ground and Zad appears right beside him. Zad tells him to give it everything he's got and counters, sending the man flying. The vice captain is shocked to see his weapon is damaged. Before he can recover, Zad charges
Speaker A
again. The vice captain tries to counterattack, but it's useless because Zad dodges everything. Zad lands a direct hit on the man, then strikes him right in the face, sending him flying once more. Everyone watching is in complete shock at this display of power. At that moment, the horse stares
Speaker A
intently at Zad. With the vice captain knocked out cold, his comrades frantically call for a healer. Right then, another knight steps up and challenges Zad to a fight. Torres tries to stop it, saying the duel is over and
Speaker A
there's no need for this, but the knight tells Torres to get out of the way. Zad accepts the challenge and knocks this opponent out, too. As Zad keeps winning, more and more knights step up to face him. Seeing the line of challengers
Speaker A
never ending, Zad says that accepting defeat is part of a knight's code of conduct. The men get furious hearing a mage lecture them about this, claiming he doesn't know the first thing about honor. Zad replies that he accepted
Speaker A
their challenge right in the heart of Bahal Castle. Yet, they're still choosing to be ignorant and refuse to accept their defeat. Right then, the patriarch shows up. Everyone freezes in shock and he immediately orders them to sheathe their swords. Zad is stunned, even with his perception stat at level
Speaker A
100. He didn't sense the lord approaching at all. He realizes this is what a true master swordsman is capable of. The patriarch comments that he never expected to see an Arahan in the Bahal training grounds, calling it a historic
Speaker A
moment. Zad apologizes, explaining he couldn't back down from a duel. The Lord then uses this to lecture his men, telling them this is exactly why they can't slack off on their training. He adds that while climbing the ranks is
Speaker A
important, they need to learn from actual combat experience and never underestimate their opponents. The patriarch thanks Zad for teaching his squad some manners and says he won't forget what happened. Hearing [music] this, Zad realizes the lord is incredibly sharp and that he's basically
Speaker A
sitting in a hornet's nest. Suddenly, something charges right toward Zad. It's the white horse that had been watching him earlier. Torres can't believe his eyes while Zad asks what's going on. Torres explains that this is a selection ritual. When a horse finds its rider, it runs to show off its strength, meaning
Speaker A
it has finally recognized someone as its master. The horse finishes its run and bows. Torres tells Zad that the animal has chosen him. Still in disbelief, Zad asks if the horse is really picking him. Watching from afar, the patriarch is
Speaker A
glad the beast finally found a master, but wonders why it had to choose an Aahan of all people. He calls out to Zad asking if he will accept Jingu as his partner and stand by her side forever. Still confused by the sudden turn of
Speaker A
events, Zad asks what this is all about. The mayor approaches and he asks Jingu if she wants him to say yes. She nighs in agreement. Zad turns back to the lord and announces he will accept Jingu as his companion. One of the knights
Speaker A
protests saying it's unacceptable for an outsider to have a Bahal horse. The patriarch admits that until now only Bahals have ever ridden the white horses and very few were ever chosen. The knight asks the lord if he forgot the
Speaker A
atrocities the Arahan family committed against them, arguing that such a rare beast shouldn't be trusted to a mage. The patriarch cuts in, saying that's exactly why he made a promise to Zad. Since the knight still refuses to trust
Speaker A
him, the patriarch warns the vice captain that if Zad doesn't treat the horse well, he will personally take his life. The man tries to argue again, but the patriarch shuts him down, declaring the matter closed. Later, on his way
Speaker A
back, Zad remarks on how incredibly fast Jingu is. A bit later, he meets up with Rio and Lisa. Rio teases him, joking that he actually made it back from Bahal territory alive and even managed to bring back one of their horses. Zad
Speaker A
laughs and asks to talk. Once they're indoors, Zad fills Rio and Lisa in on everything. He mentions the instruction card left by Arahan and says he has no choice but to head there. Rio cuts in and asks to go with him. She reminds him
Speaker A
of his own words that abandoning comrades is never an option. He tries to refuse, warning her that Arhan is unlike anything she has ever seen. Rio replies that she knows the dangers, which is exactly why he needs someone he can
Speaker A
trust inside the clan. She adds that Lisa can handle the heavy lifting and that they would both be a huge help. Zad considers the offer. He had planned to say his goodbyes to Rio right here, but ultimately decides to accept, telling
Speaker A
them they're all going to Ara together. A while later, Zad realizes he can't head to Arahan without any backup. Right now, his only options are the last heir of the Baskerville blacksmith clan and the demonic breath he took from the
Speaker A
Basilisks during the hunt with the Bahals. He also needs holy water to refine the breath into an elixir. To sort everything out before the trip, he decides he has to head to Meyers first. His real concern now is whether Lord
Speaker A
Araan will actually wait for him somewhere else. Rio is shocked to hear that Zad plans to spend all their gold bars. She points out that 500 gold coins is a massive amount of money and asks how he could possibly spend that much.
Speaker A
Zad explains that the elixir he's trying to make requires divine holy water and the success rate depends entirely on its purity. Since the purest water is also the most expensive, he decided to head to Meyers where there's a priest he
Speaker A
actually trusts. Rio asks if he's really taking all the gold, leaving them completely broke. Zad confirms he is, joking that they'll still have a few silver coins left. He then tells her he's heading out and tasks her with
Speaker A
finding an old man named Larco who has white hair and only one eye since there are plenty of old men who fit that description. He instructs her to gather all of them in one place by offering a cash reward. Rio thinks that will make
Speaker A
things easy, but Zad disagrees. He explains that Laro is a fugitive, so this gathering is actually a trap to see who doesn't show up. The one who avoids the meeting is the exact person they'll be tracking down. Zad warns her that the
Speaker A
man will never go by the name Larco, so she needs to investigate quietly. Zad reflects on how he originally planned to use that money to buy magic tools.
Speaker A
However, once he found out a Churville was still alive, his plans completely changed. Now he needs to use the money to make his elixir first. After that, [music] he'll try to recruit Larco to supply him with magic tools, hoping to
Speaker A
use items to make up for his lack of mana. Meanwhile, far away, Zad watches a man announce that everyone at the church will be served on a first come, first- served basis, regardless of social status. Wondering why the church is so
Speaker A
packed, he asks a man ahead of him in line what's going on. The guy replies that they're selling holy water for half price today. He then looks at Zad, comments that he looks like some noble's son, and tells him to get out of line so
Speaker A
the water can go to the poor who actually need it. Hearing this, Zad realizes something doesn't add up. Holy water has to be infused with divine power and can only be made once a day. Since St. Johan didn't care about money,
Speaker A
it made sense that he might sell it at half price. But Zad wonders how there could possibly be enough holy water for everyone when production is so limited.
Speaker A
He concludes that something is definitely wrong. After waiting in line all day, it's finally Zad's turn. The priest asks him how many bottles he wants, and Zad replies that it must be exhausting to act all day. The priest
Speaker A
pretends not to understand, but Zad corners him, demanding to know where the real Yan of Meyers is. The man denies it, claiming he is the real Yan and calling Zad crazy. He tells Zad to leave if he's done, pointing out the long line
Speaker A
behind him. Zad warns him that he won't get away with this, but the fake priest just scoffs. He threatens Zad, telling him that if he wants to live, he should keep his mouth shut and stop interfering with his business. Later, Zad wonders
Speaker A
how the fake priest didn't even flinch when threatened with being reported to the Imperial Army. He considers the possibility that the local troops are backing the corruption. Since he has no proof, he'll have to investigate himself, remembering there's a fortress surrounding Meyers. Shortly after, Zad
Speaker A
arrives at the fortress. The guards spot Bahal's white horse and ask what brings him there. He replies that he's there to deliver a report to the general. When the soldiers ask if he has an appointment, Zad says no. He asks if the
Speaker A
general is really that busy, but the guard explains those are just the rules. Zad insists it's an important report, but the guard apologizes and sticks to the protocol, saying he's [music] just doing his job. Zad realizes he won't get
Speaker A
anywhere with the guards, but he refuses to leave empty-handed. Right then, [music] Zad spots a man walking over and instantly realizes it's the base general. The general asks who he is and demands to know why he has a Bahal horse
Speaker A
since he clearly doesn't look like one of their soldiers. Zad replies that it was a gift. The general scoffs, saying he's never heard of the Bahal family giving away horses as presents, and asks what noble house he's from. Zad replies
Speaker A
that he doesn't have a lineage. He's just a familyless mage. General Pullman mocks Zad for claiming to be a mage who just happened to get a horse as a gift.
Speaker A
He asks Zad if he has no shame lying like that. Zad tries to explain that he just got lucky and it was a huge coincidence, but the general cuts him off. He orders his men to arrest Zad, throw him in prison, and seize the White
Speaker A
Horse. Seeing this play out, Zad mutters that they really are working with the church. The general snaps back, telling him he should have just kept his mouth shut. Before they drag him away, Zad warns Pullman that he's going to regret
Speaker A
this. The general fires back, saying Zad is the one who's going to regret it once they break every bone in his body. Meanwhile, back at the Bahal estate, the patriarch reveals that the emperor has offered them a massive reward. The Bahal
Speaker A
family saved around 3,720 enslaved people, followed by the Arahan family, who saved 2,80. The emperor always tries to keep the balance of power and harmony between the clans, rarely encouraging direct competition like this. In the throne room, the patriarch tells Torres to go get dressed because he'll be the
Speaker A
one receiving the reward on behalf of the family. Torres is left completely speechless. Just then, a guard reports that a girl wants to speak with the patriarch. The soldier says he tried to send her away, but she claimed to be
Speaker A
friends with Zad and Torres. Hearing this, Torres asks if her name is Rio, and the guard confirms it is. Torres wonders why she would come all the way here. The patriarch then tells the guard to bring her to his office. He figures
Speaker A
Zad must have had a good reason to send her, remembering that Zad said he had something to tell him. As soon as Rio enters the throne room, she immediately drops to her knees and greets Lord Bahal. The patriarch asks why she's here
Speaker A
and she explains that Zad asked her to deliver a letter if he didn't return by nightfall. The patriarch takes the letter and his eyes go wide at the contents. In it, Zad exposes all the corruption within the church,
Speaker A
specifically mentioning the tainted holy water and the fake priest. Rio adds that she was worried something had happened to Zad, which is why she came to deliver the message. The patriarch praises her actions, saying it was honorable of her
Speaker A
to come all this way to help a friend, even while terrified. Since it's already late, he tells Rio to go get something to eat while he writes a reply. She is amazed that someone of her status just got praised by the patriarch, thinking
Speaker A
to herself that nights really are incredible. Later at the cafeteria, Rio gets emotional as she eats, crying tears of joy because the meat tastes way better than anything back in Varity. Meanwhile, Zad is working out. A guard is shocked to see this since he's been at it for over 2 hours. Suddenly, the
Speaker A
general arrives complaining about how the prison smells and demands a status report. The guard tells him that Zad has been exercising non-stop since the previous shift. Later, the general unties Zad and says he'll let him go if he answers one question honestly. He asks if Zad cast a spell on the white
Speaker A
horse he was with. Zad denies it, claiming that the horses of Bahal choose their own masters. The general says there's no way he's believing a horse bred for knights chose a mage, but Zad just tells him he'll see soon enough.
Speaker A
The general snaps at his response. He says the last round of punishment was too light, so he's going to handle this personally now. He boasts that nobody lasts more than 30 minutes with him, says he can't wait to see Zadbeg, and
Speaker A
warns him that this is his last chance. Zad just swears and mocks the general.
Speaker A
Enraged, the general tries to stab Zad in the leg with a knife, but someone interrupts him to announce that a letter has arrived from the Bahal Empire. The general throws the knife at the guard, snapping that he explicitly said not to
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be disturbed. But the guard reminds him that it's an incredibly important document. The general opens the letter and sees that he is being accused of imprisoning a friend of Bahal and an heir of Arahan. The letter demands that
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he step down from his position and submit to an investigation, warning that he will face severe punishment if he doesn't comply. Furious, the general rips up the paper. Convinced [music] this is all Zad's doing, he claims the patriarch of Bahal has no right to interfere with a general appointed by
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the emperor. Zad calls him an idiot, saying, "Of course the patriarch can interfere." The general fires back, saying that if he just kills Zad and the fake priest right now, there will be no way to blame him. Tired of talking, Zad
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says guys like him only learn the hard way and gets ready to fight. Suddenly, a bunch of chains appear and bind the general. When Zad looks over, he realizes it's the men from Bahal. They explain that the patriarch of Arahan
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ordered his return and asks Zad to come with them. Zad wonders why they're suddenly dragging him back, but the man says those are their orders. Zad tells them he hasn't finished his business here yet and will return on his own. But
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the man insists he has to come back immediately. Realizing he's backed into a corner, Zad reminds the man that going back to Aahan right now is basically a death sentence and that he needs to wrap things up here first. He asks them to
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pass this message along to the head of Ahan, and then the man vanishes. Zad realizes he needs to prepare for an interrogation when he finally gets back there. Shortly after, the man reappears, letting Zad know that the master has
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given him exactly 2 weeks to return. With that, Zad's countdown officially begins. The henchman warns Zad that he'll handle the situation regarding the former general and the cathedral, adding that an investigator will be arriving soon. He then drops one last warning. The boss wants Zad to stop hiding the
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fact that he's an Arahon. Zad asks if he should stop wearing his contact lenses, and the man confirms he should. After saying their goodbyes, Zad mutters about how the guy always disappears right after dropping a massive bombshell. Two
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hours later, the investigator arrives and congratulates Zad on his actions, asking which family he belongs to. That's when Zad reveals his true identity, formally introducing himself as Zad Arahan, the seventh son of his lineage. The investigator is stunned, mentioning it's a great surprise to
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cross paths with the Araan named in the decree. Hearing [music] this, Zad wonders what decree he's talking about. The investigator then shows him that Zad was actually mentioned by the emperor himself at the end of his official decree. He adds that he's wanted to meet him for a long time and is glad they
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finally crossed paths. Zad wonders how his majesty even knows who he is, but the investigator, Cox, explains that one of the people Zad saved told the king all about his heroic deeds. Right away, Zad realizes it had to be Gordon. Next,
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Zad [music] asks the investigator for a favor, explaining that he wants to personally wrap up the cathedral case. Cox gives him free reign to do whatever he wants, and Zad thanks him for being so generous. This surprises Cox, who
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notes that Zad is the first Araan to actually thank him in a very long time.
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He tells Zad he can use the Imperial Army unit to close the case, giving him full permission to eliminate the enemies if necessary. He also promises to take full responsibility if anything goes sideways. Zad thanks him once more and
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Cox chuckles saying Zad is officially his favorite Araan because he's so polite. Later, Zad stands with the Imperial Army right in front of the cathedral. He issues a loud warning, announcing he's going to count to three for the scammers to come out of the church. When nobody budges, a guard asks
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if they should storm the place. Another guard stops him, pointing out that using weapons or mana inside a church is strictly forbidden. Zad tells them he'll handle it himself and orders them to stay back, saying he's in a rush. Behind
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him, the guards whisper, debating whether they should help him since he won't be able to use magic inside. Just then, Cox steps up and orders everyone to stand down and wait for Zad's return, reminding them that he gave Zad full
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authority. The knights try to protest, warning Cox that he'll be held responsible if anything goes wrong inside. Cox just scoffs, telling them they clearly don't know anything about the Aahan family. He explains that an Arahan always keeps their word and never backs down, even if it means doing the
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absolute dirtiest work imaginable, which is exactly why everyone fears them. Inside the church, Zad confronts the criminals, telling them he promised he'd be back. Outside, Cox tells everyone to watch closely. After a few moments, the Knights notice everything has gone completely silent, and they see people
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limping out of the building. It turns out to be all the imposters, completely beaten and defeated by Zad. The guards are left speechless, wondering how on earth he managed to take everyone down without using a single drop of mana. Cox
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congratulates Zad, calling it the feat of a true Aahan. Zad thanks him and asks that the imposters be properly punished for selling fake holy water. He then calls inside, letting someone know the coast is clear. The real priest, Yan,
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steps out of the church, walks over to the criminals, and heals them all, urging them to repent of their sins and serve God's will. With the situation resolved, Johan introduces himself as a priest of the empire and invites Zad in
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for tea to show his appreciation. Zad accepts. But before he can go, Cox stops him and offers a gift, a badge that grants him authority wherever Imperial knights are stationed. He tosses the badge to Zad, saying he trusts him to
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keep his hands clean. Cox warns him to only use the badge for the good of the Empire, adding that using it for personal gain would be a betrayal of his trust. Zad thanks him, promising he will never use it for his own benefit. With
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[music] that, the two say their goodbyes. Zad bows in respect, hoping they cross paths again. Inside the church, Yan thanks Zad for his service and asks if there is anything he wants as a reward. Zad says he needs holy
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water. Confused, Yan asks why, pointing out that holy water is used to heal the sick and fight evil. When asked how he plans to use it, Zad explains he needs it to craft a magic item that will save his life. The priest asks how this item
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will save him. Zad explains that because he is an Arahan who can't use mana, he was kicked out of the family. Now they are calling him back and he asks if the priest understands what that means. Yan nods, acknowledging that family power
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struggles can be brutal. He asks if a magic item can really save Zad's life and Zad admits it won't solve everything, but it will definitely help him on the journey ahead. In his head, Zad calculates that a magic elixir will
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boost his stats by two points. To use his lightning at full power, he needs five mana points. Since he only has three, those extra two points are going to be crucial. Yan snaps Zad out of his [music] thoughts. The priest mentions he
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had already heard rumors about Zad taking down slave traders and believes it was God's will that brought him to the city of Meyers. Yan reveals he has been keeping some holy water for years, waiting to give it to someone who truly
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needed it. He spent a long time concentrating his divine power into those bottles, making them the purest holy water ever created and hopes they will help. Hearing this, Zad shows his sincere gratitude. Later, in another area, Zad can't believe his luck. He also managed to get his hands on an item
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he always dreamed of having back when he was a player, the priest's emblem. In this world, this emblem holds insane power. It basically acts as an indirect stamp of approval from both the church and the empire. This means no one can
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target his life without a good reason, or they'd become enemies of the empire itself. Thanks to this, he'll be much safer in any future fights. Zad realizes Yan must have been thinking about his safety when he handed over the emblem.
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Now he has one from the Empire and another from the church. This is the perfect time to head back home since he's about to face some seriously powerful enemies there. Just looking at these items gives him peace of mind.
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With that out of the way, it's time to brew the elixir. Zad remembers that with normal holy water, the success rate would only be 20%. But since this water is special, his chances should be much higher. He prays for it to work on the
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first try, knowing he has backups if it fails. Then the alchemy begins. At first, nothing happens, and he starts to feel disappointed until the elixir suddenly appears right in front of him. Surprised that he pulled it off on his
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very first try, he quickly drinks the potion. Since he still has two bottles of holy water left, he has two more attempts. He figures if he succeeds again now, he'll still have one bottle to spare. Zad prays for good luck once
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more. Sure enough, his theory is proven right as another elixir is completed. He wonders what the actual success rate of this water is, concluding that Yan must have spent an incredible amount of time purifying it. Next, Zad drinks the
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second bottle and finally reaches his dream milestone of five mana points. This immediately unlocks a new lightning skill. Overjoyed, Zad literally jumps for joy. He says he can feel all his stress and anxiety melting away, thinking this is way better than just playing the game. Later, Rio hands over
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her report. She says she found 40 men fitting the description he asked for and offered them money. Out of those 40, only 34 actually showed up, meaning they'll have to go after the six who flaked. Zad asks if she has located them
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yet. Rio confirms she has and even wrote down their exact coordinates. Zad thanks her for the great work. Rio boasts that she can handle even tougher jobs if needed. Zad immediately shuts that down. He tells her she's already proven her
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worth by showing how smart she is and that he'll take it from here. He also tells her not to get too emotional over the obvious. Their conversation is cut short when a woman approaches and asks if he's Zad Arahan. He confirms he is
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and asks how she knows him. The woman replies that everyone in Myers knows him since he punished the scammers and saved the entire town. Zad suddenly realizes why everyone has been staring at him so weirdly. As soon as people realize who
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Zad is, a massive crowd starts to gather. Rio panics and asks what they should do. People swarm him, thanking him for everything he did. Caught in an embarrassing situation, Zad decides it's time to get out of there. But as they're
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leaving, someone catches Zad's eye. He instantly recognizes the white-haired man with a scar over his eye. It was Lacto Sherville. As soon as Zad spots Lacto, he yells at him to freeze. But to get to him, he has to push through the
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massive crowd first. By the time he finally breaks free, Lacto is gone. Rio runs up and asks if he found who he was looking for. Zad tells her he saw him, but he slipped away. The two of them quickly set off to track him down with
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Rio guiding him using a list of addresses she wrote down. They arrive at the first spot. Zad bursts into the house, but the man inside isn't lacto.
