N/T: Translation made by our friend 'Irving'. A big round of applause for him :)
Chapter 567
Revenge was always on my mind.
Even as I raised the children of Light Wind, my desire for revenge against the Dragon Swordmaster did not disappear.
Even when I was laughing, enjoying myself, getting angry, and growing fond of the children, revenge was always by my side like a shadow.
I had lost everyone who was closer to me than family, so it was inevitable.
I realized that I could not give up my revenge against the Dragon Swordmaster and the Holy Sword Union, and I began to prepare.
I first swore to my ancestors that I would kill the Dragon Swordmaster even if it meant sacrificing my life.
However, I was unable to fulfill that oath.
Even though I encountered the Dragon Swordmaster, whom I had dreamed of, even in my dreams, I couldn't bring myself to fight him to the death.
I poured all my energy into blocking his path, prioritizing the living children over the dead.
It was truly fortunate that no one died. I had no regrets.
However, guilt weighed heavily on my shoulders. After returning to the family, I immediately went to the graves of the dead.
I cried out that I was sorry, that I had no choice, and that I would really take the Dragon Swordmaster's neck with my own hands next time.
Since then, I have gradually distanced myself from Raon and the Light Wind guys.
I hardly went to the training ground, and I didn't even watch over the children's training, so that the Light Wind could be maintained with Raon at the center, even without me.
I borrowed the head of the house's personal training ground and focused solely on training.
I abandoned the Eye of the Storm, which had a balanced attack and defense, and honed only the powerful Song of Wind and Lightning, creating the teeth that would bite the Dragon Swordmaster's neck.
It was a more difficult time than I thought, perhaps because I had become too attached to the Light Wind, but I was able to endure it thanks to my love for the children and my desire for revenge against the Dragon Swordmaster.
I thought I could finally give up everything and focus on revenge.
However, this time again, I was unable to give it my all against the Dragon Swordmaster.
I had decided that I didn't care what happened to the Light Wind, and that I would only cut off the Dragon Swordmaster's neck, but in the end, I ended up using a lot of aura to protect the children.
I should have felt guilty towards the dead, but strangely enough, I felt at ease.
It was as if my soul, which had been squeezed by the thorns, was freed, and I was able to move my body more freely. It also occurred to me that the end was near.
Recalling my own end, I told Raon to lead everyone and escape, and then I tried to reach a conclusion, but in the end, that damn bastard caused an accident.
He did something so crazy that even Glenn couldn't, falling into a trance in the middle of the battlefield.
In the end, all of my plans to go down with the Dragon Swordmaster were ruined.
I had no choice but to use all my strength to protect Raon and the Light Wind, unable to either escape or end it here.
However, in the midst of that chaotic battle, a last chance came.
The Dragon Swordmaster was so surprised to see Raon on the verge of breaking the Grandmaster wall that he focused all his strength on the direction of the Light Wind's barrier.
At that moment, a gap appeared. A fatal opening appeared that would allow me to cut the Dragon Swordmaster's neck and sever its breath.
However, if I were to exploit that gap, Raon and the Light Wind would not be left with a single piece of bone.
A split-second decision?
No, I didn't even make a decision.
My body was already blocking the Dragon Swordmaster before I could even think about it.
I erased the Song of Wind and Lightning that I had been honing in order to kill him, and raised the Eye of the Storm to protect everyone.
I didn't feel any regret for not being able to get revenge. All I thought about was protecting the guys behind me.
I absorbed the Cursed Magic into my body and infused the wind energy(aura) into the Cursed Sword to save the children.
I thought it would be enough. The sin of not achieving revenge would be confessed to my comrades in the afterlife as I vowed, closing my eyes.
The moment I thought of death.
That darn Raon stopped the Cursed Sword. His golden eyes that swirled with mystery and majesty overwhelmed the Dragon Swordmaster.
Raon smiled, saying he was late because he overslept.
Those were my lines.
The back of my disciple, who recited the words I spoke when I halted the Blood Raving Demon, appeared broader than any I had ever seen. Not even Glenn, to whom I had entrusted my future, could keep up.
