N/T: Translation made by our friend 'Irving'. A big round of applause for him :)
Chapter 448
Raon looked down at the middle-aged man who introduced himself as Baekrangdo (백랑도) (White Wolf) with cold eyes.
'White Wolf huh.'
He had narrow, shrewd eyes and a prominent beak-like nose, reminiscent of a wooden knot that a woodpecker would tap.
Judging from his well-toned physique, it was evident that he still maintained his basic training, despite the injuries he had sustained.
'I didn't expect to hear that name to be associated with White Whale.' Raon remarked.
He was a swordsman who had been making a name for himself since he was an assassin 20 years ago, but he didn't think he would be in White Whale.
'But his reputation doesn't matter to me.'
At the moment, Warring Steel division was seriously injured and had to rest, and the hostages who had been kidnapped by Black Tower were still in fear.
Raon had the responsibility to handle all of them, but he didn't like it when he suddenly popped out and started blabbering about arguing with Zieghart.
"What did you just say?"
White Wolf's anger flared up, and he menacingly placed his hand on his sword, as if he could draw it at any moment.
"You're going to pull it out?"
Raon smiled with a sneer, not at all intimidated by White Wolf's gaze.
"Try it. I'll blow your hand off."
He raised his chin, challenging him to do whatever he wanted.
"Ha!"
White Wolf snorted and frowned.
"Just as he said. You're insane. You're really, properly insane."
He turned to Blood Cloud Blade, who was shaking his shoulders, and flicked his fingers on the sword on his waist.
"Do you know what you're doing right now?"
With White Wolf's anger rising, a hot aura flared up. The heavy and sharp energy that he felt like the sword he was wearing pressed down on his shoulders.
Kugugugugugu!
Raon frowned at White Wolf's aura that felt like it was piercing his shoulders with a thick nail.
'It's pretty heavy.'
Unlike Maryun and Binghyang, who ended up relying on magic and barriers and not being able to fully exert their abilities, he felt the aura of a warrior who had truly cultivated martial arts. It didn't seem like he could be easily subdued.
'But....'
He couldn't back down.
There were people to protect, and Zieghart was the owner of this land. He should not be afraid of the Five Divine Rulers, who raised a flag by hiding in the cracks of the Six Kings and Five Demons.
"I know."
Raon nodded calmly and tapped the sheath of Heavenly Drive.
"We're just providing some character education to these thugs who come into our territory and cause trouble.
"Sigh, he's really not in his right mind."
White Wolf sighed and twisted his lips.
"This is Zieghart's territory, but it's near the barrier without any checkpoints. We haven't committed any crimes, and attacking us is unjust!"
"That's right."
"Then...?"
Raon stood in front of White Wolf with a cold gaze.
"they are hiding in a place where there's a case of disappearance, using artifacts. Isn't that a sign that they've got something up their sleeve?"
"They just wanted to gather information. I can't accept the violence of cutting off an arm just because they were hiding! you really are not in your right mind"
"The one who's not in his right mind is you. And that guy."
He pointed to Blood Cloud Blade, who was behind White Wolf, with a sneer.
"That Blood Cloud Blade attacked me first on this land, so should I just endure it?"
"What...?"
White Wolf, with a puzzled look, turned his back.
"Well, I couldn't help it because he made excessive demands first. I was just trying to scare him."
Blood Cloud Blade lowered his head, unable to look into White Wolf's eyes.
"And I suggested that we should just leave."
He continued to talk without feeling ashamed.
"Hmm...."
White Wolf rubbed his forehead and shook his head.
"I didn't know there was such a situation. However we didn't intend to attack Zieghart. We were merely collecting information about Black Tower.".
He bit his lips with a slightly downcast look.
"Information? Well, information is power in this day and age."
Raon nodded slowly, tapping his chin.
"I understand that..."
"Still, there are boundaries we must respect, aren't there?"
He raised his lips to block White Wolf's words.
"I can understand why you didn't mention that Warring Steel was kidnapped here, as you are neither part of the Six Kings nor the Five Demons. It's satisfying for you for both sides to quarrel. However…"
Raon looked back. He narrowed his eyes as he saw the hostages who were trembling in fear, not knowing what was happening now.
"They are not warriors. They are not related to Six Kings and Five Demons or Five Divine Rulers. They were ordinary people who were kidnapped and offered as sacrifices, and you're here just to collect information while doing nothing to rescue them? That's absurd."