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He checks the next address and comes up empty. He busts into another house. Wrong guy again. Finally, they're down to the very last location. Inside the final house, Zad notices a trap rigged at the door. It makes sense considering
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they're hunting an Imperial fugitive. He tells Rio to back up, getting a really bad feeling about the place. He's sure Lacto was actually here. As he opens the door, Zad instantly activates his powers to shield himself. And just in time, the
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blue fire trap triggers a massive explosion. Right then, a new trait activates, making him completely immune to the blast. Once the smoke clears, Rio runs in to check if Zad is okay. He just ignores her, standing there in shock.
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That trap was designed to catch bears, and he had no idea you could even make something like that inside the city. Zad curses his luck, realizing the fire just wiped out any potential clues. His new trait prevents him from dying to instant
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kill attacks, meaning no one can take him out in a single hit. He figured the blast would be around a level four or five circuit, but since his survival trait triggered, he realizes the trap's power level was way higher than he
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thought. A little later, the blame for the explosion falls squarely on them. Since they can't prove it was a rigged trap, they end up as the prime suspects.
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[music] Rio panics. wondering what they should do and suggests asking the Bahal family or investigator Cox for help. Zad shoots that down, pointing out they've already helped them too much lately. Moments later, the Imperial army arrives, shouting for Zad, who preps himself to go down and face them.
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Outside, the general introduces himself as Madden and orders Zad to surrender. But then he spots the cathedral crest Zad was given by Yan. Startled, Madden asks if that's really the priest's mark, and Zad confirms it is. The general
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quickly apologizes for his rudeness and properly introduces himself as the new general of Meyers. He explains there was a massive explosion and Zad's name is the main one tied to it. Zad admits he was at the scene but explains he was
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actually a victim of the blast. The general asks what he was doing there in the first place, but notes Zad isn't obligated to answer. Zad says he doesn't mind sharing, explaining he was searching for someone and accidentally walked into a trap. Hearing this, the general says he understands. Zad then
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asks if he can get some help with his search. Madden refuses, [music] saying the Imperial Army can't get involved in personal matters. But then Zad pulls out his Imperial badge, leaving everyone completely shocked. The general immediately changes his tune, agreeing to help since Imperial law
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dictates they must obey anyone carrying the badge. The soldiers line up, waiting for orders. Zad feeds them the details on the runaway fugitive, and the guards listen intently. Watching from above, Rio gets goosebumps, thinking to herself that Zad is actually terrifying. The next day, wanted posters are plastered
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all over the city, offering a 5,000 gold coin bounty for the criminal. Disguised in the crowd, Lacto looks at a poster and wonders just how far Zad will go to hunt him down. The drawing on the poster was actually made incorrect on purpose.
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Lacto wonders why Zad is so desperate to find him. Realizing he'll only get answers if they talk face to face. He wonders when all of this will finally end. He's lost track of how many cities he's fled to, and he's exhausted from
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living in the shadows. He even starts to think that maybe it's just his time to go and that he's lived long enough. But right at that moment, Zad appears right behind him and whispers for him to act natural. Lacto asks who he is and Zad
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introduces himself, telling Lacto to follow him. Once they're in a more private spot, Zad introduces himself formally. He tells Lacto there's no need to introduce himself as he already knows exactly who he is. Lacto asks why he's tracking him down, and Zad replies that the reason you'd seek out a legendary
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blacksmith is pretty obvious. He explains he's on a mission to recruit Lacto as the exclusive craftsman for Aahan. Zad knows that while items are usually meant to increase attack speed, you also have to consider factors like weight since heavy equipment is practically useless. That's exactly why
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he wants to recruit Lacto. The blacksmith could create the perfect gear that wouldn't hold him back in battle. He needs to make Lacto his ally. So Zad asks the old man to join him and keep his legacy alive. By having the world's
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greatest craftsman work with the world's greatest family, Lacto would be able to pass his techniques down to future generations, keeping his bloodline from dying out. Hearing this, Lacto points out that it's a bold offer, but his family is already doomed. Zad assures him that Arahan will help clear the
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Churville family name of the false accusations. Lacto interrupts, asking if Zad has any idea what actually caused the Churville incident. Zad admits he doesn't know for sure. The blacksmith questions how Zad plans to help him without even knowing what happened. In reality, Zad only knows the story from
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the few details he heard from the game's NPCs. Since official records simply labeled them as traitors who rebelled, Zad argues that even if he doesn't know everything, he knows the Churville family was powerful and honest. Since their only goal was to create magic tools, they had no reason to rebel. A
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rebellion made even less sense considering the emperor had achieved both the supreme master and arcane realms, making him an immortal supreme being. Below him was only the imperial army of mages and knights and not even the combined forces of Bahal and Arahan could defeat him. Because of this, a
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Churville rebellion would be completely illogical. Zad asks the blacksmith to tell him what really happened, and Lacto gets ready to explain. He starts by asking Zad if he knows the Martin family. Zad confirms he does, noting they are the second ranked family of mages. The old man nods and adds that
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the Martin family always wanted to surpass Arahan. Zad comments that would be impossible. Lacto then reveals that the real tragedy began when the Billy family entered the picture. Zad recalls that the Billy family suddenly gained power and quickly became rivals to the Martins and asks what happened next.
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Lacto explains that the Martin family panicked and framed him. Even though they were his main client, they betrayed and sabotaged him, marking the beginning of the end for the Churville bloodline. Unfortunately, [music] he wasn't even given the chance to explain himself. Hearing this, Zad wonders if Aahan
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really had no part in what happened. If Arahan had helped bring down Sherville, taking the blacksmith there would be a massive headache. But since they didn't do business with Sherville, the downfall shouldn't affect them. Besides, with all the family's power, it wouldn't be an issue for them anyway, especially since
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the black core can pull off anything without leaving a trace. Zad points out that since there are mages involved, Arahan can definitely handle it. The old man asks if Zad is willing to take responsibility for those words. Zad
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confirms he is and asks Lacto once again to come work with him. With no better options left, the blacksmith agrees, seeing this as his absolute last hope to pass on his techniques and legacy. Zad then tells him to get ready to leave at
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dawn. Zad reflects on how he got way more than he ever expected. He now has connections to the empire's power, [music] the cathedral, and to top it off, the best blacksmith of a lost lineage. He has secured the absolute
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best the south has to offer, making him wonder what else he'll manage to acquire in Aahan. Meanwhile, in NA, a city in the western region, Rio is amazed by the view, unable to believe a place like this actually exists. [music] Zad asks
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if she ever traveled here back when she worked as a merchant, and she says she's never been to NECA before. Suddenly, Lisa spots something made of gold and calls Rio over to check it out. The old blacksmith mentions it's been a long
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time since he last visited. When Zad asks how long, Lacto says it's been about 10 years, noting how completely different the city looks now. Zad notices that even though they are still in the south, this area is clearly much
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colder than the others. He also realizes that no matter where they go, Bahal's white horse draws a ton of attention. Later in their rooms, Rio asks why they aren't heading straight to Araan. Zad explains they still have a whole week
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before their scheduled arrival. Rio asks if he's heading out, and Zad says yes. [music] He warns her that he might be gone for a few days, maybe even over a week, and asks her to stock up on enough food for the three of them while he's
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away. He also tells them to stay inside the entire time to avoid any unnecessary trouble. With that, everyone wishes him a safe trip. Leaving the inn, Zad mutters that he can already smell the gold. But no matter how much money is
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flowing in a city like this, there are always people who came here looking for a fresh start and ended up failing. A bit later, Zad stops by a shop and asks to buy black contact lenses. The merchant finds it a bit odd, but makes
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the sale anyway. Next, Zad visits a clothing store and asks for their oldest, most worn out clothes, deciding to take them on the spot. Once his disguise is ready, he figures he's finally set to blend in with the crowd
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and find the king of the alleys. Much later, Zad arrives at a completely different, sketchy looking area. As he walks through the alleys, several people starting at him, which really gets on his nerves. He's starving, but before he
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can even think about food. A group of guys suddenly surrounds him. One of them asks where he's from and why he's wandering around, telling him that if he's a newbie, he needs to act like one. Zad just ignores him and asks for some
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food, which pisses the guy off. Another guy chimes in saying they'll end his life before he can starve to death. And they all rush him. One of them lunges forward, but Zad easily dodges and counters, taking down the guys in front
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of him. He goes after the ones left standing, and in just a few moments, he's cleared the whole group. Zad realizes that even his lightest hits are knocking everyone out since his strength is currently at 70. [music] He complains
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to himself that they could have avoided all of this if they'd just given him a piece of bread. As he tries to catch his breath, one of the guys says, "Zad won't survive here and that his organization is going to destroy him." Zad finds it
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funny that they call themselves an organization and warns them that he's taking it over. Right then, he easily dodges a surprise attack from the group's leader. Zad thinks to himself that he caught a big fish on his very
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first day. From the sidelines, someone yells out that Zad is in deep trouble because that man is the legendary assassin, Kinzera. Zad just mocks him, making Kinzera furious and ready to fight. Caner praises Zad's movements and preps his final blow. Zad quickly notices the assassin is using mana and
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figures he must be at least at the fourth circuit or higher. Canera charges with a deadly strike, catching Zad offg guard since Zad thought the whole assassin thing was just empty talk. He realizes his opponent is actually pretty
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good as he's managed to put some real pressure on him. It's only then that Zad realizes he isn't fighting just one enemy, but three of them working together. Fed up with the situation, Zad starts his counterattack. As he
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activates his power, his true eye color is revealed, shocking his enemies when they realize he's an Araan. Zad decides to test out a new attack and channels all his power into his hands. The men had already backed away, but they get
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caught in the blast instantly. Looking at the aftermath, Zad is impressed that he could pull off an attack on that scale with so little power. But his moment of peace is cut short when he hears people approaching. It's the city
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guards who heard the noise from the explosion. They investigate the area and find a trail of blood leading straight to Zad. As the guards follow the trail, Zad wonders what he's going to do and why he can never just solve a problem
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and be left in peace. With no other choice, Zad decides to reveal himself and confront the guards. Immediately, [music] they bow down, realizing he's an Aahan. One of them points out that Zad isn't Tund. Zad clarifies that Tund is
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his older brother and then tells the guards he saw the people responsible for the explosion running off just ahead. Zad relaxes once the guards leave. He thinks about how powerful the Arahan name is in this city since people bow
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down the second they hear it. Then he remembers his opponent from earlier and goes to check if the guy is still alive. Realizing his attack was way stronger than it should have been. As Zad is carrying the body, he hears the assassin
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brothers and orders them to show themselves. They immediately start begging for their brother's life. Zad finds it hilarious that professional killers are begging him for mercy. He asks them how they can go around taking lives yet beg for one to be spared. The brothers beg for forgiveness, explaining
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that this is just how they learned to survive. They claim they've never killed an innocent person, only those who invaded their territory. Zad asks if that's really true. The brothers nod, saying their master taught them to always put family first, so they never targeted anyone who didn't deserve it.
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Zad offers a deal. He'll release their brother if they lead him to their boss.
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They immediately [music] refuse, saying they would never betray their comrades. Zad explains he doesn't mean any harm and just wants to buy information.
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Still, the men are skeptical, pointing out that plenty of people have used that exact same excuse. Realizing the negotiation is going nowhere, Zad swears on the Aahan name that he won't harm them or their allies. But the brothers
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still refuse. Out of options, Zad makes a final pitch. They can blindfold him. Since neither side trusts the other, [music] he argues this is their only chance to build any kind of faith. He points out that since he chose to
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believe their story, it's only fair they believe him, too. The brothers finally agree, but warn Zad that he'll have to make the entire trip blindfolded and tied up until he meets the king of the streets. 2 hours later, Zad realizes
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they're walking in circles. He asks the brothers if they're afraid of the Black Mirror Corps. If that's the case, they should stop wasting energy and take him straight to their boss, especially since the Black Mirror would already know not
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just their location, but their entire reach and influence in the city. The brothers [music] panic, wondering if they're being followed right now. Zad tells them he has no idea since the Black Mirror operates in a different dimension, making them completely untraceable. Shortly after, the men
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finally lead Zad to their leader. Once they arrive, [music] the king of the alleys demands to know what's going on and asks if they've forgotten the rules.
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One of the brothers apologizes and explains that the intruder only came to negotiate. The boss rejects the idea on the spot and orders them to throw Zad out. Zad then pulls out some holy water and tells the man to use it to heal his
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brother. After that, Zad turns to Eddie and says he's here to strike a deal.
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Eddie ignores him without even looking up, but Zad steps in and gets his attention. This forces Eddie to look at him, and he's shocked to realize he's looking at an Araan. Eddie demands to know if his own men betrayed him. They
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try to defend themselves, explaining once again that Zad only came to talk business. Hearing this, Eddie scoffs that all nobles are hypocrites. Zad finally locks eyes with Eddie, who was known as one of the smartest men in Last
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Saber, a literal genius among geniuses. Realizing he can't just ignore him, Eddie says he knows exactly who Zad is. He knows Zad is the Arahan who was exiled to a detention center far from home. Eddie says he knows Zad came here
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to make a proposal, but warns him he has absolutely no interest in doing business. Zad asks how he can be so sure about that. Eddie replies that it's obvious and that all nobles are the same. Seeing Zad's silence, Eddie
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smiles, knowing he was right. Zad thinks back to Eddie's past. He had run for several political offices, but lost every single time because of his humble background, which made him absolutely despise the nobility. Zad is thrilled to see that Eddie is exactly how he was described in the game. He steps closer
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and says he's there for a different kind of deal, specifically to trade information. Eddie admits he's surprised Zad wants to trade info for info.
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Meanwhile, Zad realizes there's no way he can survive in this world without dealing with the Alley King since he's such a crucial hidden player. Zad asks if Eddie really remembers everything after reading it just once. Eddie cuts him off, telling him not to jump to conclusions. Just then, Zad notices that
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the king throws away books as soon as he finishes reading them since there's only one book left on the table. Eddie tells Zad to keep talking and share what else he figured out. Zad says he came here to make a deal, and Eddie is willing to
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listen. Finally, Zad makes his proposal. He wants all the information Eddie has on the Araanss, specifically regarding his siblings. Eddie asks what exactly he wants to know. Since information can be worth money, weapons, or even protection, Zad needs to specify what he has and what info he's going to trade in
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return. However, Zad warns him that he won't be sharing any information right now. Eddie loses his temper, pointing out that whatever info Zad is offering could end up being completely useless. Zad cuts in, saying Eddie is in the
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exact same boat. When it comes to the Arahons, the Alley King shouldn't know more than Zad does. So, if they can't agree on how to trade, there's no point in making a deal. Privately, Zad decides to keep pressing his luck. He knows
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Eddie inside out, but Eddie knows nothing about him. Zad wraps things up by saying that since Eddie doesn't seem interested in negotiating, there's no point in him staying. Once he's outside, Zad tells himself there's nothing to worry about because Eddie will definitely reach out to him first
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anyway. Suddenly, someone calls out to him. It's the siblings thanking him because the youngest one, who was injured, recovered quickly. They say any other noble wouldn't have cared if the kid lived or died, and then they ask for
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Zad's name. He introduces himself, and the man promises he'll remember him forever. Zad used to think he was biased against assassins, but after meeting these three, he realizes they share a deep bond that keeps them from ever betraying one another, making them even better than regular people. Zad then
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asks if they are the Kinzera, and the siblings confirm they are. He reflects on how impressive it is for assassins to reach the Fourth Circuit and notes that having them as allies will be incredibly useful in future battles. The scene cuts
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back to Zad and Eddie's room. The Alley King asks why he's back, and Zad says he wants to buy the Canera siblings. Eddie is shocked and Zad quickly adds that he'll pay with information. The king is stunned, unable to believe Zad actually
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came back just for those three. Eddie then says the information would be useless anyway because even if he handed it over, Zad wouldn't know how to put it to good use. Eddie explains that the Kinzer siblings are the leaders of his
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squad, so buying them out won't be cheap. Still, Zad pushes forward and asks for his price. Eddie makes his offer. He wants to know why the young Arahan, who was exiled from the family, has returned. Hearing [music] this, Zad
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calls him small-minded for asking for such useless information. Eddie loses his temper. Zad keeps going, saying he expected him to ask for something actually useful. Eddie grabs Zad by the neck, warning him that his patience has run out. He tells Zad he's just a noble who thinks he's tough because of his
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family name. But Eddie backs off when he sees Zad staring him down, wondering what's up with that intense look. From a distance, the servants warn Eddie, reminding him he's laying hands on an Araan. Eddie apologizes, claiming he got
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a bit carried away and asks Zad for his terms for the deal. Zad cuts him off and asks who is standing right in front of him. Eddie answers that he's the heir of the Aahan family. Zad nods and says that means he should be utilizing nobles.
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Confused, Eddie asks if Zad is telling him to hire nobles as employees. Zad says he knows how Eddie's curiosity gets the best of him, but in the underworld, his information is limited. His proposal is to bring Eddie into the light by
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helping him start a detective agency. Eddie cuts in saying he never did that before because ordinary people can't just buy buildings. Zad explains that's why he will own the building himself while Eddie will be the tenant running the whole operation. He adds that he'll have the Black Mirror Corps handle
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security, proposing they become partners. Eddie gets excited. This is his chance to finally get better intel on the Black Mirror Corps, but he questions if Zad will really provide a building and put Arhan's elite on guard duty. Zad confirms it and promises he never breaks his word. Realizing this is
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a once- ina-lifetime opportunity he can't pass up, Eddie finally seals the deal. However, Zad stops him and warns that before they start the partnership, they need to settle the matter of the Canera siblings and the Arahan intel. A
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few days later, Zad finally arrives at Aahan territory. Rio asks if he's doing okay since he didn't sleep at all last night. Zad assures him he's fine, thinking to himself that he spent the whole night memorizing the shocking
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information Eddie provided. Those documents literally had everything on the era hands. Now his job is to get stronger and make allies within the territory. Today is going to be a massive day, and his approach will decide whether everything succeeds or fails. Near the gate, a guard demands to
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know who's approaching, but his partner points out it's Zad and says they've already been notified of his return. Zad explains he's returning by order of the family. The guard tries to block the group accompanying Zad, but Zad steps
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in, stating they are his companions, and he won't enter without them. But the guard won't budge, warning that no one enters without the family head's permission. Zad grumbles that things are already getting complicated. He considers forcing his way in, but that would break the territory's rules. With
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no other option, Zad decides to go in alone, promising to return soon to get everyone else inside. Before he leaves, the old man mentions he has a bad feeling about this and tells him to be careful. Right after, a woman comes to
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call him, saying the Arahan patriarch is waiting. Zad goes to meet the leader, doing everything he can to stay calm since he prepared so hard for this moment. He knows he has to act exactly like a true Araan because a mage values
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pragmatism and he needs to win the patriarch over. Inside the mansion, the head of the family orders Zad to enter, mentioning it's been a long time since they last saw each other. Zad greets the master. The patriarch asks him how it
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feels to return to the family after all this time. Zad says it feels exactly the same, which makes the chief question him. Zad then explains that it feels identical because the master's overwhelming aura is still intact and that bone chilling cold is still lingering in the air. The patriarch
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bursts into laughter at the response, but just from him laughing, a crushing pressure fills the room. He then asks how he should evaluate Zad as an arch mage. That's when we find out the patriarch actually killed all his own
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siblings to take the throne. This man is Zenedan Araan. Zenedan comments that Zad has changed a lot over the years since he remembers him as a weak child. Zad quickly cuts in saying the word weak doesn't belong in the Arahan family. The
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patriarch agrees and laughs again, saying there's no way a son of his wouldn't have mana. He then asks about the lightning Chi Zad awakened and if he understands just how important that power is. Zad says he does. The chief
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points out that in all of Arahan history, there has never been anyone with a power other than fire, which is the family's basic element and asks how Zad got the lightning. Zad says he doesn't know the exact origin, but
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suggests it's because Aahan blood holds infinite possibilities. The patriarch [music] asks if he was surprised by the awakening. Zad says he was since it's a power that only appears once every hundred years, but adds that such a blessed gift should naturally belong to an Arahan. The chief laughs again,
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praising Zad for giving all the right answers. Meanwhile, Zad's stomach churns every time the master laughs, and he mentally prays for him to stop. The patriarch reveals he called him there because with the power of lightning, Zad can reach levels of strength never before seen in the family's history. Zad
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instantly realizes he was only brought back so the chief could add this new power to his own list of achievements. Then [music] Zenedan's tone shifts and he warns Zad that he has to answer for his misconduct. The chief mentions that
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Zad wiped out one of Arahan's slave merchants and asks if Zad knew who the business belonged to. Zad says he did, which makes the patriarch furious. Zad quickly explains, assuring him he didn't do anything harmful since the merchants
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were going to get caught eventually. Since the slave trade goes against the emperor's laws, Zad decided to nip it in the bud before it ruined the family name. The chief fires back, saying, "Zad's words make no sense since that
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business provided a lot of long-term benefits and brought in great money." Zad tries to justify it, arguing there is a difference between dirty profits and legitimate profits. The patriarch mocks this, declaring that profit is profit, and there's no such thing as dirty money. Zad doesn't back down,
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stating that the most powerful family in the empire can't accept dirty money because the Araans should only hoard the brightest gold coins. Hearing this, Zenedin demands to know why Zad joined forces with the Bahal. The chief says that no matter how foolish Zad thinks he is, he knows damn well the Bahal are
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their worst enemies. Zad tries to explain that their paths only crossed by pure coincidence. The patriarch cuts him off instantly, asking how he dares try to lie to him, revealing he knows all about the invitation and even the horse
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the Bahal gave him. Zad quickly defends himself. He clarifies that he wasn't invited but kidnapped and swears he showed the rival patriarch the true strength of an Araan. As for the [music] horse, he explains he brought it back as
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a war trophy, questioning why he's even being scolded. After all, the Bahal lost their exclusive white horse to an Araan. He adds that having an Araan ride an enemy mount only boosts their clan's reputation. Internally, Zad praised the
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chief buys his story. Zenedan stares him down and warns him never to try and sweet talk him again. Zenedan warns Zad that if he ever lies again, he'll pay the [music] price, but then he admits Zad isn't entirely wrong and actually
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deserves praise instead of a scolding. Zad is shocked, realizing his father knew he was lying the whole time, but decided to let it slide. Wanting to wrap things up, the patriarch asks Zad what he wants. Zad says he wants his
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inheritance funds reinstated, and asks for his own guards, just like his brothers have. The chief agrees, but warns him that any responsibility for them will fall entirely on Zad. Zad thanks his father, secretly noting that he'll need to be careful since there are bound to be traitors among them. The
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patriarch then changes the subject to Zad's companions. Zad cuts in, guessing his father already knows about old man Lacto. Right away, Zenedan refuses to let Cherville in, pointing out that he's a fugitive of the Empire. But Zad notices his father has no intention of arresting him, otherwise he would have
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sent the Black Mirror Corps already. Zad asks if the Araan family had anything to do with the wipeout of the Cherville family. When the patriarch asks why he'd think that, Zad explains that Cherville never made deals with the Araanss, only
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with their rivals, the Martins. [music] Hearing this, the chief scoffs, saying he'd never get involved in petty bugs fights, calling the Martins losers who only dream of getting close to his family. So Zad asks him to accept Lacto
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Shervel, but the request is denied. He then asks for help clearing the old man's name, but the patriarch demands a good reason. Zad argues that Lacto is the greatest craftsman alive, and the Araan family needs him. The chief agrees
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to let the craftsman in, but refuses to clear his record, saying that's up to the one who brought him. Zad thanks him, thinking to himself that the patriarch sure loves to pull strings from the shadows. He also realizes that now that
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Lacto is officially his servant, he can use that as an excuse to leave the estate to search for rare materials. With that, the chief ends the conversation and watches Zad leave. As soon as he [music] steps out, Captain
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Mahodin appears. Zenedan asks for a report and the captain calls the boy highly suspicious. He explains that while Zad might look questionable on the outside, on the inside he seems like a completely different person, showing even more confidence than the first prince. Mahoudan points out how Zad
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tried to trick them with his fast talking and asks why the leader let him go without a punishment. The patriarch replies that Zad had a desperate look in his eyes. He admits he's curious about the path his youngest son will take,
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noting that being smart isn't enough. You have to be cunning and determined. Finally, he says he's putting Zad on the same level as his brothers and that it's time to send him to Young Mio. Meanwhile, the group arrives at Zad's
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estate. Seeing how rundown the place is, Rio remarks that it's going to take a lot of work to clean up. The siblings step in, telling Zad to rest while they handle it, and they all head to different rooms to start cleaning.