Raon's strength was immense. He even displayed skills he shouldn't have been able to use right after breaking the wall, and he overwhelmed the Dragon Swordmaster.
That child. No, my young king, seemed to be climbing the steps to the throne, wearing a Dragon coat and Crown.
Though I couldn't achieve revenge with my own hands, absorbing the magic and dying felt worthwhile.
Unfortunately, there was no satisfaction. I wanted to be the one to cut off the Dragon Swordmaster's neck, not someone else. I didn't want someone else to do my revenge for me.
As I thought that, Raon cleaved the Dragon Swordmaster with golden flames.
"Your defeat. No… It's our victory."
With those brief words, that resolute voice, I felt a sense of salvation in my soul. The spirit and body that had always been with the dead seemed to awaken from a nightmare, and tears flowed without my realization.
There was no regret. Now I didn't have to apologize to my comrades even after I died.
Because I can say that my disciple has avenged me.
I closed my eyes.
Right now, my whole body was filled with the cursed magic I had forcibly absorbed.
Even with the Ragged Saint Federick by my side, there was no way to save me, so I didn't even think about wanting to live.
Opening my eyes again, I looked at the Light Wind members one by one.
As I was greeting the children I had raised since childhood with my eyes, I heard heavy footsteps.
It was Raon. The guy who had ended the battle and was looking down with misty eyes.
Perhaps, this was the last farewell.
I wanted to exchange a sincere greeting, at least before I died.
"Ra, Raon. Thank you. Thanks to you, I..."
Raon frowned as he raised his head and opened his parched lips.
"Enough with the drama. Get up.”
You little brat!
* * *
Raon bit his lip as he looked into Rimmer's trembling eyes.
'This is not good.'
Rimmer was in a state of magic poisoning throughout his body. It was serious enough that he wouldn't be surprised if he died soon, and indeed, his body was rapidly losing vitality.
"This is serious. The magic has spread not only to his mana circuits, but also to his organs."
Martha, having continued her studies in medicine, quickly grasped all the details of Rimmer's condition.
"Can this guy be saved?”
"Raon..."
Burren and Runaan trembled at the fingertips.
"Vice division leader..."
"I don't want to see this elf die like this!"
"Even if he dies, it's better to die in a gambling den. We can't let him die like this!”
The Light Wind members also knelt down and bowed their heads, saying they couldn't let Rimmer go like this.
"Don't worry. I can save him."
Raon nodded and checked Rimmer's condition. As Martha said, he could smell the stench of magic from his organs.
Save him? what a novice like you can do?
Wrath waved his hand dismissively.
Don't give them false hope. Just surrender your body to the King of Essence. When the magic face the King of Essence, it will cower and back down on its own. If you're lucky, you might even survive!
'......'
Raon didn't reply to Wrath's words and just stared at him blankly.
What, what are you looking at!
‘You're indeed a generous fool.’
Fool? You little…!
Pushing away the enraged Wrath, he placed his hand on Rimmer's left chest.
He drew out the wrath energy that was dormant in the depths of his soul and poured it into Rimmer's body.
Urgh!
Wrath opened his eyes wide.
‘As expected, this is the solution.'
He realized that when he was in trance, the cursed magic could not withstand the energy of the Demon King. If he used that energy, he would be able to expel the magic that filled Rimmer's body.
"Hey. You damn bastard. Our end will be... Cough!"
He covered Rimmer's struggling mouth and continued to pour in the energy of wrath.
Gooooo!
The moment the energy of wrath invaded Rimmer's body, the magic that had been consuming his body trembled in fear and scattered in all directions.
As expected, the magic was no match for the power of the Demon King.
"Cough!”
Rimmer gasped for air, his chest heaving as if he couldn't breathe. His complexion turned pale, and blue veins protruded on his face.
"Y-you, what are you doing?!"
Martha was terrified, but she couldn't stop him and just stood there, her feet rooted to the ground.
"It's okay."
Raon gestured to her and the Light Wind members to trust him, then spread the wrath energy that had invaded Rimmer's body from his heart.
'Devour them all.’
The energy, disgusted by the presence of cursed magic in its domain, moved on its own, devouring the magic that had invaded Rimmer's body and mana circuits.
