I Reincarnated as the Bastard Prince? Well, At least I'm OP!-Chapter 66: A master

Richard collapsed to the ground, his body convulsing as the poison spread through his veins.

His muscles spasmed uncontrollably, his limbs twitching as the cursed dagger's effects took hold.

His veins began bulging black beneath his skin, spreading across every part of his body until he was paralyzed.

I stood over him, watching his helpless form with a stoic expression on my face. My shirt was soaked with blood, but my body didn't shake.

Raven rushed to my side, her hands hovering over me as if afraid to touch. "Archer, are you alright?! I thought… I thought you were dead!"

I chuckled, wiping the blood from my lips. "It'd take more than a stupid dagger to kill me."

Her eyes flickered to the wound in my chest, trying to process everything."I don't understand… your wound... it was deep. And that dagger had poison."

From the ground, Richard scowled, barely lifting his head. "How are you standing?! That dagger was laced with acid poison. It was meant to corrode through your bloodstream. I broke through your barrier. I know I did."

I looked at him calmly, lowering my tone. "My barrier is impenetrable. Not even that dagger could've pierced it." I tilted my head. "I let you stab me on purpose."

Richard's eyes widened. "You weakened your own barrier? You allowed me to stab you?" He coughed, veins bulging on his arms from the paralyzing poison. "Why would you do that?"

"To test the black slime's healing properties," I said cheerfully.

Raven blinked. "The black slime? You mean the one you tamed at the beast grounds?"

I grinned at her. "I was going to show you earlier. That's why I was late this evening."

Before she could respond, I slowly lifted the bloodied top off my torso, exposing the gaping stab wound in the center of my chest.

The skin around it was raw and burnt, veins blackened from the venom. But then something amazing happened.

From beneath my skin, the black slime oozed from my pores, coating the wound in a gelatinous film.

The burnt veins from the poison darkened, then dissolved as the slime absorbed the toxins.

The slime worked quickly. It thickened around the wound, hardening like a protective shell before softening again and seeping back into my skin.

The scorched veins faded, and the wound sealed shut—no scar, no bruise. Not even a mark.

Raven's mouth fell open. Richard's face went slack with horror.

"That's… impossible," Raven whispered. "Not even the best healing mages in the kingdom can do that."

Richard let out a strangled roar. "THIS CAN'T BE! I HAD YOU! WHY CAN'T I BEAT YOU?!"

I ignored his outburst, turning back to Raven. My tone shifted, serious now. "How did you escape?"

She hesitated, averting her gaze. "It's complicated."

I frowned and pressed. "Raven."

Finally, she exhaled. "I unleashed the Warrior King. He saved me from Andras in the black volcano up North."

Silence stretched between us.

This surprised me. "You tamed him enough to summon him?"

"Barely," she said, her voice trembling. "He's still wild. Still mostly uncontrollable… but he came when I needed him most."

I stared at her, my eyes wide. "You summoned a berserk guardian spirit in an active volcano? Are you crazy?"

Raven's gaze darkened. "Andras had me chained over a pit of lava. He was obsessed with me."

Her voice trembled slightly, but she forced herself to continue. "I didn't have a choice. I had to summon the Warrior King to save me. It slaughtered him before he could touch me."

Richard's head lolled to the side, his face as pale as ash. "Andras is gone?"

She nodded stiffly. "That's right, Richard. My guardian Spirit split your accomplice in half. Once it's unleashed, it doesn't stop until its target is dead."

Richard couldn't speak. I'll bet he felt grateful he didn't face Raven's berserk guardian Spirit.

I exhaled, running a hand through my hair. "Well. That explains why I couldn't reach you telepathically. Volcanic energy disrupts telepathic magic."

She bit her lip. "I thought I was going to die there, Archer. I felt so weak and helpless. If it weren't for the Warrior king, I wouldn't know what'd have become of me."

It was at that moment, I was glad Raven didn't allow me to transfer her guardian Spirit to myself.

She would've been dead without his protection.

Before I could respond, Richard let out another pained groan, his body spasming as the poison continued its work.

"You—you're both monsters," he gasped. "Kill me. What are you both waiting for?"

I crouched beside him. "You're a fool, Richard. But unlike Andras, I'm not going to kill you."

Richard gritted his teeth. "Big mistake. If you spare me, I'll find you and kill you. I won't rest until you're dead, Archer. I swear on my life."

"That's not going to happen, Richard," I stretched my hand forward and tore open a portal beside us.

Two massive figures stepped through—Rust and Vibranium.

Both of them immediately dropped to one knee, lowering their heads respectfully before me.

