My Lord Who Is Being Prudent! [EN]: Chapter 16

§ 16. Grinding, Grinding, and More Grinding! (2)

Ruben territory, nestled within the Forest of Darkness.

Inside, a newly established soldier training camp buzzed with activity.

“Is that all you’ve got!”

The place was unusually noisy, the sounds echoing through the trees.

It was none other than the training grounds.

Under Hans’s rigorous command, the territory residents were pushing themselves to their limits at the training camp.

“We can’t do it!”

“We can do it!”

Hans bellowed, his voice carrying over the exhausted territory residents.

“The sweat we shed today is the blood we save tomorrow! Anyone who wants to become monster fodder can go rest over there!”

“We can’t do it! We can do it!”

“The sweat we shed today is the blood we save tomorrow!”

How much time had passed in this grueling manner?

“Alright. Everyone, rest!”

At Hans’s command, the territory residents collapsed, their bodies giving out after the intense training.

It was clear how grueling Hans’s training had been.

“Ugh···!”

“I, I think I’m going to die···!”

Not a single person could stand properly. They were utterly spent.

The residents of Ruben, hardened by life in the Forest of Darkness, possessed basic combat skills and stamina that were second to none.

Those who couldn’t endure simply wouldn’t have survived this long.

So, they were typically unshaken by most training regimens.

But Hans’s training was different. It was designed to push them beyond their perceived limits.

“Just, just kill me···!”

“I can’t do it anymore··· I can’t do it anymore···!”

The pleas for death escaped their lips without conscious thought.

Xian observed the scene with a critical eye.

“How is it going, Hans?”

Xian asked, his voice calm.

Hans surveyed the collapsed figures and slowly began to speak.

“To be honest··· it’s truly amazing. Of course, these people have lived in the Forest of Darkness, so their basic skills are already excellent, but···.”

Hans shook his head slightly, a hint of disbelief in his eyes, and continued.

“Even considering that, the soldiers’ growth rate is inexplicable. Even the elite soldiers of the Elan Durr family [a powerful noble house] wouldn’t improve this quickly···. What on earth is in this training camp?”

Hans wore an expression of utter bewilderment.

‘Good, good. It’s worth spending the money.’

Xian nodded with satisfaction. He could see the tangible improvements in the territory residents’ skills as a direct result of the training.

And that effect was none other than the benefit of the Training Camp Lv.1 that Xian had invested in.

– (Basic Effect) Training Efficiency +200%

– (Additional Effect) “Ah, no?! Am I, a clumsy recruit, the best elite soldier here?!” Soldiers’ training efficiency is additionally increased by +100%!

– Only when there is an excellent instructor!

The basic effect alone provided a staggering +200% training efficiency.

In simple terms, training for 1 hour yielded the equivalent of 1 hour + 2 hours.

It was as if they were training for 3 hours at once.

In terms of efficiency alone, it was a whopping 3 times faster.

Adding the additional effect of +100% boosted the efficiency to 4 hours.

Their growth was effectively four times faster.

Of course, the additional effect was conditional, requiring an excellent instructor.

But Hans was more than qualified to meet that condition. He was once comparable to the knights of Elan Durr.

Although age had tempered his physical abilities, the experience and know-how he had accumulated over the years remained invaluable.

Combine that with the inherent resilience of those who lived in the Forest of Darkness—solid fundamentals and high-level instruction—and the results were undeniable.

With appropriate investment on top of that, the territory residents were rapidly evolving into elite soldiers!

‘If I keep this up···.’

Monster grinding would be no problem at all.

Just then.

“Th, that··· Lord···.”

A voice calling Xian broke his train of thought. He turned to see a territory resident cautiously approaching him.

A young man, seemingly just come of age.

Xian waited for him to approach and slowly spoke.

“What’s the matter?”

“Th, that is···.”

The man struggled to find the words.

Xian waited patiently, sensing his hesitation.

The man showed a clear sign of inner turmoil before finally speaking.

“Why··· do we have to receive this kind of training···.”

As he spoke, the man lowered his head deeply, a gesture of respect mixed with apprehension.

Xian stared at him for a moment, the man’s trembling body a testament to his awareness of whom he was addressing.

Xian slowly turned his head, taking in the sight of the other territory residents, all watching intently. Though they remained silent, it was clear they sympathized with the man’s question.

More than anything, the territory residents were caught off guard by the sudden establishment of the training camp.

They had been abruptly summoned and subjected to what felt like hellish training.

They endured it because it was the lord’s order, but doubts were inevitable.

“Hmm···.”

Xian paused, lost in thought.

Hans watched Xian’s reaction with concern.

‘Young master···.’

