N/T: Translation made by our friend 'Irving'. A big round of applause for him :)
C 274
The moment Raon opened his eyes, a radiant light resembling sunlight flashed in his pupils.
He placed his hand on his left chest.
Seven spinning rings rotating vigorously conveyed that all of this was not a dream.
"Finally completed, huh…"
A new ring.
As he clenched his head, the seventh ring he had meticulously crafted was encircling his heart.
"It was just a hair's breadth difference."
Creating the sixth ring had been challenging too, but this time it was different.
Though the duration wasn't long, it had been physically exhausting to the point where his body was soaked in sweat.
If he had failed, he might have had to lie down for days.
Goooo!
Listening to the resonating sound emanating from his heart, Raon slowly exhaled.
"From here on, it begins."
The seven rings started purifying the energy of the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation and Glacier within the energy center even more immaculately. (mana core change to energy center, energy center is the correct translation by repaerscans)
Even when he had six rings, he thought the purity was close to perfection, but there was further to go.
"My perception has changed too."
His range of senses, including sight, hearing, and the sensations he felt through his senses and aura, had all ascended a step beyond what they were before.
It felt like the flow of the world had changed once again.
"The foundation has become even stronger."
Although attaining the ring of fire achievements wouldn't directly elevate his mastery, the foundation for reaching higher levels, for ascending faster, had grown broader and deeper.
Because it could serve as a catalyst for going beyond even the level of a Master, a natural smile formed on his lips.
"It's truly fascinating."
The ring of fire, while displaying a wild temperament while creating a new ring, would warmly welcome the completed ring.
Even now, the six rings resonated with a clear sound as if welcoming the newly created seventh ring.
Raon smiled as he enjoyed the resonance of the rings.
"Still, it's fortunate it's over quickly."
Though he had lost track of time in between, judging by the fact that he wasn't hungry and didn't feel tired, it seemed to have been only about two days.
Quickly?
A voice emerged from the Ice Flower Bracelet as Wrath chimed in.
Di-did you finish so faaaast?
He pouted his lips as he pushed his face up against the bracelet.
After a whole week of being knocked out, you're saying it's done quickly now?
"A week?"
Yes! You didn't move a muscle in that spot for a whole week!
"Is that so?"
Raon's words weren't much of a surprise to Wrath.
Continuing to experience it, he hadn't realized a whole week had passed while crafting the rings.
'Humans can maintain this level of concentration?'
This was the first time he had maintained such a high level of focus.
He seemed to have underestimated human potential.
The discovery of a path to go even further made his heart race.
The King… The King….
Wrath clenched his fists, trembling with anger.
For a whole week, not even one meal was eaten! Not even one!
"Um…"
A response that was hardly unexpected from Wrath.
Although he kept his promise of not eating in front of him, seeing the Demon King cry out for mere food was more astonishing.
"I did keep the promise about the food for you…"
Shut up!
Wrath raised two fingers, his gesture feeling like a threat that he might poke his eyes out if he said one more word.
Do you know this?
"What, what is it?"
Your maids left food at your door every mealtime.
He pointed to the gap under the door, biting his lip.
Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even two snacks in between! Behind that door, there were five meals a day, and you missed all of them! A total of 35 meals vanished right before the King's eyes!
Wrath started shaking his head, moisture forming at the corners of his eyes.
The hunger, the smell, the sadness of not being able to eat. Do you even understand that despair! Hell! Yes, hell. It was hell itself!
Hell is your home, you know...
Oh, the Demon Realm? Well, hell and the Demon Realm are similar enough.
Anyway, watching the Demon King wail over missing meals, a hollow laugh escaped from Raon.
You're laughing? You find this funny now? Torturing the King and lifting the corners of your mouth?
Wrath sharpened his nails until they made a grating sound.
This level of rage is unprecedented.
If you can't see it, then just endure it! It's right in front of your eyes and you can smell it! By the way, yesterday it was pineapple pizza! Pine.ap.ple!
