Chapter 479
Denning Rose inserted the mana-infused needles into the ground in sixteen directions, and a hazy fog enveloped the surroundings of the lodging.
However, it was as faint as the mist before sunrise, seemingly dissipating with a mere wave of the hand.
"It's called Connected Fog (mist) Formation (Yu-seon-woonmoo-jin) (유선운무진). Though it looks like light fog, if anyone tries to inspect this place from the outside, the fog thickens, making it impossible to see properly," Denning Rose explained, gesturing with her fingers through the mist.
"Hmm..."
Raon spread his perception and examined the flow of the Connected Fog Formation.
'It's calm.'
The mist gently swirled around the lodging, then occasionally emitted a strong wave.
It seemed to be a reaction to block outside vision.
'It's a way that doesn't harm the flow of nature.'
He looked over the formation, but there was no particularly sharp place. It was easy to see because it was installed simply, but it seemed to be a formation of a higher level than he thought.
"You were also proficient in formations, weren't you?"
"I had learned a little bit. However..."
Denning Rose looked up at the sky and bit her lip slightly.
"I really suffered in Grand Seville, so I got into it properly."
As she recalled the incident in Grand Seville where she was hit by the apostle's formation, a wrinkle formed on her brow.
"I didn't want to see our members and residents become sacrifices again."
"That's right."
Raon glanced at Denning Rose, who clenched her fist in determination, offering a faint smile.
'That's impressive.'
Mastering complex formations alongside her duties as a branch manager must have been no easy feat. Raon felt a mix of pride and a slight twinge in his chest.
‘It's the same on this side.’
He turned his gaze to the right and saw Encia, who was covering her face with a camera.
She, too, bore the weight of high expectations from her family but managed to develop a groundbreaking artifact.
Both Denning Rose and Encia seemed to have grown since their earlier days, and while Raon felt proud, a hint of unease lingered.
‘I feel like I'm standing still.’
Compared to the two flourishing individuals, Raon sensed a stagnant feeling within himself, leaving a bitter taste in his mouth.
Are you really crazy!
Wrath, who was lying down like a dried fish, got up straight.
Grrr…Standing still???!!?
'What?'
You're the one who's growing the most, so where do you get the nerve to say such nonsense?
'.....'
While sucking up the stats and abilities of the King of Essence, you grew up, and you're talking nonsense like that! There must be hair on your conscience!
Wrath frowned, wondering what kind of human is so greedy.
'Is that so?'
Raon clenched his right fist.
It was true that he had honestly mentioned his recent stagnation in martial arts, but it was also true that he had grown a lot over the past. It seemed like he could move forward with a little more peace of mind.
‘Thanks for the encouragement.’
It's not encouragement! It's a scolding!
'It helped me.'
After tapping Wrath on the head, he opened the gate of the inn (lodging).
He bowed his head to the swordsmen waiting and gestured for them to come in.
"You've waited long. Please come in."
The eyes of the swordsmen shone like the sun reflected in a lake.
"So you're going to accept the spar?"
“We came here just in case, but this is a great opportunity.”
"Thank you!"
"I will never forget this favor!"
The swordsmen' cheeks turned red, perhaps due to the anticipation of being able to spar.
'Indeed.'
There was no smell of White Whale.
It seemed that Heukgeumje had sent only swordsmen who had no connection to her to this place, so as not to experience the failure of yesterday again.
"Yes. I will accept the spar. However..."
Raon smiled as he faced Dumtkan, the first to come from the Tven family.
"How about we first have a fight between the swordsmen of the Tven family and my subordinates before fighting me?"
"You mean my disciples?"
Dumtkan blinked his eyes as he looked at his disciples standing behind him.
"Yes. Their level is similar, so it will be helpful for each other."
"Hmm, it's true that all the swordsmen of the Light Wind division are also advanced and peak experts."
Dumtkan nodded as he surveyed the Light Wind division members one by one.
"However, my disciples have been at this level for a considerable amount of time. There will be quite a difference in the spar due to the experience gap."
