Dak

Biodata

Appearance

Dak is a youthful brown-haired guard with soft, slightly curly hair. 17 22

• Carries a sword while serving with the caravan. 9 18
• His face readily reveals his nervousness, excitement, admiration, and disappointment. 16 17 22
• Has a slightly thin build during his early travels with Cui. 19

Personality

Dak is alert but inexperienced, initially remaining close to Carl to learn from her while serving as a guard. 7 During the Grey Wolf Bandits' raid, he is visibly frightened and repeatedly endangered, but refuses to retreat as he tries to lessen Carl's burden in battle. 9

He is an enthusiastic admirer of heroic ideals, especially North God II. His reverence for Cui Ciyou becomes intense after witnessing Cui save the caravan; he sees Cui as a living hero and eagerly seeks chances to learn from and assist him. 11 16 Though shy about offering instruction to someone vastly stronger than himself, Dak takes the initiative to teach Cui the North God Style and takes genuine pride in being called Cui's teacher. 17 19

Dak is protective of Cui despite their enormous difference in strength. He worries that Cui's conspicuous appearance and unfamiliarity with Turan could expose him to harassment, but eagerly accepts the opportunity to accompany him as a guide. 14 His admiration eventually extends beyond their initial journey: he joins the expedition sent to the Begaritt Continent to search for Cui after the Displacement Incident. 380

Abilities & Skills

Swordsmanship

Dak practices techniques from both the North God and Sword God traditions, though his experience and strength remain limited compared with Cui Ciyou's. 17 18

• Describes himself as an intermediate North God Style swordsman trained in introductory techniques at a dojo in the Dragon King Kingdom. 17
• Studied the dojo's introductory techniques and core principles together with Carl. 17
• Demonstrates and teaches the North God Style: Basic Stance, a low, flexible posture suited to sudden attacks and evasions. 17
• Uses basic Sword God Style blocks, thrusts, and side slashes in an instructional spar with Cui. 18
• His attacks are easily read, redirected, and disarmed by Cui's Perception, superior reactions, and strength. 18
• Carl regards his early swordsmanship talent as fairly good, despite Dak's modest assessment of himself. 18 19
• By his twenties, he has reached Advanced North God Style and is counted among the Rescue Corps' strongest fighters. Carl believes he has a chance of becoming a North Saint before thirty; this is a prospect rather than a confirmed advancement. 380

North God Style Instruction

Dak teaches Cui the Kiba Style branch's practical combat philosophy rather than rigid forms. 17 19

• Emphasizes survival, adaptability, use of terrain and tools, psychological manipulation, and unexpected tactics. 17
• Explains that the style can use any available advantage—including deception, ambushes, or unconventional weapons—to defeat stronger opponents. 16 17
• Provides Cui with foundational knowledge that helps him address his lack of formal combat training. 17 19
• His lessons include redirection, methods of exerting force, and sword trajectories that Cui incorporates into his early combat practice and subsequent boulder-cleaving test. 18 19

Language and Local Guidance

Dak helps Cui overcome his initial isolation in the Central Continent. 10 13

• Participates in teaching Cui basic Human Common Tongue vocabulary after the Grey Wolf Bandit attack. 10
• Continues teaching vocabulary, pronunciation, and simple phrases during the caravan's journey. 11 13
• Is entrusted by Carl to assist Cui after the caravan settles at Turan's post station. 12
• Acts as Cui's guide in Turan, warning him that his black hair, black eyes, and unfamiliar clothing make him conspicuous. 14
• Explains local history and identifies Chaos Breaker as the floating castle of Perugius Dola. 15
• Accompanies Cui on a later visit to Turan's Adventurers' Guild, where Cui discovers the Boreas family's tutoring notice. 21