"Well, I'm sorry."
Raon raised both hands as if surrendering.
"You'll have more reasons to be annoyed."
Nonsense! I won't get any more annoyed than this…
Before Wrath could finish his sentence, a message appeared before his eyes.
[A new <Ring of Fire> has been crafted.]
[<Ring of Fire> has reached the 7th stage of mastery.]
[You can now see and feel more things.]
[The intensity of your aura has increased.]
[The level of the ability <Indomitable Will> has risen to 4th grade.]
[The level of the ability <Concentration> has risen to 5th grade.]
[All stats have increased by 7 points.]
As the Ring of Fire was completed, the rewards filled his vision.
Urgh!
Wrath's eyes bulged so much it seemed they might pop out.
"I did achieve something during that week. I thought it would naturally appear, of course."
Raon smiled while looking at the message.
Crafting a new Ring of Fire, with increased ability levels and stats points—although he always felt this way, Wrath was a true bundle of joy.
Ughhh…
Veins popped on Wrath's forehead, and a cold aura of anger began to radiate from his shoulders.
Thinking that there was no need for further anger, Raon tried to move the now-seven rings, but Wrath kept his lips sealed, his anger manifesting as a freezing chill that seemed to seep into his forehead.
"Are you really holding back?"
Don't ridicule the King. I won't do you any more favors than this!
"Wrath has learned <Patience>."
Shut up!
As Raon spoke as if he was a system, Wrath's forehead veins bulged even more.
"No, you thought well."
If he resonated the seven Rings of Fire simultaneously, whatever Wrath did wouldn't matter.
It would only increase his stats, as he had said.
But the ironic situation of the Wrathful Demon King suppressing his wrath and enduring it brought a smile to Raon's face.
"If you have a conscience, go out and prepare some food right now! Pineapple pizza would be good, while you're at it, add some shrimp."
Wrath growled while making detailed demands. He was truly an unbelievable character.
"I'm sorry, but I can't."
Raon pointed to the moonlit window.
"They're all asleep right now; they'll wake up."
Aren't they all your subordinates? Wake them up!
"They're not subordinates, and I have no intention of waking them up."
Raon waved his hand as if shooing Wrath away.
"I'll eat something delicious as soon as the sun rises. Just bear with it for a bit."
How can you ask me to bear it when I've endured a week already?
"Then there's a good solution."
"You're going to spout another crazy idea, right? Whatever!"
Wrath snorted as if telling him not to amuse him.
"But there is a way to recover your lost week of meals."
R-recover a week of meals? What's that method?
As soon as he mentioned recovering a week's worth of meals, Wrath leaped up like a rabbit.
With a slight smile, Raon opened the cloth on the table.
Seven well-baked, round brown loaves of bread were revealed.
"Even one of these fills you up for a day. With seven of these, you can recover the week you lost."
Hoo…
The light vanished from Wrath's eyes, replaced by a distant darkness.
You should not exist in this world…
He stirred up the suppressed fury and chill into an unprecedented size and rushed forward.
Yooouuuuuu!
That night, Raon's all stats increased by an additional 2 points.
* * *
In Derus Robert office, bathed in the gentle moonlight, Derus Robert's hands, which were moving like a machine through the paperwork, suddenly halted.
His chilly gaze fixed on the back of his hand gripping the pen.
Thud.
Crimson blood flowed from the still hand, staining the documents as the blood trailed down his fingers.
The fresh blood spread across the white paper, smearing the not-yet-dried ink.
"Is it growing...?"
Derus squinted as he looked at the wound on his hand.
The scar that hadn't faded in 20 years, left by the dog he had raised, seemed to have slightly expanded.
'There's pain too...'
While the blood had fallen before without causing much pain, today the pain was considerably strong.
'It's that curse, right?'
He had met priests, healers, magicians, and even shamans to try to heal this wound, but no one had succeeded.
