"Mmm..."
Raon slowly reopened his eyes, letting out a soft groan.
'Did I black out?'
He recalled finishing the training to create the Soul Sword, but everything after that was a blur. It appeared he had lost consciousness immediately following its formation.
—That’s exactly what happened!
Wrath sprang up before him, his brows drawn tight in disapproval.
—How many times have I warned you to take a break during training! You feeble imbecile!
'I had no other option.'
Raon shook his head as he pushed himself up from the bed.
'My mind was ablaze with anticipation.'
Now that he had unlocked the secret to forging the Soul Sword and finalized his plan for its creation, he couldn’t waste a second. His burning desire to craft the perfect Soul Sword completely overrode his need for sleep, as he sacrificed his rest to refine his sword of the heart.
'This is...'
Not the annex building, he noted. Observing the immaculate, lofty ceiling, he realized that these were merely his temporary lodgings at the training ground.
"Ugh!"
Raon stretched broadly as he swung his legs off the bed.
'It seems to have worked well. Not only has my physical weariness subsided, but the mental strain from training with Glenn and Darkan has also lifted.'
Both his body and mind felt refreshed, as though the cumulative exhaustion had been washed away in sleep.
[Willpower has strengthened.]
[The demon kings' Authority has strengthened.]
[The realm of the soul has risen.]
[Trait <Soul Sword> has risen by two levels.]
Raon nodded as he took in the familiar messages that had appeared before he passed out.
'It was the perfect moment.'
Thanks to his sessions with Glenn and Darkan, his Willpower and swordsmanship had markedly improved, and his Soul Sword had leaped forward in its evolution. It felt as if he had reached every goal he’d set.
'Shall I resume training then?'
Eager to test his newly forged Soul Sword and continue his sessions with Glenn and Darkan, he secured the Heavenly Drive and the Wooden Ring Sword at his waist before stepping out.
—Eat something before training!
Wrath intercepted his path, frowning deeply.
—I—I’m not saying this because I’m hungry, but if you skip proper nourishment, you’ll damage your body. You’re still in your growth phase.
'But haven’t I already reached full stature?'
Raon shook his head while glancing at his reflection in the mirror, noting his tall frame and broad shoulders.
'Any further, and I’d turn into a troll.'
He lowered his hand, content that his size was just right.
'And wipe that drool off your chin before spouting such nonsense.'
Raon sighed as he dabbed at the drool on Wrath’s mouth.
—A-anyway, let’s eat! It’s breakfast time!
—Alright, alright.
Today, unlike his usual obstinacy about the reward messages, Wrath conceded and yielded to the need to eat. After a brisk wash of his face, Raon headed off to the dining hall in the main building.
"You're awake?"
Darkan replied with a nod, devouring an enormous mound of food with his bare hands. His mannerisms revealed he hadn’t shed his old habits from his days as a beggar.
"Ah, youth is truly a marvel. The recovery is astonishingly rapid," he said with a smile that exuded both envy and delight.
“What’s on the agenda for today’s training?”
"I’ll be joining in, naturally."
Raon settled across from Darkan after piling food onto his generous plate.
—Ugh.
Wrath grimaced as he glanced over the main building’s dining hall menu.
—Why does the menu always repeat here! After chicken stew comes stir-fried beef, then the next day it’s fried pork!
He grumbled, missing the varied selections of the annex building.
'You certainly have an appetite.'
Raon quickly finished his meal, leaving Wrath to continue his discontented muttering.
—Chomp, chomp...
Once his meal was complete, Wrath licked his lips in satisfaction.
—At least it tastes good, thank goodness.
Despite his earlier gripes, he nodded in contentment. What an odd demon king he was. When they reached the training ground, Darkan and Raon found Glenn waiting, as though he’d been expecting their arrival.
"Let’s begin."
Glenn unsheathed the Heavenly Tremor with his characteristic cold stare, as if he had left behind any remnants of yesterday’s pride at the training ground.
"Yes."
