The social gathering was different from before.
On that day, Roman had been like a splendidly adorned noble, a peacock in full display.
But now, he was armed as if ready to step onto the battlefield at any moment.
His aura was anything but ordinary.
People unconsciously made way for him, and the crowd that parted to either side dared not meet his gaze, bowing their heads instead.
The looks, the reactions—Roman accepted them as natural.
Whether it was in the Ten Thousand Mountains, where he had been recognized as the new Heavenly Demon, or when he had slaughtered the waves of righteous sect members and conquered the martial world, Roman—no, Baek Joong-hyuk—had lived as a ruler.
He knew what attitude he needed to display.
Step by step, he walked forward.
People exchanged glances, unable to comprehend what was happening.
They had been drawn by the rumors surrounding Roman Dmitri and had come to enlist as soldiers, but some had thought that their skills were too great for mere foot soldiers.
Yet, upon meeting Roman in person, they found themselves unable to act as they had expected.
The natural aura he exuded, the way he accepted their reverence as a given—he was different from ordinary people.
Even the men who had been chattering noisily now fell silent.
A heavy silence hung in the air.
Finally, Roman stood before the crowd.
Seeing over five hundred people bowing their heads to him, Roman spoke in a calm tone.
"Raise your heads."
It was a command.
The people lifted their heads.
Roman didn’t make any grand gestures, but the crowd was already swept up in his presence.
"As stated in the announcement, I will use this opportunity to select thirty soldiers who will fight for me. Before the test begins, I have something to say to you. I, Roman Dmitri, have no intention of idly passing my time in a remote territory.
I will always strive to seize a higher position than the one I currently hold, and in that process, risking my life in battle is an unavoidable fate. So, if any of you think you can follow me with a light heart, turn back now.
When your head flies off on the battlefield, the regret you feel should not be resentment toward me for driving you there, but rather the regret of not being able to witness me standing at the pinnacle of the continent."
"......!" The crowd was stunned.
Roman’s declaration was arrogant.
Roman Dmitri, whose position as the heir of the Dmitri family was precarious, let alone being the greatest on the continent, had just declared his ambition to stand at the top of the continent in front of so many people.
The problem was, no one could laugh.
The charisma Roman exuded and the firmness of his attitude made it seem as though such a thing might actually happen.
They knew.
They knew Roman’s words were nonsense.
But those who had come seeking him, drawn by rumors and ideals, couldn’t bring themselves to turn away after seeing him.
Roman continued, "If you pass the test and become my people, you will live as predators, able to decide your own fate. I, Roman Dmitri, promise you that much."
With that, he stepped back.
Finally, the moment had come for the test to begin.
There was no cheering.
Only a suffocating tension.
People still couldn’t tear their eyes away from Roman.
Chris stepped forward and spoke.
"I will now explain the method for the first test."
Five hundred applicants.
Lucas had thought the level of those who had come to enlist was higher than expected, but by Roman’s standards, they were little more than a ragtag bunch.
Most of them probably couldn’t even withstand a single strike from Chris’s sword.
But for now, this was the best way to recruit soldiers, and starting from the bottom wasn’t unfamiliar to Roman.
After leaving the 12th Cave, Baek Joong-hyuk had formed his first group.
Back then, he had only had a ragtag bunch by his side, but Baek Joong-hyuk had only looked for one thing: a strong will.
Those born with the heart of a beast would grow strong quickly, even if they started from the bottom.
And only those could walk with him.
The heart of a beast.
It was an innate talent.
Kevin, who had raised his sword without hesitation when ordered to cut off his own arm, or Chris, who had asked the victor how to grow stronger even after a crushing defeat—those were the kinds of people born with the heart of a beast.
No matter how strong those with the heart of a chicken might be, they could never guarantee victory against those born different.
Thirty people.
There were no conditions.
Even if they didn’t know how to wield a sword, he wanted those who could grab a blade with their bare hands for the sake of victory.
Chris explained, "The test is simple. When the applicant stands in the designated position, an archer we’ve prepared will shoot three arrows at them. The arrows may pierce their body, causing fatal wounds, or they may narrowly miss and embed themselves in the target behind them. The only certainty is that those who do not move at all while the three arrows are fired will pass the first test."
The first test.
It was a test of courage.
The test began.
As the first applicant stepped forward, Morrison, who was second in line, couldn’t hide his unease. 'What kind of test is this? Everyone’s gone mad!'
Morrison.
He was an ordinary commoner.
A miner by trade, he had always thought that the job of digging in the dirt every day didn’t suit him.