He continued, glaring at White Wolf with a dry, sunken gaze.
"You declared neutrality, right? In my opinion, there's no difference between you and the Five Demons. You are monsters who will do anything for your own benefit."
With a dry, piercing gaze, Raon glared at White Wolf, who had no counterargument against Raon's legitimate reasoning.
"That's...,"
White Wolf bit his lips as he looked at the people wearing tattered clothes.
He frowned, unable to refute Raon's words, which contained both principles and justification.
"If you've understood, come with us."
Raon gestured to White Wolf.
"We need to find out what you're hiding and what your connection is with Black Tower."
"All I can say now is that we have no connection with Black Tower. And..."
While Wolf didn't move from his spot and shook his head.
"We can't follow you."
He put his hand on his sword again and raised his fiery gaze.
"Alright, I expected it to turn out this way."
Raon smiled wryly and grasped the hilt of Heavenly Drive.
"You were talking about justification, but you're still trying to save your own skin even though you've lost everything. That's the essence of you rats."
"Huff...,"
White Wolf let out a long sigh at Raon's provocation.
'Today, it seems like there's more loss than gain.'
In fact, their leader had instructed him to return with Blood Cloud Blade only, but he couldn't stand seeing his arm severed. He had acted because he thought Zieghart was disrespecting White Whale, but he never expected the situation to turn out like this. There was nothing positive about the situation, neither in terms of justification nor the circumstances..
'It would be best to just fix his hand and withdraw.'
Raon's strength seems to be at peak master level, but he must have spent a lot of energy fighting Maryun and Binghyang in the barrier.
The best course of action was to subdue him as quickly as possible and leave this place.
"Come whenever you want."
Raon spread his black dragon coat and used the perception of the snow flower.
'He's not an easy opponent.'
The astral energy felt from him was enormous, like a towering mountain. He was a peak master level, and he didn't rely on magic or tricks, so attempting to defeat him without difficulty would result in a counterattack.
However, he was a little excited at the thought that it was an opportunity to use the swordsmanship he had learned from Glenn and Rekhtar properly.
'If you don't come, I'll go first... Hmm?'
While reading White Wolf's energy and trying to draw Heavenly Drive, another presence caught by perception of the snow flower.
'He's just as shameless as this guy.'
Raon turned his eyes to the forest on his right and clicked his tongue.
Inside the bushes, White Lotus division leader, Ayad was staring at him with owl-like eyes.
'Is he waiting for me to lose so he can intervene?'
Ayad knew about this situation and was hiding, concealing his presence.
It was clear that he was planning to jump out and claim credit for helping if something happened.
'I won't let that happen.'
Raon clenched his sword tightly, determined not to give Ayad even a small credit.
"I'd like to resolve this through conversation, is there no way?"
"All of you just need to follow me to Zieghart."
"That's impossible!"
White Wolf drew his sword with a hoarse cry, employing a swift sword-drawing technique. His sword, resembling a white wolf, just like his nickname, shot out like lightning.
"Chiiing!"
Raon had already read White Wolf's momentum. In a split second, he drew his sword and infused it with the flow of sound sword. A crimson flame rose up along with a clear sword cry.
"Kwaaang!"
In the center of the lake, the swords clashed, sending a fierce astral energy in all directions.
Raon and White Wolf, unaffected by the astral energy, fiercely clashed their sword and blade against each other.
"He's pretty good, as I heard!"
White Wolf twisted his sword to deflect Raon's sword, then struck down with a vertical sword strike. It was a powerful technique that had been honed to the extreme in terms of strength, speed, and heaviness.
Raon narrowed his eyes as he saw White Wolf's sword strike that seemed to bring down the sky.
"It's similar to fangs of insanity?"
White Wolf's sword strikes had an animalistic quality to them, much like his nickname. It felt as if he was wielding his weapon with a keen sense of the moment, rather than relying on a set technique.
"Kwoong!"
He stepped on the stance, creating a huge wave in the lake as he raised his sword.
The energy of Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation wrapped around the sword blade unfolded like a flower, creating a huge pillar of flame.
"Kwaaaang!"
Their clash of sword and technique, erupting with a colossal impact, shook the lake as if it had turned into a vast sea.
"It's not over yet!"
Even though his sword strike was blocked head-on, White Wolf didn't panic. He spat out a murderous voice and aimed for Raon's neck.
