N/T: Translation made by our friend 'Irving'. A big round of applause for him :)
Chapter 384
The white spear and the dragon's breath collided, as if the whole body had been fired.
White and red. The astral energy of different colors stretched out, aiming at the enemy's heart.
Kukukugugugung!
The tremendous energy condensed at the center of the battlefield, and the axis of the earth began to crumble.
Even though the urban training ground itself was being crushed, Raon and Trevin did not back down.
Sizzling!
Raon clenched the Heavenly Drive sword tightly as he saw the waves of astral energy distorting each other.
'This won't work.'
Trevin also threw his sword with all his might, so it was not easy to break. To defeat him, he had to go one step further.
Kuwaaaaaaaaaang!
The moment he lowered his center of gravity to prepare for the next swordsmanship, the sword technique of the Iron Penetration Sword and the Flame Dragon Art (Yeom-ryong Gyeol) exploded simultaneously, causing an enormous shock wave.
The astral energy storm, which had just stopped, rose even larger.
'Now!'
Raon kicked the crumbling ground. Using the ring of fire and the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation to the extreme, he plunged into the astral energy storm.
Chiiyik!
His shoulders and waist were cut open, and blood was flowing, but he didn't care and ran forward.
'This is the end... What?'
A white flash came from the opposite side. It was Trevin. He was also running through the astral energy storm.
"I expected you to charge!"
Trevin smiled coldly and swung his sword. It was a familiar Iron Penetration Sword technique, but it was filled with more speed and sharpness than before.
'He's also gotten stronger.'
It seemed that Trevin had also grown through this battle.
"This is a bit boring."
Raon smiled brightly and released the fangs of insanity sword he had prepared. The beast hiding in the darkness, waiting for an opportunity, revealed its sharp fangs.
Cheoeoeoeong!
The Heavenly Drive sword and Trevin's sword intertwined like snakes and vines, and bounced off to the sides.
Terr!
He shook off his wrists to reduce the impact. He kicked the crumbling ground with his right foot and rushed towards Trevin.
"Huuh!"
Trevin was pushed back, but he swung his sword again. It was a mental strength that was hard to tell if it was a desire to win or if he didn't want to end this fight.
Pik!
He dodged Trevin's sword, which was aiming for his right arm, by a hair's breadth, and then swung the Heavenly Drive sword he had kept to the right.
Kyaaang!
Trevin belatedly retrieved his sword to block, but he couldn't avoid being cut on the shoulder and chest.
"Kruk!"
He rolled on the ground, backed away, and then raised his head. Even though he had suffered minor injuries and consumed a lot of astral energy, his eyes did not die.
"Not yet."
Trevin staggered to his feet and raised his sword. His legs and waist were shaking, but strangely enough, his sword did not waver.
"My sword is not broken yet."
He pointed his sword at Raon. Even though his astral energy and physical strength were depleted, Raon felt a chill down his spine. It was the most dangerous smell he had ever smelled.
That guy.
Wrath, who came up on the bracelet, licked his lips.
His skills are shabby, but he's a pretty good human being.
'Yeah.'
Raon nodded his head vigorously.
'He has nothing lacking in terms of power, mental strength, or attitude.'
Trevin fought his best in the given situation without insulting his opponent or doing anything cowardly.
I couldn't believe that such a warrior was from the same lineage as Karoon.
Ask that guy what kind of food he's good at. If it's okay, The King of Essence will make him as subordinate. Of course, you have to see him actually cook...
'Go away.'
Raon brushed aside Wrath, who was muttering that he hoped Trevin would be good at baking pies, and picked up the Heavenly Drive sword.
"This will be the last one, won't it?"
"Yeah, I think so."
Trevin nodded and looked at his sword edge.
"The technique I'll be using is the Iron Penetration Sword's basic technique, Guaniljeomjin."
"I will be using the Fangs of Insanity sword's Gwangryusaisil technique."
Raon nodded and stood face to face with Trevin. As they were pointing their swords at each other, a piece of stone fell from the sky, caught in the storm of astral energy.
Thump.
As soon as the sound of the stone hitting the ground was heard, Raon and Trevin swung their swords at each other.
Fiinnng!
