N/T: Translation made by our friend 'Irving'. A big round of applause for him :)
C 350
The pain of suppressing the mana was causing Raon's hands to tremble uncontrollably.
He clenched his fist and forced himself to shut his eyes.
"It's an incredibly strong energy."
Not only did the vital energy of the sea gather to create the sea spirit flower, but there was also an immense energy concentrated within the core of the ghost jellyfish that had grown by absorbing the sea spirit flower's energy.
If it weren't for the sea spirit flower's leaves mitigating the clash of these two energies, many parts of the mana circuit might have ruptured.
"Perhaps I pushed it a bit too far."
Absorbing just the sea spirit flower's energy alone was challenging, and adding the core of the ghost jellyfish to it might have been excessive.
"No, this is the right path."
It had to be done this way.
The core of the ghost jellyfish was pure venom. Consuming only that could be dangerous, even for Raon as they were now.
They needed to purify the venom by absorbing the energy from the sea spirit flower and its leaves.
As Raon was trying to organize his thoughts, the energy from the sea spirit flower and the venom from the ghost jellyfish collided once again within the mana circuit.
A tremendous shock, like an explosion, occurred at the center of his body, around the area where the mana circuit passed, near the spine.
The intense pain, like a sledgehammer striking near the heart, shattered his concentration.
"I should have eaten one more leaf."
It seemed that a single leaf was insufficient to act as a buffer.
However, even if he had eaten one more, it might not have made a significant difference. What was done was done, and he had to proceed with the plan.
Raon utilized the ring ig fire as a buffer. The seven rings that circled around his heart produced a clear resonance, reducing the physical and mental agony while suppressing the powerful energies of the sea spirit flower and the ghost jellyfish.
"I have to act now."
No matter how powerful the ring of fire was, it couldn't continue to contain these energies indefinitely. With the energies of the elixir and the core now still, Raon needed to move forward as planned.
Gritting his teeth, Raon simultaneously drew upon the flames of Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation and Glacier. The surging heat and cold raced through the mana circuit.
"It's excruciating..."
Even in this heightened state of stimulation of the mana circuit, he endured the pain. Now was not the time to falter in the face of suffering; he had to move forward.
The heat from Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation helped suppress the venom from the core. Venom was vulnerable to fire. The ghost jellyfish's poison began to retreat in the face of Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation heat.
"And here..."
The sea spirit flower's energy had a predominant affinity with water elements within natural mana. Raon harnessed the cold from Glacier to guide the sea spirit flower's energy.
"They are moving..."
Both energies began to move through the mana circuit, following the flow of Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation and Glacier. Due to his immense power, every movement caused a dizzying pain in Raon's head.
Raon swallowed hard.
"This is going to be tough."
Operating both flames of Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation and the cold of Glacier simultaneously, as well as guiding the energies from the sea spirit flower and the ghost jellyfish, was incredibly demanding.
This method was the best way to absorb both energies.
The ring of fire exerted its maximum control over mana, pulling the energies from the sea spirit flower and the ghost jellyfish toward the center.
The two energies stubbornly resisted, as if a child refusing to listen, right in front of the mana circuit, causing it to swell and feel like it was about to burst.
"Urgh!"
Raon pulled in all the energy from Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation and Glacier.
The mana circuit swelled as if it was about to tear, but he relied on the resilience of his body and mind.
Under the excruciating physical and mental strain, cold sweat streamed down his back.
With lips clenched and determination, Raon swung the aura to its extreme polarity, pushing the energy of the sea spirit flower and the venom of the ghost jellyfish into the mana circuit.
A thunderous roar, as if a cliff was collapsing inside his body, erupted. It wasn't an exaggeration; the intense shocks continued to course through his entire body, leaving his head still dazed from the earlier impact.
"It's incredibly demanding..."
The shock from moments ago had left Raon's head still throbbing. Dealing with this level of strength and stamina drain was a first for him.
"But I'll endure."
I won't yield to something like an elixir.
Raon clenched hus fist tightly, regaining his shattered focus.
Squeezing every last bit of aura from Ten thousand flames cultivation and Glacier, Raon forced the energy of the sea spirit flower and the ghost jellyfish into the mana circuit.
Another thunderous roar!
With a sound like a thousand drums beating simultaneously, the energies of the sea spirit flower and the ghost jellyfish entered the mana circuit.
