Chapter 1237
"What...?"
Runaan tilted her head, her expression blank as if the words didn't quite register.
"A duel...?"
She blinked slowly, appearing unable to find a single justification for a fight even after searching her mind.
"You're keeping secrets from us."
Martha thrust her chin forward, wearing a look of absolute certainty.
"Since it’s clear you won’t talk no matter how much we ask, let's just have a conversation with our fists."
She rhythmically tightened and relaxed her grip on her hand, suggesting they settle things through combat for the first time in a while.
"......"
Runaan remained silent, her lips pressing into a thin line. It was a subtle tell that Martha was right—there was indeed something she was hiding.
"Martha!"
Burren stepped into the space between them, shaking his head in disapproval.
"What is wrong with you all of a sudden!"
He took a sharp breath, clearly baffled by the abrupt escalation toward violence.
"This quiet girl needs a physical wake-up call to start making sense."
Martha’s hand shifted to the hilt of her blade. To her, a duel was the only remaining language that could reach Runaan now.
"But Raon isn't even around to see this."
"It’s fine...."
Runaan stepped out from behind Burren, who was still trying to act as a barrier.
"Let's do it...."
She gave a small nod, signaling her consent to begin the match.
"I thought you’d turned into a complete statue, but at least you still understand a challenge!"
Martha unsheathed her weapon, her eyes locked on the shadows flickering across Runaan’s face.
"The only idiot... has always been you...."
Runaan let out a soft sigh and drew Snow Flower.
"Hey. Don't bother trying to get in the way; just act as the official," Martha said, tapping Burren on the shoulder before squaring up against Runaan.
"Whew!"
Burren looked back and forth between the two women, clutching his forehead as if a migraine was setting in.
"What is the point of any of this...."
He grumbled about how utterly impossible it was to understand them, his brow furrowed in frustration.
"I’m stepping in if things get out of hand. Don't go overboard."
Burren clicked his tongue and raised his hand high.
"Start!"
The moment the shout left his lips, he leaped backward. He was fully expecting Martha to explode forward with her usual reckless abandon.
"......"
Yet, defying Burren’s expectations, Martha didn't charge. She began to move with a measured, predatory footwork, testing the distance and looking for an opening.
"Hmm...."
Runaan’s eyebrows twitched upward, showing a rare flash of surprise at Martha’s newfound restraint.
"Surprised, aren't you?"
Martha offered a smirk, clearly pleased with the reaction.
"I’ve picked up a few new tricks. I can't just hunt like a mindless beast forever."
Immediately after declaring she wouldn't rush in, she darted rapidly toward Runaan’s right flank.
With a grit of her teeth, Martha swung her blade downward, the steel heavy with the concentrated essence of the earth. The ground beneath them shuddered violently under the sheer weight of the power channeled into the strike.
Though momentarily caught off guard by the tactical shift, Runaan remained composed. She shifted her weight and brought Snow Flower up to intercept. A bloom of azure frost erupted from her blade as she met the crushing force of Martha’s blow.
The collision of their steel sent shockwaves through the air, the thunderous impact vibrating through the entirety of the fifth training ground.
However, the clash between the two Grandmasters wasn't a stalemate.
Martha, who held the advantage of the opening move and was renowned for her overwhelming raw strength, found herself being forced back by the pressure of Runaan’s counter.
"What the hell is this!"
Martha’s eyes widened in genuine shock as she stared at the blade that was currently winning the struggle of strength.
"......"
Runaan’s gaze remained icy and focused, pushing Martha back as if this superiority was simply a matter of fact.
"Grr!"
Martha snarled, lashing out to knock away the sword that was pinning her down.
"I don't know what kind of training you've been doing, but I refuse to be outmuscled!"
Her pride stung, she bit her lip and threw herself back into the fray.
Goooooooo!
Martha slammed her foot down with everything she had. She lunged forward, channeling the primal energy of the earth through her legs and into her aura. It wasn't just a sword thrust; it felt as though she were throwing her entire physical existence at her opponent.
"......"
Runaan’s feet left the ground lightly, as if she had anticipated the exact trajectory of the assault. In an instant, she conjured a crystalline barricade of frost.
The blue-tinted cold solidified into a shimmering silver wall, possessing a density that looked as though it could withstand the fires of a volcano.
"Hmph!"
Seeing the massive obstacle, Martha pivoted sharply on her ankle. Dropping her usual directness, she spun her body with the grace of a bird, redirection her momentum to strike at Runaan’s exposed left side.
The maneuver sacrificed some raw power for sheer agility, resulting in a strike so swift and precise it would have ended most warriors.
"Hmm...."
Runaan’s pupils wavered. She hadn't expected Martha to maintain such tactical clarity while in the heat of battle. Pressing her lips together, she swung her blade toward the point where her silver frost had begun to thin.
Martha’s heavy strike crashed in, aiming to shatter Runaan’s hurried defense.
"How about that? Can you feel it now?"
Martha’s lips curled into a confident grin. Looking at Runaan through the crossing blades, she felt the victory was already hers.
