A Dragonslayer’s Peerless Regression

Chapter 23

Hearing Zeke’s words, Liam immediately dropped to his knees.

“Lord Zeke, please, grant me just one more chance.”

Zeke slowly approached Liam, towering over him as he spoke.

“Why should I do that?”

“If it’s your command, I will obey anything. Please, just one more chance.”

Zeke looked down at Liam and replied.

“Will you really follow all of my commands?”

“Yes, I will.”

“Fine. Then cut off your right arm.”

In that moment, Liam lifted his head and looked up at Zeke.

Zeke, his expression cold and unyielding, said, “Didn’t you say you’d do anything?”

At those words, Liam looked down at his right arm.

Even if he cut it off, he could get it reattached if he went to a healer quickly enough. However, healing potions weren’t omnipotent.

Especially if it was his right arm—it could result in the worst-case scenario. Just one nerve damaged, and he might never hold a sword again.

Trembling, Liam picked up the sword he had dropped.

Gripping it tightly with sweat streaming down his face, he turned to Zeke.

“If I obey your command, will you accept me?”

“Yes.”

“I understand.”

In an instant, Liam’s expression changed.

His face set with determination, he gripped the sword with his left hand and swung it down onto his right arm without hesitation.

Swish!

An unpleasant sound pierced the air.

Liam stared at his right arm.

“Huh?”

He was sure the blade had struck his arm, but it was completely intact.

Confused, he looked at the sword in his hand.

To his astonishment, it wasn’t his arm that had been cut—it was the blade of the sword itself.

The severed half of the blade was in Zeke’s hand.

“You fool. What were you planning to do if I didn’t accept you after you severed your arm?”

Zeke casually tossed the broken blade.

The jagged edge embedded itself deep into the solid stone wall with a loud thunk.

Such a feat required at least the skill level of a Purple Knight, someone capable of imbuing aura into their weapon.

‘Lord Zeke has already surpassed the Purple Wall.’

Zeke spoke to Liam in a low, commanding tone.

“Try something this foolish again, and there’ll be no loyalty oath or anything else. Understand?”

Liam, his face flushed with a mix of relief and awe, replied, “Th-thank you! Does that mean you will accept me?”

“I’ll keep an eye on you.”

“Thank you! Thank you, my lord! I will devote myself to you completely!”

Zeke gave a wry smile as he watched Liam bow his head willingly before him.

After bringing Liam back to the reception room, Zeke instructed a servant to bring them some warm tea.

Sitting on the sofa, Zeke addressed Liam.

“So, what is it?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, why do you have to go this far, Liam?”

Zeke fixed him with a sharp gaze as he spoke.

“Is there someone in your family who’s unwell?”

Liam looked at Zeke in shock.

“H-how did you know?”

Zeke himself hadn’t expected to guess correctly—it was simply a conclusion he reached after piecing together various clues.

He nodded.

“So, that’s it. Entering Valhalla does come with numerous benefits, including medical privileges.”

Valhalla alumni were treated with the utmost respect across the continent. Not only they but their families also reaped the benefits of this prestige, which included access to superior medical care.

The Draker Household, which owned the largest general hospital on the continent, possessed medical technology so advanced that even the prideful Rom Empire coveted it.

Liam lowered his head and spoke in a quiet voice.

“I recently received news that my mother collapsed.”

“So, you intended to join Valhalla to secure medical benefits for her.”

“Yes. She worked tirelessly to raise me alone. Our financial situation has worsened to the point that she can’t even afford proper medication. I have to get into Valhalla to ensure she receives the treatment she needs.”

Zeke was surprised. He hadn’t expected the future mercenary king to be such a filial son. However, he couldn’t ignore how oblivious Liam was to the practicalities of his plan.

“You fool. When exactly do you plan to join Valhalla and treat your mother?”

Liam was still a first-year student. Even if he graduated early, it would take at least two more years before he was eligible to enter Valhalla.

Moreover, graduating didn’t guarantee entry into Valhalla—it wasn’t something just anyone could achieve.

Zeke’s sharp reprimand made Liam clench his fists.

“Her illness doesn’t respond to ordinary treatments. Every healer we brought in couldn’t identify the cause. The Draker Household’s medical expertise seems to be the only solution. And since her condition isn’t immediately critical, I thought this was the best option after much deliberation.”

Zeke’s expression subtly changed at Liam’s words.

“Does her illness cause red spots to appear on her body and periodic bouts of high fever?”

Liam’s eyes widened in shock.

“How do you know that?”

