Booooooom.
A loud, heavy sound spread through the surroundings.
It jolted Eugene awake; for a moment, he thought an attack had begun.
"Ugh… what is this noise?" He glanced at the clock hanging on the wall. "I haven't even slept five hours."
Eugene stepped out of the small house and saw the rest of the people—trainees from various academies—equally irritated, already gathered outside.
"Achoo! Why is it so cold?!"
In front of them stood the same man they had met on the first day.
What is this disturbance?
Are we only going to sleep five hours a day?
These four months are going to be exhausting.
My God, why is it this freezing?!
They all grumbled under their breath, their annoyance obvious. Once they had gathered before the red-haired man, he spoke.
"Don't worry. You'll get used to it."
His tone was dry, heavy, sharp—like the day before—tinged with faint sarcasm.
Soon after, four more men arrived.
Eugene recognized two of them.
Jaber… and Thor, the leader of this organization.
A flicker of surprise crossed Eugene's face, but it vanished quickly.
The red-haired man stepped back, and Thor stood before Eugene and the others, under the watchful eyes of veteran guards—nearly a thousand of them.
Thor wore thick, loose clothing dominated by brown with touches of red, and a massive sword rested in its sheath at his side.
"First, welcome to the Border Guard. Second, during these four months, while you are here, you are considered guards like the veterans." He gestured toward the crowd of onlookers. "I hope you learn from them, gain experience and knowledge—and try to stay alive."
"As I said, you are like those present here. There is no need to introduce the place. This is not some grand, luxurious academy."
Thor's voice carried seriousness and restraint, heavy and deliberate in its pace.
That accent… the Falkry tribe. Is he one of them? Eugene wondered.
At that moment, a huge man approached—broad-shouldered, with long hair and an equally long beard, both dark black.
Is he a giant? Another question crossed Eugene's mind.
Whoooosh.
An icy gust of wind struck, sending a shiver through Eugene's entire body.
The giant placed down a wooden crate and opened it, while a man standing beside Thor spoke.
He was bald, with fully purple eyes, neither tall nor short, straight-nosed and solidly built.
"With winter approaching the northern border, a harsh cold season will last for the next six months."
The giant opened another crate—men's clothing, women's clothing, and large iron pieces.
"Take clothes to keep yourselves warm. Don't worry about the size—they won't hinder your movement."
Everyone rushed forward, grabbing garments quickly. Eugene stayed back, waiting for the crowd to thin.
At that moment, Thor approached him, his shadow falling over Eugene's.
Eugene looked up, then straightened his back sharply in a soldier-like salute.
"You're Eugene, correct? If my memory serves me."
"Yes. I am Eugene." His voice was steady and firm.
"You seem calm."
"Is that strange?" Eugene asked, surprised—though not bold enough to mock the question.
"No, not strange. But from what I saw at that girl's birthday, I formed the impression that you were reckless… impulsive."
Eugene smiled foolishly to himself.
Well… that's not entirely wrong.
"Most trainees or new guards I speak to show clear signs of tension or fear."
"And why should I be afraid? In the end, you're human like me… and you're not going to separate my head from my body if I make a mistake… right?"
His tone remained calm and curious, though the last words carried a trace of tension.
Thor gave a faint smirk. "Logical… for a child."
He then walked past Eugene toward a massive palace-like structure that seemed to serve as headquarters—or perhaps his residence.
Eugene stared briefly, then dismissed it.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
He felt something heavy tapping lightly against his back.
He turned quickly and saw the giant pointing at the men's crate. Only one outfit remained; the others had taken theirs.
Eugene picked it up. Despite its size, it was surprisingly light.
It was a black cloak made of thick, soft fur, with a large white fur collar. On the back was embroidered three crossed swords beneath the emblem of the Empire.
With it came a combined shirt and trousers made of the same black material, reinforced with metal pieces around the wrists, knees, and chest.
Eugene then took a sword from another box—a long, slender blade bearing the Border Guard emblem in bronze, engraved decoratively along its length.
Once he had gathered everything, the giant collected the empty crates and left.
Eugene returned to the small house and drew the curtain he had not noticed before—a long, thick red curtain.
As he changed, the horn sounded again—softer this time.
