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"Then..."
Raon crouched down and pointed his finger at Dorian.
"Are you saying you can predict where I’m going to attack?"
"Well, instead of predicting, it’s more like I can read the direction."
Dorian sat across from Raon and clicked his lips briefly.
"I don’t feel good hearing that my attacks can be read."
Raon furrowed his brow deeply as he looked at Dorian.
—I’m not disrespecting you, Raon! It’s really true!
Dorian shook his head vigorously, insisting that he could indeed see where the sword was coming from.
—Well, I saw it myself, so I can’t believe it.
Raon clicked his tongue while examining the Heavenly Drive.
'He blocked sword strikes that should have been impossible for Dorian to see with his current skill level.'
Raon had attempted a series of sword strikes that should have been beyond Dorian's perception, yet he blocked them all as if he were reading Raon’s mind. They say coincidences don't happen three times, so it really seemed that Dorian could read the strikes of his sword.
"So, how did you acquire this ability?"
"I'm not quite sure of myself."
Dorian shrugged and said that he was also curious.
"I just learned about the truth of my master’s supply and meditated, but I don’t know why this happened..."
He shook his head and said that he hadn’t learned anything about sword handling.
"Really?"
"Yes! If I hadn’t practiced during my breaks, my skills would have completely deteriorated!"
"...Does that make any sense?"
Raon sighed as he looked at Dorian's wide-eyed expression.
—That ability is called the Mind's Eye or telepathy.
Wrath's lips moved slightly as he watched Dorian.
'The Mind's Eye?'
Raon wasn't familiar with telepathy, but he had heard of the Mind's Eye. It was a special ability to read an opponent's thoughts with the mind's eye.
—I didn’t even know it myself, but it seems your wallet had a hidden talent for the Mind's Eye.
Wrath scratched his forehead, saying it was something strange.
'Wait, so yesterday when he pulled out the necessary items without me saying anything...'
—That’s right. That ability emerged when his Mind's Eye awakened. It’s ridiculous.
Even though it seemed that the order of events was quite mixed up, Wrath nodded, saying it was clear.
"Dorio..."
Raon nodded slightly towards Dorian, who still looked stunned.
"Didn’t you acquire this ability after you started to know what items other people needed?"
"Oh..."
Dorian blinked in confusion before nodding.
"Now that you mention it, I think so. When I started to understand my master’s intentions, he told me to come back, saying that I wouldn’t be beaten to death anywhere anymore."
He scratched his cheek, saying that at first, he didn’t understand, but now he believed he did.
"Are you an idiot...?"
Raon let out a hollow laugh as he looked at Dorian. It was ridiculous that Dorian was just now realizing his own ability despite all the clues he had been given.
"In reality, blocking swords isn’t that important to me! Being able to pull out essential items at the right moment is much more important!"
Dorian shook his head and said he preferred to be able to provide people with the items they needed.
"No, you’re a swordsman..."
Raon sighed and dropped his shoulders.
"But am I a supply officer?"
Dorian blinked, as if asking what Raon was talking about.
"Huh?"
"Huh?"
"You’re a swordsman before being a supply officer!"
Unable to contain himself, Raon tapped Dorian on the forehead.
"Wow..."
Dorian seemed to use his Mind's Eye again and leaned back to dodge the tap. It was exasperating that he could use it so well while claiming that supplies were more important.
"Where to!"
Raon frowned and kicked Dorian's ankle.
"Ugh!"
Dorian finally lost his balance and fell to the ground.
"Pah..."
"Your evasion skills have improved uselessly."
Raon looked at Dorian with a frown.
"I knew you would aim for my legs... Ah! Here!"
Dorian rubbed his sore back when he suddenly pulled out cold water from his bag and offered it to him.
"Haha..."
Raon let out a hollow laugh as he took the water from Dorian's hands. He had wanted to drink some cold water because the situation was confusing, and it seemed Dorian had read that at that moment.
—Doesn’t this seem better than fighting?
"That’s what I’ve been saying."
Dorian scratched his head and smiled. He seemed genuinely happier providing supplies at the right moment than fighting.
"My master also said that fighting doesn’t suit me."
"I think I need to meet your master."
Raon licked his lips as he looked at Dorian.
"My master?"
"He took care of my subordinate, so I must express my gratitude to him."
Even Wrath and Glenn didn’t know that Dorian had talent for the Mind's Eye. Raon wanted to meet him in person to see what kind of person he was.
—Don’t make me laugh! It’s not gratitude, you’re going to challenge him to a duel!
Wrath snorted, saying it was obvious.
"You know me too well."
Raon nodded with a smile.
Until now, he hadn't sought out Zalek for fear of interfering with Dorian's training, but now that he understood the situation, he wanted to train with him.
"Really?"
Dorian jumped, his face turning red.
"He’s a great person! He read my thoughts and took care of everything for me!"
He smiled, clearly happy at the prospect of seeing his master again.
«So this master also has the Mind's Eye.»
