C899
“Huff! Huff!”
Trevin wiped the cold sweat dripping from his forehead as he ran towards the top of North Grave Mountain.
“What… what just happened?”
Moments ago, Raon had suddenly emerged from the darkness, striking the Warring Steel Division swordsmen and Dorian. It’s no exaggeration to say he hit them. Raon had hit the back of Dorian’s head with his scabbard, leaving no other way to describe it.
“He’s gone crazy.”
Trevin couldn’t help but think that Raon had lost his mind, smashing the skull of a valued subordinate just because he had cursed him as a disgusting demon when he thought no one could hear.
“I was in danger too.”
Although he had barely managed to defend himself and escape thanks to Dorian taking the first hit, the force behind Raon’s scabbard was so intense that his hands still ached.
“But why did he attack?”
Trevin couldn’t understand why Raon had ambushed them when he had said they only needed to hold out on North Grave Mountain while eating Nadine bread.
“Wait a minute. Thinking about it…”
When they were climbing North Grave Mountain, the Light Wind Division swordsmen had turned pale as if their souls had left their bodies, and Dorian, whom he had just seen, was drooling as if he had lost his mind. Putting it all together, it seemed that this had been the training from the beginning, not that Raon had gone crazy.
“Yes. It must be that.”
A martial artist like Raon wouldn’t conduct a simple field training that only involved holding out on a mountain. It must have been training with ambushes in mind from the start. But all Trevin could hear around him were desperate screams from his fellow swordsmen.
Intense shockwaves and the screams of the swordsmen could be heard from below. It seemed that Raon was attacking both the Warring Steel and the Light Wind Division indiscriminately.
“I can’t escape anyway.”
Despite running at full speed, the screams of others were getting closer and closer. Escaping from Raon seemed impossible.
“Wait a second…”
He said it was field training, right? The most important elements in field combat are concealment and cover. It seemed that Raon wanted them to hide, suppress their presence, or counterattack.
“I should hide.”
As soon as Trevin made his decision, he quickly erased his tracks and crouched under a thick tree with dense undergrowth.
“Huh?”
But the place already had an occupant.
“Krein?”
Krein, known as the most reckless of the Light Wind Division, was sitting with his knees raised, his hands trembling.
“Are you hiding too?”
“…Hiding?”
Krein twisted his eyes as if Trevin’s words made no sense.
“There’s no point in hiding. I’m just hehe…”
He nodded his head back and forth, letting out an unsettling laugh.
“Just waiting to be hit afterwards.”
“W-what do you mean hit afterwards?”
“Soon, even the Warring Steel Leader will know. This isn’t training.”
Krein closed his eyes, saying that hiding or fleeing was useless.
“No, what…”
Just as Trevin was about to ask again, a scream came from right below them.
“Ugh…”
Krein pulled his hair with his fingers, saying it was all over now.
“…”
Trevin gripped the hilt of his sword, lowering his stance. He inhaled slowly, ready to counterattack if Raon arrived.
“It’s useless.”
Krein chuckled as he looked at him.
“That guy. It’s not training, he’s just trying to…”
As Krein shook his head, Raon’s scabbard burst through the undergrowth. Thwack! Krein was hit in the abdomen with the scabbard and rolled down the mountain without even a scream.
“That’s what I expected.”
Anticipating that Raon would hit Krein first for speaking up, Trevin prepared his sword to defend against Raon’s next attack.
“Come at me all you want… Huh?”
As he prepared to defend himself and then flee as before, Raon drew his sword from its scabbard. Whoosh! A red Astral Ring emerged above the silver blade that shone with a silver light.
“A-Astral Ring?”
Unlike him, who had just become a Grand Master, this was a fully realized Astral Ring, and the sword path that emitted that aura far surpassed his own level.
“W-wait! Raon! I can’t block that yet!”
Trevin shook his head, shouting that he couldn’t block a sword strike like that.
“That’s why I’m doing this.”
Raon swung his sword downwards with a chilling smile.
“Aaargh!”