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Outside, Zad spots his guards arriving. He asks them how long they've been soldiers, and one of them answers, "It's only been 3 months." Zad assumes they must have at least five circuits, but he's disappointed to see they're just
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rookies. It makes sense, though. His brothers probably recruited all the best members. He can also tell these guards are already regretting being stationed here. Zad thanks them for coming. One of the guys asks what their next duty is
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and wonders why Zad is the one cleaning the place. Zad says it's obviously because it's his house and immediately puts the guards to work cleaning, too.
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He tells them everyone has to pitch in regardless of their background because he's sick of all this noble and commoner talk. He then heads inside and calls the water mages to take over the cleaning. A while later, the house is spotless. As
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they walk down the hallways, Zad shows everyone to their rooms. That's when Rio asks if there's anything to eat, saying he searched the entire kitchen and couldn't find a single thing. Zad admits he completely forgot about that. After
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thinking for a second, he asks a guard if the closest place nearby is Tund's manor. The soldier confirms it, but warns him not to go to the master's house in Yolong. Zad asks why, and the guard explains that an uninvited brother
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visiting another's estate is basically a declaration of war. Zad smiles and says that's perfect, which terrifies everyone. Over at Tund's mansion, the owner is throwing a massive tantrum, screaming about how much he hates onions and tossing plates everywhere. He even threatens to kill the servants for not
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answering him. The headmade, Grace, tells him he should treat the staff with kindness. But Tund snaps back, saying they've gotten arrogant because she's too soft on them. She replies that his health is only going to get worse if he
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keeps eating whatever he wants. In her head, Grace thinks pleasing this kid is a total drag. She notices her illusion magic has worn off and realizes she'll need to cast a stronger spell tonight. Suddenly, a maid screams her name,
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running in to report that Zad is outside. Grace stands up, figuring an uninvited visit at this hour is a clear declaration of war, and orders everyone to gather. But the maid adds that Zad came alone. Grace asks if she's
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absolutely sure about that. Just as the maid is about to answer, Zad swings the door open behind her, shocking everyone with his sheer arrogance. Zad asks if they're having dinner. The guards surround him, but they're stunned when he asks why they're just staring at him instead of greeting him. One of the
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guards quickly says good evening and asks what brings him there. Zad simply remarks that she must be Grace, the headmaid, and asks if she isn't going to greet him either. Grace is taken aback. She wonders where he gets the confidence
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to act like this, considering he used to be just a weak kid who didn't even need to be kept in check. She's also thrown off by the aura surrounding him, wondering if they unlocked his mana before bringing him back. Zad asks again
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if she's going to greet him. Finally, she introduces herself as Grace Monae, feeling miserable about having to bow to an idiot. Zad comments that playing the part of the real power around here must have made her arrogant since she's
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letting her aura leak out so carelessly. Grace stands up completely takenback by his comment. She realizes Zad is no longer the loser she once knew and wonders what happened to him. Not only did he show up alone, but he carried
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himself with an attitude that proved he had some serious backing. Then she notices [music] the priest's crest on his chest. Right then, Tund stands up, furious that Zad didn't greet his older brother. He barks at Zad, asking if he's
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lost his mind coming here. Zad calmly replies that he has nothing to say to Tund, calling him nothing more than a puppet. Tund slams his hand on the table, demanding to know if Zad just spoke to him informally. Zad scoffs and
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asks if that bothers him, and Tund snaps back that it absolutely does. Instantly, Tund begins casting a spell. He brags that he recently learned this magic, and since Zad is looking for a fight, this is the perfect time to test it out.
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Grace steps in and tells him to stop, but Tund ignores her. She grabs him and repeats the order. Tund loses his mind and demands to know why she's stopping him. Grace tells him to stand down, promising to explain everything later.
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She then turns to Zad and apologizes for the incident. Zad casually replies that it's no big deal. Grace realizes she needs to avoid a conflict with Zad at all costs. If anyone from the Empire comes to investigate Ahan, their
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operations will be shut down. On top of that, the patriarch absolutely hates the emperor, which would cause massive trouble for her. So, she asks Zad what brings him by so unexpectedly. Zad replies that she speaks pretty boldly for a mere ruler and immediately demands food, mentioning his mansion is
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completely empty. Hearing this, Grace flies into a rage and orders her people to bring him all the remaining meat and bread. As he heads out, she asks if that was really all he wanted. Zad confirms it, adding that he'll be back tomorrow
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for more, which only infuriates her further. Later on, Zad orders the earth mages to dig a pit and the fire mages to light a fire. One of the guards remarks that it's been a long time since they ate outdoors since doing so is taboo in
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Aahan, and only knights are allowed to roast meat outside. Noticing Zad is listening, the guards explain that knights burn a lot of energy, so they're allowed to eat wherever they can. Zad realizes he's never heard of such a
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rule. Another guard stands up asking if knights are just natural savages, but Zad interrupts, asking if the guard is actually going to skip out on the meat.
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Zad tells them they've had a tiring journey and should just eat whatever they want without worrying. He announces that from now on they don't need to care about rules or taboss because those things don't matter at his mansion. They
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can do whatever they want as long as they get their work done. Everyone is stunned by his words. Zad then points out the meat is finally cooked and tells them to dig in. The next morning, a man explains that this building is the only
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property his father left him. Zad, sitting on his horse, points out that while the deed is in the man's name, the real owner is Tund. The man drops to his knees, warning that if they keep the young master waiting, they won't survive
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his wrath. Zad realizes this isn't just a simple real estate deal. It's a move in a power struggle. The man claims he doesn't have the documents since Tund naturally keeps them. However, Zad says he came prepared. He hands the man a
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paper to sign, explaining that with a sales contract, they would just need to get it authenticated at city hall. but he threatens to end the man's life right there if he doesn't sign. The man asks if Zad will truly guarantee his safety,
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[music] and Zad swears on the Araan name. The man quickly takes the pen and signs. Zad smiles, realizing he now owns the building. At Nika City Hall, the mayor slides the paperwork back, confirming the transfer of the Warren
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Batty building. Zad asks if he's going to process the authentication right away. The old man declines, explaining that Zad shouldn't have any issues once the balance is paid. He adds that because of theft risks, they use this dual management system to ensure no one gets cheated. Zad thinks to himself that
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someone is definitely getting cheated in this transaction. Douglas comments that Zad is quite unique since Aahan don't usually buy buildings under their own names. Zad says he's aware of that, but thinks to himself that there's no reason to create loopholes by using proxies. Suddenly, Grace's voice echoes from the
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end of the hallway. She kicks the door open in a blind rage and marches up to Zad. Douglas shouts that using mana is strictly forbidden here, but Grace fires back, yelling that Zad is the one who broke the rules. Zad stands up and Grace
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snaps that the building belonged to Tund. He replies that he has no idea what she's talking about since the registered owner was Warren Batty. Grace warns Zad that he is making a massive mistake and asks how he plans to deal
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with the consequences. Zad counters that she's the one in the wrong running her mouth when she has nothing to back it up. Grace declares that as Tund's ruler and a mage of the Monae family, she promises he will pay for what he did
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today. Zad replies that in that case he has a warning of his own. Whether it's revenge or gratitude, he pays things back 10fold. He warns her never to forget the Arahan family motto. If you mess with him, you lose everything.
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Elsewhere, Eddie asks if the building really belongs to Zad now. Zad confirms it, saying he'll be managing the place from now on. Eddie admits he had his doubts, but didn't think Zad would wrap things up so quickly, praising his
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determination. With that, Eddie slides a contract into Zad's hand. Zad asks what it is, and Eddie explains it's a list of mages hiding in Na. Zad doesn't understand why he's giving him this out of nowhere. So Eddie asks if he doesn't
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want a Linder since the Araan family's goal is to get stronger. Eddie mentions he heard they don't have a decent master. Zad admits he had already been thinking about that and thanks him for the concern. Eddie replies that since
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they're partners now, the stronger Zad gets, the better. Zad doesn't recognize any of the names and asks who he recommends the most. Eddie points to number one on the list, Crang Gutra. He says he wouldn't even need to explain if
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Zad knew the Gutra family, but Zad says it's his first time hearing the name.
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Eddie explains they're an old, highly famous mercenary family from the west. Zad asks if they were also mages, and Eddie replies that for a smaller family like theirs, being mercenaries was the best way to make money. A nearby guard
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chimes in, saying he's heard rumors that the Gutras were the best mercenary group in the world. Eddie confirms they are incredibly skilled and expensive to hire. Zad finds the concept of a mercenary mage interesting. Eddie says Gutra isn't your typical mage and that even the beggars say he's an incredible
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fighter. Zad agrees that someone with mercenary experience must have plenty of real combat training. Eddie adds that the master specializes in scouting and assassination on top of having great survival skills. In his opinion, he's the perfect choice, making everyone else on the list not even worth looking at.
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Zad asks why he even wrote down so many candidates then, and Eddie admits the situation was actually a bit complicated. Meanwhile, back at the mansion, Tund slams his hand against the wall, swearing he'll kill Zad for touching his building. He snaps at Grace, demanding to know what she was
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doing while everything was going downhill. Tunda brings up the money they were getting from the building, and questions the mage, reminding her that she was the one who said they needed resources to increase their power. In response, Grace unleashes her energy all over her body, a dark aura wrapping
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around her hands, and orders Tund to look her in the eyes. She touches his face, making him slowly lose consciousness. Grace tells him to calm down, warning him that he's being too loud. Tund hangs his head and apologizes. Grace sits back down in her chair and starts planning how they're
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going to take Zad's life. She warns him that she'll need to use some of the young master's assets to hire some very expensive people and that she'll use illusion magic to keep them quiet. Tund promises he'll do whatever she wants.
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Grace pats his head and calls him cute, saying he's always like this when he listens to her. Elsewhere, a man asks if he can help Zad. Zad says he's looking for someone, and the man directs him to the front desk. Zad walks right through,
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but Eddie is stopped because of the building's rules. With no other choice, Zad tells Eddie to wait outside until he gets back. Inside the hotel, Zad is pretty impressed by how much money was poured into the place. He heads to the
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front desk and asks for the guest list. The receptionist tells him she can only give him the list for the standard rooms as policy strictly forbids sharing any information about the VIP suites. She then steps away to grab the allowed
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list. Zad finds all this red tape annoying and realizes he's probably gotten too used to the free pass that comes with being an Araan. Since the staff here aren't intimidated by his eyes, Zad figures one of the owners is
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likely an Arahan themselves. Maybe the first or second son. Because of that, he decides he definitely shouldn't use his name to force his way in. When the receptionist returns with the paperwork, Zad looks it over and notices the person
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he's looking for isn't on the standard room list. Suddenly, Zad hears someone shouting and complaining. A waiter tries to explain himself, but a nobleman shuts him down. Watching the commotion, Zad mutters to himself that this guy has quite the personality. He studies the man, thin, bald, and acting incredibly
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eccentric. Zad concludes it's not eccentricity, just pure arrogance, and the old man quickly catches his eye. Right then, Crang mentions feeling a raw energy in the air and realizes it's coming from Zad. Zad is completely confused. The old man walks right past him, grumbling about how annoying it is
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to see an Arahan first thing in the morning and complaining that his luck today is terrible. Watching him walk away, Zad thinks to himself that it's rare for anyone to dare talk to an Arahan like that. He'd have to be either
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crazy or a psychopath to pull that off. Once they're back outside, Eddie mentions that the man who just left was Crangutra. Zad replies that he already knows. Seeing Zad's reaction, Eddie realizes the meeting didn't go well and reminds him that he did warn him about the old man's eccentric personality. Zad
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fires back, saying the guy isn't eccentric, he's just arrogant and badtempered. Eddie suggests they move on to the other candidates on the list. Zad remembers that the others are retired five to six circuit mages. He thinks about how even with a strict diet and hard work, his own mana doesn't go past
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five. Frustrated by these thoughts, Zad suddenly loses his mind and just bolts. Zad asks a guard if he holds a grudge against the Ahan family, and the guard asks if he's talking about Crang. The guard mentions that if it weren't for
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the tattoo, he wouldn't even know Crang was from the Gutra family. Zad asks if he means the mark on his forehead, and the guard nods, explaining that fangs and claws are the symbols of the Gutra family. Just then, they spot Crang
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nearby. Zad notices that even though Crang was complaining about the Berdaan beef earlier, he still ended up going out to eat. He remembers that Torres promised to get him the highest quality Berdison beef and thinks he can use that
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to break the ice. Zad reflects on the fact that he isn't a typical mage who trains through meditation, so the teacher he needs shouldn't be conventional either. Taking a step forward, he decides to try talking to the man one more time. As Zad approaches, he politely excuses himself,
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but the old man slams the table, complaining that Zad is ruining his meal. Crang demands to know what he wants, asking if someone sent him to collect the hotel fees. Disappointed, Zad realizes the guy's personality is absolute trash and immediately gives up on the idea of having him as a teacher.
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Just then, something flies straight at Zad. Both of them sense the danger instantly. Moving like a blur, Crang appears right in front of Zad and blocks the attack, sending Akunai clattering to the ground, brushing the dust off his
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clothes, the old man asks what those things are supposed to be, leaving Zad completely speechless at his speed. Zad asks if he blocked the weapon using mana on his fingers. Crang notices Zad has a sharp eye and asks if he could have
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dodged it on his own. Zad says yes, but points out that Crang moved first, thinking to himself how incredible it was that the old man did that without even looking at the dagger. Crang tells him not to get the wrong idea. He only
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stepped in because it would be a pain if Zad died right next to him. He then asks if now is really the time for small talk. Zad realizes the killer intent in the air has spiked. As civilians scramble to run away, several hooded
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figures arrive and surround them. Zad realizes Grace has already made her move. Crang comments that he was right about the situation after all, and Zad mentions he already knew an attack was coming. Laughing, the old man asks if he
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wants some help. Zad just stretches and replies that even though there are a lot of them, they're still just small fry. Crang finds his confidence amusing and decides to just watch for now. Though he notes it would be troublesome if an
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Araan died right in front of him. One of the hooded men barks at the old man to get lost, but Crang replies that he couldn't possibly miss such an entertaining show. The man asks if the old-timer has lost his mind, but the
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assassins suddenly notice the mark on his forehead and realize they are standing in front of the legendary Crangutra. They instantly drop to their knees, revealing themselves to be mercenaries and beg for forgiveness for not recognizing him. Watching this play out, Zad thinks they are seriously
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underestimating him. Crang is surprised to find out they are mercenaries and questions since when their kind started taking on assassination contracts. They apologize, [music] explaining that business has been terrible lately and they had no choice. Annoyed, Crang tells them that's no
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excuse and that delivery boys who do anything for cash aren't real mercenaries. As the hooded men keep apologizing, Zad wonders what kind of ridiculous situation he's walked into. Crang notes that they at least have decent manners, but warns them that since they accepted the job, they need
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to [music] finish it. To Zad's surprise, the old man tells the mercenaries to go ahead and finish their work, promising he won't interfere. Surrounded once again, Zad finds the whole thing absurd, especially knowing that Crang isn't joking. With a serious look, Zad activates his transformation magic. His
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body instantly covered in lightning. Crang is shocked to see someone from the Arahan family wielding lightning chi. He stares intently, realizing it's a highly unusual energy. Just then, Zad's guards arrive yelling, quickly, surrounding the young master to protect him. They ask if he's all right, and Zad asks how they
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even found him. The guards explain they got word through the beggars and rushed over. Zad figures the mercenaries must be frustrated, knowing that fighting them now isn't worth whatever they're getting paid. Zad glares at the mercenaries and demands to know who ordered the hit. Terrified by his gaze,
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they still refuse to talk, claiming that protecting a client's identity is the absolute baseline for a mercenary. Left with no choice, Zad orders his guard to force the assassins to their knees. A guard with a mohawk charges forward, but
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is suddenly blocked by a force that pushes him back. Crang steps into the clash, warning Zad that he should back off. Zad asks if the old man is trying to interfere, but Crang explains that no matter how much Zad tortures them, he
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won't get these mercenaries to talk. Zad confidently claims he can force the info out of them. But the old man reveals the mercenaries are under an illusion spell and couldn't speak even if they wanted to. Crang points out that Zad is still
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far from being able to detect such raw magic, but offers to dispel it if Zad is willing to make a deal. Zad asks what kind of deal, and Crang admits he's curious about the kid's chi and skills. The old man promises that if Zad can
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defeat him, he'll give him exactly what he's looking for. Zad is taken aback, but Crang quickly clarifies, saying he didn't mean actually beating him in a fight since that would be impossible. Zad cuts in and proposes that if he
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wins, the old man has to give him what he wants. Crang agrees to the bet.
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Excited by the chance, Zad realizes he has to make Crang his master no matter what. In the blink of an eye, the old man appears right in front of Zad.
