N/T: Translation made by our friend 'Irving'. A big round of applause for him :)
Chapter 568
(Note: -Divinity Bloomed from the Darkness changed to Divinity Blooming from the Underworld.
-Divine Energy/Power changed to Holy Power.
-Veil of Snow Flower changed to Snow Flower's Veil)
Raon slapped Wrath's growling forehead with the back of his hand and then checked the message.
[You have reached the realm of Grandmaster.]
[You have shown madness by entering the state of trance in the center of the battlefield.]
[All stats increase by 40 points.]
[You have achieved the greatest achievement on the continent, <Youngest Grandmaster>.]
[Your soul level has greatly increased.]
[The level of all your martial arts has greatly increased.]
It seemed that not only did I reach Grandmaster, but my stats also increased, thanks to breaking through the wall and entering a state of trance on the battlefield.
'40 all stats points, that's crazy.'
It was an absurd amount of points to gain as a reward. However, there was a more pleasant message.
'The fact that the level of all my martial arts increased.'
After reaching Grandmaster, he was surprised to find that the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation's swordsmanship and Wrath's ultimate technique were much stronger than he thought, and it wasn't his imagination.
With the level of all his martial arts increasing, the power of his swordsmanship and aura seemed to have increased rapidly.
This is ridiculous!
As Raon was looking through the messages with a faint smile, Wrath raised his head abruptly.
If you did something crazy, you should deduct points instead of giving more! You bastard!
The guy grabbed his head as if he couldn't understand and screamed.
And that too, without the permission of the King of Essence! Why are you giving it away on your own?
Wrath swung his round fist at the system that gave the reward. Thanks to that, the next message appeared right away.
[The Ring of Fire has reached 8 stars.]
[All stats points increased by 10 points.]
[The physical and aura recovery rate increased greatly.]
[The upper energy center will expand. The will you put into your aura will be filled with greater power.]
[A special ability may be awakened.]
This time, it was the rewards he received from reaching the 8th star of the Ring of Fire.
Perhaps because he thought of the swordsman who never breaks and the flame that never goes out in the mental world, a message appeared saying that the physical and aura recovery rate had increased greatly.
Closing his eyes, Raon checked internally.
'Certainly....'
The recovery has become remarkably fast.
Thanks to the battle with the head of house Rakion and the Dragon Swordmaster his energy center was completely empty, but his aura was rising at a speed that was different from before.
It seemed that the recovery effect of sloth and the effect of the Ring of Fire were overlapping, and the recovery rate had increased ridiculously.
As soon as he smiled, feeling his energy center slowly getting filled, Wrath let out a cat-like scream.
Look, look. Why are you giving more stats! Recovery? He won't die anyway! He doesn't need recovery like that! will? Nonsense!
Wrath was now arguing with every line of the message. Of course, no one listened to him.
Ignoring the cat-like Wrath, Raon checked the last message.
'What is the special ability?'
He knew that the upper energy center had expanded because the mental world world had expanded as well.
But he had no idea what the special ability could be.
You doesn’t even know that?
Wrath clicked his tongue and turned his head.
That wall you’ve crossed is the barrier of life itself. It means that you have partially transcended humanity, so you may gain abilities befitting that.
'Ah....'
To have your stats taken away by someone who doesn't even know such things is truly unfair and maddening!
He genuinely lamented, tapping his chest, though not too forcefully.
'Then what kind of ability is it?'
How would I, the King of Essence, know that! It varies depending on what kind of human you are, and it might not even open anytime soon! It could even never happen!
Wrath snorted, saying that it couldn't be the same for every individual.
'So you don't know anything either?'
Just shut that mouth of yours!
As Raon lightly avoided Wrath's fist, another message popped up.
[The rank of <Backstab> has increased.]
[The rank of <Divinity that Blooming from the Underworld> has increased.]
[The rank of <Aura of Death Resistance> has increased.]
[The rank of <Evil Eye of Wrath> has increased.]
[The rank of <Snow Flower's Veil> has increased.]
The last message that appeared was a message informing him that the rank of his traits had increased. The traits he had used a lot during this battle had gone up by one rank each.
This is infuriating!
Wrath finally couldn't hold back and cursed.
Is this a bead ice cream shop? You're giving stats so generously! And you're only giving the delicious ones like mint chocolate!
'Hmm, mint chocolate doesn't taste that good…’
You shut up! answer me you damn system!
Despite Wrath's complaints, the system disappeared as if saying it had completed its tasks.
Ugh, my bones are cold....