Raon, having been eagerly anticipating this moment, calmly nodded and raised the Heavenly Drive.
"Here I come."
Glenn issued a brief warning before advancing to bring down the Heavenly Tremor. His Willpower radiated even more strongly than it had yesterday.
'I can deflect it.'
Raon summoned both his Willpower and the demon kings' Authority into the blade of the Heavenly Drive, determined not to yield. Clash! A mighty collision rang out as the ascending Heavenly Drive met the descending Heavenly Tremor. Although the sound echoed that of the previous day, one difference emerged. Crackle!
Raon did not falter in the face of Glenn’s sword strike; he raised the hand that gripped his sword defiantly.
"Huh?"
Glenn’s eyes narrowed in surprise.
—W-what! His Willpower has surged so much? Is he practicing magic rather than swordsmanship?
Darkan also clicked his teeth in astonishment at the unfolding spectacle. Rumble! Raon pursed his lips as he observed Glenn’s Heavenly Tremor being repelled by the Heavenly Drive.
'To think this would work...'
Bolstered by yesterday’s insight, his Willpower had grown immensely, and the demon kings' Authority had matured to offer substantial support. Yet, the most critical factor now was the synchronicity between Willpower and Authority—a red thread connected his soul to the Authorities, manifesting a potent will. Crack!
At long last, Raon forced the Heavenly Tremor to retreat for the first time during training.
'It worked!'
Of course, Glenn was intentionally holding back, but Raon couldn’t help smiling as he felt he had passed his own test.
"You're absolutely off your rocker!"
Darkan sprang up, clapping his hands in disbelief.
"What on earth just occurred!"
His eyes trembled as he admitted that even the forging of the Soul Sword couldn’t account for this phenomenon.
"Did you acquire a different insight from the Soul Sword?"
Glenn also narrowed his eyes, his curiosity piqued.
"No. It all became possible once I realized that the Soul Sword and Willpower are intertwined."
He discovered that just as Willpower projects one’s inner desires into reality, the demon kings' Authority works to extract those very wishes. By merging these two similar yet distinct forces carefully, he was able to showcase such martial excellence.
"Teach him one concept, and he deciphers a hundred."
Darkan curled his lips, remarking that it was indeed worthwhile to instruct him.
"It appears you’ve grasped the underlying thread of power you were seeking."
Glenn smiled deeply, as though his own condition had been instantly clarified.
"This level won’t suffice any longer."
He gathered even greater amounts of Willpower and aura for the Heavenly Tremor.
"Ah, I’m not yet ready to face that level..."
Raon’s jaw quivered as he watched the fiercely burning Heavenly Tremor unleashed by Glenn.
"We shouldn’t engage in training that even the Light Wind Palace Master can manage."
Glenn shook his head with a cool smile, fully aware that he was pushing—no, training—the Light Wind division.
—Puhehehehe!
Wrath patted his rotund belly and jeered.
—I knew this outcome was inevitable!
He sneered, convinced that fate had delivered just deserts.
"Let’s not waste another moment—train as though our lives depend on it."
Glenn swung the Heavenly Tremor downward with such ferocity that it mirrored the intense training methods he employed with the Light Wind Palace swordsmen.
"Karma..."
Raon gritted his teeth as he witnessed Glenn’s Heavenly Tremor descend like a bolt of lightning.
"I’ll accept it with honor!"
***
After the grueling session with Glenn, Raon sought out Darkan.
"Shall we check how much your swordsmanship has progressed, aside from your Willpower?"
Darkan nodded, indicating that they should begin immediately.
"The first sword technique to examine is the defensive move: Fire Wall."
Raon agreed and unleashed the Fire Wall technique from the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation. Whoosh! A blazing shield of red flames erupted, seemingly designed to protect his entire body.
"Huh...?"
Darkan’s eyebrows furrowed as he watched the display.
—W-what? Why hasn’t the essence of your sword technique evolved?
He tilted his head, questioning why the Ten Thousand Swords techniques remained unchanged.