Trevin tried to defend himself with all his might, but his sword skills and aura were overwhelmed, causing his sword to be pushed back instantly.
[You’re a disgusting demon…]
[That guy. It’s not training, he’s just…]
Seeing Raon’s flames breaking his sword, Dorian and Krein’s words echoed in his mind.
“Those two were right. This guy is…”
Trevin swallowed with difficulty as he watched Raon swing his sword downwards as if to kill him.
“Just a madman!”
Finally, the sword that he had pushed with all his might was deflected, and Raon’s sword fell right on his head. Thwack! Trevin was hit on the head with the flat of the blade and fell backwards. Through his blurry vision, he could see Raon smiling.
“Damn it…”
I came to the wrong place…
* * *
“This should be enough as a greeting.”
Raon shook his hands after giving the Light Wind and Warring Steel Divisions a concentration-enhancing training until dawn. Now that everyone had fainted and collapsed, it seemed like a good time to descend the mountain.
“Greeting?”
Wrath let out a hollow laugh as if he couldn’t believe it.
“After hitting all the kids! What kind of greeting is that!”
He frowned, asking why turning people into rags was considered a greeting.
“I’m sorry too, but it can’t be helped.”
Raon clicked his tongue briefly as he looked at the swordsmen who had fainted with their eyes rolled back.
“The battles ahead will be even more arduous than this.”
With the possibility of an all-out war with the Black Tower, he needed to maximize the combat power of the Light Wind and Warring Steel Divisions before that. It might be difficult now, but this training would be of great help in that war.
“Well, that’s true, but…”
Wrath lowered his eyes as if he had nothing to say on that point.
“Let’s go down now. I’ve enjoyed the feeling enough.”
Raon shook the dust off his clothes and turned towards the base of the mountain.
“That’s going… Huh? Feeling? You just said you enjoyed the feeling! As I thought, you were doing this because you liked it!”
Wrath hit his hand forcefully, saying he knew it all along.
“It’s your imagination.”
“What imagination! You just beat up the kids to relieve stress! You’re a despicable…”
“What do you want for breakfast?”
“Huh? Oh!”
As soon as the topic of breakfast came up, Wrath’s eyes rolled. It seemed he had completely forgotten that the Light Wind Division had been beaten, distracted by food.
“Since it’s breakfast, I’m craving a light lobster dish.”
“A light lobster dish…”
Muttering that he was peculiar as always, Raon descended the mountain. Just as he was about to return directly to the annex building, a familiar face approached from the right.
“It’s been a while.”
Denier waved his right hand with a smile.
“Wise Martial Palace Master.”
Raon turned and bowed to Denier.
“What brings you here?”
He was curious why Denier was there, given the distance between the Fifth Training Ground and the Wise Martial Palace.
“On my way back, I heard rumors that you had defeated the Demonblade, so I wanted to congratulate you.”
Denier nodded, saying it was truly a remarkable achievement. His rounded smile conveyed pure goodwill.
“I was lucky.”
Raon shook his head, saying it wasn’t that big of a feat.
“I heard he was consumed by death energy, but even so, Demonblade is Demonblade. It’s an achievement that has changed history and the era.”
Denier lowered his chin, telling Raon not to belittle himself like Balder.
“…”
Raon silently looked into Denier’s eyes.
“In three days, you’ll become a Palace Master too. To think someone even younger than Martha would become a Palace Master, I still can’t believe it.”
He joked lightly, saying he wouldn’t be able to talk informally anymore.
“I still have a long way to go.”
“That humble attitude must have made you who you are today. I hope you continue with the same mindset. And please, take good care of Martha.”
Denier looked up at North Grave Mountain once, then gestured with his hand and left.
“Denier Zieghart.”
Raon narrowed his eyes as he watched Denier’s back.
“What are you thinking?”
He reconsidered Denier’s words, expressions, and actions, but there didn’t seem to be any other intent than that of an uncle encouraging his nephew. Although he had made some preparations to keep this enigmatic man at bay, seeing his calm eyes made him feel even more uncomfortable.
