Chapter 1290
"P-perish? What are you talking about?"
A member of the Divine Wind Squad blinked in confusion while propping up Krein.
"Is a massive conflict actually breaking out or something?"
A combatant from the Void Sword division gulped, his expression darkening as if he were flashing back to the bloodbath with Eden.
"N-no, it isn't a war..."
Krein forced himself up on shaky legs, dismissing the idea with a sharp jerk of his head.
"It’s just that we are all going to drop dead!"
He panted heavily, his tone suggesting the conclusion was self-evident.
"What is that supposed to signify?"
A warrior from the Vanguard Sword Squad turned toward Dorian, who was standing beside Krein, looking for clarity.
"Uuuuhhh..."
Dorian, however, appeared to be in even worse shape than Krein.
"F-focus enhancement training! It’s the end of everything!"
Just catching a glimpse of Raon's gaze caused him to clutch his skull and shriek as if his mind were fracturing.
"Ah..."
Burren pressed a hand to his own brow upon hearing Dorian’s outcry.
"I had a sinking feeling something like this was coming..."
He bit down on his lip, already dreading the imminent ordeal.
"Focus enhancement training..."
Martha took a heavy breath and balled her hands into fists.
"So, I truly need to be ready to meet my maker, right?"
Instead of fear, a sharp grin tugged at her mouth, looking almost eager.
"......"
Runaan didn't even open her eyes at the mention of the training. Nevertheless, a solitary bead of cold perspiration rolled down her forehead.
"If Dorian is reacting this way, there is no doubt..."
"Nobody reads the Palace Master’s hidden agenda better than that guy."
"To inflict focus enhancement training on the entire family... our Palace Master has truly lost his mind..."
"You don't climb to that rank at his age by being sane."
"Sigh, I might as well consider myself a corpse already..."
"It’s not about considering it; you're functionally deceased."
The warriors of the Light Wind Palace either groaned or shook their heads, resigned to the approaching catastrophe.
"Why are they carrying on like that?"
"I-I have no clue."
"Just pay them no mind. That lot has always been a bit touched in the head."
"They probably just want to look like they're in the inner circle since the Temporary head of house is their own Palace Master."
The swordsmen congregated in the grand training area chose to ignore the theatrical displays of the Light Wind Palace martial artists and kept their focus forward.
Soon, however, they found they couldn't look away or continue their petty gossip.
Step.
As the muffled sound of Raon’s footfall echoed, the chatter died out instantly, and every eye was drawn to him.
Step.
Mirroring the presence of Glenn, Raon commanded the attention and the very spirits of the assembled warriors through his gait alone as he moved toward the dais. He was tall, possessing a frame that was both elegant and powerful. He scanned the crowd in the great training ground with a gaze that seemed to survey everything beneath the heavens.
"Ugh!"
"Uuh..."
"B-breath..."
Raon hadn't even released a wave of pressure, yet the swordsmen found they couldn't maintain eye contact. They wheezed for air, dropping their eyes to the wooden edge of the platform.
"I am Raon Zieghart of the Light Wind Palace, currently serving as the temporary head of house."
Raon lowered his head slightly with a calm air—not like a substitute, but like a man who had already claimed the throne as his own.
"I appreciate you all assembling."
With his hands clasped behind him, he blinked slowly, radiating a profound sense of tranquility.
"Has my vision finally failed me?"
The Gambling Monster Harian masked his mouth with his hand to stifle his voice, letting out a breathless chuckle.
"That young stallion actually looks the part of a head of house."
He shivered, sensing a level of majesty from Raon that rivaled that of Glenn.
"You might be getting up there in years, but your eyes are fine," Alice whispered back with a gentle smirk. "Because even I feel like Raon is the spitting image of father right now."
Her lips curled, acknowledging that Raon’s presence was just as overwhelming as Glenn’s.
"Ahh..."
Evelyn pressed her palms together in a gesture of devotion.
"Raon! Raon! Raon! Raon!"
She gazed up at him with the rapture of someone witnessing a miracle, a thin trail of saliva escaping her lips.
"Th-this is getting a bit unsettling, isn't it?"
Edgar shifted his eyes away, uncomfortable with the sight of Evelyn’s fixated state.
"Ignore her. Just keep your eyes on Raon!"
Sylvia gave Edgar a sharp pat on the back, commanding his focus.
"Wow! My little brother is incredibly impressive!"
Sia’s eyes sparkled as she watched the platform, determined not to miss a single second of Raon’s appearance.
With every member of Zieghart present, the residents of the annex building were all beaming, proud to see Raon standing as the temporary head of house.
"The objective of this summons is straightforward."
Raon held the collective gaze of the thousands of Zieghart warriors alone and lifted a finger.
"Growth. My goal is to train every single swordsman of Zieghart so that you may exhibit martial power that utterly crushes the opposition in the upcoming conflict."
