Chapter 62: Turbulent Times (1)

Yuri, Laurent, and Jared, having sworn brotherhood in the sweet potato fields, took on the role of sworn brothers and headed to the city of Yohaim to rally the people.

“Is this all the men of Yohaim are capable of?” Yuri shouted.

“Though the Empire is powerful, they cannot toy with our country like it’s a mere plaything! A ruler, a father, and a teacher are one and the same. Those imperial scoundrels who falsely accuse our king of attempted poisoning are no better than thugs threatening their own parents’ lives! And yet, you open the gates to such villains without shame?”

His voice carried a compelling urgency.

In his previous life, Yuri had often gathered soldiers daily to deliver rousing speeches. He had a knack for oratory, and before long, his troops would be moved to tears, chanting “Briol” with fervor.

Even among the allied forces, whenever he spoke, the response was electric.

Drawing on that experience, Yuri stirred the emotions of Yohaim’s citizens.

His booming voice, amplified by the Mana Method, struck a chord deep within, and his carefully chosen words ignited a fierce resolve.

“But we have no strength. What if the Empire’s army comes to kill us?”

A voice rose from the crowd.

Yuri’s honest thoughts were simple: there was no choice.

The Empire had already gone mad. He didn’t believe they could win the war without sacrifice. Even if people died, they had to stand against the enemy.

For now, Graham kept the army tightly controlled, but once he was gone, chaos would reign. Yuri had seen too well in his past life what became of conquered lands.

“Are you afraid?”

Yuri read the man’s feelings.

“You could live by bowing down, but are you afraid to stand up and fight, even if it means death?”

“Yes. Honestly, I am afraid.”

“Then you need not fight.”

His unexpected words fell into a stunned silence.

Turning back to the crowd, Yuri continued.

“Then watch. Watch as your king is humiliated, your city burned to ashes, your people reduced to playthings for the enemy.

Just stand by and watch! One day, it will be your turn and your family’s to suffer. But when that day comes, no one will be left to fight for you. So if you don’t want to die fighting, bow down. Crushed beneath the ground, unable to resist, you will slowly perish!”

Yuri’s voice thundered through the streets.

Even passersby stopped in their tracks.

The people of Yohaim were proud.

Though not a great power, their mountainous terrain had kept them from ever being fully conquered. Life in such harsh conditions had forged a rugged spirit.

The young knights were weak only because peace had lasted too long. Deep inside, they still carried the mountain folk’s grit.

Proof of that was how quickly they transformed into tough soldiers after a brief training.

Yuri kept poking at that latent fire within Yohaim.

“Yohaim, which has never once bowed to the enemy, is now giving up the path to the royal palace without even a proper fight. Is this acceptable? Are you so ashamed of yourselves that you’ve lost your pride, like miserable dogs?”

Another voice challenged him.

“But the troops have gathered at the palace. How can civilians like us…?”

“Then just watch! Stand by and watch as your land falls into colonial ruin! But I cannot do that. I will gather those with spirit and stand against the Empire!”

“Such…!”

As Yuri shouted, guards rushed over.

“What are you doing? Get down at once!”

Yuri pointed at them, raising his voice even louder.

“Soldiers who should be fighting the Empire are instead threatening their own people!”

“Stop causing trouble and come here!”

“Are you afraid of the Empire but not of your own people?”

Though the guards were only following orders, Yuri used them as tools of provocation.

“Bah!”

With a single gesture, Yuri threw the guards who lunged at him to the ground. Several fell simultaneously.

His strength was incredible.

Standing tall, Yuri declared,

“My name is Yu-bi! Once just a humble mat seller, but seeing Yohaim’s plight, I could no longer stand idly by!”

Yuri and his companions had slightly altered their names to create aliases.

“Together with my two sworn brothers, I have sworn an oath to gather those with spirit and resist the Empire. If you share this will, join me!”

Seeing him single-handedly take down soldiers, the crowd buzzed with excitement.

“Yu-bi? I’ve never heard that name before, but it sounds honorable.”

“They say those with keen ears can gather people quickly.”

“To topple soldiers so swiftly—his strength is no joke.”

“Are those two beside him his sworn brothers?”

Laurent and Jared stood like towering statues beside Yuri.

To appear more intimidating, they had padded their clothes to bulk up.

Laurent stepped forward, his voice rough from straining.

“I am Low, the younger brother of Yu-bi!”

A long, smooth beard hung from his chin—actually made from hair when they ran out of slime mask materials. It gave him a unique look.

“I was teaching children at a small school, but outraged by the current state of affairs, I joined Yu-bi to show those imperial dogs just how fierce the mountain folk of Yohaim can be!”

Jared stepped up next.

“I am Javid, the youngest serving my two elder brothers! I ran a butcher shop, but watching Yohaim fall into despair, I couldn’t stay silent. My blade will no longer cut meat, but the Empire oppressing Yohaim!”

They disguised themselves as workers from three different trades to foster a sense of unity among the citizens.

The effect was clear—the crowd’s murmurs grew louder.

Soon, someone stepped forward.

“You say you’re a mat seller, but your strength is impressive. Tell me, if I join you, what exactly do you plan to do with this gathering?”

The man looked strong, not one of Yuri’s paid recruits but a genuine local stepping up.

Yuri nodded, smiling gently. Someone stepping forward meant his message had taken root.

“We will organize a militia. I’ve sold off my inheritance to buy weapons and gear for this uprising. All we need now is bodies. Anyone willing to fight for Yohaim is welcome! I’ll even pay a salary—come one, come all!”

