C1042
"Did you just say the former leader of the Holy Sword Alliance?"
Raon swallowed hard as he looked at Rector, who had mentioned the name of the former leader of the Holy Sword Alliance.
- You know about him too, right?
Rector emptied his glass with a calm expression.
"Only the Destructive King of the North and the former leader of the Holy Sword Alliance can face the leaders of the Five Demons one-on-one."
He slowly turned his gaze, as if to say he knew more.
"Of course, it would be different if those two reclusive hermits showed up, but it's been a long time since they disappeared."
Rector shook his head as if to say not to get your hopes up.
"What about Derus and the leader of the White Blood Religion, whom you saw in person?"
Raon asked, clasping his hands, first seeking an explanation of his martial skill.
"The blood energy of the leader of the White Blood Religion was terribly vast and stable. It seemed like she had made all the martial skill of the Beast King her own and had ascended to an even higher level."
Rector let out a deep sigh and said he didn't believe he could defeat the leader of the White Blood Religion even if he fought with all his might.
"And Derus Robert..."
He frowned and placed his fingers on his forehead.
"He was completely unreadable. It was clear that he had reached a level that could surpass Transcendence, although perhaps not as much as Lord Glenn."
Rector poured himself a drink with trembling hands and said that Derus was on a completely different level.
"I don't know about the Celestial Demon since he didn't come to the conference, but he is probably above or at least not below Derus."
He shook his head, saying that none of the three (the Celestial Demon, Derus, and the Leader of the White Blood Religion) would be easy to deal with.
"I see..."
Raon bit his lip as he looked at the empty plate.
'Numerically, the Five Kings are vastly superior, but the Five Demons have more high-level Transcendents who can change the course of the war.'
Even if Glenn faced the Celestial Demon after initiating the war with the White Blood Religion, Derus Robert would still be there. Derus possessed enough martial skill to overwhelm King Lecross, making it impossible to stop him with the remaining people.
'Lord Ogram and Lady Chamber are still not fully recovered from their injuries.'
If the Beast King and the Archmage of Glory were in perfect condition, they might buy some time, but right now, neither could use their full martial skill. It was clear they could not withstand even a single blow from Derus.
'If Derus and the Celestial Demon withdraw their support and launch a counterattack when we attack the White Blood Religion...'
Three of the Five Kings would fall. Even if Glenn used spatial movement to block the Celestial Demon, Derus would move to destroy Owen and the magic tower, and then kill Ogram, who would be alone.
'The Derus I know would definitely move like that.'
Derus Robert was not the type to support his allies. It was clear he would use them as bait to achieve his own goals.
"He will definitely try to kill the Beast King first."
The moment the leader of the White Blood Religion dies, her curse will disappear, allowing the Beast King to regain his original martial skill. Since this is something that Derus would not want, he would surely aim for Ogram first.
'So, if we place the Beast King next to Grandpa... No, that could be even more dangerous if Derus and the Celestial Demon attack together.'
Since Derus could use the power of Angels to move through space, it was difficult and complicated to formulate a strategy.
'And if an Archangel moves as well...'
It would be a disaster. Derus Robert had not actively mobilized Uriel and the other Archangels as if he were waiting for the right moment, but if even one of them appeared, the problem would become much larger.
'Attacking could even result in a loss.'
His jaw tightened at the thought that all the preparations made so far could be in vain.
"It's just as Grandpa said."
Raon let out a deep sigh.
"There is no one else but him."
After turning it over in his mind several times, it seemed that there was no one who could stop Derus except the former leader of the Holy Sword Alliance.
"Yes. After seeing Derus and the leader of the White Blood Religion in person, I could only think of seeking the Dark Night Sword God."
Rector nodded and said he wanted to try to stop Derus by any means necessary.
"When you said earlier that you found him..."
Raon squinted as he looked at Rector.
"Does that mean you met the Dark Night Sword God?"
"That's right."
Rector replied as he raised his cup.
"At first, I thought he was near the Sacred Ground of the Holy Sword Alliance, but he left a long time ago. Thanks to investing quite a bit of time, I was able to find Darkan."
He said he had barely managed to find Darkan through connections he had made during his travels and drank his drink in one gulp.
"However, persuasion did not work."