"Your Willpower has advanced so dramatically, so why does your swordsmanship seem stagnant!"
"That’s only natural."
Raon let out a hollow laugh as he met Darkan’s gaze.
"What I discovered yesterday pertained to the Soul Sword and Willpower, not to sword techniques per se."
Although it was true that his martial prowess had been bolstered by recognizing the link between the Soul Sword and Willpower, it was natural that his sword techniques had not undergone significant alteration.
"Ugh!"
Darkan groaned in pain.
"I was hoping to be impressed as well..."
He clicked his tongue in disappointment.
—Aren’t you already awed by your daily progress?
Raon smirked as he swung the Heavenly Drive.
"That’s true. I’ve yet to encounter a monster who grows as rapidly as you."
Darkan laughed, admitting he had only ever referred to two people as monsters.
"Second? Then the first was..."
"Right over there."
He pointed behind him toward Glenn.
"Your grandfather is one crazy monster too. Though not quite on your level."
Darkan shook his head, lamenting what an unlucky lineage they had.
"Let’s try again."
"Alright."
Raon assumed his stance and unleashed another round of Fire Wall. Whoosh! This time, he formed a rectangular shield that could safeguard a wider area.
"Once more!"
Darkan shook his head as if to say that wasn’t enough.
"I know."
Raon confessed that he could sense the change within himself, then released Fire Wall again. Whoosh! Now the fiery shield curved and rotated like a nimble sword, integrating not merely the ability to block but also to deflect attacks.
"So it hasn’t remained entirely static."
Darkan exclaimed in surprise, as though he hadn’t expected him to uncover the answer so swiftly.
"But it’s still rough around the edges! One more time!"
"Understood."
Though there was no time for respite, Raon smiled as he repeatedly executed the Fire Wall.
"The drive and determination to become stronger."
Glenn offered a faint smile as he observed Raon relentlessly thrusting his sword forward without hesitation.
"I wonder just how far you'll go."
His gaze fell, tempered with both clarity and a tinge of melancholy.
'Though I’m not sure if I’ll get to witness it...'
***
After dinner, Raon stood before Glenn and Darkan.
"Now we can finally engage in a proper discussion."
Darkan grinned as he lowered his chin.
"Have a seat."
Glenn motioned toward the chair behind him, inviting Raon to sit.
"Yes."
Raon bowed his head and took the seat opposite Glenn.
"You now understand that the Soul Sword is the embodiment of the will housed within your soul, don’t you?"
"Yes. I understand."
Having only grasped the concept the previous day, his mind still burned with that newfound insight.
"I desired a sword capable of cleaving any foe, you sought an indestructible weapon, and this madman craved a battleground."
Glenn pointed alternately to himself, Raon, and Darkan as he described each of their forged Soul Swords.
"That enigmatic power bears a striking resemblance to the Sword Domain."
"Huh?"
Raon’s eyes widened the moment he heard Glenn’s remark.
"Now that you mention it..."
The Sword Domain, which manifested in various forms according to the wielder’s desires within the Zieghart Direct Lineage, indeed shared similarities with the Soul Sword—both being an expression of the soul’s inner will.
"I agree."
Darkan playfully mimicked a waving motion with his finger.
"I kept delving into the mysteries of the Sword Domain, but to no avail. However, once I grasped the nature of the Soul Sword, I sensed a transformation within myself."
He nodded serenely, as if he and Glenn had already reached this conclusion together.
"That’s why I believe it might be possible to harmonize the two."
Glenn nodded, suggesting that merging the Soul Sword and Sword Domain might pave the way for a revolutionary form of martial arts.
"Then..."
"It would likely give birth to swordsmanship that transcends even the bounds of causality."
His calm eyes flashed with unwavering certainty at the prospect.
"Power that surpasses causality..."
Darkan slowly licked his lips.
"I want to experience it! I want to bear it with my very body!"
He trembled, clutching his dark sword tightly to show his sincerity.
