Chapter 33: Humble yet Great

Useless people who have failed and offer no value can be discarded; but lost dignity must be reclaimed. It’s not hard to understand the Black Miner’s thoughts.

Before sending someone to challenge him, the Black Miner spent some time gathering information, paying particular attention to the relationship betweenNeo andミリア. After some careful planning, the challenger appeared on the road.

“I bear no intention of offending Missミリア. I merely wish to avenge my brother’s humiliation. As long as Mr.ベルス accepts the challenge, no further complications will arise, regardless of the outcome.” The challenger appeared to be around 40 years old, with deep lines on his face. He wore brown leather armor that had turned black and was shiny. There was nothing striking about him, except for the sharp glint in his eyes and his broad sword, which seemed icy cold.

In Spoon Valley, refusing such a challenge would take just one word fromミリア. As a mage of the kingdom,モラ’s dignity had to be respected by the official forces stationed there. But on this road,ミリア had to consider a practical question: Was it worth standing up forNeo? Ifモラ refused to do so, would that mean gaining another enemy? After all,モラ was the leader, not just a subordinate. If a subordinate kept failing or causing problems, requiringモラ to intervene, they might soon lose favor.

As a team leader,Neo could understand this well. Ifバリット couldn’t handle things properly or deal with minor issues, he wouldn’t entrust the team to him. They rode off to the side of the road—the path was wide enough to accommodate not just a duel but also a full-scale battle.

The challenger, on the other hand, was simple, coming on foot. SeeingNeo step forward, he understood his intention and walked calmly to an open area nearby.

After leading his horse to a distance,Neo slung his large axe over his right shoulder and gazed at the sky. It was already the third day of overcast weather, with fine drizzle that came and went, making everything feel damp and cold. The scenery looked desolate, not like spring but more like early winter.

The challenger entered the area slowly, standing 10 meters away fromNeo, stretching his legs. “In your forties?”
“43,” repliedNeo, staring at him calmly.
“Do you have a wife or children?” the challenger asked.
“No.”
“No wonder…” The challenger smiled. “With responsibilities, one can’t keep this job for long. Even if I lose today, I’ll get 100 gold. This time, I’ll have to go far away. You know, people like us, with no power or status, can only be used as tools.”
Neo also smiled. “True enough.”

The challenger held his broad sword horizontally in front of him, slowly running his index and middle fingers along the blade. “Are you ready?”
“Let’s go!”

As soon asNeo spoke, the challenger was enveloped in brilliant silver light. In an instant, he covered the 10-meter distance, his sword emitting a silver glow that gave off an overwhelming sense of sharpness.

Those watching from over 20 meters away—Soske, the warriors, and the defenders—all changed expressions at once. A Level 9 fighter, using a sudden fatal technique; otherwise, it would be impossible to achieve such an illusionary effect. Ordinary people were utterly stunned. Battles between such high-level fighters, even if seen in the arena, would likely only occur in capitals like Phoenix City. Places like Edrith and Hylfanis could only be fortunate enough to witness such a life-or-death duel. Just this one strike sent chills through their souls, leaving a deep impression. Even if some of them later became fighters, encountering such a strike again would fill them with fear, preventing them from matching it. This was another form of damage caused by a powerful fatal technique: psychological shock. Just as the swirling silver light was about to touch Neo, a faint blue light screen suddenly appeared in midair. If Valentina were here at this moment and saw this screen, she would surely exclaim, “Liz’s aurora sword barrier, created by her clone at Level 10 and above, is probably only this good!” The aurora, born in the sky, is magnificent and mysterious, simple yet carrying the grandeur of the universe. Neo’s slash was similar—limited by his combat energy, the barrier didn’t cover much area, but its simple yet grandeur was already evident. “Liz’s power awakened within you, and you, influenced by the sword energy of her clone, embarked on this path of combat skills. It’s hard to say who owes whom more,” Nancy had said when Neo first displayed the power of his combat skills. Now, Neo had truly followed this path, mastering it even more skillfully and passionately. The challenger’s fatal technique was a type of sidestrike, but it was effortlessly blocked by Neo’s slash from his right shoulder to the left. All that could pass by Neo was half a body and half a sword; the corpse fell and slid far away. Neo covered his side, where a faint green light flashed—blood had already appeared there, caused by the combat energy from the challenger’s sword. Though it was residual, it still caused him some pain. But he couldn’t blame anyone; showing off always comes at a cost. No matter how skilled one is, without proper weapons, one will suffer against a true opponent, especially without armor. Looking at the broken sword, Neo turned to face the challenger, covered in mud and snow, on the verge of death. In a calm tone, he said, “From the start, I knew you had nothing to hold onto.” The challenger’s expression was complex and unreadable. He no longer had the strength to speak. In his eyes fixed on Neo, the light gradually dimmed, and he never closed his eyes before dying.