Hans observed quietly. Due to past events, the residents of Ruben recognized Xian as their lord and generally obeyed his commands, even if they seemed unfair.

But these were people, capable of independent thought and judgment.

There was a significant difference between blind obedience and following someone from the heart.

Xian’s response in this moment would be crucial.

At that very moment.

Clang!

In an instant, Xian drew his sword, the sudden movement startling everyone.

He aimed the blade at the man in front of him and asked, his voice sharp.

“You. What is your name?”

“Y, yes? Are, are you talking to me?”

The man who had dared to question Xian began to panic, overwhelmed by the lord’s sudden intensity.

Was he going to be killed for disobeying orders···?

‘Why did I step forward···?’ he thought, regretting his boldness.

The onlookers swallowed hard, fear gripping their hearts.

Finally, the man answered in a trembling voice.

“D, Duras··· is my name.”

“Okay, Duras.”

Xian nodded once, his gaze unwavering.

And then he said, his voice carrying a strange weight.

“Can you recognize what this sword is?”

Duras looked at the sword Xian was holding, his eyes wide with a mixture of fear and awe.

A shining white blade that seemed capable of cutting through anything in the world.

The weapon that had faced the Hobgoblins in the past.

The weapon that had fought against seemingly impossible odds.

And so, he answered.

“I, it is the sword of the lord who drove away hundreds of goblins.”

Duras hurriedly lowered his head, fearing he had overstepped his bounds.

“This sword drove away the goblins?”

“Y, yes···!”

At Duras’s confirmation, the people nodded slightly. They had all witnessed Xian confronting the Hobgoblins and driving back the goblin army.

But then Xian asked,

“Then what did you guys do?”

Xian’s words were unexpected, his tone challenging.

“While I was driving away the goblins with this sword, what were you doing?”

Xian continued, his eyes fixed on Duras.

“Tell me. Duras, what were you doing then?”

“Th, that is···!”

Duras felt his mind go blank. Of course, he and the others had risked their lives to defend the palisade against the goblin hordes while Xian confronted the Hobgoblin.

But he lacked the courage to say it, intimidated by Xian’s presence.

At that moment, Xian strode towards Duras, closing the distance between them.

He grabbed Duras’s hand and, with his other hand, held the S-grade sword.

“I’ll ask again.”

He said, his voice calm but firm.

“What in my hand drove away the goblins?”

Xian’s expression was serene, as if there was no difference between the S-grade sword and Duras’s hand.

“Who protected Ruben?”

Xian asked, his voice resonating with conviction.

“It was you guys who protected Ruben.”

Not my sword.

“You, the swords of Ruben, protected Ruben.”

“Ah···.”

Duras let out an involuntary exclamation, understanding dawning in his eyes.

Xian looked at Duras and slowly released his hand. He then turned to face the people behind him, their eyes wide with anticipation.

Xian looked into their eyes, one by one, his gaze unwavering.

“As you all know, Ruben has no future.”

The constant threat of monsters.

The lack of resources.

The Necropolis, Ruben.

“Ruben will only repeat the same cycle of running away. Is there anyone who wants such a life? If so, speak now.”

No one answered. They simply stared at Xian, their eyes filled with a mixture of hope and fear.

It was the first time···.

It was the first time they had a base, a place to lie down after a hard day’s work, a place to return to.

They were no longer beggars, merely happy to have survived another day, but worried about how to live the next.

Now, just now···. They were beginning to dream of a better future.

Xian stood still, but the people saw something more in him.

The one who confronted the Hobgoblin.

The one who fought against the impossible.

‘Ruben will no longer run away!’

He was their lord.

“I couldn’t do anything alone. It was possible because you were there.”

Xian slowly lowered his gaze to the sword in his hand, its polished surface gleaming as if it could cut through anything.

A sword worthy of being called a masterpiece.

But Xian didn’t seem to think so.

“Duras, as you said, this sword is my sword. But this sword did not drive away the goblin army. It only killed the Hobgoblin. It was you who drove away the goblin army.”

Xian continued, his voice ringing with sincerity.

“Ruben’s strongest sword and shield protected Ruben from the goblin army.”

Ruben’s strongest sword and shield.

Duras’s eyes trembled, his fist clenching tightly.

The doubt that had plagued him was now gone, replaced by a burning resolve.

Protect.

Protect this place.

A place where children could run around freely.

A place where they could rest comfortably after a hard day’s work.

A place where their beloved families awaited them.

Their base.

In Duras’s heart, and in the hearts of the territory residents, an unknown emotion ignited.

Likewise, Hans, who had been watching the scene unfold, was deeply moved.

‘Didn’t you say you were going to train the soldiers to make them grind monsters?’

Hans was honestly confused by the turn of events.

But look at Xian now.