He took a heavy step forward as he declared his intent to elevate the entire family.
A surge of physical power and aura that exceeded the realm of transcendence pulsed from his feet, sending a massive tremor through the great training ground. In fact, the vibration seemed to ripple through all of Zieghart.
"Uooohhhhh!"
"A Transcendent himself is going to oversee our training!"
"Long live the Temporary head of house!"
"Long live the Sword Emperor!"
"I can't wait to see what kind of regimen a Transcendent has in store for us!"
The warriors were visibly moved that Raon would lead them personally, thrusting their hands into the air and chanting his name.
"It sounds great, but it’s going to take forever."
"True. Look at the numbers here. Even if he evaluates a hundred people a day, we’ll be waiting for ages."
"The war might start before we even get a turn, right?"
A few swordsmen clicked their tongues, worried they would be left out of the instruction.
"...No."
Krein shook his head decisively.
"That lunatic will do it! He’ll make sure it happens!"
He licked his parched lips, certain that Raon would find a way to drag them all through it.
"E-exactly."
Dorian’s lips quivered as he looked down at the floor.
"Even if he has to give up sleep entirely, he’ll do it!"
He breathed out a ragged sigh, indicating that timing wasn't the real problem.
"Th-then what should we be worried about?"
The others looked on, still failing to grasp the tension.
"The nature of the training he’s going to force on us!"
"Wh-what he’s planning for us is the only thing that matters!"
Krein and Dorian cried out in unison, emphasizing the true source of their dread.
"If that man even utters the word 'focus,' we are all as good as buried."
Krein shuddered, insisting that during focus enhancement training, one’s existence becomes a living nightmare.
"F-focus enhancement training... you never get used to it, no matter how many times you endure it..."
Dorian sniffled, claiming he’d rather charge straight into the front lines of the war than face another round of that particular hell.
"Ugh!"
"Is-is it really that horrific?"
"An exercise that can make the elite Light Wind Palace weep..."
The other swordsmen finally started to look uneasy, the gravity of the situation sinking in.
"T-Temporary head of house! What is the specific nature of the training we will be receiving?"
Krein fought through the natural pressure Raon exerted and managed to shout out a question.
"I recently achieved a moment of clarity while training in solitude. That insight allowed me to step into a higher domain."
Raon moistened his lips as he thought back to the moment the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation and Glacier reached the 11th star.
"The regimen House Zieghart will undertake is called exhaustion training."
A cold, faint smile touched his lips as he announced the title of the new program.
"Ooh!"
"Did you hear that? It’s not focus enhancement training!"
"Exhaustion training? That actually sounds manageable!"
The warriors gathered in the square began to laugh and cheer, relieved that the feared name hadn't been mentioned.
However, unlike the celebrating crowd, the members of the Light Wind Palace looked like they had been turned to stone.
"N-no..."
Dorian’s jaw worked silently, too terrified to even form a sentence.
"Right. We aren't just dying..."
Krein squeezed his eyes shut, as if the grim future were playing out behind his eyelids.
"We are utterly destroyed!"
"We shall begin with..."
Raon shifted his gaze downward to the Light Wind Palace, who were positioned in the center of the training ground.
"Krein. No, the entire Light Wind Palace."
He started with Krein's name before expanding the command to the whole unit.
"Since the Light Wind Palace is already familiar with similar methods, it is only right that they provide the initial demonstration."
Raon gestured with his chin toward them, signaling for them to get ready.
"I knew it..."
"It’s just a leveled-up version of focus enhancement training..."
Burren and Martha ground their teeth, their suspicions finally confirmed.
"Huuu..."
Even Runaan couldn't remain stoic anymore, letting out a long, weary sigh.
"Why is my name always the first one he says! Why does he hate me!"
"Aaaaaahhh!"
Krein gripped his hair in frustration, while Dorian let out a frantic wail.
"Grrr, I truly despise this..."
Even Warring Steel Leader Trevin, a more recent addition to the Light Wind Palace, wore a grimace of pure loathing for the concept of focus training.
"Head up."
Raon pointed his thumb toward North Grave Mountain, which loomed behind the training area, indicating they were starting immediately.
"...Understood."
Burren offered a stiff bow, his face drained of color. Having steeled his resolve, he led the Light Wind Palace warriors up the slopes of North Grave Mountain.
"The rest of the divisions will remain here and observe the Light Wind Palace’s approach to their tasks."
Raon snapped his fingers, and a massive projection of light magic appeared in the sky, broadcasting the movements of the Light Wind Palace.
"Now, let the training commence."
He nodded to the figures standing behind him, signaling for the instructors to move.
"Deplete every ounce of their physical energy and mental fortitude."
"We hear and obey!"
Sheryl, Roenn, Blade Queen, Warlord, Alice, and Raon himself—monstrously powerful figures who could individually topple nations—all vanished, charging toward North Grave Mountain simultaneously.
