N/T: Translation made by our friend 'Irving'. A big round of applause for him :)
Chapter 626
Raon sighed as he met Denning Rose's gaze, which was filled with tension.
'Well, it would be strange if those lunatics haven't shown up.'
The Holy Sword Alliance is a group of lunatics who consider swords and swordsmanship sacred. They are willing to kill even their own family members in their pursuit of superior swordsmanship.
It would have been even stranger if they hadn't come, considering they were the type of lunatics who would even invade the Six King’s territory to obtain the Saber Sword Sovereign's legacy.
"Who from the Holy Sword Alliance has come?"
"It's the Ghost Demon Swordmaster, Kroy."
Denning Rose took out a document and placed it on the table. Kroy's name was written at the top, followed by details about his activities.
“He reached peak Master level before the Holy Sword Alliance went into hiding.”
"Kroy..."
Raon had heard of the Ghost Demon Swordmaster Kroy in his previous life as well. It was said that his true weapon wasn't his sword, but his footwork, which was exceptional.
‘Then it’s possible he has now reached Grandmaster level.’
"Do you remember Risrin?"
Denning Rose brought up Risrin's name out of the blue while talking about the Ghost Demon Swordmaster.
"Of course I remember."
Risrin was an agent of the Black Market who guided Raon to the Sran tribe when he went to save Judiel. As a former assassin, he had followed instructions meticulously, leaving a vivid impression on Raon's memory.
“He mentioned he couldn’t get a proper look at the Ghost Demon Swordmaster’s footwork either. Even the White Snake, the previous owner of the map, who is known for his expertise in footwork and stealth, got caught from behind in an instant. So, even if he doesn't know swordsmanship, it wouldn't be surprising if he was called a grandmaster just for the footwork."
Denning Rose tapped the document with her finger, indicating that this was someone to be wary of. The heavy sound seemed to echo the weight of her concern.
"Then, the Ghost Demon Swordmaster must have already entered the Saber Sword Sovereign’s tomb."
The Wandering Revenant and The White Snake were different, as the Saber Sword Sovereign’s tomb also had excellent martial arts, so it seemed that he would have found the Saber Sword Sovereign’s tomb in one go and entered it.
"No."
Denning Rose shook her head with calm eyes.
“The Ghost Demon Swordmaster is also still on the move. It seems he hasn’t fully deciphered the map yet.”
“Deciphered?”
“Actually, it’s less about deciphering and more about not being able to find the terrain that has changed over the past few centuries.”
"Ah...."
Raon understood what she meant. Since hundreds of years had passed since the Saber Sword Sovereign's death, many things had changed from when the map was created, making it difficult to locate the tomb.
"The Wandering Revenant and the White Snake both moved around the neutral zone between Zieghart and Balkar Kingdom, gradually heading west."
Denning Rose raised her voice and took out a map.
"And now the Ghost Demon Swordmaster Kroy is here."
Her finger pointed to the almost end of Zieghart and Balkar. A little further down, the word 'Black Tower' caught Raon’s eye.
"According to our prediction, the tomb should be around here."
Denning Rose moved her finger to draw a triangle with Zieghart, Balkar Kingdom, and Black Tower. It was a neutral zone that belonged to neither of the three powers.
"Currently, not only the Six Kings and the Five Demons, but also neutral forces and hidden masters have appeared in this area, and it's in chaos. Martial artists, blinded by the Saber Sword Sovereign's techniques, are even massacring civilians.”
Denning Rose wrinkled her nose, saying that the situation was not good.
After Raon had confirmed the area that Denning Rose had pointed out, he took out a pouch of gold coins that he had prepared in advance from his spatial pocket.
The heavy pouch of gold coins made the table shake.
"This...."
"I will buy all the information related to this matter."
“Tracking is possible, but are you really going? From what I’ve heard, you’re assigned to a reconnaissance mission…”
“Precisely because I’m on a reconnaissance mission, I have to go.”
Raon touched the map that Denning Rose had pointed at with her finger a while ago.
