I’m the Madman of This Family

Chapter 324. There’s a Reason for Strength (5)

Keter’s training was simple.

It was just an endless repetition of ‘fight and rest.’

But Keter added variations each time. Sometimes he only shot arrows, and other times he suddenly showcased swordsmanship. He even divided the trainees into two groups for a 5 vs. 5 battle.

Five days passed like this—

Drip.

Finally, the trainees succeeded in making Keter bleed.

The bleeding Keter became even more ferocious, pushing the trainees harder while giving advice.

“A strong one never goes all out against the weak. But if you’re injured, I won’t consider you weak anymore.”

“In situations like this, you need to adapt. If you have allies who can defeat the strong, fall back and avoid unnecessary deaths. If not, someone should act as bait to create an opening.”

To defeat the strong, you must not fear sacrifice. Keter emphasized this point particularly.

“Don’t whine about losing a finger or even an arm. What’s an arm? Just keep a servant by your side, or get a prosthetic if needed. It won’t hinder your daily life.”

And so, the promised week passed, and the next morning arrived.

The trainees had lost all emotions in that short time, leaving only a fierce determination. Their sense of time had also vanished. They naturally positioned themselves to fight Keter, unaware that a week had passed.

Keter stretched out his hand and said,

“Enough. The training is over.”

Whoosh! Ping!

But the trainees didn’t believe him. Keter had previously lied about “taking a short break” and then launched a sneak attack.

“Good. It seems you’re finally ready to fight.”

Keter didn’t get angry. Instead, he smiled, parried the trainees’ attacks, and spoke again.

“This time, it’s real. You’ve all worked hard.”

Boom!

At the same time, Keter stomped his foot. A massive area of the ground flipped over. It wasn’t just the trainees who had grown over the week. Keter had also unintentionally become more skilled in wielding the power of the Five Elements Divine Artifact, Toban.

“Is it… really over?”

Only then did Anis cautiously ask, realizing Keter’s sincerity. His voice was filled more with regret than doubt.

The other trainees also didn’t look relieved but rather eager for more. They had become addicted to battle.

“I have nothing more to teach. I’ve shown you everything in a week. You’ll definitely benefit from sparring with each other, but I don’t have time. Gather around for my final words.”

Keter even demonstrated the Celestial Infinity Technique repeatedly. He explained its theoretical workings and principles, enough for it to be recorded in a book.

The trainees gathered before Keter with mixed expressions. Seeing them still on guard, Keter couldn’t help but smile.

“Honestly, I didn’t think all of you would last the week. I expected two or three, maybe five at most.”

But all ten trainees who had started were still standing. Not a single one had dropped out. This was a result Keter truly hadn’t anticipated.

“I didn’t go easy on you. So, take pride in yourselves. Not just anyone could endure this week.”

Though it was praise from someone much younger, no one was unhappy. Keter’s training had been that harsh.

Keter looked over the trainees. All of them had achieved miraculous growth. Their Aura ranks had risen by one level, and their combat skills had improved by two levels.

Trainees who had been stuck at 4-stars due to elixirs and 24-hour Aura circulation had reached 5-stars, and those who were already 5-stars had climbed to the peak of 5-stars.

‘And some have even reached 6-stars without realizing it.’

Three had become 6-star Grandmasters: Elder Panir, Mizari of the Big Dipper, and Pekda.

‘They broke through the limits of the Zodiac Twelve Palaces by observing my Celestial Infinity Technique.’

This was the growth Keter had desired. And the three had achieved it splendidly.

“Now, even if a Prime appears, you won’t be helpless.”

He didn’t say they could win. No matter how many 6-stars there were, the power of a 7-star was absolute.

The trainees, sensing Keter’s underlying message, felt a slight disappointment. Despite their growth, they still couldn’t defeat a Prime. But that was the cold reality.

And what Keter truly wanted to teach them was something else.

“During this training, you only used Aura. Answer me.”

“Yes. We only used Aura.”

The trainees looked puzzled, wondering why he was stating the obvious.

“Aura is undoubtedly versatile. It can attack and defend simultaneously, and even a sturdy steel shield can’t block an Aura Arrow. But can anyone use Aura like that? Aura is as tricky to master as archery, and it’s hard to obtain in the first place.”

This was also common knowledge.

Clap!

Then, Keter clapped his hands. Maknun, who had been waiting nearby, opened a spatial rift and pulled out a table.

On the table were various bows and arrows, all of unfamiliar designs.