Kuuuuuung!
With Raon gone, the warriors left in the training ground relaxed their postures and settled in to watch the sky.
"Why are the Light Wind Palace folks such drama queens?"
"Seriously. How difficult can one training session be?"
"Pretending like they're facing execution. It was pathetic."
The remaining swordsmen scoffed, convinced the Light Wind Palace was merely over-acting for attention.
"I don't think they were faking it."
A warrior from the Divine Wind Squad tilted his head, remembering the sheer terror on Dorian’s face.
"Nah. They’re just making a scene."
"Exactly. They do that to show off how close they are to Lord Raon. He’s the man of the hour, after all."
"I bet that’s it. As if we haven't all been through grueling training before."
The others continued to mock them, believing the elite squad was just trying to flaunt their special relationship with the temporary leader.
"Hmm..."
The Divine Wind Squad member, realizing he wouldn't convince them, fell silent and focused on the screen.
On the projection, Krein—the one who had complained the loudest—was ascending the mountain with trembling eyes.
[I-I’m a dead man, seriously dead. Exhaustion training? What kind of stupid name is that!]
Krein gnashed his teeth, clearly hating the new terminology, as he tried to navigate through the dense trees.
[Seriously, that bastard...]
Just as he was muttering curses against Raon, the man himself materialized right in front of him.
[Aaahhh! Why is it always me!]
Krein gave a desperate howl, pleading to be ignored just a little longer.
"Look at that! The guy is a total yellow-belly!"
"To think such a great chance is being wasted on that moron!"
"How embarrassing..."
The onlookers snickered, finding Krein’s visible fright to be laughable.
[We start with Krein, naturally. Stop the chatter and attack. Use every bit of your strength from the very first strike.]
Raon brushed off the frantic pleas and made a beckoning motion.
[You absolute monster!]
Krein lunged forward with a scream, seemingly forgetting that Raon was technically his superior now. He swung his blade with everything he had, following the instruction to the letter.
Kugugugugugugu!
Krein had clearly been working hard, as his Sword Aura unleashed powerful shockwaves that seemed to rattle the very mountain.
"Wait?"
"He’s actually... incredibly strong, isn't he?"
"I had no idea he was at that level..."
The swordsmen in the training ground blinked, caught off guard by the sheer martial prowess Krein was displaying.
Bwaaaaak!
However, Raon looked unimpressed by the display and slammed the scabbard of Heavenly Drive into Krein’s shoulder.
[Do it again.]
Raon gestured again, demanding another full-power assault.
[Hyaaaaa!]
Krein charged once more, his face contorted. Once again, he was met with a strike to the forehead that drew blood, sending him tumbling backward.
[Grrrrr...]
Krein hauled himself up, blood slicking his face as he struggled for air.
[Again. That wasn't your limit. Channel all your fury and bitterness into the blade.]
Raon shook his head, insisting it wasn't enough.
[What even is full power! Just tell me what you want!]
At this point, Krein stopped caring about his survival. He gripped his sword so hard his palms bled and unleashed a torrential sequence of strikes.
[Better. But still lacking. Again.]
Raon, still unsatisfied, delivered a blow to Krein’s midsection, slamming him into the solid earth.
[Grrruugh...]
Krein coughed up blood but forced himself back onto his feet. He knew Raon wouldn't let up, so staying down wasn't an option.
[This damn...]
[It seems words aren't enough. I will show you what your true capacity feels like.]
Raon gave a slow shake of his head before closing the distance and manually intervening in Krein’s mana circuits. He did so with precision, ensuring the power wouldn't cause permanent damage.
Pwaaaaaang!
Krein bit his lip until it bled as he felt the energy in his core erupt with enough force to threaten his physical form.
[Y-you lunatic! What have you done to me!]
Krein let out a piercing shriek, funneling the exploding energy from his core into his sword and hurling it at Raon.
[Now that is closer to the mark. But even so...]
Raon effortlessly parried the strike and planted a kick into Krein’s ribs.
[Again.]
He beckoned toward the tumbling warrior once more.
Kugugugugugugu!
And so it continued, until Krein finally collapsed, having drained every single drop of his stamina, his aura, and his mental focus until nothing remained.
"Ahh..."
"Gasp!"
"Th-this is..."
The warriors watching from the training ground realized then that Krein’s warnings and Dorian’s sobbing weren't exaggerations at all. Cold sweat began to pour down their own faces.
[See? You all saw it.]
Krein flashed his blood-stained teeth toward the image capturing him.
[You are all finished...]
He let out a weak, manic grin and closed his eyes, feeling a twisted sense of relief that his turn was over—and a dark amusement at the fate awaiting the rest of them.
Huuuuk!
As the screen shifted to the next target, the massive training ground, filled with thousands of soldiers, fell into a suffocating silence, broken only by the sound of nervous swallowing and the frantic pounding of hearts.
Thump!