“We can’t just leave those treasure-blinded pigs unchecked, can we?”
Finding the Saber Sword Sovereign's tomb and capturing the Ghost Demon Swordmaster were appealing, but the top priority was protecting his family's territory. He couldn’t allow anyone to threaten Zieghart’s safety.
“It won’t be easy. The Six Kings and the Five Demons martial masters are obviously dangerous. Plus, there are warriors from past generations who have turned their backs on the world, and hidden recluses with concealed identities appearing.”
"That's fine."
Raon smiled faintly and shook his head.
"If I can't overcome that much, I'll be dead next year anyway."
“The life-or-death duel…”
Denning Rose seemed to understand what he was saying and nodded briefly.
"I guess you won't listen even if I try to stop you."
She sighed, brushing back the hair that had fallen over the back of her neck.
“Then, in the name of the Black Market, I’ll assist you to the best of my ability. First, I’ll locate the Ghost Demon Swordmaster...”
“No. That comes later.”
Raon pointed to the map with his finger, drawing a diagonal line.
“The first thing we need to do is…”
* * *
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Raon headed to the fifth training ground after meeting Denning Rose.
The swordsmen of Light Wind who were waiting in the training ground gathered in front of the platform.
The swordsmen were still wearing their training uniforms and sweating from their foreheads, even though their vacation was not over yet.
Everyone had taken a break for only one day and started training voluntarily.
Those guys were also becoming training maniacs, no different from Raon now.
“Division leader.”
Martha bowed her head respectfully.
“All members of the 1st team are present.”
She showed a clear title and courtesy, unlike when he was still a vice leader. She was the one he thought wouldn't follow, but it was unexpected.
“The 2nd team is all here too.”
Runaan raised her hand with a blank look. It was a respectful term, but it didn't sound respectful.
“The 3rd team is all here as well.”
Burren came out last and bowed his head.
“Good work.”
Raon nodded lightly and looked around the entire Light Wind swordsmen. Since they had been training in the training ground, no one seemed to have any complaints about being summoned during their vacation.
No, there was just one person.
“Ugh, I'm going to die. I see double.”
Rimmer, who was leaning against the platform, waved his hand.
“I'm going to die from exhaustion, why are you calling us….”
Rimmer groaned, clutching his head as if the hangover hadn't gone away even after two days.
Raon ignored Rimmer and opened his lips, looking down at Light Wind Swordsmen.
“As you all know, we were assigned a mission at the round table conference.”
“I heard! It's a reconnaissance mission!”
Dorian raised his hand.
“Reconnaissance, just hearing it makes me feel at ease. It seems like nothing will happen.”
He laughed, thanking Raon for giving them a safe mission.
“That's boring.”
Martha clicked her tongue as if she didn't like it.
“Who would dare invade Zieghart territory.”
“That’s something we can't be sure of.”
Burren shook his head at Martha.
“The name of Zieghart is not invincible. You must have experienced it enough yourself?”
“Hmph.”
“It's a noble mission to guard and explore the family's territory. Everyone, stay alert.”
He raised the morale of Light Wind swordsmen with his calm voice.
'Is it because of Karoon?'
Burren's personality seemed to have gotten a bit tougher, probably because of Karoon's incident. His shoulders looked heavier than usual.
“I can sleep while walking.”
Runaan blinked her eyes, saying that her sleep time would be doubled. It was impressive how consistent she was, making such a comment right after Burren's words.
Chaak.
Raon clapped his hands and gathered the attention of Light Wind swordsmen.
“The 3rd team captain is right.”
Raon nodded as he looked at Burren.
“Some of you might already know, but there is currently a storm brewing across the continent regarding the Saber Sword Sovereign's tomb.
“I heard about it too. They say it's already causing a huge commotion?”
Krein raised his hand quickly.
“But that tomb has nothing to do with us, right?”
“That's right. We just have to do some reconnaissance.”
Other swordsmen also nodded as if they had heard about the tomb.
“No, it is relevant. It is widely believed that the location of the Saber Sword Sovereign's Tomb is not far from Zieghart territory.”