Power Progression

Relationships

• Cui Ciyou — Initially helps expose Cui's presence to the caravan, then becomes his devoted admirer after Cui saves him during the Grey Wolf Bandit raid. Dak teaches Cui language and swordsmanship, while Cui recognizes him as his “teacher” and encourages him to become a hero. 5 9 11 17 19 22 After their separation, Cui remembers Dak with gratitude and wonders whether he will become strong enough to fulfill that aspiration. Dak later joins the Rescue Corps' expedition to search for him on the Begaritt Continent. 23 380
• Carl — His parent and caravan captain. Dak stays near Carl to learn from her, fights beside her during the bandit raid, and follows her orders despite wanting to accompany Cui after the caravan parts ways with him. 7 9 22 Carl later boasts about his Advanced North God Style rank and potential to become a North Saint while pretending to criticize his progress. 380
• North God II, Alex Kalman Reibak — Dak's personal hero. He passionately recounts North God II's history, victories, and survival-at-all-costs philosophy to Cui. 16
• Paul Greyrat — Leader of the Rescue Corps and the Begaritt expedition Dak joins to investigate reports of a powerful black-haired swordsman who might be Cui. 380
• Rorze, Zenith, and Graz — Fellow members of the Begaritt search expedition. Rorze provides archery, Graz serves as another frontline swordsman, and Zenith supplies healing support. 380

Story Role

Caravan Journey

Dak is the young guard who first notices Cui hiding near the caravan. Once Cui joins their travels, Dak is among the first to show curiosity toward Cui's unfamiliar writing and gradually helps him learn the local language. 5 7 10

During the Grey Wolf Bandits' ambush, Dak fights despite his fear and inexperience. Cui's decision to save Dak from a bandit's strike becomes the immediate turning point that brings him into the battle. 9 After the caravan survives, Dak's fear of Cui changes into open admiration. 10 11

Dak suffers a bleeding shoulder wound during the raid, though his injuries are not among the caravan's most serious. He also helps support the exhausted Carl afterward. 10

Mentor and Guide

In Turan, Dak accompanies Cui through town and serves as his local guide. He later shares his knowledge of North God II and offers to teach Cui the North God Style—Kiba Style. 14 16 17 Cui's instant replication of Dak's Basic Stance shocks him, but Dak remains excited to continue instructing him. 17 19

Their instructional spar ends with Cui effortlessly disarming him. Rather than becoming discouraged, Dak praises Cui as comparable to the legendary Sword God and predicts that he could eventually surpass that figure. Carl, who observes the match, recognizes Cui's overwhelming superiority and subsequently invites him to join the Red Beard Adventurer Party. 18

When Cui declines the invitation, Dak offers to continue teaching him regardless of party membership. Cui warmly accepts and calls him his teacher, further strengthening their bond. 19 Dak later accompanies Cui to the Adventurers' Guild, where the tutoring notice for Philip Boreas Greyrat's daughter gives Cui a concrete reason to travel to Roa. 21

Farewell at Turan

When Cui decides to travel alone to Roa, Dak asks to accompany him on an adventure. Carl refuses on the grounds that Cui must follow his own path. 22 Cui instead tells Dak to train hard and become a hero through meaningful deeds, whether or not he becomes someone as famous as North God II. 22

Cui gently ruffles Dak's hair and expresses hope that they will meet again. After watching him leave, Dak asks whether he will return; Carl cannot promise a reunion but predicts that they will hear legendary stories about him. 22 Three days into his journey, Cui still thinks of Dak and wonders whether he can become a hero. 23

Begaritt Search Expedition

By the time Cui reconnects with Carl's group in Saint Grad, Dak has joined Paul's Rescue Corps and advanced to the Advanced rank of the North God Style. About six months before this meeting, Paul and Vice-Captain Rorze led an expedition to the Begaritt Continent after receiving reports of a powerful black-haired swordsman in the Labyrinth City who might be Cui. Dak accompanied them alongside Zenith and Graz. 380

Carl identifies Dak as one of the Corps' strongest fighters and proudly describes his potential to become a North Saint before thirty. Cui judges the expedition's combination of frontline fighters, archery, and healing to be well balanced, while remaining conscious of Begaritt's dangers. 380

Dak is still away when Cui reorganizes the Rescue Corps into the Relief Corps, a legally protected organization under the Greyrat family dedicated to helping people in need and defending the weak. Cui asks Carl to notify Paul and the expedition that he is safe and that they should stop searching for him. The report of Dak's expedition does not establish a reunion with Cui. 381 386

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