"Not bad."
Raon licked his lips and stepped forward with his bent knee. He unleashed one of Fangs of Insanity technique, leaving a thick footprint in the lake.
The mad beast that Glenn and Rektar had sharpened their teeth let out a savage roar.
"Kjaeung!"
The clash of sword and technique at the lake's center created a surging whirlwind, Raon and White Wolf exchanged their attacks within the raging storm.
After an uncountable exchange of strikes, it was White Wolf who was sent flying first.
"Chiik!"
White Wolf's back tore against the violent whirlwind as he knelt with one knee on the ground.
"Kuk...."
He couldn't believe it. He trembled as he held his sword and bit his lip.
"How could this happen..."
White Wolf pondered, shaking the hand that held the sword. He couldn't believe that he, with a higher level of martial arts and more astral energy in his sword, was being pushed back.
"It's a lie! This can't be happening!"
White Wolf roared and unleashed his signature move, Cutting the Sky and Earth sword technique. (Chanjanpyo)
A sharp astral energy like a tiger pouncing down from the mountains fell down on Raon's head.
He looked angry, but his head was still clear.
'He'll definitely dodge it' he thought.
He is a swordsman after all.
The strategy for a skilled swordsman like Raon would be to evade such a powerful attack and then launch a counterattack
But that was exactly what White Wolf wanted. He planned to use the Cutting the Sky and Earth sword technique to open up Raon's defense and then finish him off with another sword technique.
But…
'Gwaaaang!'
Raon did not dodge Cutting the Sky and Earth Sword technique. On the contrary, he ran out as if he was frustrated and broke the Cutting the Sky and Earth's flow. He looked like a reckless swordsman, not a swordmaster.
"Are you really going to fight me head-on? I will never lose in a war of attrition!"
"A war of attrition?"
Raon twisted his chin and curled his lips.
"Don't talk nonsense. Not dodging is my way of fighting."
With that, he unleashed fangs of insanity sword technique one after another.
'Zing! Jjeejeong!'
A battle of strength and speed, a clash between two swords. Typically, the Cutting the Sky and Earth sword technique, with greater strength and sharpness, should have the upper hand, but it was Raon who pushed forward.
'Kwaaang!'
His sword, which has been refined to achieve the perfect balance of strength, speed, and balance, exerts greater power than the sword of the White Wolf, while his body, which surpasses human limits, provides support.
Right from the start, Raon engaged White Wolf in a head-on battle.
'Gugugugugu!'
White Wolf's eyes, narrowing like a wave crashing into the beach, shook vigorously as they were pushed back by Raon's thin sword
"This guy...!"
His heart was tightly gripped by the absurd power that appeared to defy the basic logic that a sword, which is typically heavy and strong, would lose to a sword that is fast and versatile.
'This won't work like this!'
He has to consider him as a on equal footing, or even higher. He had to abandon his dismissive attitude and move in a direction that was more advantageous for him.
'Ttueong!'
White Wolf forced Raon's sword strikes away and advanced into close quarters.
He extended his left hand, which was not holding the sword. He meant to overwhelm Raon with his fists in close combat.
Raon did not panic or back down. It was a choice that White Wolf, who had a lot of experience in actual combat, could have made.
He struck White Wolf's fist with Violent Force Fist, which he learned when he was a trainee, with his left hand.
'Ttueueueueong!'
Was it because he thought his surprise attack had failed? White Wolf's narrow eye sockets widened like a lantern.
But he didn't flee. He made another charge, unleashing both his sword and his fist simultaneously.
'Kwaeuaeguaeguaang!'
At close range where their breathing could be heard, the swords, and the fists collided one after another.
A deafening sound like thunder rang out, and the ice cracked and melted.
The two men leaned against the rippling lake and stretched out their swords and fists like a storm towards each other's nostrils.
'His level of martial arts and his experience in actual combat are both excellent.'
Raon licked his lips as he looked at White Wolf, who was grimacing.
'Now, should I try a different approach?'
White Wolf's power is real. Overpowering him with sheer strength wouldn't be easy, so he wanted to try out other swordsmanship.
"You still have a long way to go!"
White Wolf gritted his teeth and swung his sword down. It was faster and more powerful than before. A huge force quickly swallowed up the space and pressed in.
"I'm just getting started now."