However, it wasn't going smoothly. Sometimes, the energy would rush towards one place while trying to devour the hidden magic, causing it to over-concentrate in one area.
"Aaargh! My hand! My last remaining hand!”
Rimmer's left hand swelled up like a rubber ball filled with air, about to burst. It looked like the hand of a giant.
"Ah, wait a moment."
Raon calmly nodded and extracted the energy that concentrated in Rimmer's hand.
However, due to the swift movement, this time Rimmer's right leg swelled like a building pillar.
"Ah, is it here?"
"This crazy disciple! Can't you do it properly? I'm not your toy!”
Rimmer seemed to have forgotten the pain from the magic, cursed, shaking his shoulders.
"Stay still!"
"Eep!"
Raon gagged Rimmer with the hilt of his sword and focused again. He quickly circulated the energy concentrated in his right leg and erased all the magic hidden in his body.
Just in case, he used his aura to examine Rimmer's entire body, but he could no longer feel the stench of magic.
'It's over. Now, if I just...'
He was on the verge of discarding the magic and recovering only the energy when he abruptly stopped.
Raon took not only the wratth energy but also the magic that had invaded Rimmer's body for himself.
Sizzle!
As soon as the magic entered his body, it tried to cause trouble, but the energy of wrath, sloth, and envy rose up as if they had been waiting and surrounded the magic.
Rumble!
The magic, devoured by the energy of the three monarchs, seemed to have reformed and turned into pure mana. It circulated through his mana circuit once and settled in his energy center.
No way...
Wrath shook his head in disbelief.
Why is it moving on its own without the King of Essence's command!
Wrath glared at the energy that had returned after saving Rimmer.
'I can control it to some extent now.'
Perhaps because he had become a Grandmaster, the energy seemed to obey him better than before.
It seemed that as long as he didn't give up his mind like he did when he faced Syria, it wouldn't be too dangerous.
"Oh no! I'm dying! My subordinate is killing me!"
Rimmer thrashed and screamed.
"Instead of just killing me, he's torturing me before delivering the final blow! What a fate!”
This time, he yelled with a vigorous voice, unlike before.
"It seems like you're not dying but rather coming back to life, right?”
Burren tilted his head as he looked at Rimmer.
"What, what is this! The magic is all gone!"
Martha, who had checked Rimmer's condition, opened her mouth wide and exclaimed in disbelief.
"What the hell did you do!"
She screamed with her eyes as if she didn't know that magic could be erased so quickly.
"Inna."
Runaan patted Rimmer's shoulder.
“How are you? Wake up. It hurts to die… huh”
Rimmer stopped thrashing his limbs abruptly.
"Why, why doesn't it hurt?"
He realized that all the pain that felt like crushing his bones, flesh, and even internal organs had disappeared, and his lips trembled.
"What did you do! How did you erase the magic with aura!"
Rimmer stretched out his left hand in disbelief.
"……"
Raon frowned as he looked at his only arm, but Rimmer didn't seem to care at all and just asked how he erased the magic.
"It was a joke. I wasn't going to kill you from the beginning."
Waving his hand to hide a pitiful expression, Raon said.
"Hey, it wasn't a joke! I almost died for real!"
"Yes. Yes, I'm sure you did."
Raon nodded and helped Rimmer up.
"Let's see your enemy's final moments.”
He supported Rimmer and approached the Dragon Swordmaster, who was taking his last breath.
"Hmm..."
When Rimmer was about to speak to the Dragon Swordmaster, Raon raised his hand.
"Let me just say one thing first."
"If you're going to do this, don't bring me..."
Raon ignored Rimmer's words and looked down at the Dragon Swordmaster.
"I, I have nothing to say."
The Dragon Swordmaster shook his head, his eyes trembling.
"Don't worry. I don't want your answer."
"What?"
"Did the Holy Sword Union, Black Tower, and White Blood Religion form an alliance?”
At those words, the Dragon Swordmaster's pupils stopped shaking for a moment.
"So that's how it is.”
The Five Demons seemed to have formed an alliance, but in reality, they appeared to have gathered only to keep tabs on each other and had not actually reached a proper alliance.