Wrath muttered that he was cold, even though he was the Demon King of the Cold, and shivered his chubby body.
‘What, you're cold?’
Because I keep getting robbed. There's really no point in living.
Feeling sorry for some reason, Raon approached Wrath, scratching his head.
'Should I buy you some bead ice cream when we get back? How about 3 sets?'
Although he offered to buy ice cream, Wrath didn't even turn around and just mumbled to himself unexpectedly.
'Did he really get upset?’
Raon raised an eyebrow, observing Wrath.
What flavors should the King of Essence choose? Don't you think he should pick three delicious ones?
'…….'
The guy wasn't crazy or angry, he was just concentrating on choosing the flavor of ice cream.
'I'm tired....'
Raon sighed and turned his gaze away.
"Why are you mumbling to yourself?”
With a wry smile, Rimmer gestured towards where Wrath was contemplating ice cream flavors.
"Me?"
"Yeah. You were laughing at the air and then frowning. What's wrong?"
He squinted his eyes as he looked at the spot where Wrath and the message had been.
"Oh, I'm just a little tired.”
Raon scratched his cheek awkwardly and smiled.
"That's right. You must be tired after fighting one battle after another."
Burren, who could see Wrath, nodded his head. He told him that his spirit was cute by the shape of his mouth.
'Cute....'
This guy is just a carnivorous demon king. He wanted to shout, but he held back.
"Well, that makes sense."
Rimmer nodded calmly. His gaze involuntarily went to his right shoulder, feeling a tightness in his chest.
"Division leader."
Raon stood in front of Rimmer and looked into his eyes.
"What are you going to do with your arm?"
"Well..."
Rimmer awkwardly smiled as he touched his right shoulder with his left hand.
"Maybe I'll just retire."
His voice was calm, as if he was having a light conversation.
"Retire...?"
"I've been at Zieghart for quite a while, you know. I've been a group leader, an instructor, and then a group leader again, so I'm sure I'll have a decent amount of retirement and pension."
Rimmer smiled impeccably and waved his left hand.
"I think it would be fun to buy a house in the downtown area and commute to the casino with that money, don't you think?"
He flicked his fingers with an ambiguous look that could have been either serious or joking.
"Actually, gamblers with missing arms or ears are more common than you might think. I think I could do well as a player. What do you think?"
"Y, you're serious?"
Burren's eyes fluttered in confusion.
"You're going to blow your retirement money in one day, what kind of retirement is that!"
Martha, usually outspoken, only chewed her lips this time.
"......"
Runaan quietly looked at Rimmer, as if she understood whatever choice he made.
"Stop talking nonsense!"
"Where do you think you're going before repaying the money you borrowed from us?"
"Dedicate your life to the Light Wind Division to settle your debts!"
"We'll make you do it for the rest of your life!”
Dorian and the Light Wind members also shouted as if they couldn't bear to see Rimmer retire just like that.
"Ha..."
Rimmer only sighed softly as he looked at the Light Wind members. The children he had watched over from childhood to adulthood were telling him not to leave, so it seemed that he couldn't say anything either.
"Division leader."
Raon took a step closer to Rimmer, who had lowered his head.
"If you really want to retire, I'll accept it. However..."
He calmly turned his gaze and looked at Rimmer's right shoulder.
"If it's because of your arm, there might be a way."
"What do you mean?"
Rimmer clenched his hand on his shoulder and raised his gaze.
"Cloud's arm was a little strange."
Raon approached Cloud's body and touched his right arm.
It had the softness and warmth of skin, but it didn't feel like a human arm. It was an artifact, just as he had thought at first.
Pop!
Perhaps because Cloud was dead, the artifact arm was easily removed.
'Does it use mana?'
It seemed to work by inserting an artificial stem, like a mana circuit, into the shoulder. It would be difficult to use it in its current state, but it seemed like Encia could create something new if he brought it to her.
"Ugh..."
Rimmer grimaced at the sight of the artificial arm.
"I, I have OCD. I'll just live like this."
He spouted nonsense about having OCD while sleeping in a garbage pit.
"I'm not saying you have to use this. The arm length won't match anyway."
Raon shook his head as he lowered the artificial arm.
"Then?"
"If we take this, Lady Encia might be able to make you a new one."
"Ah, right, that genius girl can even make artificial energy centers."
Rimmer nodded, agreeing that it was a possibility.
"That's right. Gamblers without hands often wore prosthetics. It looked cooler.”
He chuckled, imagining himself gambling with the artificial arm on.
Do you really have to make an arm for him?
Wrath shook his head in disbelief.