“Who are you!”

“We are the swords of Ruben!”

‘Really··· he’s shameless,’ Hans thought, shaking his head in amusement.

“······”

Hans was dumbfounded. He had never seen this side of Xian before.

‘From what moment did he change like this···?’

But then, a smirk crept across his face.

He didn’t hate this new Xian. In fact, he was drawn to it.

“Who are you!”

“We are the shields of Ruben!”

He felt a surge of expectation, a belief in their potential.

At that moment.

“Lord! I found traces of the escaped goblin army!”

Grayson’s shout echoed from outside the soldier training camp.

Xian raised his sword high, his voice ringing with newfound authority.

“Let’s go! Swords of Ruben! It’s time to grind··· no, it’s time to show our power!”

“Waaaaaaaaaaa!!!”

A deafening roar erupted, shaking the very foundations of the forest.

Grayson’s expression was one of utter bewilderment.

“Why, why are they doing that···?”

Grayson asked Hans, seeking an explanation.

“It’s nothing,” Hans replied with a knowing smile.

#

The Forest of Darkness, adjacent to Ruben territory.

Among the densely packed trees and overgrown bushes.

“Kereuk.”

“Keheureureuk.”

Hundreds of goblins were gathered, nearly a thousand in total.

The goblins had regrouped, reminiscing about their past battles with the humans.

To be honest, they had no reason to retreat in the first place. The humans were weak, and they had the advantage in numbers.

The unusually strong palisade was annoying, but that was all.

They were still in a superior position.

But that human who defeated the Hobgoblin had changed everything.

It was astonishing that he had managed to defeat their variant, the Hobgoblin, whose power they knew better than anyone.

They had never believed that a human could defeat him.

But the Hobgoblin had fallen, and the goblins were shaken to their core.

However, only one Hobgoblin had been defeated, and only one human had defeated him.

It shouldn’t have affected the overall war effort.

But the goblins couldn’t think rationally at the time. The sight of that human, shouting and pointing his sword, had triggered a primal fear.

He was clearly just a weak human, but his presence was overwhelming.

It reminded them of a chilling sense of oppression they had felt long ago in a cave deep within the Forest of Darkness.

They had been overwhelmed by it and fled, but not this time.

“Kereuk. Kereureuk.”

“Keheureureuk.”

The goblins had gathered the scattered tribes to enjoy the slaughter they had been denied.

With nearly a thousand strong, they were ready to fight the humans again.

“Kikik!”

“Kekekek!”

The goblins rejoiced at the prospect of the feast to come.

“Hey! You were here!”

A voice suddenly broke through their revelry, a voice that sounded strangely familiar.

“Kiaek?”

“Kereuk?”

The goblins turned their heads in unison, their eyes narrowing.

A human was standing there.

Wait a minute. A human?

The goblins tilted their heads in confusion.

And then they looked again.

Somehow, it was a very familiar human.

“It’s nice to see you again, isn’t it?”

It was that human!

“Kieeeeeek!!”

“Kereureureuk!!”

The goblins roared at Xian, their murderous intent palpable.

Why was he alone?

How did he know they were gathered here?

“These 잡몹s [Jap mobs – insignificant monsters] who can’t even be considered monsters. Your height is only 땅딸보 [Ddangttalbo – shorty], so I guess other places are still 땅딸보, right?”

That was too far.

Kieeeeeeeeeeeek!!!

Kyahreureureugeureuk!

They wanted to tear him limb from limb!

Anger and hatred consumed them, driving them into a frenzy.

OverDrive.

A hideous murderous intent rose like a haze, and a thousand red glows flashed in the forest.

“Uh···.”

Was that a bit harsh?

“Of course.”

Xian slowly drew his sword, the polished blade glinting in the dim light.

“Kiaek?”

“Kereuk?”

The goblins were momentarily taken aback by Xian’s actions.

He wasn’t running away?

He was alone?

They knew he had the power to confront the Hobgoblin, but he was still just one man.

On the other hand, there were almost a thousand of them.

At that moment.

Chwachachak!

People emerged from the overgrown bushes in an orderly fashion, their eyes burning with fighting spirit, each holding a weapon.

Could it be··· were they going to fight now?

Here?

“Kikik.”

“Kekek.”

A sneer spread across the goblins’ faces. They should be fighting behind the palisade, not here.

It was a foolish decision.

Weak humans who were nothing more than prey were practically begging to be caught.

“Kikik.”

“Kikikik.”

A bitter smile.

At that moment.

Tuk.

Xian took a step forward, his movements deliberate and confident.

He raised his sword high and shouted.

“Everyone, fix bayonets!”

Chachak!

The people lined up in an orderly formation and raised their weapons, their faces grim.

