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Raon leaned forward and took a heavy yet powerful step. He infused the speed of the wind into the aura emanating from his energy center and imbued the flames blooming in his hands with change and illusion. Not content with wielding a sword, he transformed his entire body into a sword, embodying the essence of swordsmanship in every movement.
As he unleashed the techniques of Heavy Sword, Strong Sword, Fast Sword, Wind Sword, Ghost Sword, and Variable Sword, culminating in the subtle art of Destructive Sword at the tip of his blade, a new flow emerged as if swordsmanship itself was evolving.
Raon's sword strike pushed back the white waves of the Reverse Wave Arts like a river flowing upstream, shining with an even sharper aura.
"Crazy..."
Lawrence's half-closed eyes widened.
Does this really work?
He tried to suppress Raon's swordsmanship with the Reverse Wave Arts, but it wasn't easy. The boy's sword had already reached the edge of the limit.
'I have no choice!'
At this level, Lawrence could no longer stop Raon. Abandoning his pride, he employed the Reverse Wave Arts at their maximum limit. A white current imbued with the waves of the Reverse Wave Arts bloomed from Lawrence's fingertips, enveloping Raon's relentless swordsmanship.
In the end, Raon's new swordsmanship faded, blocked by the wall of Reverse Wave Arts.
"Haha..."
Lawrence let out a low sigh, leaned back, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and looked up with trembling eyes.
"You just..."
"I fell a little short."
Raon frowned and looked not at Lawrence but at Heavenly Drive.
"It seems I'll need a little more time to get used to this."
The swordsmen of the Holy Sword Alliance, regardless of their level, live their lives with the sword ingrained in their being. He had tried to embody the sword in his body and soul like them, but it seemed he fell a little short.
"What the hell are you?"
Lawrence bit his lip as he looked at Raon.
"Just now, it wasn't your aura, but only your swordsmanship that almost broke the Reverse Wave Arts!"
He shook his chin as if he couldn't comprehend.
"I tried to embody the sword in my life, like the swordsmen of the Holy Sword Alliance. Although it seems I failed due to my inexperience."
Raon sighed, expressing his disappointment.
"Nonsense! I've lived in the Holy Sword Alliance for decades, but I've never heard or seen anyone like you!"
Lawrence shook his head, telling Raon not to say nonsense.
"I simply tried to express what I felt through my sword and my body."
Raon looked at Lawrence with a brief smile.
"By the way, what is that Reverse Wave technique you keep mentioning? Is it your martial art?"
"Yes. It's an incomplete martial art that I've learned."
Lawrence nodded, leaning his back against a tree.
"Incomplete?"
"Remember when I told you I had read all the books my mother brought me and those from the study?"
"Yes, you did."
"That house originally belonged to the apostle who spared my life. Many of the books there were martial arts manuals."
He let out a low sigh as he looked at the sky.
"Among them was a manual on the Reverse Wave Arts. It focused on breaking the enemy's martial arts rather than attacking. However, it was purely theoretical, something not even its creator fully mastered."
Not even the creator could master it?
"It required special eyes."
Lawrence pointed to his golden eyes.
"My eyes can read the flow of aura and the opponent's movements directly. Thanks to that, I could learn the incomplete Reverse Wave technique. Of course, it's still incomplete."
He nodded, saying that without his innate eyes, he wouldn't have been able to use the Reverse Wave Arts.
"Of course, the Reverse Wave Arts aren't omnipotent. Monsters like your grandparents could simply overwhelm them with sheer power."
Lawrence clicked his tongue, emphasizing that it wasn't an invincible ability.
"Mmm..."
Raon clicked his lips briefly after hearing Lawrence's words.
'That's why I couldn't replicate it even using the Ring of Fire.'
He seemed to understand how the Reverse Wave Arts worked, but he didn't think he could replicate them. It had seemed strange to him, but now he realized it was because he lacked the innate eyes like Lawrence, making it impossible to copy the Reverse Wave Arts.