He seemed concerned that if all the Light Wind division members were defeated, it might shake their confidence.
It was not sarcasm, but it seemed that he genuinely thought that the winner and loser had already been decided.
"We're fine."
Raon shook his head gently.
"Hmm, what do you think?"
When Dumtkan turned around and asked, his disciples immediately nodded.
"Good!"
"Please let us fight!"
"I wanted to fight with the swordsmen of Zieghart."
Dumtkan's disciples also bowed their heads and begged.
"It's decided, then."
Raon told the swordsmen of the Tven family to prepare and then returned to the Light Wind members.
"Did you all hear?"
"It's definitely a good opportunity. I wanted to see how much we've grown."
Burren licked his lips as he looked at the swordsmen of the Tven family.
“They're ignoring us even before we start? Do they want to lose that badly?”
Martha wrinkled her nose as she glared at Dumtkan, who said that the Light Wind division members would have a hard time.
"I'm ready."
Runaan nodded as if it didn't matter when, but she still had an ice cream in her hand.
"Then the first one is Krein."
Raon called Krein's name as he looked at the three captains.
"Huh? Me?"
Krein, who thought it wasn't his turn, was stunned.
"This kind of thing is start from the captain..."
"You're the unique Krein."
Raon flicked his finger, muttering to go out quickly.
"You'll lose if you hesitate."
Martha raised her fist at Krein.
"Martha is right. The vanguard must win at all costs."
Burren nodded with cold eyes.
"......"
Without saying a word, Runaan gripped the Snow Flower sword. Her gestures were more coercive than Martha's.
"Well, good! I'll come back after breaking them easily!"
Krein swallowed his dry saliva and stood up from his chair.
"Don't take it lightly. Give it your best."
Raon lightly patted Krein’s back.
In the past, he thought it was polite to adjust his strength to match his opponent, but now he had a change of heart.
While in the past, adjusting strength to match the opponent was considered courtesy, now his perspective had changed. Coming this far and requesting a sparring match meant wanting to see the real strength, so it was courteous to face the opponent with full force.
“Yes!”
Krein let out a fierce shout and stood in the center of the training ground.
“My name is Henry from the Tven family.”
“I am Krein of Zieghart!”
After the two swordsmen exchanged greetings, they drew their swords immediately.
“Then let’s begin.”
As soon as Raon raised his hand, Henry moved first. He stomped on light footwork and swung his sword roughly.
“Huu!”
Krein moved sideways like sliding and created a sword aura.
“Zzeerreerrreeong!”
The sword auras collided and a strong shock echoed through the training ground.
However, the one who was pushed back first was Henry, who had taken the initiative.
“Ugh!”
Henry tried to get into position in a hurry, but Krein did not miss that gap.
He stepped on a straight-line footwork and moved forward, raising his second sword strike.
“Kryaaaah!”
Krein’s fierce sword aura spread in a fan shape, breaking Henry’s unstable sword stance.
“Puk!”
Henry’s grip ripped and the sword he was holding was stuck in the training ground floor.
“Huh?”
Krein opened his eyes wide, looking at Henry who had fallen as if he was also surprised.
“Why is he so weak….”
“Winner, Krein!”
Raon announced Krein's victory to ensure he didn't disrespect his opponent
“This, this is….”
Dumtkan trembled his lips as he looked at his disciple who had dropped his sword.
‘He was clearly superior to Krein. How could he lose so easily?’
Since Henry had reached a higher level than the swordsmen called Krein, he never thought he would lose so easily.
He couldn’t speak because of the overwhelming defeat that could not even be called carelessness.
‘If it was the captain like the Blade of Tempest or the Untamed Woman, I wouldn’t mind. But losing to an unknown member...'
He had come here to learn, but that was his own business. It was a different story for his disciples to lose against the Light Wind members.
“Kenan!”
“Yes!”
This time, to ensure absolute victory, he called his ace disciple Kenan. Someone on the verge of breaking through the Master's wall wouldn't lose to anyone.
