Rayen squinted through the settling dust, his heart thumping in his chest. The pressure in the air was still heavy, forcing even the IAR officers to brace themselves. He focused on the figure moving slowly toward him.
A silhouette emerged—tall, calm, carrying a familiar cane.
Old man…? Is it him?
The figure stepped forward.
It was the old man. His robes fluttered gently with each step, his cane tapping rhythmically against the ground. But his eyes—Rayen had never seen them like this before. They glowed faintly, not with magic, but with restrained fury.
Rayen let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.
He came... I knew it.
The officers, still struggling under the weight of the mysterious force, shifted uneasily. The woman who had charged Rayen was still pinned to the ground, gritting her teeth as she tried to lift herself but couldn't even raise her arms.
The old man finally stopped a few paces in front of Rayen, placing himself between the boy and the IAR. Without looking back, he said quietly,
"Step back, Rayen. Let your 'old bald' handle this."
Is he trying to roast himself? Rayen thought, blinking in confusion.
Suddenly, the heavy pressure vanished, and everyone around began to stand again, breathing heavily as the weight lifted from their bodies. The IAR officers straightened, regaining their composure. The red-haired woman backed off quickly, clearly rattled.
From among them, the man standing in the center stepped forward. He looked younger than the others but wore a more refined uniform, its trim gleaming faintly with gold. His long black hair was tied loosely, and his eyes were sharp and cold, jet black like obsidian. He smacked the red-haired woman on the back of her head.
"Were you trying to kill him?" he asked, his tone sharp and scolding. "Did you forget we were ordered to bring him and the demon girl back alive?"
The woman didn't reply. She just pouted, turning her face away with a glare and rubbing the spot where he'd hit her.
The young man bowed before the old man, showing respect to his overwhelming presence. Then he raised his head and smiled, locking eyes with him.
"I am Sima Yuxuan, the leader of this specialized unit of IAR."
Rayen blinked in surprise. Sima Yuxuan? That sounds... Chinese?
It's my first time hearing a Chinese name in this world. In the game, I remember there were fewer Chinese names—more fantasy and western ones, and some even pulled from religious scriptures.
Is he telling me his name before a fight? Old man's thoughts tensed. But I can't fight my own people. That's against my pride.
The old man responded calmly, "I am Dattadri, a retired warrior of the human civilization."
After hearing the name, the young man's mouth couldn't form any words. His eyes trembled slightly. Then, he bowed deeply before the old man.
"S-sorry, Lord, for our actions."
Seeing him bow in front of Dattadri confused the other officers.
"Why are you bowing to this old man? And calling him 'Lord'?" asked the black-haired woman on the right. She was calmer and more composed than the red-haired one.
The young man stared back at the woman, his eyes burning with fury.
"You pitiful soul, how did you even qualify as a military officer without knowing who he is?!"
The man beside the woman, also with black hair, grew irritated to his limit after seeing their leader's strange behavior.
"Why are you bowing before that old man without telling us the reason? Is he some kind of noble whose foot we officers have to lick?"
Yuxuan fixed the guy with an intense glare.
"He is not just some random old man." He turned his head toward Dattadri.
"He is Dattadri—the man world-famous for single-handedly erasing all the cursed ones of the previous generation… when those cursed ones had killed seventy-eight percent of the world's population. He is the greatest hater of cursed ones. Because of him, no other civilization has dared touch the human empire out of respect."
Then, pointing at the black-haired man, he added,
"And you pitiful soul don't even know your savior. Without Lord, the whole world would have been defeated and drowned in screams of despair."
Rayen's eyes widened in surprise and a flicker of irritation. Wait—wait—wait, that was MY doing! In the game, I was the one who erased all those cursed ones. Did this world change that too? That's cheating. But… doesn't that mean the old man's power level is at the same stage I was at when I was about to reach immortality? He's that much stronger. I never thought of this. This is the biggest plot twist in my life right now.
All the other officers bowed beside their leader, voices sincere, "We are deeply sorry for our words, lord." Even the nearby citizens lowered their heads in respect.
The old man looked down, then sighed in frustration. "Why are you all bowing? I'm not a god or some celestial being. I'm just an old human. Killing a great danger doesn't make me special. One day, you kids will reach where I stand. The day you truly understand who you are. Now, stand up. I left the path of the warrior long ago; now I'm just a mentor teaching my boy."
They all stood up. The red-haired lady broke the silence, "But why did he help that demon girl?"
Before the old man could answer, Rayen spoke, "Do you think demons will stay silent after hearing their kin was killed by humans? I don't want the demon empire to have a reason to start a war with the human empire. I just want to live peacefully—with my old man."
Yuxuan smiled, "You're smart and logical. As expected from the lord's grandchild."
---
After that, the demon girl was safely sent back to the demon empire under the sealed escort of the IAR. Everything happened so fast, she didn't even get the chance to say goodbye to Rayen.
The old man knew the Divine Lilies potion on Rayen's clothes wouldn't last much longer, so he took him back home quickly—before anyone could sense the traces of his strange elven presence.
They walked on the quiet forest path. The sky was turning dark, and night was almost here. Cold wind moved through the trees, and the forest slowly got quieter.
The old man walked calmly, but Rayen was walking like a mess—arms and legs wide apart, face full of frustration.
Tch. I didn't even get the time to eat something more, he thought, more upset about the missed snacks than the crazy stuff that happened earlier.
As they reached home, Rayen threw himself onto the bed—still frustrated. But then he stood up.
I have to make dinner, he thought, walking toward the kitchen.
Just then, the old man came out of the kitchen, holding two wooden plates—one with snacks and the other with food.
"You don't have to make dinner," he said calmly. "I bought food and snacks for you, since you missed them because of the chaos."
Rayen smiled on the outside, but inside he thought, Oh, how great! I was running for my life in the city, and he was out buying snacks. How wise of a man he is…
---
They finished their dinner, and then the old man took out the sword he had bought for Rayen.
"This is for you," he said, holding it out.
Rayen's eyes lit up with excitement. He grabbed the sword and immediately struck a warrior pose.
It's perfect... not too heavy or uncomfortable, he thought, grinning.
The old man gently patted his head. "Starting tomorrow, we'll begin all-out training. No rest—not even for a single day. I don't have much time left… maybe a decade at best. That's why I want to teach you everything I've learned."
---
From the next day, they trained all day long. Rayen learned the secrets of ancient martial arts, how to make potions, and how to use any weapon in the best way. He spent many days meditating and fighting without stopping, sometimes even battling with creatures living in the mountains.
Every day was tough. The old man pushed Rayen hard, teaching him not just how to fight, but how to stay calm and think clearly during battle. Rayen's body grew stronger, and his skills got sharper.
Sometimes, when the sun was setting, they would sit quietly by the fire. The old man would tell stories of old wars and heroes. Rayen listened carefully, learning not just fighting, but also wisdom.
Old man taught him how to use elemental magic. Many times, Rayen burned himself with his own fire. Sometimes, he accidentally created a giant rock above him, lost control, and got crushed by it.
Despite all the struggle and hard work, the endless days drenched in sweat, the relentless physical training—
Rayen still failed.