Deserted Island Survival (6)

“… Ah, ah….”

Hector looked down at the rock on the dirt ground.

A rock, pointed and sharp at the end, like a stone axe.

Ian had warned him that unless he gouged out one of his own eyes with it immediately, Ian would pluck both of Hector’s eyes out himself.

Not just the eyeball, but even all the optic nerves hanging behind it, he’d extract everything.

“U, urgh…!”

Ah! No!

Anything but the optic nerves.

If he made an artificial eye with an artifact, his sight would return quickly enough, but just as Ian had said, artificed eyes break down easily under dispel magic.

Moreover, magical artificial eyes have set performance limits, so no matter how high your mastery, it becomes impossible to enhance your vision with aura.

In other words, the moment the optic nerves are removed, Hector’s eyes would forever become his weakness.

Such a weakness would be a fatal hindrance to reaching a high position as a swordsman.

Succeeding as heir to the Goldhound family would obviously be completely out of reach, and he’d never even dream of fighting high-level mages.

“T, three, two….”

Even as Hector trembled in terror, the countdown continued without a shred of mercy.

“U, urgh!!!”

Hector picked up the sharp stone fragment.

If he had any strength left, he would have smashed Ian’s head with it right now…!

But the aftereffects of the Gold Hound Transformation had paralyzed his limbs, and he was barely able to breathe.

“One….”

There was no more time for hesitation.

He wanted to beg for mercy, but just a minute or two ago, he’d trampled that precious opportunity himself.

Who would have expected that Ian would go this far?

He thought he alone was the villain in this world.

He believed that only those with a certain innate talent could hurt others and torment them without shedding a tear.

But Ian was far more vicious than he was.

Never did Hector imagine Ian would actually threaten to rip out both his eyes…!

‘Ah. Aaah…!’

When driven into a desperate corner, a person instinctively starts to—regret.

Where did it all go wrong?

‘From the beginning, I shouldn’t have messed with this guy…!’

Should have just listened, should not have fought back!

The Heavenly Sword Lord clan wouldn’t be interested in this guy for no reason, so why wasn’t I more careful!

He should never, ever have provoked Ian, but instead he acted in the complete opposite manner….

What a stupid thing to do!

And now, because of that, he was in this mess…! This situation…!

“Countdown’s over.”

While Hector hesitated and regretted, the countdown ended.

“Lift your face.”

Ian’s hand reached toward Hector’s eyes.

“A-ah! W-wait! Please, wait!”

Hector grabbed Ian’s wrist with both hands, begging.

“…?”

“I-I made a mistake! P-please, just this once! I’m sorry! I really am sorry!”

Hector’s last desperate choice was to beg for forgiveness.

“I’ll never! N-never, ever go against you again! I’ll never provoke you again! Please! Pleeeease!”

“Haa….”

Ian sighed, cold as ice.

“That’s why I told you I’d forgive you if you gouged out one of your own eyes.”

“A-ah…!”

Hector’s face crumpled.

With things having gone this far, there was no pride left.

“Please! Anything but that! As long as it’s not that, I’ll do anything! Really! I’ll do anything, so please!”

“… What could you even do if you can’t gouge out your own eye?”

“I-I have instructors bribed by me! E-every exam, I’ll make it so the conditions are in your favor! First place! I’ll make it so you always come out on top! You want that, don’t you? A-and! And!”

“And?”

“I’ll g-give you all the support I can from my family! The G-Gold Hound Blood too! Not just my blood, but I’ll collect all the blood from the side branches too and give it to you! You could make a fortune selling it as alchemy material! And, and I have access to family money! If you want that, I’ll give it to you too!”

“… Hmm.”

His desperate pleas felt unexpectedly sincere.

He was clearly pulling out every card he had just to escape this situation.

Ian paused for a moment to think.

However—

There wasn’t much to consider.

“I don’t need any of it.”

“… Wh-what!?”

Currently, Ian’s rank is that of Swordmaster.

Even without anyone else’s help, securing the top spot in the Sword Dragon Hall was always possible.

Most Sword Dragon Hall cadets never even surpassed the expert level before graduating.

It was never difficult to be the top among such students.

What’s more, by the end of the year Ian would likely reach late-stage Swordmaster, so earning top spot would only get easier.

He simply didn’t need anyone else’s help for that.

‘And I don’t need the Gold Hound Blood or money either.’

More accurately, there was no need to take it from Hector.

Ian possessed the Authority of Projection.