“That guy…”
Wrath wrinkled his nose as he watched Denier’s straight walk.
“He seems to change every time I see him. I really can’t understand his true nature.”
He smacked his lips, saying it was a quality he had never seen in his long life as a demon king.
“It’s difficult.”
Raon clicked his tongue briefly and headed towards the annex building. As soon as he opened the main door, Sia lunged at him as if she had been waiting.
“Raon! Little kids shouldn’t sleep outside!”
Sia pouted, asking why he wasn’t sleeping at home.
“She spread out her sleeping bag here, saying you wouldn’t come home yesterday.”
Sylvia sighed, saying she couldn’t stop her.
“Thanks to that, I got to sleep with Sia after a long time. Please do this more often.”
Edgar chuckled as he rolled up his and Sia’s sleeping bags.
“I’ve prepared breakfast. Please wash up and come quickly.”
Helen gestured with her hand, saying she had prepared a hearty breakfast.
“Ooh! The aroma is making my mouth water!”
Wrath licked his lips and wagged his tail.
“Alright.”
Raon clenched his fist as he faced his family and the maids who were smiling at him.
“Denier. Whatever you’re thinking, whatever you’re planning…”
I will protect these people.
* * *
The river in the withered prairie, dried by the purple death energy. A black shadow rose above the cracked riverbed, split like a spiderweb. The shadow undulated darkly, as if ignoring the bright moonlight, then spat out a blue-haired woman wearing a robe. Step. The blue-haired woman narrowed her eyes as she looked at the shards of ice that were stuck between the cracks in the riverbed.
“So he died here.”
She nodded, stroking the shards of ice as if she felt the Demonblade’s presence. Whoosh. As the blue-haired woman lowered her finger, a warm white light shone, and the Demonblade’s remaining energy that was left in the silver ice shards gathered on her palm, forming a purple sphere.
“Less than expected.”
The blue-haired woman lowered her eyebrows as she looked at the purple bead that rippled with an eerie light.
“You shouldn’t have any complaints, since you also tried to use the resentment of others.”
She spoke with a emotionless voice as if she were addressing the Demonblade, then placed the purple bead in her bosom.
“How far will you ascend…”
The blue-haired woman looked up at the moonlight and began to recite Raon’s name, then disappeared with a blue wind. All that remained in the place she left was an empty shard of ice.
* * *
Boom! The grand training ground, boasting as the largest in Zieghart, opened grandly. Usually, even swordsmen were forbidden from entering, but today, even common residents could pass through the magnificently erected gates to the training ground.
“Feels like he just got promoted from Squadron Leader to Division Leader, and now he’s already becoming a Palace Master?”
“It hasn’t even been 10 years since he went from Squadron Leader to Palace Master, right?”
“Really? Then isn’t he the fastest of all?”
“The most amazing thing is that no one is objecting. It means that both his skills and his achievements are recognized.”
“Well, he defeated that Demonblade.”
People talked about the Light Wind Division that would be promoted today as they climbed the spectator seats above the training ground.
“How do you feel?”
Balder, sitting in the executive seats, nudged Karoon with his elbow.
“Your nephew has caught up to your heels. Do you agree with that?”
He shrugged as if he was joking with Karoon.
“The Light Wind Division has excellently completed several missions. If anything, their promotion seems a bit late.”
Karoon shook his head calmly, showing not even a hint of jealousy.
“Besides, I don’t particularly care what happens to those guys. It has nothing to do with me.”
He lowered his hand, saying not to talk nonsense.
“Huh? For someone who doesn’t care, you rushed back as soon as your mission was over, right? I heard you even left some of your men behind.”
Balder snorted, saying he knew everything.
“Is that so? I was wondering why your return was so quick.”
Denier let out a light laugh as if he found it interesting.
“Ahem. That’s nonsense.”
Karoon waved his hand, telling them not to pay attention to Balder’s words.
“Sigh…”
Sylvia let out a long sigh with her hands clasped in front of her knees.
