N/T: Translation made by our friend 'Irving'. A big round of applause for him :)
C 341
Raon suppressed his presence even further, exhaling his breath as subtly as a thread. He erased his presence to the level of a small pebble and scrutinized the shadows on the beach one by one.
Even though we can't see their faces, can you distinguish them? Wrath complained, sticking out his tongue.
"By their physique and aura," Raon replied.
Even if they concealed their entire bodies, differences in height and shoulder width, among other things, couldn't be hidden. Distinguishing them based on their auras, which varied from person to person, wasn't too difficult.
Hmph. They're not even worth a punch for me, no need to distinguish them.
"That's right."
In the mental world, where Raon met Wrath's true form, Wrath possessed both beauty and strength. If it weren't for his obsession with food, he would qualify as a king of demons who could make such remarks.
"I'm weak, though. I need to gather information to plan how to proceed."
Huh? Are you actually admitting your weakness now?
"I just don't want to go through that again."
Since being kidnapped by Merlin, Raon had thought a lot about that incident. It had indeed been a challenging situation, but with a bit more wisdom in his actions, he might have avoided getting kidnapped in the first place.
"Hmm..."
Wrath looked at Raon and tasted his words.
Have you grown?
There are two types of humans: those who learn from their failures and those who console themselves, saying that their failures were merely bad luck. It was obvious which type of person would go further and higher.
Raon was someone who had no choice but to rise higher, whether physically or mentally, more than anyone else.
"But..."
There was one thing that irritated him.
Haven't you gained a lot from that incident?
Wrath frowned at Raon.
You stole all of my abilities and yet you dare to say that! You conscienceless rascal!
"No."
Raon waved his hand.
"That was just luck."
Being kidnapped allowed him to become stronger and learn about his lineage, but he never wanted to entrust his life to an enemy again. He needed to gather information, anticipate situations, and take control of his own fate.
'Information is especially crucial this time.'
Since he had no information about the dungeon, Raon had to assess the situation and the conversation of the people involved before entering.
"How long will it take to reach the end?"
Martio turned to the magician and asked as he suppressed his presence even further.
"Well, at this rate, about a week?"
The magician replied as she removed her mask, revealing the face of a young woman with wet pink hair.
'Koshini Zion…'
The magician's true identity was Koshini Zion, the leader of the Shadow Magicians. Her face hadn't changed much in the past 20 years, making it easy to recognize.
'She's using informal language.'
Even if Koshini had become the leader of the magician group, Martio's position was likely higher, so it was strange that she was using informal language.
"Can't we do it faster?"
Martio gestured towards the sea.
"We can, but the risk of collapse is higher. This place wasn't originally designed as a dungeon, so the foundation is weak. If we mess up, we might..."
When Koshini raised her finger, the sand beneath their feet suddenly gave way.
"It will end up like this. If you want to be buried alive, I won't stop you."
Listening to Koshini's words, Raon tasted his words.
'They didn't originally design it as a dungeon?'
It seemed that some event had occurred, and they had modified it into a dungeon afterward.
"Phew..."
Martio sighed as he removed his mask. His expression was filled with frustration.
"It means we'll have to come at least two more times in the next week."
"Well, that's true."
Koshini nodded and looked up.
"Why the rush when you're not fully healed yet? there are definitely high-level monsters down there"
Martio tightened his fist slightly upon hearing Koshini's words.
"It's the most crucial information above all else."
Martio still recovering, was the most valuable piece of information Raon had gathered so far. The possibility of killing him within the dungeon had become much higher.
"I just want to deliver good news to him as soon as possible," Martio sighed, looking towards the direction of the house Robert.
"Is it because of the arena? I follow him too, but you can't keep up. There must be a reason you're credited despite being outmatched."
"Shut your mouth."
"How long is the break?"
"Of course, for a day."
"Sigh, it's too short."
Koshini sighed and headed towards the house Robert.
"Come with me."
