Craack!
A pale hand followed as black blood flowed down.
How hard did he hit it? The stone floor cracked, and the recoil of that force left a wound on the hand of the attacker as well.
But after a while, the bleeding stopped, and as if nothing had happened, the wound on the hand began to heal.
“What on earth! Why won’t this wound go away!!!”
Boom!
This time, it was Sataniel who struck the head of the dark elf woman standing beside him.
Her head disappeared like a popped balloon, and she crumpled to the floor like a doll with its strings cut. Yet, Sataniel cared not, merely panting in anger.
The wound inflicted by the Sword Master, Orcigan, was still haunting Sataniel even years later.
The wound he thought would heal quickly was still burning, vividly recalling the pain of that day.
“Damn it! If I only had more information on the Blue Flower…”
The magical flower that could solve all of this was proving elusive.
According to ancient texts, it was said to grow only in dark places when sunlight shone through, making it hard to locate.
But based on a document he recently found, which claimed it had been discovered in the southern region of the Empire, he continued his search in the south.
This time, however, his enemy, the Crimson Warden, was constantly interfering.
“Gather the executives!”
At Sataniel’s command, one dark elf standing by nodded and disappeared in an instant.
He was now determined to settle matters with those pesky former comrades.
*
Rach was strolling through the territory’s forest with Aida, just as he always did.
Of course, one difference this time was that Aida, who usually dashed ahead, was instead slumped over Rach’s back like laundry hung out to dry.
Woof!
“Aida didn’t slay the witch after all…”
Seeing Aida speaking in a tired voice, Rach sighed inwardly.
To Rach, Oun was impressively strong, likely the third-strongest human he had seen. It was no wonder Aida had barely lost this time.
However, seeing Aida so drained since that incident weighed on Rach’s mind, prompting him to take her out into the forest.
—Lucas, you must reveal this place only to a trustworthy human when one appears.
He recalled his mother’s words, the ruler of the forest and guardian of the Blue Flower, and glanced at the girl on his back.
This girl always annoyed him but surely was the trustworthy human his mother spoke of.
His mother had always taught him to sniff out scents, and this girl radiated a bright, positive aroma.
Thus, he always fed her things that smelled good in the forest.
Things that other humans, with ill scents, were madly searching for.
Woof!
“Hey! Are you going to make me eat this again?”
Deep in the forest, Rach took Aida to a cave she had claimed as her secret spot.
Inside the cave, he began to bark, pointing at a blooming blue flower.
Aida scrunched up her face, refusing to eat it, but Rach kept barking until she reluctantly started munching on the flower.
Watching this, Rach thought that if this treasure, guarded by his clan, was owned by this girl, it would surely be alright.
*
“I was really surprised.”
Rupert was reminiscing about a student he unexpectedly ran into during the academy’s break.
Drawn by the sweet, bright music wafting from somewhere, he had discovered Wolfgang playing the piano with one hand in the music department’s classroom.
The music of another world was magnificent. Though it was regrettable that it had evolved primarily for nobles, was it not?
Generally, the music was majestic and profound, often leaving one drained after listening.
The grand music was meticulously calculated, structured like a formula without any room for error, undoubtedly excellent but leaving listeners no time to relax.
Of course, such music was captivating and essential for epic tales, but what Rupert desired was something lighter and more comforting.
Just as he felt a bit of disappointment regarding the music, Wolfgang, seemingly a miracle, produced the very melody Rupert imagined.
“Would you let me handle that left hand of yours?”
Having the solution to the problems Wolfgang faced, Rupert proposed without hesitation, and Wolfgang readily accepted.
“If you grant me a new mechanical arm akin to His Highness the Crown Prince’s, I will repay this favor for a lifetime!”
In truth, Wolfgang had considered the mechanical arm.
However, the ones currently on the market were all minor versions produced by Kroon at the Somerset workshop and were not much help for delicate tasks.
While daily life was manageable, playing complex instruments was a challenge he had given up on.