"At last."
Finally, both energies were inside the mana circuit.
However, they couldn't follow the normal flow; neither Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation heat nor Glacier cold could influence them anymore.
With the heat and cold interference gone, the energies of the sea spirit flower and the ghost jellyfish surged towards each other within the mana circuit.
A tremendous clash caused the mana circuit to swell as if it would burst. The pain was so intense it felt like a scream was about to escape, but a smile appeared on Raon's lips.
"All this mana will be mine."
The energies of the sea spirit flower and the ghost jellyfish were nearly equal in strength. When they clashed, a significant amount of aura would be lost and disappear naturally.
"However..."
The place they were fighting was inside his own mana circuit.
Since the two energies clashed within the mana circuit, the aura that should have vanished was becoming his own energy.
In other words, as long as they he endured the pain, the clash of the two energies would create pure mana.
"I can turn that into Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation and Glacier."
Creating a generator of pure aura inside the mana circuit was no different from what they he had done.
You're crazy. I knew you had noodles in your head instead of a brain, but I didn't think it would be this bad.
Wrath's cracked voice came to him in his mind.
Most people would never do it even if they knew the method."l
"Why?"
Because it's unbelievably painful! Would you endure constant agony like torture?"l
"I can handle this level of pain."
Perhaps it was due to his previous life where he endured torture for days. This level of pain was bearable.
Kuuuung!
The energy of the sea spirit flower and the ghost jellyfish clashed again, shaking his entire body. The pain was less intense than before due to the reduced energy levels.
Ugh...
Wrath let out a sigh of disbelief, unable to comprehend.
Goooo!
Raon disregarded Wrath and focused on the movements within the mana circuit.
The energy of the sea spirit flower and the ghost jellyfish clashed vigorously, generating a powerful mana.
Raon guided this mana along the flow of Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation and Glacier, creating highly pure heat and cold.
The intensified of Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation and Glacier pressured the energies of the sea spirit flower and the ghost jellyfish to clash once again.
Kwaaaah!
The two energies clashed again, giving birth to pure mana, which was then converted into heat and cold.
The factory that produced the heat of Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation and the cold of Glacier had been completed.
"Perfect."
Raon, absorbed in regulating the massive flow happening throughout his body, lost himself in deep concentration.
Again? You're going in trance again?
Wrath grumbled as he watched Raon, who was completely focused.
Is your living room a trance? It doesn't make sense to go in and out whenever you're bored!
* * *
Dorian turned to look at Raon, who was sitting with his eyes closed, and sipped on his drink.
"Are you okay?"
Raon's body swelled and deflated like a balloon in various places. It felt like looking at a frog or a toad's belly.
With each expansion of his body, Raon's own energy seemed to grow stronger. It was clear he was absorbing the elixir.
"You're a fascinating person."
After observing Raon for a while, Dorian couldn't comprehend him. Even after all these years, Raon remained an enigmatic puzzle he couldn't fully grasp.
'It's hard to understand.'
'He went out to play for a while, but he brought back the sea sea spirit flower that even the five major families/house couldn't get.'
Raon didn't take out the core of the spirit beast that would be poisoned if he smelled it.
'He was a person with an enormous capacity.'
'The most surprising thing was that he gave me a leaf of the sea spirit flower.'
Raon gave him a leaf of the sea spirit flower that could not be bought even with a fortune.
And that was not for any special reason, but because he was proud of his hard work in his training.
'I don't understand.'
Even though he had known Raon since he was 12 years old, Raon was still like a mysterious box that could not be understood.
No matter how much he tried to understand him, he kept showing different sides of himself, so he couldn't keep up.
'At first, I thought we were similar.'
After hearing about Raon Zieghart, he thought he was the same. After all, they were both ignored and abused by their families.
'However, the process was different.'
Unlike Dorian, who had escaped from his family, Raon had confronted his family head-on. He had steadily built his skills and earned recognition from everyone.
Now, the only ones in his family who disliked Raon were the direct line families.
'That's why I got the courage.'
Dorian had watched Raon closely, which gave him the courage to return to his family. In a way, Raon was the benefactor who had changed his life.
"Thank you."
Dorian bowed politely to Raon, who was practicing his swordsmanship with closed eyes. He smiled as he held his sword.
