Chapter 31: Straight Lines Like Swords

Nothing unusual occurred around the camp until it was time for the night shift.
Sosk had traveled all day and drank several drinks at night, feeling extremely tired. Nio told him to pay attention to the warning sounds of traps, but he only responded with a “mhm,” unclear whether he had heard or not.
Nio didn’t say much more. These people claimed to be vigilant, but when it came to drinking, they never skipped a drink. Perhaps only when they truly suffered losses would they become alert—preventing crises mainly relied on oneself.
The tent was a bit stuffy but warm. Worn blankets were laid on the ground, with glue applied underneath to prevent moisture. The firewood in the brazier wasn’t cut that evening but was dry pine wood brought earlier, burning thoroughly without producing smoke. The bed was a hammock. In such weather—rain, snow, ice—no one wanted to sleep on the ground, even with the blankets.
Just from these details, it was clear that the caravan was well-prepared, and their leader was an experienced hand who thought of everything. Yet, it was such an experienced leader who missed their destination. Nio guessed it wasn’t due to miscalculating distance or forgetting the weather, but rather because of haste.
“What’s there to worry about?” Nio untied his belt and placed it on a table near the bed. The belt was integrated—holding quiver, small leather bag, dagger sheath, and sword strap—all attached to it. “Worried that the longer we delay, the harder it will be to proceed?” He took off his coat-like leather jacket and boots, then climbed into the hammock.
While vigilance was important, sleep was equally essential. Without proper rest, people would soon become exhausted. Being able to fall asleep quickly was also a skill in such times.
The daily routine was meditation, followed by sleep. Not long after falling asleep, Nio was awakened by the sound of a trap alarm. He didn’t get up but waited with his eyes open. When nothing happened, he closed his eyes and went back to sleep.
Some time passed, and the alarm sounded again. This time, Nio sat up, calmly got dressed, fastened his boots, pulled up his pants, tightened his belt, and put on his coat-like leather jacket. Then, the second and third alarms rang in succession. Nio knew—he had guessed it right. The enemy had arrived, not one, but a group.
Sosk was also awakened. He had been dozing off against a large cart when his weapon shook his arm to wake him.
“The traps are being triggered one after another! There’s trouble!”
As Weapon-Shaker spoke, some sharp-eyed guards already saw the enemies rushing toward the campfires at the perimeter.
“Monsters! Fire!”
The alarm had prepared everyone, but the firepower from five or six guns seemed weak at that moment. The attacks focused on the lead monster, its head and body covered in blood. Yet the monster seemed unaffected and continued charging forward, with more monsters closing in from behind. Bang! Bang! Their claws trampled the ground, turning the campfires into scattered sparks flying everywhere.

The light was dim, making it even harder to spot the target. The guards grew panicked as they saw the monster leap up, ready to climb over the cart wall. A figure shot out from inside the wall, and a blue blade flashed, creating a bright light barrier that sliced through the monster. The guards heard the sound of flesh tearing and bones breaking. Once inside the cart wall, the monster was split in two by the onslaught.

“Wake the others and form a formation in the center,” Nio said. As he spoke, he used the cart as leverage to leap again, covering 10 meters before leaping once more to confront the other monster. Without paying attention to its sharp claws and fangs, he swung his blade downward. Another light barrier appeared, somewhat similar to the purple energy barrier emitted by Liz’s clone guards, though this one had a more intense, fiery appearance. It appeared suddenly, often with a fierce aura. The monster’s head and front limbs were cut off at an angle, but the remaining part still struck Nio, sending him flying backward.

The other monster, which was closer, took the opportunity to pounce. But Nio twisted and spun as he fell, his blade glowing blue again as it formed a light ring that severed the monster’s front legs. After falling, he quickly stood up with a backward flip, then leaped forward. His blade formed a large arc spanning 10 meters as it slashed downward, splitting the head and upper body of the other monster, which crashed to the ground as if hit by a giant hammer.

After killing that monster, Nio turned and ran back. Another monster chased closely behind, leaping up. As if he had eyes at the back of his head, Nio jumped and spun, his blade forming another half-arc that sliced through the monster’s mouth, splitting its head almost horizontally.

Upon landing, he pushed off with his feet, sending mud and snow flying. Not only did he stop his forward momentum but also bounced diagonally backward. He turned in mid-air, his blade forming a 90-degree arc that slashed downward. Regardless of whether the attacked monster was alive or dead, he immediately launched three more charges. With each charge, a light barrier appeared, and another monster was killed. Three charges, in three directions, creating a sequence like lightning bolts in the air.

After the charges, Nio rushed toward the cart wall with all his strength, covering nearly 40 meters in three leaps before standing firmly on the cart. He raised his blade, and a blue glow pierced the air like a fluttering flag.