“We won’t back down anymore!”

“We will protect Ruben!”

“We are the swords of Ruben!!”

Their eyes burned with unwavering resolve, their fighting spirit reaching a fever pitch.

Finally.

“Slaughter the wicked goblins who threaten Ruben!”

With Xian’s battle cry.

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!

A chilling momentum erupted, sending a shiver down the goblins’ spines.

The goblin hordes hesitated for a moment, momentarily stunned by the sheer force of the humans’ will.

But only for a moment.

“Kereureureuk!”

“Keheureureuk!”

The goblins roared in defiance, their murderous intent rekindled.

They still had the advantage in numbers and power. This was just a bluff, a desperate attempt to intimidate them.

They wouldn’t be fooled again, not like when he defeated the Hobgoblin.

They were ready for the feast!

Surely···.

Seo-geok!

That’s what they thought would happen.

But the goblin who rushed in first was instantly cut in half, his body falling to the ground in two bloody pieces.

Xian’s figure was visible through the gap, his sword dripping with gore.

That was just the beginning.

Kwajik!

Seogeok!

The goblins who collided with the front line began to fall like autumn leaves, swept away without even a chance to resist.

Swept away?

“K, Kiaek···?”

The goblins began to panic, their confidence shattered.

But they quickly regained their senses and fought with renewed ferocity.

They didn’t know what trick he had used, but they still had the numbers and the power.

“Kieeeeeek!”

“Kereureuk!”

The goblins charged across the battlefield like madmen, desperate to break through the human lines.

But.

“Don’t break the formation!”

“Remember what you trained!”

They couldn’t break through.

No matter how hard they tried, no matter how fiercely they fought, they couldn’t penetrate the human formation.

More than anything.

Tuk! Kwajik!

Seogeok!

Xian and Hans were wreaking havoc on the front lines, their skill and power unmatched.

The goblins couldn’t stop them.

Especially Xian.

No attack seemed to work on him!

Seo-geok!

It was different.

These were not the humans they knew, the weak and defenseless prey they had always hunted.

“K, Kiaek···!”

“K, Kereuk···!”

The goblins couldn’t understand what was happening. The situation had spiraled out of control.

At that moment.

“Good! I’m in a good mood! I’ll give a day off from training to anyone who catches more than 10 goblins!”

Xian shouted, his voice booming across the battlefield.

Tuk.

The humans’ movements froze, as if time had stopped.

“Hoo, a training exemption···?”

“I, is that really true···?”

A tremor ran through their bodies, their eyes widening with disbelief.

“Of course! But you have to catch more than 10! 9 will be cut off without exception!”

At Xian’s words, the humans clenched their swords, their faces contorted with determination.

To be honest···.

Whether it was the swords of Ruben or whatever, the training was brutal!

“Get out of the way! Get out of the way and don’t interfere!!”

“I’m going to catch that guy!! I’ve찜했어 [Jjimhaesseo – I’ve marked him] him!”

“Waaaaaaaaaaa!!!”

OverDrive.

The humans went berserk, their desire for a day off overriding all fear and caution!

Only then did the goblins realize the horrifying truth.

This··· this was not a hunt.

It was not a feast.

Kwajik!

They were the ones being hunted.

The absolute law of the Forest of Darkness, the survival of the fittest, was being turned on its head.

But the weak were not always weak, and the strong were not always strong.

From predator to prey.

And from prey to predator.

The humans··· were no longer their prey.

“K, Kiaek···!”

“Kereureuk···!”

The fear of death washed over them, a primal instinct taking hold.

“Oh oh! Those bastards are running away!”

“What are you doing! Go catch them!!”

An unexpected chase ensued in the Forest of Darkness, the roles reversed in a terrifying display of power.

#

Chwararararak.

Gold coins piled up on the floor, glinting in the dim light.

The money bag became noticeably lighter as Xian emptied its contents.

“Let’s see···.”

Xian surveyed the growing mound of gold, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction.

The amount he counted was···.

“About 10,000 gold··· I guess.”

A total of 10,000 gold.

To be exact, there were a few more gold coins than 10,000 gold, but he disregarded the smaller denominations.

“As expected!”

The profit earned from this grinding··· no.

The profit earned from this transaction could be said to be 10,000 gold.

“It’s really amazing, isn’t it?”

Xian put the gold back into the money bag with a somewhat evil smile.

Of course, it wasn’t money earned easily. He had relentlessly pushed the territory residents in the Soldier Training Camp Lv.1, which boasted an efficiency of +300%, and then led them on a goblin hunt, fueled by their desire for a day off.

In a word, it was the result of countless hours of grinding.

“Finally···!”

Xian immediately took out his smartphone, a plan forming in his mind.