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Suddenly, an explosion goes off, sending the surrounding guards into a panic. The next thing Zad knows, he wakes up in a completely different place. Crang asks if he's never been teleported before, explaining they are now outside the city
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at a spot he visits whenever he's bored. He then declares it's time to start the real fight. Zad asks how the old man used teleportation since it's a seventh circle spell. The old man replies that rankings are nonsense and don't really
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mean anything. Zad is shocked by this. The old man continues, explaining there are far more important things and that a real battle isn't decided by rank. He finishes by warning Zad that he's about to learn this the hard way in a life
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ordeath fight. Zad agrees with him in his head, remembering how the Knights of Bahal and the Academy director were light years ahead of him when it came to circles. Since the old man thinks just like him, Zad figures they'll get along
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great. Noticing Zad staring, the old man asks if he agrees with what he just said. Zad nods, saying he felt the exact same way while fighting various opponents. The old man mocks him, but Zad cuts him off, saying he's about to
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prove it in action. The old man praises Zad, calling his strength the kind of power everyone dreams of having. He warns Zad that now that they are fighting for real, he plans to exploit his weaknesses. Right then, Zad lunges
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forward, preparing to land a blow. But the moment he gets close, he's blocked by a massive barrier. Startled by the impact, Zad quickly backs away, dodging the enemy's follow-up attacks. The old man comments that if Zad had reacted a
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second later, he would have been impaled. Shaken, Zad realizes he would have been in serious trouble if he hadn't backed off, wondering how the old man cast the spell without any incantation. The old man explains that once you use a spell enough, you don't need to chant to cast it. He also admits
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Zad is smarter than average since he adapted his explosive lightning magic to use against him. Zad asks if the old man isn't curious about his fighting style.
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He replies that he's already read Zad's movements and figured out he's a close combat mage. He says he could tell just by his stance, which is typical for someone specializing in melee combat. Zad is shocked that his opponent saw
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right through him before the fight even started. The old man goes on, explaining that Zad's stance is meant to protect his vital spots, something no regular mage would do. Zad is left stunned by how much the old man can figure out just
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by looking at him. Sitting down on the ground, the old man asks if Zad has anything else to show him since he's already getting bored. From a distance, Zad gets annoyed, realizing he's being completely underestimated. He knows he
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has to tread carefully because this old guy is a seriously good fighter. He starts circling around to try and distract him. Since this might be his last attack, he needs to make it count. Right in the middle of it, the old man
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taunts Zad, asking how much longer he's going to keep backing away. Zad then activates his trait and goes allin, getting a temporary 10-point boost to all his stats. He shouts that he's finally got the old man, but his attack
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misses, hitting nothing but a clone. Right then, Zad realizes he's walked straight into a trap. Standing on a magic circle, he's instantly pinned down and bound by heavy chains. Watching from the outside, the old man admits Zad did
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a decent job and promises to let him go if he just surrenders. Trapped, Zad gasps that he can barely breathe and never expected such a massive power gap.
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Seeing this, the old man tells him to give up, warning him that he's going to die if he keeps this up. At that moment, Zad's life starts flashing before his eyes. He came to this world to be a challenger, and he can't lose like this.
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Suddenly, a new power and a new trait activate. His stats get another temporary 10-point boost and a new spell becomes available. Realizing Zad still has some fight left in him, the old man is surprised. Then, a massive bolt of
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lightning strikes right where Zad is standing, leaving the old man completely shocked by what he's seeing. Watching lightning repeatedly strike Zad. The old man screams, calling him a lunatic and asking if he wants to die. Even so, Zad
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keeps casting, and the lightning bolts keep raining down on him one after the other. The old man is impressed to see that Zad isn't backing down. Zad yells back that he knows how strong the old man is and that he'll do whatever it
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takes to become his disciple. Hearing this, the old man asks if he's joking, saying the last thing he wants to do in his old age is teach anyone. But Zad stands his ground, declaring that he'll never give up until he gets what he
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wants. The old man tells him it's useless because no matter how hard he fights, he won't even be able to touch him. He says it's time to end this game.
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Now that he knows Zad's goal, the old man promises to completely crush him to make him give up once and for all. Zad fires back, saying that's not going to happen. He promises to do whatever it takes to win and walk away with a new
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master. The old man scoff, asking if he seriously thinks he can win. Zad replies that he has a 50/50 chance, calling him arrogant, the old man warns that if Zad attacks again, he will fight to kill. He says he won't hold back. Whether Zad is
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an Aahan or anything else, Zad agrees and tells him to go right ahead. Hearing this, the old man calls him crazy and charges up a massive wind attack. Zad panics, recognizing it as an eighth circle spell. As the attack rushes
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toward him, Zad reveals he knows it's the Spear of Judgment, commenting that the old man hid his level incredibly well. Krung is caught off guard, wondering how Zad could possibly know that. Furious [music] that his secret is out, he decides Zad has to die right here and now. Seeing the exact reaction
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he wanted, Zad gets hyped and says it's time for their final clash. In his head, [music] he wonders if he can actually survive the Spear of Judgment. The old man unleashes the attack, calling Zad a fool for not knowing when to quit. But
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the moment the attack hits, its power is instantly neutralized by the activation of the undying challenger trait, leaving the old man in shock. Zad vanishes and reappears right in front of Krung. He grabs the old man and slams him hard
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into the ground, finally landing a hit. Down on the floor, the old man wonders how this happened, realizing he lived long enough just to end up losing to a kid. Ever since he retired as a mercenary, he thought he had no goals
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left other than to enjoy his peace and quiet. But this kid, with his mysterious magicancelling power and overwhelming determination, has caught his interest.
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He wonders how anyone could abandon a kid like this in a detention center. With his mana newly released and such an insane growth rate, the old man estimates that in a few years, Zad could have the power to conquer the entire
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empire and even rival the current ruler. If he stays on the right path, he has a massive future ahead of him. The old man tries to wake Zad up, but gets no response. He decides to check if Zad's mana circuits are warped. But the second
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he touches him, he gets a shock. Zad doesn't even have his first circuit. He wonders how that's even possible since his mana usage is that of a literal genius. How can someone with zero circuits even exist? Suddenly, the old
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man tenses up as he notices people approaching. He wonders how they found this place since only he knows about it, but quickly realizes Zad's lightning must have drawn too much attention. The Kinzera twins arrive first, rushing toward Zad and demanding to know what the old man did to him. Just then, the
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old man spots the Black Mirror Corps members arriving and swears, grumbling that they are everywhere. One of the men in Black Hoods greets him. Krung scoffs, saying that to know who he is, the guy must have a pretty high rank. The man
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introduces himself as Robin, commander of the Black Mirror Corps. He greets Krung, recognizing him as the great hero of the magic war. Robin then asks to check on Zad's condition, claiming he has orders to monitor him. The old man
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bursts out laughing and warns them that they'll only get near Zad if they go through him first. A standoff begins. Robin states that since Zad is an heir, Krung's interference makes him an enemy of Aahan. The old man replies that
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there's no need for all that. He explains he was just sparring with his disciple, who passed out for a bit, and tells them to beat it and stop bothering him. The commander is shocked to learn that Zad is the disciple of the great
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war savior. He wonders how he's going to handle this because Krung is incredibly strong and completely out of his league. Realizing he can't win this with brute force, Robin tries talking things out. He says he just wants to check on Zad's
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condition so he can report back to the patriarch, promising he won't take him away. But Krung still refuses. The commander warns that if the old man keeps resisting, he'll become an enemy of the Arahan family, which would be a
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massive problem. Krung simply replies that he finally has a purpose in his old age, and they are getting in his way. Their clash of power continues, neither of them backing down. Just then, another member of the Black Mirror Corps arrives
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with orders from the patriarch for them to withdraw. Krung scoffs, saying he'll only stop when the patriarch himself comes to make him. Robin warns him that today's actions will have consequences and that the Arahan family always pays their debts. He promises their paths will cross again sooner or later. Once
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they leave, Krung complains about how arrogant the Arahan men are. He figures his retirement is going to be messy, but it'll be worth it since his disciple is no ordinary mage. Krung deduces that the family didn't attack just now because
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they actually need Zad to get stronger. He pies Zad's bad luck, thinking life in any other family would have been much easier and decides he will guide him so he doesn't turn into a monster. Later, at Eddie's hideout, Zad wakes up with a
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start. He's greeted by Krung and his own servants and immediately asks what happened. The siblings explain that the old man is now calling himself his master. Zad remembers that he actually won his fight against Krung. Looking around, he notices several of Zetman's mercenaries are also there. Zad asks
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Krung directly why they are here since the old man had said he wouldn't get involved. Krung plays dumb, claiming his old age is making him forgetful. A bit later, Zad tells the mercenary leader that he won't interrogate him because he
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already knows who's behind this. The leader is surprised. Zad sets a condition. The leader must send a report to Grace saying the mission failed. He adds that from now on, the leader will act as his double agent and immediately
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report any orders she sends. The mercenary chief agrees. Zad thinks to himself that it's still too early to take Grace down. He decides to wait for the perfect moment to eliminate her and absorb all of Tunda's forces, which
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would make him much more powerful within Arahan. He realizes there's a small chance the mercenaries might betray him. But with Krung on his side, that risk is minimal. After all, choosing between a legendary mercenary and Tund's butler is
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a no-brainer. Right then, one of the Kim siblings calls out to Zad with a message from Rio. He says the tomb ceremony is scheduled for early next month, and since the butler's meeting is coming up, Zad needs to get ready. Zad asks what
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the tomb actually is, and the Kim sibling explains it's a certification ceremony held before departures. Zad realizes it's a step to earn qualifications among the heirs. He doesn't get why he has to participate now since he's not even 20 yet, and this should happen much later. Zad mentions
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that it would only make sense if he and Tund were the ones participating since they are the youngest. The siblings confirm that's exactly what Rio said. He and Tund are indeed the participants. Zad tries to figure out what the
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patriarch is thinking. Becoming an official heir has its pros and cons. The biggest upside is the freedom to leave the family territory and travel anywhere in the empire due to frequent missions. However, this is also when the siblings
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start interfering and the internal struggle for the throne truly begins. Since failing a single mission makes an heir look incompetent, Zad contemplates how he should prepare since he has less than 10 days left and a lot of work to
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do. Krung asks if Zad wants to push back their training until after the tomb event. Zad says yes since [music] the next few days are going to be crazy.
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Hearing this, the old man starts laying down his conditions. He agrees to teach Zad, but demands 100 gold coins a month just for Zad to call him master. Zad tries to figure out why he's charging so much since Krung is already rich and
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doesn't need the money. 2 days later, at Eddie's hideout, the mercenary leader gives Zad his report. He explains that Grace killed five of his men because the mission failed. The mercenaries couldn't do anything to stop her since they were
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focused on retreating and protecting Zad. Hearing this, Zad sincerely apologizes, but the leader tells him it's not his fault. He says Lord Gunra was right when he predicted that woman would look down on them and ask Zad to
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help him get revenge. Moved by this, Zad gets down on one knee before the leader and promises that Grace will die by his hands. The mercenary breaks down in tears, thanking him deeply. Zad then asks how much of Tund's power is
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actually left. The leader explains they have two buildings and an information network remaining, which catches Zad's interest. A guy wearing glasses confirms this, explaining that the info network was disguised as a business, allowing them to move freely around the city and gather intel. Smiling, Zad mentions
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he'll have a favor to ask Eddie later. He turns back to the mercenary leader and tells him he'll take care of him for now, instructing him to stay at Eddie's place without worrying about money. Overwhelmed with emotion, the man can
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only thank him for his kindness. Remembering a detail, the mercenary warns Zad to be careful, saying that woman's eyes didn't look human. Zad asks if he means grace, and the man nods. He mentions that the vibe around her felt
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deadly, like she had an impulse that could cause serious trouble at any second. Zad carefully notes the man's words. Outside, the elder asks Zad if the tomb ceremony is tomorrow, and Zad confirms it is. Zad realizes that between all his preparations, time has flown by. He also remembers that the
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item he ordered is ready and concludes that based on what he's learned, Grace is definitely going to cause trouble at the ceremony. Changing the subject, the old man asks Zad how he likes his hideout, pointing out that you can see
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the entire city of NA from there. Knowing his master well, Zad asks if he brought him all the way out here just for the view. The elder just mutters that Zad has no sense of aesthetics. A short distance away, there was an area
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that looked like a training ground. Zad comments that the man really prepared a lot. The master replies that when he starts something, he does it right and suggests Zad do the same. Zad smiles and says that's exactly what he expected.
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But the old man snaps back, telling him he's all talk. The elder then points to one of the magic orbs in the area and orders Zad to break it. Zad asks if he should use a lightning bolt, but warns that doing so would give away the
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hideout's location. The old man explains he wants him to break the stone with a punch, making Zad complain. Using his lightning mutation magic, Zad stares at the orb. He thinks this is going to be easy, but he knows it's actually a mana
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stone that requires at least a first circle level to break. Seeing Zad drag his feet, the master tells him to hurry up. Zad punches the stone and is shocked by his own strength when it shatters into pieces. Acting like it was no big
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deal, the old man tells him to try destroying the second orb, too. Staying focused, Zad lands another punch and splits the purple stone right in half.
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He wonders how that's even possible since this orb was meant for the second circle. The master explains that those who manipulate mana have rings around their hearts, and the number of rings determines their level. Zad says he already knew that, but the old man continues, pointing out that Zad doesn't
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even have a single complete ring. Zad realizes his circle works differently. The elder comments that since Zad only has a half circle, he doesn't even qualify as a first circle. The old man explains that when Mana is awakened, a
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circle usually forms naturally and asks Zad if he knows why his is different. Zad admits he has no clue, calling him an idiot. The master explains that the ring just didn't form correctly. Then the old man asks Zad if he knows what
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the funniest part of all this is. A half circle novice just broke a second circle stone. Zad asks what one thing has to do with the other, but gets smacked by the master to keep him on his toes. Next, the old man tells Zad to imagine what it
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would be like if he reached the 10th circle. [music] He explains that at that level, Zad would become even stronger than 10th level users who are already at the limit of the human body. The master declares that Zad is a genius and that
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he might even surpass Temud, the last savior. Tem was the strongest man in the world who fought side by side with the human emperor and whose mysterious death kicked off the main story line of the game. Knowing exactly who that is, Zad
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is stunned. The old man emphasizes that Tammud was a once- in a generation figure, and he believes Zad can reach that same level. Zad asks if his master is really sure about such a high evaluation. Still, Zad thinks to himself
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that breaking a second circle stone at his current level isn't normal and wonders if it's because of some skill. Checking his system window, he figures it would make sense if it were a passive skill instead of an active one, but
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notes that it seems random. After all, poison immunity and the immortal challenger skill were things he got in the game, which meant traits like relentless challenger and noble champion soul were applied through synchronization with this world. The more Zad thinks about it, the more he
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feels like this isn't just a trait to boost magic power. Interrupting his thoughts, the old man yells at Zad for zoning out while his master is talking.
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Zad apologizes and the annoyed old man just wishes him a safe trip. Zad thanks him for the teachings and the elder mentions that he also needs to start preparing. Before leaving, Zad remembers something and calls out to the old man
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asking if he has some free time tomorrow. Inside the Araan mansion, a man sat on a throne while two people bowed before him. Zad realized the illusion magic in the room had been lifted. Glaring down at them, the lord
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asked Zad if he knew what the tomb ceremony was. Zad said yes, explaining it was the trial to prove one was a pure blood of the Ahan family. Shaking, the man standing next to Zad also confirmed he knew. The lord called Tund pathetic,
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snapping that he wasn't asking him. Seeing the look on Tund's face, Zad realized he needed to wrap this up quickly. The Lord went on asking what happened after the ceremony. Zad answered that whoever passed earned the qualifications of an heir, allowing them to wear the Araan cloak. In his head,
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Zad recalled that the cloak was an incredible tool. It didn't burn and could block most swords and arrows. The lord explained that the cloak was a legacy passed down by Temud, the founding leader, and wearing it meant becoming a true member of the Arahan family. Because of that, Zad couldn't
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bring any escorts to the tomb ceremony. He had to prove he deserved the item all on his own. The Lord declared that from now on, he would judge Zad by the exact same standards as his siblings. Zad understood this meant the Lord would no
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longer turn a blind eye to his childish mistakes and promised he would remember those words, mentioning that tomorrow would be a tough day. The Lord dismissed them both. As he was leaving, Zad turned back and looked pitingly at Tund who was
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still on the floor. Watching this, the Lord thought it was interesting that in the end, Zad didn't even see Tund as a rival. Just then, a subordinate materialized next to the family head and reported that they had detected
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movements from Grace. The Lord told him not to deploy the Black Mirror team as he wanted to see how his youngest son would react. Worried, the soldier warned that without intervention, Zad wouldn't make it back alive and asked if the lord
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didn't care about the boy. The family head just laughed and replied that if Zad didn't survive, it would only prove that was his limit. Meanwhile, in front of the Araan mansion, Michael introduced himself as the captain of the guard and
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said he would be in charge of their security. Zad introduced himself back and asked Michael to look out for him, noting it was going to be a tough journey. On the other side, Tund was crying in Grace's arms, talking about
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how terrifying the meeting had been. As soon as Zad saw this, he walked over to call them out, telling them everyone was waiting. He said Tund should be leading the front lines and asked if he wasn't embarrassed to be causing trouble. Grace
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cut him off, asking if he didn't care that all the servants were watching. Hearing the word servants, Zad corrected her, pointing out that everyone there was hired by Aahan. He added that Tund was so pathetic, he didn't even seem
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like an heir. Mentally, Grace cursed Zad, wondering how long his arrogance would last since he'd be begging for his life soon enough. Later, [music] at Mount Tryman, the group was exhausted after the long trek. Tund complained yet again, asking Grace why she didn't send a carriage. Hearing this nonsense and
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seeing how tired everyone was, Zad called for a break. One of the men asked if it was really okay to stop, and Zad assured him it was. The man admitted he'd never seen a mage with so much stamina, noting that not even young
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Master Rondo could make that entire trip without getting tired. Hearing Rondo's name, Zad immediately remembered his older brother, one of the main characters in LSI and his rival. He wondered how old Rondo was by now. A little while later, Zad orders everyone to start moving again, and the captain
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calls out the departure. Grace steps in, claiming Tund hasn't rested enough. The captain offers to help and heads over to the boy. Later on, Zad feels totally refreshed since it had been a while since he got this much exercise. He
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finds it weird that Tund hasn't complained once considering how far they've walked. But when he looks back, he's furious at what he sees. He rushes over, shoves his brother to the ground, and tells him that if he can't help, he
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shouldn't be causing more trouble. Tund tries to defend himself, arguing that the captain offered to carry him. Zad snaps back, saying that only happened because he was whining like a baby the entire way. Tund shoots back that it's
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none of his brother's business, and tells him to butt out. Hearing this, Zad warns everyone that anyone who helps Tunda will be penalized. He explains that climbing the mountain is part of the certification ceremony, and anyone lending a hand will face punishment. If anyone can't keep up, they'll be left
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behind. Sometime later, at the peak of Mount Tan, the guards collapse from exhaustion, celebrating that they finally made it to the top. Meanwhile, Zad stands there waiting for Tund. The guide points out that they're running really late, and they can't even see them from up here. Zad gets the idea to
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start the certification ceremony without his brother. The guide stops him, reminding him that the ritual has to follow birth order. Zad argues that since Tund hasn't arrived yet, and there's no law against it, they should do it on a first come, first- serve basis. She eventually agrees and they
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head straight to Aahan's tomb. In front of the entrance, the guide gives the instructions warning him that using mana is strictly forbidden and he must not touch anything other than the altar. Internally, Zad is nervous but doesn't understand why. He decides to just go in. As he steps through the portal, he's
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shocked because the place feels like another dimension. The woman approaches and explains that only those chosen by Arahan can enter this place. She instructs him to approach the altar to receive his pure blood certification.
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But just as Zad is about to touch it, he remembers he isn't the real Zad Arahon.
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He realizes they might find out his soul doesn't belong to this world and wonders what will happen if they discover his true identity. Zad worries about what will happen to him, but figures there's a good chance of success since his body
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is still that of an Araan. The woman then instructs him to cut his palm and place it on the altar. She explains that at the end of the ceremony, he will receive a cloak and the family emblem. Noticing him space out, she asks if
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something is wrong, and Zad quickly replies that everything is fine. The woman tells him not to be afraid as the wound will heal as soon as the ceremony is over. Zad asks what happens if the test fails and she answers that only a
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dim light will enter the altar and nothing more. He thinks to himself that it's easy for her to say since she isn't the one in his shoes. If the ceremony fails right here, he doesn't even want to imagine what would happen. Seeing no
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other choice, Zad starts the process. He's surprised that cutting himself doesn't hurt at all. He takes a deep breath and places his hand on the altar.