Coincidentally, both of them stabbed. The sword strikes aimed at the opponent's shoulder were fired as beams of light.
Cheoeoeoeong!
The thin sword edges collided.
Sizzling!
The evenly matched power struggle tilted in Raon's favor. It was the difference in sword training, not astral energy or strength.
Pururrreok!
In the end, the Heavenly Drive sword broke Trevin's sword and hit his shoulder.
"Kruk!"
Trevin knelt down with a groan. He raised his head. His whole body was trembling with exhaustion, but he smiled. It seemed that he was satisfied with this battle.
"Your sword was faster and sharper than mine."
Another honest and clean recognition. Trevin was a warrior who knew honor and fidelity, despite his cold impression.
"Hmmm..."
Raon lowered the Heavenly Drive sword and bit his lip.
'This won't work.'
Originally, he planned to forfeit right before winning to raise the evaluation of the test and ruin Rimmer's bet.
However, if he forfeited now, he would be ignoring Trevin, who had clashed his swords and hearts. So his hand did not go up.
'Yeah. I can't mock a man like this.'
I can't make fun of a warrior I've finally come to like.
Especially, it was a stupid thing to do to become the same person as Rimmer to screw Rimmer.
Raon looked back. The Light Wind squad swordsmen, who had withdrawn far away, nodded as if they understood the situation.
That's right.
Wrath nodded with a snort.
It's not even something that the demons do to mock an opponent who is so serious.
It sounded like demons were kinder than humans.
So you have to step on that elf properly.
'Yeah. I'll take his money and pull out his ear.'
Raon smiled wryly and nodded.
"Phew..."
Trevin raised his hand with a refreshing smile.
"I lost."
As soon as he admitted defeat, Harrison cleared his throat.
[Warring Steel division leader Trevin Zieghart is out of battle!]
[The winner of the battle is Light Wind squad!]
As soon as Harrison's declaration rang out, the Light Wind squad raised their hands.
Excited shouts rang out from the crowd of spectators surrounding the arena.
"We won!"
"We beat Warring Steel division!"
"Light Wind squad! Light Wind squad! Light Wind squad!"
"Raon! Raon! Raon!"
Raon reached out his hand to Trevin, who was sitting on the ground. Trevin took his hand and stood up.
"I thought I was well-prepared, but I didn't expect someone to grow beyond that. Next time we fight, I'll have to raise my expectations by a level."
Trevin laughed at Raon.
"Another fight? Are you planning to fight again?"
"I can't stand losing. Thanks to you, I've learned a lot, and I'd like to try it out properly soon."
"You seem to have changed a bit."
"It's all thanks to you."
He smiled and said he would try to change his cautious personality.
"Of course, I can't easily change this personality, but I would like you to spar with me from time to time."
This time, Trevin was the first to reach out his hand.
"Of course."
Raon smiled and took his hand. The crowd cheered as the two men shook hands.
* * *
[Advance chapters: https://tinyurl.com/Aldbnlf]
Glenn let out a refreshing sigh like he had just taken a sip of beer as he watched Raon and Trevin shake hands.
He couldn't help but clap his hands and nod his head in satisfaction.
"Head of Sepia, Do you remember what you said before?"
"Yes? What...?"
Adis raised his head with a start as he smiled at Dorian, whose eyes were swollen like a pufferfish.
"Raon has the talent to change people."
"Oh! That's right!"
"I think I see it now."
Glenn looked down at Raon with a soft smile that seemed to melt if you touched it.
"Trevin was originally cautious and gave up easily in a bad situation, but he seems to have changed after fighting Raon."
"I wasn't wrong after all."
Adis laughed, saying that he was confident in his ability to judge people.
"Roenn."
Glenn turned around and called Roenn.
"Did you write down everything Raon said just now?"
"Of course. I wrote it down in the second book of the Gospel of Raon."
Roenn took out a book that was so white it looked sacred from his arms and shook it.
"Good. The job is done, so now...hmm?"
Glenn narrowed his eyes at the tall man who was collecting money from the gamblers first and narrowed his eyes.
"No, the job isn't done yet."
A red lightning flashed in his hand.
"There's still someone to kill."
* * *
"Hah!"
Martha let out a sigh as she looked at Raon.