“Sephira was shackled. They had heavy iron balls on their ankles and wrists. Magic and gunpowder were banned under the guise of law. That’s why House Sephira was weak in archery.”

Keter picked up a bow from the table and tossed it to Anis.

Anis, who caught it reflexively, was startled. The bow was incredibly light, despite looking large and heavy.

“Draw the string.”

Following Keter’s words, Anis pulled the string and was even more surprised. With just a slight pull, the string drew back fully.

“What… what is this?”

Arrows are weapons launched by tension. And the fingers and arms that withstand this tension bear an immense burden.

But the bow Keter gave required no strength to draw, and maintaining the draw was easy.

“It’s a bow enchanted with magic. Mana is used to bear the weight and tension of the bow. You can’t make these yourselves yet, but with the help of the Magic Tower, it’s possible. Try them out.”

The other trainees also eagerly tested the enchanted bows and marveled.

“The mass remains, but the weight is reduced… Mobility will improve, and fatigue will decrease significantly.”

“That’s impressive, but reducing the strain on the arms is even more incredible. This will allow for better focus on aiming, greatly improving accuracy.”

Being experts in bows and archery, they quickly understood the utility of the enchanted bows.

But the surprises didn’t end there. This was just the beginning.

“I mentioned earlier that archery’s limits were suppressed not just by magic but also by gunpowder. Try using the round arrows over there.”

Click.

Using Toban, Keter created a dirt house 300 meters away.

“I’ll give it a shot.”

Taragon, who was particularly interested in new weapons, picked up a round-headed arrow.

“Let’s call it an explosive arrow.”

As Keter named it, Taragon muttered,

“Explosive arrow…!”

The tip was round but firm. While it would be hard to shoot far due to wind resistance, that didn’t matter. Aura could assist with that.

Taragon nocked the explosive arrow on the enchanted bow. The string drew smoothly. Faster aiming and release.

Whoosh… Boom!

The explosive arrow lived up to its name, obliterating the dirt house in one shot. Everyone was stunned by the unprecedented explosive power.

They knew the power of gunpowder, but the explosive arrow’s force was beyond imagination.

How could a round arrowhead, packed with gunpowder no thicker than a few fingers, destroy an entire dirt house?

The secret, of course, lay with Keter.

‘Ragnon. I’ll borrow your technique.’

The explosive arrow wasn’t Keter’s creation. It was an invention by the bomb-maker Ragnon from long ago.

For Ragnon, who focused on large, spectacular explosions, the explosive arrow’s power was too weak for practical use. But for Sephira, it was more than enough.

“We no longer need to follow Lilian Kingdom’s laws. There’s no reason not to use magic and gunpowder. Training in archery basics and Aura is good, but equally important is keeping up with the times. The world isn’t one where stubborn training alone will suffice.”

Just as people grow, so do technologies. But stubborn individuals remain stuck in the past.

What Keter warned against was precisely that—being bound by past glories or traditions. He didn’t want Sephira to become stagnant and rot.

“Don’t just focus your efforts on training. Pay attention to developing and mastering tools like these. Remember that. This is my final advice.”

Keter slightly bowed his head to the trainees.

“You’ve worked hard.”

Seeing Keter conclude with respect, the trainees truly realized the training was over.

*

Keter’s mansion, balcony.

“The explosive arrow is truly a masterpiece. The era of swordsmanship that has lasted thousands of years is coming to an end.”

Maknun’s words were no exaggeration.

Gunpowder isn’t as hard to make as one might think. If you know the recipe, anyone can make it, as the materials and methods are simple.

But its destructive power is beyond imagination.

It’s not the power of an arrow that kills just one person. Dozens can become targets, and structures can be blown away.

Of course, there were already gunpowder weapons like cannons, but cannons weren’t portable.

Explosive arrows, however, can be carried by individuals. Though you can’t carry many due to weight and bulk, a single individual—even a non-Aura user—could easily commit massacres and even kill Aura users.

“Others know this too, which is why gunpowder is strictly regulated. There’s no need to use gunpowder in swordsmanship. Well, you could, but let’s say it doesn’t pair as well with gunpowder as arrows do.”

“But even with gunpowder’s power, you can’t defeat a Prime, right?”

“Of course not. Primes are on a completely different level. Except for me, the other Primes have abandoned their humanity. Well… there’s no such thing as absolute, so maybe someday technological advancement will reach the level of authority, but for now, it’s not the case.”

