N/T: Translation made by our friend 'Irving'. A big round of applause for him :)
Chapter 449
“I can't believe this…”
Burren stared blankly at the unconscious White Wolf, his eyes rolling back.
‘I didn’t think that a martial artist like White Wolf would be defeated so easily…’
White Wolf was a martial artist who had made a name for himself on the continent as a prodigy swordsman for over 20 years.
He had honed his skills through countless battles and wars, making it hard to imagine that he would lose to Raon, who was half his age, and end up knocked out with a tooth missing.
“Hmm…”
He took a deep breath and looked at Raon. Even after subduing the two floor masters of Black Tower and White Wolf, he still seemed to have some energy left as he turned his shoulders lightly.
‘That crazy guy never stops, does he?’
In general, martial arts become more difficult and challenging as you progress.
Even at peak expert level, you can feel your growth slowing down, but it seemed that this common theory didn’t apply to him.
‘Who would have thought that there would be a crazy guy who would grow like an expert level even after reaching master level?’
Raon reached master level before he turned 20, and now in his early 20, he has reached peak master level.
And that’s not just barely breaking through the wall, but he has absolute power and mental strength that can overwhelm three martial artists of the same level.
The only word that could describe Raon's martial arts right now was “mysterious.”
“Hmm…”
Martha sighed deeply, placing her hands on her hips.
“That monster has gone up again.”
His strength is on a different level than when he was fighting for the Arian family.
It’s not that his aura or body has gotten stronger, but it feels like the level of his swordsmanship has risen one step. It seemed that the intense swordsmanship training he said he learned from the head of house and Sword Demon was effective.
“Damn it.”
If I had known this was going to happen, I would have joined in from the beginning.
She frowned with regret that she couldn’t join Raon from the day he started training with the head of house and Sword Demon.
"This can't go on."
“What?”
“What do you mean?”
At the thin, piercing voice, Burren and Martha turned their eyes down at the same time. The voice belonged to Runaan, who was surprisingly speaking slowly unlike her usual sloth-like manner.
She was looking at Raon with eyes that were not as dull as usual, but were slightly sparkling.
“What’s wrong?”
“I can’t catch up to Raon.”
Runaan kept her gaze fixed on Raon's back and pursed her lips.
“You still haven’t given up on catching up to that monster, you idiot?”
Martha let out a sigh as if she was exasperated.
“We’re at the peak expert level, and that monster is at peak master level. We’re also called geniuses, but the difference is too great.”
“I agree.”
Burren nodded at Martha.
“If a drake tries to keep up with a dragon, its wings will be torn off. We’re doing our best to train, too. We’re just moving forward at a different pace than Raon.”
He lowered his gaze, saying that it was the right thing to do to give up on catching up to Raon and keep his own pace.
"No, it's not about that. The difference is too big."
Runaan shook his head even after hearing Burren and Martha’s words.
“At this rate, Raon will reach grandmaster before we even become master. Then we won’t be able to help him again.”
She looked at the rippling lake, saying that she sometimes wanted the Light Wind members to support Raon instead of Raon supporting the Light Wind members.
“That’s….”
“Hmm…”
Burren and Martha couldn’t answer and frowned.
“That’s definitely frustrating.”
Martha frowned and clenched her fists so tightly that they creaked.
"I don't care about anything else, but I can't stand the sight of that guy becoming a grandmaster before I become a master!"
"I agree. Even though we said our pace are different, I can't accept that."
Burren nodded heavily, sharing the same sentiment.
"So, is there a way?"
"Just working hard in training won't be enough."
"We'll get additional training?"
Runaan looked up at Burren and Martha with her faintly gleaming eyes.
"Who's going to provide that?"
"There's someone."
Feeling the breeze from the lake, she wrinkled her nose.
"Maybe they will help."
* * *
Raon smiled faintly as he listened to Burren, Runaan, and Martha's conversation.
'Those guys are also training freaks.'
It was admirable that they were thinking about the future after risking their lives fighting with the Black Tower's magicians within the barrier..
It was especially admirable that Runaan was the first to say that.
'But who are they going to ask?'
Are they going to ask the head of the Sullion family?
Rokan Sullion, the head of the Sullion family, seemed to be a doting father to Runaan, so it seemed quite possible.
'They could have asked me.'
Burren, Martha, and Runaan's desire to become stronger appealed to Raon. He felt a bit disappointed because he could have provided them with additional training if they had wanted it.
