N/T: Translation made by our friend 'Irving'. A big round of applause for him :)
Chapter 443
As the intense clash of Raon and Ayad met, the moist ground beneath them crumbled, and bubbles began to rise as if the lake was boiling.
Gooooo
Light Wind members and White Lotus members also stood behind their respective leaders, their hands on their hilts, ready to draw their swords at any moment.
Their auras were also as cold as ice, as if they were facing an enemy.
In this tense situation, where a civil war in Zieghart could break out as soon as anyone drew their sword and swung it, No one had unsheathed their swords yet, but Ayad placed a firm hand on the hilt of his blade, puzzled by Raon's refusal.
"Why do you object?
Ayad frowned as if he could not understand and continued.
“The situation is urgent. Don't you know that spreading out and investigating more places is the fastest way to find the Warring Steel?”
His unpleasant mood turned into a ferocious aura that enveloped Raon's entire body.
"Of course, it would be faster. But isn't this plan based on the sacrifice of our members?"
Raon did not flinch even under the increasingly intense pressure from Ayad. He raised his cold eyes and shook his head.
“The entire Warring Steel disappeared without even the slightest resistance, and you're going to scatter them by deploying them one by one? Isn't that like plucking apples one by one and offering them to a thief? Isn't that like throwing the members to their deaths?”
“We can save them before anything happens.”
Ayad rolled his cold eyes. He shook his head, saying that they would be able to figure out the situation before the members disappeared or were harmed.
"If they are kidnapped, it's even better. We might be able to use that situation to find the Warring Steel's location."
“You are overconfident in your own abilities and those of your subordinates.”
“What?”
"To detect the entire area, even with a hundred subordinates, would be impossible, they won't easily notice a kidnapping happening nearby. It's the worst method that only increases unnecessary sacrifices. And..."
Raon sighed briefly as he looked at White swordsmen chewing their lips behind Ayad.
“The enemy is not stupid.”
“......”
"The Black Tower bastards must know that we're looking for the Warring Steel, so why would they risk kidnapping again? They'll be killed on the spot and disappear. Even if you find their traces, that won't have any meaning."
The Black Tower's magicians had already kidnapped the entire Warring Steel in a special way. They had already achieved or were in the process of achieving their purpose for coming here, so there was no reason for them to risk it again knowing that there were pursuers.
"Killing instead of kidnapping is exactly what they want."
Ayad did not refute and took a heavy step forward with his right foot.
“White Lotus and Warring Steel are different. My subordinates are not weak enough to be defeated by the likes of Black Tower..”
With those words, he stepped forward with his left foot as well.
Ayad's colossal physique looked even larger. At the same time, his aura swirled around him in a circle, creating a barrier that prevented sound from escaping.
Woooosh
The natural flow of mana. No one would know that the barrier had been erected now.
'Spreading a barrier means....'
It means he wanted to say things that others should not hear.
"Besides, it doesn't matter if they die."
As expected. Ayad said something that he had not been able to say until a little while ago.
“Those who can become stronger are already determined, and most of the warriors are destined to die at the bottom for their sake. Nothing will change even if they die a little sooner.”
“But they are your subordinates, aren't they?”
"Subordinate?"
Ayad's sneer deepened. As he began to speak, Raon twisted his mana to create a tiny hole in the solid barrier.
"A loyal subordinate should be willing to sacrifice their life to obtain information about the mission. Most of them are just decoys. I only need the ones I personally groom, so it doesn't matter how many of them die. As long as they endure until hmmm…"
He gazed at Raon with a sneer but suddenly stopped as if he sensed something strange.
"You couldn't be...?"
Raon was impressed. Even though he had used his mana carefully, Ayad had been able to sense it and realize what he was doing.
'However...'
They had already heard everything.
Raon turned to White Lotus members and smiled faintly. Ayad's words had been heard by them as well. They would not be able to keep their calm.
“Uhm…”
“D, Division leader?”
“What did you just say….”
White Lotus members looked at Ayad's back, biting their lips or narrowing their eyes.
“…….”
Strangely, some members showed no signs of panic at all. They seemed to be the ones Ayad had personally groomed. Their skills were undoubtedly real, and their gazes were extraordinary.
Yaaaaah!
Wrath, who had been slumped on his shoulder like a wet rag, suddenly stood up.
How could that bastard treat his subordinates like that? Crush that guy right now!
Wrath, who was extremely agitated, shouted for anyone who didn't value their subordinates to have their heads smashed with a sword.
No! Hand over your body to the King of Essence! The King of Essence will make him watch his body freeze for over a thousand years!
