Forward! My First Conquest. (Prologue)

"So Gwishin nim, you can use martial arts and magic? You have to seriously teach me. Especially that chain magic. Ooh~ I just thought so many cool ways to use those chains like weapons in the movies! Hyaah!"

"Um, let's not go down that path yet. I think sticking to martial arts is good enough. My magic comes at a very steep price."

(Also I'm not even sure if I can even call myself adept with it either).

Heon ever so excited reenact some moves he remembers, reminding me that maybe I should not pull my punches if I really wish for him to not step to the field.

"Hehe! And seeing how you're so strong you must've been someone very powerful. Like a renown Master combat mage! No! Since, you easily beat Do-Saeng Hyung and Eunji Noona, you must be the mythical Supreme Grandmaster!"

"I don't consider myself one especially when there's so many more who can claim that title."

"Heh! If you're not a master than Do-Saeng Hyung is not a master combat mage! Or maybe you're already in the realm of the Gods like those noble in the flower capital and my Hyung!"

Heon then turns around softly mumbling:

"(Or from what Yesol said, maybe that theory is not so far off). Anyways! March forward! With Gwishin nim, she's worth thousands of soldiers- no! Hundred of thounsandd of those flower nobles!"

(Well yes I'm a noble if my memory serves me right but not of this peninsula).

*Clack* *Clop*

From a world of marble and sea, now its a gate of mud, puddle, and stones. Because of the tight space and thick walls, having my enhanced hearing ability becomes quite a hassle. This place is so narrow that the sound of people breathing is like drawing breathe from inside a bubble...

(No, no, think of this as a great experience. With two kids, an uncharted land, and ruins at the end od our travel, this is quite like a field trip Sis brings me every year).

But even through this narrow passage of mud and and stones. As our footsteps reveberate across the thick walls, I can't help but realize of how amazing nature is. This hollow path made by the passage of time is a marvel I can only imagine how something like this could happen by chance.

"Hmm~ Hmm~ Conquest~ My first Conquest~ Will be my glorious first campaign tale~"

Heon fueled by his youthful enthusiasm and bizzare desire of conquest sings a hymm as we march through the path.

(I did choose the right person... Right?)

The contrast between his vibrant attitude and the reality of both the rabbit-kin alongside our surrounding is quite a sight. Its like looking at a lantern while stuck deep in the earth, at least it keeps my spirits up.

(Hmm... I suppose his energy does remind me of Yoo-Ah. Or maybe this is how all young folk here acts? Juha did say that's not the case but I beg to differ seeing those people here who seems to be my age).

*Tap* *Click* *Clack*

Venturing deeper into the unknown, the rabbit-kin finally brings us into a notable place. Halting out steps, Heon kicks a peble into the opening beyond us as I soon greeted by a familiar sight. The rabbit kin brings his light ball across the massive opening and area around us. Ruins, dark emoty buildings and cannals hanging ln the cavern walls as mold and nature has taken over. Just like the previous dungeon dive, this ruins is nothing but dull paintings, writings, and empty roads as far as the eyes can see... Until the centre of this city.

"Woah! Woah! Woah! Woah... WOAH!!!"

*DASH* *Grab*

"Uk! What's wrong Gwishin nim?"

*Step*

To not repeat the same mistakes, I hold Heon by his hand to keep him close. He seem confused but I continue to use echolocation and just to make sure...

(There... Really isn't anybody).

"Just making sure there's no ambushes."

"Oh! Good judgement, Gwishin nim. Seeing how this is an abandoned city, you're not hiding anything here are you?"

Heon leans toward the rabbit kin, nudging his shoulders as the rabbit-kin looks away with his shoulders even lower. He stays silent for a while as Heon keep nudging him until he saw me and promply shouts:

"N-Nothing here! This place is nothing but a checkpoint for us before we continue our patrol. Lord Kagan absolutely forbid us from any settlements to be built on the inner cities."

"Hey, you keep saying about this Lord Kagan, what's he like? Is he stronger than Gwishin nim? Or what is he actually doing? I mean calling him Lord in a place like this is a bit weird."

"(D-Don't bad mouth him!)"

The rabbit-kin very softly mumble to Heon's curiosity before he drag us along into the city. The rabbit-kin twirling with his finger fidgets before replying:

"Lord Kagan is the kindest lord of the mountain tribes and the new Guardian of this mountain range."

"Not enough information! Did you expect us to face someone with just that!? At least tell us how the territory is faring or what's your biggest threat you fool!"

(Um, Heon, I don't think we're actually gonna fight).

"Eep! Um..."

Heon berrates the rabbit-kin by raising his arms to look bigger but seeing how they have the same height it doesn't really effect much. The rabbit-kin seems to continue drroping his shoulders as he looks at me and shake even more saying:

"U-Um...! When those northern savages with their bird of steel came, they conquered Wenju and killed Kagan's brother, King Ozan. In that moment of tragedy, everyone for the first time seen Lord Kagan's anger as he descended the mountains with a coalition of all the tribes from the east... But anger can only take you so far."

"Wenju...? Oh!"

Hearing this, I can't help but remember that time I watch in Silla. There's that lady in the TV reporting about the fall of the mountains and how she almost died when those massive battleships descend from the clouds.

"It did not go well I imagine?"

I continue his words and the rabbit-kin clenches his fist and frown.

"..."

"I-If he had brought the sentinels along, he would've driven those savages out of the lands! But our vow prevent our powers to be used for interfering with the mortal realm- awu!"