“Martha.”
Raon looked at Kenan, a young swordsman, and called Martha.
“Is it okay to beat him with all my strength?”
“Don’t beat him too badly….”
He shook his hand, saying not to lose too badly.
“Untamed Woman. Be gentle.”
Runaaan put her hands together in front of her mouth and shouted words that were unknown whether she was cheering or not.
"How about I face you first? Aah?"
“Later.”
Runaan blocked Martha from rushing at her and pushed her into the training ground.
“My name is Kenan of the Tven family.”
“I am Martha of Zieghart.”
Martha, with an irritated expression possibly due to Runaan, introduced herself.
“Spar begins!”
As soon as Raon raised his hand, Martha moved first.
“Hoo.”
Kenan, who seemed to know Martha, took a defensive stance as if to invite her in first.
“Are you going to defend?”
Martha smiled coldly and raised her sword upwards. Her sword turned yellow, and a huge pressure welled up.
“Kukukugugugu!”
A lightning-fast sword descended. Martha, having gained enlightenment in the earth's attribute, had the weight of a mountain in her sword strikes.
“Kuk!”
Kenan poured all his strength into the sword he raised at an angle, but he could not block Martha’s sword.
His legs were embedded in the ground, and his hand holding the sword shook as if it would break.
“Kwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaang!”
A tremendous impact erupted and black smoke billowed.
“Phew!”
As Raon blew away the smoke, Kenan, who had rolled his eyes back, was seen.
His sword was broken in half and fell to the ground.
“They’re too weak.”
Martha clicked her tongue as she looked at the unconscious Kenan.
“This is not considered going easy.”
She said she had adjusted her strength and returned to the Light Wind members seat.
“That’s right.”
Raon smiled faintly after checking Kenan’s condition.
Although there was a loud noise and a strong impact, Kenan did not suffer any major injuries.
It seemed like she had accommodated Raon's request not to defeat him too harshly.
“Huuuu…”
Dumtkan shook his head with a yellowed complexion. He looked like he couldn’t believe that his disciple had lost twice in a row.
“Let’s start the next spar.”
Raon lightly pounded the training ground and called Dumtkan.
“…I understand. Kaman.” (lol, same name as one of Warring Steel’s vice leader)
Dumtkan bit his lip and gestured to the person who was right behind him. He was a swordsman of a similar level to Kenan who had fainted.
“Runaan.”
“Yes.”
Runaan nodded and stepped out onto the training ground. Her fierce eyes remained the same, but there was a sense of calm within them.
“My name is Kaman.”
“Runaan Sullion.”
The two people bowed to each other.
“Spar begins.”
Kaman, perhaps because he had seen the two previous spar, did not move rashly or solidify his defense.
He started by firing off fierce sword energy as a measure.
“Thump!”
Runaan, with her upper body leaning forward, stepped forward in a stance. Frost wrapped around her body, emitting a subtle blue light.
“Huup!”
Kaman fired a series of sword energies the moment Runaan moved. Seven sword energies that went in a moment aimed at Runaan's entire body.
'That's it!'
It was impossible for anyone other than a Master level to block all of those sword energies.
He had to catch the advantage by firing a second bundle of sword energies at the moment a gap opened.
Just when Kaman was gathering his aura while predicting Runaan's reaction,
Whoosh!
Runaan's figure disappeared like a phantom, and the sword energy he extended cut through the air.
"What is this...?"
When Kaman opened his mouth in surprise, his throat was touched by a blue blade.
Runaan, who had moved back in the meantime, had completely subdued Kaman.
"I, I lost."
Kaman dropped his sword, which was filled with thick aura, and admitted defeat.
He still looked like he didn't know what had happened.
"Good match."
Runaan bowed to Kaman and stepped back.
After Runaan, the Light Wind members perfectly overwhelmed the swordsmen who came from various families and kingdoms without a single loss.
In fact, all the matches ended so quickly that it was even ambiguous to call them a spar.
"Does this make sense?"
