Chapter 1148
"…And that covers the way I secured the dragons’ allegiance."
Raon tucked his chin and surveyed the Zieghart high-ranking officials from his position on the raised floor.
"Bartius and his kin are ancient dragons, yet they are on the verge of ascending to the rank of Lord. Their combat capabilities are immense, and they command many subordinates. They will undoubtedly serve as a pivotal force in the coming conflict."
He laid out the entirety of his recent journey to the gathered leaders.
"Dragons…?"
Karoon’s sharp, predatory eyes stretched wide in shock at Raon’s report.
"D-did you truly claim to have won over the support of the dragon race?"
Balder’s massive, draconic eyes flickered with disbelief.
"Don't those beings usually view us as nothing more than crawling bugs?"
He raised his voice, demanding to know the method by which Raon had successfully brokered such an alliance.
"I’ve heard that modern dragons tend to incinerate humans on sight. To not only converse with them but to gain their loyalty…"
Serena, the Division Leader of the Void Sword, let out a dry, breathless laugh, clearly struggling to process the information.
"What exactly did you do?"
She tilted her head forward, urging him to explain how he had managed to sway the dragons to his side.
"Dragon support this time? Every summons to the grand hall brings a new shock."
"Truly. I expected something significant, but this is on another level entirely."
"He certainly lives up to being the Direct Grandson of the Head of House."
"No, that is the Light Wind Palace Master’s personal triumph. It has nothing to do with his lineage."
The surrounding executives mirrored this sentiment, shaking their heads in sheer wonder at Raon’s feat of gaining dragon allies.
"Raon. Did you go out drinking with them or something?"
Alice gave a bright, playful grin as she gave Raon’s shoulder a firm pat.
"Let us in on the trick. We might find a use for it ourselves."
She gave a mischievous wink, asking for the secret to befriending the dragon kin. The others also held their breath, fixing their stares on Raon, desperate to know the secret behind his success. A heavy silence blanketed the audience chamber, turning the air as still as a tomb.
"Ahem! Ahem!"
Only Glenn disrupted the quiet, clearing his throat repeatedly while his face took on a reddish hue.
"It was quite straightforward."
Raon met the eyes of the executives with a calm expression and gave a simple nod.
"I engaged in combat with them, and through that, we found common ground."
He spoke as if it were a casual occurrence that happened by pure chance.
"You always claim these things happen by chance!"
Balder struck his own chest out of sheer exasperation.
"Does every ounce of fortune in this world only follow your path?"
He swung his head back and forth, insisting that such a monumental achievement couldn't possibly be chalked up to mere luck.
—It really is just luck…
Wrath let out a heavy, weary sigh.
—In all my countless years, I’ve never witnessed a mortal with such absurdly good fortune.
He shook his head again and again, complaining that Raon possessed a level of divine luck he had never seen before.
"Indeed. You cannot reach such heights through luck alone."
"Perhaps they were drawn by his growing fame?"
"That makes sense. They likely identified him as the Sword Emperor Raon Zieghart from the very start."
"I hadn't realized a name could carry such gravity even among the dragon race. We cannot afford to fall behind now."
The executives began to interpret Raon’s success in their own light, further inflating his status and accomplishments through their speculation.
"Hehehe… Cough! Hack!"
Glenn, visibly pleased by the high regard the others held for Raon, continued to clear his throat until he actually began to choke, falling into a genuine coughing fit. It was a bizarre sight—a Transcendent who stood at the peak of the world’s power losing a battle to a simple cough.
"Sigh…"
Sheryl let out a tired breath as she stepped onto the platform, offering Glenn a cloth and rhythmically patting his back.
—Hmph, that obsessed old fool…
Wrath mirrored Sheryl’s sigh and shook his head in disapproval.
"Hohoho."
Roenn shifted his gaze between Raon and Glenn with a warm, satisfied smile, appearing heartened by the current mood.
"Ah! One moment!"
Alice thrust her hand into the air.
"The allegiance of the dragons counts toward the trial for the successor, correct?"
She spoke with confidence, suggesting that despite their small numbers, they were a valid faction to include.
"E-even dragons?"
Balder squeezed his eyes narrow.
"Isn't that a bit of a gray area? They aren't exactly human, are they?"
He shifted his gaze around, clearly hoping they would be disqualified from the tally.