Richard's eyes bulged as he saw them. "O-Orcs?!" he choked out.

Ignoring him, I yanked the dagger from his back and stepped away.

"Take him away and lock him up," I ordered. Then casted a quick healing magic on his back, sealing his wounds so he wouldn't bleed out. "He'll be better by morning."

The orcs grunted in acknowledgment, hauling Richard up by his arms.

He thrashed weakly, but the poison had sapped his strength. "You—you can't do this! I'm a noble! My family will—"

Rust silenced him with a sharp jerk, dragging him toward the portal as Vibranium followed.

As they vanished, Raven turned to me, her brow furrowed. "What are you going to do with him?"

I opened my Infinity vault and locked the dagger inside. "I'm going to help him."

Her eyes widened slightly. "Help him? After everything he's done? He just tried to kill you. He gave me off to that pervert, Andras. I could've been violates and killed."

"That's why he needs my help, Raven," I said, grabbing her shoulders. "This beef has gone far enough. He tried to hurt you. I wouldn't forgive myself if something really bad happened to you, Raven. This isn't your fight."

She blinked in surprise and looked away, but I noticed the soft blush creeping up her cheeks.

"I can take care of myself, you know," she muttered, glancing away and folding her arms.

I also looked away and chuckled sheepishly. "Yeah, I know."

She stood in silence for a moment before her tone sobered. "But Archer... I don't want to rely on anyone again. Not even the warrior king."

She met my eyes, determination burning in hers. "You were right to be worried. The warrior king is too dangerous to be summoned. He could get me killed if he went berserk. I need to get stronger."

This surprised me. "Really? But you're still working on your magic."

"Forget about magic," she countered. "I'll definitely master magic with time. In the meantime, I need real sword skills. If I'm going to become a powerful mage like my grandmother someday, I might as well become a strong warrior."

A slow smile spread across my face. I admire her determination and unwavering attitude to win.

"Then how would you like to be trained under my orcs?" I offered.

Raven's eyes snapped open. "Really?" she gasped.

I nodded. "They're best fighters I've tamed. If you're serious about this, they can teach you. You just have to pick one as your master and learn from him."

Her eyes lit up with excitement, but there was something more. Hunger. The same hunger I'd seen in warriors before their first real battle.

"Yes," she whispered, almost breathlessly. "I want that. I want to get stronger. No more waiting to be saved."

* * * *

I brought Raven with me into the Red Dragon's domain's training ground, where my orc warband stood in formation.

They were lined up in a row like soldiers awaiting command.

"Raven," I said as she stepped forward beside me, "you've met some of them already—but allow me to formally reintroduce you to my orc warband."

I gestured to the first orc on the line. "This is Dwayne," I said. He stepped forward and gave a deep nod. "He's the warband's leader. Strategic, calm, and impossible to shake in battle."

Dwayne's deep voice rumbled, "I will train you like a soldier, princess Eris."

Next, I motioned to the second orc. "This is Vibranium. Red hair, wicked with a spear, and faster than most can track."

Vibranium gave a dramatic twirl of his crimson-tipped spear and winked. "I don't just fight—I dance with death. If you can keep up, I'll show you the rhythm."

I turned to the next. "Rust. He's the oldest among them, and that axe on his back has seen more wars than most kingdoms."

Of course I was only exaggerating but I intend to boost my orcs ego and make them look larger than life.

They loved it.

Rust snorted. "I've chopped down mountains and armies alike. If it's endurance you want, I'll make you iron, your highness."

Raven was enjoying herself. She smiled as we moved on to the next.

"Brick," I said, motioning toward the only female orc in the lineup. "Stealth. Precision. Lethality. She's assassin class warrior. The best I've ever seen."

Brick simply gave a nod, arms folded, her twin curved blades strapped to her back. "Train with me, and you'll never be heard or seen until it's too late."

"Rocky," I continued, pointing at the largest of them all—easily the size of a troll, with a hammer nearly as big as Raven herself slung over his shoulder. "He's the brute force. When you need something smashed, Rocky's your guy."

Rocky thumped his chest and grunted, "Hit hard. Hit first. Hit till it's over."

"And finally," I said, gesturing to the last, "Jojo. Dual swords. Speed and flair. He's sharp in battle. There's none other like him."

Jojo stepped forward, twin blades unsheathing with a hiss. He doesn't talk much

I turned to Raven, hands in my pockets. "You must pick one to be your master. They won't go easy on you—but whoever you choose will make you stronger."

She took a deep breath, her eyes scanning the group.

When she stopped at Rust, her posture shifted.

"You," Raven said, stepping forward. "I want to train under you."