He had thought it was strange when the Black Tower attacked Cameloon and the Holy Sword Union and the White Blood Religion attacked Barena, but it seemed that the three organizations had indeed formed an alliance, albeit temporarily.
"Black Tower and White Blood Religion, you've also fallen."
Rimmer muttered weakly.
"Sh, shut up."
The Dragon Swordmaster’s reaction confirming Raon's guess.
"Anyway, now I can finally speak honestly."
Rimmer pushed away Raon's support and stood alone. His legs shook, but he managed not to fall and looked down at the Dragon Swordmaster with a calm gaze.
“The loser of the previous fight was me. I lost all my subordinates and even my energy center, but you only lost an arm. I admit it. It was your victory.”
“W, what….”
The Dragon Swordmaster gulped as if he couldn’t understand what Rimmer was saying.
“But this time it’s different. While you were recovering your strength, I….”
Rimmer grabbed Raon’s shoulder with his left arm.
"I raised this monstrous disciple. Since this guy tore you apart, the winner of this fight is ours.”
He seemed to have liked the word ‘our’ that Raon had used, and he smiled softly as he repeated it.
“Keuk….”
The Dragon Swordmaster bit his lip with a resentful and bitter expression.
"If you don't do it with your own hands, it doesn't mean anything…”
“Yeah. It means something. If you’re jealous, raise your own disciple! You’re old and you’re still trying to turn back time with your strength! What a joke!”
Rimmer mocked the Dragon Swordmaster, shaking his head. If only his physical condition was better, he would have even danced.
“It’s fitting for you to die in a place where no one will pray for your soul.”
Rimmer finally seemed to have let go of all his regrets and smiled brightly.
“Da, damn you….”
With bloodshot eyes, Dragon Swordmaster bit his lips slowly, his breath fading away. His expression before death was more distorted than when he had lost to Raon.
“Get lost and go to hell.”
Rimmer looked at the Dragon Swordmaster, who had stopped breathing, and then squatted down. He scratched his missing right arm and smiled awkwardly.
“Thank you.”
“Yes?”
Raon blinked at Rimmer.
“Thank you. I feel refreshed thanks to you.”
Rimmer exhaled a long sigh and looked up at the clear sky.
“Thank you for saving those guys. If even one of them had died, I wouldn’t have been able to feel this way. I’m glad.”
“I didn’t know you could say such things, division leader.”
"How do you see me!”
“But there’s one thing you’re wrong about.”
“What?”
“It’s also fortunate that you’re alive.”
Raon turned Rimmer’s back and made him face the Light Wind members. The Light Wind members was all smiling as if they agreed.
“Where are you trying to run away to!”
“Go back and do all the training you didn’t give me!”
“Slacker.”
“Gambler!”
“Penniless!”
“Beggar!”
“Zieghart's trash!”
The Light Wind members all understood Rimmer’s circumstances and smiled as they called out his nicknames.
"Who the hell is calling me trash!”
Rimmer gritted his teeth as he looked for the person who called him trash.
Raon smiled faintly as he watched the bustling scene with Rimmer and the fleeing Light Wind members.
‘It’s finally over….’
Urghh….
While Raon was happily smiling, Wrath rolled his eyes with a very serious expression.
‘What’s wrong with you? Are you upset?’
What nonsense are you talking about! It's coming soon! It's about to come!
At those eerie words, he immediately released his senses. However, no matter how much he searched, he couldn’t feel anything.
‘What the hell is coming?’
I said it's coming! Feel it! It's nearby right now!
Without responding, Wrath lowered his body like a cat, targeting his prey.
'Did you happen to eat something weird?’
As he muttered that something was strange, a message appeared in the air.
[You have reached the realm of Grandmaster.]
[In the middle of the battlefield….]
[All stats….]
A series of messages appeared, blocking his view.
Aaaaah!
Wrath jumped up, screaming as if he had been waiting for this.
It’s finally here! The demon is here! Get out of here now!
Raon stared blankly at the fluttering cotton candy, blinking his eyes.
‘You’re the king of the demons….’
