C818
"Huff..."
Kerin climbed North Grave Mountain, which was shrouded in darkness, exhaling a cloudy breath. His eyes trembled violently as if they had fallen into a sea of anxiety.
"Where is it?"
Kerin pressed his lips tightly and moved his gaze from side to side.
"They must be watching..."
Just as he was about to hide his body behind a large zelkova tree while swallowing dry saliva, it happened. A blue sword emerged from the shadow of the tree and flew towards Kerin's neck.
"¡¡Eek!!"
Kerin knocked down the sword that had emerged from the shadow with the sword he held in his hand, even as he was scared.
"¡Puaj!'
However, the force behind the sword was too strong and he was thrown back abruptly like a kicked stone.
"Puaj..."
When Kerin looked up with a pained groan, Burren shook his head with a dry look in his eyes.
"The direction was correct, but your reaction was slow. Focus more."
Burren told him to get a move on and disappeared into the darkness.
"Rage..."
Kerin wiped the sweat dripping from his forehead and stood up.
'It's dangerous here.'
He moved slowly to the right, raising his heels to avoid making any noise. Just as he was about to hide behind a large rock that looked like a tiger, fierce footsteps were heard from the top of the mountain.
"Were you here?"
It was Martha. She rushed down like a ferocious tiger, sporting a refreshing smile that could captivate at first sight.
"¡Aaaah!"
Kerin screamed and attacked Martha, who was approaching, with his sword with all his might. It was a desperate fight for survival.
"¡Too late!"
Martha shouted that she could see everything and slightly deflected Kerin's sword attack. A powerful shockwave erupted between the swords and Kerin was pushed to the right, kneeling.
"Puaj..."
Kerin's hands trembled as if he hadn't completely dissipated the impact contained in Martha's sword attack.
"Can you do more?"
Martha brandished her sword with a chilling smile. A strong slash, as if a giant was wielding a great sword, fell upon Kerin's head.
"Is it my head? Isn't it my chest? I'll die if that hits me!"
Kerin exploded the astral energy he had accumulated above his head, which Martha was aiming at, while holding back the tears that were about to burst. With a violent explosion, Kerin was thrown back and buried in the ground.
"Puaj..."
Kerin groaned, unable to even lift his head due to the severe impact.
"If you were sure, you should have blocked it immediately! Why do you hesitate and make such a fuss?"
Martha kicked him in the stomach, saying he lacked concentration, and disappeared up the mountain, snorting.
"Puaj..."
Kerin slowly lifted his body, his arms trembling.
«If I stay here, I'll run into that beast again.»
Although his whole body was weak, he had to move forcefully. If Martha hit him again in that state, he wouldn't be able to wake up for a while.
"Hello."
Kerin went down the mountain again, lowering his breathing as much as he could, as if he had become a plant. As he tried to get away from Burren and Martha, strangely, he felt a chill run up his bones.
"Cold? No way!"
Just as Kerin was about to retreat while swallowing dry saliva, a silver wind bloomed around him.
'Damn it! It's here!'
It was obvious who it was. Runaan had conjured an icy wind that enveloped her surroundings.
'Where is she?'
He could feel an icy sword in the silver storm, but he couldn't determine its exact location. Sweat dripped from his hands due to the tension.
'I have no choice but to erase it before it arrives!'
Not knowing where to attack, the correct answer was to erase all the opponent's swords. Kerin raised his aura with all his might and poured astral energy in the form of a saw towards the frost surrounding him. The astral energy wave spread like a spider web, erasing the silver wind.
As he tried to catch his breath, thinking it was lucky, five streams of sword attacks emerged from the settling frost.
Kerin was hit by the Snow Flower sword and rolled on the frozen ground, being pushed back.
"Puaj..."
Kerin raised his trembling head, letting out a pained sigh.
"..."
Runaan, who had emerged from the frost, looked at her with calm eyes.
"Don't let your guard down until the end. Think about how to reduce the damage, whether by blocking or dodging."
Runaan hit her head twice as if to tell him to always think and disappeared along with the icy fog.
"Puaj..."
Kerin couldn't get up and simply lay there.
"I'm really going to die. Why did I end up like this?"
Raon had said it would be a little tough training, but experiencing it firsthand, it wasn't just a little tough, it was tough enough to die.
'They intensified the training to improve concentration...'
Until now, training to improve concentration involved surprise attacks that could be moderately blocked, and once you knew an instructor, they wouldn't touch you again until you hid.
