The Strongest Villain Sets Out: Reincarnated into a Merit-Based Clan, I Become the World's Strongest Swordsman - Chapter 6: Survival in the Northern Mountains

Since manifesting my aura, my daily life had been passing by at a dizzying pace.

Before I knew it, three whole years had gone by in the blink of an eye.

[Oh. You’ve really improved, Luca.]

Lilith, floating behind me, looked down at me and said this. I answered as if it were only natural.

“Well, yeah. Between Norn-nee-san’s cooperation and, more importantly, the quality of the aura you gave me is good. As expected of a Wild God.”

[Hmph! It’s annoying to be praised after that crazy woman, but that’s right, that’s right~]

Lilith puffed out her chest happily. Surprisingly, she rejoiced when either she or her aura was praised. She was a bit similar to me.

[But I was really surprised.]

“Surprised?”

[Yeah. You improve at many times the pace of ordinary people. It’s like you already know about aura.]

“I’m a genius, after all.”

[I’ve gotten completely used to that response too.]

“What do you mean by that?”

[Nothing much~. More importantly, aren’t you being called by the head of the family~? You should hurry up and go?]

“…Tch.”

Indeed, as Lilith said, I had been summoned by Lucius. Though ignoring her provocation wounded my pride, I couldn’t disregard the head’s summons either.

Leaving my dissatisfaction behind, I interrupted my training and left the room. I headed straight for my father’s study.

☆

I arrived at the study.

After receiving permission and entering the room, I could see my father holding a single sheet of paper. I bowed my head and asked about the matter concisely.

“I apologize for keeping you waiting, Master. What is your business?”

“Mm. You turned eight the other day, didn’t you?”

“Yes.”

“It’s a bit early, but I’ve decided to impose a trial upon you.”

“A trial… isn’t that normally imposed from age twelve?”

“The age restriction for trials is merely to wait for aura awakening. Both I and my eldest daughter Norn took our trials at age ten.”

“I see. So it’s being imposed because you’ve judged that I’ve grown sufficiently.”

Wasn’t this too early? I had expected it, but I never thought I’d be thrown out at age eight—elementary school age in my previous life.

“If you have concerns, I can wait… what will you do?”

“Heh.”

Did he think I would be intimidated?

The answer was no. I had no anxiety about wielding a real sword right now. My preparations had been completed.

I grinned and shook my head.

“No. There’s no problem, Master. I would be delighted to take the trial.”

I couldn’t stop here. The strongest was still far away. 

*****

One week later.

I rode in a carriage and arrived before the snowy mountain range to the north of the Salvatore Duke family territory.

In the game, it had been introduced as a region where monsters lived, but the real thing was considerably vast and large.

This had originally been a mine owned by the Salvatore family, but dozens of years ago, monsters had begun living there in large numbers.

Since then, mining had been suspended, and now it was used as a trial ground for the Salvatore family.

“Phew… it’s cold.”

Being the north, the temperature dropped sharply as soon as we moved even slightly away from the territory.

On top of that, it was snowing. No snow fell in our territory. This was abnormal weather unique to other worlds.

[Whoa. Are you really going to survive here starting now? Luca, all alone?]

Lilith, floating behind me, said this with a slightly taken-aback expression.

I nodded in affirmation.

“Yeah. For generations, members of the Salvatore family have been made to survive for a week in monster-infested regions once their aura awakens. Since about two generations ago, it’s been this snowy mountain. Not only monsters, but the footing is bad and the terrain is poor. Body temperature and stamina are stolen by the weather, and while visibility is blocked by blizzards, you have to secure food while defeating monsters.”

[That’s way too harsh! There’s no food in a mine to begin with…]

“There is. Monsters.”

[Ew… you eat those disgusting things? Humans are weird.]

“Many monsters are suitable for eating. Besides, even if they’re somewhat unpalatable, it’s fine as long as they don’t upset your stomach.”

[There it is~ Luca’s stoicism. Such a training maniac.]

“Who’s a maniac? More importantly, let’s quickly enter the mountain. Knights are watching the surroundings. If I stay here too long, I’ll lose points.”

[Good luck~]

Lilith waved her hand flutteringly. As a spirit, neither temperature nor abnormal weather affected her.

I began walking up the mountain path that continued straight ahead while sighing. This was the Salvatore family’s specialty—the survival trial.

Most of my older siblings had overcome this trial.

In other words, surviving a week of survival was only natural. Anyone who died in a place like this wasn’t needed in the Salvatore family. Of course, I would safely get through this survival trial.

I had just been wanting to come to this northern mountain range anyway.

“Kukuku. How much stronger can I become on this mountain? Just thinking about it makes me unable to stop laughing.”

The presence of monsters I could sense from afar. They excited my heart endlessly.

My first battle. My first survival. My first solitude.

Everything was so interesting that I couldn’t straighten my grinning face for a while.

Thanks to that, Lilith beside me was completely put off. What was wrong with me laughing?

☆

While Luca Salvatore walked along the mountain path, there were others who visited the northern mountain range later.

All of them wore eerie black cloaks and hid their mouths with cloth.

As time passed and the blizzard increased in intensity, the man at the front looked up at the white, beautiful mountain range and laughed.

“Hahaha! Just as that man’s information said, this is the worst place.”

“However, our mission will be easier. Right?”

Told this by one of his companions waiting behind him—a woman judging by her voice—the man chuckled even more.

“You’re not wrong. I wasn’t too enthusiastic at first, but just killing one person gets us a fortune. Not bad.”

“It’s a suspicious story though. A request to kill a child—his own brother at that.”

“What? You can’t accept killing a brat?”

“That’s not it. From what I hear, that target apparently has considerable talent. If he’s from the Salvatore ducal family, it’s natural they’d find him troublesome.”

“I think his name was… Luca Salvatore?”

“Yes.”

The woman nodded and answered the man’s question.

“A genius who awakened aura at the youngest age in the Salvatore family’s long history. Some apparently call him a prodigy.”

“Hoho. Aura at age five, eh? I hear ordinary people manifest it around age fifteen. Even I awakened around age eighteen.”

“That’s right. Only because it’s the genius Salvatore family can they manifest at age twelve. Age five is impossible. I’m still doubting it.”

“Hah. What a petty story. Killing because you’re afraid of your talented brother.”

“Are you dissatisfied with the request?”

“Nah. As long as I get paid, I don’t care. I’d kill God if the price was right.”

Saying this, the man began advancing up the mountain path. Several companions lined up behind him followed his back with the same feelings.

“At best, the prodigy boy can become my nourishment.”

The man’s face was dyed an evil color.