—Born with those eyes and using them only to break techniques, how pathetic!
Wrath muttered how foolish it was and shook his head.
—If it were me, I would have focused solely on crushing everything!
—Well, you would have to… Wait a minute.
Raon swallowed dryly as he looked at Wrath's frown.
—What are you looking at?
Wrath rolled his eyes as if displeased.
'If I use the Evil Eye of Wrath...'
Perhaps he could replicate Lawrence's eyes similarly.
"Lawrence, could you show me the Reverse Wave Arts again?"
Raon extended his hand towards Lawrence after finishing his thoughts.
“Showing it isn't difficult… but why?”
"There's something I want to try."
Raon said he would do it immediately and launched a Crimson Slash at Heavenly Drive. Lawrence responded by employing the Reverse Wave Arts with a raised hand. The moment his eyes shone golden, the flame and flow of the Crimson Slash imbued in Heavenly Drive dissipated instantly.
'Now I understand.'
Raon lowered the Heavenly Drive and extended his left hand.
'If I read the opponent's movements with the Evil Eye of Wrath and grasp the flow of aura with the Ring of Fire...'
It should be possible. Although the Reverse Wave Arts themselves were complex, he felt he could replicate them after seeing them every day for a month. He simultaneously activated the Evil Eye of Wrath and the Ring of Fire. Reading Lawrence's hand movement and the flow of his aura, Raon imitated the Reverse Wave Arts with accuracy.
When the two Reverse Wave Arts collided, the two currents silently dissolved like colliding shields.
"Eh...?"
Lawrence's lips trembled as he saw the energy of the Reverse Wave Arts in his hand disappear.
"What did you just..."
"That's how it's used. Now I understand."
Raon smiled as he looked at his left hand, now devoid of any aura.
"D-did you just copy the Reverse Wave Arts? How, when you don't even have eyes like mine!"
Lawrence looked at Raon with eyes full of astonishment.
"I have pretty good eyes too."
Unable to reveal the Evil Eye of Wrath, he simply said he was lucky.
"Haha, I thought nothing about you could surprise me anymore..."
Lawrence put a hand on his chest and said his heart was still racing.
"It's also thanks to you continuing to fight with me."
Raon tilted his head, expressing his gratitude.
"This is horrible. I think I now understand why those who lost to me had that expression."
Lawrence frowned, seemingly remembering the expressions of the swordsmen he had defeated.
"No need to thank me."
Raon shrugged, looking at Lawrence.
"Thank you, my ass! I'm getting angry!"
Lawrence jumped up and down, telling Raon to stop talking nonsense.
'But these Reverse Wave Arts...'
Raon narrowed his eyes as he used the Reverse Wave Arts again.
"It's similar to how the Fierce Wave Arts are used."
Ogram's Fierce Wave Arts, which ignored the enemy's aura to attack, and the Reverse Wave Arts, which erased the flow of the enemy's martial arts. The two techniques were similar not only in name but also in their method of use.
'Ignoring the aura, erasing the flow of swordsmanship. Wait, if I combine those two...'
It seemed a terrifying swordsmanship that could destroy both the enemy's aura and martial arts could be born.
'This could be interesting.'
—Look at you, that's how you think. You're a pervert.
Wrath clicked his tongue harshly, as if displeased.
—However, it's still beyond your current capabilities to achieve it.
He shook his head, indicating it would take a lot of effort.
"It wouldn't be fun if it happened immediately and effortlessly."
Since his path wouldn't end at Grandmaster, training with his sights set on a more distant goal would surely be meaningful.
"Then let's start again."
Raon brushed the dust off his hands and gripped the Heavenly Drive again.
"Eh?"
Lawrence, who had a bitter expression, widened his eyes in surprise.
"You want to start again? Haven't you already mastered my Reverse Wave Arts? Shouldn't we stop now?"
He tilted his head and asked if Raon hadn't been coming all this time just to learn the Reverse Wave Arts.