Martio didn't follow and gestured towards the sandy beach.
"Paah!"
Four shadows hidden among the sand and trees rushed forward to bow before them.
"Three days ago, two residents came, and two days ago..."
They reported who had come and gone from this place. Of course, Raon's name was not among them.
"Keep watching."
"Yes."
After the shadows replied, they returned to their original positions, hiding themselves.
"Let's go."
At Martio's command, shadows emerging from the sea followed him and disappeared.
Will you enter right away?
"No."
Raon shook his head.
"I have more than one goal."
If he only wanted to destroy the dungeon, it would be possible right now. But what he truly desired was to kill Martio and claim the dungeon's treasure.
'There must be shadows inside the dungeon too.'
Considering Martio's personality, he would have surely placed shadows inside the dungeon. So they couldn't enter right away.
'But I've gathered a lot of information.'
Raon smiled faintly. With details about their rest time, when they would start conquering the dungeon, and the enemy's numbers and strength, he could plan accordingly.
Then let's have a meal first. You haven't eaten anything for two days.
"Oh, right."
Raon nodded and carefully stood up. After moving far enough that the shadows wouldn't sense them, he took out Nadine's bread from his dimensional pocket. (lol)
Aaaaaaaaaarrhh!
"Bear with it."
It's a day of rest! Can't you eat somewhere else?
"If it's Martio, he'll definitely come back in the middle."
Martio, like Derus, was very suspicious and wouldn't rely solely on his subordinates. He had to be ready in case he returned with more information.
Raon smiled and took a bite of Nadine's bread. Beyond the rubbery texture and bitterness, it filled his mouth with a dull taste, almost like choking his throat.
Wrath is grimacing with his mouth wide open.
Ugh, this is disgustingly awful. If the person who made this ever gets caught, I'll tear their limbs apart!
He clutched his stomach in agony.
"Is it really that bad?"
Raon raised an eyebrow as he watched Wrath.
"It's edible."
The taste might be a bit questionable, but it beats having a growling stomach all day long.
Well, even among your craziness, your taste buds are the weirdest! Your tongue must be made of steel!
"Maybe it is."
Raon filled his stomach and then utilized the underwater breathing technique he learned in his previous life as he headed into the sea.
'It's been a while since I used this.'
The underwater breathing technique allowed him to breathe underwater like a fish, creating no bubbles or revealing any signs on the surface, making it perfect for assassination.
Breathing slowly through the technique to suppress any signs, he swam towards the location of the dungeon. After swimming for a while along the horizon, he spotted a rift that seemed to have opened as if an earthquake had occurred.
'Found it.'
Beneath the grand canyon-like formation where two cliffs intersected, there was a triangular opening. Strong mana flowed from within.
'You must have worked hard for this.'
Originally, not only this entrance but the entire canyon was sealed. To have broken through all of this, the one who had this obsession must be the top person on the continent.
'Hmm…'
Raon narrowed his eyes slightly as he descended the opposite cliff.
'Just as I expected, it's still there.'
It hadn't changed at all.
As expected, shadows were waiting inside the rift. Upon seeing the opponent, it seemed there was a space inside the rift where they could breathe.
'Shall we begin?'
He spread the aura of Glacier and sent it into the dungeon. Passing the two shadows guarding right behind the dungeon entrance, he examined the depths.
'They've dug quite deep.'
As Koshini had said, it already seemed to have been dug quite deeply.
He could feel the cold remains of monsters and shadows here and there. Memorizing the path and traps in his mind, he slowly began to explore the dungeon.
Wait a moment! Are you seriously planning to stay here like this?
Wrath shook his head in disbelief.
"Yeah. I won't move for four days."
You're insane! Are you going to starve yourself again?
"These days, there's a good diet called intermittent fasting. Have you heard of it?"
Raon chuckled and continued exploring the dungeon.
This crazy...
Wrath ranted in frustration.
A lunatic doing four days of intermittent fasting?
"Exactly."
