Thirty soldiers were recruited as private troops.
Among them, there was no Aura Inspector.
Puki was merely a C-rank mercenary, one step below Lucas, yet on the first day he received guidance from Roman, he heard words he could not comprehend.
"You are born with martial bones."
At that time, he did not understand the meaning.
After the war, Roman's private soldiers learned the Surah Heart Method, and as Puki stepped into this new world, he developed at an astonishing pace.
His speed of learning was different from others.
While a soldier beside him struggled to accept mana, Puki naturally embraced and guided it.
The manifestation of mana.
Most people took years to succeed, yet Puki managed to manifest his aura in less than a month.
It was a remarkable event.
At first, like Lucas, people had doubts about the Surah Heart Method.
No matter how wealthy the Dmitri family was, they did not believe that Roman would share such a profound heart method with mere soldiers.
That was common sense.
However, after experiencing the Surah Heart Method firsthand and witnessing the remarkable results with Puki, their thoughts inevitably changed.
"The Surah Heart Method is real."
It was a gift from Roman, a treasure that could not be bought even with billions.
Puki's talent might have played a role in his success in manifesting his aura, but people knew from their experience with the Surah Heart Method that it was not solely due to Puki's talent.
The effects of the Surah Heart Method itself were simply unbelievable.
It made one unable to ignore the surrounding mana, allowing them to easily overcome what was considered the most challenging part of the initiation process for Aura Inspectors.
The situation had changed.
If one put in the effort, they could become an Aura Inspector just like Puki.
And with another successful individual named Kevin, the attitude of the soldiers training began to shift.
They all risked their lives to grow stronger, to break through barriers.
The fierce atmosphere sparked a sense of competition, leading to the extreme clash between Kevin and Puki.
Kaaang! Kwarrrrung.
The clash of auras.
Even the sound was different.
As the air that had been sucked in suddenly exploded, those nearby who were sparring turned their heads in shock.
"Come on, try to block it!" Kwang! Puki seized the momentum.
Although Kevin was quicker to manifest his aura, Puki held the physical advantage.
With his massive build and muscles as solid as armor, his explosive attacks created synergy with the power of his aura, overwhelming Kevin with powerful strikes.
Yet, Kevin's expression remained unchanged.
Even in a situation where a moment's mistake could lead to death, Kevin's gaze did not waver from his opponent.
"This is really annoying."
Among the soldiers, Kevin was called a ghost.
There were various reasons for this.
His unpredictable movements and unique, unconventional swordsmanship reminded people of a ghost, but the biggest reason was his audacity, as if he had multiple lives.
He had no fear.
Despite numerous sparring sessions, Roman's soldiers had never seen Kevin take a step back out of fear.
Kevin, who had once cut off his own arm, gritted his teeth and endured the pain, completely erasing the emotion of fear from his mind.
"I will definitely win."
Defeat was not an option.
Moreover, Kevin felt jealousy over Chris being favored over him.
If he were to fall to someone like Puki, let alone surpass Chris, he felt he could not live with that humiliation.
In a situation where his life was being trampled upon, he met his savior.
To repay Roman's kindness, he constantly pushed himself to become stronger.
Tap.
He deflected the opponent's attack with the blade of his sword.
Kevin charged in, and Puki quickly retracted his sword as if he had anticipated the opponent's reaction and countered.
Puki's counterattack was swift.
At this rate, Kevin's head would be split in an instant.
In a situation where a single touch could trigger a disaster, Kevin chose not to evade but to advance.
Hoo! He extended his sword under Puki's chin.
Aiming for a vital point, Puki's eyes widened in surprise.
He had to choose.
Should he attack Kevin first to take him down, or abandon his attack and block Kevin's strike? If this were a real battle, Puki would choose the former to determine the outcome, but he did not want to recklessly risk his life over a mere sparring match.
"Damn it."
Kaaang! He blocked the attack.
His unstable posture wavered, and Kevin crashed into Puki, toppling the giant.
