Dan studied me for a moment before speaking again. "I asked first. Answer me. Are you Delac's son?"
As the tone changed, so did the atmosphere. This wasn't like his earlier question. I sensed I had to answer truthfully this time.
"That's right. My name is Luan Badniker," I replied.
"Luan? Luan Badniker... I've never heard of this name," Dan muttered.
This is unexpected.
He didn't recognize my name. I wasn't trying to sound arrogant, but I was infamous both within and beyond the family—as the lunatic who'd sold off our family's treasured sword.
Then again, it made sense. If this man, Dan, had been isolated in the Jewel Mountains for years, he wouldn't have heard of me.
"I've told you who I am. Now it's your turn," I said.
" Um ..." Dan mulled over it before saying, "I suppose that's fair. First of all, Dan isn't my real name. It's just a pseudonym."
"I see."
Dan raised a puzzled eyebrow. "What? Why aren't you surprised?"
"I could tell that it was a pseudonym."
"Really?" He sighed, genuinely taken aback, then shook his head. "Well, it doesn't matter. My real name is Carzakh."
"Carzakh...!" Arjan, standing beside me, gasped under her breath, unable to hide her astonishment. "Are you perhaps a Great Master of the main family?"
Carzakh nodded. "I am the Swordmaster."
***
The Badniker family's influence permeated the nation, not merely due to their physical power but also their symbolic and institutional might.
As one of the Great Families, they presided over fertile territories, dispatched heroes across the land, and carried the weight of a name synonymous with authority—the Iron-Blooded Lord.
The family's main house, known as the Rose Mansion, was a place of exclusivity and reverence. Only a select few could enter its halls.
The mansion's library reportedly brimmed with secret technique manuals gathered from across the empire. Its armory housed weapons and accessories forged by master craftsmen, and its warehouse overflowed with elixirs and secret medicines beyond counting. These resources were reserved for those affiliated with the Badniker family, making membership in their circle highly coveted.
Blood ties were not a prerequisite for inclusion. Knights, guards, or even gardeners could access some of these resources as long as they belonged to the family's inner circle.
This exclusivity led to a rigorous selection process, ensuring that only the most capable individuals earned a place. Even the humblest employees took pride in serving the family.
But what of the Great Masters?
They were a league apart. Unlike others, they did not seek out the Badnikers. Instead, the Iron-Blooded Lord himself traveled the empire to invite them, especially for the training and education of his offspring.
Despite being cast out of the family, the Swordmaster's prestige was so immense that even I was well aware of his reputation.
Renowned as the strongest swordsman among the ten Great Masters, he held a special place in the hearts of my siblings. Swordsmanship, after all, was the cornerstone of the Badniker family's martial arts tradition.
I, too, once dreamed of becoming his disciple. Yet, I had never interacted with him personally, only attending a few general classes open to all children.
It was rumored that the Swordmaster never accepted disciples due to his temperament.
If memory serves, he had disappeared for a few years back then.
I narrowed my eyes.
In my past life, it seemed likely that Carzakh had failed to defeat the Jewel Beast. That relentless conflict should have endured until my death—or perhaps the Jewel Beast had killed him.
Whatever the outcome, his tenacity was extraordinary. This man had waged a solitary battle for years, a trial that would have driven most to madness.
"You seem to have something to ask," Carzakh said, fixing his gaze on me.
"There are two matters," I replied.
"What are they?"
"First, you mentioned losing your arm to the Jewel Beast. Is that true?"
Carzakh's eyes sharpened. "What are you implying?"
"The church might have interfered at some point." I hesitated, then opted for honesty, sensing he valued directness. "I find it hard to believe the Jewel Beast could overpower the Swordmaster."
" Uhaha! " Carzakh suddenly burst out laughing.
"In other words, I can't believe a mere monster defeated you."
Did I go too far? I didn't mean to be sarcastic.
Fortunately, Carzakh showed no signs of offense. "It was an unfavorable battle in many aspects. The battlefield was a swamp, they had mobilized their subordinates, and I had lost my sword."
"I see."
Carzakh saw my reaction and laughed. "Is it so shameful that a Great Master was defeated that you are sugarcoating your reaction?"
"No way." I felt that the misunderstanding would deepen if I left it unaddressed, so I added, "In a situation with such bad conditions, it is impressive that you survived. Besides..."
"Besides?"
"Isn't the battle still ongoing?"
Carzakh studied me with a subtle expression. He awkwardly scratched his head before meeting my gaze again. "You had two questions, right? What is the other one?"
I hesitated. This question was more important. "Why Dan?"
He was surprised. "Huh?"
"Your real name is Carzakh. Why did go with Dan? No matter how you shorten it, Carzakh doesn't become Dan."
"Oh, I see." Carzakh chuckled. "If I say Dan, you won't link it to my real name or think of it as an abbreviation. It really has no connection."
I remained silent.
"It amuses me to see people struggling in vain," he added.
He truly was as twisted as he looked. Beyond that, my mood plummeted, knowing Carzakh's shallow scheme had misled me.