Whenever he needed something, he could just project it himself.

“Ah, aaah…! Then anything else! J-just tell me what you want! I’ll give you anything! Somehow, I’ll find a way to get it to you!”

Hector was desperate.

He clung to Ian’s sleeve, half-crying.

“No… That’s what you get. Why did you do it? Why did you bring this upon yourself?”

Most people would forgive at this point, but not Ian.

‘Forgiving someone like this always ends badly.’

It might look desperately sincere for now, but that’s never to be trusted.

This kind of guy, as soon as he escapes the situation, wipes his mouth clean and waits for another chance at revenge.

Like a gambling addict who grovels to friends for money, a criminal who pleads for leniency promising to reform before a judge, or an abusive husband grabbing his wife’s leg and begging for one more chance….

They’re always so desperate when they beg.

But if you’re taken in and grant them mercy?

They act as if they were never so desperate, and stab you in the back.

‘You’d help if you had the money!’

‘It’s all society’s fault!’

‘How can I not hit, since I’m like this?’

—and on top of it all, blame others.

In his past life, Ian had grown sick and tired of watching how petty mercy led to horrendous outcomes later.

He’d come to realize villains really don’t change so easily.

Of course, when they beg, they’re probably sincere in the moment.

But when the circumstances shift, the sincerity is easily discarded. For whatever reason.

That’s why showing mercy to people whose very nature is rotten is foolish.

‘You should trust only those worth trusting.’

Trusting him was as good as self-harm.

‘Besides.’

Even without those reasons, Ian would not have forgiven Hector.

Hector had already crossed the line—and by a lot.

Sophia was Ian’s reverse scale. Hector, with his gang, had tried to cruelly harm Sophia.

Ian had vowed never to let Sophia suffer the same fate as in his previous life, but this bastard tried to ruin that hope.

Hector had triggered the trauma Ian had harbored since his last life.

“To be honest, right now, I want to kill you.”

But he could not.

It was because of the Heavenly Sword Lord.

If Ian killed Hector, a trial would be held, and the lord would surely try to defend Ian no matter what.

Since Ian had saved Yuria, the lord’s deep affection for him had grown even deeper.

The problem was, if he defended Ian, Tywin, the Goldhound family head, could resent the Heavenly Sword Lord.

Tywin had risked even his own life for the lord’s sake, and if the lord defended the murderer of his own son, that could only weaken his loyalty.

Ian did not want the lord to lose a loyal subject because of him.

That’s why he could not kill Hector.

He could not burden the lord with that.

“I’m holding back. I’m letting you live.”

Of course, even gouging out both of Hector’s eyes would make the Goldhound family Ian’s enemy.

But he could handle that much himself, even without the lord’s intervention.

After all, this had happened during a practical exercise, so even if Hector sustained serious injury, the act itself was legal.

Gouging out both eyes might still be considered excessive cruelty and draw disciplinary action, but at worst, it would end with Sword Dragon Hall sanctions.

No matter what price he might have to pay, it didn’t matter.

If it was to protect those he cherished, Ian would do anything.

– Kkwaaak! –

Ian seized Hector’s hair in a tight grip.

“U, urgh!? Wa-wait! What are you doing!?”

“I’m the one sparing your life here. Isn’t expecting anything more a bit shameless of you?”

A murderous glint flickered in Ian’s eyes.

“You tried to hurt what’s most precious to me. Even so, I’m letting you live.”

“… Uh…!”

At Ian’s words, Sophia’s cheeks flushed just a little.

“….”

Charlotte glanced at Sophia with a look of slight envy.

Ian, unfazed, continued.

“So be grateful I’m letting you off with just your two eyes.”

“W-w-wait! I’ll do it! I’ll do it myself! With the stone!”

“It’s already too late.”

The countdown had ended long ago.

“Lift your head, Hector.”

“Aaargh! No! Not my eyes! Don’t! Please!”

Hector squeezed his eyes shut and struggled to shake Ian’s hand off.

But not even the barbarian Kugajo could break Ian’s grip—an exhausted Hector certainly could not.

“Why make such a fuss? Didn’t you try to gouge out Sophia’s eyes too?”

“T-that was b-because, aaaah! Please! I was wrong! It was the Gold Hound Blood! I lost control! I won’t ever do it again! Please! Pleaseeee!”

“Enough.”

Ian picked up the sharp stone axe from the ground.

“I don’t want to waste another minute on you.”

“Wa-wait—!”

