CHAPTER 324: BEATING UP SOMEONE

Training breathing techniques, spellcasting, and proper swordsmanship—or any weapon, really—was important.

But building the body was just as crucial. Physical exercises brought even greater benefits than they did back on Earth.

Here, the mana in the atmosphere seemed to accelerate muscle recovery and overall strengthening. People who trained daily became powerful in the long run.

William could’ve done that too—but he was lazy. Not someone who compared himself to others.

He had an incredibly powerful bloodline that modified and strengthened his body naturally. Rebo and other more "normal" mages didn’t have that. For them, training was essential. Non-negotiable.

Rebo was completely worn out after finishing all the push-ups William had asked for. His only desire was to collapse on the ground and do absolutely nothing.

"Rest for ten minutes," William said. "After that, we’ve got squats, sit-ups, and a run to finish the day."

"My god..." Rebo groaned.

The physical training lasted around two hours total. By the end, Rebo was exhausted. He just wanted to find a place to sleep and disappear for a while.

But his grandfather had already woken up—and was ready to continue training him.

"Where were you?" Yunk asked. "You’re sweating like crazy and look ready to collapse."

William was still by his side.

"We were doing physical training. Rebo did pretty well for a beginner. A thousand push-ups, squats, sit-ups, and a run to close it out."

Even Yunk was stunned.

"Seriously? He went through all that?"

Yunk decided to give Rebo the rest of the day off. There was no point continuing training when his body was that worn out—he wouldn’t retain anything in that state.

"So it’s true you’re planning to infiltrate the cult too?" Yunk asked William. "You think that’s a good idea?"

"I think so. While I’m inside gathering information—and maybe even trying to bring it down—you and Rebo can keep training and investigating on the outside. Any help will matter."

"You have my word. We’ll do everything we can. I just want my daughter to find a way out of that place."

While Geneva’s goal was to find her sister, Kali was joining the cult to ensure her family—Rebo and Undir—stayed alive.

Which meant, in theory, she’d be stuck there forever.

From what she knew, no one could simply leave the cult once they were inside. The only option was to destroy it from within. That was William’s plan—and Yunk wanted in.

"Thank you," William said. "And how are you feeling? Physically, I mean."

He was referring to the damage he’d done to Yunk a few days ago.

"I’m doing much better," Yunk replied. "Though I’m not back to full strength yet. Your strikes were... intense. You’re stronger than you look."

The energy around William didn’t seem overwhelming for two reasons: he worked hard to suppress it—and he didn’t have that much mana in his body to begin with.

"Thanks... I think."

*

The days passed quickly. Before William even realized it, it was time to leave the mansion and head out to meet the necromancer cult recruiters.

They packed their bags and departed early in the morning, riding on horseback. Rebo and Yunk stayed behind.

The farewell between Kali and Rebo was heartbreaking. They’d finally found each other again—mother and son—and now they were being separated once more.

"Don’t worry, Mom. Grandpa and I will find a way to destroy that cult and bring you back," Rebo said.

"I know you will, my son."

They embraced tightly, exchanging loving kisses. It was a genuinely beautiful moment.

William said his goodbyes too—but he wasn’t very sentimental about it. Just a wave and a casual "See you."

Of course, he also asked Yunk to take good care of Rebo. And naturally, Yunk would.

After the farewells, they rode off. Their destination was a small city, fairly far away. It would take about fifteen days to get there.

Geneva and Kali had successfully learned the five spells required to join the cult. In fact, with William’s help, they’d mastered eight.

That was nearly double the minimum—giving them a better chance of acceptance, and likely some perks too.

William, of course, had learned even more. But he had one lingering concern.

"You think they’ll let me take the exam?" William asked. "Or will they block me?"

Kali was confident.

"They’ll let you. The cult is incredibly secretive—and the only way to know where the test even happens is by invitation. You’ve been invited, haven’t you? Don’t worry."

He hoped she was right. If not, he’d need to find another way to infiltrate—or dismantle—the cult.