If Fourth Senior Brother had seen this, he would've said with his characteristic cold expression, "Youngest Disciple, you have been deceived again."
"By the way, what brought you to the mountains? Don't tell me you're here to imitate the family head," Carzakh remarked.
"It is different but somewhat related to the family head," I replied.
"What do you mean?" he asked, curious.
I briefly explained how we ended up in this cave.
Carzakh burst out laughing after hearing the whole story. "Assassins lurking around the Badniker family? The worshipers of the gods of disaster came crawling in?"
"I know it is hard to believe, but everything I just said is true," I insisted.
"The Badniker family has become a mess while I was away. Is the family head aware of this?"
"Who knows? I'll have to go there and ask him," I answered.
"I see. Okay."
He rummaged through his pockets and tossed something to me.
I caught it and found it was a strange-looking fruit. "What is this?"
"Break it and sprinkle it over your head." Carzakh tapped his nose. "You have been exposed to the church's tracking scent."
"Tracking scent?" I exclaimed.
"It's a scent embedded in the concealed weapons they use. You can't smell it yourself. There is another scent that pairs with it. I've heard that they use that one to trace the tracking scent," he explained.
"So, that's how it is," I murmured.
It wasn't the traces we'd left behind that mattered. I clicked my tongue and immediately followed Carzakh's instructions, crushing the walnut-like fruit.
A pungent smell filled the air.
" Ugh ." I looked at Carzakh, bewildered. "Is this the only way?"
"Yes."
It seemed like the best option to eliminate the scent. I sighed and sprinkled the fruit over my head.
Surprisingly, Arjan looked calm. But when I looked closely, her expression was extremely stiff.
Meanwhile, Carzakh studied us with a subtle expression before speaking. "Now that you've sprinkled it, the assassins will withdraw soon."
"I don't think Hadenaihar's assassins will give up so easily," I commented.
"That is usually the case. However, they strangely tend to avoid staying in this cave for long. It could be because of the Jewel Beast," Carzakh speculated.
It was a rather optimistic interpretation, but it also made sense. This was the only spot on the map where no troops were stationed.
"Besides, they probably won't withdraw completely. Some will stay behind to scout, but I will deal with them," he added.
"Have you often dealt with the church's troops like this?"
"I did it whenever I had the chance. Assassins make good sparring partners. They keep me on my toes," he replied.
Was that surprising? The church had been wary of a saboteur, and Carzakh fit the description perfectly. With someone that skilled, handling assassins without leaving traces would be easy.
In any case, an unexpected ally had joined us. Together, we could break through the church's siege.
I finally felt relieved. "Okay."
Carzakh chuckled, then said something unexpected. "Then you must help me get my vengeance."
"Huh?" I was shocked.
"Let's kill the Jewel Beast together. Kill it quickly, and I'll return to the Badniker family with you," he offered.
What bullshit was this?
***
Puzzled, Arjan asked, "What do you mean?"
"It is exactly as I said. Let's kill the Jewel Beast," Carzakh repeated.
"I don't understand why the conversation turned to this," Arjan said.
"It is because this is the only option. It won't be bad for you either," he claimed.
"Do you mean that the church is more dangerous than the Jewel Beast?" I asked.
"That's right. There is a priest here," he revealed.
Arjan's shock was clear, though I was less surprised, yet still taken aback.
A priest of the Dark Church was essentially an executive—someone with direct communication with a demon king. Apart from the mysterious church leader and his closest associates, the priests were the most powerful and dangerous members.
"Is the priest that strong?" I asked.
"Honestly, I didn't fully grasp his strength either. I didn't realize what had happened until I lost my arm. I did land a blow, but it was definitely my loss."
I looked at Carzakh's empty sleeve. "So, you didn't lose it to the Jewel Beast."
A fleeting doubt crossed my mind. I had assumed Carzakh lost his arm to the Jewel Beast, which was why he remained here for revenge. But it had been the church priest who severed his arm.
Had the Jewel Beast taken something even more valuable than an arm from Carzakh? More questions emerged.
"There are some things I don't understand," I said.
"What's that?"
"According to what you said, the church is stronger than the Jewel Beast. So why don't they just kill it?" I asked him.
"I don't know," Carzakh replied, his tone firm.
"How come?"
"I also thought about this, but I have no answer. However, the church members have never ventured deep into the cave. Even when they had to enter, they did so cautiously."
What other secrets did this cave hide?
It was a secret that only the church members knew.
Puzzled, I opened the map.
Carzakh showed interest. "What is that?"
"We stole this map from the church's assassins."
"Its owner must've been quite important if there is a map," he remarked. "Show it to me."
I handed the map to Carzakh.
Arjan and I hadn't noticed anything, but Carzakh had been fighting against the church for so long. Maybe he would notice something.
Carzakh studied the map for a moment, then frowned. "I see. Was it this?"
"Did you find something?"
Carzakh pointed to a spot on the map. "Yes. Now I understand why those bastards don't run freely in the cave."