Wrath's face was flushed with anger, even though it was not his own business. He was a true person who cherished his subordinates.
“You're doing a despicable thing.”
Ayad didn't even turn around. He stood confidently and sent a dry gaze without any signs of embarrassment, as if he didn't feel shame at all.
Raon kept a calm expression and pursed his lips.
“You were trying to create a rift in White Lotus division, but it was a pointless act.”
He turned around and waved his finger at White Lotus members.
“If anyone has a problem with what I said, come out. I'll expel you from the division right now.”
Ayad did not seem embarrassed at all, and instead, he came out even more confidently. He seemed like a human who had had some of his emotions cut off and was unable to feel shame at all.
“…….”
White Lotus members could not answer and bit their lips tightly.
"Can't you hear my question?"
When Ayad asked again, the vice-division leader, the captains, the vice captains, and the skilled members he had personally groomed, all replied that there was no problem, with their hands behind their backs.
"Now, is this a threat? I can't tell which one is worse."
Raon laughed as she looked at Ayad.
“I remember what the division leader said at the selection ceremony. You said you would take me to a higher place if I came to White Lotus. I guess that place was hell, wasn't it, well, it is indeed a high place"
“You….”
A thick vein appeared on Ayad's forehead, and the White Lotus members' faces turned pale.
"Back then and even now, I have no intention of becoming your stepping stone.
“Are you really going to keep acting like this? You'll regret it.”
“Usually, the people who say that to me are the ones who regret it.”
Raon shrugged, saying that he didn't care.
"It seems you keep picking a fight in a situation where you can't win. You must not be able to see anything because your skills have improved a bit."
"It's not a fight. I'm talking about the line you should uphold as a human being."
Since coming here, Raon had never said or done anything that would embarrass himself. No matter how busy or urgent things were, he had to keep what he should keep.
“And…”
Raon tapped the blade of Heavenly Drive with a sly smile.
"It's true that we can't fight right now, but you don't have to worry because you're not particularly intimidating, division leader."
"Can you take responsibility for those words?"
Ayad's aura erupted like a volcano. In an instant, the area around the lake was covered in his energy, as if it had been a joke until now.
"Of course."
Raon nodded and released the aura he had been suppressing. A magnificent wave of energy that rose like a bonfire began to push back Ayad's energy and devour the space.
Kukukukuku!
The clash of auras caused the sky to darken and a great tremor to occur, as if the axis of the earth had collapsed. Even the so-called masters were losing their balance and falling over.
"If you can't believe it..."
Raon gently stroked the hilt of his sword and smiled.
"After we finish this mission, would you like to test it yourself?"
As if Ayad's presence was utterly meaningless, he gestured lightly with his hand.
"......"
Ayad nodded with a cold, dry look in his eyes without answering.
"I'll remember those words. Don't forget them."
He glared at Raon with a clearly crumpled expression, then turned to leave.
"Just a moment. I still have something to say..."
"We'll go our own way, so you can talk among yourselves."
Because of the clash that had just occurred, Raon was about to inform them of what he had learned, but Ayad didn't seem to care and left the lake.
"Hmm...
White Lotus members bit their lips and followed Ayad. Some of them even bowed their heads as if saying thanks. They seemed to be leaving White Lotus soon.
"Fuaaaaa...
"What's going on?"
"How does all this work?"
Light Wind members approached with a deep sigh. They all looked like they had never expected this to happen, and sweat was dripping from their foreheads.
"Are you okay?"
There was concern in Burren's sharp eyes.
"I can't help it. I just can't stand seeing someone like that."
When he saw a person openly trying to use others as bait like that, it didn't sit well with him.
"You did well! That bastard was trying to use us all as bait!"
Martha patted him on the back, saying that it was refreshing, as if she had finally gotten something out of her stomach.
"You're such a handsome Raon."
Runaan also came up and nodded his head vigorously.
"How did such a guy become their leader?"
"No wonder he climbed to the position of the division leader at a young age."
"That's why the members of White Lotus change so often... I've had an uneasy feeling every time I faced their leader."
Raon listened to Light Wind members stories and savored the taste. Unfortunately, the world often favored the dirty ones more than the good ones.
"That's why I always felt nauseous every time I saw that guy. To think he had such a dirty side."
Dorian shook his shoulders, saying that he felt uneasy whenever he saw Ayad.
"It's satisfying to have disgraced that human, but what are we going to do now?"
Krein laughed and then sighed.
"We need to find Warring Steel, but we have no way."
He shook his head, saying that he couldn't figure out how to find the Warring Steel division.
"Ruzen-nim."
Burren signaled to Ruzen.
"Yes!"