Still, there was no denying it. Getting inside was the best option. That much William understood clearly.

It had been a long time since his injury. His regenerative abilities were back.

The problem? His arm still hadn’t returned.

His healing worked fine—he’d even done something reckless and chopped off a few fingers from his remaining hand just to test it. They grew back instantly.

"Why hasn’t my arm returned?" William wondered.

Would it never come back? He refused to believe that.

Once again, he was on the road. It felt like he could never stay in one place.

"Why didn’t we take a flying mount to get there faster?" he asked.

"Too much risk of losing our luggage," Geneva explained. "We don’t have proper saddlebags for aerial travel. No need to rush—we’ve got time."

William got bored easily with long trips. Anyone in his place probably would.

The only saving grace was the company—people to talk to. That made the ride a little less dull.

Throughout the journey, they passed through various landscapes. Some were beautiful—lush forests, tall mountains, winding rivers. Others... not so much. Barren stretches stripped of greenery, dry and dull.

They stayed on the main road—widely used and generally safe. Plenty of merchants and adventurers passed by.

Naturally, no one tried to rob them. All three of them carried powerful auras. No one was foolish enough to challenge them.

As they got closer to the recruitment site, everything shifted dramatically.

The region felt darker than usual, cloaked in constant fog. The forests looked near-dead—shadowy, brittle, almost lifeless.

"This place is seriously creepy," William muttered.

"No doubt," Kali said. "The cult has recruitment spots hidden all over the kingdom. But this one’s close to their main base, which is buried somewhere in this desolate region. It’s... terrible."

"Terrible how? Aside from the gloomy look, I mean?" William asked.

"The main problem is control," Kali explained. "The kingdom barely monitors this area. Few guards patrol—and most of them are corrupt. Criminals, assassins, bandits... they all come here to escape the law and live freely."

Not good.

William had confidence in his strength—but he wasn’t naïve enough to think he was the strongest person in the realm. There were surely others more powerful—and some might be roaming this lawless region.

"But don’t worry. Once we’re inside the cult, things will settle down. The cult’s mysterious—and respected," Kali assured.

"I hope so..."

*

The city they reached was small—and downright eerie. They arrived after nightfall. Fog blanketed everything in a thick veil.

Visibility was poor. The streets were nearly deserted. All they could hear were the hoofbeats of their horses echoing across the stone roads.

"Let’s find a tavern for the night," Kali said. "The recruitment won’t happen this late. We’ll go tomorrow."

None of them were familiar with the city. That meant they had no idea which taverns might be relatively safe—if any taverns in this place could be considered safe.

The first one they entered was packed.

As soon as they pushed open the wooden door, every head turned to stare.

Most of the patrons had unsettling appearances—scarred faces, twisted gazes filled with malice.

William didn’t need to guess. Practically everyone in there was a criminal.

Before they could reach the bar to inquire about rooms, a tall man approached.

"Well hey there, sweethearts," he said, eyes locked onto Geneva and Kali’s chests. "Care to join me in a cozy little room? I’ll treat you real nice."

Disgusting.

William wasn’t about to play nice. The whole room was watching with gleaming eyes, waiting to see how this would unfold.

Show weakness, and they’d be swarmed.

So William didn’t say a word. He acted.

His first move was a brutal stomp to the man’s knee. The force shattered it instantly.

"Aaaaaggh!"

The man screamed, collapsing—but William kept going.

Blow after blow to the face.

The first punch broke his nose. The second shattered teeth. A few more, and his face was unrecognizable.

He fell, bleeding and broken. William still didn’t stop. He stomped him repeatedly, smiling through it.

The bar fell silent. The watching crowd looked horrified.

No one was about to mess with them now.

William didn’t kill the man—but he was barely breathing.

At the counter, the bartender spoke quickly.

"You can have Room Four. On the house."

"Thanks. Can you take care of our horses?"

"Of course. Right away."

That show of force changed everything. William, Geneva, and Kali headed upstairs.