They want to get stronger, not die.
Wrath shaking his head as if to say not to think about it.
If you hang around with those guys all day, they'll all die.
He gestured for them to stay still.
'Are you done thinking about ice cream?'
Sigh, The King of Essence can't figure it out. The King of Essence already got two mint chocolate, but then he doesn't know how to choose the other two. If you add the flavor of the month, there's only one left, but there are too many flavors to choose from…
"Um..."
Raon thought he had spoken needlessly and approached Blood Cloud Blade, who was leaning against a tree outside the lake.
"Are you only discussing things that are unfavorable to you and keeping your mouths shut about anything else? Is that how it is?"
Blood Cloud Blade didn't reveal the fact that he was the one who attacked Raon first to White Wolf. The battle with White Wolf was essentially the result of that choice.
"I didn't intend to deceive you. I just wanted to get out of here as soon as possible..."
"Get out?"
Raon spoke with a cold tone and glanced at him.
"Both you, your subordinates, and this fool's lives, everything is Zieghart's. Even if you chew off your tongue and die, you won't be able to escape."
"Ugh..."
"Ah…"
The emotionless and dry voice left Blood Cloud Blade and his subordinates pale with fear.
"Is there something you want to say?"
"N-no, there's nothing!"
Blood Cloud Blade and his subordinates quickly shook their heads as if they were more afraid of the situation than death.
Ttuk.
Raon lightly tapped the sheath of Heavenly Drive while looking at Blood Cloud Blade and White Wolf.
"I would love to rip off your legs right now to make you talk, but consider yourselves lucky."
He turned his head, biting his tongue. He needed to treat the injuries of the Warring Steel members and the Light Wind members, as well as take care of those ordinary people shivering in the cold, so it wasn't the time to make them talk.
"As soon as we return to Zieghart, I will find out what's inside your heads, so be prepared."
Raon spoke these words while paralyzing Blood Cloud Blade and his subordinates with aura, making them unable to move.
As he signaled, Mark Gorton and the Light Wind members who were standing behind them began to collect the subordinates of Blood Cloud Blade and White Wolf, who were frozen.
"Dorian, do you have fur clothing?"
"Oh, of course!"
When Raon made a gesture, Dorian nodded.
"There are many people, so we might be short on quantity. Starting with the children..."
"Do we have enough?"
Dorian put his hand in his pocket and took out fur clothing, boots, and gloves that matched the number of people. It seemed like there was more than enough, to the point of overflowing.
"...This many?"
"These are essentials!"
He smiled and distributed the fur clothing to the people.
'He's a truly amazing guy.'
While gazing at Dorian in amazement, Trevin, the leader of the Warring Steel division, approached with weak steps and bowed his head.
"I'm sorry. I didn't know that there would be a problem between White Whale and Zieghart because of us…"
"You don't need to worry."
Raon shook his head with a smile that was completely different from when he looked at Blood Cloud Blade
"They were the ones who started the trouble. Even if Heukgeumje (White Whale's head) or something comes directly, they won't be able to say anything."
He grabbed Trevin's shoulder, who was embarrassed to hear that the evidence, situation, and justification were all on his side.
"Right now, we shouldn't be thinking about White Whale matters. We need to take care of the wounded and the fallen."
"…Yeah, that's right."
Trevin looked back and nodded heavily.
"I'll be right back. Get ready."
"Understood."
After taking care of the Light Wind members, the Warring Steel members, and the hostages, Raon looked back.
'He's still there.'
Ayad was still hiding in a tree, watching this place.
It seemed that not bringing his subordinates was his last shred of dignity.
Raon sent a sneer to Ayad and turned his gaze away.
"You'll be watching it for the rest of your life."
* * *
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White Lotus division leader Ayad bit his lip as he watched Raon and the Light Wind division leave the lake.
'That guy…'
Was he that strong?
Peak master level. Given Raon's growth so far, it was a level he could reasonably reach, although it was fast.
'But that power is far beyond expectations.'
Since the Warring Steel division was in critical condition, Raon was the only one who could face Maryun and Binghyang inside.
It was hard to believe that he had defeated Maryun and Binghyang, who were at a higher level than him, in a barrier filled with magic, and even smashed the barrier.
'And he even defeated White Wolf.'
Unlike Maryun and Binghyang, who rely on the powerful power of magic, White Wolf was a warrior who had truly cultivated his martial arts, but he was overwhelmingly defeated by Raon.