“W-What? Is that true?”
Burren widened his eyes as if he didn't know that fact. Other swordsmen also gasped and opened their mouths in surprise.
“Yes. Our mission is to patrol the Zieghart territory, identify potential threats, and eliminate them. In other words, it is highly related to this situation.”
“Division leader.”
Martha rolled up her sleeves and approached the platform.
“You took the reconnaissance mission with this in mind from the start, didn't you?”
Raon smiled faintly without answering.
“As expected, our division leader is crazy.”
Despite calling him crazy, Martha had a refreshing smile, indicating she liked this much more than a simple reconnaissance mission.
“It’s his first round table conference, yet he came up with such an idea….”
Burren shook his head, unable to understand.
“He really is a remarkable person.”
“His slyness is useful at times like this.”
“The Saber Sword Sovereign's Tomb….”
The other Light Wind swordsmen also chatted about the tomb with faint smiles, seemingly interested.
“…….”
Rimmer watched Raon and the Light Wind swordsmen quietly from behind without saying a word. A gentle smile appeared on his lips.
“Let's save the chit-chat for later.”
Raon gathered the attention of the Light Wind swordsmen again.
“The Saber Sword Sovereign's tomb itself must be dangerous, and it will be a difficult journey as many monsters are gathering around the area. Since your vacations are not over yet….”
He raised his finger and continued.
“I will take volunteers for this mission. If you don't want to go, you can stay and take a break in the family estate.”
He was sincere. Since the vacation wasn’t over, he didn’t want to take everyone along.
“What are you talking about!”
Martha frowned and jumped forward.
“This is the perfect opportunity to unleash the frustration from three weeks of your torment! Why would I pass that up!”
She clenched her fists so tightly they made a cracking sound, eager to crush enemies immediately.
“She’s right.”
Burren gritted his teeth.
“We’ve trained in hell for three weeks, we should reap the benefits!”
He too, gripped his sword handle tightly, ready to release his built-up stress.
“No one will get any sleep, I'm going to keep everyone up all night.”
Runaan shouted that she wouldn't let anyone else sleep either, glaring. Though with her blank eyes, it wasn't particularly intimidating.
“I’m going too!”
“If you leave me behind, I’ll crawl after you!”
“I’ll kill them all!”
“No, I’ll rip their throats out.”
Not only the captains, but the entire Light Wind division gritted their teeth with a fierce determination.
Their eyes glowed yellow, like those of mad dogs rather than humans.
"Ugh...."
Dorian, who hadn’t raised his hand until the very end, reluctantly put it up, seeing the mood.
‘Their spirit is strong, but…’
Raon tilted his head as he looked at the half-crazed eyes of the Light Wind swordsmen.
‘Why do they all seem crazy?’
Have you no conscience? You’re the one who drove them mad!
Wrath sighed in exasperation, watching the increasingly intense madness of the Light Wind division.
Even circus trainers feed and let their animals sleep, you madman!
'......'
* * *
The village of Lusen, which straddles the neutral zone and Zieghart.
A small village where the entire community managed an orchard together saw an unprecedented influx of warriors.
“This is the place. Search every corner.”
A middle-aged man on a black horse gestured sharply with his finger, his eyes fierce.
It was Bulant, the leader of the Black Red Gang, known as the Wind of Death in the White Orchid Desert.
“Yes!”
“Open every door!”
“Leave no stone unturned!”
Mounted bandits in black hoods ransacked the village, breaking down doors and snapping apple trees.
Though their weapons differed, the eyes of the bandits were all aflame with desire.
Kwaak!
The apples that the people of Lusen Village had carefully cultivated were crushed under the hooves of horses and burst. The apple trees were cut down endlessly, leaving the orchard desolate.
“W-Why are you doing this?”
The village chief of Lusen approached Bulant on his black horse.
"Please stop!"
“If these trees die, so do we!”
“We will give you money!”
The villagers also followed the village chief, kneeling and bowing their heads.
"Do you want to die?"