"Even if young master thinks of me as his pocket..."
I will protect you to the end.
Dorian made a vow and turned around. A bat was quietly watching Raon from above his head.
* * *
The sun set, rose again, and set once more, and night fell.
Raon, frozen like a statue, shivered once, and his body floated in the air as if it weighed only as much as a fist.
"Huh...?"
Dorian stared in astonishment.
"Yo-young master Raon!"
He was about to rush to Raon in panic, but a bat flew down from somewhere and bit his hand.
"Uwaaah! What's this?"
Dorian tried to shake off the bat that had bitten his hand, but it wouldn't let go.
"Kiiik!"
The bat stubbornly blocked Dorian's way, not fleeing.
"Iik!"
Dorian, seemingly resigned, approached Raon with the bat still on his hand. As he reached out his hand, mana in the surroundings swirled like a storm, then surged into Raon's body.
Wooooong!
After a dazzling burst of strange light and radiance over Raon's entire body, he descended to the ground.
Flash!
Raon opened his eyes, and a dense golden light exploded from his pupils.
"My, my lord?"
Dorian approached cautiously, addressing him with his previous title.
He was so surprised that he didn't even realize the bat had disappeared.
"Are you, are you alright?"
"Yes, I'm in the best condition."
Raon raised his head and smiled.
"But..."
"Why?"
"You were floating in the sky just a moment ago..."
"Hmm?"
He tilt his head as if he knew nothing.
"You were floating about this high."
Dorian gestured with his hand to show how high Raon had been floating.
"You're talking nonsense right after waking up."
"But I'm serious!"
"Hah, you're just messing around... Hmm?"
Raon frowned as he looked at Dorian.
"You still haven't washed up?"
"I haven't?"
"A lot of impurities came out of your body, and you still haven't washed up?"
"No, you asked me to protect you!"
Dorian opened his mouth wide. He didn't know what Raon was talking about.
"You should wash up properly."
"Does that even make sense... Haa."
Here we go again.
Seeing him make strange comments right after waking up, Raon was right.
"I'll be going then."
Dorian shook his head and headed towards Motran City, where his lodgings were.
"You don't need to go to your lodgings. There's a stream over there."
Raon pointed his finger westward towards the forest.
"There's a stream over there?"
"Yeah."
"I can't see or hear anything..."
"If you go a little further, you'll find clear water."
"How do you know that?"
Raon smiled and shrugged his shoulders.
"Just."
* * *
Raon sent Dorian to the stream and looked at his hand.
'Superior, master.'
So far, the martial arts that had been accumulated through training had been refined to reach the superior master level.
And not just over the wall, but it had taken a big step forward.
What was even stranger was that the mana and poison of the sea spirit flower and ghost jellyfish that had not yet been fully absorbed remained in his body.
These energies will be slowly absorbed while sleeping with the ability of <Sloth>.
'Where is it...'
As he clenched his fist and tried to lift his aura, a message appeared before his eyes.
[The level of <Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation> has risen to Five-Stars.]
[The level of <Fire Elemental Resistance> has risen to Five-Stars.]
[The level of <Fire Elemental Affinity> has risen to Two-Stars.]
The first message was about the <Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation> rising to Five-Stars. As he felt, the heat in his body felt even hotter.
[The level of <Glacier> has risen to Five-Stars.]
[The level of <Water Elemental Resistance> has risen to Seven-Stars.]
[The level of <Water Elemental Affinity> has risen to Three-Stars.]
This time, it was about the rise of <Glacier>. Elemental affinity and resistance had both increased simultaneously. However, the messages were not over yet.
[You have absorbed the highest-grade elixirs and core.]
[All stats increase by 20 points.]
[The level of <Perception of the Snow Flower> has risen to Five-Stars.]
[The level of <Back Stab> has risen to Five-Stars.]
[The level of <Concentration> has risen to Six-Stars.]
[The level of <Veil of Flow> has risen to Two-Stars.] (Veil of Serenity change to Veil of Flow)
The continuous stream of messages left him speechless.
Wwha-what, what is this?
Wrath looked at the messages that filled his head from head to toe with his mouth open.
Isn't this giving too much? Why are you raising so many attributes and traits like this?
He swiped the messages away with his round hand, claiming it was unreasonable.
