Warhammer 40: Doom

Chapter 33 Past Grudges

The following day, after King Norwick left, Doom's new lessons were put on the agenda.

He followed beside his mother, escorted by champion guards. Haaland's attire today, however, was somewhat overly formal.

Despite being covered in scars, the pure white power armor was exceptionally clean, with Doom's personal insignia engraved on the left chest, and a blue-and-gold-trimmed guard's cloak trailing behind, also embroidered with Doom's insignia.

Doom suppressed his excitement, showing no outward sign, but his wandering gaze betrayed his anticipation.

"queen!"

Behind him, Harlan, draped in a magnificent cloak, spoke softly: "Please allow me to take up a little of your time later."

The champion swordsman's hoarse voice suppressed a certain excitement; he was eager to try and was ready to make a big splash!
“Harlan O’Grivi.” Queen Daisy did not stop, walking gracefully forward, a strange smile playing on her lips. “So this is the day you’ve been waiting for!”

"I grant your request, but you must demonstrate the spirit of a warrior for Doom!"

“Yes, Your Majesty!” Harlan clenched his fist and swore to Queen Daisy with a warrior’s salute.

As for the conversation between the two, Doom was curious but didn't ask any further questions, knowing he would find out soon enough.

The War Academy. It serves as the foundation for safeguarding the main domain; all the laws of war and the training of warriors are conducted within the academy.

Selected young people enter the academy at the age of seventeen to learn everything about war.

After at least thirty years of rigorous training and a long and systematic psychological adjustment, they begin their graduation assessment.

Even without power armor or weapons, a soldier who successfully graduates can skillfully apply the detailed tactical techniques he has learned to complete a mission under extreme circumstances.

A warrior who has undergone psychological adjustment is pure; he will not be discouraged by failure, nor will he be arrogant because of success, nor will he be afraid of a powerful enemy, nor will he pity the weak.

A resilient mind will build a high wall deep within the mind, blocking all superfluous thoughts that are detrimental to rationality.

A warrior apprentice, from the day he graduates from the War Academy, is a qualified Night Watcher.

They will become Nur's sharpest blade and unbreakable bulwark.

The War Academy provides the Norwick Dynasty with at least five hundred men each year to maintain absolute military strength to defend the main territory.

At its peak, the Night Guard had 30,000 qualified warriors, enough to sweep across the entire Nur and suppress all villains.

Doom was full of anticipation as he prepared to receive soldier training.

Previously, his mother's education of him was gentle, patiently imparting experience and knowledge, and tirelessly answering his questions. But like most families guarding the main domain, his mother made a mandatory request:

She must be respected and kept away from the War Academy until she agrees.

Because the War Academy is filled with violence and associated with all killing, conflict and destruction are its constant themes.

Guardians of the main domain take pride in being Night Guardians, respect and admire warriors who protect their homeland, but do not blindly believe in them.

Before a child's mind is mature, many mothers forbid their sons from being exposed to too much violence.

"Mom, isn't this the way to the 'Dominion Branch'?"

Following his mother, Doom realized something was amiss. According to royal tradition, princes enrolling in the War Academy first enter the "Command Division" to learn how to command in battle, and then pursue other studies according to royal arrangements or their own needs.

Queen Daisy smiled gently at her son, her eyes overflowing with tenderness, but she did not answer his question. Instead, she took his hand and continued walking.

When the three arrived at their destination, Doom finally understood what his First Sorting House was!

Tall, averaging 2.3 meters in height, the warrior apprentices duel on the training ground, sweating and testing their martial arts skills.

They wore only shorts, without any auxiliary equipment, their tanned muscles gleaming in the sunlight, as they fought each other with primitive swords and blades until a victor emerged.

"Your Majesty, Your Highness."

Instead of the soldiers and apprentices who came to pay their respects, an old man with a thick beard came forward to greet them.

The handsome old man had his thick white hair combed back, his beard neatly trimmed, and he smiled peacefully, revealing deep wrinkles on his face.

"Xilan! I haven't seen you in so long!" Doum exclaimed in surprise, running up to hug the old man.

The Grand Swordsman of the Royal Court, Xilan! He served the old King Norwick and taught the current King Norwick.

Nearly three hundred years old, he serves as the current head of the "Duel Branch," responsible for teaching swordsmanship to warriors and apprentices.

During the siege, he served by King Norwick's side, being the king's most trusted companion. He witnessed Doom's arrival and cared for Doom for several days.

"Ooh~" Xilan caught Doom, who had bumped his leg, and was amazed by his current strength. His face was full of smiles: "Little Doom, I haven't seen you for a month, and you've grown taller again!"

Doom acted without restraint beside the old man, looking up at him with a smug grin: "Eat well, sleep well, and you'll naturally grow fast!"

Hey! Old man!

A rude and harsh voice rang out, causing Xi Lan's expression to change. He disliked the owner of the voice.

The old man wasn't one to be trifled with either. His old face held a disdainful expression as he replied in a sarcastic tone, "Who do we have here? It's none other than 'Savage Swordsman' Harlan!"

"What? You're still alive on the battlefield?"

"Heh~ I won't die until the day you die of old age!" Harlan sneered, showing no respect for the elderly or the young, only a blunt rebuttal.