The scar running across Bulant’s forehead twitched grotesquely. It wasn’t a question. He looked ready to kill if they said one more word.
"Ugh...."
"Ah...."
The village chief and villagers, having never encountered warriors before, stepped back, their lips trembling with fear.
"Leader."
The vice leader of the Black Red gang, who wore an eye patch over his left eye, approached Bulant and bowed his head.
“We’ve cut down all the trees in the orchard and searched the houses, but found nothing. Are you sure this is the right place?”
“When the Ghost Demon Swordmaster killed the White Snake, the map I saw clearly had a mark on this area.”
Bulant nodded firmly, confident in his assertion.
“But there's nothing here...”
“Excuse me?.”
The vice leader’s eyes widened as if he couldn’t believe what he had just heard.
“We cut down the trees, but we still can’t properly search because of the undergrowth. Burn it all down.”
“But this area is Zieghart’s land. If they show up…”
“Zieghart is currently preoccupied with the Ghost Demon Swordmaster. We just need to handle this quickly.”
Bulant flicked his fingers, signaling to proceed with haste.
“Understood.”
The vice leader seemed to agree, nodding before gathering the subordinates.
“Set the orchard and the village on fire.”
“As you command.”
Four magicians, cloaked in gray robes, released the flames held in their hands.
The red fire roared like a beast, engulfing the entire village and orchard.
“W-Water! Fetch water! Quickly!”
The village chief, his jaw trembling, shouted for water. Overcoming his fear, he crawled on his knees towards Bulant.
“Please stop! I will give you all the money I have! Please…”
As he clasped his hands together, Bulant swung the spear resting on his shoulder.
Splat!
The village chief fell, a black hole torn through his chest.
“Urghh!”
He tried to cover the wound on his chest, but the blood flowed out like a broken dam.
"Kyaaah!"
“Chief!”
“Aah…”
The villagers sank to the ground, unable to believe that the chief was dead.
“Kill all of them.”
“Yes!”
“I’ve been waiting for that order.”
“This is much easier.”
“Who cares about Zieghart.”
The bandits, with sinister smiles, drove their horses forward, finding the task easier now.
Just as a spear heated by the fire was about to pierce the villagers, a huge explosion erupted from the orchard entrance.
Boom!
The bandits guarding the entrance were split in half and thrown into the flames.
“What the…”
Bulant raised his spear, glaring through the gray smoke.
“Clear the way.”
A shadow emerged from the gray smoke, speaking in a low voice.
As the commanding voice reached the ground, three swordsmen leapt out.
Kuaaaaang!
The first to charge was a black-haired, black-eyed female swordsman who thrust her sword forward. Astral energy, like a tidal wave, gathered in her sword strike and burst forth all at once.
The vice leader and elite guards around Bulant were torn to shreds.
Slash!
A blue-haired swordsman followed, drawing a graceful light like a crescent moon in the sky. The precise line, otherworldly in its cleanliness, extended and severed the necks of the defending magicians like they were toys.
Whoosh!
The last to step forward was a female swordsman with purple eyes who dragged her sword along the ground. Frost spread from the tip of her blade, carried by the wind, freezing the legs of both bandits and horses.
“Wh-Who are you…”
Bulant retreated, trembling as he saw the flame sword emblem on the swordsmen’s clothes.
“Zie-Zieghart?”
He gasped, gripping his spear tightly.
“Why is Zieghart here!”
In response to his outcry, a chilling sound of footsteps echoed through the parted gray smoke.
Step.
The black-haired female swordsman who had torn apart the vice leader, the blue-haired swordsman who had beheaded the magicians, and the purple-eyed female swordsman who had frozen the entire bandit group all stepped back.
Emerging from behind them were eyes burning redder than the sun. Just meeting those eyes made Bulant’s heart feel like it was about to burst.
“W-Wait!”
“Too bad.”
The blond man with red eyes shook his head calmly. Bulant knew. There was only one young swordsman who commanded such monsters.
“Raon Zieghar…”
“Consider yourself unlucky.”
With a terrifying sound, Bulant’s head fell to the ground.