Peak Between Two: Mushoku Tensei

-Third Point of View-

Fighting Ruijerd was no easy feat.

The man wasn't just an experienced warrior—he had lived for hundreds of years, mastering the art of the spear to an extraordinary level.

But as Luciel observed Ruijerd's movements, something about his spear seemed… odd.

Its shape was different from ordinary weapons, and the way Ruijerd wielded it didn't resemble typical spear techniques.

What made it so unique?

Luciel knew he shouldn't be thinking too much right now.

In an instant, Ruijerd's spear blade shot toward him at an astonishing speed!

His reflexes kicked in—he swiftly twisted his body to the side, narrowly dodging the sharp thrust that nearly skewered him.

But dodging alone wasn't enough.

Luciel immediately countered.

His hands moved swiftly, gathering mana in an instant. With a quick swing, a sharp gust of wind shot toward Ruijerd, aiming to throw him off balance.

But—

"Too slow."

Ruijerd spun his spear, effortlessly deflecting the wind attack as if it were nothing. The tip of his weapon then lunged forward again—this time, even faster than before!

Luciel conjured an air platform beneath his feet, leaping backward to create distance.

But he couldn't stay on the defensive forever.

"If I can't match him in speed or raw strength… then I'll have to play strategically."

Luciel quickly cast another spell—the ground beneath Ruijerd trembled, turning into soft mud to slow his movements.

"Good. A clever attack," Ruijerd remarked, his expression remaining calm.

However, before the trap could take full effect—

BAM!

With a single stomp, Ruijerd shattered his footing, launching himself out of the trap with ease.

Luciel realized his mistake.

"He's already experienced in dealing with difficult terrain. Trying to trap him with basic earth magic? That was a huge mistake!"

Too late.

Ruijerd was already in front of him.

In an instant, his spear spun—the blunt end of the shaft slammed into Luciel's stomach with crushing force.

"Guh…!"

Luciel was sent flying backward, crashing onto the ground hard. His breath caught in his throat, pain spreading through his body.

He tried to get up—

But before he could move, the sharp tip of Ruijerd's spear was already at his throat.

"You lost."

Ruijerd's voice was calm, yet there was a faint trace of respect in his tone.

Luciel swallowed hard, then let out a deep breath before raising both hands in surrender.

"I get it…"

The fight was over.

The gap in experience was still too vast to overcome. Luciel had potential and strategy, but Ruijerd had something far more valuable—centuries of battle-forged experience.

Yet, despite losing, Luciel didn't feel discouraged.

If anything, he felt challenged.

If he learned anything today, it was that magic alone wasn't enough.

He needed to be faster. More flexible. And most importantly—he had to learn from his defeats.

As he slowly got up, brushing the dirt off his clothes, Luciel met Ruijerd's gaze with renewed determination.

"Next time, I won't lose this easily."

Ruijerd gave a small smirk, then extended a hand toward him.

"We'll see."

And with that, their training for the day came to an end.

After weeks of waiting, the floodwaters in the forest finally receded, reopening the roads that had been impassable.

That meant it was time for Luciel and his group to resume their journey.

Their next destination: The Holy Country of Millis. Specifically, its capital—Millishion.

Before leaving, they bid farewell to the village chief and the many kind villagers who had helped them during their stay. Some of the locals even accompanied them to the village's borders, offering supplies and prayers for their safe travels.

Norn and Aisha, who had grown attached to some of the village children, seemed a little reluctant to leave. But they knew the journey had to continue.

However, their group had one more member joining them this time.

A lanky yet muscular man with a monkey-like face, dressed in simple, slightly worn clothes—Gesse.

Luciel wasn't too surprised to see him tagging along, but still… how was this guy acting so casually as if he had always been part of their group?

The wooden wheels of the carriage creaked as they left the village, following a dirt road that had finally begun to dry after weeks of flooding.

Inside the carriage, Luciel sat quietly, flipping through his notebook, while Gesse leaned back across from him, lazily shaking the small drinking pouch he always carried.

"Ahhh, finally out of that village!" Gesse stretched his arms with satisfaction. "I was about to die of boredom just staring at trees every day."