With that, the match was over.
As Puki regained his senses and lifted his head, a chilling sensation lingered near his neck. "…Do we really have to go this far?" "You should try risking your life too. Then you will know that my judgment was not wrong."
Puki looked at him with a stunned expression.
Kevin, with an indifferent face, retrieved his sword and stood up.
The sparring was over.
And from a distance, Willas watched in shock.
At first, it was mere curiosity.
The soldiers from the outskirts.
He wanted to see how they trained and what level they were at, just to pass the time.
Therefore, the training was shocking from the start. 'What am I looking at right now?' The soldiers sparring.
Their movements were extraordinary.
While typical conscript soldiers trained only to thrust and block with spears, Roman's soldiers were different.
They targeted each other's vital points like seasoned swordsmen.
Their evasive maneuvers were efficient and quick, and in the moments they attacked, Willas found himself clenching his fists in awe.
Especially the completeness of their swordsmanship.
Seeing their systematic approach to cornering their opponents, he doubted whether they were truly soldiers from the outskirts. 'All the soldiers use the same swordsmanship, and the level of their swordsmanship is unbelievably high.
And the atmosphere of training that is as fierce as a real battle—could this really be the level shown by a mere baron family from the outskirts? It feels like I'm looking at a miniature version of the Valhalla Empire.'
Valhalla was the same.
A warrior's empire.
Known for having the strongest soldiers in the world, even there, soldiers were not this strong. 'Are they just ordinary soldiers?' It would be laughable for a passing dog.
Soldiers were meant to be like cogs in the machinery of war.
They were not beings with such outstanding skills that they could engage in fierce exchanges like what he was witnessing; typically, soldiers would scream and fall after just one or two attacks.
This was no different for the Valhalla Empire.
Valhalla's soldiers had superior combat power compared to other countries, but they did not exhibit the qualities of a swordsman like Roman's private soldiers.
He was speechless.
Dmitri.
A territory on the outskirts.
Not a prestigious family of an empire, yet Dmitri was nurturing soldiers of this caliber.
Common sense was shattered.
While he was momentarily in a panic, the training concluded.
Willas had to return to his lodging, and on the way guided by Hans, he asked a question that had been bothering him.
"Where did they recruit such soldiers? Their skills were extraordinary. Did they perhaps hire them for a fortune, or are they apprentices preparing to become knights? Otherwise, there’s no way they could have Aura Inspectors among ordinary soldiers."
The level of the soldiers was one thing.
However, Kevin and Puki were not talents that could be called mere soldiers.
They could openly manifest their aura; what kind of madman would treat such talents as soldiers? If he were in their position, he would have quit immediately due to unfair treatment.
He thought he would receive a reasonable answer this time.
However, Hans shattered Willas's common sense once again.
"I don't know what your intention behind that question is, but if you are referring to Kevin and Puki, they were not Aura Inspectors until recently. Kevin came from a poor neighborhood, but Lord Roman took him in, and Puki was a C-rank mercenary who volunteered to become one of Lord Roman's soldiers after seeing the recruitment notice. They only grew stronger under Lord Roman's guidance. Isn't that impressive? Lord Roman Dmitri, as the heir of the Dmitri family, has an eye for recognizing people's talents. Truly, it is a blessing from Dmitri."
Hans's voice was filled with pride.
As if he could not contain his admiration for Roman Dmitri, Willas stopped in his tracks.
The scenery around him was truly dreary.
The unique atmosphere of the outskirts.
In this city known for mining, he had judged that no talent could arise to defeat Homeros.
However, now it was different. 'Roman Dmitri, what on earth is his true identity?' The meeting postponed until tomorrow.
He had told Baron Romero that a day's delay was fine, but now he wanted to see Roman as soon as possible.
He was anxious.
The protagonist of the rumors.
What kind of person was Roman Dmitri? The only way to confirm the truth that had completely shattered his common sense was to see his face in person.