Rector's lips twisted as he gripped his glass tightly.
"He said my sword didn't interest him and that he didn't want to hear what I had to say."
He snorted, saying that words did not reach him at all.
-It seems he is still obsessed with swords.
Wrath clicked his tongue, saying he could clearly imagine the state of the Dark Night Sword God.
-Well, he’s the kind who gouged out his eyes to reach a higher level.
He stuck out his tongue and said it was an obsession bordering on terrifying.
"He says it's not interesting..."
Raon shook his head as he tapped the table with his fingers.
'Would it work if I went?'
While Darkan's main objective, the Dark Night Sword God, was to duel with Glenn, he also had a great interest in Raon himself. If Raon went in person, they might be able to communicate.
"Where is the Dark Night Sword God now?"
"He was in the Kingdom of Oscott. I was able to find him quickly because he was near the sacred land."
Rector sighed at the mention of the Kingdom of Oscott.
"Oscott?"
Raon's eyes widened. He was surprised to hear the name of a kingdom that seemed less likely to be associated with the Dark Night Sword God, Darkan.
"Why is he there…?"
-You wouldn't believe me if I told you what he was doing.
Rector shook his head and said it would be impossible to explain.
"Then let's see for ourselves."
Raon clenched his right hand into a fist. It seemed better to move and create a change, even if it was small, rather than doing nothing and relying on luck.
"It could be dangerous. Darkan is not in his right mind right now."
"If we can't take risks, opportunities won't arise. And..."
Raon smiled slightly as he took Rector's hand.
—If I am in danger, you will protect me, right, Grandpa?
"Mmm..."
Rector bit his lip hard as he looked at his own hand with trembling eyes.
"Of course! I will protect you even if I die on the spot!"
He nodded firmly, as if to say not to worry.
-Wow...
Wrath let out an exasperated sigh.
-This damn guy is even charming his own grandfather now...
He shook his head and said Raon was becoming more and more like a ghost.
"Are you leaving right away?"
-No, I need a bit of time.
Raon smiled coldly as he looked out the dark window.
"First, I have to take care of our children."
***
The sound of the sword wind slicing through the air of dawn resonated. Although the sun had not yet risen, the swordsmen of the fifth training ground were perfecting their swordsmanship with heightened concentration.
"Five minutes break!"
Martha, who was in charge of the dawn training, raised her hand to signal a short break.
"I'll continue a bit longer."
"I'll also waste my break time!"
The swordsmen continued swinging their swords or practicing footwork, refusing to take a break.
"Why is everyone so enthusiastic?"
Martha frowned as she rested her sword on her shoulder.
"You weren't this intense even when Raon was training you."
She shook her head, saying she didn't understand.
"Are you stupid, Miss Rakshasa?"
Runaan looked at Martha with dull eyes.
"Why else? It's because of you."
Burren licked his lips as he gripped his sword with both hands.
"This time, we have to fight against the White Blood Religion! They are the enemies of our division leader!"
"We must become stronger even if it means saving time!"
Yua and Julius tilted their heads in unison, saying it was natural to train as hard as they could.
"It's scary, but we have to do everything we can..."
Dorian's hands trembled as if the war had already begun, but he didn't stop training.
"I can do anything for Martha! This time, I'll decapitate the apostle and..."
As Kerin flattered Martha, licking his lips,
"That's fine. You can do anything," she said.
Raon entered the training ground with a smile.
"Master of the Palace!"
"You must be tired. Did you come right away?"
"Was your business successful?"
The swordsmen of the Light Wind Palace smiled and rushed toward Raon, happy to see him after a long time.
"Thanks to our friendly informant, we found the location of the headquarters of the White Blood Religion."
Raon briefly explained to the swordsmen of the Light Wind Palace what had happened.
"I thought we would need new training since it's clear the next war will take place at sea, but..."
He smiled as he looked at Kerin, who was trembling with anxiety.
"It's lucky that you say you can do anything."
Raon patted Kerin on the shoulder and told him he was grateful.
"Ugh!"
"Oh, no..."
"Creína."
"That bastard's mouth, seriously!"
The swordsmen of the Light Wind Palace gritted their teeth as they looked at Kerin, feeling something sinister in his words.