‘Ha, should I call this luck or what?’

The disease affecting Liam’s mother was one that would become a widespread epidemic across the Central Continent five years from now.

Although the mortality rate wasn’t high, its high contagion rate caused countless people to fall ill, particularly the elderly and children with weak immune systems, who often succumbed to it.

‘It was called the Crimson Blossom Disease.’

Its name, Crimson Blossom Disease, came from the red spots that bloomed across the face like fiery flowers.

In Zeke’s past life, a cure was only developed after many people had already succumbed to the disease, bringing the epidemic under control at last.

Fortunately, Zeke knew how to create the cure for Crimson Blossom Disease.

Zeke spoke to Liam.

“That’s not important right now. How long has it been since the symptoms appeared?”

“About a week.”

‘If it’s delayed any further, treatment will become more difficult. I need to act quickly.’

Zeke immediately ordered Decker to combine the necessary medicinal ingredients and create a cure for the disease, which he then had sent to the Stone Household.

“If she takes the medicine for about two months, she’ll recover.”

The other healers had all given up on treating her, but Zeke not only identified the symptoms from a brief explanation but also prepared a cure in no time.

In Liam’s eyes, Zeke was nothing short of a god.

“Thank you! Thank you, my lord! I swear my undying loyalty to you!”

“Of course you do. You’ve taken the oath, after all. But remember—if you become a burden, I won’t hesitate to cut you loose, so make sure you pull your weight.”

And thus, the future mercenary king, Liam Stone, became Zeke Draker’s first subordinate.

* * *

“Time’s up. Everyone, submit your work.”

The theoretical exam for the chivalry culture course had ended.

For Zeke, theory exams weren’t much of an issue. The real challenge was the practical exams that followed.

The first practical exam was conducted outside the academy.

Special class and regular class cadets were grouped together into pairs and sent into a test dungeon, where they were tasked with hunting monsters as part of the examination.

As the cadets gathered in front of the test dungeon, most of them looked tense.

In contrast, those supported by noble families appeared much more relaxed.

Thanks to their families’ backing, they had already practiced dungeon exploration, monster subjugation, and even methods to earn bonus points.

Among the cadets showing varying degrees of nervousness, Zeke and Liam stood near the dungeon entrance, waiting for their turn.

At that moment, someone approached them from behind.

“Well, isn’t this unexpected? Zeke Draker and Liam Stone, of all people, paired together.”

The familiar, gratingly petty tone left no room for doubt.

When Zeke turned to look, it was, of course, Jakenn Vardec, flanked by his cronies.

Zeke paid him no mind, focusing solely on checking his equipment.

Jakenn smirked at Zeke’s indifference and said, “Zeke Draker, have you even seen a monster before?”

At that, Zeke raised his head and glared at Jakenn.

“Stop annoying me and get lost.”

Jakenn’s lips curled into a grin at Zeke’s sharp retort.

“Most people wet themselves when they see a monster for the first time. I’m curious to see how you’ll handle it, Zeke.”

At that moment, the instructor’s voice rang out.

“Zeke Draker! Liam Stone! Enter!”

The two stepped forward, heading into the dungeon entrance, which the instructor indicated among the dozens of branching paths.

In most other noble households, they wouldn’t dare subject thirteen-year-olds to such dangerous practical tests.

But this was the Draker Household.

In a place where insane practices like this were the norm, such things were entirely possible.

The dungeon exploration test lasted for four days.

The goal wasn’t just to hunt monsters—it was also to navigate the labyrinthine dungeon and emerge safely.

Zeke and Liam slowly ventured deeper into the dungeon.

As they progressed, Zeke carefully examined the subtle marks hidden throughout the dungeon, using them to navigate.

Liam, observing Zeke, was astonished.

‘Has my lord explored a dungeon before?’

Back at The Cradle, Zeke had mostly shown his shortcomings, so this sudden display of competence was still hard for Liam to get used to.

After hours of trekking through the dark tunnels, they arrived at a massive cavern.

Zeke knelt to examine the moss clinging to the cavern walls and the dirt covering the floor, even smelling it.

“Let’s take a break here.”

Zeke cautiously retrieved equipment he had brought from the Dragonslayer’s Tomb from his inventory and began setting up a temporary base camp.

He erected a simple tarp to block out the moisture and strung wires around the perimeter as a makeshift security measure.

As Zeke skillfully constructed the camp, Liam awkwardly approached him.

“I-I can do that.”