They had said that a deep curse was placed on it, one that would never fade in his lifetime, and the only way to resolve it was to remove the resentment of the person who placed it.
However, the one who placed this curse, Raon, was dead, and his body had been incinerated.
Since he had disregarded the curse, thinking that curses like these held no meaning for souls, today marked the first time the wound had appeared.
'Has the curse grown stronger?'
The last shaman he had met had mentioned that as the curse grew stronger, the wound might also grow larger.
It seemed that Raon's curse left on this wound had intensified.
"How interesting. To have held such deep resentment against me even in death."
Derus licked the blood from his hand with his tongue and smirked, curling up the corners of his mouth.
Hoo.
As he raised his hand to the documents, the white paper instantly turned to ashes.
It was fascinating how only the documents stained by the blood were burned, while the desk and other papers remained untouched.
"Martio."
At Deirus's gesture, a black shadow surged up from the ground.
The shadow roiled like a moonlit lake and gradually formed into the shape of a man wearing a black night suit with a mask covering his face.
Without a word, he stood before Derus.
"The information about Raon Zigheart?"
"The north route has been connected. We're organizing information based on the data from the Shadows and the content seen near the Gazelle River and the Lohengreen Dungeon."
"You said he killed the Fourth Apostle at the Lohengreen Dungeon in an ambush, right?"
"He couldn't kill him, but he did sustain critical injuries."
"Yes, that's right. An ambush..."
With a faint smile, Derus nodded.
"Deliver this information to the shadows in the north."
Derus Robert, looking at the wound on the back of his hand, curled his lips into a smile.
"Tell the shadows in the north to treat information about Raon Zieghart as equivalent to Glenn Zieghart's."
"You-you mean to treat it the same as Glenn Zieghart's information?"
"Yes, to that extent."
Raon Zieghart, at the age of 18, had slit the throat of Tyler, the disciple of the North-South Alliance/Union, and shattered the heart of the Fourth Apostle.
He was not just a promising youth with rumors swirling around him; he was an actual presence that impacted the continent's political landscape.
Therefore, it was worthwhile to gather information about him.
"Understood."
Martio nodded slightly and then disappeared into the shadows as he had before.
"Hmm."
Derus swiveled his chair to face the window, his gaze fixed on the moonlight pouring in.
"Roan. What's your true identity? Are you merely a genius? Or something more…"
* * * *
Raon ate a hearty breakfast, knowing that it would take more than that to quell Wrath's anger.
After finishing, he headed to the training grounds.
As he opened the door and entered, he saw the members of the Light Wind squad getting ready for the morning training.
"Huh?"
"Raon!"
"Vice-squad Leader is here!"
"Only a week has passed since your last visit."
The Light Wind squad greeted Raon with excitement as they saw him.
Their smiles indicated their sense of accomplishment over the past period.
"Indeed..."
Raon met the gazes of the Light Wind squad and smiled warmly.
'Confident, indeed.'
Within a week, everyone seemed to have transformed into different individuals.
After proper rest, their eyes were clear, and their bodies radiated energy.
The overly aggressive behavior that had been seen before was nowhere to be seen.
'Having defeated the Jungmadan squad their passion must be even higher now.'
A week ago, they had been exhausted, barely sleeping, and undoubtedly overwhelmed.
However, with the realization that they had defeated the Jungmadan squad and the surge of victory, their enthusiasm must have skyrocketed, akin to being intoxicated with a drug.
Raon enjoyed the strong energy emanating from the Light Wind squad as he stepped up onto the platform and stood beside Gambling Monster.
"Sir Administrator, you've worked hard."
"They may have been troublesome, but they weren't bad."
Gambling Monster nodded his head, showing a degree of satisfaction with the training session.
"Where's the Squad Leader?"
"I don't know. Haven't seen his face either."
"Well, that's typical of him."
Given the Squad Leader's nature, it wasn't surprising.