“So the mat seller had quite a fortune, huh?”

“All thanks to my ancestors. So, will you join me?”

“I’m strong enough, but I don’t know how to fight. I’ve never learned the Mana Method either. Is that a problem?”

“I’ll teach you the Mana Method. With your muscles, you’ll pick it up quickly and see results.”

Yuri knew several Mana Methods suitable for training civilians and mercenaries—not as advanced as Briol Method or Lion’s Heart Technique, but enough to toughen them up.

“Good. I want to stand with you. I can’t bear to see Yohaim look like cowards.”

“With righteous men like you, no one will dare underestimate Yohaim!”

One by one, the determined began to join. Before long, their numbers swelled to dozens.

Yuri shook hands and introduced himself to each new recruit.

Just then, the soldiers who had scolded Yuri earlier returned with reinforcements.

But seeing the larger crowd, they looked taken aback.

“W-what’s going on? Are you trying to start a rebellion?”

Yuri pointed at them.

“We’ve only gathered to fight for our country. Calling it a rebellion insults us! Now is the time for us to protect our land ourselves!”

“For Yohaim!”

As the soldiers charged, Laurent and Jared stepped in. Using the Mana Method, they tossed the soldiers around like toys.

People flew through the air, and praise for their strength followed.

The militia Yuri had gathered was steadily growing.

The citizens of Yohaim whispered among themselves as they watched.

“To gather so many so quickly, maybe the country won’t fall after all.”

“Right? I didn’t expect the young ones to have such patriotism.”

“Did you hear? There’s another group of spirited fighters rising elsewhere. They say their strength is incredible…”

“Really?”

“Yeah. What was the name? Ho, Ho…”

“Ho?”

“Hofer, I think?”

---

Though the lords of Yohaim had opened the roads, some had begun skirmishes in defiance of the Empire.

But it was a reckless fight.

Not only were their troops inferior in quality, but with Yalta—one of the Ten Strongest—on the Empire’s side, the battles were one-sided.

“This is so weak, it’s not even satisfying to cut through.”

Yalta swung his massive greatsword like mowing down weeds, tearing through knights and soldiers alike. Anyone who stood before him crumbled like meat.

The lord, hoping to slow the Empire’s advance, gritted his teeth as he watched his troops fall in vain.

“So this is the power of the Ten Strongest. Damn it…”

Though the knights and soldiers fought bravely, the arrival of Yalta shattered everything. He harvested lives as if reaping rice.

The lord was about to order a retreat.

Then—

“Do you need help?”

A voice came from behind. The lord spun around in surprise. There was no sign of anyone nearby.

“You are…?”

A towering, ruggedly handsome man stood there.

His burly frame contrasted oddly with his neat, composed face.

“W-who are you?”

“I am Hoppo, a native of the Aloy Mountains, where I trained.”

“Hoppo?”

“Yes, Hoppo. But call me whatever you like—Hopfer works too.”

The lord, himself a knight versed in mana methods, sensed something unusual emanating from this Hoppo.

Hoppo spoke again.

“I trained beneath the open sky, resting my head on the earth, but seeing what’s happening in Yohaim now, I could not stay silent—I descended the mountain in anger.”

“Is that so?”

“You seem to be struggling. I offer you my aid.”

He then pointed toward Yalta, who was rampaging in the middle of the battlefield.

“I’ll show that imperial dog the sting of Yohaim’s whip.”

“Do you even know who you’re talking about? One of the Ten Strongest…”

“So what?”

Hoppo drew his sword.

“So you’re saying this so-called Ten Strongest is greater than our Yohaim?”

The weight of a single man could never equal that of Yohaim itself.

The lord was momentarily at a loss for words.

Hoppo stepped forward.

“I may be an unknown foot soldier, but if it’s for my country, I’ll face the Ten Strongest—or anyone else—head-on.”

The lord felt as if he’d been struck in the head with a hammer.

“To think such a man existed…”

Of course, Hoppo was no nameless commoner. He was Hose, a warrior on par with the Ten Strongest, often spoken of among the people. But the lord had no way of knowing that.

Hose gripped his sword and strode toward Yalta.

Amid the chaos of battle, the two recognized each other.

“I wanted to kill Gert and become one of the Ten Strongest, but I failed.”

Muttering this beneath his slime mask, Hose leveled his blade at Yalta. A smirk tugged at Yalta’s lips.

Though the Ten Strongest were counted among the continent’s top ten fighters, there were still differences in their abilities.

Just as Fiore was considered the strongest among them, relative strength varied.

To Hose, Yalta was weaker than Fiore, Moyongchan, and even Gert.

If he couldn’t defeat Yalta, he had no right to be one of the Ten Strongest.

Seeing Yalta approach, Hose smiled.

“This time, I’ll truly become one of the Ten Strongest. It’s time for Bursen to have one too.”

Of course, if he defeated Yalta now, it wouldn’t be Hose of Bursen, but Hoppo, the mountain-born native of Yohaim, who would suddenly rise to the Ten Strongest. But caught up in the excitement before battle, he hadn’t thought that far.

Like beasts, Yalta and Hose charged at each other, swords clashing with a thunderous crash.

A shockwave burst outward.

Nearby soldiers were thrown off their feet by the blast.

“An incredible sight…”

The lord watched in awe, mouth agape.

To think someone capable of matching Yalta was hiding away in Yohaim’s remote mountains—he would never have believed it without seeing it with his own eyes.

He muttered absentmindedly,

“Times of chaos awaken heroes.”