"Dragons are sentient beings of this continent. It seems only fair to include them…"
Serena rubbed her chin, arguing that it would be more appropriate to count them as allies.
"Why are we debating something so clear?"
Karoon glared at Balder with a frown.
"When the trial was issued, the Head of House instructed us to find allies who would follow and stand by us. The dragons have pledged to follow the Light Wind Palace Master into battle and even provide the location of the Lord…"
He glanced at the composed Raon, looking genuinely moved.
"Those dragons are more than qualified to be counted as supporters."
Karoon dismissed any further argument, stating it was a settled matter.
"Well, if that's the verdict, I won't argue! I wasn't trying to block it! I was merely curious! Yes! Just a question!"
Balder waved his massive, shovel-like hands, retreating from his initial skepticism.
"…"
Raon watched Karoon, who was quietly dominating Balder. Karoon simply folded his arms and shut his eyes, as though he had merely pointed out a basic truth.
—Is that truly the same man?
Wrath shook his head in total disbelief.
—I am aware that mortals can evolve, but that wide-eyed man looks as though his entire spirit has been swapped out for a different one.
He let out a sharp breath, noting that the transformation was beyond startling.
'It isn't that he changed; it’s that this is who Karoon really is.'
Raon considered that while Karoon had once strayed, his core was that of an honorable warrior, much like he appeared now.
"Ahem!"
Glenn finally regained his composure after his coughing spell subsided.
"That is correct. Though they are few, he has secured the backing of dragons who are candidates for leadership, so they will be recognized in the trial."
He looked toward Karoon and gave a subtle, approving nod.
"Furthermore, I shall grant the Light Wind Palace Master, who secured these allies, the right to enter the Zieghart treasure vaults three times."
Since Glenn had a personal training session scheduled for a month's time, he chose to offer vault access as an immediate prize. The other warriors nodded in agreement, seeing the reward as entirely justified. Thud. Glenn stood up from his seat and walked to the edge of the high dais.
"With the Holy Sword Alliance, various other factions, and now even the dragons joining us, our strength is growing. However, as you all understand, our rivals are formidable."
Glenn lifted his head, projecting the terrifying pressure of the Destructive King of the North, showing no trace of his earlier vulnerability.
"Hone your blades as if your lives depend on it, to safeguard yourselves, your brothers-in-arms, and your kin one year from today."
He unleashed the full scale of his spiritual power to further stoke the fire of the executives' motivation, which had already been piqued by Raon.
"Yes, My Lord!"
The leaders of Zieghart, Karoon included, felt the weight of Glenn’s presence and let out a roar so powerful the chamber walls seemed to tremble.
'Derus Robert.'
Watching the executives burn with a fighting spirit more intense than a demon's, Raon pictured the loathed face of Derus Robert.
'Plot whatever you wish. It won't save you.'
He intended to crush every one of those schemes alongside these people.
Upon leaving the grand hall, Raon made his way directly to the fifth training area.
"Hyaaah!"
The warriors of the Light Wind Palace were driving their swords through the air with ferocity, even though they were soaked in perspiration and clearly exhausted. In any other circumstance, a few might be found lounging or talking, but today, every single one was hyper-focused on their drills.
"Impressive."
Raon took a seat on the platform with a faint grin, gauging how much the disciples' abilities had evolved over the last week.
—Hmm, their progress over seven days is better than expected.
Wrath nodded in agreement, noting the visible growth in the swordsmen.
"It’s all because of you."
The Gambling Monster walked up from behind and let out a long breath.
"They’ve been training like lunatics, desperate not to squander the chance to be mentored by the Head of House."
He gave a dry laugh, mentioning that the trainees hadn't closed their eyes for a single night all week.
"If they had applied themselves like this from the start, every member of the Light Wind Palace would be a Grandmaster by now."
"Um…"
Raon glanced over and blinked in surprise.
"Why are you practicing your swings as well…?"
The Gambling Monster was rhythmically swinging his blade even as he spoke. Raon let out a confused, awkward laugh.
"You said potential was the only requirement! That means I qualify too!"
The Gambling Monster scowled, clearly unwilling to be left out of Glenn’s special instruction.
"T-that's fair…"
Raon gave an uncertain nod. He was both shocked and bewildered to see this side of the man, who usually cared for nothing but wagers and spirits.
"I’m not the only one."