Well, that would make sense. Zalek had chosen Dorian from the beginning, leaving Burren, Martha, and Runaan behind. He must have recognized Dorian's talent because he himself had the Mind's Eye.
"Then, please, guide me the way."
Raon nodded after drinking the water Dorian had given him.
"Yes!"
Dorian nodded and jumped to his feet. He seemed happy to go meet his master.
—Ah, this cannot be!
Wrath, who had been floating absentmindedly in the air, suddenly blocked Dorian's path.
—You’re bringing an unbreakable leech to your master!
He waved his hands frantically, but of course, Dorian couldn’t see him and went out into the street.
—Your master’s blood will be sucked dry!
Wrath's lament echoed hollowly in the empty training ground.
* * *
Dorian stopped in front of a small cabin by a tranquil lake. Just like Lawrence's cave, it seemed isolated from the village and was not easy to find.
"Master!"
Dorian knocked on the cabin door with a bright smile.
"Didn’t I tell you not to call me master? And why did you come back when I told you to leave?"
The old, worn door of the cabin opened, and an elderly man with a thick white beard stepped out.
'Is that Zalek?'
Though he had a hunched back, he was short in stature. Not only was his beard white, but so were his eyebrows and hair, and his round face gave him the appearance of an old raccoon.
'Is this really... a Grandmaster?'
Zalek's martial prowess was at the top of the Grandmaster level. Even though he hadn’t reached transcendence, it should have been a level Raon could surpass, but strangely, he didn’t feel confident about winning.
-What a strange old man.
Wrath licked his lips with interest and sat atop Raon’s head.
"You are..."
Zalek raised an eyebrow as he looked at Raon standing behind Dorian.
"I am Raon Zieghart. I came to express my gratitude for taking care of my subordinate."
Raon bowed his head, revealing his identity since the Rector had said Zalek was trustworthy.
"This is a small gift, if you accept it."
Raon took out a wooden box containing an elixir and offered it to Zalek.
"Gratitude?"
Zalek let out a hollow laugh and tilted his chin.
"Do the youth of today express their gratitude with a glint of competitiveness in their eyes?"
He stepped closer to Raon, leaning on the cane he had left standing in front of the cabin.
"So that’s why the leader of the Alliance boasted so much about his grandson."
Zalek nodded as he looked Raon up and down.
"You are a true talent. But it’s not an innate talent; it’s a cultivated talent."
He shook his long eyebrows and said it was incredible now that he looked closely.
"Your eyes are unusual as well. You were born with Human Vision, but now both Celestial Vision and Demonic Vision inhabit within them."
"Are you talking about my eyes?"
"They say the eyes are the mirror of the soul. Just by looking into someone's eyes, one can know what kind of person they are and how they will live."
Zalek stroked his beard as he pronounced these mysterious words.
"Zalek, you..."
Raon began, looking into Zalek's calm eyes.
"Do you have the Mind's Eye?"
"Did you know about the Mind's Eye?"
Zalek raised his chin slightly, seeming surprised.
"I’ve only heard the name."
"It’s called the Mind's Eye, but it’s not as impressive as reading minds. It’s more of a protective ability, we could say."
He chuckled softly and said it was like the spines of a hedgehog.
"Master, please, have a seat."
Dorian anxiously approached Zalek and offered him a wooden chair and a steaming cup of tea.
"Alright."
Surprisingly, Zalek did not decline Dorian's gesture and sat down to drink the tea.
—Raon, here you go.
Dorian pulled out the box of beaded ice cream that he had left over from what he had given to Runaan yesterday.
"Huh...?"
"Don’t you need this?"
"Not particularly?"
Raon shook his head firmly.
—I do! I need it!
Wrath nodded vigorously as he jumped up.
—It’s really telepathy! It worked because I couldn’t stop thinking about wanting to eat it!
He shouted triumphantly. It seemed he had clung to Raon's head with this in mind.
"Alright."
Raon lowered his hand and told Dorian to put it away.
-Nooooo!
Wrath let out a protest cry.
-If you refuse to do it, I will interfere with your training from today on! I won’t let you sleep either!
'Pah...'
Raon let out a long sigh and accepted the box of beaded ice cream from Dorian.
"Thank you..."
"It’s nothing!"
Dorian smiled, seemingly happy that his judgment wasn’t wrong.
"Now tell me your true intention."
Zalek nodded as he set his empty tea cup down.
"I would like to experience what a true Mind's Eye is like."
Raon tilted his head toward Zalek.
"May I request a training match?"
If even Dorian’s naive Mind's Eye could block his sword, he was curious to see how he would fare against a true master of the Mind's Eye. Moreover, Zalek was the second strongest martial artist he had met since arriving at the Holy Sword Alliance, so he really wanted to face him properly.
"I heard you have a talent for learning other people's martial arts."
Zalek raised his almost closed eyelids.
"The Mind's Eye will be difficult. This is..."
He looked at Dorian, who was humming as he pulled out weeds.
"It’s a talent that only kind and timid people can possess. Like that boy over there."