Ruzen stood there in a daze, surprised by the unexpected situation, then quickly nodded.
"Have you investigated this lake as well?"
"Yes. Our informants with water breathing abilities went in, but there were no bodies or signs of a fight here either."
He sighed, saying that he couldn't check too deep, but there was nothing around.
"Haa, then where the hell should we go!"
When Martha couldn't contain her frustration, Raon raised her hand.
"We need to go to the opposite side, not here."
"How do you know that?"
"A little while ago, I found a clue."
Raon stroked his lips as he looked at the lake, which was beginning to calm down.
"Eh...?"
"C, clue?"
"Is that true?"
Light Wind members were taken aback as if they hadn't even thought of that.
"W, where did you find it...?"
Ruzen also looked stunned, not knowing where Raon had found the clue.
"Just a while ago."
Raon looking at the ice lake on the opposite side, not the clear lake, and licked his lips.
"When White Lotus's leader and I clashed and our auras peaked, I sensed a faint presence coming from the ice lake on the opposite side."
Raon had not only provoked White Lotus division leader because he didn't like his words.
He thought that if there was a collision of huge auras, the presence of the Black Tower's subordinates who might be hiding nearby might be revealed, and as intended, a person's movement was felt from the opposite ice lake.
"Hu..."
Ruzen sighed as he looked at Raon.
"Did you come up with that idea while receiving Ayad's aura?"
He shook his head as if he couldn't believe it.
"You shouldn't apply common sense to that guy."
"That's right. It just makes our heads hurt."
"An abnormal monster."
Burren, Martha, and Runaan shook their heads, saying that they should think of him as different species.
The other members were also surprised, but they muttered that Raon was capable of doing that.
"T, then...."
"Are they the Black Tower?"
"No."
Raon shook his head firmly.
"I didn't feel any magic."
The way the hidden people were using mana was different from ordinary warriors.
It seemed like they were using some kind of artifact, but they were clearly using mana.
"Follow me while pretending to search the ice lake."
Raon told them where the warriors were hiding, then shook his hand.
"We can't let them go. Surround them slowly."
* * *
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Raon walked across the frozen lake with a calm pace, like a tourist.
The ice lake had a murky light, as if mixed with ink, unlike the clear lake he had seen earlier.
However, even when he looked at it with his perception, he felt no strange energy. It was clear that the color of the lake was slightly different from when he had come before, but it didn't seem to have much significance.
"Search."
"Yes!"
As soon as they received the order, the Light Wind members split up into twos and scattered around the lake.
Although they appear to be moving without a system, they were all surrounding the snow-covered oak tree on the outside of the ice lake, as ordered in advance.
He slowly surveyed the lake, and when the encirclement was in place, he approached the tree where he had felt the presence and raised his eyes.
Whoooung!
The bare branches sway in the cold north wind. It was a snow-covered tree that anyone would see as normal, but there were five of them hiding on top of it.
Even though they were right in front of him, it seemed that they were wearing something special, as their presence was scattered.
"Come down."
Raon said, flicking his finger at the treetops.
"I can see you all. Don't do anything stupid."
As soon as he finished speaking, a fierce aura erupted from the treetops.
The space on top of the tree, which was full of dry branches, rippled like a curtain, and five people in black appeared with a bright yellow light.
"Kuk...
The middle-aged man among them frowned. He had a diagonal scar on his left eyelid. Judging from the power and aura he felt, it seemed that this man was their leader.
"Are you from Black Tower?"
Raon loosened his fingers so that he could draw Heavenly Drive at any time, looking at the middle-aged man's flustered eyes.
"Ah, no."
The answer came not from the treetops, but from Ruzen, who was behind him.
"He is Hwun-gyungyeom (Blood Cloud Blade) , a subordinate of Jester (Heukgeumje), who founded the Five Divine Rulers."
Ruzen told him that the middle-aged man was a subordinate of Jester (Heegeukje), one of the Five Divine Rulers.
"Did you hear? We're not from Black Tower. Don't pick a fight for no reason...
"Why was Jester's subordinate hiding like a rat?"
"That's none of your business...
"It is my business."
He raised his hand with a sneer, creating a ball of fire. The heat that burned like hellfire melted the cold that had filled the ground and enveloped Hwun-gyungyeom and his subordinates.
The heat rose so fiercely that their faces turned pale.
"Kugh...
"What are you doing! Even after you heard who we are...
"Spit out what you know before you lose your head."
Raon turned his chin to the side as he looked at Hwun-gyungyeom, who had backed away. The cold killing intent flickered in his eyes.
"To me, the Five Divine Rulers and Heukgeumje (Jester) are all worthless."