I ruffle his hair and coincidentally touch his ears as I try to comfort him and stop his anger.

"U-Uuuih..."

(So this is how their ears feel? Pretty neat but not as soft as Gangyi's feather. Maybe its because he doesn't take care of it well? Maybe each rabbit-kin has different softness?)

The insitict to try touching those ears still exist within me as I play with the ears and hear him squeel. I stop him from speaking things I barely understand by saying:

"That's enough information. Just answer me this, is he that kind?"

He looks at me with teary eyes and fierce determination while still being petted replying:

"The most benevolent, he will definitely save and free me from this curse! And... And defeat you!"

"Oh?"

"Hey, now! Don't get over your head, Gwishin nim is strong as well! Did you forget the trashing she did to you? Huuuh!?"

Heon comes to defend me by bringing his cheeks as close as possible to the rabbit-kin's face. It looks like we're both bullying this little rabbit when we finally stop at the centre of this ruins. Everyone looks up instictively from the sight, this path at the centre stretches upwards. Stairs leading towards the pitch black darkness reaching the top. With thin pillars and fences looping around the stairs as to give a hold and path to slide down.

"So where does this lead?"

"The biggest mountain city after Wenju, the Sentinel's home, Namju."

Just realizing that maybe he led us into a massive trap where all these sentinels can detect me and attack, I shake off my worry asking:

"This Lord Kagan is up there right?"

The rabbit-kin simply nods and I start ascending as I realize if that was the case, they would've try to destroy us since we entered the ruins.

*Thump* *Thump*

Our steps echo as we ascend with the rabbit-kin as the lead, for once I can thank the darkness for the higher we go up, the more we can't see the bottom... But now that I think about it, being in complete darkness where the only visible thing is a spiraling stairway is terrifying in its own right.

"This stairs is strong, at least much stronger than the platforms at the mine entrance."

Heon comments as he then moves closer to me and hold my hands.

"We're almost there."

The rabbit-kin says as he then stops and look at a certain dark place. Clenching his hands, he slowly mutters:

"This is rabbit, please open. I have... Guests."

"..."

"..."

We waited for a while until,

"Sorry~ what's that? Speak louder idiot~!"

A different type of anger seem to emerge from his face as he then hits the stair pillar shouting:

"Just open the path, Jimin!"

"It's tiger to you! Fine~ Fine~ you sour rock."

*Crackle* *Crackle* *Bwoom* *Grab*

As if hit with a sudden ray of light, I felt a bit blinded after being in the darkness for a bit too long. I can feel Heon hugging me tighter before I slowly open my eyes. I see a bridge made of stone leading towards the light. That'd when a beast-kin boy of similar age walks forward. With white stripes to his black hair, he smiles widely showing his fangs with his arms behind his head saying:

"Look who do we have here? Some sorry survivors? Tsk~ Tsk~ just a week after becoming sentinel and you're already doing a good job. How revolting. Though, I suppose that you look like you just came our of a Dudeji wreck is pleasing."

His happy demenor is in complete contrast to his venom tongue. His ears twitch alongside his tail before he looks at me with his red eyes saying:

"Well then, come with me, I'll help guide you to the refugee camps."

He gestures us to follow and I can only wonder,

(Seems like red eyes or hair might not be that rare here. But is that how Moriz would look when he transform?)

"But he doesn't look that feral? Oops."

It seems I said that part out loud and the tiger-kin turn around with a smirk saying:

"Hehe, can't blame ya never seen beast-kins in your life haven't you? Come! Come! And keep that little brother of yours close."

(Brother? I guess it does look like that when Heon sticks so close).

"J-Jimin, stop!"

"Hah?"

At the rabbit-kin shouts, the tiger-kin turns his head around furrowing his brows.

"T-They're not normal guests. I'll be taking them elsewhere."

"Oi, do you realize what you-"

*Smack*

"Ack!"

From the light, a lady appear smacking the tiger at the back of his head saying:

"Enough with the hostility, lil Jimin. You're young the chance of you getting chosen is still there. As for them..."

As she appear, I could see hope lighting up from the rabbit-kin's eyes. And when I look at the lady, she's already glares at me with a hidden fury burning within her red eyes.

(She knows doesn't she?)

She then looks at the rabbit-kin who's still downtrodden and seem to reach a conclusion saying:

"I'll handle it from here, go and do my post for now."

"Rrrgh!"

The tiger-kin walks away into the light stomping his feet before the lady folds her arms and stand to oopose us. Wondering how this will go, I softly tap at Heon to let me go when,

"Oh my~ guests~? Lil Handan is doing so well~"

She clasp her hands up with a bright smile, completely overshadowing her hostility from before.

"But you look worse than tear trying to save them didn't you? Handan, go and visit grandma Jeju for some checkup and I'll handle these new guests."

"B-But..."

"Hmm...?"

The rabbit-kin seems absolutely horrified to separate as I wonder what misunderstanding he cooked in his head and the lady seen to reach something as well as she then shrugs her shoulder saying:

"You're really being unreasonable lil Handan if you're not going to say anything. Fine, stick very close to me, okay~? We're still in war times so I'm sorry if we feel a bit restrictive, guests. It must be especially hard for the kid."

She turns towards me as she her latter half and I wave my hand replying:

"O-Oh, no, that's fine. Thanks for helping-"

"Rrgh! Enough of that glaring. Can't you tell, we're here to conquer. Tell that Lord Kagan to surrender immediately or suffer annihilation! This mountains will soon be under the Hangong Fam!"

(H-Heon!?)