Zalek shook his head and told Raon not to think about acquiring the Mind's Eye.
—So, are you timid too, Zalek?
"Of course. I was shy and weak. I took that boy with me because he reminded me of myself in my youth."
He laughed and said that Dorian was exactly like him when he was young.
"Then that works well."
Raon nodded calmly.
"I’m also shy and kind."
He said it with a smile.
-Huh...?
"What?"
Wrath, who was drooling for the ice cream, and Dorian, who was pulling out the weeds, opened their eyes simultaneously. Drool dripped from their mouths.
-What nonsense are you saying!!
"What madness are you talking about?!"
* * *
Srrng. Raon stood in front of Zalek and raised the Heavenly Drive to a superior position.
"You’re filled with thoughts of devouring me."
Zalek chuckled as he pulled a sword from the cane he had been leaning on.
"Let’s see how good the best talent on this continent your grandfather boasts about really is!"
He spoke as if expecting Raon to attack first, but then kicked the ground. As Raon had noticed, Zalek's words and actions were completely opposite. Phew! Zalek’s footwork was as slow as if he were mounted on a cloud, but his speed was as fast as lightning. In the blink of an eye, he had closed in on Raon’s right side. Clang!
Raon twisted his left ankle and unleashed the Blizzard Sword Art, infused with the techniques of Heavy Sword and Strong Sword, towards Zalek. A cold, blue energy that seemed to press the very space itself blossomed from the tip of his sword.
"Mmm!"
As if he had predicted the Blizzard Sword Art, Zalek gently turned his wrist and split the heavy cold energy. Clang! The moment the Heavenly Drive was deflected, Raon used the rebound to draw the Spinning Heaven, imbued with the subtleties of Fast Sword and Thunder Sword. A spinning flame, like a windmill, fell toward Zalek's right arm.
"Your reactions are quick."
As if reading the path of his own sword, Zalek extended his cane and struck the center of the Heavenly Drive. Clang! The Heavenly Drive was pushed back, leaving only flames behind, and struck the ground. It was incredible that Raon was pushed back despite attacking first. Swud!
Raon used the Supreme Harmony Steps to move behind Zalek. Scraping the ground, he unleashed the Unification of Flame and Ice with the Heavenly Drive.
Phew! A wave of bright red flames enveloped Zalek’s entire body.
"Although it looks like a wave, in the end, it’s still just a sword strike."
Without a hint of panic, Zalek stabbed the upper and middle sections five times each with his cane sword. Bang! As blue light flashed from the strikes of his sword, the wave of Flame and Ice Unification calmed down, and the flames dispersed into the air.
"Phew..."
Raon exhaled softly and lowered his gaze.
"It’s different from fighting Lawrence. I feel like I’m fighting an old rival who knows me well."
If Lawrence erased Raon’s sword strikes as if he were an eraser, Zalek felt like he was solving all of Raon’s problems while looking at an answer sheet. It was something similar, but completely different.
'This is interesting.'
Raon got up from the ground with a deep smile. He charged forward, infusing the Heavenly Drive with Fast Sword, Wind Sword, and Thunder Sword. Unlike when he trained with Dorian, he put all his power into it, causing the Heavenly Drive to extend like a red flash. Clang!
Zalek raised his right eyebrow as he blocked the Heavenly Drive that fell like lightning, while aiming for Raon’s abdomen with the back of his cane-sword. His movement was as natural as a single, fluid image.
'Abdomen? No...'
This is aimed at the chest. Was it because he was fighting Zalek, who possessed the Mind's Eye? It seemed Raon could read where Zalek was aiming. Clang! He erected a small Wall of Fire to block Zalek's sword strike.
"Oh?"
Zalek frowned in surprise as he wielded his sword. His cane bent strangely and attacked Raon's shoulder.
"This time it’s the waist."
Raon read the true information in Zalek's gaze, the movement of his sword, and the waves in the air. It seemed that the numerous training battles he had had in the Holy Sword Alliance were giving him the answers.
Clang!
Tracing a semicircle with the Heavenly Drive, he deflected Zalek's sword that was about to stab his waist.
«It’s like playing chess.»
It didn’t seem like a battle of martial skill, but rather a battle of moves like chess. Excitement welled up inside him, and he found himself smiling naturally.
"Let’s go faster!"
Raon smiled as he charged directly at Zalek. Clang! Zalek raised his right eyebrow as he blocked Raon’s sword strikes that seemed to have a pattern but were unpredictable.
'What is this...?'
When he first saw Raon, it was evident that he had no talent for the Mind's Eye. But now, Raon seemed to have awakened the Mind's Eye, reading Zalek's psychology and engaging in a battle of wits.
"What are you going to..."
Zalek tilted his head with an incredulous look.
"How did you awaken the Mind's Eye?"
"Instead of the Mind's Eye..."
Raon shook his head calmly as he deflected Zalek's cane sword that was aimed at his thigh.
"It’s intuition. I’m quite perceptive, you understand?"
—Damn it! That’s something that shouldn’t come out of your mouth!
-
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