But in today's training, there were attacks full of murderous intent that would kill you if you just moderately blocked, and not only Raon, Rimmer, and the Game Monster, but even the monstrous squadron leaders joined in, making it impossible to relax.
It was so tough that even though it had been dawn for a while now, he had no sleep at all.
"¡Argh!"
"¡Aaaah!"
"¡E-wait a minute!"
The sound of swords clashing and the screams of the Light Wind division members could be heard here and there. It meant that not only him, but the entire Light Wind division was being beaten up all over North Grave Mountain. To be honest, it felt more like unilateral violence than training.
"Damn..."
Kerin closed his eyes tightly and straightened his waist. He couldn't stay still because if he ran into another squadron leader, Rimmer, or Raon like that, he felt like they would beat him until he actually passed out. He had to get up, even if it was difficult.
"Jaja..."
As Kerin got up, catching his breath, someone appeared on the opposite side.
"¡¡Eek!!"
"¡Puaj!"
As he raised his sword in fright, a groan also came from the other side. When he narrowed his eyes to see who it was, the moon peeked out from behind the clouds, revealing the other person's face.
"¿Dorio?"
The swordsman in front of him was Dorian. However, he also seemed to have taken a good beating, as his clothes were torn and his two eyes were blackened like a panda's.
"Why are you here?"
Dorian is one of the people who dragged the Light Wind division into this hell. He couldn't understand why one of the instigators was swimming in this lava.
"Puaj..."
Dorian wiped his tears with his torn sleeve.
"They said I only awakened the Mind's Eye, but my skills are still the same, so I have to go in too..."
He sobbed and said that Raon had forcefully pushed him.
"Everyone beats me up harder because I can see the direction of the attacks."
Dorian sat down with a thud, saying he was being hit even harder than the other Light Wind division swordsmen.
"Eh..."
Kerin let out a hollow laugh as he watched Dorian cry.
"¿Is our division leader really human...?"
Usually, internal informants or spies who help from enemy lines are taken into account, but Raon had dragged even Dorian, the main collaborator in this training, into hell. It wasn't human nature.
"I'm scared. Very scared..."
Kerin shook his head as if he was terrified of Raon's cruelty.
"If I, if I were stronger than that person..."
Dorian raised his clenched fist towards the night sky.
"I would have punched him in the stomach every time we ate..."
He bit his lip and said it was a shame to be weak.
"Me too."
Kerin nodded his head with a sigh.
"If I were stronger than the division leader, I would have smashed his head every time we made eye contact!"
He clenched both hands and said it was regrettable.
"¿Will the day come when we are stronger than the Division Leader?"
"¿Would it?"
Kerin shook his head towards Dorian, telling him to wake up from his dream.
"Why did you help that guy in the first place?"
He frowned and said he resented Dorian for causing this situation.
"¡¿Did I know this would happen?!"
Dorian jumped up and wrinkled the bridge of his nose.
"¡Even the Mind's Eye couldn't see that person's nature!"
He shook his head vigorously, saying that this situation couldn't be read even with the Mind's Eye.
"Ah, really, I can only curse..."
Just as Kerin was about to let out a deep sigh, it happened.
"¡Aaaaargh!"
A scream was heard right next to them. It's unclear how they were hit, but it was a horrible scream, as if they were being stabbed to death.
"..."
"..."
Kerin and Dorian immediately closed their mouths and silently stood up. They both nodded and silently disappeared into the forest.
"¡Aaaah!"
"¡Kyaaaah!"
However, not long after, their screams resonated in harmony.
* * *
"Sounds good."
Raon moved his fingertips, using the screams of the Light Wind division swordsmen as a song.
-Creating such a hell, and even putting the wallet guy in there, you really are...
Wrath looked at Raon with trembling eyes, as if he had encountered an angel.
"It's true that he lacks skills."
Raon waved his hand slightly.
'Dorian also needs to grow more.'
Although Dorian had awakened his Mind's Eye, there wasn't much change in terms of his martial prowess. Since he had infinite potential for growth, it was the right method to raise him firmly, even if it was difficult, rather than letting him lie dormant.
-It's true, but from a human perspective... no, I'm sorry. Anyway, you're not human.
Wrath shook his head and said he had made a mistake.
"I am human even though..."
Raon clicked his tongue and grabbed the Heavenly Drive with both hands.
-But why are you standing still? I thought you would go out there and beat them up yourself.
Wrath blinked, saying it was unexpected.
"This time I'm going to defeat them in a different way."