"What are you talking about?"
Raon let out a dry laugh as he lowered his hand.
"The Reverse Wave Arts were just a bonus. I've been resorting to you to improve my swordsmanship. I'll keep resorting to you until I can surpass your Reverse Wave Arts with my swordsmanship alone."
Although the Reverse Wave Arts were an impressive martial art, he never intended to acquire them. He simply wanted to defeat Lawrence with his swordsmanship.
"Of course, fighting with you is also fun."
"Mmm!"
Lawrence clicked his lips in satisfaction, as if pleased with Raon's words.
"Oh, yeah? You like it? Are you happy that I keep coming?"
Raon smirked and nodded towards Lawrence.
"N-nonsense! It irritates me that you keep coming! That's why I'm like this!"
Lawrence waved his hand and told Raon to go away.
"Don't cry when I finally return to Zieghart."
"Please shut up!"
Her face flushed as she took the initiative to attack for the first time. Wrath shook his head as he watched Raon and Lawrence begin their combat again.
—It seems all humans break when they meet this guy.
* * *
After finishing his training session with Lawrence, Raon returned to the Rector's mansion. As he was about to open the door and enter, he sensed a familiar presence inside.
'Dorian?'
About two weeks ago, he had gone with the Rector to look for Dorian, only to see him meditating and returning without disturbing him. It seemed Dorian had returned to the mansion today.
—That's right! The wallet has returned!
Wrath also smiled, seemingly pleased by Dorian's return.
'It's been a while.'
Raon chuckled as he opened the door and entered the mansion.
—Raon, Dorian is back.
Runaan extended her hand and pointed towards the reception room, as if she had been waiting. Following her finger, Raon saw Dorian sitting with his back straight.
"Dori... eh?"
Was he always this handsome? Perhaps because he had lost all his excess weight, the formerly ordinary Dorian now looked like a handsome and cute young man.
Although he had known him for almost 10 years, Raon had no idea that Dorian hid such a face.
"I was surprised too. Who would have thought he had that look underneath?"
Burren let out a bewildered laugh, marveling at the change.
—But he's still just Dorian.
Martha shook her head and said that appearances didn't matter.
"Lord Raon, you have returned."
Dorian bowed politely to Raon, as if he had been waiting. It seemed that not only his appearance but also his demeanor had changed. The previous lightness in his manners was nowhere to be seen.
"Eh? Yes."
Raon nodded, somewhat bewildered.
"So, what did you learn that made you lose so much weight?"
Martha rolled her eyes at Dorian, curiosity evident in her gaze.
"I learned and mastered many things. Among them..."
Dorian paused mid-sentence and pulled out a bottle of water from his bag.
—Lord Raon, you must be thirsty right now.
Without hesitation, he offered the water to Raon.
"How did you...?"
Raon nodded his head without understanding as he accepted the water. His combat with Lawrence had left him thirsty, and Dorian had accurately perceived that state.
"And Lady Runaan, you've been craving ice cream for a while now."
Dorian approached Runaan and took out a box containing beaded ice cream.
"Oh."
Runaan let out an exclamation upon receiving the box of ice cream. Her normally expressionless eyes shone for the first time in a long time.
—Me too! Me too! Me too!
Wrath stuck out his tongue and gestured to Dorian.
"Lady Martha, since you want your day to seem like two, I'll give you this fatigue recovery potion."
Dorian approached Martha and handed her an herbal potion to recover from fatigue.
"You, what are you...?"
Martha's eyes widened at the sight of Dorian. However, seeing her accept the fatigue recovery potion without protest, it seemed she really needed it.
"Lastly, Sir Burren, you'll need this."
Dorian took out a small doll from his bag, just the right size to fit in his arms.
"Why this...?"
"Haven't you been having trouble sleeping lately without your comfort doll? You have it written all over your face that you need this..."
"N-nonsense! Don't say nonsense!"