The champion swordsman turned around "casually" to face Xilan, "inadvertently" revealing the red personal emblem on his left breastplate.

"How is that possible!" Xilan exclaimed in surprise. He saw it; the warrior's habitual meticulous observation made him notice the insignia on Harlan's chest first. "Doom!" The court's great swordsman squatted down in front of Doom with a serious expression and asked very earnestly, "Did he use some despicable means to get you to take him in as your personal bodyguard?"

"Mr. Xilan, no." Doom looked bewildered, somewhat confused about the relationship between the two. It seemed rather unfriendly?
"Tsk tsk tsk, old man. You should take a look at this!"

Harlan, looking smug, took a holographic projection device from his waist and played back the scene of yesterday's oath in 3D without missing a single detail.

What she saw before her caused Xilan's expression to shift from disdain to seriousness, and finally to a dazed state, where she stood there speechless.

Queen Daisy moved with light steps, without disturbing the old man, and quietly pulled Doom away from him.

Doom looked at his mother with a puzzled expression, about to ask a question, when Daisy covered his mouth.

"Shh!" Queen Daisy put her slender index finger to her lips, signaling him to be quiet, and winked playfully, making Doom wait and see.

“Take a look at this!” Harlan turned around with a smug look, revealing the emblem on his blue cloak.

Xi Lan's expression changed rapidly, from ashen to calm, in less than a second.

Then he smiled easily and said, "Congratulations, you have achieved the same honor as me."

After saying that, he turned and walked to the edge of the training ground, took the stone sword from the weapon rack, and threw it in front of Harlan: "Come! Let me see if you are qualified to take on this important task."

"Hmph! You think you can be afraid of me?" Harlan sneered and shouted at the training ground, "Someone come here! Remove your armor!"

Who wouldn't want to watch a duel between a court grandmaster and a champion swordsman?

Martial arts duels were commonplace in the Duel Division. The apprentices quickly took their seats in the audience section of the martial arts arena, eagerly awaiting the duel between two warriors of the pinnacle of swordsmanship.

Several trainees came to Harlan's side and helped him remove his power armor.

"What's going on with them?" Doom didn't understand what grudge existed between the Grand Swordsman of the Palace and Xilan.

“It’s complicated,” Daisy said patiently, putting her arm around Doom’s shoulder and whispering in her son’s ear.

"Master Xilan is a court swordsman with superb swordsmanship. He is also your grandfather's personal bodyguard. He is exceptionally strong and has received numerous honors."

Harlan Ogrivey was a highly skilled swordsman and equally decorated, but he wasn't a royal guard and was always slightly inferior.

“The real reason they have a grudge is…” Daisy hesitated for a moment before finally uttering two words: “It’s complicated.”

As his mother explained, Doom gradually understood the reasons for their antagonism and mutual animosity.

His eyes shone with anticipation as he looked at the two people on the training ground.

During his time at the academy, Harlan Oglie was an excellent student, and Xilan, who had been his teacher, also liked him very much.

On the battlefield, Harlan slays enemies and earns the title of "Master Swordsman" with his strong personal style of swordsmanship.

As a sword master, one can submit an application to have a holographic image recorded and included in the royal swordsmanship archives as a reference for the royal family's inherited swordsmanship.

This is a tremendous honor, the lifelong pursuit of a great swordsman.

However, Harlan's sword projection was rejected, for a straightforward reason. Xilan believed that his swordsmanship was not true swordsmanship, but rather a strong instinct rather than true swordsmanship.

Members of the royal family should not learn this kind of "swordsmanship" that is like that of a wild beast, relying on instinct to wield a sword.

Harlan strongly disagreed with Xilan's statement. He believed that humans are also beasts, and royalty are also humans. In the moment of deciding the outcome, instinct is sometimes more effective than sword techniques.

The debate between the two sides had a significant impact, and ultimately the students and teachers parted on bad terms.

One afternoon, Harlan became increasingly angry and blocked Xilan's door, cursing for three whole hours.

Just as he was feeling smug, thinking that Xilan was a coward who dared not come out to confront him, Xilan appeared behind him carrying vegetables she had bought from the market.

Then, without saying a word, the two sides tacitly found a place to conduct a secret duel.

The outcome of the duel remains unknown. Afterwards, Xilan stated on many occasions that instinct can sometimes be effective, but not often!

Harlan also stated that while conventional swordsmanship can sometimes produce unexpected results, it doesn't happen often!

This outcome brought a sigh of relief to everyone who was following them, and recognition marked the beginning of repairing their relationship.

However, what happened later made their relationship even more distorted.

Harlan quietly married Xilan's beloved granddaughter!

When his granddaughter, holding her identification, led Harlan to stand before the old man and declared that she would only ever love this man, Xilan, who had never shed a tear in her life, cried.

Tears streaming down his face, he rushed out of his house, challenged the marriage registration officer at the Ministry of the Interior to a duel, and beat him half to death!
Previously, the two sides were evenly matched, but Haaland was slightly inferior in terms of honors and was always overshadowed.

Now things are different. Having become a royal guard, Harlan has earned the same honor as the old man Xilan.

He's here for revenge!
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(End of this chapter)