Raon smiled and threw the Heavenly Drive he was holding with both hands into the air. When his aura and willpower naturally connected, the Heavenly Drive emitted a cry as if it were alive.
-¿Eh? No way...
-Yes. It's the ancestor's sword control.
Thanks to seeing the Sword Control in his dreams and completely mastering the Sword Control Martial Arts Manual, he was able to implement the First Patriarch's Sword Control, albeit weakly.
«Although it's still very immature.»
The power and speed were insufficient, making it difficult to use in real combat, but it was enough for training.
-E-so you're going to attack the Light Wind division guys with that?
'That's right.'
Raon smiled and sent the Sword Control, tinged with a pale flame, towards the sky.
“I train, they train, it's killing two birds with one stone.”
-¡No, that's impossible to block!
Wrath shook his head vigorously and said that shouldn't be done at all.
-¡Even those squadron leaders won't be able to block it!
-That's not my problem.
Raon, without erasing his smile, fired the Sword Control towards the nearest Light Wind division swordsman. The Heavenly Drive became a yellow flash, cutting through the night sky and falling towards the swordsman's shoulder who was hiding behind a rock.
"¡Kyaaaah!"
Dorian, who was catching his breath behind the rock, raised his sword in fright. Since even the Mind's Eye couldn't read the trajectory of the Sword Control, extreme confusion took over his eyes.
¡¿Where is it coming from?!
Raon slightly deflected Dorian's careless sword attack and hit his stomach with the hilt of the sword.
"¡Guau!"
Dorian let out a crow-like scream and sat down on the spot.
"E-the sword control is really too..."
He shed tears like chicken droppings and asked if Raon was trying to kill him.
"Relying too much on the Mind's Eye isn't good either. It's necessary to develop real skills for the Mind's Eye to be more effective. And..."
Raon nodded as he spoke to Dorian through Heavenly Drive.
"If you want to hit me in the stomach, challenge me. You're welcome anytime."
"¡¡Eek!!"
Dorian's jaw trembled in fear.
"Did you hear that?"
"How could I not hear when you were talking so loud?"
Raon chuckled as he examined Dorian's pale face.
"E-then..."
—Yes. I also have to mess with Kerin now.
Just as he was about to move to find Kerin, Dorian raised his hand.
"Um, division leader?"
"I can't be lenient with you."
Raon shook his head, saying he was sorry but he couldn't slack off on the training.
"That's not all..."
Dorian lowered his stance a little and lowered his voice.
"Can't you hit Kerin harder than me? Please."
He clasped his hands and said he didn't need to be excused from training, but please Raon could hit Kerin twice as hard.
'See.'
Raon shrugged and pointed at Dorian.
'All humans are like this.'
-¡You taught them that!
* * *
Raon finished the Light Wind division's crisis perception training before dawn and descended from North Grave Mountain to return to the Fifth Training Ground.
A strong wind could be heard from inside. Mark Goetun had been left alone and was still wielding his sword.
"How's the training going?"
Raon approached Mark Goetun and touched his scabbard.
“He's grown, but he's still a little disappointing.”
Originally, Mark Goetun should have been taken to the Holy Sword Alliance along with the three squadron leaders, but since he didn't know what the Holy Sword Alliance was really like, he couldn't take the swordsman with him. Now he regretted not being able to take him.
"Rage..."
Mark Goetun lowered his sword and wiped the sweat dripping from his forehead.
"I've trained as best I can here, but I'm still lacking a lot."
He shook his head, apparently remembering Burren, Martha, and Runaan, who had returned with outstanding growth. However, he didn't show any feelings of self-deprecation. He simply smiled calmly, as if he was doing what he had to do.
"You don't seem impatient."
"Of course."
Mark Goetun nodded calmly.
"Before Raon took me in, I had been stagnant in the same place for decades. Now, even the slightest growth is paradise for me."
He smiled and said that the moment his efforts were bearing even small fruits was happiness.
"I see."
Raon smiled softly as he looked at Mark Goetun. As expected, the mental fortitude of people who have experienced pain to the point of wanting to die seemed different.
-¡What nonsense! Explain it properly! Heaven isn't such a good place!
Wrath shook his head vigorously, saying that Devildom was actually a better place.
"Ah, but these days I've been thinking about expanding my sword techniques."
"¿Expand?"
"I've been training in one direction for too long, so I think it would be good to add other sword techniques or principles."
Mark Goetun clicked his lips and said he was considering expanding his martial arts path in various directions.
"Is that what you want to do?"