"No, everyone said similar things..."
Kerin sobbed as he nervously glanced at his comrades.
"No need to worry too much. I'm not asking you to do anything difficult, just to train in the sea. In a way, it could be like a vacation."
Raon moved his finger toward the angry swordsmen of the Light Wind Palace.
"The sea?"
"A vacation, you say..."
"Is that true?"
The swordsmen of the Light Wind Palace opened their eyes in disbelief.
"As I said, the war against the White Blood Religion will unfold in the sea. That's why we need to adapt to the sea."
He smiled slightly and said it wasn't anything difficult or complicated, just swinging swords underwater.
"Alright then!"
Kerin raised his hand enthusiastically, seeming to regain his spirits.
"The sea over there is clean and warm. It won't be bad for training!"
He let out a sigh of relief, as if all his worries had vanished.
"It's true that it has been a while since we fought at sea, so we should adapt."
Burren nodded, saying it was not a bad idea.
"Yes. We couldn't train properly when we were on missions due to people's scrutiny."
Trevin also agreed that it was a good idea, tightening his sword-wielding hand.
"Miss Rakshasa..."
Runaan squinted, seeming worried about Martha as the mood improved.
"Are you okay with this?"
"Of course, it's fine. We've been training so strictly that relaxing a bit could help."
Martha nodded and said that since it was Raon's training, there must be a purpose to it.
"Then everyone agrees."
Raon's eyes turned cold as he looked at the smiling swordsmen of the Light Wind Palace. (N/E: Those kids... are too naive)
"Let's go right now."
***
A chilling wind that seemed to tear flesh and pierce bones howled, and waves that cut through the frozen sea like an icebreaker surged in the treacherous North Sea. The swordsmen of the Light Wind Palace found themselves in the most treacherous sea, known as the North Sea, wearing only swimsuits.
"W-What is this?"
Kerin looked at the furious, churning sea with his lips tinted blue and trembling.
"You said it was a vacation! This is hell!"
He shivered and said he felt like he was going to freeze to death.
"Tricked again..."
Burren shook his head while rubbing his arms, which were covered in goosebumps from the cold.
"I told you we shouldn't trust that crazy guy!"
He yelled at Raon, calling him crazy, forgetting that he was supposed to address him as Master of the Palace.
"Do I like it?"
Runaan was stretching, showing unusual vigor instead of her usual apathy. It seemed she could endure that level of cold thanks to her use of cold aura.
"I thought I heard the devil laughing in the heart of the Master of the Palace..."
Dorian chattered his teeth, saying he had predicted this situation from the moment he saw it with the eye of his mind.
"Damn it! I'll never believe that guy again!"
"It's so cold just above the water that we'll freeze if we go in!"
"If we move away from here a bit, we're right in front of Habun Castle! This is just the North Sea!"
The eyes of the swordsmen filled with tears, apparently terrified just from looking at the sea. *Splash!* While everyone was shivering from the cold, Martha jumped fearlessly into the sea filled with floating ice.
"There’s no time! Get in quickly!"
She gestured for them to enter, her lips trembling because even she couldn't fully endure the northern cold.
"Okay!"
Runaan dived into the sea even more refreshingly than Martha.
"This is perfect!"
She gave the swordsmen a thumbs-up as if the inside was better.
"Argh!"
Burren jumped into the sea screaming. It also seemed difficult for him to endure, his eyes trembling as he gasped for air.
"To hell with this!"
"I’m going in too!"
"Ahh..."
All the swordsmen of the Light Wind Palace jumped into the sea together, unable to stand watching their comrades enter one by one.
-Oh!
Wrath whistled in surprise.
-In the past, they wouldn't have moved until you pushed them, but everyone has changed.
"It's because they are family now."
Raon smiled slightly as he watched the swordsmen draw their swords, their teeth chattering.
“They want to become stronger to help Martha.”
The cold energy from the glacier he had placed was also permeating this sea. It would be much colder than the usual North Sea, but the swordsmen were moved to endure it for Martha's sake.
"Now then, everyone dive and practice your swordsmanship underwater."
Raon clapped and said they should start.
"Dive?"
"Are you not here?"
"You're crazy..."