"He really grew to the point where he could defeat a peak master level..."
Raon returned from the Owen Kingdom even more powerful than when he sparred there.
He had returned so ridiculously strong in such a short period of time that he looked like a monster, not a human.
"I can't think of anything else to say but that he's crazy."
Burren nodded blankly.
'I had resolved not to be dragged down by his pace, but I'm still in shock.'
I don't know where he'll go.
It would be a rare occurrence in the long history of the continent for someone to defeat a peak master level at the age of 20.
To have such a monster living in the same era as me, and right next to me, is a blessing or a curse, I don't know.
"Can I sleep now?"
Runaan rubbed his eyes and nodded. He seemed to be more in a hurry to sleep than to celebrate his victory.
"Did you hear?"
When the three of them were talking to themselves, Kaman, the first vice-division leader of Warring Steel division, approached.
"Your vice-squad leader and our leader said they want to spar often in the future."
He narrowed his eyes and thrust his face at Burren, Martha, and Runaan.
"I'll never lose next time."
"We'll win then too!"
"I'll take him down on my own next time."
Burren nodded with his fist clenched, and Martha smiled confidently.
"Who?"
Runaan tilted his head as if he didn't recognize Kaman, whose face was swollen.
"Grrr..."
"Guys!"
As Kaman gnashed his teeth as if his pride had been hurt, Rimmer popped out from among the spectators.
"You all worked hard! I believed in you!"
"......"
The Light Wind squad didn't react even though Rimmer was dancing happily.
"I realize that it was the right decision to leave the battlefield and trust you all. I feel like you've all grown a level."
"......"
"Why isn't anyone answering me? I'm doing this for you guys..."
"What can I say to a leader who abandoned his own squad?"
Raon approached Rimmer with a cold expression.
"I-I didn't abandon you! I gave up on purpose to train you! Look! The results are good, aren't they?"
Rimmer laughed awkwardly and rolled his eyes like a carp.
"It's for the sake of the leader's money. The odds have increased by 7 times, so you must have made some gold coins."
"What are you talking about! I didn't go near the gambling table today!"
He shook his hands vigorously, saying it was absolutely not the case.
"A fly won't just walk past shit, would it?"
Raon snorted at Rimmer.
"St, st... again..."
Rimmer swallowed his saliva and backed away.
"There's no evidence, is there! I really did today..."
"The evidence is here."
A majestic voice was heard from the sky. When he looked up, Glenn was descending, stepping on the air like a staircase.
"M-my lord?"
Rimmer's jaw trembled. He knew Glenn was there, but he didn't expect him to come down here in person.
"Ugh..."
"Hey!"
As if his pride were wounded, Kaman walked away, leaving the rest of them.
Clap!
Glenn snapped his fingers, and Roenn, who appeared from nowhere, approached Rimmer and put a fur hat on him and a mustache. It was a ghostly skill.
"That's the guy who bet on the Light Wind squad! That's the one who bet the most!"
The toothless old man who managed the gambling table on the hill screamed.
"Now, wait a minute...!"
"That elf is at it again!"
"He's playing tricks again?"
"I'll just twist his neck..."
Rimmer quickly took off his hat and mustache, but it was too late. The people at the gambling table glared at him as if they were going to kill him.
"I ignored the occasional gambling because it's a good way to relieve stress, but I can't leave the match-fixing that happened right in front of my eyes."
"Ugg...."
Rimmer shrank back like a rat in front of a cat at Glenn's dry voice.
"I don't want to sully the battle between the Light Wind squad and the Warring Steel division with match-fixing. Today's gambling is invalid. And..."
Roenn approached Glenn and handed him a spatial pocket. It was the pocket that Rimmer had put away.
"The gold coins of the Light Wind squad leader who tried to commit match-fixing will be returned to the house' report, and the Light Wind squad leader himself will be suspended for 6 months."
"Oh, wait a minute! That's too much..."
"It's not over yet."
Glenn's hand went down. A scarlet lightning flashed in the clear sky following his hand.
Kurururreong!
Lightning fell on Rimmer's crown without any warning.
It was not just once. Glenn struck him with three lightning bolts in a row, crushing his entire body.
"Kkwaaaaaah!"