'I regret even bringing it up.'
As Raon was about to agree with Wrath, Rimmer scratched the back of his neck.
"To be honest, half of my life was about revenge."
He smiled with eyes that didn't match the word revenge.
"Thanks to you, that's been accomplished, so I don't know what to do next."
Rimmer looked at his empty right shoulder and briefly clicked his tongue.
"I'm considering not attaching an arm and using a sword in my left hand, or simply providing support from behind. I'm even contemplating retirement for real.”
He exhaled softly, as if he hadn't made up his mind yet.
"It's not urgent. Take your time and think about it."
"Yeah."
Raon nodded and gestured to the Light Wind members.
"Let's start cleaning up first. We don't know what else might happen. Let's get the situation sorted out and get out of here as quickly as possible."
"Yes!"
As the Light Wind members responded and started moving, Wrath looked up at the sky.
It's coming.
'Another message?'
.......
Wrath didn't answer and narrowed his eyes.
It seems a bit different now.
'What are you talking about now?'
Raon turned his gaze to where Wrath was looking but stopped. There was already a giant figure approaching from that direction.
Gooooo!
By the time he felt it, an old man with white hair was already floating in the air.
“Huh…?”
Raon's eyes widened as he gazed at the old man. His magnificent physique, eyes honed like blades, and the frail aura that didn't match him, everything about him was unmistakable. He was a man Raon couldn't possibly not know.
“Sir Rektar?”
The white-haired old man was none other than the Sword Demon, Rektar. He couldn’t help but open his mouth wide, as he hadn’t imagined meeting the Sword Demon here.
“How did you come here?”
Raon’s smile was filled with joy. However, the Sword Demon didn’t answer and only stared at the bodies of Cloud and the Dragon Swordmaster.
“Ah, these are the swordsmen of the Holy Sword Union. They tried to devour house Rakion, so we fought them.”
With corpses all around him, he briefly explained the situation to clear his doubts.
“......”
However, Rektar didn’t show any reaction and only looked at the bodies of the Holy Sword Union swordsmen.
“Sir Rektar?”
“You’ve become a Grandmaster.”
“It's thanks to you, Sir Rektar.”
Raon nodded with a genuine smile, not just an obligatory greeting.
After all, it was thanks to the conversation between the Sword Demon and Glenn that he was able to quickly break through the wall and become a Grandmaster.
“Is that so.”
The Sword Demon nodded indifferently and lifted his gaze. His eyes were dry and emotionless, as if he was devoid of joy. However, a faint light flickered within that dryness.
Raon gulped as he looked into the Sword Demon’s eyes.
‘Why on earth….’
He thought the Sword Demon would be happy about his becoming a Grandmaster, as if it were his own achievement. However, the Sword Demon seemed indifferent, as though he had heard about someone else's business.
‘Something’s strange.’
Just as he was about to release his senses to confirm if it was really the Sword Demon, the swordsmen of the Holy Sword Union descended behind him.
“Sir Rektar! It’s the Holy Sword Union!”
Raon gestured, but Rektar didn’t back down or look back, and he didn’t move from his spot.
The swordsmen of the Holy Sword Union also remained behind Rektar without making any moves. It wasn't that they were preparing to attack, rather, it seemed like they were there to protect him.
“C-could it be..."
"In the end, it has come to this.”
With a cold expression, Rektar descended to the ground. His presence was chilling, enough to freeze bones and flesh upon approach.
“You, could it be….”
Instead of the trembling Raon, Rimmer stepped forward.
“Yes.”
Rektar nodded calmly.
“I am the Blood Swordmaster of the Holy Sword Union.”
He revealed that he belonged to the Holy Sword Union and raised his eyes, filled with killing intent. Seeing his eyes, which seemed to be soaked in blood, a chilling sensation ran down his spine.
“Huh…?”
“W-what did you just say?”
"You're a member of the Holy Sword Union? And the Blood Swordmaster?”
The Light Wind members also shook their eyes in disbelief, as they had spent a considerable amount of time with the Sword Demon.
“Hey, old man.”
Rimmer twisted his lips as he pointed at Rektar with his left hand, which was holding his shoulder.
"What the hell are you talking about! Why did you suddenly join the Holy Sword Union!"
"I didn't join."
The Sword Demon replied without blinking an eye.
"I was a member of the Holy Sword Union from the very beginning."
"......"
Raon clenched his fists until they bled as he looked at Cloud's corpse.
‘So, that person he mentioned was Sir Rektar…’
The person Cloud mentioned when questioning why his swordsmanship didn't work was the Sword Demon. Only now did Raon realize why the guy's swordsmanship seemed familiar.