“I’m so nervous that I feel like my heart is going to sink!”
She trembled her clasped hands, saying she didn’t know what to do with herself.
“Honey, what should I…”
Just as Sylvia was about to turn her head to ask Edgar to do something,
“Gurgle…”
Edgar was already foaming at the mouth, his tension seemingly sky-high.
“Idiot!”
Sylvia’s gaze turned cold. Unable to hold back, she slapped the back of Edgar’s head.
“Raon! When is Raon coming out?”
Sia called out Raon’s name with her hands on the railing.
“As the protagonist of today, he’ll come out a little later.”
Alice nodded while sitting next to Sylvia.
“Oh, sister?”
Sylvia blinked as she looked at Alice.
“Have you finished your training yet?”
“Not yet.”
Alice shook her head calmly.
“To fully accept the Dragon Heart’s mana, I need to improve my physical condition a little more. I’m still far from that. However…”
She smiled slightly as she looked down at the training ground.
“I couldn’t miss the day my cute nephew becomes a Palace Master.”
Alice leaned back in her chair, saying it was an event she obviously had to attend.
“Thank you…”
Sylvia showed a slight smile, seeming to have relaxed a little thanks to Alice returning to her original form.
“I still can’t believe it. Our young master becoming a Palace Master…”
“I know. We just prayed for him to grow up healthy.”
“Maybe our prayers were too strong? He grew up too healthy.”
Helen and the maids talked about Raon’s childhood, their eyes turning red.
“He was different from the others from the beginning.”
Judiel smiled awkwardly as she recalled her first encounter with Raon.
“What was Raon like? Huh? What was he like?”
Just as Sia was about to go with the maids to ask about Raon, Boom! The left main gate of the training ground opened, sending intense vibrations through the surroundings. From the thick smoke, Zieghart’s martial forces entered one by one and took their positions inside the training ground.
From the newest martial forces to the old ones, like the Heavenly Blade Division directly under the head of house. All the swordsmen, except those on missions or guarding the family, formed an imposing formation and emitted an aura that shook the heavens and earth.
Boom! When the martial forces finished entering, the guardian swordsmen guarding the training ground stomped the ground forcefully, drawing attention.
“The sky of Zieghart is entering!”
As soon as that shout was heard, the swordsmen in the training ground and the residents in the spectator seats simultaneously turned and knelt down.
“Greetings to the Head of House!”
“Rise. The protagonist of today is not me.”
Glenn waved his hand as he ascended the platform with calm steps. Unlike usual, he didn’t appear at the end, but arrived before the Light Wind Division and sat on the throne. Boom. The swordsmen rose, returned to their original positions, and reformed their ranks, while the spectators briefly exhaled and sat back in their chairs.
“Let’s begin.”
As Glenn snapped his fingers, Chad, the Leader of the Shadow Agents standing below the platform, bowed and stepped forward.
“We will now proceed with the promotion ceremony. Light Wind Division, please enter.”
When Chad’s words ended, the right main gate of the training ground, which was still stuck in the door frame, opened with a majestic sound. Boom! The guardians stomped the ground even more forcefully than when Glenn entered and raised their chins.
“The Light Wind Division Leader and the Light Wind Division, who slew the evil dragon and defeated the evil sword, are entering!”
Beneath the resounding shout of the guardian swordsmen, refined footsteps could be heard. Despite more than thirty people walking, their steps were in perfect unison, creating a solemn harmony as if they were one. The Light Wind Division finally revealed its grandeur as it passed through the deeply shadowed entrance of the training ground.
Their appearance, with white swords over jet-black ceremonial robes, exuded such a heavy presence that it evoked the image of heroes marching to war.
“Pay respects to the swordsmen who have protected Zieghart’s honor!”
Hearing Chad's shout, the swordsmen split to the left and right and unsheathed their swords. The bow of the swordsmen pointed their swords with reverse grip at the ground. Greeted by Zieghart's sword ceremony, upon which the radiance of the sun had descended, Raon and the Light Wind Division entered.
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