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Just then, a voice calls out to him and he pulls his hand back in shock. He turns to the woman and asks if she heard a voice. She immediately warns him, telling him he must not pull his hand away under any circumstances. When Zad
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places his hand back down, the voice returns, saying, "It has waited a long time for this moment." Zad asks who they are, trying to figure out how they are communicating. The voice then reveals that it was the one who brought him to
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this world. Hearing this, Zad realizes they are communicating through thought. After thinking about it for a second, he finally figures out who the voice belongs to. The one speaking to him is Tammud Arahan. Zad asks why he was
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chosen out of everyone. Tammud answers that someone obsessed with power would never fall for the temptation of fame. Zad tries to ask why he was brought all this way, but Tamud cuts him off, saying there's no time. He tells Zad that the
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stronger he gets, the more he'll feel his presence and asks him to always remember that Tammud is with him. With that, the connection cuts and a golden light bursts out. The woman is shocked because she's never seen a golden light
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before. It was supposed to be red. Zad explains that since his power is lightning and not fire like his siblings, the element probably changed the color. Since the light appeared anyway, he asks if he's good to go, and
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she says yes. With all the requirements met, she declares that Zad has finally qualified and is now officially the seventh heir. Once outside, Zad mutters that the ceremony was nothing special since his stats didn't even change. He wonders what's taking Tund so long to get here. Right on Q, Tund shows up,
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making a massive scene. Zad cuts him off instantly, telling him to get moving since he finished ages ago. Seeing Zad's new robe, Tund loses his mind, and Zad mocks him, saying he wasn't about to just wait around for him. Tund curses at
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him, arguing that Zad should have gone first since he's the sixth heir. But Zad warns him that if he keeps annoying him, he'll leave right now without him.
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Spotting the priestess in charge, Tund demands to know how she could do this to him. She coldly replies that she can do whatever she wants as the head of the ceremony and adds that she'll be reporting everything that happened today
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to the patriarch. Hearing about the patriarch sends Tund into a panic. The woman completely ignores him and tells him to just get on with the ceremony.
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Afterward, the captain pulls Zad aside to talk. He says he senses a presence in the middle of the mountain, which shouldn't be happening in such an isolated place. The captain also mentions that Grace, the head maid, is putting him on edge since she had zero reaction and seems to be playing dumb on
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purpose. Zad asks if he thinks Grace has an ulterior motive, but quickly reassures him, revealing that he already knows everything. He warns the captain that there's going to be an ambush on the way down and they need to prepare
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for an attack. Zad hands a device to the captain. He explains that it creates an invisible barrier, but since there are four of them, they all have to be set up together to work. Zad adds that the barrier was made by Lacto and completely
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blocks the use of mana inside it. He tells the captain to scatter the devices far apart as soon as the battle starts. Just then, Zad notices the ceremony has finished. Meanwhile, Rio mutters about how freezing cold it is and how tense
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the atmosphere feels. Grace asks her why she's staring. Rio flinches, and in the blink of an eye, she realizes the maid has vanished. Rio figures the ambush is about to start and realizes she needs to warn Zad immediately. Right then, the
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ambush begins. The captain alerts the squad, ordering everyone to spread out. Rio runs desperately to find Zad, but a sudden attack comes flying at her from above. She freezes in fear, but Zad suddenly appears and saves her. He yells
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at her to run. As she flees, she screams for him not to get hurt, but Zad just tells her to get out of there. Sizing up their opponents, Zad notices something and warns the group that these are no ordinary enemies. Since they're getting
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backup from a mage, he tells everyone to group up and fight in trios. And with that, the battle begins. Watching from a distance, Rio realizes this must be GTH circle magic, or even higher. Seeing that everything played out exactly how
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Zad predicted as the bandits rush him, Rio follows the fight closely, rooting for him to land a solid hit. One attacker lunges in, but Zad instantly knocks him cold. Three more bandits immediately close in, but Zad just gets
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fired up and takes them down one by one. Watching the whole thing, the master of ceremonies asks if Zad was always this strong. A little while later, the first wave is cleared. The captain thanks Zad for keeping everyone alive and asks
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where he learned to fight like that, but Zad cuts him off, warning him that the real fight is just getting started. [music] He tells everyone to back off and head to the other side because the mages are about to attack. The guards
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refuse to leave him to fight alone, but Zad warns them that he's about to go all out and won't be able to protect them. The captain steps in, pointing out that he and Zad already discussed this and that everyone needs to focus on
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protecting their own squad. The guards still hesitate, using their victory as an excuse to stay, but the captain warns them that staying will only get people killed. He assures them that Zad is definitely not the one who needs
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protecting. As the group retreats, Zad says he can sense a presence, not a mage, but something else closing in. Right then, a devastating attack surges toward him. A massive iced tsunami. He's surprised they're opening with such a heavy hit. Realizing it's a massive AoE attack, Zad calls out to the captain,
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ordering him to deploy the barriers to shield the group from the tsunami. The powerful attack completely obliterates the hill. Zad looks at the damage but relaxes a bit when he sees everyone is safe inside Lacto's barrier. However, [music] since this mountain belongs to the tomb, the patriarch is going to be
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absolutely furious once word of the damage gets out. Zad notices Grace complaining and thinks her acting is terrible. He tells her he didn't expect her to be this stupid, calling her pathetic for even failing to take her own life. Grace snaps at him to shut up, asking what he could possibly know. He
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replies that since she's trying to kill an Araan, taking the life of someone as worthless as her would be nothing to them. Just then, a man reveals himself at the top of the hill, mocking Zad by saying it looks like he actually trained
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for this moment. Grace panics, demanding to know how he could betray her. This man is Lucer, Grace's younger brother and the vice captain of the Billy family. Lucer cold shoulders her, saying that the moment she chose Aahan over her
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own family, their bond was broken. She tries to defend herself, claiming she only went to Aahun to destroy them from the inside, but Lucer cuts her off. He tells her he's done talking, declaring that once he takes Grace's life,
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handling the rest of them will be easy. Zad charges in. Lucer mocks him, saying it's a waste of time to attack with that little mana. Zad warns him that he won't let him touch Grace because he made a promise. Lucer just laughs it off,
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saying there's no point in a dying man trying to fight. But Zad points out that the enemy's magic was way too flashy. Lucer's mages panic, thinking the Black Mirror Corps is on the way, but Zad tells them no. He called in someone even
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bigger. When no one shows up, the mages laugh and call it a bluff. Zad thinks to himself that he was an idiot for trusting his ally. Lucer keeps mocking him, saying Zad's actions are pathetic and embarrassing for an Araan. Watching
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this play out, Zad wonders how that old man can be sleeping at a time like this.
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Suddenly, Lucer attacks, but right at that moment, the Kin siblings show up. Zad can't hide his disappointment, but figures they're better than nothing.
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Lucer spots Grace running away and mutters that she's pathetic to the very end, ordering his mages to take out the weaklings. Zad orders his team to attack. He tells them to close the gap fast since the enemies are mages and
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suck at close quarters combat. As Zad rushes in and unleashes his full power, the mages start to panic. They try to defend themselves, but they can't block his attacks and get wiped out. Fired up, Zad gets ready for a massive combo. He
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charges forward, completely obliterating every enemy in front of him. One of his allies points out that they're tearing through them easily and the plan is working perfectly. But then Zad notices the enemies are casting a chain spell that's almost ready. Realizing he can't stop it, he screams at everyone to run
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as far as they can and just try to survive. A massive shock wave blasts through the area. The enemy mages laugh as they watch the group flee, boasting that this spell was specifically designed to wipe out the Arahan, and
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there's no escaping it. The true nature of their attack is finally revealed, leaving even Zad speechless. They've summoned a dragon. Zad stares in shock at the water dragon. The enemies mock him, saying the look on his face is
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priceless. Zad yells at everyone to stay back. His followers try to step in, but he warns them they'll just get caught in the blast if they stay. He realizes he has to use his special trait, the one that lets him survive fatal damage since
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the mages are bound to run out of mana eventually. But because this trait has a 5-second cool down, he desperately needs that time to have passed or he's dead.
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Zad figures his only real option is to break their formation. After all, mere fourth circle mages won't be able to maintain a ninth circle dragon for long before it drains them dry. He cranks his lightning up to max power, triggers
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another trait, and lands a direct hit on the dragon. The creature roars from the impact and immediately counters, but Zad's trait kicks in, saving him from certain death. The mages are completely shocked. They were positive they'd hit their mark. The dragon roars again, gearing up for another blast. Zad warns
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that he won't fall for the same move twice, but he messes up and takes a direct hit anyway. His immortality trait activates once more, keeping him in the game. Right after, Zad triggers his lightning transformation again. The dragon strikes back, but Zad stays alive thanks to his ability. Meanwhile, the
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mages are losing their minds trying to figure out how Zad is still breathing, and they quickly prep for one final strike. The dragon starts getting way more violent, firing off massive waves of energy. Seeing this, Zad instantly realizes it's preparing a breath attack. He can't believe the Billy family
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actually has a move like that, unleashing a monstrous weapon just to wipe out the Aahan. Zad is stuck with no way out. His trait protects him from instant one-hit kills, but it won't save him from a sustained attack. He figures
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this is the end. In a desperate bid to survive, he channels every last bit of his magic. But his body gives out as his mana completely runs dry. He can't believe he's about to die right when he was finally mastering his powers. Tons
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of questions rush through his head as he wonders what happens if he dies here and if he'll ever make it back to his own world. Seeing this, [music] Rio panics and rushes over to save him. But her companion stops her, pointing out that
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the air is actually still alive. When Rio looks up, she sees [music] Zad, only he looks completely different, like a totally different person. Zad is radiating a dark red aura, his eyes completely lifeless. The dragon glares at him, but Zad doesn't show an ounce of fear. The monster actually hesitates.
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The mage's captain yells at his team, asking if they're slacking on the energy supply since the dragon isn't moving. That's when Zad opens his mouth and orders the beast to stand down. Terrified, the dragon immediately backs off, retreating toward the mages and tearing apart its own summoning circle.
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The entity possessing Zad's body is actually pretty impressed by his physical build. The mages unleash a barrage of attacks at Zad, but they don't do a thing. Their spells are completely useless against his overwhelming power. The mages watch in absolute disbelief as their magic is
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completely nullified. In that moment, the captain finally realizes this is the dreaded power of Arahan. He realizes his family never stood a chance of winning, but out of sheer desperation, the mages keep pushing the attack anyway. Annoyed by their persistence, the entity mutters about how incredibly irritating they all
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are. He then activates Mana interference, a highle ability that normally takes a lifetime of training to pull off. Panicking, the mages try to retreat to save their own skins. Zad calls them pathetic and instantly shuts down everyone's ability to use mana. All they can hear now is the sound of Zad's
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footsteps. Every single step makes them tremble with fear because of his terrifying aura. Realizing he stands no chance, one man begs for his life, and the others quickly join in. Zad simply replies that Araan knows no mercy and he
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shatters all of their mana circles. Everyone falls into despair as they realize they can no longer feel mana. Basically, mana interference is the ability to intentionally control the flow of energy throughout the body. This allows someone to cut, distort, or even completely destroy another person's mana
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circuits. Anyone who loses their circuits will never be the same again, forced to live a life of agonizing pain. A few moments later, Lurk arrives at the scene. He wonders what happened while he was gone, even questioning if it's some
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kind of illusion. Realizing Zad is behind it, he immediately attacks. But just as the blow is about to land, something mysterious happens, redirecting the attack straight back at Lurk and piercing him deeply. Having done this, the entity declares that the one who answered the call must pay the
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price for power. This makes it clear that the person occupying Zad's body was Tammud Arahan. As soon as Tmud leaves his body, Zad wakes up and immediately remembers everything he did. He recalls how that overwhelming power felt like it
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was going to consume him. Checking his stats, he notices his magic power has increased by 10, but his strength, agility, and stamina have decreased by the same amount since his aging body could no longer make physical progress anyway, capped at 70 points regardless. This was actually a win for him. Zad
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realizes he has received a terrifying power and even considers using it again, but decides against it for now since he doesn't know the side effects. Either way, he managed to get an incredibly strong summon, even if he doesn't know
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how to call it back. Right then, his subordinates start calling out to him in a panic. Rio comes running from a distance. Zad tries to tell her there's no need for all the fuss, but she doesn't listen. She grabs him and bursts
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into tears. A while later, everyone is healed by the old mage, Krung, who finally shows up. Zad thinks about how he is supposedly Krung's disciple, yet the old man didn't lift a finger to help earlier. Turning to Zad, the old mage
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apologizes, claiming that old people just get forgetful. As a reward, he says he won't charge next month's tuition. Zad is furious, asking if his life is only worth 100 gold coins and demands 3 months free instead. Kung agrees. Next,
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the mage asks what happened, recognizing the body on the ground. He points out that it's Vice Captain Lurk, which surprises Zad. The old man then asks if the black horse showed up, considering Lurk was a seven circle mage. Zad plays
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dumb since he had already agreed with everyone to keep what actually happened a secret. Just then, Grace shows up complaining, saying none of this would have happened if it weren't for Zad. The old man instantly recognizes her, saying
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he can feel her wickedness just by looking into her eyes. Suddenly, Grace is pinned to the ground by a crushing pressure from Krung. Zad watches in awe, realizing the old man can even use space magic. The mage starts laughing, saying
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Grace's own greed brought her to this state. Zad interrupts and asks if he can teleport everyone to Araan. Krung immediately demands a 100 gold coins for the service, and Zad replies that he'll just walk. The next day, Zad arrived at
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the Arahan mansion, where the patriarch was already waiting for him. Zad greeted the Lord, who mentioned he'd heard a lot had happened. The patriarch congratulated him, saying he worked hard to earn his cloak and the elders approval. Zad was caught off guard, not expecting any praise. The patriarch then
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ordered the others to enter and the traitors walked into the hall. As soon as they arrived, the patriarch asked why Zad wanted to lift their punishment. Zad asked the lord to give Tundrahan another chance. The patriarch scoffed, thinking
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it was absurd to give a second chance to someone who was controlled by his own maid and brings no value to the family. Zad countered, pointing out that he was once in the same position, which is why he ended up in the detention center. The
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patriarch called out his name, but Zad kept talking, arguing that Tund is still young, has endless potential, and is a pure-blooded son. The patriarch said he was disappointed and thought Zad had outgrown his weak side. Zad replied that
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he was never weak. He just felt sorry for Tund. He [music] then shocked everyone by proposing that Tund become his vassel. Zad explained that he planned to put Tund in his squad. The patriarch questioned if he really wanted
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to keep one of the most dangerous people by his side, warning that his brother could try to kill him at any moment. Zad replied that he would become so strong that Tund wouldn't pose a threat. The hall fell silent at the bold proposal
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until the patriarch burst out laughing. The leader declared that Tund would spend a year training in the underground prison, and in exchange he would ensure he had the resources to keep training. He asked if that sounded fair, and Zad
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thanked him, adding that he wanted to settle things with Grace with his own hands. The patriarch gave Zad free reign to do whatever he wanted with her, but warned that a worm like her couldn't go unpunished. In an instant, the leader
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clenched his fist and shattered Grace's mana circuits, saying, "Mana was too much power for an insect to have." She collapsed to the ground, and the patriarch ordered her to get up. Meanwhile, Zad realized he could now look his father right in the eye, guessing it was thanks to Timud's soul.
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Noticing his son staring, the patriarch asked if there was anything else. Zad confirmed there was, saying they needed to talk about the Billy family. He understood how furious the leader must be with their rivals and realized the only reason they hadn't attacked yet. He asked if the emperor was the reason they
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hadn't retaliated. Even after the Billy family desecrated the Arahan tomb and tried to kill an heir, the patriarch questioned his son's curiosity and dismissed him, saying that was enough for today and the Billy family wasn't a concern right now. Zad realized that the Ahan family was the only one with no
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loyalty to the emperor. The leader saw the emperor as someone he could surpass. But currently, the imperial power was so massive, it created an imbalance, which is why Arahan was so obsessed with power. If he crushed the Billy family
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now, the Imperial army would invade their territory immediately. And to the Arahan leader, just having them step on his land was an insult. The patriarch asked why Zad hadn't left yet. Zad replied that Arahan knows no mercy and
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he felt the weight of those words when he entered the tomb, placed his hand on the altar, and was attacked by the Billy family. The patriarch called him naive and said that one day when he opened his eyes to politics, he would understand.
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Zad wondered if Timmud's influence was the reason his heart achd seeing this desolate side of the current leader. Still, he pushed on and asked if his father planned to have the Black Mirror handle the matter. The leader cut him
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off and ordered him to leave again. Zad stood his ground, thinking the patriarch wanted to use the Black Mirror because they were created to punish enemies without tracing it back to Arahan. But Zad didn't want that. It wouldn't
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satisfy his anger. He tried one last time, promising to ensure the Imperial Army would never cross Aan territory. He asked to show the family's power to the world, proving that no one should cross them. The lord asked if Zad would take
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responsibility for those words. Zad confirmed, saying that if a single Imperial soldier dared to step foot there, he would gladly accept his punishment, reaffirming that Arahan has no mercy. A bit later, on his way back, Zad spots Tund crying. Tund immediately thanks him, but Zad just tells him to
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make the most of his year of training, promising that once Tund returns from his seclusion, he'll find him a decent butler himself. Tund replies that he's done a lot of thinking and realizes how foolish he was. Zad says he's glad to
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see him maturing and looks forward to seeing him again in a year. As for Grace, Zad warns her that this isn't her end just yet since she's going to lose her life to the brothers of the comrades she killed. Back in the throne room, the
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patriarch summons the captain of Black Mirror. He orders him to prepare a summoning circle because by the end of the night, the Billy family will be wiped out. Callus, the Black Mirror captain, says he will follow his orders
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as his servant, but hopes the patriarch has thought this through. Zenedan then asks Callus if he doesn't feel any shame. The captain is confused. The patriarch explains that after his talk with Zad, he felt ashamed because the Araan family hasn't shown their true power in a long time. Since they got all
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their dirty work done using Black Mirror, they never had to interfere directly. Callus agrees, recalling how the former head of the family used to say that was the only way to escape the Emperor's control. Zenedan continues saying, "Ahan doesn't flaunt its power because the empire already believes in
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their strength. However, over time that belief might fade if they don't act. A heavy silence fills the hall. Callus breaks the silence, asking if the patriarch really believes his youngest son can stop the Imperial army. Zenedan laughs, replying that his youngest wants to protect the family's prestige, making
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this the perfect opportunity for him to learn the weight of his words. He adds [music] that they should thank Crang, who apparently saved everyone during the tomb ceremony. Finally, he declares that the Billy family will be gone before the
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sun rises. Elsewhere, Robert, the head of the Billy family, comments on how much it has rained recently and asks if the Arahan patriarch agrees. Right after, he questions the reason for his late night visit. Zenedan simply replies that he came to exterminate the pests. [music] Robert calls Zenedan rude, but
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the Lord of Araan fires back, telling him he should consider it an honor to receive a personal visit. The Billy Patriarch is confused. He knew the vice captain had been killed and planned to find out who was behind it, but he
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doesn't understand why Zenedan came in person instead of sending Black Mirror. Knowing how Aahan usually operates, a direct attack like this would cause major trouble with the emperor. Robert realizes that Zenedine is only here to intimidate them because he couldn't possibly take them all on at once. He
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tells the patriarch to leave before things get ugly. Zenedan calls him a fool and warns him that he's about to find out. Robert laughs, asking if the patriarch really thinks he can wage a war all by himself. He mocks Zenedan,
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saying he has no idea how the real world works and that his predecessor, Tammood, must be crying in his grave. In response, Zenedine starts listing the Billy family's crimes. He points out how they desecrated the Sacred Mountain, disturbed the former chiefs, attacked an heir, and falsely blamed the Churville
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family in the past. Robert is completely shocked that Arahan knows all of this. Immediately, Robert orders everyone to attack. Since Zenedine released his mana first, they wouldn't get in trouble for acting in self-defense. Several water dragons are summoned, ready to strike the patriarch. The head of the Billy
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family brags that this power was specifically developed to defeat Arahan and make his family the greatest magic house in the empire. He sentences Zenedan to death, but the patriarch just stares calmly at the incoming attack.
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Just as Robert is about to celebrate, he notices Zenedan is still walking toward them completely unfazed. The dragons didn't do a single thing. Panicking, [music] Robert throws everything he has at him, but again, nothing works. He realizes his entire life's work was all for nothing. Looking into Zenedan's
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eyes, Robert begs for mercy, promising to serve Aahan for the rest of his life.