"Now that the setup is done, here comes the real crush!"
She surged her aura to its limit, bearing down on Runaan to capitalize on the opening. She fully activated the Titan's Aura, a power that grew exponentially as long as her feet remained planted on the soil.
"Haah...."
Runaan let out a weary breath, seemingly exhausted by Martha’s relentless pressure.
"Too late for regrets!" Martha barked.
"You really have grown stronger...."
Runaan cut her off with a slight nod of acknowledgment.
"I'll stop holding back now...."
The moment those words left Runaan’s mouth, her sword transformed. The metal became translucent, radiating a brilliant light that scattered flakes of pure white frost into the air.
The dirt floor of the training ground turned to permafrost instantly. The ice raced up Martha’s weapon, reaching her hands and creeping across her body.
"What—what is happening!"
Martha’s jaw shook as she watched the white rime bypass her Titan's Aura and seize her limbs. She pushed her internal energy to the breaking point, but the frost Runaan had unleashed was an unstoppable force.
"Damn it!"
Realizing she couldn't overpower the aura, Martha tried to retreat.
But it was too late. Her legs were already anchored to the frozen earth, encased in solid white ice.
"This is impossible...."
Martha gasped, staring at the clear, frigid energy that had immobilized her sword, her hands, and her feet. Even with the evidence right in front of her, she looked as though she couldn't process the reality of her defeat.
Runaan leveled her sword, now as clear as a mountain spring, and held the point exactly at Martha’s throat.
"Urgh!"
Martha bit her lip, her nerves frayed as she stared at the edge of the blade hovering a hair’s breadth from her skin.
"I lose...."
She lowered her head, the admission forced out by the undeniable gap in their power.
"Yeah...."
Runaan blinked, acknowledging the surrender, and sheathed her weapon.
As she touched the ice binding Martha, the biting cold began to dissipate, the frost melting away as quickly as it had formed.
"I honestly thought I could break through that," Martha grumbled, stretching her stiff fingers and stamping her feet to restore circulation.
"I really wanted to wipe that blank look off your face...."
She let out a heavy sigh, clearly annoyed that she hadn't been able to crack Runaan’s composure.
"But really... nothing happened...."
Runaan nodded softly, insisting on her well-being.
"Well, if that's your story, I'll drop it. But listen...."
Martha went quiet for a moment, watching Runaan closely before speaking again.
"If something does go wrong, you better tell me. No matter what it is, where it is, or who it involves—I’ve got your back."
She gave a firm, solemn nod, offering her unwavering support.
"......"
Runaan looked deeply into Martha’s eyes, which were unusually calm and sincere.
"Okay...."
She gave a quiet nod of agreement and turned to walk away from the training area.
"Ha!"
The second Runaan was out of sight, Martha punched the empty air in frustration.
"Damn it! She’s become terrifyingly strong!"
She yelled out at the sheer absurdity of Runaan’s progress before turning to leave.
"Uh, where are you going now?"
Krein swallowed nervously as he watched Martha head for the exit.
"You're not going to go chase her, are you...?"
"I’m not chasing anyone!"
Martha snorted, not even bothering to look back.
"There's no point in following her now! I’m going to go train!"
She barked a promise to win their next encounter, then vaulted over the training ground wall and sprinted toward the central complex.
"......"
Burren didn't follow them with his eyes. Instead, he stared at the scarred earth where the battle had taken place, his teeth clenched.
What is this...
The distance between them had become a chasm.
The level of the fight he had just witnessed between Martha and Runaan was light-years beyond what he had anticipated.
He couldn't fathom when these two, who had once been his peers, had ascended to such heights.
I gave it everything I had, too...
Every spare moment he wasn't spending on his duties as the Vice Palace Master of Light Wind Palace had been dedicated to his sword.
He was the first to rise and the last to sleep, yet looking at them made it feel as though he had been standing still while they flew.
Damn it!
Martha, who used to rely solely on brute force, had integrated strategy and developed a style perfectly suited to her nature. Her strikes were not only heavier but significantly faster, creating a combat style that felt insurmountable.
Realistically, Burren knew that if he faced Martha now, he would likely be crushed before he could even find his rhythm.
However....
Runaan was the true shock.
She had utterly dominated a version of Martha that Burren already feared.
That frost—the ability to freeze a Grandmaster in their tracks like a helpless child—was something entirely new. It bore a chilling resemblance to the power Raon wielded, and it sent a shiver down his spine.
Is the difference really because of the Demon Kings' Authority?
The only glaring disparity between him and the two of them was the possession of that specific power. They hadn't been born with it, and they hadn't held it for long, yet it had created a gap so wide it made his chest ache with a sense of suffocation.
If only I had been a bit more competitive back then...
He squeezed his fists tight, the memory of Martha being chosen over him resurfacing with a bitter sting.
"Hmm?"
Sensing a presence, he turned to find Karoon, the acting head of the house, standing at the entrance.
It appeared he had been drawn to the training ground by the sheer intensity of the duel while he was out on official business.