He ignored it and continued dressing, pausing briefly when he realized the shirt and trousers were a single piece.
Once dressed, he no longer felt cold. The outfit was light despite its thickness.
I wish there were a mirror so I could see how I look.
He put his spatial ring back on and took out the bag Milicia had given him.
When he opened it—
A sword.
Its design matched the Border Guard's blade, but once he drew it from its sheath, he saw that it shimmered with a faint blue hue, a visible aura like feathers swirling around it.
This blade feels finer… made from higher-quality materials. I wonder what its abilities are—and how I can exploit them to the fullest?
He removed the emblem from the Border Guard sword and attached it to Milicia's blade, then fastened it at his waist.
I really wish I had a mirror…
He stepped outside—and instantly a tall man with long brown hair, brown eyes, small lips, and a massive build descended before him.
"Ah!" Eugene startled, stepping back and falling to the ground.
The man extended his hand, surprise on his face, his tone similar to Thor's.
"Why didn't you go with them?"
"Go where? With whom?" Eugene asked, raising his brows.
The man gestured around. The place was empty and silent.
"Huh? … Where did everyone go?"
"That's my point. They all left with Aeg to show them around."
"What? He left and forgot me?!"
"You're now a member of the organization. You must bear the consequences of your own mistakes. Didn't you hear the horn?"
Eugene remembered the sound he had ignored and felt a flicker of regret.
The man studied his face.
"Why do your eyes look like that? And why do you have a fang?"
"Forget my eyes—where did they go?" Eugene asked urgently.
The man laughed. "Relax. You'll learn the place during your time here. It's not worth stressing over. The same thing happened to me once."
"Come on. I'll take you to them. You won't find the way alone."
They walked toward a staircase.
"You still didn't answer. Why do your eyes look like that?"
"I don't know. Are they strange?"
"Very. I've never seen eyes like yours."
They climbed higher, Eugene's view expanding—mountains, forests, rivers, valleys—while the cold intensified.
The man looked at the gray sky thick with clouds and strong winds.
"Looks like a blizzard is coming."
"I assume you're used to this?"
"Somewhat. I've only been here two years."
"Two years? I thought you'd been here much longer." Eugene's eyes widened slightly.
They continued upward.
Clack. Clack. Clack.
The man's thick leather boots echoed with every step.
"Do you climb up here every day?"
"Almost daily. Why?"
"The sound of your boots is annoying. How do you tolerate it?"
The irritation in Eugene's tone was clear.
The man laughed. "You have quite the loose tongue."
"What do you mean?"
"It means you speak frankly—often without thinking. You say whatever comes to mind."
"Oh. Then I suppose that fits me."
After more than fifteen minutes of climbing, they reached the top of the wall.
Eugene's face was grim; his legs ached.
Damn it… do I have to climb this every day?
"You'll get used to it."
The wall was about fifteen meters wide. There were observation devices of brown metal lined with gold, crates of various sizes, and the Monian flag bearing its emblem fluttering in the wind—many of them along the wall.
Thud. Thud.
Eugene struck the wall with his foot, producing a heavy metallic sound.
"What is this wall made of? And how long has it stood?"
"It's forged from Cold Star Iron, Ocean Gold, Stone Man Rock, dragon bones, and giant Manorwood trees."
I don't recognize any of those materials—but they sound rare and incredibly durable.
Eugene stepped beside the man—and his eyes widened, his mouth slackening.
Before him stretched a vast forest—dense and towering. Trees glowed in pink, red, gold, and luminous blue. A massive mountain range loomed in the distance, mist drifting across the horizon.
"Wow… how vast is this land? What kind of glowing trees are those?"
The man snapped his fingers to regain Eugene's attention, then pointed downward.
Eugene looked—and saw something like a colossal stone-and-metal palace below, filled with guards. It resembled a multi-story manor with wide windows draped in black curtains. Nearby stood a large circular training ground connected to the main structure by a long bridge lined with burning candles.
The structure was reinforced with thick golden cables and massive silver bolts. Enormous trees intertwined with the architecture, as though the entire fortress had been built upon and around a single colossal tree.
"How can a tree be this enormous?"
The man laughed softly. "The world of cultivators is vast… and astonishing."
End of chapter.