## Chapter 1287
Five streaks of shimmering rime erupted from the edge of Heavenly Drive as Raon swung, tracing a trajectory that appeared to slice the firmament with lethal precision. This was the Raon Zieghart Style Swordsmanship 1st Form, Frost Snap. The inaugural technique he had forged from his own vision had moved beyond mere proficiency, ascending into a transcendental state.
Advancing with a steady stride, Raon lunged into the empty air, the frost from Heavenly Drive dispersing like stardust. A globe of deep crimson materialized at the sword's point, creating a vacuum that pulled in the surrounding atmosphere before detonating in a catastrophic burst. The Raon Zieghart Style Swordsmanship 2nd Form, Heavy Sky Cannon, displayed a destructive magnitude and reach that far surpassed its previous iterations.
'Indeed.'
A faint, satisfied curve touched Raon’s lips as he transitioned seamlessly from the explosion into his third sequence, Silver Sword Dream.
'The solution was never outside of me.'
While the various Authorities of the demon kings had provided invaluable utility, the primary force that had consistently dismantled his obstacles was the swordsmanship he had tempered through relentless discipline and the passage of years.
He was certain that unlocking <Pride> would trigger a transformation, yet he couldn't afford to remain fixated on a locked door. The wiser path was to harness his current capabilities and refine them to their peak.
'My greatest allegiance must be to the Martial Prowess I have carved out myself.'
The dark Authorities, the systemic traits bestowed by Wrath, and the diverse magical Artifacts were merely external supplements. In the absolute moment of crisis, the only thing capable of shifting the tides was one's internal strength.
*Chiaaaaang!*
Solidifying his internal resolve and newfound clarity, Raon persisted with his fundamental forms. Even after executing True Sword—the pinnacle of the Raon Zieghart Style Swordsmanship—he did not pause. He maintained a rhythmic, unending flow of movement, mirroring the eternal resonance of the <Ring of Fire>.
—Here he goes with this obsessive behavior again!
Wrath watched the display with a deep scowl.
—This intolerable mortal! Every waking moment not spent on paperwork is spent swinging that piece of metal. There is absolutely no time left to appreciate a proper feast!
The demon king ground his teeth in frustration, lamenting the absence of culinary joy and relaxation.
'Don't be so restless.'
Raon offered a smile that stood in stark contrast to the predatory, freezing strikes he was currently manifesting through Fangs of Insanity.
'Once the obligations of the Temporary head of house are settled, I will indulge every single craving you have.'
Though the exact timeline remained obscured, Glenn’s period of isolated meditation was drawing to a close. Once the mantle of leadership was returned to his grandfather, Raon would have the leisure to satisfy the gluttonous desires Wrath harbored for snacks and banquets.
—R-really?
Wrath perked up, his eyes widening in anticipation.
—The moment that old monster emerges, we head straight for the food?
'That is a promise.'
Raon gave a dismissive wave of his hand to signal his sincerity, then channeled the essence of a feral predator through his blade. He could sense the elite warriors of the Heavenly Blade Division, stationed as sentries around the grand training grounds, shuddering under the weight of the murderous intent radiating from his practice.
—Then I shall show the magnanimity of the Great Sea! It is only proper for a Sovereign to allow his subjects time for their tasks!
Wrath licked his lips, convincing himself that since Raon was currently burdened with the duties of the head of house, he would graciously accept the delay.
'I appreciate your understanding.'
With a subtle smirk, Raon shifted into the Blizzard Sword Art, his movements wrapped in a chilling gale that followed the ferocity of Fangs of Insanity. The frost-laden strikes carved through the air, creating exquisite, crystalline patterns like sculptures made of frozen light.
—Stop with the mockery!
Wrath’s expression soured instantly.
—My patience is an act of supreme benevolence!
He wrinkled his nose, huffing about how he had never waited a single breath for anything back in the Devildom.
'I'm being entirely sincere,' Raon thought, shaking his head calmly. 'I truly am grateful to you.'
It wasn't a platitude. Had Wrath not cautioned him against becoming consumed by the allure of <Pride>, he might have lost himself to the Authority and succumbed to mental demons. Because the demon king had intervened at the critical juncture, Raon had found the mental clarity to seek the truth within his own soul.
'Without your interference, I might have suffered a mental collapse for the first time in years.'
He had vowed to trust only his sword, but he realized Wrath was the exception to that rule. The demon king, whom he could now comfortably regard as a companion, had effectively become another blade in his arsenal.
'That’s why I’ll make sure we eat everything you've dreamed of.'
—Huh? Well...
Wrath’s mouth hung open slightly as the weight of Raon's genuine gratitude hit him.
—T-that’s right! I calculated all of this!