Burren's face turned red as he threw away the doll. Seeing the dark circles under his eyes and his intense reaction, it seemed Dorian was right.
"But I should be correct..."
Dorian frowned disappointedly as he picked up the discarded doll.
—Dorian, what exactly have you learned?
Raon tilted his head after drinking the water.
"It doesn't seem like you've grown at all in terms of martial arts."
Although his posture had improved slightly, there didn't seem to be any significant change in his martial arts abilities. It wasn't clear what he had been learning for the past month.
"I've learned to understand what others want. From now on, call me the Transcendent Warrior of Supply!"
Dorian nodded confidently, saying he had learned to provide others with what they need at any time.
"That's just..."
—"An even bigger fool..."
—"Isn't it?"
Raon, Martha, and Burren finished each other's sentences.
"Name."
Runaan, seemingly disinterested, simply ate her ice cream.
"A fool? I just want to provide everyone with the essentials at any time!"
Dorian thumped his chest, imploring them to believe him.
"When I came to look for you, you were meditating. Wasn't that sword training?"
“My master was training me to discern what others need.”
He smiled and said that was all.
"Oh, come on..."
Raon finally couldn't hold back and put his hand to his forehead.
"I shouldn't have trusted him."
He had trusted the martial artist who captured Dorian, believing him to be a swordsman at the pinnacle of the Grandmaster level, but he never expected this outcome.
"You're going to train with me starting tomorrow."
Raon sighed and shook his head.
"What? But I just returned today..."
"It doesn't matter. Get out at dawn, no excuses."
He waved his hand, indicating he wouldn't listen to any objections.
"That's..."
—Mmm…
However, Rector and Wrath seemed intrigued as they examined Dorian, briefly clicking their lips.
* * *
The next day, as soon as dawn broke, Raon summoned Dorian to the training ground in front of the mansion.
"W-why are you doing this...?"
Dorian, having reverted to his usual state overnight, trembled in his arms and legs.
"To think you wasted a whole month."
Raon frowned as he looked at the frightened Dorian.
"It's a waste of time."
Burren, Martha, and Runaan had surpassed the peak of the Master level through repeated combat and training here. But Dorian, despite spending a month with a Grandmaster, hadn't made any significant changes. He had only lost some weight, slightly increased his aura, and improved his ability to discern the needs of others.
The third improvement, in particular, was so unnecessary that it was absurd.
"We don't have much time left before we return. Until then, I'll stay with you and teach you. You have to come back having changed at least a little."
"Ugh..."
Dorian let out a long sigh as if resigning himself to his fate and picked up his sword.
"Alright then."
Raon gently struck the ground, enveloping himself in the subtleties of the Fast Sword. He wielded the Heavenly Drive at a speed Dorian couldn't react to, intending to put him on edge. Just before piercing Dorian's neck, he tried to stop the Heavenly Drive, but Dorian, as if knowing everything, leaned back and deflected it with his own sword.
Although it wasn't imbued with immense force, the precise angle of the blow caused the Heavenly Drive to bounce sharply.
"Ugh!"
Dorian shouted and blinked rapidly, as if he himself didn't know what he had just done.
'Was it a coincidence?'
It seemed he had somehow managed to block the sword by chance while swinging his first.
'This time, for real.'
Raon narrowed his eyes and launched an even faster Fast Sword towards Dorian's solar plexus. But Dorian raised his sword and blocked his attack once more.
"What are you going to..."
Raon's jaw trembled as he looked at Dorian holding his sword in front of his chest.
"W-what do you mean?"
Dorian blinked, as if he didn't understand what Raon meant.
"How did you manage to block that?"
"If I don't block, I'll die!"
"That's why I'm asking how you blocked it!"
"Because the sword was coming!"
"Eh?"
"Eh?"
The two tilted their heads and looked at each other's faces.
—What kind of idiotic conversation is this…?
Wrath sighed, as if dumbfounded.
-
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