The eyes of the swordsmen trembled as if they were about to pop out, not expecting to have to submerge as well.
"Yes. If you surface without completing a full sword technique underwater..."
Raon lifted the sheath of the Heavenly Drive.
"You better look forward to it."
He smiled mischievously and said he would hit them on the head.
"We start now. Three, two, one."
As soon as Raon counted down to one, all the swordsmen with their heads above the water submerged.
"J-Just a moment. I need to mentally prepare... Ack!"
He hit Kerin on the head, who was covering his nose and preparing.
"It hurts like hell!"
Kerin screamed and dove into the sea, clutching his head.
"Mmm..."
As Raon clicked his tongue and caressed the sheath, the surface rippled and Dorian appeared.
"Ugh! Ugh! One moment..."
"Again."
Raon twisted his lips upward and hit Dorian on the head with the sheath.
"Argh!"
Dorian screamed and submerged again.
"This isn't training, it's torture... Gack!"
"A moment! I have water in my nose... Ack!"
The swordsmen made excuses, but Raon kept hitting their heads mercilessly.
*Sigh...*
Wrath let out an exasperated sigh.
-This is like playing whack-a-mole, with moles popping out of the ground!
His lips trembled, saying it was fun only for Raon but torture for the swordsmen.
-No, it isn't.
Raon shook his head calmly.
'It's killing three birds with one stone: increasing lung capacity, practicing sword handling, and developing resistance to the energy of the sea and cold.'
-Get that smile off your face before you say such things!
Wrath gritted his teeth and said that even angels wouldn't torture like this.
'Mmm...'
Raon lowered the corners of his lips and looked at the sea in front of him. Martha, unlike the others, wielded her sword underwater without surfacing even once, enduring patiently.
'...'
Raon clenched his fist as he felt the burning will rise in Martha's eyes.
'I must...'
Persuade the leader of the Holy Sword Alliance, no matter what.
***
"Is the Dark Night Sword God here?"
Raon let out a sigh as he observed the luxurious scenery of the Kingdom of Oscott, which seemed to have money scattered everywhere.
"It doesn't suit him at all."
He was surprised that the Dark Night Sword God, Darkan, who seemed to only wield his sword in quiet places, would stay in the Kingdom of Oscott, which was full of entertainment.
-Why? What kind of place is this?
Wrath tilted his chin as if asking for an explanation.
"This place is different from common kingdoms. The king is a gambler, and the entire royal capital is filled with gambling houses, alcohol, and drugs."
While it wasn't exactly a lawless area and out of control, Oscott was a land ruled by money and violence instead of humanity and conscience.
"The Dark Night Sword God, Darkan, was not interested in money, gambling, or entertainment, but only in swords. I don't understand why he is here."
Although Darkan could easily devour this kingdom if he wanted, it was strange that someone obsessed with swords would spend time in such a place.
"Yes. He is here."
Rector took the lead and headed to the royal capital, where red and blue lights flickered.
"I wonder what he is doing."
Not knowing if Darkan had fallen into alcohol, gambling, or women, Raon licked his lips briefly and followed Rector. However, Rector began to move away from the city center, filled with gambling houses and bars, and headed toward the outskirts.
The bright lights and thick smell of money disappeared, replaced by a stench of dampness and dirt underfoot.
"Grandpa?"
Raon opened his eyes wide as he called out to Rector, who was entering a narrow, dark alley.
"Is the Dark Night Sword God really here?"
"He is right there."
Rector raised his hand and announced that they had arrived. At the tip of his finger was a man kneeling in front of a rundown gambling den.
"Please, just one coin..."
The man with a black patch covering both eyes raised his trembling hand with a weak voice.
"Get lost!"
"Are you not leaving?"
The young thugs, who looked like they had just come out of the gambling den, stomped on the blind beggar and spat on his head.
"Water here isn't good anymore."
They tossed a silver coin at the beggar's feet and disappeared, laughing among themselves.
"Thank you."
The blind beggar picked up the silver coin that had fallen to the ground in one swift motion, as if he could see.
'Haha...'
Raon swallowed hard as he looked at the beggar with the same face as Darkan he had seen at the Holy Land of the Holy Sword Alliance.
'That crazy bastard!'
What the hell is he doing begging here?!
-
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