He probably could be found somewhere gambling or engaged in some other leisure activity.
Standing at the edge of the platform, Raon looked at the gazes of the Light Wind squad.
Determination and strength could be seen in their eyes, which brimmed with vitality.
"You've all done well. You've exceeded my expectations."
"Wow, woohoo!"
As Raon smiled and nodded, all the members of the Light Wind squad cheered.
"Raon is impressive as ever."
Runaan let out a relieved sigh, her stern expression softening.
"He even has a conscience."
Martha chuckled and wiped her forehead with her finger.
She pretended to be nonchalant, but she had been anxious; a droplet of sweat rolled down her forehead.
"I guess I'm still alive, huh?"
Burren, who had barely made it through the extra training from the beginning, bowed his head with a pale expression.
"It's finally over!"
"Ahahaha, we survived! We're alive!"
"It feels satisfying to have endured and not died."
"Goodness, I really thought I was going to die."
"It's good to become stronger, but people need some rest."
The Light Wind squad also felt relieved that the Hell Training had finally come to an end, and smiles blossomed on their faces.
"What has the squad vice leader been up to?"
Dorian, whose complexion had brightened like his hair, raised his hand.
He seemed to think that since the training was over, he could relax and enjoy himself.
Raon nodded at Dorian's question and answered with a smile.
"I stayed in my room for the whole week."
"Did you even sleep during that time?"
"Yeah. Since it's okay to roam around inside the annex building."
"Well, it must have been tight."
The Light Wind squad shook their heads in amazement, finding it hard to believe.
"But that's not it. I was so focused on training that I didn't realize how time flew by. A week has passed, but it feels like not even a day. Thanks to that, I've learned something."
Raon looked into the eyes of the Light Wind squad members one by one, his lips curling upwards.
"I realized there are no limits to concentration and stamina. I understood that beyond what we perceive as the end, there's an even higher peak."
"Uh..."
"Hmm?"
"That..."
The members of the Light Wind squad felt something was amiss, their eyes shifting uncomfortably.
"Originally, a fire burns brighter with good fuel. I couldn't become the right kind of firewood to burn you properly."
Raon clenched his fist, wanting the Light Wind squad to feel the extreme concentration and exhilaration he had experienced when forming the rings of fire.
"Do you not have something called human emotion?"
Wrath, already ahead of Raon's thoughts, raised an eyebrow.
"What are you saying, you bastard?"
"You want to continue the training, right?"
"Raon?"
Martha, Burren, and Runaan looked at Raon's eerie eyes and swallowed nervously.
"I Promise. Starting today, I will help you push your limits to the extreme. Our goal is simple."
Raon raised his index finger straight up.
"From beginner to Intermediate, from Intermediate to Advanced, from Advanced to Expert. Over the next three months, we will transcend the limits you possess."
"...."
The training grounds fell silent at his words.
It seemed like even the air had stopped flowing, leaving only the sound of ragged breathing.
Sliiing.
What followed was the sound of multiple swords being drawn simultaneously.
Not practice swords, but real blades - thirty swords were drawn at once.
"Kill. We have to kill him now." (lmao)
"If we don't kill him, we'll be killed..."
"Three months? We won't last three days... drying up and withering away."
"Grrrr..."
"Grrrr!"
The Light Wind squad raised their energy, looking up at Raon. The members that had transformed into beasts, growling like they did a week ago, were in abundance.
Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!
Burren assumed a stance with his Cyclone Sword, Martha channeled the power of the Titan's Aura to its fullest, and Runaan's ice summoning caused the ground to freeze.
"Eeek! I don't want to die!"
Dorian retrieved a 3-meter-long arrow used to hunt large monsters from his bag and set it up.
"Uwaaa!"
"Kill him!"
"We must kill him no matter what!"
Seeing the Light Wind squad charging at him with fury, Raon resonated with the seven rings of fire.
He smiled and nodded with satisfaction.
"Voluntary participation is always welcome."