Rimmer, wrapped in a scarlet thunder, screamed as he twisted his body like a grilled squid.
Chiiiiick!
Rimmer seemed to be unconscious, spitting gray steam with his mouth open.
"Is he dead?"
When everyone was so amazed by Glenn's majesty that they couldn't move, Runaan brought a stick from somewhere and poked Rimmer's cheek.
Rimmer writhed like a fish out of water, and a black ash came out of the white stick.
Taktak.
Glenn lightly shook his hands and stepped on Rimmer's charred back and walked up to Raon and Trevin.
"Warring Steel division leader."
"Ah, yes!"
Trevin stood up straight with his chin up.
"Being careful is definitely a big advantage, but it can also be a disadvantage that you may miss important opportunities. Sometimes a bold choice can lead to better results."
"Yes."
"Find a good balance."
"Thank you!"
Trevin blushed and bowed his head at Glenn's advice. It seemed to resonate more because it was something he had already realized for himself.
"The Light Wind vice-squad leader."
"Yes."
Raon bowed his head to Glenn.
"Did you know the Warring Steel division leader's personality?"
"The preparation period was short, so I didn't research much"
"What do you mean by 'short preparation period'?"
"Raon! You shouldn't say... Kuh!"
Glenn cast a small lightning bolt to silence Rimmer, who tried to speak.
"To be honest, I heard about this test just yesterday."
Raon explained that he only learned about this test because of Rimmer's delay. When his words ended, two bolts of lightning struck Rimmer's head, making him unable to scream anymore, leaving only feeble groans and the smell of cooked flesh.
"Is he really dead?"
Runaan, who had been standing a bit away, quickly approached and poked Rimmer's cheek with a twig.
"Huff..."
Glenn sighed, then turned to look at Raon.
"In unforeseen circumstances, you managed to achieve the best possible outcome with limited information. It was an excellent judgment."
His gaze extended to encompass all of the Light Wind squad.
"Courage and determination were displayed in this battle. Light Wind squad, congratulations on passing the first test."
Finally, he locked eyes with Raon before turning around and disappearing from the grounds.
"Woohoo!"
"First test cleared!"
"We're almost there with the Light Wind division!"
"We're becoming division now!"
The Light Wind squad members celebrated, shaking hands and cheering each other on.
"Wait."
Raon raised his hand, stopping the jubilant Light Wind squad members in their tracks.
"It's not over yet."
He pointed to the unconscious Rimmer.
"Oh, right. We still have that annoying leader left."
Martha clenched her fists, and her eyes showed even more intensity than before.
"Today, I won't hold back either."
Burren, too, opened his eyes wide and approached.
"I can't hold back anymore! It was really tough!"
Dorian removed the cloth he had used to block his nose and exhaled sharply.
"Exactly! Today, we should definitely..."
"You were out first. Krein."
"Yes..."
Krein, who had been eliminated early in the battle, heard Raon's chilling voice and, knowing what to do, buried his head in the ground.
"Hey, hey, everyone..."
"Everybody."
Raon pointed his finger at Rimmer, who was struggling to get up.
"Step on him."
"Die!"
"Die might be a bit harsh, Martha."
"Crush him!"
"That's more like it."
The Light Wind squad members rushed to step on Rimmer.
"Guh..."
Struggling to stand, Rimmer was stepped on by his own subordinates and was pushed back onto the broken ground.
"Join us."
Raon gestured, and Trevin nodded.
"Let's go!"
"Yes!"
"All because of that damn elf!"
"They underestimated us!"
Even the Warring Steel division members, who were feeling down because they couldn't use their well-prepared plans, joined in and began stepping on Rimmer.
However, there were still plenty of people harboring grudges against Rimmer.
"You damn scoundrel!"
"Give me back my money!"
"How did you win that?"
"I bet seven times!"
"You're dead!"
Gamblers who had placed their bets with the Light Wind squad but had only barely managed to get their original stakes back rushed forward to step on Rimmer.
That day, Rimmer was stepped on by over 200 people, setting a new record for house Zieghart. It was to the point where Wrath was genuinely concerned.
Could he lose an ear at this rate?
"It's okay to lose it today."
Is it a detachable one?
(R.I.P Rimmer Dias, Chapter 1-384)