The Gambling Monster gestured toward the far end of the grounds. The Blade Queen and the Warlord were trading strikes in a blur of steel. While they often sparred like a bickering couple, this was different. They were unleashing high-level techniques with genuine lethal intent, relying purely on skill without using their internal energy.
"Those two rush over here the moment the youngsters finish and train straight through the night."
The Gambling Monster looked annoyed, seeing the Blade Queen and Warlord as nothing more than extra competition for Glenn's time.
"I see."
Raon scanned the training grounds once more, a smirk playing on his lips.
'I can feel everyone's eyes on me.'
The warriors were stealing glances at him even in the heat of their training. They were clearly hoping he would notice their effort and intervene.
—Based on that crooked grin, you're plotting something strange again.
Wrath shivered, predicting that Raon was about to do something manipulative.
'Maybe.'
Raon chuckled softly and gave a light clap.
"Hmm, someone’s stance is a bit too high."
He didn't name anyone, just tossed the observation into the air. The reaction was instantaneous.
The moment he spoke, every warrior in the fifth training ground dropped their center of gravity.
"I-is this deep enough?"
"Is this the correct height?"
"I knew I was standing too tall!"
Burren, Martha, and Krein all lowered their stances and looked toward him expectantly.
"Hup!"
"Hmm!"
The Blade Queen and the Warlord halted their duel, dropped into a low crouch, and resumed their exchange from that position.
"Ahem, I was just about to shift into this stance anyway."
Even the Gambling Monster at his side bent his knees further and swung his blade lower.
"Oh, my mistake. I actually meant you should have extended your arms more."
Raon whispered that he had misspoken and gave a different piece of advice. Again, the moment the words left his mouth, every swordsman on the field fully locked out their arms during their strikes.
"I believe you need more weight on your leading foot."
With every small suggestion, the entire training ground shifted in unison as everyone adjusted their form. The synchronization was so perfect it was almost impossible for him not to laugh out loud.
"Leading foot! That's the key!"
"Exactly. Aggression comes from the legs!"
"That is a very sharp observation."
The Gambling Monster, the Blade Queen, and the Warlord were all hanging on his every word without fail.
"Snore."
The lone exception in the entire training ground was Runaan, who was fast asleep against a tree trunk, ignoring everything.
"Hm."
Raon finally lost the battle with his laughter and looked down, hiding his face.
'Is this what having influence feels like?'
It felt as though he had suddenly gained the ability to puppet every warrior in Zieghart.
—Sigh…
Wrath let out a weary groan, having expected this exact outcome.
—This brat should have stayed a hermit digging in the mud for roots…
He shook his head violently, frustrated by the absurdity of the situation.
—Why is his luck so persistent!
Raon hummed a tune as he made his way toward the annex.
'That was entertaining.'
Having blown off some steam by messing with the Light Wind Palace members, he felt light and refreshed.
—You absolute demon…
Wrath let out a hollow laugh of disbelief.
—I never imagined a human could play with others like they were toys.
He squeezed his eyes shut, feeling grateful he wasn't officially part of the Light Wind Palace.
—But who are you actually going to pick?
Wrath’s tone turned serious.
—The chance to learn from that old man is a massive opportunity. It's the only reason they’re falling for your cheap power trips.
He wrinkled his nose, telling Raon to make his selections carefully.
'Like I said, Karoon and my Aunt are guaranteed. And looking at them today, it seems right to include the Blade Queen and the Warlord as well.'
—I agree with that much.
Wrath nodded in a rare moment of alignment.
—If those two improve even slightly, they will be a nightmare for your enemies on the field.
'Exactly.'
Raon thought back to the prowess displayed by the two today and felt a sense of anticipation.
'If they get stronger, they'll be invaluable.'
Through various lucky breaks, Raon had recently edged past the level of the Blade Queen and the Warlord.
If they could receive Glenn's tutelage and catch up to his current realm, it would drastically shift the tides of the war a year from now.
'As for the others…'
Raon frowned slightly, crossing his arms.
'I need to watch them a bit longer. Based on today, Burren, Martha, and Runaan are the top picks, but…'
Just as he began to weigh the candidates. Whoosh! A sensation as sharp as a needle pricked the back of his neck. He felt a gaze of incredible intensity fixed on him from behind. Gulp. Raon swallowed and spun around. But the path was empty. No, it was more than that—even his sharpened senses couldn't find a trace of anyone.
"This is…"
