High atop the mountain, the Grand Elder watched the punishment unfold from the edge of a tall wooden watchtower. Behind him stood two figures: the middle-aged man who had taken Leo from the orphanage, and the instructor in charge of training Leo’s batch of children. The group observed the brutal spectacle for a long time before the middle-aged man broke the silence.
"Elder... what do you think of him now?"
The Grand Elder gave a slow nod.
"An excellent seed. I can already see his potential. If he survives... He will become the greatest weapon the Hall of Mercenaries has ever forged."
The instructor frowned. "Elder, I understand his value. The boy possesses grit and a willpower I’ve rarely seen, even among our veteran mercenaries. But what I don’t understand..." He hesitated a moment before continuing. "Why are those two girls being spared from training? If they continue like this, they’ll become useless. They’ll only be a burden."
A faint smile touched the Grand Elder’s aged face as he glanced back.
"You still don’t understand. Those two girls... ...are not meant to become weapons. They are the chains that will bind Leo to the Hall of Mercenaries. They will become the reason he obeys."
The instructor’s eyes widened. Though the logic eluded him, he knew better than to question the Grand Elder further.
Shifting his gaze back toward the distant platform, the Grand Elder pointed out, "Hilda seems to have taken a liking to the older girl. What was her name again?"
"Selena, Elder," the middle-aged man answered without missing a beat.
"Good. Transfer her to Hilda’s school. From today onward, Hilda will personally train her."
The middle-aged man bowed. "As you wish, Elder."
The Grand Elder let a moment pass before speaking again. "And tell Dennis not to overdo it. I don’t want such a fine weapon to break before it’s fully forged. People like him are extremely difficult to find. Make sure he receives the best medical treatment after every punishment. I don’t want any hidden injuries affecting his future."
The instructor bowed his head. "Please rest assured, Elder. Dennis may appear cruel... But he knows exactly how far he can go. He knows where to strike... ...and where not to."
With that, the instructor turned and left the watchtower.
The Grand Elder turned his attention back to the middle-aged man. "And the younger girl? How is she doing?"
The man shifted his weight. "She still isn’t capable of enduring the regular training. The intensity is far beyond what her body can withstand."
An amused smile spread across the Grand Elder’s face as he thought for a moment. "In that case... Starting next week... Place her in the same training group as Leo."
The middle-aged man stared in shock. "E-Elder! She won’t survive—"
"Since the boy insists on wasting so much time sneaking around every night..." the Grand Elder interrupted with a calm voice, "...let’s give him a little motivation."
Realization dawned on the man’s face. He lowered his head. "As you command, Elder."
Two Days Later...
Leo’s consciousness returned in pieces. His eyelids felt like lead, taking great effort to peel open. As his blurry vision cleared, the surroundings took shape. White curtains. Wooden shelves lined with glass bottles. The thick, familiar scent of herbs hanging in the air.
"...The infirmary."
He recognized it without a doubt. Over the past two months, he had been brought to this room more times than he could count. He tried to sit up, but the moment he shifted his weight, pain flared through his entire body. Looking down, he noticed that nearly every inch of his skin was wrapped in thick white bandages.
A gentle voice drifted from beside the bed.
"Don’t move. If your wounds split open again... I’ll have to stitch you up from the beginning."
Leo didn’t need to turn his head to know who spoke. A middle-aged woman walked into his line of sight, wearing a spotless white coat and a soft smile.
Her appearance was jarring. The left side of her face was stunning. Smooth skin and delicate features made her look more beautiful than the actresses Leo used to see on the old television at the orphanage. But the right side was a canvas of severe burn scars. The flesh was twisted and melted, bearing the permanent mark of a terrible fire.
Her name was Hilda. Since Leo’s arrival at the Hall of Mercenaries, she had been the one piecing him back together after Dennis finished his brutal work.
Hilda picked up a wooden bowl filled with a thick green paste. She offered a gentle smile.
"Here. You already know the routine. It’s bitter... But it’ll help your wounds heal much faster."
She supported Leo’s head with a careful hand and brought the bowl to his lips. Without a single word, Leo swallowed every drop. Once the bowl was empty, Hilda set it on the nearby table, pulled up a chair, and took a seat beside his bed.
After a long stretch of silence, she asked in a soft tone, "Why are you so stubborn? You only have to give in a little. If you stop provoking Dennis... I’m sure he’ll go easier on you."
Leo stared at the wooden ceiling, offering no response.
Hilda let out a heavy sigh. "I know children your age are stubborn. But sometimes... It’s better to know when to stop. If this continues... Your body won’t hold on forever. One day... You’ll die. And even I won’t be able to save you."
Leo remained as still as a statue. Not a single muscle in his face twitched.
Hilda looked down at him, her eyes swirling with a mix of pity and deep sadness. Finally, she rose from her chair.
"Think about what I said. I’ll try speaking with Dennis. Perhaps... He’ll show you some mercy."
With soft footsteps, she left the infirmary.
The room fell quiet once more. Leo kept his gaze locked on the ceiling until his eyes grew heavy and shut. Deep in his chest, a part of him wanted to surrender. He was tired. Tired of the burning pain, tired of the endless beatings, tired of waking up and wondering if he would live to see the sunset.
This was not the first time Hilda had tried to change his mind. In the early days, he had nearly given in. But whenever the urge to quit surfaced, the faces of Lia and Selena flashed in his mind. They were his only family. The only people who had ever shown him love. Abandoning them was not an option.
Over the past two months, Leo had pieced together a strange puzzle. The instructors loved to preach that anyone breaking the rules would face unimaginable horror. Yet, despite sneaking out and breaking rules night after night, he was still breathing. Dennis beat him without mercy, but the man never delivered a fatal blow. His injuries always looked gruesome, but they were never truly life-threatening.
And after every beating, they sent him straight to Hilda. She stitched his skin, treated his wounds, and nursed him back to health. Strangely, every time he recovered, his muscles felt a fraction stronger than before.
The truth had become clear to him. It was all a calculated routine. The torture, the medicine, even Hilda’s soft-spoken kindness—it was all part of the same machine. They were not trying to kill him. They were forging him. Heating him up and hammering him down like a piece of iron. Dennis was meant to break his body, Hilda was meant to heal it, and together, they were trying to break his spirit. They wanted him to submit and accept this dark place as his home.
That realization was the exact reason Leo refused to yield. Instead of breaking, he grew more defiant. He went out of his way to provoke Dennis, testing the waters to see just how far the Hall of Mercenaries would go. The answer grew more obvious with every passing day: they needed him alive.
And if they needed him alive, he still had a chance. No matter how small, as long as he refused to bow, he could fight back.
In the quiet of the infirmary, Leo made a silent vow.
Even if every inch of my body is destroyed...
Even if I lose an arm...
Or a leg...
I’ll endure.
I’ll become the cruelest executioner...
The most terrifying demon...
If that’s what it takes.
So please...
Wait for me.
Lia...
Selena...
Stay alive.
No matter what happens...
I’ll come for you.
I’ll save both of you...
...no matter what price I have to pay.
Repeating that promise over and over in his heart, Leo let the exhaustion take over and drifted into a deep sleep.
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