So, he had always dreamed of becoming a knight like Chris.
Without knowing how much blood and sweat it took for knights to reach their position, he had been captivated by the sight of their shining armor glinting in the sunlight, lost in his fantasies of manhood.
For him, this recruitment was a golden opportunity.
The attractive salary of eight silver coins and the chance to learn martial arts had led him to quit his job and take the test.
And of course, Morrison had no intention of risking his life for the test. 'Damn it, damn it, damn it.' He trembled.
He was scared.
Watching the archer nock an arrow, he wanted to deny the reality that was about to unfold.
'How am I supposed to trust that archer? Even if he’s a master archer who never misses, no one’s perfect, and the cost of a mistake could be my life.
I don’t want to die.
I took this test to train as a soldier and get a chance to become a knight, not to die meaninglessly like this!'
"Huff, huff."
He breathed heavily.
The first applicant took their position.
Seeing the applicant as tense as he was, Morrison glanced at Roman’s expression.
It was calm.
As if nothing was wrong.
Seeing that Roman wasn’t worried about any accidents, Morrison tried to reassure himself. 'Right.
This is just a test.
No matter how brave Roman Dmitri wants his soldiers to be, he wouldn’t want people dying during the test.
The archer must be a master, and he won’t make any mistakes.
That’s it.
Common sense says no one would follow a murderer who drives people to their deaths in a recruitment test.'
He clenched and unclenched his hands.
They were drenched in sweat.
When he first heard the test method, he had thought it extreme, but upon reflection, he realized Chris had deliberately instilled fear in them.
Fear comes from imagination.
Even if the archer showed perfect accuracy during the test, the moment Chris warned them they might lose their lives, the applicants had no choice but to face the test in fear.
It was a battle of willpower.
If they believed nothing would happen and held their ground, they were certain the arrows would miss. 'Surely they wouldn’t recklessly spill blood during the test?' He felt relieved.
Just as he was calming his breathing—
Thud! "Agh!" The first applicant screamed and collapsed to the ground.
The first arrow.
It hit the target behind them.
But the second arrow veered off course and pierced the applicant’s thigh.
Thud! "Agh!" The applicant fell.
The burly man collapsed to the ground, screaming, and blood gushed like a fountain from the wound where the arrow had pierced him.
The red droplets splattered everywhere.
Chris and the other soldiers rushed to treat the applicant, but the moment they saw the blood, the faces of Morrison and the other applicants turned pale.
They had seen it.
The arrow piercing the thigh.
The archer wasn’t a master.
If the arrow had pierced the head instead of the thigh, the applicant might have died instantly.
"...... Crazy."
"They really expect us to be ready to get shot?" "This is insane."
The crowd was in turmoil.
As they exchanged glances and stepped back, Chris, who was treating the injured applicant, smiled inwardly. 'Just as expected.'
The first round.
It had been planned.
The archer was a renowned master from the area, and the first applicant had known his thigh would be pierced.
Yet, he had taken the test willingly.
They had agreed beforehand that the arrow would be shot at a non-fatal area, and Roman had paid a hefty price for it.
It was a good deal.
The screams and writhing on the ground were also part of the deal Roman had demanded.
Chris checked the injured man’s condition and confirmed it wasn’t a serious injury, as planned.
But.
He deliberately put on a grave expression.
As if the wound were life-threatening, he treated it with urgent hands. 'Just as my lord said.
Mere threats won’t get us the people we want.
We need to show them that they must risk their lives.
One accident.
Even if it only happens once in a hundred times, the applicants will be terrified by that 1% chance.'
The fear tactic wasn’t over.
One in a hundred.
Four more victims would follow, and that would keep the applicants on edge until the end.
They carried the injured man away.
As he was taken out on a stretcher, blood dripped to the ground, and Morrison, who had been steeling his resolve just moments ago, turned pale.
He thought to himself.
Since an accident had happened in the first round, maybe they would add safety measures or change the test method.
But.
Reality was cruel.
"Next."
Chris’s words.
As he shook the blood off his hands and called for the next applicant, Morrison closed his eyes tightly.
He gave up.
He raised the white flag.
Seeing this, Chris clicked his tongue.
It seemed those without the heart of a beast wouldn’t even pass the first test.
"The second applicant has forfeited. If you’re afraid of getting shot, quit now. If you can grit your teeth and endure even if an arrow pierces your body, you will proudly earn the right to pass. So, cowards, get out of this test ground now!" The first test.
The real test was just beginning.