“It’s fine. I’ve got this. Go find some decently sized stones nearby. We’ll build a furnace and cook something to eat.”

The most important part of dungeon exploration was conserving stamina.

Though Zeke had the Endless Stamina skill, one could never be too cautious in a dungeon where anything could happen.

Liam returned with the stones, and Zeke arranged them into a circle before installing a heat-emitting magical device in the center.

Being an ancient artifact, its performance was exceptional.

When Liam was away, Zeke had already pulled some pre-packed meals from his inventory and heated them over the furnace.

“Here, try this.”

Liam sipped the soup Zeke handed him.

It was so delicious that it was hard to believe it had been made in a dungeon.

“This is amazing, my lord.”

The flavor was thanks to the soup being a high-quality dish specifically ordered from the Platinum Lounge, flash-frozen, and stored in Zeke’s inventory as a ready-made meal.

Since food stored in the inventory remained perfectly preserved, it retained its original flavor when reheated.

After enjoying a proper meal, Zeke and Liam took a brief rest at the base camp they had set up. Taking turns standing watch, they stayed alert to their surroundings while recovering their stamina. Once ready, they resumed exploring deeper into the dungeon.

Zeke activated his mini-map, comparing the markings in the cave to the paths displayed.

Then, he noticed something unusual and tilted his head in thought.

‘The direction we’re going is completely opposite to where the other cadets are heading.’

The mini-map also showed the locations of other cadets, indicated by red dots clustered on the left path.

Meanwhile, the path Zeke and Liam were following consistently veered to the right.

Sensing something was off, Zeke frowned.

‘Could someone already be tampering with this?’

Krrr…

Suddenly, an eerie sound echoed from deeper within the cave.

Alerted by the noise, Zeke turned to Liam and said, “Liam, turn off the light.”

Despite the darkness of the cave, Liam didn’t question Zeke’s command and extinguished the light immediately.

With the light gone, Zeke focused his heightened sense of smell.

‘This scent… sulfur?’

Zeke, who had hunted countless monsters in his previous life to the point of gritting his teeth at the memories, instantly recognized the smell.

‘Why are there signs of a Hellhound in this test dungeon?’

Hellhounds, also known as “Beasts of the Underworld,” were classified as highly dangerous monsters even among adventurers.

They were known for their exceptional senses, pack behavior, and relentless pursuit of prey until a successful hunt, making them incredibly difficult to escape.

‘Did they really use Hellhounds as test monsters? Even for the Draker Household, that’s crossing the line.’

Zeke’s instincts suddenly caught onto something.

“Liam, stay on guard.”

In a low voice, Zeke gave Liam a warning as he drew his sword and cautiously advanced.

Kiirrik!

At that moment, a Gremlin hiding behind a boulder leapt out.

Whoosh!

Zeke swung his sword in a single fluid motion, slicing the Gremlin clean in half.

Thud!

The severed torso of the Gremlin fell to the ground with a dull sound.

Liam, without panicking, efficiently blocked and dealt with the Gremlins that emerged from other areas.

While Gremlins could be dangerous if underestimated, their current skills were more than sufficient to handle them.

But then, it happened.

Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!

A new sound echoed from deeper within the cave.

Zeke quickly realized that the Gremlins had been fleeing from whatever monster was making this noise.

At the same time, a black shape darted toward Zeke.

Clang!

As Zeke had anticipated, a Hellhound appeared, lunging at him suddenly.

Liam, startled, moved to assist Zeke.

However, Zeke’s sword cleaved down upon the Hellhound’s head with precision.

Slash!

With a single, powerful strike, the Hellhound’s head was severed cleanly from its body.

At that moment, a notification appeared before Zeke’s eyes.

[You have slain a Hellhound. You have gained 15 Karma Points.]

“Liam, turn the light back on.”

Following Zeke’s command, Liam promptly activated the mana-powered lamp.

The light revealed the large Hellhound lying lifeless on the ground, its head separated from its body.

As Zeke inspected the creature more closely, he noticed something.

“Damn it…”

“What is it, my lord?”

Zeke pointed to the Hellhound’s abdomen.

There were clear marks where something had bitten into it.

“No wonder its movements were a bit sluggish.”

Rumble!

The vibrations grew louder once again.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

The entire cave trembled as something massive approached.

When its identity became clear, Liam gasped in shock.

“A… a Troll?”

It was the epitome of a mid-tier monster: towering in size, possessing extraordinary regenerative abilities, and notorious for its resilience.

A high-risk creature that casually hunted and devoured Hellhounds had now appeared before them.