“Like Baen Kingdom’s airships, technology is surpassing Aura and magic.”

“Strictly speaking, it’s using Aura and magic in different ways. Machines use them more efficiently than humans. If a machine breaks, you can fix it or make a new one.”

“Listening to you, I understand why people are so obsessed with longevity. I don’t want to die because I’m curious about the future.”

“If you want to live long, retire. That’s the best secret to longevity.”

“Don’t Primes live forever?”

The moment you become a Prime, your body stops aging. Theoretically, you can live forever.

But Keter wiggled his finger.

“The bigger you are, the more you stand out even if you stay still. Even if Primes don’t die from aging, they’ll eventually die in battle. Of course, I’ll die of old age.”

“But you’re a Prime. How can you die of old age?”

“I told you before. I gained authority while remaining human.”

“You said you didn’t give up anything, right?”

“Exactly. I didn’t give up being human. So, I’ll age like everyone else. I think I’m already getting gray hairs.”

“What?!”

Why do people so desperately seek higher realms? It’s not just for power but ultimately for immortality.

This is also related to the nature of Aura and magic. To become stronger, you need a lot of Aura or magic, but these energies are double-edged swords. The more you have, the more strain they put on your body. Most Masters don’t live long not just because they die in battle but often due to illness.

It’s truly rare for someone like Panir to live past seventy as a Master. It’s not just about health management but also superior control over Aura.

“Still, Brother. You’ll age, but you can live for thousands of years, right?”

“I don’t want to live that long.”

“Why not?!”

“If I lived for millennia, I wouldn’t be able to live fully in the present moment.”

“……!”

“Maknun. Dying isn’t about courage. It’s natural. You shouldn’t think of it as a penalty or a loss.”

“But I still want to live long. I want to see and learn more.”

Maknun swallowed the words, “Especially your future.”

Keter shrugged and looked at the distant mountains.

“That’s up to you. Did you find out anything about Henya?”

Henya.

Eslow’s daughter.

The absolute who fell in love with a commoner.

“To cut to the chase, it’s a mess.”

“My favorite word. What happened?”

“Eslow’s authority is ‘Weaponization,’ right? Rumor has it among the nobles that he weaponized his own children. Probably spread by Henya.”

“Oh? And?”

“Eslow tried to weaponize even Henya and Lyze, which is why Henya fled with Lyze. There’s been no news since. Whether they’re alive or dead, or where they went.”

“What about Wid?”

Wid is the name of the commoner Henya loved. Maknun shook his head.

“He disappeared before Henya. No one knows where he went either. No traces.”

“Hmm, so Henya struck first.”

Henya had been preparing to get Wid recognized by Eslow. But something must have gone terribly wrong. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have exposed Eslow’s abilities and gone into hiding.

“Is this good news for me? It’s a great pretext.”

Keter planned to confront Eslow.

But fighting head-on wouldn’t be cost-effective. Even if he won, he’d face attacks from southern noble families and Eslow’s army.

Of course, he’d win, but the greatest virtue in war is winning without fighting.

In that sense, using Henya was the best move for Sephira.

An evil lord who tried to weaponize his own children.

A righteous apostle who defeats such an evil lord.

“If we intervene under the pretext of helping Henya, and if Henya can absorb Eslow’s forces, it’s not just killing two birds with one stone. It’s more like killing seven.”

“The problem is finding Henya, whom even Eslow couldn’t find.”

“Now I understand what happened.”

The reason Eslow secluded himself in the palace was that his plan to weaponize Henya and Lyze had failed.

“As you said, Maknun, he must be desperate to find them. But if even he couldn’t, it’s not just a simple runaway.”

Eslow has a direct intelligence unit. Plus, he’s rich, so he must have poured money into information and assassin guilds.

If even he couldn’t find them?

Then Sephira can’t either.

“But I think I know where they are.”

“As expected of you, Brother. You already have a plan, don’t you? Did you already coordinate with Henya? Tell me where, and I’ll bring her.”

“No. I don’t know where Henya is. But I know where Kai is.”

Kai, from the Empire’s independent intelligence unit, the Special Operations Unit.

Maknun frowned.

“I know that too. He’s staying in Sephira, right?”

He had stayed in Sephira after coming with the Empire’s Chancellor, openly stating he’d keep watch.

“Then bring him. The Special Operations Unit must know Henya’s whereabouts.”

Keter was certain that only the Empire had the power to secretly extract three people from Eslow’s domain and hide them.