Chapter 1.
Everything Inside Me
I was rejected from the Academy.
Even though I’m the heir of the Granble family — one of the eight Sword King families — I wasn’t even allowed to step through the Academy’s gate.
In a world where the Sword King families and the Poison King families are always fighting, not getting into the Academy means you’ve fallen behind.
That’s because only at the Academy can you learn how to fight enemies. And only those who graduate from the Academy can take important positions in Sword King families.
Why did this happen?
I can’t use aura.
Aura is the power that draws from the energy lines flowing in the ground. It makes humans stronger.
Stronger in power.
Faster in speed.
And resistant to poison.
In the end, the real problem was poison.
The enemies use poison.
Normal people can’t fight back. To resist poison, you need to use aura.
Hundreds of years ago, the first Sword King, Dion, defeated the Poison King’s army using powerful aura and amazing sword skills. Since then, the descendants of Sword Kings have been like protectors of the world.
Blood doesn’t lie. Sword King descendants are usually born with strong aura and great sword skills.
The Academy is a school that trains warriors to fight the Poison King’s forces.
Some go to fight.
Some go for honor and fame.
But if you want to be someone important, you must enter the Academy at age 15.
But I failed.
Even though I’m a Sword King’s descendant.
If I had even a small amount of aura — just one level — I could’ve passed, thanks to my family name. Because I had something else that gave me hope…
— The Academy office sends its regrets to Young Master Ray and the Granble family.
— Young Master Ray cannot join our Northern Academy.
— In the entrance test, your sword skill was outstanding.
— At 14, your level is higher than most first-years and even above the average second-year student.
Yes, I was born with talent in swordsmanship.
— But your aura sensitivity was found to be almost zero.
— Without aura, you cannot fight the Poison King’s forces.
— We cannot admit someone who cannot fight them.
But sword skills alone weren’t enough.
While all my siblings entered the Academy and lived in the dorms, I was the only one left behind with a rejection letter.
It was the first big failure in my 14-year life.
Of course, being a Sword King descendant doesn’t mean you have to enter the Academy.
You can choose a different path. Maybe you won’t become famous, but life isn’t just about that.
But… I made a promise.
— Wow! Ray, you’re amazing!
— Your sword skills are so cool.
— The Granble family really is special. You’re even better than our teacher.
— You have to teach us more later!
— Let’s meet again at the Academy, okay? Promise?
She was a noble girl visiting our house. I really liked her.
But now, I can’t keep that promise.
My youth ended that summer at 14. My older brother and sister, home for vacation, tried to comfort me.
— I’m sorry, Ray. It must be tough, but stay strong. You’ll find another way.
— Oh no… I’m so sorry, Ray. You should’ve gone to the Academy instead of me.
But their words didn’t help.
I love my siblings. But today, I didn’t even want to see their faces.
They both go to the Academy. And they’re already famous for their skills.
So I was jealous. I refused to go out with them for fresh air and locked myself in my room.
Then that afternoon…
The Poison King’s army attacked our town and mansion.
It was unbelievable.
This was the heart of the Granble family — one of the eight Sword King families. Strong knights guarded the mansion, and Father’s elite guards were always nearby.
And Father himself was there.
Roah Granble, head of the Granble family.
Known as “The One-Sword Roah.”
He was said to be the sixth strongest among all Sword King bloodlines.
So the enemy must’ve been very strong.
Because they destroyed everything in an instant.
But I didn’t even know how strong they were.
A 14-year-old without aura was already lying helpless on the floor before the attack even began.
“Ugh…”
A blurry purple smoke filled my room. I was poisoned.
“Huff… g-gah…”
All I could do was clutch my throat and gasp. Then—
BANG!
The door burst open.
A masked man walked in.
“Ray Granble. Age 14. Third son of the Granble family.”
He dragged me outside. That’s when I saw all the dead bodies.
Knights.
Guards.
The cook.
Maids.
Even Father…
He was hanging from the chandelier like a butchered animal.
“Phew… I didn’t expect this much.”
A monster with swollen purple skin spoke.
“So he was really the head of one of the eight Sword King families… The ‘One-Sword’ title wasn’t just for show.”
He was covered in blood dripping from Father’s body.
Was this the one who killed him?
“I nearly died. I poured in the entire ‘Hundred-Year Poison’… The Church’s hundred-year plan almost failed.”
“Elder.”
“Ah, you’re back?”