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The patriarch simply tells him that Bug shouldn't talk and finishes him off right then and there. A week later, in the Billy family territories, a man reports to the emperor that several mages tried to put out the leftover
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flames, but died trying. The emperor approaches the fire and dispels it completely with a single touch. Looking at the aftermath, he immediately understands what happened. He then orders investigators to be sent to Aahan to get a full report of the entire situation. The whole world was in
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absolute shock. Everywhere you [music] looked, people were talking about the fallen family that vanished overnight without a trace. But for the cities inside Aahan's territory, this was actually great news, as they were now under the protection of the strongest faction. Eddie mentions that since he
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owns a building in Na, this is excellent news for him. Zad quickly corrects him, pointing out that the building belongs to him, and Eddie is just a tenant. The nerd asks if everything is really okay since Zad made a promise to the
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patriarch, and Zad says that's exactly why he's here. Eddie remarks that in all of history, there's never been a case of a single leader invading and wiping out an entire family by himself. He says just thinking about it gives him chills,
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adding that he expected nothing less from Arahan. Zad then says he needs to know how the emperor handled the war between the families. Eddie explains that under Imperial law, murder is a crime, especially wiping out an entire family, so the consequences are going to be obvious. Zad tells Eddie to start
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being useful, warning him that if he keeps this up, he'll end up back in the slums. Zad then tries to figure out a solution, knowing the first imperial law is incredibly strict. Just then, the Kin brothers arrive. They report that Tund
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has already been locked up and his servants surrendered immediately, handing over his property deeds. Looking over the paperwork, Zad realizes he finally has control of all of Tund's businesses from the smallest to the largest. He stands up and orders the brothers to keep patrolling around the
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building without drawing attention. Zad then asks how many people showed up today. Eddie replies that he hired the Yachtma Company as mercenaries. Zad asks if he rehired all of them, pointing out that this made no sense since they were
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under contract with Tund and all of Tund's assets had already passed to them. Realizing Eddie has already messed up, Zad ignores him and goes to speak directly with a mercenary leader. Zad asks for the man's name and he
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introduces himself as Ralph. Zad says that since fate has brought them together, he hopes they can have a good relationship moving forward. Ralph agrees and thanks him for keeping his promise, saying that [music] thanks to them, his fallen comrades have been avenged. Zad reassures him that he
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doesn't betray his allies and it won't be any different with them. Ralph agrees and asks what their first mission will be. Zad asks if they all know how to read. Once they confirm they are literate, he gets the idea to have
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everyone read through documents until they find a loophole in the Imperial law. However, Ralph mentions that he remembers a similar case. Zad immediately stands up and asks for more details. Ralph explains that a similar incident happened to the Gutra family who also held considerable power back
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then. There was a conflict between the Jup and Gutra families and one day Gutra launched a massive attack. Curious, Zad asks what happened next. Ralph says he doesn't know for sure and can't remember the exact date, only that this event
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turned the Gutra family into mercenaries. After hearing this, Zad orders everyone to search for any records related to what Ralph just said.
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A massive search for the lost records begins until someone finally finds something. When Zad reads what is written, he is left speechless. Later, the old man complains that the ceremony is already over and Zad hasn't returned to his training. He thinks about the 2,000 gold coins Arahan gave him to
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teach Zad properly, thinking this is quite an unexpected retirement. Just then, [music] Zad shows up and says he has a question about what happened 540 years ago to the Gutra family. The old man is disappointed to hear this,
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realizing Zad only came there for that. He calls Zad a fool for wanting to help the lineage that abandoned him. He then questions Zad's interest, pointing out that the boy's father had locked him up and mockingly asks if he suddenly
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developed feelings for his family. Zad replies that isn't the case. He says he feels neither resentment nor attachment. But if Aahan collapses, a major power imbalance will hit the empire and that doesn't benefit him. While it wouldn't have much of an impact in the short term, it would be bad in the long run.
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For all these reasons, he asks the old man to tell him the truth. The old man listens and decides to reveal the truth about what happened to the Gutra family.
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He explains that 540 years ago, the family members were sent off to distant borders. With the village left completely unprotected, it was the perfect opportunity for a night raid. The heirs and key figures were killed, wiping out the rival family's entire lineage. After the attacks, three
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punishments were handed down. First, they had to surrender all their forces. Second, they were banned from using force. And third, they were forced to always fight on the front lines of the upcoming war. Zad is [music] shocked.
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The old man goes on saying that being drafted wasn't even the worst part. They had to lead the charge in every single battle. Zad remembers that the demon war was a notoriously deadly event in the game. As it progressed, [music] the war
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only got harder, and being thrown onto the front lines over and over again was basically a death sentence. The old man says that as a result, every child in the family died before the age of 30, leaving him as the sole survivor. Zad
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realizes that these penalties were designed to slowly wipe the family out. The old man explains that back then, everyone thought the Empire was being merciful by sparing their lives at first, but in the end, the Gutra bloodline was slowly erased. Anyway, Zad remarks that the Emperor is incredibly
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cunning, but adds that he's glad there's a way out. The old man gets furious, offended that Zad would call his family's ruin a way out. He warns Zad that the Emperor will strip Ahan of everything and bring their bloodline to
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an end worse than death. Zad cuts him off, assuring him that won't happen because he's already found an escape route. [music] The next day, a guard asks Zad if everything is okay. Zad says yes, telling him not to act nervous in
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front of the Empire because they won't be able to lay a finger on Aahan. The guard secretly thinks Zad is being naive, but as he takes a closer look at the army, he notices several investigators and over 40 Imperial
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detectives. The guard thinks about reporting this to Black Mirror right away, but Zad orders him to stand down. Zad walks right up to the Imperial guards and formally introduces himself as the heir of Araan. The investigators introduce themselves and tell him to step aside, but Zad refuses. The mages
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get angry at his refusal, but Cox steps in, telling everyone to calm down since they didn't come here for a war. One of the guards tries to argue, but Cox cuts him off, calling him a fool for not realizing that Zad is carrying the
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cathedral's insignia. Cox calls for calm once more and asks Zad if he still has the token he gave him. Zad pulls out the item and confirms he has it. His guards are shocked to see it and ask who gave it to him. Cox explains that the emperor
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himself officially recognized Zad for his good deeds, making him fully qualified to carry the Imperial token. He tells everyone they should listen to what Zad has to say because he's not someone to talk nonsense. Since he stopped the entire army, there must be a good reason. Zad then asks Cox why he
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came to Araan in the first place. Cox explains that the emperor ordered all investigators to Arahan to write a full report on the downfall of the Billy family. Zad defends their actions, saying Arahan only did what was right.
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He explains that the Billies vandalized the sacred mountain where the ancient leaders are buried and even tried to assassinate the family heir during a spiritual ceremony. Under Imperial law, this would be considered self-defense.
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Cox gets worked up, arguing it's not self-defense when you wipe out an entire family. Zad cuts in and asks them to look at something, promising that what they're about to see will clear Lord Arahan's name. Zad plays a recording of
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the former Lord Billy confessing to all his crimes, including falsely accusing the Cherville family, leaving everyone shocked. He asked them to verify its authenticity, noting that the Lord of Araan recorded everything himself using his own field of vision. Zad argues that once the confession is verified, all
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charges against the Churvilles must be dropped [music] since the Billy's dirty schemes cost innocent people their lives. Next, he asks them to listen to another recording. This one made by the last survivor of the Churville family.
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Cox takes the message and plays it. In it, Lacto begs the Empire to fix the injustice done to Araan, stating they only carried out the justice the Empire failed to deliver, and asks for a fair trial from the Emperor. Cox can't
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believe Lacto is still alive, wondering just how far ahead Zad predicted the Emperor's moves. Zad points out that the Lord of Araan only wanted to write a wrong. Cox says he understands, but points out that Araan still messed up by
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taking matters into their own hands, and the Emperor will decide their fate. He asks why this wasn't reported sooner, and Zad replies they didn't have enough proof back then. The old investigator [music] steps in, claiming Aahan has been trying to break away from the Empire for a long time, and using the
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Chervils is just an excuse. Zad fires back, saying that even if that were true, the investigator should stick to the facts at hand. The old man agrees, but points out that an investigation into the patriarch of Arahan is
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inevitable. Zad asks what crimes are left to investigate, and the old man explains that acting as judge and jury without reporting to the emperor carries severe punishment. Zad then requests a substitute mission order, the exact same one the Gutra family received 540 years ago, shocking everyone. He argues that
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since Arahan's lineage carries a different weight than the Gutras, their punishment should be less severe. It turns out the substitute mission order is a system where a criminal does a favor for the Empire in exchange for a pardon, and Zad [clears throat] asks them to return with a fair punishment.
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Cox privately admires Zad's cleverness and says out loud that Lord Araan is very lucky. However, he warns this is the first and last time he will back down and that Arahan better watch out because he doesn't want to be the one
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who has to arrest him next time. Zad says he'll keep that in mind. Before leaving, the old man praises Zad, calling him a very interesting young man. He asks Zad to tell the patriarch of Araan to invite him over for a proper
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visit sometime since no one can enter the territory without an invitation. Zad points out that an investigator should remain neutral and shouldn't accept such invitations. But the old man reveals that he and Lord Arahan used to be close
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comrades. He just wants to catch up on the old days, saying they'll meet again.
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Later, the old Churville blacksmith cries tears of joy seeing his family name finally cleared. Eddie wonders how long he's going to keep crying, telling him to stop and look at the compensation from the empire instead. He can't believe they actually received 10,000 gold coins. Zad shows up, catching
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Eddie's attention, but Eddie plays dumb. The old Sherville walks over to thank Zad. Zad tells him to keep all the gold, but the old man refuses, saying he doesn't need the money and that Zad should use it to expand his power. He
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says he has no regrets and is deeply grateful. After that, Zad just watches the silly bickering between the old man and Eddie, getting ready to read the Empire's punishment. The document states that the official punishment will be announced in February, and they just have to wait until then. It also details
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that five missions will be required for Aahan's full pardon. Zad thinks that's a fair amount. These missions from the emperor will give him a perfect excuse to leave the house, and his siblings won't be able to interfere or try to
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control him. Zad thinks he got lucky that the situation with Lacto was resolved so quickly and decides to focus on expanding his influence over the next four months. Later, in the patriarch's office, his father calls him by name.
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The patriarch says Zad achieved something truly great and that he was incredibly surprised by his efficiency. This actually startles Zad since it's the first time his father has ever been nice to him. He had no idea the patriarch even had a kind side, so he thanks him for the compliment. Then
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[music] the patriarch mentions he just got back from a meeting with the elders and asks Zad if he knows who they are. Zad says he does. In his head, he remembers that the elders are the hidden power of Arahan. Individually, each one
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is much weaker than the patriarch, but together they wield incredible power. He also recalls hearing that Lord Zenedan is constantly clashing with them. The patriarch comments that those annoying old men actually praised Zad. Zenedan's goal is to make Arahan stronger than the emperor, but the elders just want to
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live in peace. Their only interest is safety with zero change. Zad replies that it's an honor to be praised, but his father warns him never to forget their true nature. Zad says he'll keep that in mind, remembering to himself
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that every single elder has already allied with one of Araan's heirs, so he needs to be careful. The patriarch then reveals the real reason he called him in. The elders have started making contact. Zad wonders what that's supposed to mean since his father left at half said. [music] Even though he's
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confused, he says he'll keep those words in mind. And right after, the lord dismisses him, but Zad stops him saying his father forgot something, asking for the reward he was promised. The Lord asks if he wants even more. Zad tries to
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explain, saying, "Rewards are earned." And the patriarch hasn't given him one yet. The patriarch bursts out laughing and says, "Zad thinks like a true heir, asking him what he wants." With that, Zad makes his request. Later, [music] inside Arahan's underground vault, Zad is completely speechless. He never
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imagined seeing so much wealth in one place. The captain of the Black Core tells him he can choose exactly one item. Zad asks if there's a time limit since the patriarch didn't set one. A few hours later, Zad has already
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identified several relics, but hasn't picked any of them. He has a weird gut feeling because the quality of these treasures is way too low for a family vault. The captain tells him to hurry up and make a choice already since 5 hours
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have passed. Zad asks who organizes this vault because everything in here is just trash. Callie mocks him, saying he talks like he actually knows a lot about magic tools. Zad decides he's had enough and demands the captain tell him the truth.
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The man tries to play dumb, but Zad insists he stop beating around the bush.
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Realizing he can't fool Zad anymore, the captain asks how he figured it out. Zad replies that the family vault could never be this low tier. That's when Callus decides to reveal the truth. He walks over to a nearby wall and opens a
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hidden passage, revealing the real vault. Zad is completely blown away by what he sees. The captain tries to warn him to only pick an item he can actually use, but Zad completely ignores him. He walks straight toward a magnificent item
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that immediately catches his eye, making him forget about everything else in the room. It was the Lich's bracelet, which grants the user an extra five points of mana. Even with all the highle relics in that room, none of them could compare to
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the lich's bracelet. Later on, Eddie asks Zad why he looks so happy. Zad was lost in thought, thinking about all the missed opportunities, so Eddie calls out to him again and asks why he's smiling like an idiot. Lacto chimes in, saying
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it's because of the bracelet, and Zad replies that he knew Lacto would notice. Lacto then hands Zad the gear he had requested and tells him to check it out.
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Zad holds the Churville emblem, thinking about how happy he felt while crafting it. The old man urges him to try it on quickly, saying he can make adjustments if it doesn't fit. When Zad picks up the necklace, he notices it's as light and
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soft as a feather. Lacto explains that comfort is crucial for anyone fighting on the front lines. As Zad puts on the belt, he's shocked to see that it can store up to 100 mana. The old man asks if he wants any adjustments, but Zad
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shakes his head, saying the belt is perfect and feels great. The old man then tells him to test the necklace. Zad realizes the item gives a 50% experience bonus to his magic power stat. He thinks to himself that his master is truly a
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master among masters. Reflecting that even in the game, the best items only gave a 20% boost. No one on the forums would ever believe this. [music] The master mentions that he doesn't get many requests for mana circulation items,
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which is why it took so much effort. Zad figures the old man wouldn't understand the term experience, so he just accepts the explanation about it helping with mana circulation and thanks him. Shortly after though, Zad completely changes his
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mind and decides the old man is pure evil. The old man yells that Zad's stamina is pathetic, warning him that if he stops, he'll be running until morning. He then barks, asking what Zad was just muttering. Internally, though,
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the master thinks Zad is a genius. He's already breaking fourth grade mana stones and seems to get stronger with every breath. He imagines Zad could go down in Imperial history alongside someone like Tamud. Suddenly, a lightning bolt strikes right in front of them. The master orders Zad to deplete
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his mana to the very last drop, explaining that casting a ton of different spells doesn't make him strong. What matters is perfecting the ones he already has until casting them is as natural as breathing. Another lightning bolt hits the ground even stronger this time. After training, the
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bald old man tells Zad that now that his mana is completely drained, he has to climb the mountain again. Shaking, Zad gets up and starts running without a single complaint. by completely draining his mana and pushing his body to its
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absolute physical [music] limit. Casting magic in this extreme state will accelerate his magic circulation. The old man yells that he also needs to master casting precision, learning to freely control his target and power level. He then creates multiple clones of himself. Zad is shocked as they
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surround him. The master orders him to get past the clones to reach the summit, making Zad think the man is completely insane. A lightning bolt strikes one of the clones while Zad dodges some rocks, keeping up his pace. When he finally
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reaches the top of the mountain, he asks if that was it. But even more clones start to appear. Seeing this, Zad screams out, cursing his master.
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Surrounded by the clones, Zad realizes that if he pushes himself too hard, he won't be able to feel his mana anymore, just like during the fight with the water dragon. He wonders what the old man expects from him until he notices
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something strange. He had been firing lightning bolts at full power, but he wonders what would happen if he used just a tiny amount of mana to deal with the clones instead. Since his master yelled that he needs to be able to
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control magic freely, Zad realizes he doesn't need to use full power against the clones. If he can manage the exact amount of mana for each spell, turning his destructive power up or down will be way easier. That's how he's going to get
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back at the damn old man. So, Zad charges forward, deciding to give this idea a shot. First, he needs to buy some time for his mana to regenerate. Zad leaps right into the middle of the clones, dodging them as he runs to the
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top of the mountain. Out of breath, he looks back and sees his master's clones advancing mercilessly. He climbs onto the last boulder and turns around. Zad realizes his mana has only recovered enough to cast a single lightning bolt.
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Now he's going to try splitting that mana to finish this training session. Sweating bullets, he concentrates the spell in his hand. The lightning starts to take shape, but it keeps flickering out. Zad focuses even harder and to his
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surprise, manages to split the magic into two, just a little more. Next, the two bolts turn into four and then split into eight smaller spells. Zad gets ready to strike, thinking he didn't divide them enough given how long it
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took. Still, pulling this off on his very first try is incredible and is bound to shock his master. Failing at the start is normal, but he refuses to give up. He points the spell upward and unleashes a chain of lightning, quickly
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zapping every single clone. His master is completely shocked and yells out in disbelief. He mutters that Zad couldn't even manage a double summon yet, and now he's already casting multiple spells. To the old man, his student is a monster
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who started running before he even learned to walk. Later, Zad heads down the mountain and stands before his master. He tells him they're wrapping up training for the day because he can't even stand anymore and instantly passes out. The old man doesn't even bother catching him. He just uses magic to
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float Zad's body while repeating that he's a monster. Then, the master notices something and smiles, saying his student seems to know just how amazing he is.
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Right then, Zad gains more magic power in the system, reaching a total of 16.
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Meanwhile, in a dark room, a strange man asks if everyone heard the latest report. The news about Tund and Zad Arahan becoming heirs seems to have caused quite a stir. Another man chimes in saying he thought Zad was in the
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detention center and doesn't get why the head of the family would care about someone like him. However, they've heard rumors that Zenedin is backing the seventh heir which is going to make things complicated. The first man stands up declaring they need to act before Zad gets too cocky. The next day, Zad tells
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Eddie he did a great job and asks him to keep gathering intel on his siblings.
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Just then, Rio bursts into the room in a panic, calling out for him. Zad stands up clearly worried. Rio tells him an old woman showed up at the estate claiming to be his grandmother, which completely confuses him. She explains that the
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woman left but is coming back for lunch. Since she's one of the elders, this could be their first move to get in touch with Zad. This catches him off guard. He didn't expect the elders to move this fast and realizes it's because
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he's been drawing too much attention lately. Rio warns him that he needs to be at the mansion tomorrow by lunchtime. She keeps talking, but Zad gets lost in his own thoughts. The elders can't use the Araan name because they aren't pure
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bloods, but they still drain the family's wealth more than anyone else and hold massive influence. Even Zenedan only became the patriarch because of them, so they definitely aren't people you can just ignore. Zad snaps out of it and asks Rio to prepare some good meat and potato soup. She thanks him and runs
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off. Then Eddie teases Zad about finally meeting his grandmother. Zad fires back, saying Eddie seems more excited about it than he is. Eddie starts going off on a long explanation, but Zad cuts him off and demands the files on the elders.
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After making a quick dramatic scene, Eddie hands over the info. As soon as he gets the files, Zad thanks him and gives him a compliment. Eddie gets totally flustered hearing praise from him. Zad then thinks to himself that he'll have
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plenty of time to deal with Eddie later because from here on out, he's going to be busy handling both the elders and his siblings. Later on, Zad is waiting for his grandmother. Since she's late, Rio tells Lisa to reheat the food again. Zad
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realizes she's doing this on purpose to make him wait. And right on Q, the woman finally shows up. The moment he sees her, he already knows her game plan.
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Matisa wants to completely crush her grandson's spirit right from the start. Matisa remarks that Zad has grown a lot since she last saw him. He just ignores the small talk and tells her to get inside. Once they're indoors, she keeps
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making sarcastic comments about his manners, telling him he can go ahead and eat first. She says she isn't hungry and that since he's still growing, he should eat up. Zad replies that his servants worked really hard to prepare the meal
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and asks her to at least try some. Matisa says the only thing she cares about is her grandson, and according to her guards, the food is great. Zad is disappointed, thinking she doesn't even have the decency of an old lady. He
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wonders if she's refusing because the food is cold or if she's afraid of being poisoned, but either way, he finds it completely disrespectful. Zad ends the lunch and asks Lisa to bring the tea. As soon as the servant leaves, the old
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woman asks why he only has two servants and comments on how terribly empty the place is. She offers to send him some servants, but Zad immediately declines.
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She keeps pushing and he keeps refusing. The old woman then tries to play the victim, saying he doesn't even mince his words with her. Matisa says it makes sense since he has Araan blood in his veins, but there's no need to be so cold
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to his own grandmother. Zad shuts her down and tells her to get straight to the point. The old woman gets excited and says they should start communicating well from now on. Right after she orders everyone to leave the room and tells
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them not to cause any trouble. Already tired of the stalling, Zad asks her once more to get straight to the point. The old lady says she came today to convince him and if that doesn't work, she'll have to resort to threats. Zad
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immediately warns her that persuasion won't work on him. At that, the old woman says he's just as bold as the rumors say, and it's starting to annoy her. She mentions that his name has been coming up a lot lately. She says that
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since he's already become an heir, he must know how the rules work, especially since he probably wants to be the next patriarch. Zad replies that one should dream big, but she cuts him off. She says there's no such thing, and if he
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wants a good future in the Arahan lineage, he needs to listen to her and give up on his dream of becoming patriarch right now. Zad asks what happens if he refuses. The old woman answers that he will die a miserable
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death. He thinks to himself that this isn't persuasion, it's a direct threat. Zad then asks if she supports the first son. She replies that historically the first heir has the best chance of taking the throne. So he says he doesn't know
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what his brother promised her, but he promises to give her double. Hearing this, the old woman bursts out laughing. She mocks the idea of the seventh son wanting to be the patriarch, finding the whole thing so hilarious she can't stop
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laughing. However, Zad reminds her that the current patriarch wasn't the oldest son either. The old woman asks if he's saying he can surpass Rondo Erhan. Zad replies that yes, he can surpass him. She mocks him again, claiming the
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current patriarch is only who he is because of her. Since he wasn't the strongest in the lineage, he only managed to rise to power with her help.