"Hmm...."
Burren tried to steady his racing thoughts and walked toward his father.
"You’re here? But what about your escort...?"
He noticed Karoon was standing entirely alone.
"I sent them on ahead," Karoon replied with a stoic expression.
"Ah, I see. It wasn't anything major, just—"
"It seems those you view as your rivals have pulled far ahead of you."
Karoon offered a faint, knowing smile, reading Burren’s heart with ease.
"Well, that's..."
Burren faltered, his face flushing with the shame of being exposed. He bit his lip.
"I accepted Raon leaving me behind, but seeing Runaan and Martha surpass me like this makes me feel useless. To be honest, I never really wanted to let Raon get that far ahead either."
Perhaps it was the weight of his father’s new position, or the sheer shock of the duel, but the insecurities he usually kept locked away poured out of him.
"I understand."
Karoon nodded simply.
"There is no shame in what you’re feeling. Envy and jealousy are the fuels for growth. However, the moment you give those feelings a voice, they turn into something ugly."
He wore a gentle, reflective smile. It was the look of a man who had grappled with those same demons in his youth.
"Runaan and Martha have clearly tapped into a power that isn't their own."
Karoon glanced toward the battlefield, his eyes sharp as if he had perceived the nature of the Authority.
"That is the reason for the gap."
"Y-yes, sir."
"Then your path is clear: you must hunt them down using nothing but your own strength."
He made a small gesture, suggesting that Burren’s challenge was to match that "special" power through pure discipline.
"What? But how could I—"
"Meet me at the head of house’s training grounds tonight. You might find some clarity by observing my own regimen."
With that invitation, Karoon turned to depart.
"B-but father, aren't you overwhelmed? I heard you haven't been sleeping at all...."
Burren remembered the rumors of Karoon’s grueling schedule from his father’s assistants.
"A father who fails to look after his own blood has no business leading an entire family."
Those were Karoon’s final words before he vanished from the training grounds.
"......"
Burren watched the hem of his father’s black robe disappear. The tremors in his hands finally began to fade.
Runaan didn't head back to the fifth training ground's dorms. Instead, she made a rare trip back to the Sullion estate.
"Runaan! You're home!"
Rokan Sullion, the patriarch of the family, opened his arms wide to greet his daughter.
"I’ve missed you so much! I was actually planning on coming to see you at the training grounds myself—"
"Dad.... I’m just tired...."
Runaan ducked under his embrace and made a beeline for her second-floor bedroom.
"Uh, oh...."
Rokan stood frozen, his words trailing off. Runaan’s reaction was even colder than her usual distant self, leaving him blinking in confusion.
"Sorry...."
Runaan gave a small, apologetic nod. She truly wanted to spend time with him, but the exhaustion was a physical weight she couldn't ignore. She needed to collapse.
"Haah...."
She let out a weary sigh once she was inside her room. She didn't even bother to unpack or wash. She simply fell onto the bed, still in her clothes.
"It’s so strange...."
Lately, her sleep had been dominated by a recurring dream.
She knew it was the same one every single night, but the moment she opened her eyes, the details evaporated.
The aftermath of these dreams was draining. She woke up feeling as though she hadn't rested at all. Her physical and mental energy were being siphoned away, making it a struggle just to remain upright during the day.
Yet, paradoxically, these dreams seemed to be the catalyst for her meteoric growth. Even through the fatigue, a sense of profound joy lingered in her heart.
I don't want to go back there, but...
Runaan’s breath hitched as she frowned.
I have to sleep.
She needed that power to get stronger.
Beyond that, there was a growing, inexplicable craving to return to that dreamscape.
Even without the memories, the lingering sensation of happiness on her skin was enough to pull her back. She felt she had to be there.
"Phew...."
Runaan shut her eyes, praying that this time, she would find some actual rest.
The moment her eyes closed, the world shifted.
She found herself in a vibrant, bustling place—larger than a hamlet but smaller than a metropolis. The land felt rich and full of life; the people radiated health, and the sound of children’s laughter filled the air.
"Runaan!"
"Big sister is here!"
"Look, it's her!"
The townspeople recognized her instantly, waving with genuine affection. A group of children shrieked with joy and ran toward her, wrapping their arms around her waist.
"Hello...."
Runaan hugged them back, a radiant smile—one that never appeared in the waking world—breaking across her face.
Now that she was within the dream, she remembered everything. Here, she wasn't the distant, isolated girl of Zieghart; she was part of a community.
That’s right....
It was always this place....
The morning light would steal these memories, but they returned every time she drifted off. In this world, the people always knew her.
And then...
As she stood there, feeling the warmth of the children, she looked up.
"You're back."
At the sound of that familiar voice, her heart leaped. Standing there, smiling more brightly than she had ever seen him, was the person she held most dear.
"Runaan."
Raon. Her childhood protector, her hero, and her friend. He stood there waving, his expression full of warmth and vitality.
"Yeah.... I'm here...."
Runaan nodded, her smile mirroring the pure happiness of his own.
