Chapter 63: Both of you, Fight me

"Hmmm..."

Aaron von Darkstar gently stroked his chin, his dark golden eyes flickering in the dim illumination of the throne room as his lips curled into a faint, arrogant smirk.

"Making that lowly scum of a little brother my puppet is a grace he never truly deserved," Aaron’s smooth, velvet voice reverberated off the stone pillars as he slowly rose from his velvet-lined throne.

The idea, however, was undeniably brilliant.

In the cutthroat arena of the Darkstar family’s Succession War, having a legitimate fellow Successor bound to his will as a submissive thrall would elevate his political standing to unprecedented heights.

It would grant him complete, indirect control over the Myrain Viscounty and its burgeoning economic resources without triggering the catastrophic wrath of their father, Duke Oscar.

"Very well then... I shall grant him such a noble opportunity to serve as my tool."

Aaron’s sharp eyes narrowed into two lethal slits as he stared directly at the bowing figure of Malcolm.

"Contact them... Regardless of the price they demand, make them bring the Seventh Successor under my absolute control," Aaron declared, his aura flaring with cold, undeniable authority.

"I do not care what dark methods they employ, Malcolm. I only care about results."

"By your absolute will, my Lord," Malcolm responded with a deep, lopsided bow.

Turning on his heel, the right-hand strategist exited the shadows of the private chamber, leaving the Sixth Successor standing alone beneath the high arched windows, his eyes gleaming like polished imperial gold in the moonlight.

***

Meanwhile, far to the south within the heart of the Myrain Viscounty, night had officially descended over Heaven’s Net Castle.

The grand fortress was quiet, blanketed beneath a sprawling canopy of dark velvet skies and distant stars.

While the vast majority of the castle’s household, servants, and visiting nobles had long since retired to their private quarters to rest, the perimeter remained tightly secured.

Active sentries clad in polished steel armor walked the high stone battlements, and squads of patrol knights moved silently through the courtyard torches, their sharp eyes scanning every shadow for the slightest anomaly.

Walking casually down a torch-lit cobblestone path toward the primary training facility was Ser Damian Blacksun.

Hung securely at his waist was his trust sheath and blade, its metallic pommel glinting in the firelight.

Tomorrow morning, he would be riding out at the forefront of the Viscounty’s grand vanguard to hunt deep within the treacherous depths of the Jeju Forest.

It was a crucial operation—not just for the territory’s safety, but for his own reputation.

Tomorrow was the day he had to decisively prove his martial worth, his tactical leadership, and his right to hold the glorious title bestowed upon him.

Now that his position as the supreme commander of Craig’s private military force was finalized, not a single patrol knight or castle guard dared to question or delay his movements.

The guards simply offered crisp, respectful salutes as the First Dragonknight passed them by.

After personally walking his younger sister Annie to her grand guest chambers and ensuring she had safely fallen asleep after an overwhelming day, Damian had finally taken time for himself.

As he reached the heavy oak archway leading into the castle’s inner training facility, Damian caught sight of a tall, imposing figure approaching from the adjacent corridor.

It was Ser Hughway.

The veteran Sword Master moved with effortless grace, his heavy cloak billowing gently behind him.

Hearing Damian’s approaching footsteps, Ser Hughway halted and turned, his sharp eyes softening slightly as he recognized the black-haired youth.

"Ser Damian... What brings you out to the training grounds at such a late hour? Shouldn’t you be resting before tomorrow’s hunt in the forest?"

"I was personally summoned by the Lord Viscount, Ser Hughway," Damian answered truthfully, offering a polite bow of his head. He then glanced at the older knight with mild curiosity.

"Are you currently on active night patrol?"

Ser Hughway let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head with a mild, knowing smile. "No... It seems we share the exact same destination. I, too, was summoned by our young liege."

Damian nodded, a subtle spark of anticipation igniting in his chest.

Without further delay, the two high-ranking warriors walked side-by-side through the broad double doors, stepping into the expansive interior of the Castle Training Hall.

The vast hall was lined with weapon racks, heavy iron-reinforced training dummies, and thick sandpits designed to absorb catastrophic impacts from high-class mana clashes.

Mana braziers cast a warm, flickering orange glow over the empty arena.

Standing smack in the middle of the central stone dueling ring was Craig von Darkstar.

The young Seventh Successor stood alone in the grand hall, his arms folded loosely across his chest.

He was stripped of his heavy formal noble robes, wearing only a loose white linen tunic, dark trousers, and low leather boots.

The moment Craig turned his head and set his golden eyes upon the entering pair, a sharp, confident smirk broke across his handsome face.

"You’re right on time," Craig spoke, his voice carrying effortlessly across the quiet hall.

"Close the doors behind you."

Ser Hughway reached back and pushed the heavy iron-reinforced doors shut, sealing the three of them inside the private training ground.

He took several steps forward alongside Damian, both men coming to a stop ten paces from the young Viscount.

"My Lord," Ser Hughway spoke, bowing his head respectfully.

"May I ask why you have gathered us here in secret while the rest of the castle sleeps? If it is regarding the tactical deployment for tomorrow’s hunt against the 2nd-Tier Abomination, the battle plans have already been finalized with General Gunther."

"This isn’t about tomorrow’s deployment plans, Hughway," Craig replied smoothly, unfastening his arms and letting them fall to his sides.

"Tomorrow, we enter the central zone of the Jeju Forest. We will be facing a 2nd-Tier Abomination—a mutated Alpha monster possessing a fully developed, lethal Trait.

Beyond that, the shadows surrounding my succession are growing darker by the day."

Craig’s golden eyes flickered with an intense, mesmerizing flame as his gaze shifted back and forth between the two men.

"I need to know the exact ceiling of my personal vanguard," Craig continued, his tone turning crisp and demanding.

"Hughway... you are an established Sword Master who has mastered your True Sword Art and merged it with your talent.

Damian... you stand at the Middle-stage of a Sword Runner, possessing an S-Grade Talent, on the direct verge of constructing your own True Sword Art to ascend."

Craig slowly reached down, gripping the hilt of the refined arming sword resting at his waist.

"Before we ride out to slaughter abominations tomorrow morning... I want to test my current limits against the best my Viscounty has to offer," Craig smirked, drawing his blade with a sharp, metallic shing that echoed through the hall.

"Draw your weapons," Craig commanded smoothly, his aura igniting into a subtle, terrifying pressure.

"Both of you. Fight me together."

Ser Hughway and Ser Damian exchanged a brief, startled glance.

To challenge a veteran Initial-stage Sword Master and a Middle-stage Sword Runner simultaneously was nothing short of absolute madness for anyone below the Master rank.

Yet, looking into Craig’s completely calm, predatory golden eyes, neither man saw a trace of arrogance or foolishness.

They only saw the undeniable, terrifying spirit of a true dragon ready to soar.

A fierce, eager grin slowly spread across Damian’s face as his hand instinctively fell to his sword hilt.

"As you command, Lord Viscount!"