The battle between the two had actually begun even before it officially started. The walking phase was a test of who could stay calmer and more composed. The challenger’s words later turned out to be a trap; if Neo had shown even a hint of sympathy for this weathered “fellow,” thinking things like “one can’t help but be trapped in the world” or having elders and children at home, he would have been defeated, let alone harboring hopes of showing mercy. Fighting with all one’s might, a life-or-death struggle, was the true essence of a duel—the most dangerous endeavor. If one’s will wavered even slightly, the challenger’s first strike could have split Neo in two.

Weapon Fighter and Defense Fighter, though they were also quite experienced, were novices when it came to dueling. In fact, aside from those like Neo who had a background in combat and could draw on prior experience, ordinary swordsmen didn’t fully understand the peril involved. At such times, Sosk, who often hung around bars and had some basic knowledge, would step in to show off his expertise, explaining to Weapon Fighter and Defense Fighter what had happened before and after the duel. Though he didn’t cover everything, he clarified the main points. This left Weapon Fighter and Defense Fighter, along with the surrounding guards, utterly amazed, looking at Neo with admiration.

“That’s what a veteran is like! Those who have made a living with swords at this age rely not on strength but on cunning,” one said.

“What’s cunning? That’s experience! Those fools rush into duels and often don’t even understand how they die. Only those with experience understand the nuances. So don’t underestimate the old—when it comes to a life-or-death fight, the strong don’t necessarily win.” …

While the convoy was in an uproar, Neo calmly gathered the dead man’s belongings. In most duels, out of respect for the opponent, one wouldn’t touch their belongings. But this rule didn’t apply to someone like Neo or Bels. After all, they had fought hard to earn these things—why let them go to waste or rot? Making the most of them was the right choice.

Sors glanced at Neo’s side. “Are you injured?”

Neo smirked and sighed. “Just a superficial wound. A fighter’s blood isn’t worth much; it flows easily. It’s a shame about the clothes—they were new just one day old.”

Sors grinned from his horse. “I know a woman with decent sewing skills. She’s in the Valley of Refuge. Have her fix them for you—it’ll at least make them look like new battle gear.” He then pointed at the challenger’s corpse. “Should we send someone to clean up?”

Burying the dead also involved strategy—not just out of humanity, but also to conceal evidence. With an experienced veteran’s inspection, they could deduce what had happened during the duel and gather data on the attacker’s strength.

“No need. The wound is big enough. It won’t be long before scavengers arrive. Besides, the challenger had an accomplice acting as an observer.”

“Where?” Weapon Fighter and Defense Fighter looked around.

Neo pointed in a direction.

“Behind that rock?”

“No, those small thorny willows about ten meters to the left of the rock.”

“There!?” Weapon Fighter and Defense Fighter were both in disbelief—after all, that place didn’t seem like a suitable hiding spot at all.
Choosing the harder option, Sosk believed Neio’s words. The key to hiding was to stay unseen by others, not to find a more convenient location. That rock was far too obvious; even an ordinary person would notice it, let alone a professional who would never choose such a glaring target.
Sure enough, undeterred, Weapon Fighter and Defense Fighter found some traces behind the cluster of thorny willows, but the observer had already achieved his goal and left, unbothered by the possibility of being discovered.
“It’s over. Let’s set off.” This time, Sosk was calm. They had enough vehicles and horses; the young slaves could walk quickly and take turns resting, so reaching the next relay valley by night would be no problem. Defense Fighter and Weapon Fighter were his key subordinates, so it was only natural to nurture them carefully. It was a good opportunity for them to gain experience.
“That black mine owner holds a grudge against me because I stood up for my friend when he was recruiting laborers. He hired hunters to attack me while I was fighting magical beasts, almost killing me. With these two incidents happening one after another, things have gone too far. Since he happens to be in this Leaky Valley, it’s also an opportunity to resolve the issue.”
Sosk remained silent.
Once enemies were made, the conflict would drag on endlessly. It wasn’t surprising that those who lived by the sword resorted to extreme measures—after all, how could one expect to stay safe forever?
If no powerful third party stepped in to mediate, the conflict could only end with one side’s complete destruction. Some people didn’t even trust third parties; once they made up their mind, they would exterminate everyone, even those who had no direct connection. Even if the main culprit died, someone who had benefited from them might suddenly feel obligated to avenge them—just a cup of poisoned wine from a servant or a belt from a prostitute could be fatal.
In reality, how could one kill all enemies? Those involved surely had friends and allies. Even if they hesitated to act at first, they might still find an opportunity to strike down their enemies. That’s why those who lived by the sword were always surrounded by violence. It was hard to escape, just like a smoker quitting abruptly—once they stop, illnesses and troubles follow.
It was precisely because Sosk understood these complexities that he couldn’t say a word more. He could imagine what the black mine owner would do upon learning that his challenger had failed. He wouldn’t dare provoke Millia’s caravan, but he wouldn’t spare Bels’s relatives and friends. Even if it seemed like everything was over, it was just to deceive the opponent and then strike down Bels in one move. A reliable Level 9 expert required not only a large amount of money but also time—a resource that couldn’t be regained. If you lost 10,000 gold coins, you wouldn’t mind investing another 10,000. Sosk thought the black mine owner was in a similar situation now.