Luciel glanced at him briefly.

"You didn't mind leaving?" he asked without looking up from his notes. "Didn't you seem pretty comfortable back there?"

Gesse chuckled, his expression resembling that of a prisoner who had just escaped confinement.

"Comfortable? Eh, somewhat. But I'm an adventurer! Staying in one place for too long just isn't my style."

Luciel slowly closed his book.

"An adventurer, huh?" He crossed his arms. "You don't seem like an ordinary one."

Gesse raised an eyebrow.

"Oh? Getting curious about me now?" he teased. "Alright, alright. I'll tell you a little about myself. Listen carefully—this is a legendary tale that few have heard!"

Luciel remained silent, his expression indifferent, but his eyes showed mild interest—not fully engaged, yet not completely dismissive either.

Taking a sip from his pouch, Gesse finally began.

"I was once part of a legendary adventurer group—The Black Wolf Fangs. You know who was in it?"

Luciel raised an eyebrow.

"…Paul and Zenith?"

Gesse laughed. "So you do know! Yep, they were my old comrades!"

Luciel had heard bits and pieces about this group from Paul before.

The Black Wolf Fangs were a renowned adventurer party in their time, consisting of exceptionally skilled fighters.

Alongside Paul and Zenith, there was Elinalise Dragonroad, a legendary elf known for her superhuman stamina, Talhand, a powerful dwarf warrior with vast experience, and of course, Gesse—a non-combatant but a master strategist and infiltrator.

"Paul always spoke proudly about that group," Luciel remarked. "But he never really explained why you all disbanded."

Gesse fell silent for a moment, then exhaled.

"Ah, that's a long story… and not all of it is pleasant."

Luciel noticed the slight shift in his expression.

For the first time, the carefree, mischievous look on Gesse's face faded into something more serious—a glimpse of the past that wasn't as glorious as it seemed.

Across from them, Norn and Aisha, who had been quietly listening, now paid full attention.

"The Black Wolf Fangs…" Aisha murmured, her voice tinged with curiosity. "That was Mom and Dad's old group, right?"

Gesse turned toward them and nodded.

"That's right, little one. Paul and Zenith were part of an amazing adventurer party. We explored dangerous lands, hunted powerful monsters, and took on near-impossible missions."

For once, even the usually quiet Norn spoke up.

"If the group was so great… why did it break up?"

Gesse paused for a moment, then let out a long sigh.

"Well, like I said… not everything was perfect. We all had our own paths. Paul chose to marry Zenith and start a family, Elinalise is still wandering somewhere, Talhand returned to his homeland, and me… well, I kept adventuring on my own."

Aisha narrowed her eyes, her voice laced with deeper curiosity.

"So… your group disbanded just because you wanted different lives?"

Gesse smiled, but this time, there was a faint weariness in it.

"It wasn't that simple. A lot happened along the way… things that aren't easy to talk about."

Luciel glanced at Norn, noticing the slightly somber look on her face.

For them, The Black Wolf Fangs wasn't just some adventurer party—it was a part of their family history.

"Mom and Dad used to fight alongside people like this…" Norn thought to herself.

Aisha, on the other hand, looked more excited than thoughtful.

"Wow! So Dad was really amazing, huh? Even though Onii-chan always says he was reckless…"

Luciel let out a small chuckle at that comment.

"Paul was strong, but he was also famous for being impulsive. You could say that his party was the only reason he survived half the time."

Gesse burst into laughter.

"Exactly! If it weren't for me, Paul would've been dead more times than I can count!" he said proudly. "So if you think he was a great adventurer, just remember—he had a great team covering his back!"

Aisha giggled, while Norn remained quiet, as if trying to process it all.

To them, Paul and Zenith were just Mom and Dad.

But now, they were starting to understand that in the past, their parents had been adventurers who challenged the world itself.

Luciel noticed the change in their expressions and decided not to push the conversation further.

"At the very least, this trip won't be boring with these old stories." he thought, eyeing Gesse, who was already looking slightly tipsy.

But before the man could pass out—

Luciel had a small plan for him…