'Because I learned it from him too.'
Since he had learned the swordsmanship from the same person, Cloud's newfound swordsmanship was familiar to him.
"That's why I'm asking you why you approached us as a member of the Holy Sword Union! You were sincere back then!"
Rimmer flushed and shouted angrily. He seemed to have liked the Sword Demon and was furious as if he had seen the Dragon Swordmaster again.
"Do I have a reason to answer you?"
Rektar shook his head with a cold gaze. As he stretched out his hand, the Sword swordsmen of the Holy Sword Union surrounded the Light Wind members.
"Let's end this quickly, for the sake of our past friendship."
"Damn it!"
“Traitor!”
"What the hell...."
"There's no end to this!"
The Light Wind members gritted their teeth in betrayal and gathered in the center to use the Great Wind Formation. However, they were mentally and physically exhausted, so the formation wasn't perfectly solidified.
Swoosh!
Raon drew Heavenly Drive and blocking the path of the Holy Sword Union swordsmen.
'We can't win.'
The situation was different from when he fought the Dragon Swordmaster. Even if he maintained the awakened state of that time and his aura and stamina were full, he wouldn't be able to block even a single sword strike from Rektar. This situation was as good as over.
"...I don't understand. The Holy Sword Union and Zieghart are enemies, so why did you teach me swordsmanship?"
Raon asked, not only to buy time, but also because he was genuinely curious.
"It was just to pass the time."
Rektar shook his head with a voice devoid of emotion.
"......"
Raon chewed his lips as he looked at Rektar's cold face.
'That can't be.'
Rektar's teachings had been genuine. His guidance was always aimed at the best, and he put effort into teaching more. Rather than a pastime, Raon felt there had to be a different reason.
However, the reason didn't matter right now.
Because Rektar was approaching to attack him personally.
"If I bring you, who became a Grandmaster at the age of 21, the Ryeonju will be satisfied."
Hmm....
Raon looked at Wrath. The guy was unexpectedly silent, just scratching his chin.
'Should I use Wrath's power now?'
No, it's dangerous.
Not only would his identity be revealed, but there's no telling what the aftereffects would be if he made the demon king descent this time. That had to be left as a last resort.
‘It’s also impossible to just hand my body over to Wrath. That rampaging bastard will wipe out all the humans here.’
‘Let’s follow him. That’s the best option.’
Being taken away implies that he doesn't intend to kill him. There's also the option of going to the Holy Sword Union and handing over his body to Wrath there.
Raon came to a conclusion and nodded his head.
“If I follow you, will you release the Light Wind Division?”
“The others don’t matter, I suppose.”
Rektar nodded without even looking at Rimmer and the Light Wind members.
“Hey!”
“What the hell are you saying?!”
“Absolutely not!”
“Raon.”
Rimmer, Martha, Burren, and Runaan stepped forward, breaking formation, but Raon waved them off.
“It’s not like I’m going to die!”
“You really….”
"This is the temporary acting division leader's order. Everyone, step back.”
Raon gave the order to the Light Wind members and sheathed Heavenly Drive.
“A wise decision.”
Rektar let out a deflated laugh and reached out his hand. When his palm covered his field of vision, he drew the Blade of Requiem with his left hand.
Kyaaaang!
Raon unleashed his assassination technique and thrust his sword forward, but the Soul-Reaping Sword's eerie energy was unable to cut through Lector's skin and was pushed back.
"That's right. That's how Raon Zieghart should be."
Lector smiled as if he had expected this. He lightly flicked away the Soul-Reaping Sword and reached out again. The lightly extended hand contained the essence of ten thousand swords. Raon could neither dodge nor block it.
'Dammit....'
Kyaaaang!
Raon unleashed his assassination technique and thrust his sword forward, but the Blade of Requiem's ghastly energy was unable to cut through Rektar's skin and was pushed back.
"That's right. That's how Raon Zieghart should be."
Rektar smiled as if he had expected this. He lightly flicked away the Blade of Requiem and reached out again. The lightly extended hand contained the principles of Myriad Swords. Raon could neither dodge nor block it.
'Dammit....’
As he clenched his lips and watched the approaching hand,
Jjjijijijik!
The space between Raon and Rektar split open deeply, and a magnificent aura erupted, a blade tearing through space. It was an unparalleled spatial slash.
"Ugh...."
"Stay away from my nephew!”
As Rektar frowned and stepped back, a figure with sunset-colored hair burst through the split space.
“You damn old geezer!”