Rupert’s offer to provide the genuine article from the Somerset workshop was a dream come true for Wolfgang.
Soon, Wolfgang departed for the Somerset workshop to craft the mechanical arm and promised to write the theme song for the animation Rupert would create afterward.
“That’s great; the only regret I had with the Sylvania orchestra was the music.”
Had it been a project he led, he would have altered the music to fit his desires no matter what, but Rupert had let it slide since it was the students’ hard work.
However, he had always felt a bit regretful, so with Wolfgang, a reliable talent ready to take on the music, it felt like luck.
“Now, I need to start drawing the comic.”
With the break having started and a more flexible schedule, Rupert decided to put in extra effort for this upcoming serialization.
It had already been about three months since Manhwapia was published, and he had made decent progress. This work was intended to be short and impactful, so he needed a scene that would leave a lasting impression on people.
“Oun was impressive, huh.”
Oun’s prowess in firmly blocking Aida’s elusive attacks was even recognized by Mularus, the strongest in the territory.
“It’s remarkable he can hold out like that while only focusing on defense so as not to harm the lady.”
Mularus narrated the duel between Aida and Oun to Rupert and his father.
“But Aida is only eight years old; is that even possible?”
Silence…
Yet, Mularus couldn’t answer Rupert’s question.
Even so, witnessing Oun’s brilliance sparked inspiration in Rupert’s mind.
“Now that the protagonist is finishing his training and battling lower-tier vampires, it’s time to introduce a powerful foe to create tension.”
It was a technique often employed in comics.
While showcasing the protagonist’s strength is crucial, if that’s all it involves, readers will quickly lose interest.
Thus, introducing a formidable rival at the right moment is essential, splitting into two options here.
“The most basic way is to send out a slightly stronger opponent and barely manage to win.”
In shounen comics, there’s always a scene where the protagonist faces a stronger enemy and triumphs through friendship and effort.
However, since this method is overly basic, it tends to be viewed as cliché unless executed exceptionally well.
“The second option is a sacrifice.”
The second method is to introduce an overwhelmingly powerful adversary that the current protagonist cannot contend with, throwing him into crisis.
When the protagonist faces overwhelming defeat and is in dire risk of death, the appearance of another character who saves him and sacrifices themselves always delivers potent shocks and impressions to readers.
“That’s when Juro, the protagonist’s mentor, can make his appearance.”
Among readers of Van Helsing, Juro was as popular a character as the protagonist.
His performance in swiftly vanquishing the vampires that had massacred the protagonist’s family with a blazing sword had left quite an impression, garnering many fans.
Rupert thought it would be perfect to use that character.
“Protecting the protagonist, who is in danger, just like Oun, who withstands Aida’s attacks.”
The protagonist, blinded by vengeance, carelessly diving into danger without realizing the enemies’ might.
To protect the protagonist, a strong ally character who would normally be able to face the enemy on equal terms but ends up getting hurt.
As the scenario played out in his mind, transforming it into storyboards was quick work.
“If I can smoothly transition to the protagonist growing from losing his mentor…”
While a perfectly flawless protagonist from the get-go is fine, what resonates most universally with people is the narrative of the flawed protagonist’s growth.
The scene of a protagonist becoming stronger and more resilient after losing his mentor and seeking vengeance against his enemies is a rare and stunning moment.
As Rupert seamlessly penned the comic, he had an urge to share these cliché ideas with Ioleen.
“Your Highness, your work is certainly well done.”
Ioleen’s piece, The Puppet Show, bore the marks of a classic shounen comic in Rupert’s eyes.
However, it was somewhat regrettable that it utilized multiple protagonists, a feat challenging even for seasoned mangakas.
From the midpoint, as the narratives of the three protagonists began to intersect, a significant potential could emerge, but the process of building that narrative could prove tedious.
“Cutting what needs to be cut and hastily driving the protagonists’ core stories forward is crucial.”
It was always a burden to share unfiltered feedback with Ioleen, but observing how astonishingly her work progressed made Rupert unable to restrain himself.
—
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