The Legend of the Berserker Magus

Chapter 2: Birth

The Halsburg clan is a mysterious and sequestered noble family located in the east of Floris continent. They have ruled the Halsburg kingdom since its establishment 900 years ago. The kingdom is situated in a huge valley in the middle of the Kunlun mountain range. Its unique location made it impossible to siege or invade because the only way to reach the kingdom is through a 50 kilometer tunnel with hundreds of vertical gates with steels as thick as a human body. Traversing the mountain range would be more of a challenge than sieging the tunnel gates because each mountain in the range is at least 50 kilometers high. It is often described as the "black chrysanthemum" because the summits are like petals with coal-dark rocky exterior forming a flower-like formation around the whole kingdom. The only vegetation surviving in these mountains are poisonous flowers and fruits. The climb is so steep that some parts have to be traversed using a pickaxe for hours. Assuming someone surpassed all these dangers, it is still highly possible to be killed by the unique creatures living in the mountains. It is said that the only person who successfully traversed the mountains is the former patriarch and founder of the Halsburg clan.

The line of succession for the Halsburg clan is unique because it is not hereditary. It is decided by performance in the yearly evaluation of the clan. Children of the clan can participate in the yearly evaluation from ages 12 to 17. Once they turn 18, they are forced to accept their position in the succession line or forfeit if they haven't secured a position. Only 200 people can secure a place in the succession line, the limited number started an intense and bloody competition between the members of the clan. There are bribes, assassinations, and illegal experiments just to have an advantage in the selection. The succession line is always affected by the yearly evaluation since new crops always find a chance to outperform those in position. The challenge is often called the Founder's Trials as the trials were personally created by the mysterious founder of the clan.

Maximillian Ferdinand Joseph von Halsburg was born in the Jin clan branch of the Halsburg clan. Each branch clan is given a unique name to properly distinguish them. Little Max was orphaned at an early age. His parents died as slaves in a clan war. The whole Halsburg kingdom is united under the clan lord but conflicts between branch clans are settled by clan wars. The clan wars have only three basic rules:

You may not engage each other outside the territory of the clans involved.

You are prohibited from killing and enslaving children.

You are not allowed to request assistance from another clan.

Violation of any of the rules would call the attention of the clan lord to interfere himself. An example was made to a branch clan who slaughtered the enemy clan's children. They were wiped out by the clan lord's forces and the leaders were tortured until their death.

The Jin clan was devastated by losing in the clan war with the Kan clan. They took up 70% of the Jin clan's arable lands and enslaved almost 50% of the population. They did not do anything to the children but they left them to fend off for themselves.

Little Max and his parents were taken from their home, his parents were forcefully taken as slaves. Being a child, he was discarded by the Kan clan in the woods. At the young age of five, he survived by copying how the wild animals lived. He eats what they eat, drinks what they drink, and sleeps where they sleep. He lived like this for three years until he was found by an old hunter who took him in.

"Old Bear, why is the succession line so important?" Little Max asked while gathering root crops to his basket.

"The people in the line of succession are given merits based on their position. It can be land, gold, women... whatever you desire. As long as you reached a position high enough for the clan lord to take notice." The big guy explained.