It was a shame for a warrior to be defeated by the difference in martial arts level even though he had more power.
*Crumble*
Ayad clenched his fist with the hand that was holding the tree branch. The thick branch was reduced to powder and scattered.
'It's fair to say that he's much stronger than expected.'
He found me too.
Raon looked this way with a sneer on his face. He looked like he knew he was hiding here.
'Anyway…'
If I don't crush him now, I might not have a chance.
Raon's growth had far surpassed the norm. Since he didn't know when he would break through the wall, he wanted to break his spirit now.
'I should go back to Zieghart for the first time in a while.'
As Ayad frowned as he planned to crush Raon, there was a gaze watching him from behind.
Goooongg
On the hill behind the tree where Ayad was hiding. On a cliff of emerald green covered in lush vegetation, a woman wearing a black robe and a mask of a cracked old woman stood.
"Hm…"
She looked at Ayad's back and plucked a petal from the flower in her hand.
"Kill. Spare. Kill. Spare. Kill. Spare. Kill. Spare. Kill. Spare. Kill. Spare. Kill. Spare. Kill. Spare?"
Merlin watched the last petal fall from "spare".
"Oh, it's annoying, but I want to kill..."
She touched her lips, which were slightly visible under her mask, and picked up a new flower.
"Let's try one more time. Kill. Spare. Kill. Spare..."
* * *
Raon smiled faintly as he looked at the tall and sturdy main gate of Zieghart.
'It feels comfortable.'
When he first saw that imposing gate, he thought it felt like a prison, but now it looked like an entrance filled with longing and warmth.
It felt like he was experiencing the comfort of home for the first time in both his past and current lives.
As Raon watched the slowly opening main gate, he turned back.
'Fortunately, they followed me well.'
The people who had been kidnapped by the magicians of Black Tower were wearing fur coats that Dorian had brought out, were following him diligently.
In truth, he wanted to send them straight home, but he had to bring them to house Zieghart for treatment as they were exposed to magic and had sustained injuries.
They seemed to understand his intentions, and not a single one of them refused and followed him all the way here.
The Warring Steel and the Light Wind were taking care of the people one by one, even though they were injured themselves. They were both true warriors that could not be compared to the White Lotus division.
'It really pleases me.'
So, are you going to accept them?
Wrath, who was licking his lips above his head, snapped his fingers.
'What do you mean?'
The King of Essence means those people.
Wrath pointed to the Warring Steel division swordsmen who were carrying or leading the people.
If you like them, you can take them under your wing.
He waved his hand, saying that it was the duty of a demon king to personally accept talented people.
'I don't really want to become a Demon King. Besides, we're all equals, and one division can't accept swordsmen from another division.'
Then, rank up!
'Hmm…'
If the Light Wind division were to become the Light Wind Palace, he could accept swordsmen from other divisions.
However, considering a promotion to a palace right after becoming the Light Wind division seemed excessive.
It's not too much! You are the one who should go down to the Devildom with the King of Essence and become the new demon king. Don't hesitate just because you're taking in some mediocre humans. Have some ambition.
'Then I'll be as bloated as you are.'
My real goal is not to stand above.
Raon recalled his vow to take revenge on Derus Robert and make Sylvia a direct line, and approached the main gate of Zieghart.
'But…'
'The basic condition for being promoted to the Light Wind Palace is being a Grandmaster. He hadn't reached that level yet, and he wasn't an executive yet, so thinking about the Light Wind Palace was unrealistic. However, it wouldn't hurt to consider a new goal after being promoted to the division.'
'It's worth thinking about.'
When he finished organizing his thoughts, the main gate of Zieghart opened, and Illiune, the foreign minister, walked out.
"Congratulations!"
"You have done well."
Illiune patted him on the shoulder with an emotional expression, different from his usual stoic demeanor. Saving a member of the house seemed to bring joy to him as well
"Go straight to the lord's manor. Everyone is waiting for you."
He pointed to the lord's manor in the distance, saying that he would take care of other matters.
Everyone is waiting?
Wrath, upon hearing those words, licked his lips loudly.
Is it a party with lots of ice cream?
The guy licked his lips, as if he was impressed by the party that had been held at the house before.
'It's probably a party.'
Raon shook his head with a wry smile.
'A party where overflowing with food for me, not for you.'