Nio asked the caravan for some food and wanted to pay for it, but Sosk refused and instead took off his sword and handed it to Nio. “I know you have a good eye for things, but you might not like my sword. But you need a weapon to use. You know the caravan’s route—just keep going from stop to stop. Once the task is done, if you’re interested, you can catch up. It’s still 15 gold per day, plus any bonuses.” Nio gladly took the sword and smiled slightly, saying, “Next time we meet, I’ll return it even sharper than now.” … Nio headed west while the caravan went east. Soon after, Millia’s maid, Euphry, handed a full bag of money to Sosk and told him, “Miss Millia said the task was done well.” Nio went back and waited quietly behind the same thorny bushes where the observer had been hiding, recovering from his injuries. The Black Miner indeed sent scavengers, but in present-day Hilfanis, the number of creatures interested in blood food was soaring, not to mention the corpses of fighters. The magical beasts knew that the flesh of fighters above level 5 was a nourishing tonic, just as the fighters understood the many benefits of hunting magical beasts. So by the time the scavengers arrived, there were only messy hoofprints left, with not a drop of blood remaining. Nio also got a rare sight that day—he saw a large, armadillo-like monster swallow the blood-stained snow whole, then excrete some muddy waste before leaving. The next two days were rather dull; Nio spent them in tedious waiting. Of course, there were still many things Nio could do, the most valuable of which was the creation of the Blood-Vining Plant. For now, this plant mainly served as a reinforced snake—it couldn’t dive underwater nor help Nio collect residual life energy from corpses. Its abilities were all for its own benefit: absorbing energy and converting it into blood energy. Nio was quite jealous of this ability but couldn’t learn or use it. Additionally, the Blood-Vining Plant could regrow severed limbs quickly—turning one into two, then two entwined together back into one. In short: its power was limited, but it basically ensured survival. Nancy joked with Nio about this: “It’s just like its master—first ensuring survival. As long as it survives, it has chances to try again and again.” Indeed, Nancy was right. Survival was indeed Nio’s main goal. So even though he possessed the four elements and an elemental energy pool, he wasn’t an elemental shaman. If spellcasters knew about this, many would surely be jealous and angry enough to fight him to the death. Nio used the balance of the four elements and his elemental energy pool to create two sources of power: one focused on the power of the Living Tree, and the other on the Sacred Artifact, which was Nancy’s true form. Interestingly, both of these were effective for survival—the power of the Living Tree kept him alive and nourished him, enhancing the strength of his life-related spells. Meanwhile, the energy from the Sacred Artifact shortened the summoning cycle of the energy healing chamber. With these two tools, Nio could face attacks with greater composure than most people. The power of the Living Tree was the core strength Nio valued most. Only by strengthening it could he keep his main weapon, the mutated vine, highly active—this was also the foundation for it to absorb other traits and evolve continuously.