Raon smiled and continued to examine the dungeon's interior.
* * *
"It seems Raon won't be heading to the Sepia Commerce Association after all. Is that okay?"
Sheryl put her teacup down and savored the flavor.
"Now that I think about it, I should have gone with him."
She sighed as if regretful.
"I agree. No matter how valuable that ring is, there might be unforeseen trouble..."
(This part below is messed up much)
Roenn poured tea into Sheryl's cup and nodded.
"What a waste."
Glenn, sitting across from Sheryl, shook his head.
"He's the leader of the Light Wind squad (temporary. He's not a child who needs protection; he's someone who should protect others."
Glenn raised his teacup and offered a cold smile.
"Well..."
"Uh, that's true, but..."
Both Roenn and Sheryl looked at Glenn with narrowed eyes, surprised by his unexpected statement.
"Hmm."
Glenn took a sip of tea with a faint smile. His lips behind the teacup trembled slightly.
"He should be fine."
While they were deeply concerned about Raon, sometimes trust was necessary. They decided to trust in Raon's uniqueness shown during the Six Kings Assembly Tournament and wait for the outcome.
"Phew..."
As they exhaled slowly and tried to calm their hearts, the door was forcefully pushed open as if it would break.
"Ridiculous!"
Rimmer entered with heavy steps, his expression contorted.
"Our family's greatest genius, the treasure, is sent off without any protection. Are you in your right mind? No, you're not!"
He pointed at Sheryl.
"Of course, you should have sent that muscle-headed fool with him!"
"Treasure?"
"Fool?"
Roenn and Sheryl stared at Rimmer with their mouths agape.
"In the Six Kings Tournament, he defeated Borini, Kitten, and Cardis, proving his strength, and then he rescued the spectators from Tacheon. Our White Dragon Raon, who gained popularity and fame. How can you not bring someone with him?"
Rimmer gestured with his hands, which were full of various gemstone rings.
"Why are you doing this?"
Glenn furrowed his brows as he watched Rimmer's agitated state.
"He must have used that burned gambling ticket, right?"
Sheryl clicked her tongue as she looked at the numerous gems on Rimmer's hands and around his neck.
"From the looks of it, Raon must have helped him."
Roenn chuckled as if amused.
"Ugh, you catch on fast."
Rimmer approached, seemingly upset.
"Anyway, I'm not asking you to take care of Raon because of money. Really."
"Then?"
"Raon is our treasure, our light, but his true worth is his genius. His strength and growth potential, which defeated all the middle-ranked Twelve Stars of the Continent, are a target that any power could target! We must send guards immediately! We must protect our treasure!"
He raised his hand and shouted that he should invest heavily in Raon.
"What guard? I don't care."
"What are you talking about, coming back to the family through the portal as soon as your journey with Raon is over?"
"Ugh..."
Glenn's hand trembled at Lemer's words that hit him right in the heart.
"If you like Raon, show it like me! You're just a shady old man in the back room if you just laugh behind the scenes..."
"Capture."
At Glenn's command, Sheryll and Roenn swiftly moved, grabbing Rimmer's arms.
"Ugh..."
Rimmer, who had just regained his senses, trembled as his lips quivered.
"Ahaha, I was worried about my beloved Raon, the one our lord cherishes the most..."
"From now on, you should be worried about yourself."
Following Glenn's gesture, a massive blade writhed above Rimer's head.
"Die."
"Dying is a bit harsh... Aaaah!"
* * *
"This should be the last time."
Koshini stood on the beach, placing her hand on her hip, and smiled faintly.
"Have you prepared well to avoid any issues?"
In response to her question, Martio furrowed his brow.
"As long as you do your part, there shouldn't be any problems."
"You couldn't even properly assess the judgment and got injured. You talk a big game."
"That loudmouth just doesn't shut up."
"That's why you keep him around."
Koshini teased Martio with a playful gesture, then entered the water as if mocking him.
"Phew..."