– Thud! –

Ian drove the stone axe through Hector’s eyelid in one motion.

“KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH─────────!!!”

Then, he twisted the stone axe and crushed Hector’s eyeball.

– Crunch! –

For quite some time, Hector’s wretched screams echoed throughout the forest.

Yet, despite how long Hector’s screams lasted, no instructor intervened.

* * *

Control room aboard the ship supervising the Deserted Island Survival.

“Ho….”

Watching Ian through her personal screen, Aris let out a quiet gasp despite herself.

‘Ian… Haa… This child is really… The more I see of him…’

On Aris’s screen, the moment Ian pulled out both of Hector’s eyes was reflected back word-for-word.

– Kyahhh! –

A barrier of spirit energy had been raised, so only Aris could hear the screaming.

Moments later, Hector, having lost both eyes, fainted and collapsed.

– Snap! –

Aris bit her own index finger.

It was to suppress the surge of excitement rising within her.

‘Really… How far are you going to excite me…! Ian Greysel!’

It was astonishing that Ian had subdued Hector’s gold hound transformation so easily, but what excited Aris more than that was the cruelty Ian displayed.

‘Ah, aaah….’

Usually, he seemed just like a calm and quiet boy.

But when fighting foes, he showed endless cruelty.

This was the second time Ian had shown his ruthless side to Aris.

‘When you killed Dellen without hesitation, I knew you were different.’

Aris’s intuition had not failed her.

Ian was cruel.

He was born with a brutal nature.

But at the same time—

He was someone who truly knew how to control that brutality.

“Ah, aaah…!”

A cruelty he could control with perfect thoroughness.

That was a quality Aris rated very highly.

A talent only a rare few possessed.

To be born with such a savage beast in your chest is to walk a dangerous path.

To live among others, you must tame that beast.

But taming a beast isn’t easy.

You’re bound to get hurt, and if you make a mistake, you could be eaten by your own monster.

Those devoured by their inner beasts usually walk the road of mass murder.

They kill without discretion, become enemies of all, and die violently.

But of those born with cruelty, only an extremely small number succeed in taming the beast in their heart.

From then on, the beast is not a threat to themselves, but the strongest ally and strength.

‘Aaah… Ian Greysel… You… You’re really…!’

And Aris thought,

No matter how gifted someone is, if they lack this cruelty, then their power is hollow.

Why?

Because true strength can be wielded only to the extent of one’s inherent brutality.

That was Aris’s creed.

Strength is destruction. And destruction belongs only to the realm of cruelty.

Mercy. Compassion. Goodness. Nobility. Such things only suppress one’s own strength and prevent it being fully displayed.

That’s why those without cruelty cannot use even half the power they possess.

But Ian was different.

He had the nature to wield all of his innate strength.

He possessed true cruelty.

That was clear now.

‘This child… really… truly remarkable.’

Most only acquire such cruelty after at least ten years on the battlefield.

But that boy already possessed it.

Moreover, while others cannot endure the cruelty gained by war and try to mask themselves in nobility or succumb to sadistic pleasure and become monsters,

Ian, at this tender age, was showing perfect control over the cruelty within.

He had not just enviable talent, but perfect control over his brutality as well.

He seemed like a genius crafted by the Sword God himself.

‘Ian… What is your real identity? Are you just a once-in-a-generation genius? Or are you hiding something? … How much does my father know about you?’

She didn’t know. But a sense of impatience grew.

Aris loved her father, but she didn’t want to give Ian up to him so easily.

– Crack!

– Drip!

Her bitten index finger’s skin tore and blood began to flow.

But there was not a hint of pain in Aris’s eyes.

What was reflected there was only ecstasy and yearning.

Ian. Honestly, it didn’t matter what the boy was hiding.

Whether he was a dragon in disguise, a demon, or some other ancient mythical beast.

She just wanted to tame him completely as her own.

If only she could make him perfectly hers…

Everything else was trivial.

She’d feel an incomparable sense of security.

“Haa, hauu….”

The more she saw, the more she wanted him.

Ian seemed like a custom-made gift set up by the Sword Gods just for her.

‘Ah, this won’t do….’

Aris’s breathing quickened, unnoticed.

If it weren’t for the barrier, instructors nearby would have sensed something odd.

‘No matter what it takes… I must make him mine…!’

Aris didn’t blink as she stared at Ian.

Her excited breaths grew ever more heated.

————-= Clacky’s Corner ————-=

Dangerous…

【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】

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