“Impressive!” The guards and some of the awakened civilians witnessed Nio’s fierce actions over those three minutes. Though they couldn’t see his figure clearly, the blue light was extremely bright in the darkness. Every time it flashed, it revealed a monster being torn apart. The people were so amazed they forgot to move, just staring in awe.

After Nio’s brutal onslaught, seven or eight out of the first wave of monsters were killed, disrupting their attack. Staring at the blade emitting a long blue glow, the owners of those dark blue eyes stopped in shock and anger.

“23. It’s not many, but if we had rushed blindly earlier, it would have caused significant losses in the temporary camp,” Nio thought to himself. Whoosh! The blade’s glow faded.

Huff, huff! The dark blue lights drifted forward for a while before drifting away again.

“What’s going on?” Soske stared intently, but couldn’t make out anything clearly.
“It’s likely it’s carrying the corpse of one of its kind and retreating,” replied the weapons expert.
Soske swallowed hard and cursed under his breath, “Damn!”
Nio leaped lightly off the wall of the cart, took a few steps forward, retrieved the wooden bow he had hung there earlier from a pole, drew an arrow from his quiver, nocked it, and drew the bowstring taut. Then he leaped upward—bang! The arrowhead emitted a bright blue glow, tracing a diagonal line through the air before flying over a hundred meters and disappearing into the mud and snow. The arrow wasn’t aimed at the direction from which the monster had attacked but in the opposite direction. Those with sharp eyes seemed to see the silhouette of a huge monster resembling a tiger or bear at the moment the arrow’s glow faded.
“What’s this now?” Soske asked Nio this time.
“There are wolves at the front gate and tigers at the back.”
“And what are you doing then?”
“Startling them by making a show of force.”
As Nio spoke, an orange-red light appeared in the darkness in the direction the arrow had flown, like a massive bonfire blazing. Within that fiery energy, a huge monster that resembled a mix between a bear and a tiger took shape.
“Roar!” The monster let out a howl, and even from over a hundred meters away, behind the cart formations, one could feel the stench of its wind.
Bang! Bang! Bang! The monster, as agile as a cat yet as fierce as a bear, swung its glowing limbs and climbed up the steep rock walls, leaving behind showers of broken rocks.
“This guy… must be level 10, right?” Soske watched the retreating, bulky figure, feeling a surge of anxiety. He thought, “Thankfully, it’s just an animal. Nio scared it away with his ferocity. If it had rushed into the camp, things would have been unimaginable…”
In fact, though the monster was an animal, its alertness and intelligence were far higher than most humans. Even those monsters earlier were indeed intimidated by Nio’s strength—not just the visible kind, but also because all the ancestral seals in Nio’s bloodline had been unlocked. What they truly feared was the power aura of the Dark Lord…
By now, those on duty had also gathered, still disheveled. Some newly awakened slaves, not knowing what had happened, asked each other questions, creating some chaos.
“There’s still some time until dawn. I’ll go back to sleep,” Nio said, uninterested in joining such pointless discussions, and returned to his tent to rest.
Soske stood there, at a loss. Nio’s performance that night had been utterly astonishing. In terms of combat skills, he could achieve similar results on his own, but the combination of judgment, tactics, ferocity, and imposing presence was far beyond his reach. Soske had only seen such a presence in those around level 15. He didn’t know if Nio fought against magical beasts every day to possess such an aura.
In fact, the best teacher is sometimes your enemy. If Soske knew what kind of beings had been chasing Nio lately, he wouldn’t be surprised. After all, to confront experts like the Dark Knight Fad and the Witch Dasthenni, one must first have an imposing presence; otherwise, defeat is certain.

After going through such an ordeal, the only one in the camp who could still sleep soundly was Nio. Not long after Nio returned to his tent, a magical light shone in Milia’s carriage. Milia’s maid and bodyguard, Eppley, came out and told Thorsk to take care of matters in the camp before going to see Milia…

Early the next morning, the traces of the overnight skirmish were nothing but dark purple bloodstains in the mud and snow. People’s attitude toward Nio inevitably changed. Respect—this word alone sufficed to describe their complex feelings toward him. They longed for his protection, yet his immense power filled them with fear. Even the guards began to think they needed to be more cautious, knowing that violating any of these natives’ taboos could have serious consequences. Moreover, they had seen just how unsafe this journey had become last night. Offending Nio could mean life-threatening trouble if problems arose again.

Nio now had a temporary mount—a 7-year-old mare. He had seen her following Milia’s carriage earlier; she might have belonged to one of the female guards. She seemed afraid of Nio at first, but after he used his shamanic skills to calm her, she improved slightly.

Seeing Nio mount the horse skillfully, Thorsk said with a smile, “It seems you ride often.”