Martio let out a long breath and nodded. The shadows behind him silently submerged and followed Koshini into the water. After they all moved, about an hour had passed when Raon emerged from beneath the trees behind the beach.
"Now, it begins."
Hngh...
Wrath looked at Raon with teary eyes.
This psycho... How can a human stay underwater for three days and then underground for two! Are you a mole or a tuna?
Raon had endured for three days underwater, exploring the dungeon interior and learning how the enemies moved.
Afterward, he resurfaced on land to gather more information through eavesdropping on the enemies' conversations. Spending nearly five days confined to water and underground while eating only Nadine's bread had pushed him to the brink of madness.
Raon shrugged his shoulders at Wrath.
"This is normal, compared to before"
Before, he had endured for over a week underwater or underground to assassinate targets.
Five days, even with meals, weren't that challenging.
The king must have been mistaken. You're a lunatic who suits that crazy woman!
"Don't joke like that."
Raon quickly shook his head. The previous statement was scarier than getting cursed at.
No, a joke? What kind of joke! The king is serious! Monsters should meet fellow monsters…
"Enough of that."
Raon pushed Wrath aside and rose quietly. He moved silently, concealing himself beneath the trees. With a leap upwards, he pierced the heart of the shadow hiding in the tree.
Shh...Suppressing even the slightest sound, he subdued them, then moved on to another shadow hiding in the sandy beach. He stabbed their neck.
Whooosh.
The sound of sand blowing in the wind accompanied the extinguishing of the shadow's life.
Raon eliminated all four shadows that had been hiding along the beach without leaving a trace.
'Phase one is complete.'
After spending over five days in hiding and closely observing the enemy's movements, assassination wasn't a difficult task. He had erased all traces of himself and the enemies before standing by the sea.
Do you really need to kill them all? If you're going to destroy the dungeon, leaving them be might be better.
"Well, it would seem more natural that way. But..."
Raon smirked and looked towards the hoise Robert's mansion.
"For provoking that guy, this is better."
Naturally, provoking Derus through the unknown person who had taken what Raon wanted would be more effective than simply causing the dungeon to collapse. What he wanted was to keep pushing Derus until he broke his tough facade, so he needed to attack Derus without revealing his identity.
True...
Wrath lowered his gaze as if lost in thought.
Raon glanced at Wrath for a moment before diving into the sea. He swam towards the dungeon, moving through the water like an arrow. Three days ago, he had only seen the entrance of the dungeon from the opposite side, but now he headed straight for it.
Swish!
As he entered the dungeon and the water disappeared, Raon unsheathed his Heavenly Drive sword twice into the air.
Swish!
Two shadows that had been using invisibility techniques were struck in their hearts and fell, their positions precisely identified through his sensory abilities.
"Phew."
Raon surfaced inside the dungeon and let out a sigh. As he had felt before, the interior of the dungeon was structured to allow breathing.
"It's peculiar."
The dungeon's interior was filled with strange gaps, as if a child had scribbled on it. Judging by its aged appearance, it didn't seem like Martio and Koshini had created it."I should go down and check... Huh?"
As Raon was about to follow the path Martio had cleared, he suddenly halted at the gap right next to the staircase Martio had created. Both the Ring of Fire and the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation activated simultaneously.
Rumbling!
Both techniques simultaneously conjured an image in his mind. It was a scene of a blonde knight wielding a fiery sword, as if engaged in battle here.
"No way..."
Had he been here too?
Gulp.
Raon swallowed dryly.
"This isn't just a gap; it's a Gatekeeper.
"He placed his hand towards the gap, targeting the Gatekeeper he had seen in the recent image, and activated the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation.
Whooosh!
Through the Ring of Fire, purified, brilliant flames emerged amidst the countless Gatekeepers. The walls gently sank, and a new path opened.
"Huh?"
"Ah!"
Raon smiled as he looked at the gray passage untouched by anyone's footsteps.
Are they guiding me now?