Raon didn't push forward with pure strength as before. He used Fangs of Insanity and Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation, as well as Glacier and the Blizzard Art.
"Clank!"
The sharp blade of Heavenly Drive cut through White Wolf's powerful force, which was like a mountain falling down.
White Wolf's sword slid and hit the ground, but Heavenly Drive did not move an inch. It was the result of incorporating softness (soft sword) and variation (variable sword) into the Blizzard Art.
"Aaaaah!"
White Wolf, with eyes burning with malice as if he were having a nightmare, raised his sword from the ground. A terrifying force that evaporated the cold lake rose up.
"Swish!"
Raon lowered his center of gravity and unleashed the Blizzard Art's sea of azure waves (Byeonglamhaejung). The silver gale that descended diagonally gently pushed away White Wolf's sword strike.
"This is impossible!"
White Wolf was surprised that his astral energy was being blown away by the wind, but he continued to strike his sword.
Each attack was of astral energy that could overturn the entire lake, but the silver wind raised by Raon was never pierced.
"Now it's my turn."
After letting go of all of White Wolf's sword strikes, Raon thrust Heavenly Drive forward with his left foot.
The sharp coldness that had gathered on the sword tip extended like an arrow. It was the Blizzard Art's Blue Dragon's Roar technique (Cheongjunghong).
"Gurk!"
White Wolf tried to cut down with his sword in a semicircle, but Blue Dragon's Roar flexibly pushed away the sword blade and left a deep wound on his waist.
"Huuuk, that's enough…"
White Wolf bit his lips until they bled and raised his sword.
An unimaginable power gathered on the silver sword blade. The sharp wind blew, and the entire lake turned a dark blue.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"
He swung his sword down with a heavy shout. The technique had not changed, but the level and the power contained in it were on a different level. Even with the improved the Blizzard Art, there was no way to block it.
'Then let's go a different way.'
Raon gently curled his hand around Heavenly Drive as if he was letting go of his strength, and stepped forward with his right foot.
He thrust Heavenly Drive forward, which had been pulled back while grazing the rough surface of the lake.
What settled on the blade was neither red flames nor blue coldness. A white shadow flowed out from behind the sword blade and spread like sunlight.
Raon Zieghart Style Swordplay.
Fifth Form, White Void.
The huge white wave, which had grown like a shadow from the great sword, enveloped White Wolf's sword strike.
"Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"
The power accumulated in the sword that White Wolf swung down was erased, the strength disappeared, and the speed and weight melted away.
"Tink!"
The sword blade that the white shadow touched broke in half, and all that remained was White Wolf's eyes, which were filled with shock.
"Kraaaarrghh!"
A scar extending diagonally from White Wolf's collarbone to his waist appeared, and blood gushed out.
"Kugh...
White Wolf dropped his sword, which had been broken in half, into the rippling lake, and kneeled down.
Raon smiled faintly as he looked down at Heavenly Drive, which was dripping with blood.
'Even White Void has grown.'
He felt that Fangs of Insanity, the Blizzard Art, and Flame Spirit had also changed, following White Void.
The teachings of Glenn and Rekhtar were all embedded in the swordsmanship he had learned.
“Ah, demon. It must be the wicked and evil swordsmanship of a demon…”
“Shut up.”
Raon kicked the chin of White Wolf, who was trembling in pain and fear, and sent him flying.
“Bwaaaark!”
He fell over with his eyes rolled back, floating on the choppy lake.
Raon grabbed White Wolf's collar as he sank and pulled him out of the lake and threw him out.
“Aaaaargh!”
Blood Cloud Blade screamed in horror as he saw White Wolf fall to the side.
Raon approached Blood Cloud Blade and looked at Wrath, who was sitting on his shoulder.
'Being quiet at times like this, it seems you understand the mood.'
Contrary to his usual behavior, Wrath remained silent and appeared adept at assessing the situation when someone talked about demons.
…Should I not?
‘What?’
If it's one set, you have four choices, but you have to include mint chocolate for sure. You also need to taste the new flavor of the month. No, you can put in two mint chocolates and then choose between chocolate and strawberry from the other three. There's a place for the new flavor...
‘…….’
It wasn't about matching the mood. The little demon had been pondering how to choose an ice cream set, as he mentioned earlier.
Raon shook his head as he looked at the unconscious White Wolf.
'Demons are much more gentle than you think…’
They are herbivores.