“In my youth, I went hunting wild horses with others to sell them. I also wanted to be a cavalryman,” Nio replied. Knowing that more overt and covert tests and observations would follow last night, he was especially careful. His story wasn’t made up but was based on Bels’ true experiences in his youth.

“With your skills, you should be able to be a cavalryman without problem!” Weapon Battle, who was riding on Thorsk’s other side, asked in confusion.

Nio smirked. “There are problems with people from the fringes living among the townspeople.”

Weapon Battle raised his eyebrows and fell silent. People from the fringes were wild by nature, unwilling to accept too many restrictions, and unable to learn the patience of townspeople. So even if there were outstanding individuals among them, they often ended up doing menial jobs, with few able to integrate into town life. Of course, there was also discrimination from the townspeople—if you didn’t resist, they would bully you even more; if you resisted, they called you unruly; if you did poorly, they said you were lazy; if you did well, they said you were ambitious; if you performed mediocrely, they said you were incompetent. In short, there were many problems.

Thorsk took out a money pouch and handed it to Nio, breaking the awkward silence. “20 gold coins as a reward. There are seven days left until Asia. 15 gold coins per day, plus this bonus. We won’t be camping in the wilderness anymore.”

Nio opened the pouch, took out 30 coins, and then returned it to Thorsk. “I only go to the Sanctuary Valley. I have some matters to attend to.”

Thorsk grinned and didn’t say much, just putting away the pouch. Last night, Milia had talked to him about Nio—she said it was fine to win him over, but not too much. If you offered too much, it would be hard to manage him later. After all, they were hiring a martial artist, not a noble guest.

Some who were watching the battle grew envious and said sourly, “What big deal is it to the point of delaying such a good way to make money as this?” A level 6 warrior only earned 10 gold coins per day, whileNeo could get 15 gold coins daily, yet he gave it up so easily.
“It’s because the prey has enemies; just kill a few people,”Neo said casually. Those listening felt a chill down their spines, thinking, “Such a person—at best, is seen as someone who acts on impulse; at worst, as a desperate outlaw. Fearless and ruthless, really not easy to provoke!”
At noon, they arrived at an inn valley called Spoon Valley. Besides its shape resembling a spoon, there was also a rock peak completely isolated in the center of the valley, with steep cliffs over a hundred meters high. A magic ladder connected the top and bottom, and atop it stood an inn resembling a castle, named Eagle’s Nest.
The inn valleys along the continental roads were not comparable to those along the remote paths Neo had visited before. Here, the permanent population alone numbered nearly a thousand, including a cavalry squadron of over a hundred men. There was even a market of moderate size in the valley, mainly dealing in carrying vehicles. As for other facilities like blacksmiths and grocery stores, they were no worse than those in larger towns like Refuge Valley. The cheapest room at Eagle’s Nest inn cost 2 gold coins per night, showing just how prosperous this route used to be. Otherwise, even if built like a palace, it would be useless if no one wanted to stay there.
The caravan would rest here for a day. Sosk told Neo that to speed up the journey, Milia planned to buy more vehicles and supplies here.
“Bels, your outfit is quite stylish. But in places full of people, most are snobs who judge by appearance. If some ignorant folks spoil our mood because of it, it wouldn’t be worth it. At least get some more presentable clothes as a backup, what do you think?”
Fang Zhan, who had been lucky enough to witness Neo’s entire battle last night, had been trying to befriend him since this morning. His suggestion was quite reasonable. Knowing that the market was full of opportunistic people, insisting on wearing tattered clothes as a form of individuality and getting despised or slandered could lead to resentment or even anger—almost as if seeking humiliation on one’s own.
With money to spend, Neo also adapted to local customs. Although the shops in Spoon Valley were just a few connected earthen buildings, they were well-decorated and used gas lamps—something new even to Neo. There were plenty of them, and because of the lampshades, the smell of gas couldn’t be felt, keeping the entire shop brightly lit without any sense of roughness.
“This gas is cheap, easy to obtain, and convenient to use. It’s truly a great thing. I heard that large amounts of this gas are collected and stored as fuel. I wonder what clever methods the people of Frey use to collect this gas?” Neo’s interest in clothes was clearly far less than his interest in the related technologies represented by the gas lamps.

“Well, gas lamps are indeed good—much brighter than oil lamps. As for collecting gas, it relies on mages and magic arrays, which is cheaper. Oh, there’s also the spell of space compression, which is said to turn gas into a liquid like water. It’s truly amazing what mages can do; after all, gas is considered a form of dead energy…” Perhaps due to the disasters that had struck the Erdrit region, leaving everything eerily quiet, or maybe to show off his knowledge in front of a ‘barbarian’ like Neo, the shopkeeper talked nonstop for quite a while.