"Surely our side has a higher level; how can they not win a single time?"
"Even if it's Zieghart, there's an age difference, how can..."
Middle-aged swordsmen who saw the one-sided defeat of their disciples and subordinates looked at the Light Wind division members with an expression of incomprehension.
Only Raon smiled without any surprise.
'It's strange if they lose.'
Who taught them?
The Light Wind division's victory now had their sweat and effort in it.
He engraved death into their bodies through one-on-one spar every week and cultivated their mental strength through hellish training.
It was only natural to win even if there was a difference in level.
'And on top of that...'
Raon smiled even more deeply and looked at Burren, Runaan, and Martha.
'Those guys are even more special.'
Those three people, after finishing their regular training, went to find Rimmer and received additional training.
It seems that they received attribute training to open the sword field, but their basic strength has grown significantly.
It seemed that all three of them would become Master level in a very short period of time.
Raon sent a nod to the Light Wind division members, meaning "good job," and approached Dumtkan.
"Now it's our turn."
"Yes, I know."
Dumtkan nodded and stepped onto the training ground.
His eyes settled as if he never panicked. In an instant, he regained his composure. He seemed like a true high-ranked Master.
"Spar Begins!"
Once they were ready, Mark Gorton, who was in charge of the referee, approached and lowered his hand.
"Huup!"
The first to move was Dumtkan. He lowered his stance and kicked the ground. He jumped in at once and thrust his sword with all his strength, and a chilling aura could be felt from the straight sword point.
'A well-polished swordsmanship.'
As Denning Rose said, Dumtkan's martial arts had sharpness within the calmness. It was thrusting that could be considered a textbook.
‘But….’
His heart was not racing.
Was it because he had seen the martial arts of the will created by the Demon Killing Spear a little earlier? Dumtkan's sword stance felt too light.
'It's time to move forward now.'
Raon smiled faintly and re-gripped his Heavenly Drive sword.
Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation: Hundred Flames.
Revolving Sky.
The spiral flames that flew out from the blade of Heavenly Drive drew the tail of a comet.
Chweoeoeoeoek!
The astral energy emitted by Dumtkan melted away instantly, and the air was filled with the red traces created by Revolving Sky.
Raon lowered Heavenly Drive and bowed his head.
“It was a good match.”
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“I’ve lost.”
With the declaration of defeat by Mark Gorton, the swordsmen who entered the lodging knelt before Raon.
“Thank you for your hard work.”
Raon bowed his head to Mark Gorton as he sheathed Heavenly Drive.
Since the Light Wind Division and Raon had subdued all the swordsmen, family heads, executives, within five rounds, the inn was silent, as if it had turned into a library.
The faces of all the swordsmen who had come to request a spar, thinking that they were of similar strength, were also pale.
“Hmmm….”
Raon licked his lips as he looked at the training ground floor, which was almost undamaged.
'I wonder how they'll react.'
As a martial artist, he didn't show leniency, and he demonstrated his true skills. He wasn't sure how they would perceive it.
If they came here as real swordsmen, they would be grateful for being treated fairly, and if they were influenced by Heukgeumje, they would spread bad rumors.
“Raon-nim.”
As he was looking into the void and drawing up what would happen in the future, he heard the voices of Dumtkan and the other swordsmen from behind.
When he turned around, everyone who had requested a spar was approaching with their hands folded.
“Thank you.”
All the swordsmen bowed with their hands clasped, their bodies forming right angles. Their voices were filled with genuine emotion.
“Thank you for not looking down on us and treating us sincerely.”
“Even though it was a short match, we were able to learn a lot.”
"If you had taken it easy on us and prolonged the fight, we would have been disappointed."
"It feels refreshing because it ended cleanly."
Even the swordsmen who used the honorific form because of their position as family head smiled with their voices raised.
"Of course, that's how it should be."
Raon smiled with a similar smile to the swordsmen and nodded.
‘They seem to have taken it well.’
Looking at everyone's eyes, it seemed like they understood why he had sincerely faced them. The language he created with the sword had worked.