"Well, to be honest, I want to continue as I am. But to grow more, I think I need a little more diversity..."
"Learning various sword techniques and swordsmanship will certainly not be a loss. However..."
Raon shook his head as he looked at Mark Goetun's sword, with the bandage on the handle completely torn off.
"It's not like you'll become weak or slow just by following one path. If you stick to your own path, you might see results faster. When I went to the Holy Sword Alliance this time..."
He told Mark Goetun about the beliefs and strength of the Holy Sword Alliance swordsmen who walked only one path.
"I see. Those people..."
Mark Goetun clenched his fist, apparently excited to hear that people like him, who walked only one path, could reach higher places and be stronger.
"I have a suggestion."
"If you have any suggestions..."
"How about visiting the Holy Sword Alliance?"
Raon pulled an envelope from his chest.
"¿Me to the Holy Sword Alliance?"
Mark Goetun swallowed dry saliva as he looked at the envelope.
“I use a blade, not a sword, is that okay?”
"I was worried about that too, so I left a letter for the Rector, but when I actually went there, as I just told you, the Holy Sword Alliance is a place where people also live."
Raon smiled slightly and handed him the letter of introduction he had written to the Rector.
"I'm sure it will be a great help to you."
The Great Master wall is high. Even among those called geniuses who quickly ascended to Master, very few reach the realm of Great Master. Mark Goetun knows the pain of not being able to grow and regrets his past days, so he's working harder than anyone, which means he will surely be able to reach Great Master.
Maybe I was overthinking it, but among Burren, Martha, Runaan, and Mark Goetun, it seemed that Mark Goetun would be the first to break through the wall.
"..."
Mark Goetun looked at the letter of introduction with trembling eyes and then extended his hand as if he had made a decision.
"I'm leaving."
"Good choice."
Raon smiled and handed the letter of introduction to Mark Goetun.
"¿When are you leaving?"
"If I've made a decision, I must move immediately."
He nodded and said he would go tomorrow.
—Ah, then let me give you some advice.
Raon raised a finger.
"There's a swordsman named Lawrence who lives in the back mountain of the Holy Sword Alliance. He's a very kind person who teaches martial arts very well. Make sure to visit him every day to learn."
He smiled as he said this.
"Hmm, I'll keep that in mind."
Mark Goetun said he would and left the training ground.
-You, you're really giving up on being human, aren't you?
Wrath shook his head as if he were dumbfounded.
-¡¿Why are you creating a path that kills them both?!
"Somehow..."
Raon chuckled as he watched Mark Goetun's back.
"I feel like they could become good friends."
* * *
Raon went to see the Shadow Agents after finishing breakfast.
"Welcome to the Shadow Agents."
Chad, the leader of the Shadow Agents, greeted him with a smiling face at the door, as if he had been waiting.
"I received a message from the Head of House. Are you investigating the First Patriarch's whereabouts?"
"Yes. There's something I'm curious about."
"Haha, that happens sometimes. This way, please."
Chad said he would guide him to the underground where the records of Zieghart's past were kept, as he entered his office.
"¿Why the office..."
"It's forbidden to leak even the most trivial content about Zieghart. Only those who have received permission from the current leader of the Shadow Agents can enter, so there's a path to enter here."
Chad tapped the windowless wall several times with his finger and, with a thud, the wall opened, revealing a path leading downwards.
"Wow..."
Raon opened his eyes wide. It was surprising that he couldn't detect the entrance right in front of him, even if he hadn't released his aura perception. It seemed like a device made by an incredibly skilled master.
"Follow me."
Chad nodded carefully and went down. The stairs were wide and there was permanent lighting around, so there was no problem going down.
"To be honest, I was also curious about the First Patriarch, so I did some research. However, there's not much more recorded than what's already known. You won't find any information about him in the last 500 years."
He clicked his tongue and said that you would have to look for historical materials from 700 years ago to barely find stories about the First Patriarch.
"I see."
As he went down the stairs listening to Chad's words, his feet soon touched the ground. When he looked up, there were countless bookshelves that looked like trees growing in a forest, and books and documents were piled on them.
"This is Zieghart's history."
Chad walked forward with a blush on his cheeks, as if he were excited.
"The closer you are here, the more recent the events, and the further away, the more past events."
He said it would be better to start searching from the inside for content about the First Patriarch and went ahead.
"Thank you."
Just as Raon was about to follow Chad, nodding his head, it happened. Golden flames erupted from the dark ground as if he had stepped on a trap and enveloped him.
-
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