Neo felt somewhat disappointed. He knew well that technology had risen so rapidly largely because of magical assistance. But as an important tool for resisting theocracy, independent and complete technology held great value and significance. Clearly, most of Frey’s inventors disdained inventions aimed at expanding domains and preferred to pursue high-end challenges based on their own preferences or to prove themselves, resulting in this mixed state of technology and magic—just like with the use of gas.

“Perhaps the day when technology turns everyone into a mage will be the day of freedom in the Aemera world.” Neo didn’t think Frey’s democratic system was necessarily more efficient than monarchy, but he didn’t deny that democracy was a sign of civilization’s progress. “One day, intelligent beings will achieve true democracy, with all intelligent races participating together to manage and develop this world. But the prerequisite is freedom…”

Coming out of the shop, Neo not only got two new sets of clothes but also a backpack for carrying on his shoulders. This type of backpack, called a journey pack, was said to have been invented by replicating artifacts from ruins. Although the idea that a single backpack could lead to ruins seemed a bit far-fetched, Neo quickly saw its value. He even thought of using ‘soft supports’ in climbing backpacks for better performance. He bought the backpack, intending to study its features in detail upon returning—especially its multi-functional design, which allowed it to be worn across the shoulder, slung over the back, or carried by hand, all of which were highly valuable.

For protection, Fangzhan suggested that Neo get a scabbard for his battle sword, but Neo refused. He said using a belt loop made it easier to draw the sword.

“Well, at least make it sharper, right?”

This time, Neo didn’t refuse. Anyone who made a living with swords would surely invest in better weapons and armor, so Neo didn’t want to stand out as too unusual.

The blacksmith shop in Funnel Valley was much larger than the previous shop, with no fewer than 10 employees.

“Don’t fiddle with that junk metal in front of me!” The chief blacksmith, a dwarf, glanced at Neo’s battle sword and, driven by his profession, almost raised his chin to the sky.

Fangzhan glanced at Neo awkwardly. He had introduced them to each other, hoping Neo would choose a new weapon he’d be satisfied with. Instead, Neo only wanted to modify his existing weapon, leading to such cold treatment.

With a growl, Neo swung his sword. The blade flashed like snow—*snick!* The solid anvil was cleanly cut, its edge as smooth as a mirror.

As that blade slashed down, even Fang Zhan, who was standing nearby, felt his body shudder. He thought to himself, “No matter how thick my armor is, it can’t compare to this anvil. If this guy can cut through an anvil without fighting, then against me, my armor and shield would be as good as paper. His swordsmanship is simply too terrifying!”
Nio said with a grim expression, “If you don’t want the job, just say so. No need for all this nonsense. This blade may not work, but it’s more than enough to cut off your head!”
A terrifying aura spread throughout the blacksmith shop, even the blazing furnace seemed unable to provide any warmth. The dwarf felt as if he were being choked by Nio’s gaze, unable to muster the courage to act arrogantly any longer.
“Bels, Bels, don’t get angry. This is a master blacksmith, just like those in Asia…”
Nio interrupted, “He was rude to me. Do I have to put on a smile too? Ridiculous! It’s all because of his spoiled habits.” With that, he gave the dwarf blacksmith another cold glance before turning and striding away.
Everyone in the blacksmith shop stood there, all burly and strong, but none of them said a word. Those who were bold were afraid, and those who were afraid were willing to risk their lives. People like Nio, who could make someone bleed just from a few words, were far more ruthless than outlaws. These men didn’t have the courage—otherwise, they wouldn’t just be blacksmith apprentices.
Fang Zhan stepped forward quickly to follow Nio, rubbing his forehead in frustration. “He’s really too straightforward. No wonder he couldn’t get along in the cavalry unit!”
After this incident, Nio lost interest in continuing his tour of Leak Spoon Valley. Fang Zhan also didn’t want to keep doing this tedious job, fearing it might anger this temperamental man again. If some well-connected idiot dared to wander into the commoners’ market and ran into him, it could lead to serious trouble.
There’s a saying: Fear what comes!
Nio tried to avoid trouble, but trouble found him. As they neared the Leak Spoon Inn, they encountered a group of people. Eight out of ten of them could be described as “monkeys in human clothes”—their clothes were fine, but with their pretentious looks and behavior, they looked like bandits in new outfits.
“Damn, I thought I was seeing things. Isn’t that Bels, the scumbag from Fort 4?” A bald man with a face full of fleshy wrinkles grinned and nodded at Nio. “I thought you’d rot in some shack until death. Didn’t expect you to still have some strength! Someone must be willing to pay for you, this old weed. So, you have a master now? You even dare to walk around looking decent?”
Nio smiled, revealing two rows of stark white teeth. Seeing Nio’s expression, Fang Zhan thought, “This is really bad now!”