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Zad asks why she backed the current patriarch instead of the oldest son. She answers that Zenadan stood out the most among all the children, so she simply supported the one who was the best at everything. Zad tells her not to worry
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because he's going to become so strong that everyone will naturally take his side anyway. But the old woman reminds him that out of all seven grandchildren, none of them are as strong as Rondo. She tells him to give up on this dream right
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now because it's definitely going to get him killed. Zad asks her to just give him some time, arguing that the only difference between him and his older brother is exactly that, time. [music] The old woman asks why she should bother
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waiting for him. Zad replies that it's because she was late for lunch. She's completely confused by this, so Zad uses an analogy. He says pulling a flower before it even gets a chance to bloom is unfair, and as long as she doesn't push
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him, he won't push her either. Later, Zad remembers how the old woman looked at him with pity, which he found strangely annoying. Just then, oldrung shows up and says he ordered him not to go to the training ground alone. Zad
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explains he just wanted to get some fresh air. The old man asks why, and Zad says things have been frustrating. Krung mentions that Lacto told him about his grandmother's visit. That's when Zad realizes the old blacksmith and his
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master are actually best friends. The old man then mentions he's noticed the elders making moves. Zad says if he had just lied and said he didn't want to become the patriarch, he might have bought himself some more time. Krung
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advises him not to overthink things and to just act on his instincts. He says that's the only way to make the elders move since they never go against the flow. Zad asks the old mercenary how he knows so much about his family. Krung
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replies that he was an old friend of Dennis and watched him win the war to become patriarch. Zad asks who Dennis is and the old man reminds him that's the former patriarch aka Zad's grandfather. Zad asks how he met him and the old man
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says mercenaries tend to have wide networks adding that Dennis was actually a good kind kid back then. Zad asks what happened to him after that. Krung replies that taking the lives of all your siblings to show off as patriarch
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is just normal for them. And Dennis would do absolutely anything to reach his goals. The old man points out that even after traveling the entire empire, he's never seen a bloodline as messed up as the Arahans. Privately, Krung thinks
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to himself that the family's obsession with strength is completely abnormal, and there must be some deeper meaning behind why they crave power so much.
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Right after, he repeats to Zad that the elders never go against the flow. But Zad mocks the old man, saying Matisa told him the exact same thing. Later, inside the hall of Zad's mansion, there is a mysterious scroll. Back at the
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training ground, Crang is sulking because Zad made fun of him and didn't believe his story. Seeing that the old man is refusing to continue, Zad offers him 100 gold coins for the rest of the tale. Instantly, Crang turns around and
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demands 200 instead, which Zad immediately agrees to. Zad brings up how he's going against the current, thinking this means he has no shot at the throne.
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Crang gets frustrated with how clueless Zad is. Sensing his frustration, Zad offers another 300 gold coins to get the old man to explain. Right away, Crang changes his tune and calmly explains what he meant. He says that showing his
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instincts means proving what kind of person he is to the elders through his actions. [music] When they talk about a superior bloodline, they don't just mean raw strength. They mean leadership, perception, and cold rationality. It's the whole package of what it takes to be a patriarch. Seeing that Zad is finally
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getting it, Crang gets excited and tells him he needs to make the elders see what he's capable of. If he can show an overwhelming growth rate compared to Rondo, Zad can turn the tables in an instant. The old man warns him not to
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let himself be manipulated and tells him to pack his things to move in with him.
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But Zad points out that he has the priest Mark and the Imperial Army on his side, so his enemies shouldn't be making any reckless moves. Hearing this, Crang calls him a fool, warning him that there are plenty of ways to take someone's
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life without leaving a trace. Before wrapping up, the old man reminds Zad to bring the gold coins the next day. Later that night at Zad's mansion, the clock strikes and something begins to stir under the table. A massive wave of magic
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spreads out from the scroll that was left there. Suddenly, Zad finds himself back on Earth right at the very beginning of everything. He wonders if he's dreaming since he hasn't had this dream in a long time and doesn't get why
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it's happening now. Even so, he quickly gets excited to be back, realizing how much he missed those days and starts planning how he's going to win today's fight. He charges forward, but realizes someone has sabotaged his match.
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Furious, he looks around for the culprit and spots Matisa in the crowd. The next second, [music] Zad snaps awake and realizes he's been poisoned by black snakes. There are tons of them slithering all around him. He instantly activates his lightning transformation and notices the entire room is crawling
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with them. While he wonders who could be behind this, the snakes all lung at him.
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To defend himself, Zad uses one of his new skills, electrical discharge. Meanwhile, somewhere else, Matisa is shown cutting flowers. Matisa is completely focused on her work. When her butler approaches, she immediately demands an update on the mission, threatening to end his life if he
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doesn't speak up. The old butler explains that the seventh heir and his staff were seen leaving the territory that morning. Matisa wonders how on earth he managed to survive that attack. She then orders the butler to go to the
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location and finish off the old summoner and everyone else involved in the incident. The butler agrees, but before he leaves, Matisa asks about a certain box. He explains that the item was left right in front of her estate. She tells
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him to bring it over. When she opens the case, she wonders what the symbol on it means. Inside, she finds a blank piece of paper with a message telling her to hold on to the towel to be forgiven. A split second later, a massive explosion
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goes off. Later at the training ground, Eddie calls out to Zad and lets him know the explosion was a total success. Zad gets excited, noting that the council should be making a move soon. He remembers how Matisa had set a trap at
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his house before they even met and decides that whatever they do to him, he'll return the favor 10fold. Just then, Rio walks up and asks if Zad is okay, pointing out all the bite marks on his body. Zad assures her he's fine and
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that the plan succeeded thanks to his area of effect attack. Rio seems a bit upset that the mansion was destroyed in Zad's attack. She suggests they stay away from the place using a renovation as an excuse. The old blacksmith chips
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in saying he's fine with that, and Crang agrees it's a great idea. Zad figures it's not an issue for them anyway since they're best friends. Afterward, Zad goes over to his guards, thanks them for their hard work, and promises they'll be
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rewarded double. Standing a bit further away, Rio asks if it's really okay that Zad attacked an elder. He tells her not to worry since Matisa probably doesn't even suspect he was the one behind the explosion. Zad explains that she loves
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playing with the air children like they're puppets, which will throw off her suspicions. From afar, an intruder overhears their conversation and mutters to himself that the council is going to absolutely lose their minds when they hear this. Elsewhere, a woman is being interrogated under suspicion of
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attacking Matisa. This woman is Rachel, Zad's mother. She denies having anything to do with the explosion. Believing her story, the interrogators try to brainstorm other possible suspects. But right then, Matisa storms into the room absolutely furious. She screams that she's going to end Rachel's life and
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strikes her. Matisa yells that she'll make her pay for destroying her rose garden. The investigators try to hold Matisa back and a moment later, guards flood the room. This sparks a massive argument among the elders. However, Rachel steps in and commands everyone to calm down and stop flaring their mana.
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Matisa then starts accusing Rachel of delivering the explosive box. Rachel tries to defend herself, but Matisa fires back, saying she's the only one capable of pulling something like that off. That's when Rachel finally loses her patience, especially since Matisa threatened to lay a hand on her people
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and orders her to get out. Matisa suddenly remembers that Rachel is an eighth circle mage on the verge of reaching the ninth, famously known as the ice witch. She realizes that if Rachel wanted to, she could easily disrupt the balance of power among the elder factions. Cowering under this
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terrifying pressure, Matisa backs down and takes a seat at the table. Later, once everyone calms down, Rachel apologizes for losing her temper. She asks Matisa to go over the details so they can figure out who did this, but
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Matisa cuts her off, saying she doesn't trust Rachel at all and is convinced she's the one behind the attack. Rachel swears on everything she has that she had nothing to do with it, pointing out that someone is clearly trying to set
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them up to fight each other. Matisa starts describing the golden box left at her door, suggesting her butler might have been bribed, but her daughter speaks up, saying that's unlikely since the butler also died in the explosion.
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Matisa goes on to explain that when she opened the box, there was a white handkerchief inside. Written on it was a message about offering forgiveness once they held the towel. Hearing this, Rachel points out that whoever did this
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is incredibly clever. The box was rigged from the very beginning, and it was done so well that even a high-ranking mage didn't notice. On top of that, the blue fire was more than enough to wipe out the entire estate since only a handful
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of people are capable of making something that advanced. Rachel says they just need to investigate all of them. Next, Rachel asks Matisa if she's pissed anyone off recently. When Matisa looks confused, Rachel clarifies, asking if she offended someone. Since the message mentioned forgiveness, this felt
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more like a grudge. Matisa scoffs at the idea, asking who would be crazy enough to seek revenge against an elder of Arahan. Matisa tries to think of who it could be and remembers Zad, but she doubts he's competent enough to pull off
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a scheme like this. Since her daughter doesn't know she went to see Zad, Matisa decides to make up an excuse. Rachel asks if she thought of something, but Matisa claims she hasn't, saying she's done nothing but garden and stay at home
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lately. Hearing this, her daughter asks if she really didn't leave the house, even after Tund and Zad became heirs, asking again if her mother did anything.
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Matisa tries to deny it, but Rachel already sees right through her and calls her a terrible liar. She points out that since Tund is in the dungeon, the only one left is Zad. Rachel reminds her that she had specifically asked Matisa to
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stay out of her children's fight for the throne and that it was the only thing she had asked of her. Matisa desperately tries to deny it, but Rachel doesn't back down and keeps up her relentless attack, warning her that she won't get
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away scratch-free and will pay with her life. Just as Rachel is about to strike, a member of the Black Corps appears and tells her to control herself, saying the patriarch ordered her to show restraint. Rachel mocks the situation, asking what
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kind of father stands by when someone tries to kill his child. Since Matisa broke her promise not to touch her children, Rachel warns her one last time that she will pay for it with her life. Seeing that Rachel won't back down, the
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henchman begs her to reconsider. He says she knows the family head's intentions better than anyone and pleads with her once more. This actually works, and Rachel backs off, calling off her attack. The man then informs Matisa that she is banned from elder meetings and any outside activities. He tells her to
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go back immediately, promising he'll handle the rest. Matisa is grateful and leaves. Right then, Rachel addresses the hooded man as Robin, asking if he's the patriarch's right-hand man now. Robin confirms that ever since he joined Araan, he's always put the patriarch first, but says his memories of Rachel
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still live in his heart. Rachel asks if holding that position means he can't tell her anything. She points out that the Black Core must know the truth about what happened to Zad. Appealing to his loyalty, she insists that as a mother,
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she has a right to know what happened to her son, asking if he would really deny his former master that. As payback for Rachel saving his life in the past, Robin reveals that Matisa was indeed the one who tried to kill Zad. He explains
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that he sent a bomb to Matisa's house and that there were no other casualties.
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Rachel asks where her son is now, and Robin tells her that Zad is with Sir Krung, his current master. Rachel is shocked by the news and starts worrying about how her fragile son ended up with someone like Krung, but Robin assures
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her that Zad is anything but fragile and delicate. Rachel says she heard the rumors, but still finds it hard to believe. Either way, she gets emotional knowing he survived and grew strong on his own. Happy to hear Zad is doing
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well, she says she wants to see him and asks for every possible location, stating she'll go there alone. A few days later, at Krung's hideout, Zad thanks him for the training. The old man praises Zad's ability to learn fast, and
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Zad thanks him again for his guidance. From a distance, the subordinates whisper about how amazing Krung is, and how Zad is even more impressive for surviving that brutal training. Zad then announces they're having a barbecue for dinner, which gets all the guards hyped. One of them comments that it really
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feels like they're at a camp watching from afar. A traitor mocks them, calling them fools and disgusting. He decides this is the perfect time to make his move. Planning to escape as soon as everyone goes to sleep. When a co-orker
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asks if he's going to eat, the traitor declines, saying he isn't hungry. Later that night, while everyone is fast asleep, the traitor makes his move.
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Convinced he'll never have to see any of them again, he runs as fast as his legs can carry him, but suddenly he freezes, completely unable to take another step.
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Zad and Krung step out of the shadows, announcing they've finally caught the rat in their ranks. While the others watch from a distance, Zad reminds him that during his very first visit to the mansion, he warned everyone that
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treachery wouldn't be tolerated, and this guy is no exception. He tells Krung to hand down the punishment. The curse causes the traitor's body to inflate like a balloon whenever he tries to speak. The only way to break it is to
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find someone stronger than Krung. Sometime later, Zad thanks his master. However, Kung warns him that someone has breached the barrier around their hideout, which is impossible since no one is supposed to know about this place. Seeing a figure approach, Krung initially thinks the barrier failed, but
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he quickly realizes that's not the case. This person is just as strong as he is.
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The old man demands to know the intruder's identity. Sensing that this presence doesn't belong to Black Mirror or some highranking lackey. Just then, the stranger suppresses her aura, catching Krung offg guard and reveals herself as Zad's mother. Krung is shocked to see her. Rachel points out
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it's been 20 years since they last saw each other, calling him master and asking how he's been, but the old man tells her to stop calling him that. He makes it clear that whatever connection they had ended the moment she became an
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Araan lady and asks why she's here. Rachel notes that despite how much Krung hates the Arahan family, he still ended up mentoring their youngest. She asks where Zad is, explaining she came all this way just to see him. She then asks
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if he's training the boy the same way he used to train her, begging him to go easy on Zad since he's the youngest. Krung replies that his methods have never changed and if anything, he's tougher now than ever before. Rachel is
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surprised to hear her son is actually handling the training well. Krung goes on saying he couldn't just throw the boy in front of any Araan elder, proving he actually cares about the kid. Hearing this, she asks when she'll finally get
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to see Zad, arguing that a mother shouldn't have to ask for permission to see her own son. At that, Krung scoffs. He points out that she abandoned Zad when he was just a child and only now suddenly remembers she has a son and
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decides to show up. Rachel tries to explain herself, claiming it was a necessary decision ordered by the head of the family, but the old man just keeps mocking her. Rachel then points out that his hatred for the Aahans
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clearly hasn't faded, questioning why he's even training one of their heirs. Kung fires back instantly, saying Zad is nothing like any Araan he's ever met, and that he has absolutely no intention of hurting him. She replies that she
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just wants to see her son, especially since everyone is talking about how much he's changed. Krung insists that Zad is the one who can change history so he can't have any distractions or get even a single scratch. Rachel asks how she
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could possibly be an obstacle to her own son and begs to see him for just one minute, but the old man refuses, saying there's no way to know if she'll try to cast some kind of spell on him. Desperate, Rachel asks Krung to just
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block her mana circuits. This catches him off guard. Realizing she isn't bluffing, Krung asks if she seriously doubted his ability to actually do it.
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But right then, Zad shows up and Rachel immediately calls out to her son. As soon as Zad sees her, he recognizes her. He tells Krung to step aside because he wants to meet her since she is an Arahan elder. His master tries to stop him, but
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Zad ignores him, so Krung backs off and leaves the two of them alone. Rachel hugs him and starts apologizing over and over for everything that happened, saying he must have gone through so much during this time. Zad notices that his
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body still remembers what it feels like to be hugged by this woman. He calls her mother and asks for the real reason behind her visit, specifically bringing up what happened with the other elder. Right away, Rachel's tone changes, and
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she admits that's exactly why she's here. She tells Zad he needs to apologize to the council immediately, promising that with her help, they can settle everything quietly. However, Zad refuses and reveals that he planned all of this from the very start. Rachel is shocked by his confession. Zad explains
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he did this so the elders wouldn't interfere in his fight for the throne and promises he will make Lady Matisa regret what she did. Zad declares he won't stop until he reaches his goal. Rachel warns him that the elders are far
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more powerful than he realizes and that in their entire history, no heir has ever fought against them, but Zad says that's exactly why he's going to do it because he'll be the first. Rachel still tries to reason with him, pointing out
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that the odds are completely against him. But Zad says winning is actually possible if she helps him. He explains that all she needs to do is live her life normally and then stand by his side when the time comes. That way, he'll
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only have to fight his siblings. He adds that in the end, he's only going to threaten Matisa anyway. Rachel answers that she doesn't care about Matisa. Her only concern is her son's safety. But Zad reassures her, saying that with
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Cryang by his side, he has nothing to fear. Hearing [music] this, Rachel realizes he has become a completely different person. Zad then asks why the patriarch leaves the elders alone since they are clearly a problem. Rachel explains that Arahan isn't as bad as he thinks. This angers Zad, who questions
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what kind of father forces his children to fight each other, but won't get rid of the elders who constantly get in his way. Rachel realizes he doesn't understand and explains there's a secret to Araan. She tells him that once he
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proves himself worthy, he will learn the truth and until then, he shouldn't hold a grudge against the patriarch. She finishes by saying she will be rooting for him from afar and tells him to be careful. Rachel then says goodbye to her
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son, apologizing to him one last time. The next day, the elders hold a conference. Matisa asks why everyone is looking so down. One man asks how her conversation with Rachel went, noting that by now they should have narrowed
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down their list of suspects. [music] This infuriates Matisa. She snaps back, saying they are all in the same boat and she is the captain, so they just need to do what she says. She demands solutions to the case, but everyone remains
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silent, making her even more stressed. That's when the second in command speaks up, explaining that since all the evidence was destroyed, the investigation is going to take some time. He promises to use all his resources to find the culprit quickly. When Matisa asks how much time he needs,
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he asks for 3 days. She agrees to leave everything in his hands and ends the meeting. As soon as Matisa leaves the room, one of his colleagues asks if he can really solve the issue in three days. He replies that within those three
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days, everyone needs to make a decision. The colleague asks what he means by that, and the second in command explains that sometimes it's better to jump ship than to stay on a drifting vessel. Back at her estate, Matisa takes a bath,
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thinking it's only a matter of time before Zad gets caught. She mocks the situation, believing the Seventh Air could never have pulled this off.
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Suddenly, she notices the water has gone cold, and calls out, asking if anyone is outside. Matisa gets out of the bath and goes looking for her servants. But when she finds them, she's hit with a shocking sight. Every single one of them
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is dead. Before she can even process it, she notices a massive wave of blue energy heading right for her. It turns out Crang is the one behind the attack.
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And after burning her entire estate to the ground, he takes off. Sometime later, Matisa is wandering aimlessly until she ends up back in her village.
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Walking in, she notices that all the properties under her name have been shut down, and she wonders if Zad is behind this, but she quickly brushes it off because she's starving. Spotting a line, she walks right up and cuts in front of
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everyone. A man immediately calls her out on her attitude. Matisa asks if he knows who she is, but the guy doesn't care and tells her to get to the back of the line. As a scene starts to break out, one of the staff members asks her
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to step back. She instantly slaps him and barks at him not to touch her. Right then, a former employee of hers steps in and reveals to everyone that Matisa is an Arahan elder. Everyone gasps in shock and immediately bows down to her. Matisa
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warns them that she won't forget what happened, and the former employee asks for permission to escort her to a restaurant. She agrees and asks for his name so she can reward him later, but the man says that won't be necessary and
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lets her know they've arrived. Looking at the restaurant from the outside, Matisa is clearly disappointed. The man apologizes for bringing her to a place like this, explaining it's the best he can do right now. She tells him she
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understands his intentions and tells him to keep his head up. Once they're inside, the man mentions he asked the chef to whip up something special for an honored guest. Matisa thanks him, realizes the food is actually pretty good and eats her fill. Later that night, as the restaurant is closing up,
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Matisa wakes up and realizes she fell asleep. When she gets up, she notices the man is already gone and thinks he was incredibly polite to let her rest undisturbed. A little while later, she's walking through the forest, heading
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toward another one of her properties. But when she finally gets to the house, her heart sinks. This place has also been burned to the ground, almost as if someone knew she was coming. Just then, she spots another box. When she walks
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over and opens it, she finds the Shervel Crest inside. Seeing this, she loses her mind. Now absolutely sure that Zad is the one behind everything. Matisa screams Zad's name in pure rage, cursing him over and over, she feels completely
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helpless with no idea what to do now that she's lost everything. Realizing she has no other choice, she decides to seek out the other elders for help. But right then, she notices her mana is completely gone. Panicking, Matisa runs
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towards Samade's mansion to look for help. A little later, the mansion guard who was about to doze off notices someone approaching. It's Matisa, [music] completely desperate, demanding to see Sammed. The guard blocks her, saying the Lord is asleep and can't be disturbed. Hearing this, [music] she
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loses her temper and demands that Sammed come out right this second. That's when Zad shows up and asks how she plans on making that happen, especially since she can't even use Mana anymore. Seeing Zad, Matisa totally loses it and screams that
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she's going to end him right there. Zad warns her that she should watch her step. He reveals that he had one of his subordinates slip her a poison that blocks her mana for 2 days. He also explains that he deliberately dragged
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her to that smelly place earlier so she wouldn't notice the scent of the toxin.