“Cleanup is done. We should leave.”
The masked man said. Then the purple monster nudged my head with his bloody foot.
“What’s this?”
“A sacrifice. The Vice-Leader ordered us to bring all children under 18.”
“Hmm. We already collected enough kids from the village… But more doesn’t hurt. Is this one from the Granble family too?”
“Yes. The third son, Ray Granble.”
“So skinny… For a Sword King’s descendant, he’s weak. His aura is terrible.”
No — it’s not terrible. It’s nonexistent.
Even if I had aura, I wouldn’t have survived that poison.
“Can we even use him as a sacrifice? He looks half-dead.”
“If he dies, we throw him away. I just follow orders.”
“We all do. Hmm… He’d be better off dead now…”
His voice faded as I felt my mind go blank.
“Ugh…”
I couldn’t breathe from the thick purple poison.
If only I could sense the ground’s energy — the energy lines.
If I had that power, maybe I could have resisted the poison for a bit. Maybe swung my sword once before dying.
But I couldn’t do anything.
All I could do was close my eyes.
I thought… I’d never open them again.
✦✦✦
But I was wrong.
“Ugh…”
My stomach churned and my head felt like it was splitting open.
How much time had passed?
When I woke up, I was in a dark, damp cave. It stank. The air was wet and thick with the smell of death.
From me.
My body smelled like it was rotting. I couldn’t move at all.
I was dying.
Maybe it would’ve been better if I never woke up.
“…Ray? Are you awake?”
A face appeared in the darkness.
“Ti…”
Tiver.
The son of our mansion’s cook, Mr. Everay.
My friend who loved food and cooking. Same age as me.
“Yeah, it’s me. You recognize me? Thank goodness. I thought you were really going to die.”
Tiver smiled, but his round face had become thin and bony.
He used to be chubby — what happened?
How long has it been?
And where are we?
Did everyone at the mansion really die?
So many questions filled my head, but I couldn’t ask any of them.
No voice came out.
“Ah…”
“Ray?”
“Ugh…”
Instead of words, tears came out.
Sorry, Tiver.
I saw your dad’s body in the mansion…
I’m really sorry.
Because the Granble family couldn’t stop the enemy, all this happened. I’ll apologize for them.
But I couldn’t speak.
“Hey, why are you crying? Don’t cry. If you cry, I’ll cry too. You can’t talk? Did your throat go bad? Can’t move either? You’re paralyzed?”
I nodded.
“Whoa, did you just nod? Really?”
I nodded again.
“That’s serious. But at least you’re alive. You were unconscious for three days. Wait, no — if we count the day we got dragged here, it’s been more than seven days.”
Seven days?
Amazing. A person can live that long without eating?
“Anyway, you’re alive. I forced you to drink some water while you were out. This cave has no food, but there’s some water.”
Tiver saved me.
My only friend saved my life.
“Tha…”
“Thank you? Come on, that’s nothing. I’m the one who should thank you. I got popular in the village because I was friends with the Granble family’s young master.”
It wasn’t just popularity — he used to eat way too much too. But now he was skin and bones.
“Anyway, you know, right? We’ve been kidnapped.”
“Ugh…”
“Yeah. By those awful Poison King people. I’ve only heard stories, but never thought it would happen for real. We don’t know what they’ll do to us. We have to stay strong.”
“Whe…”
“Where are we? Hmm…”
Tiver looked around nervously.
“Actually, I don’t know either.”
“…”
“They covered our eyes while bringing us. But I know this — we crossed the border and went really far north. They threw us into this cave. But it’s not a normal cave… it’s a poison cave.”
“Poi…”
“Poison cave. Even healthy kids get sick here. There must be poison fog in the air. That’s why I’m feeling weak too…”
“Get up, you frogs! Get up now!”
Suddenly, someone shouted nearby.
“Eat! You dumb frogs! If you don’t want to die, eat now! Even if you die, eat first!”
“Ugh…”
“Shh. Quiet. It’s a Poison King minion.”
Tiver covered me with his body and put a finger to his lips.
“If they notice you, they’ll kick you. They’ve already killed a few kids. Stupid jerks.”
“So…”
“Yeah, minions. The strong ones left on the first day. You know, the real poison warriors and poison ghosts? They laughed a lot before leaving. Said they destroyed the Granble family… Oh, sorry.”
Tiver covered his mouth, but I wasn’t upset.
Because what he said… was true.