"Go die..."
Raon shook his head, urging him to regain his senses.
"Head of House, can you really attain that state?"
Ignoring the increasingly unhinged Darkan, Raon turned his focus to Glenn.
"No, I cannot reach it."
Glenn lowered his eyes solemnly.
"My vessel is already brimming. I will vanish before I can ever achieve that realm."
He waved a hand dismissively, as though to say that path was not meant for him.
"Then..."
"You can take my place."
Glenn placed a reassuring hand on Raon’s shoulder, expressing his unwavering faith.
"What? How can I possibly do something even you couldn’t..."
"Your talent and capacity far exceed mine. It won’t be long before you outstrip my own level."
He smiled gently, clearly anticipating that future moment.
"H-how could I..."
Raon’s lips trembled as he met Glenn’s look of trust.
"That’s exactly why this fellow and I are here."
Glenn raised his finger to gesture toward both himself and Darkan.
"Training the Soul Sword is straightforward. It’s all about the endless refinement of your soul until its edge is razor-sharp."
He continued, gripping the hilt of the Heavenly Tremor firmly.
"The challenge lies in the long duration and mental strain that can hinder prolonged training, but there is a solution."
As Glenn nodded, a chill ran down Raon’s spine.
"Ah..."
Raon’s jaw trembled as he locked eyes with Glenn’s calm gaze.
'It’s right here in front of me.'
Though invisible to the naked eye, he could sense the presence of Glenn’s Soul Sword hovering nearby.
"Draw out your sword."
"Yes..."
Raon swallowed hard and summoned his Soul Sword, still no larger than a dagger. Although invisible to everyone else, he could see it blazing with intertwined flames and frost.
"Good."
Darkan nodded with a smile, his own massive and majestic Soul Sword’s presence palpable in the air.
"Bring it closer."
Glenn slowly extended his Soul Sword forward.
"Yes."
"Good."
Raon and Darkan mirrored his action, drawing their Soul Swords near Glenn’s. Whoosh! As the three Soul Swords converged, a mysterious resonance filled the training ground, and a shroud of white mist began to spread.
"It’s the resonance of the soul."
Glenn calmly lowered his chin as he watched the white energy ripple outward, forming a protective barrier.
"In this space, the soul becomes unburdened, enabling the Soul Sword to be honed more rapidly."
He raised his finger, explaining that because this area was imbued with the collective energy of their Soul Swords, one’s soul naturally attuned itself more finely.
"Then..."
"Yes. It means that not only you but all of us can accelerate the development of our Soul Swords."
Glenn’s gentle smile invited their thoughts on the matter.
"Even though the space is small, adding one more sword changes its very nature."
Darkan smacked his lips, remarking that it felt far superior compared to when it was just him and Glenn.
"Try refining your Soul Sword as you normally do—focus on internal strength and disregard external distractions."
Glenn closed his eyes, urging them to concentrate inwardly.
"Hmm..."
Raon sat beside Glenn and slowly lowered his eyelids. In the manner he usually practiced, he summoned his aura and Willpower to strike at his soul. Clang! As Glenn had mentioned, his soul began to flow more fluidly than before, gradually taking shape as the blade of his Soul Sword. It truly felt as though the confines of his soul were expanding within this space.
—Where else can one discover such an incredibly potent training method!
Wrath gaped in disbelief.
—This is utterly nonsensical! Absolutely none!
'After all that hard work, I deserve at least this little taste of success.'
Raon smirked as he nudged away the struggling Wrath.
'Let me have a bit of sweetness too.'
—You’re always hogging the sweetness! Yesterday it was all yours, and today it’s the same!
Wrath pointed at his own mouth, accusing Raon of having no restraint.
—At this rate, your teeth will decay!
'Ah, so sweet.'
—Arghhhh!
***
Two more weeks slipped by, marking the completion of the promised month.
"I'm ready."
Raon bowed respectfully to Glenn, who stood with his hands clasped behind his back, and to Darkan, who was casually picking his ear, then slowly exhaled to steady himself.