'It's just piled up. There haven't been any messages for a while.'
Except for recently obtaining <Veil of Flow> through his own power, there had been no increase in stats or trait levels. It seemed like the accumulated experience points had combined with pure mana and burst out all at once.
The one that's bursting is my clothes!
Wrath scolded him, asking him not to talk nonsense.
How much do you have to suck to end this hell! 20 points of all stats ! It's not a gourd, you're pouring it out like a tub!
He cried out that he would be left with nothing but bones and skin.
"Hmm..."
Raon pushed away the fluffy candy that growled like a puppy and called up his status window after a long time.
<Status Window>
Name: Raon Zieghart.
Title: <Survivor>.
Status: None.
Traits: <Wrath>, <Sloth>, Ring of Fire (Seven-Stars), Water Elemental Resistance (Seven-Stars), Perception of the snow flower (Five-Stars), Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation (Five-Stars), Glacier (Five-Stars), Fire Elemental Resistance (Five-Stars), Bleeding Curse (Two-Stars), Backstab (Five-Stars ), Iron Will (Five-Stars), Elements Adaptation (Four-Stars), Concentration (Six-Stars), Poison Resistance (Two-Stars), Wrathful Seal (One-Star), Spiral Force (Four-Stars), Water Elemental Affinity (Three-Stars), Interpretation (Two-Stars), Fire Elemental Affinity (Two-Stars), Veil of Flow (Two-Stars).
Strength: 336.
Agility: 335.
Stamina: 333.
Energy: 372.
Perception: 374.
Wrath: 75.
Upon seeing it, his mouth involuntarily hung open.
All of his stats were now over 300?
Even if his stats had increased by 20 points this time, they had already exceeded 300 before.
It wasn't strange that he overwhelmed the Beast Alliance (Matis and Garona), even though they have the strongest bodies among the Six Kings.
"The strength and agility are impressive, but the stamina is even more incredible."
Perhaps it was due to consuming the two elixirs, the stamina stat had grown to a level that could easily catch up with the sensory stat, which had been far above it.
"Is it a natural outcome?"
If you think about the mana that filled the energy center, which expanded once again as he reached superior master, it wasn't a strange thing.
"At this point, I feel like I can do anything."
He felt like he would not lose even against a martial artist who reached the highest level of Master. No, he had the confidence that he could defeat anyone except for the Grandmaster.
What is it
Wrath rushed over and thumped him on his shoulder.
What's so amazing?
He urged him to speak quickly.
"All of my stats have exceeded 300."
Now that he had all stats surpassed 300, he had far exceeded the physical capabilities that a human could normally achieve. He felt like he could defeat any lower master level without using aura.
T-Three...!
Wrath dropped to the ground like a deflated balloon.
The stolen King's stats are three hundred. Three hundred…. Three….
He muttered only the word "three" repeatedly, and foam formed at his mouth as he shook his head.
"Well..."
Actually, it was in the mid-300s, but he didn't want to say more in case Wrath wouldn't wake up at all.
'Is this the best result?'
He had already taken revenge on Martio, Cossini, and Lisbon, secured the sea spirit flower, Jellyfish core/venom to prevent Derus from obtaining them, and greatly increased his strength.
It was a result that far exceeded his initial plan.
While Daon was smiling with satisfaction, Dorian approached, running a towel through his hair.
"There really was a stream. I couldn't hear the sound of water because the bushes were so dense."
He said it was nice because the water was clear and smiled.
'Now all that's left is this guy's business.
All that remained was to go to Dorian family, Sepia Commerce Association, Dorian's hometown, and settle all the matters he had ignored there.
"Is the departure preparation done?"
"Of course. I didn't know when you'd arrive here, so I finished everything in advance."
Dorian nodded confidently.
"Then let's go eat Sepia Commerce Association."
"...Yes? What, what are we going to eat?"
"Oh, my bad. I misspoke. Let's go to Sepia Commence Association."
Raon awkwardly smiled and shook his head.
"No, you just said you're going to eat Sepia Commerce Association."
"No, It's all in your head. Let's go."
He gestured for Dorian to come with him, saying that he would stay at the inn tonight and leave tomorrow
'Uh…'
Dorian looked at Raon's back as he walked away and swallowed hard.
'Can I really take him with me?'
It felt like he might destroy everything…
