Heretic Trainer: The Gym Is My Cultivation Method

Arden now stood in front of Agram. He slowly walked toward Agram with his nonchalant attitude.

Agram's face twisted in rage as he watched Arden approach without the slightest fear.

"You dare walk toward me like that?!"

He thrust his arm forward, and the ground erupted.

Dozens of thorny roots burst upward.

Carnivorous vines twisted together, snapping like hungry jaws as they flew toward Arden from every direction.

They lashed, pierced, and bit Arden, but he didn't even blink and just let it happen.

But as the vines struck him over and over, not a single cut appeared on his skin.

Instead, every vine that touched him instantly withered, crumbling into dry dust.

Agram's eyes widened, trembling.

"H-How… how is this possible?! What are you?!"

Arden tilted his head slightly, brushing a speck of dust off his shoulder.

"I'm just a member of the God Gym."

Agram screamed and summoned even more vines.

But Arden didn't move at all, and even though the vines were more numerous, they still met the same fate as before.

They all simply struck Arden and then wilted into lifeless dust.

Agram staggered backward, sweat pouring down his face.

"W-Why isn't it working?! This is my domain! My power! My vines should drain your mana! Why isn't anything happening?!"

Arden smirked, placing his hands behind his back like a teacher giving a lecture.

"Don't you remember my fight with Avro earlier?"

Agram froze.

Arden sighed as he explained it again.

"My physique is [Nature]."

He then stepped forward and began to activate the real power of his physique.

The ground beneath him was blooming with grass as if nature itself welcomed him.

"That means your nature attacks?"

He tapped one of the dead vines with his foot.

"Useless."

Agram shook his head violently.

"N-No! No, no, no! That's impossible! Nothing could nullify the power of my [Devouring Forest]! That's absurd!"

Arden shrugged.

"You already saw it with your own eyes."

Agram panicked and unleashed everything in his domain toward Arden.

But again, the moment they touched Arden, everything turned to dust.

Agram's knees shook as his breath hitched and his pride was finally collapsing.

"No… no… NO! This can't be happening!"

Arden finally stopped right in front of him, so close Agram could see his own terrified face reflected in Arden's calm eyes.

Arden leaned forward slightly, voice quiet but sharp.

"Don't worry. I'll make it very real for you."

Agram's face drained of color.

He fell backward, scrambling on the ground like a frightened animal.

"P-Please! Please don't kill me! I-I'll give you the position! Patriarch! Elder! Anything!"

Arden snorted, crossing his arms.

"I don't care about your position. I'm the direct disciple of the God Gym."

He took one step closer.

"And this time… I'll avenge my mother."

Agram froze, eyes wide in horror.

"N-No wait! I'll give you anything else! Anything...just spare..."

Arden didn't let him finish.

He simply reached out with one finger.

Agram's whole body flinched.

Arden whispered, "Nothing can replace her."

Then his finger struck forward.

PCHT!

Arden's finger pierced straight through Agram's skull, killing him instantly.

Silence spread across the battlefield.

Arden stood up, wiping a speck of dust from his hand, completely unfazed.

He looked down and grabbed the corpse by the collar and lifted it easily with one hand.

"We don't have a third-realm cadaver… so you'll do."

Behind him, Garion arrived with a proud smirk.

But Raviel and the other elders?

Their jaws dropped.

Raviel stepped forward, pointing at Arden like he'd just seen a ghost.

"What… the hell… happened to him?!"

One elder whispered, trembling.

"H-He's younger than all of us… How can he be this strong?!"

Even the elders of the Avenora Clan were stunned.

Aveline stared at Arden, her eyes wide, voice almost shaking.

"To think my own nephew… could kill Agram alone. Just what happened to him…?"

Garion casually tapped Agram's corpse and grinned.

"Oh? Looks like you had the same idea as me."

Arden nodded proudly.

"Of course, Master. We don't have a third-realm cadaver. It's rare."

Garion nodded in approval.

"Indeed."

Then he cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted,

"Dahlia! Are you all done over there?!"

From across the battlefield, Dahlia's laugh echoed.

"One more minute, Master!"

Right as she said that, she twisted a male member's neck to the side.

CRACK!

Clara hopped over a pile of unconscious men with a man trapped in a chokehold, shaking him like a ragdoll.

"This one's stubborn! Just sleep already!"

THUD!

He went silent.

Eliza moved calmly between fallen bodies, punching each man on the forehead.

Bonk. Bonk. Bonk.

Every man she punched passed out instantly.

Garion sighed with a smile.

"I told them not to make it messy… but they never listen."

Arden shrugged.

"Well… they did finish the job."

Raviel groaned.

"Your disciples are monsters."

Garion chuckled softly.

"I know."

---

Garion dusted his hands and walked toward Raviel and Aveline, who were both speaking quietly with their respective elders.

He raised a brow.

"So… what's the situation?"

Raviel let out a long sigh and rubbed the back of his neck.

"All the male members of the Avenora Clan have been handled. Some are dead, but most were only knocked out."

Aveline nodded beside him, her expression tired but steady.

"Our side suffered no casualties. A few women were seriously injured, but none are in life-threatening condition. The men weren't trying to kill… just to dominate."

Garion nodded lightly.

"I see. Good thing none of your people ended up dead."

He crossed his arms and looked straight at Aveline.

"So now… What will you do, Aveline? Your clan just tried to overthrow you. What's your plan?"

Aveline went silent as she tightened her finger into a fist.

"I… don't know. The elders who supported me are still here. But the clan is broken. After this rebellion… I don't even know if I'm still worthy to lead."

Her voice wavered, soft but honest.

Garion watched her quietly for a moment, then gave her a small smile.

"Well… if you want, I have some ideas."

Aveline lifted her head, eyes narrowing with a mix of caution and hope.

"…What is it?"

Garion smirked.