"Then, until next time."
“After practicing based on what we have realized today, we will ask for a spar again.”
"May fortune be with you in the future."
The swordsmen bowed again and one by one left Zieghart's lodging.
Oh?
Wrath looked up at the sky, which was beginning to darken, and opened his mouth in surprise.
How did it end so quickly? What's going on?
‘l said I'II end it quickly, I keep my promise.’
Raon smiled as he looked at Wrath, whose eyes were wide with surprise.
You're finally coming to your senses! You've finally become a demon!
Wrath patted his shoulder, praising him.
‘But I'm still human…’
As Raon sighed while looking at Wrath, he heard small footsteps behind him.
"You finished quickly, but you're actually happy. Do you think it's unexpected?"
Denning Rose smiled slightly as she looked at the door of the inn where the swordsmen had left.
“It's natural. They were all neutral individuals who honed their skills without causing any problems."
She continued with a slightly deeper smile.
"Heukgeumje must have sent only such swordsmen on purpose, but it turned out to be a great help to sir Raon."
Denning Rose smiled, thinking that they would spread good rumors about Zieghart to others.
"It seems so.”
"Now I'll release the formation."
As she reached for the hem of her dress to take out the needle case, a photo slipped out.
"Oh..."
Denning Rose's eyes widened, her face taking on an unfamiliar color.
"This...?"
"No need to be embarrassed! Third fan!"
Encia lowered her camera and nodded.
"It's a human instinct to want to keep seeing someone so handsome!"
She said, nodding as if it were only natural.
"Third fan? Are there even second and first fans?"
"Well…”
Encia pointed to the right.
“Handsome Raon.”
Runaan muttered “handsome” in a flat voice.
“Phew…”
Raon sighed, picking up the fallen photo. It seemed to be taken during the bet with Demon Killing Spear, capturing a slightly serious expression.
“That…”
Denning Rose held out her hand with her head bowed.
“Please.”
“Yes?”
“Please give it to me.”
Unexpectedly, she seemed to like the photo. Raon handed it over with a dry swallow.
“Th, thank you!”
Denning Rose retreated, walking away with a sniffle without lifting her face.
"Even your embarrassed expression is good now! Super handsome!"
Encia exclaimed that she was so happy and started the camera again.
"How on earth did you make that camera?
Raon turned to Encia, covering his face with his palm.
He can't understand how paper keeps coming out of that small size. He has been curious about the artifact's principles since yesterday.
"To spread Sir Raon's charisma and handsome face worldwide."
“Huh…”
His mouth was agape. It was amazing that she developed such a new artifact for such a reason.
“It must have been difficult, right?”
“Of course it wasn’t easy.”
Encia nodded, pointing to the camera.
"At first, I used the pinhole theory called Camera Obscura, where an inverted image appears on the opposite side when a small hole is pierced in a darkroom. However, although it's possible to see, it can't print a photo. So, I inserted mana-infused gems to create the current method."
“A gem filled with mana?”
"Yes. Using mana stones was too powerful, and the camera kept breaking. So, I balanced the power using gems corresponding to each attribute. The theory of pocket dimensions (spatial pocket) is also included."
“Ah…”
Raon dropped his hand and muttered blankly.
"Balancing the power through attributes…”
As soon as he heard Encia’s explanation, a red and blue lightning bolt struck his brain.
A new way to operate the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation and Glacier was starting to emerge.
"Yeah, there's no need to focus only on two attributes. A different way…"
Huh?
Wrath shook his jaw as he watched Raon’s eyes gradually become transparent.
Hey! Where are you going? Come back! Why now of all times!
Wrath doesn't know why he suddenly went into a trance when he was about to go eat.
You crazy bastard! Come back! Just eat first! Then I’ll let you go!
He called out to Raon endlessly, but his gaze did not return.
I knew it! There’s no way things will go well for the King of Essence! I knew it all along!
Wrath cursed at the sky and then let his shoulders droop like a wet towel.
Yaaaaaaaah…