The shortened summoning cycle of the energy therapy chamber also means that the elemental energy pool is fully replenished, which is undoubtedly highly beneficial for the growth of wisdom crystals. Thus, these two aspects—one related to the immediate use of power and the other to the cultivation of future brain aids—are truly crucial. In comparison, level breakthroughs, elemental affinity, and skill diversity, in Neo’s view, are merely secondary aspects. As time passed, Neo gradually came to understand some characteristics of the shaman profession that were not described in the Sengorath Shaman Chapter. These were insights he obtained through careful observation, cautious analysis, and experience based on his faith and practical actions. Simply put, Neo discovered that combining the shamanic casting profession with natural faith could indeed yield some unexpected and wonderful results. He believed that it was precisely because he was close to nature and respected it that the shaman profession could advance so rapidly. Otherwise, even if he had already possessed the prerequisites for becoming a caster, such as abundant mental energy, and with Nancy’s help, it would have been impossible to raise his shaman level to peak level 4 in just a few months. Zhi Ling Ci even said, “The shaman profession seems so easy to master. Compared to it, the warrior profession, which requires over a decade of hard training, lacks practicality—better to give it up.” Neo believed that combining natural faith with the shaman profession was indeed the right path; otherwise, it would not be enough to change the nature of his dark energy. It was because of natural faith that elemental energies, including dark energy, could be brought under a unified system and become integral parts, rather than having one attribute dominate like in the mages of the world. This fundamentally prevented Neo from being influenced by emotions and slipping toward darkness, evil, or corruption, thus ensuring the purity of his dark power. As for the main method of practicing as a shaman, it was not about trying to enhance the power of the energy one controlled, but rather about interacting with the world. Nancy defined this as “maintainers of the natural cycle.” “So, I should, like those balance druids, take it upon myself to restore the world to its original state? Or like those nature druids, heal the wounds of the earth everywhere?” To Neo’s question, Nancy replied, “It depends on your faith. What does nature mean to you? What does the natural cycle look like? If you’re a demon shaman, you’d surely think chaos is the true face of nature, while a necromancer shaman might believe a state of deathly silence is the planet’s true state. Your beliefs determine the direction you’ll go. If you succeed, it means nature has become what you envision in your heart, and the cycle has become what you desire. By harmonizing with the great forces of the world and making contributions to its transformation, you naturally possess great power.” Nancy’s words left Neo stunned—the idea of shaping, changing, and building one’s own utopia. Nancy had indeed given such a grand definition. “Then, isn’t that a power reserved only for gods?” “Not quite. It can only be called the power of a world king. Transforming the world is something even a ruler with sufficient authority can do. A god must take another step beyond that—free from the constraints of the world, even more free than a world king.”

“What god are you talking about?”
“What do you think?”
“The God of Gods, the Creator!”
But Nancy poured cold water on this, saying, “Stop talking nonsense. Aim high. While a large vision doesn’t necessarily guarantee great achievements, it’s certain that a narrow vision leads to a mediocre life, living in isolation. It’s up to you to decide whether to freeze to death on the path to the summit of the world or to close your eyes peacefully in a cozy courtyard of less than 200 square meters.”
This conversation had a profound impact on Neo. After all, in the past, his notions were based on existing definitions—preserving nature meant returning to simplicity, eliminating pollution; factories were absolutely forbidden, deforestation was unacceptable, even slash-and-burn farming was seen as wrong. Why such thoughts? Because those were established definitions. For thousands of years, druids, ancestors, and those who claimed to protect nature had acted according to these definitions, treating them as universal truths.
Now, whenever Neo recalled this conversation, his understanding had clearly changed. He realized that faith wasn’t necessarily about adhering to pre-existing definitions. Money is omnipotent. Doing good deeds in life brings rewards in the next life—these are all established definitions that can become faith, but they can also be enhanced. The key lies in one’s own heart: to find what one is willing to believe in and to uphold it firmly—that is faith. Faith should not be driven by external factors but should arise naturally from within, as a spiritual, freely chosen commitment that lasts a lifetime.
With this understanding, Neo felt much lighter. Previously, he had been conflicted about whether to follow the ways of nature or lead his people to a better life. Having grown up in human society, he understood its development patterns well and believed he could use that knowledge to improve his people’s impoverished conditions. But this conflicted with the traditional naturalistic beliefs. Now, however, there was an alternative path: harmonious coexistence.
The conservative druids and shamans weren’t entirely right, and human development patterns also had many shortcomings. In such a situation, what was more important was balance, not maintaining the old cycles. When the world’s old cycles could no longer continue, they would be reborn through destruction—so why not consider changing the way those cycles worked? Life exists within nature and is part of it; its changes are also part of nature. Doesn’t that mean life also has the right to change the cycles?
Thus, Neo transformed from a naturalist on the verge of joining the ranks of those who followed a harsh natural law into a unique builder of an ideal society. He became an idealist like Fury’s revolutionaries, but with even greater aspirations.

The world becomes beautiful because of dreams, and life becomes wonderful because of them. Neo didn’t use lofty slogans to justify his everyday actions; he simply had a dream and was willing to do his best to make it come true. Right now, that meant working closely with nature—to use his sealing power to eliminate the corrupting forces threatening this land.

It’s hard to imagine that a werewolf born a slave, waiting in the wilderness to attack an enemy, would engage in such a sacred endeavor during his tedious wait. Such matters are usually considered and resolved by those who claim to shape the world’s fate or hold great power—such as the sacred elders of the Church, the high priests of Holy Od, or the leaders of the fallen angels in the City of Titans.

The Divine Lord said: The wonder of life lies in its randomness. My greatest contribution to this world has been restoring this mechanism. From now on, there will be no more still waters; instead, there will be surging waves.

In this great era, some people are destined to shine like stars—each with their own ideals and beliefs—becoming or soon becoming forces of great significance that propel the entire era forward, ushering Aemera into a new age.