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Realizing she was played by Zad from the very beginning, Matisa collapses to the ground. Next, Zad walks up to the door and says he wants to speak with Samid, but the guard refuses. So, Zad tells the guard to go let Sam know that the person
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responsible for the attack on Matisa is here because that will definitely get him to show up. A little while later, Samed wakes up screaming at everyone. As he gets out of bed, he orders them to have everything spotless by the time he
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gets back. Coming down the stairs, Sam is greeted by Zad. Realizing the young man is an Araan, Sam calms down, thinking to himself that he would have killed anyone else on the spot. Zad compliments the mansion, saying it's as
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clean as a hospital, where they eat on a strict schedule and keep everything perfect. Then he drops a cup right onto the floor. Seeing the broken cup, Sam Ed completely flips out. Zad mentions he heard about Sam Ed's severe mophobia. He
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warns him that he's only doing this to make sure Samed fully understands his situation since there's absolutely nothing he can do to him right now. Then Zad pulls out a scroll containing several sealed black snakes. He explains these are the exact same snakes that destroyed the house and the seal is set
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to go off in 5 minutes. Zad taunts him saying things are about to get interesting once the snakes are released, especially since the mage who sealed them is stronger than Samad, making them incredibly hard to destroy.
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Sammed asks what Zad wants, and Zad simply tells him to take a seat. Sitting down, Samed asks if this is going to take long since the timer on the scroll is ticking. Zad then pulls out a form. The document states that Sammed and the
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elders will not get involved in the succession battle. Zad declares that Sammed's mission is to get all the elders to sign the contract within just one day, warning him that he'll be in deep trouble if he fails. Finally, Zad
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lets him know that Matisa, one of the elders, is right outside the mansion, so Sam Ed can go grab her signature first. Samed asks if Zad really thinks he can become the head of the family. Zad fires back, asking why not, and says he'll
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handle his own path. All the old man needs to do is bring him the signatures.
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Terrified by the threat, Samad agrees to do the job and asks Zad to put the document away. Sighing, Sammed asks if Zad really blew Matisa up, which Zad confirms. Looking at the boy, Samed thinks to himself that Crangutra must
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really be his master. The old man realizes the tide is turning. Rachel had already strengthened many of the moderates, and with Zad's surprise attack, the radicals wouldn't be able to hold their ground. Same stands up and declares he will collect the elders signatures. However, he sets a
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condition. Zad must guarantee their safety and convince Rachel. Zad reveals that's already taken care of and Rachel will accept all the elders. Same asks if he really sorted everything out. Zad confirms it, revealing he already knew what the old men wanted. He asks if being prepared for a negotiation isn't
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just basic common sense, leaving Sam speechless. [music] The old man thinks about how much Zad has changed in such a short time. Remembering how he played Matisa, convinced Rachel, and found a way to neutralize the council. Sam concludes that this takes serious brains and courage, exactly what you'd expect
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from an Araan. Sam remarks that it's impressive, but Zad warns him this is only the beginning. Zad sends him off to get the signatures and says that if the man keeps his word and stays out of the succession fight, he can keep living
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just like before. Hearing this makes Seemed a bit nervous. A little later, shouting erupts outside. Matisa screams that she warned them to return before sunrise. She calls Zad a little brat, saying he should go to hell for even
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coming near the place, but now she couldn't do anything about it, which made no sense to her. Just then, Samade approaches. Seeing the old man, Matisa breaks free from the guards and begs for help. Keeping silent, Sam simply shows
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her the document and tells her to sign. She asks what it is and gets furious when she reads the paper. Sam tells her the tide has turned and he witnessed it firsthand. He explains that the elders don't usually go against the tide and
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now was the time to flow with it. Trembling, Matisa asks if he's betraying her. She throws the document to the ground, grabs, and asks how he dares to do this. Trying to calm her down, Samed explains she's no match for Zad and
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needs to face reality. He points out that her losses happened because she attacked without properly reading the situation. Matisa tells him not to underestimate her and asks if he really thinks she's going to sign that piece of trash. Samed then lays it out for her. She's lost everything and she can't even
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use Mana anymore. He tells her to just sign it and stay out of the succession war, saying it's the only way they'll be safe. To guarantee his own safety, Samed snaps his fingers and the guards grab Matisa. Using magic, the old man lifts
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the paper from the floor, hands it to her, and demands her signature once again. With the document signed, Sammed orders the guards to escort Matisa out.
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As she is leaving, he remembers something and mentions that Zad asked him to give her something. When she turns around, Matisa sees a cloth. The message was that if she held that towel, Zad would forgive her. A moment later,
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her scream echoes all around. The next afternoon at the Arahan family mansion, Zad is kneeling before the Lord. The leader notes that they've been meeting in private quite often lately. Zad says he's there to deliver a report and hands
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over the scroll. The Lord reads the contract and congratulates Zad on his work. Surprised, the boy thanks him as the patriarch repeats the compliment.
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Zad realizes that getting complimented still makes him feel awkward, finding it strange that a cold and ruthless man like the Lord is praising him. Smiling, the Lord mentions that watching Zad's recent actions has been highly entertaining. Zad is shocked to see the man actually smile. The patriarch
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continues saying he heard Zad asked Rachel about the Araan family secret. Zad confirms this, wondering why he's bringing it up now. The lord warns that Zad isn't ready to hear the whole truth yet, but says the time to tell him has
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come. As Zad listens in confusion, the lord explains that the Araan family is obsessed with strength. To be precise, he says they are a family that has to appear obsessed with strength. Zad doesn't understand and wonders who they
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need to put on this act for. While walking, Zad looks at his summoning ring. He thinks it was a shame what happened last time, but since everything worked out, he barely has to worry this time. He then wonders what the Lord
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meant earlier about having to shape the Arahan family that way. The lord had said he could only explain that much for now, as Zad still needed to get stronger. Remembering that the man found his movements entertaining, Zad finds
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the situation unexpected, but it makes him feel a bit better. Sometime later, Crang comments that Zad really loves hunting for useless things. The old man asks how many times he has to say a mage shouldn't rely on stuff like that, but
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Zad asks what exactly is useless about them. Just then, Eddie arrives and tells Crang to calm down, pointing out these aren't just ordinary magic items. The old man asks if the things Eddie makes aren't better. Eddie explains that items
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left behind by the lords are fundamentally different and high level, making them impossible for humans to create. Crang turns to Zad and asks if that's true. [music] Changing the subject, Zad asks if Crang can also summon demonic beasts. The old man reminds him that he just told him not to
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rely on those things and asks where this is coming from. Zad explains he would only use the summon as a backup, emphasizing that his training is still his main priority. Zad figures that even a mid-level demonic beast would probably
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be stronger than him. Since the major mission is coming up, he needs to use every advantage he has. But his master warns him that he can only use low-rank beasts, making it impossible to summon anything higher than that. Zad says
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that's disappointing as he never thought there was anything Crang couldn't do. This pisses the old man off. He snaps back that if someone like him were also good at summoning magic, things would be completely unbalanced, especially since demonic beasts require a high level of resonance. Zad then remembers that the
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game's community used to talk a lot about this resonance since it triggered every time a new character was created. Having a beast was essential now as his ring would be useless without a creature to summon. To make it work, he needed a
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mage with a high level of resonance. He immediately thinks of his father, but quickly snaps back to reality and tries to find another option. Crang mentions he knows a mage who's perfect for the job, but he'll only share the name if he
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gets paid for the info. Zad offers him a whole month's worth of income from his buildings, but the old man turns it down. Desperate, Zad looks over at Eddie, who instantly warns him he doesn't have that information. Zad is
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left wondering who could possibly have that kind of power. Right after, Eddie starts crying, complaining that Zad spent way too much money at the magic item shop, money that could have been invested elsewhere. Zad fires back, calling it a long-term investment, and threatens Eddie with major trouble if he
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keeps nagging him. With no other choice, Zad offers Crang 300 gold coins. The old man questions if he even has that much cash on him right now and mocks him. As he sees Zad storming off, Crang casually mentions that Rachel's summoning magic
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is incredible. Zad freezes on the spot. He asks Crang what he just said, but the old man just plays dumb. The next day, everyone at Rachel's mansion is working non-stop because Zad is coming to visit soon. The servants are thrilled to
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welcome him. Rachel, who is supervising everything, asks for the time, and the butler tells her there are still 40 minutes left. She keeps asking question after question, clearly looking nervous. Seeing how anxious she is, the butler reassures her with a compliment. Shortly after, they get word that Zad is about
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to arrive. Rachel wonders why she's so nervous. She reflects on how she never wanted fame or wealth. She just wanted a warm, peaceful life with her children.
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As soon as he gets off his horse, Zad greets her, calling her lady. Rachel size to herself, sad that he doesn't call her mother anymore. Zad then hands her a gift, a brooch. He says he thought it would look good on her, so he brought
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it along. Rachel is shocked by the gesture. Zad quickly explains that he picked it out in a rush and promises to get her something better next time, but she tells him not to worry about that because nothing could be more precious
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than this gift. Over in the dining room, Rachel stands by the table. Zad chats happily with her while he eats, making the maid smile at the heartwarming scene. Once he finishes, he says he really loved the dinner. Rachel mentions
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she prepared the Burton steak the moment she heard he was visiting, and Zad replies he was so excited that he devoured the whole thing in seconds. She says she's relieved and mentions she made a strawberry cake for dessert since
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it's always been his favorite. Zad is surprised and points out how huge the cake is. Rachel explains she put a lot of care into making it just for him. Zad repeats the word favorite in his [music] head. He notices she doesn't eat protein
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like meat and only stuffs herself with sweets, so it's no wonder her body is so fragile. Since she made it especially for him, Zad thanks her and digs into a huge slice. Once they finish eating, Rachel asks the servants to leave for a
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moment, saying she's had enough company. Zad starts by thanking her for dealing with the elders faction. She replies it was nothing as she just wanted to avoid a blood bath in the family. Rachel thinks about how long she had to endure
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just to get through all of this, but notes that it was all thanks to Zad. Zad says the elders won't interfere in the succession war anymore. Rachel agrees that's true as long as she's around, but asks if he also wants to become the
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patriarch. He quickly confirms he does. Rachel clutches her dress and asks why, wondering if he just wants more power. Zad interrupts her, saying that's not the only reason. He has a task he needs to complete, something only he can do.
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Rachel tilts her head confused, but then realizes something. She remembers it was Zad who asked the patriarch to spare Tund and asks if his reason is related to that. He confirms it is. Zad says he refuses to accept killing his siblings
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as a natural part of life and that he will become the patriarch without anyone having to die. Rachel stands up in surprise and he concludes that this is exactly why he has to take the position. She looks at him in utter disbelief,
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thinking it's a foolish dream. Anyone would think this is impossible in the Aahan family, which is probably why the patriarch didn't explain things to him.
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Even so, Rachel declares that if it's actually possible, and he's going to pull it off without failing, she will help him no matter what, even if she has to mobilize the entire council of elders. Zad thanks her. She warns him
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that it will be a difficult path and tells him he can ask her for help with anything. That's when Zad reveals there is something he needs right now, leaving her confused. Later, at Rachel's palace, she mentions she's surprised the
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patriarch gave him Basil's summoning ring. She asks if he summoned a beast worthy of the ring, and Zad says he did. She also asks if his master told him his resonance power is high, and he laughs and confirms it. Rachel asks him to wait
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a moment and releases energy from her hand, creating a barrier around them. She explains this will keep out any prying eyes since she wants to keep helping him, but it would be trouble if the other siblings found out. Zad thanks
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her and thinks about how quick she is to understand things. Rachel draws a magic circle on the floor and explains that summoned beasts are categorized by speed, size, and raw strength. The highest rank doesn't always mean it's the best. It's ideal to have a specific beast [music] depending on the role
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needed. Zad thinks about how the summoning ring can only hold one beast and hesitates to ask for the highest ranked one after her explanation. When she asks what he wants, Zad asks if she can show him all three. Rachel says she
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figured he'd say that. Levitating something from her magic circle, a giant wolf appears and stands right in front of them. Zad thinks it's incredible and asks if that's really a demonic beast. She explains that it's the fastest one
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she can summon, making it excellent for counterattacks and mobility. Next, [music] she summons the second one, and a massive bear appears, roaring as loud as it can. Zad says he thought she could only summon one at a time. Rachel
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explains that the number depends on one's resonance power, and she is capable of summoning up to three. Suddenly, energy floods the room as a massive orc appears. Zad is shocked to see the ogre, which glares at him with
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pure rage, tightens its grip on its club, and charges right at him. Rachel quickly yells at Zad to back off. Rachel thought she had everything under control and can't understand why the ogre is acting like this. She's never seen one
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this hostile before, so she tries to undo the spell. But what happens next is even more shocking. The ogre actually bows to Zad. Zad remarks that it's great the monster is docel, but thinks to himself that even when it's kneeling,
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the creature is still so huge he has to look up at it. Zad tells the orc that this won't work and that he's disqualified, which visibly saddens the creature. Rachel admits that the monster's sudden shift really freaked her out. Zad realizes that only the giant wolf and the bear are left. It's
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an incredibly tough choice because he desperately needs both of them. Then his eyes land on the wolf. He notices that the Jindo dog he used to take care of had those exact same lovable eyes. He asks if he can pet it and Rachel says
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yes, adding that the bear can come closer, too. Zad starts petting both of them. He mentions he was tense since they're demonic beasts, but notices they are actually pretty gentle. Rachel finds this fascinating because by nature, these creatures are not friendly at all. She then asks if Zad wants to try giving
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them belly rubs. He asks if that's a bit too dangerous, but Rachel tells him to just trust her and give it a shot. Zad turns to the two beasts and they lower their heads. The bear looks at him totally confused, but then the giant
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wolf suddenly rolls over. Not wanting to lose Zad's attention, the bear rolls over on the floor, too. Zad is left wondering what the hell just happened.
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Rachel walks over and says she expected as much, explaining that Zad's resonance power is actually stronger than hers. She can't even touch their bellies herself because they're too fierce. Zad finds this weird and asks how that's possible since she's their master. Rachel explains that her relationship
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with them isn't master and servant. It's more accurate to call them partners, which is why she can't do things that they consider taboo. Rachel reaches out her hand and the wolf does the same. She notices how much the beast already likes
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Zad. She mentions she had one just like it back in the north when she was a kid and admits she's getting a little jealous. Zad wonders if his resonance power really is that strong or if it's because of Temood, considering he
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dismissed the water dragon with a single word. But these two beasts don't seem to be afraid of him at all. Looking at the spirit of speed and the spirit of brute force, Zad knows both are incredibly good. But if he has to choose just one,
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he points and says he'll take that one. Rachel says she knew he'd say that and then channels her resonance power into the ring, binding it to the stone.
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Later, back on the mountain, Zad's master warns him that he still has a long way to go. He tells him he needs to squeeze out every last drop of his strength and make his body remember this feeling. Two months passed since then,
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and since Zad took over this body in another world, it's been an endless cycle of incidents and accidents. But compared to all that, these past few months have actually felt like a normal routine. The repairs on the half-destroyed building are finally finished. With the threat of the elders
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gone, everyone returns to their usual spots. Zad practically lives there now, spending all his time training and keeping his master company. He looks at his stats with a smile. Reaching level 16 restored his strength, agility, and stamina penalties by 10 points and boosted his mana by five. Just thinking
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about how brutal the training was makes him grit his teeth, but the results speak for themselves. His master walks over and says Zad's skills have improved tons in a short time, calling his growth rate insanely fast. Zad just says it's
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all thanks to the training. The old man admits he's never seen anyone as resilient as him. Since they don't have much time left, Zad mentions that everything is set to begin tomorrow. It's January 22nd and the conduct order
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is scheduled for early February. Everyone seems worried about it, especially the master who knows exactly how dangerous this alternative assignment order really is. The old man laments that he still has so much left to teach him. Zad tells him not to worry. He promises to handle everything,
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get back quickly, and return stronger than ever. The thought of traveling across the empire and fighting countless strong enemies gets Zad so excited he can barely sleep. As the master turns to leave, Zad bows his head and thanks him
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for everything, promising he'll never forget his kindness. The old man tells him to stop talking like they'll never see each other again. Zad wonders if he hurt heard his feelings, but the old man just tells him to make sure he comes
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back alive, promising to teach him his secret magic when he returns. Zad immediately agrees, saying they'll have plenty of time to catch up later. With only 9 days left before his alternative service begins, Zad puts on his cloak. A
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few days later, Rio calls Zad over to hand him an imperial order that just arrived. When he reads it, there's nothing major written inside. It just tells him to keep waiting for further instructions. Zad finds this sketchy since he expected at least some kind of direction and starts muttering to
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himself. Rio asks what he's talking about, but he brushes it off, hands back the letter, and asks how long it takes to get to Coutura. Rio asks what on earth he did to get sent there. When Zad asks when she visited the place, she
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explains she went to an area near Coutura back when she worked in the market, warning him that it's absolutely freezing. Zad realizes that if his mission is indeed over there, he's in trouble. [music] Coutura is located at the northernmost edge of the empire, a harsh region crawling with mana beasts.
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Luckily, the area has several teleportation gates. Snapping out of his thoughts, he says goodbye to Rio. Zad knows the emperor is incredibly disappointed in him, and he can feel that resentment through the actions being taken against him. Inside Lacto's workshop, Zad tests out his new gear.
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The equipment the old man crafted is going to be crucial for facing stronger opponents. Zad thanks Lacto, who then asks if he wants thick or lightweight clothes. Zad answers and asks if that's even possible to make. Lacto says it is,
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but warns him it'll take three days. Zad says that's fine since he doesn't have to leave for another 5 days. To be safe, [music] he decides to gather as much information as he can in the meantime. As soon as he spots him, Eddie greets
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him. He mentions hearing about Zad turning down Crang's help and asks if he's really going to be okay. Zad says yes, arguing that since he was the one who committed the crimes, it's only fair he handles the consequences himself. He
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then asks for the information he requested. Eddie explains he hasn't found anything yet because the region is just too far, and digging up intel on the Empire's far north is too much to ask of someone who only operates in the
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underworld. Zad is disappointed. However, the mercenary recalls a detail and reveals that a tribe called the Toma lives up there. Zad asks about them, and Eddie explains they are a massive barbarian tribe. Zad wonders if his mission could be linked to them, but Eddie doesn't know. Zad then asks what
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they're like. Eddie says the Toma respect borders and territories, get along well with the locals, and are excellent hunters who eat demonic beasts. When Zad asks how Eddie knows all this, and if he speaks their language, Eddie says he knows a few words and asks if Zad plans on bringing
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him along. Zad admits he thought about it, but decides against it since he'll have enough trouble just looking after himself. The mercenary then mentions a merchant named York, who handles communication between the tribe and the city and might be useful later on. However, Eddie warns him that York is
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untrustworthy and that Zad needs to watch his back. 4 days later, Rio barely recognizes Zad and his new battle gear made by Lacto. Outside the mansion, a crowd gathers to wish him luck. Someone in the crowd hands him a glove as a
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gift. When Zad tries to thank him, the man says he should be the one thanking Zad as everyone there is incredibly grateful to him. As Zad sets off, the crowd cheers and wishes him a safe journey. Along the way, Zad realizes
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he's carrying a ton of luggage. Just then, he notices someone standing ahead of him. It's Robin from the Black Mirror Corps. Zad asks why he's here, and Robin explains that because of the crowd back at the mansion, he came out here instead
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to deliver a gift from the patriarch. He warns Zad to only open it if he's in extreme danger. Zad nods, realizing this could be the very thing that saves his life. Before taking off, Robin points out that he's everywhere and nowhere at
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the same time, reminding Zad that the Black Mirror Corps only takes orders from the patriarch. Zad respects his loyalty, but warns them not to get in his way. Robin gets the message and wishes him a safe trip. Later on the
Speaker A
road, Zad starts thinking about the game's alternate ending route. It's actually going to kick off pretty soon. Right now, the Emperor is acting like a fair and noble ruler, but he'll show his true colors soon enough. Still, Zad
Speaker A
knows he can't worry about that yet. He needs to stay focused on his current mission since the Emperor's big reveal is still a long way off.
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