'Let’s put into practice everything we’ve learned.'
Throughout the month, he had honed his Willpower, refined his swordsmanship, and advanced his Soul Sword, elevating his martial prowess to a new plateau. Feeling thoroughly prepared, he believed he was now capable of overcoming even the test that Glenn had personally devised.
"Then let’s begin."
An unseen, formless energy began to swirl before Glenn—a supreme version of the Soul Sword that cleaved mercilessly through the enemy’s very soul.
"Hoo."
Raon calmly closed and reopened his eyes. Extending his hand as if to grasp a sword, he summoned forth the Soul Sword crafted from his own soul. A slightly elongated version of the Soul Sword materialized before him. The flames and frost that danced along its edges shone even more brilliantly than before.
"Disregard what’s behind you; do as you please."
Darkan nodded as he summoned his own Soul Sword to preempt any accidental mishaps.
"Here I come."
Glenn launched his Soul Sword toward him in a low, determined tone. Bang! The sword of the heart he had created transcended both time and space, manifesting before his soul with a precision that seemed intent on annihilating his very essence. Whoosh!
The moment Glenn’s Soul Sword neared his own soul, Raon brought down his Soul Sword in a swift counter.
'I could never win in a straight-on clash.'
Even though Glenn had been restraining himself, the disparity between their Soul Swords was glaring. In a conventional duel, Raon wouldn’t have been able to withstand it.
'But that doesn’t imply there isn’t an alternative.'
At the very instant that Glenn’s Soul Sword attempted to pierce his soul, Raon countered by unleashing Fire Wall with his own Soul Sword. Whoosh! The curved barrier of soul energy rotated as if designed to deflect rather than merely block, smoothly redirecting the incoming blow. Bang!
Glenn’s Soul Sword, which had been aimed directly at his soul, sliced through empty air and dissipated into nothingness.
"Haaa..."
Raon sank to his knees, cold sweat streaming down his face.
'I-I managed to block it, didn’t I?'
Until now, Darkan had been the one to fend off perilous moments, but this was the first time Raon himself had deflected Glenn’s Soul Sword. One success in a hundred attempts—though Glenn had been holding back, it was still a monumental achievement for him.
"You actually did it!"
Darkan patted him on the back in disbelief.
"You truly are off your rocker!"
He lavished praise on him in a tone that nearly strained his throat.
"The harmony of the Ten Thousand Swords that I taught you, the strengthening of Willpower you acquired under my guidance, and the evolution of the Soul Sword during your training—it all came together."
Glenn extended his hand toward him.
"You’ve poured everything you learned this month into it. Excellent work!"
His stern expression melted into a bright smile, clearly moved by Raon’s achievement.
"It’s all thanks to both of you for teaching me so well."
Raon clasped Glenn’s hand, rose to his feet, and bowed his head in gratitude.
"I taught you because it was fun too. I learned a great deal as well."
Darkan grinned, remarking that he, too, had found the process enlightening.
"I also discovered something new. Although I was training for your sake, it benefited me as well."
Glenn offered a gentle smile, satisfied with the progress.
"You’ve worked hard. Sylvia and Sia have been waiting around here to see you, so it’s time to head back now."
Glenn rubbed his chin as he announced that the month of training was over.
—Finally, we’re heading home!
Wrath began dancing with excitement.
—Home-cooked meals! At last, we can enjoy some real food!
His eyes reddened as he recalled nearly perishing from missing the meals in the annex building. Crying over food—he was still a demon king who couldn’t quite adjust.
"Thank you for everything."
Raon bowed deeply to Glenn and Darkan.
"Drop the formalities. All that polite talk just makes me cringe."
Darkan waved his hand dismissively, as if he, too, detested such formalities.
"Wait. There’s one more thing I must tell you in advance. Starting tomorrow..."
Glenn continued in a light, matter-of-fact tone, as if discussing an everyday matter.
"We will begin selecting the successor."
-
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