He stammered, trying to regain his composure by claiming he had foreseen this entire development. Raon knew it was a blatant bluff, but out of respect for the help he'd received, he let the comment slide.
—Ahem! While it’s true I’ve groomed you to be the vessel for the next demon king, there was always one glaring deficiency in you.
Wrath spoke with a slight flush on his cheeks, clearly buoyed by the praise.
'......'
Raon didn't interrupt, keeping his rhythm steady. Given how much he felt he lacked in terms of Martial Prowess, psychological fortitude, and strategic depth, he was prepared for any critique.
—It is conviction.
Wrath nodded decisively, as if revealing a profound secret.
—You possess might, intellect, and endurance, but you have always harbored a fundamental doubt regarding your own sword!
He furrowed his brow, emphasizing that this lack of self-belief had always been a shadow over Raon's progress.
'I am aware of that.'
Raon accepted the reprimand with a calm nod.
'Because I have spent my life clashing with monsters far beyond my level, I struggled to find absolute certainty, even while pouring my soul into training.'
Perhaps the lingering trauma of his past life—shackled as a subservient killer for Derus—still acted as an invisible chain around his spirit.
'But something shifted today.'
After his successive encounters with Pride, the Monarch of Pride, and the Heavenly Demon, who stood at the absolute zenith of the Continent, a new realization had dawned.
'The gap is closing.'
These were beings who once seemed like distant stars, unreachable in a thousand lifetimes. Now, he realized he had finally crossed the threshold into the realm of the titans who stood at the world's edge. While he wasn't yet their equal, he felt the burgeoning certainty that the day he could trade blows with them was no longer a distant fantasy.
'Finally.'
Raon’s smile widened as he conjured blossoms of scarlet flame atop Heavenly Drive. This was the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation Fire Spirit. What had once been a shower of delicate embers transformed into a massive vortex of heat, a summer storm of fire that painted the heavens in shades of blood and gold.
'I believe in myself.'
He felt the conviction of his own strength and the validation of his endless toil. Through countless wars and meditations, the soul that Derus Robert had attempted to grind into the dust had refused to break; instead, it was blooming with unprecedented brilliance.
'This is your doing, Wrath.'
Raon turned his inner gaze toward the demon king and offered a respectful bow.
'Because of what you said, I was able to look past the temptation of <Pride> and see the depth of my own being.'
Wrath’s stern counsel had allowed him to shed his obsession and focus on self-actualization.
'You truly act with the dignity of a demon king.'
Raon offered a mental thumbs-up before thrusting his sword toward the sky.
*Jeoooooook!*
As the blade descended with a slow, deliberate weight, the vast expanse of the sky seemed to split in two, following the silver line of the strike.
—Ah...
Wrath’s lips trembled as he witnessed the firmament itself part for Raon’s steel.
—I-I only said those things because I wanted dinner...
---
"Hmm?"
In the depths of his meditation, Glenn opened a single eye, staring up at the vaulted ceiling of the grand training hall.
"Could it be?"
His hands, resting on his knees, trembled ever so slightly as he perceived a shift in the atmosphere.
"Is that how it is? Already..."
A subtle, knowing smile played on Glenn’s face as he processed the sensation.
"Most unusual."
Karoon, standing nearby, tilted his head in confusion as he watched Glenn fully emerge from his trance.
"Usually, when Father enters this state, he doesn't stir for at least two days."
He narrowed his eyes, noting that it had been less than an hour since Glenn began. Waking this early was unprecedented.
"Is something wrong?"
"It appears..."
Glenn looked back toward the ceiling—or rather, toward the world above—his smile growing more pronounced.
"It appears your competitor is attempting to ascend yet another step."
He nodded slowly, having sensed the seismic shift in Raon’s essence even from their subterranean location.
"I beg your pardon...?"
Karoon’s eyes widened in disbelief.
"Raon? But Father, it should be impossible to detect anything outside from within this chamber!"
The training grounds of the First Patriarch were specifically designed to be an absolute void, severed from all external mana and presence. He couldn't fathom how Glenn could track Raon's progress through such barriers.
"It is a result of my own advancement, and the fact that the boy has reached a new height as well."
Glenn smoothed a stray lock of hair from his brow, looking satisfied.
"It seems Raon has returned from his travels with a truly profound realization."
He had even deduced that Raon's growth was catalyzed by his recent experiences, a fact that made him flex his wrist in contemplation.
"He's grown... again?"
Karoon let out a dry, incredulous laugh. The idea that Raon could find the capacity to evolve while buried under the administrative weight of the family was staggering.
"To gain strength while acting as the head of house... he is a truly nonsensical rival."
He shook his head, admitting that Raon Zieghart defied all conventional logic.
"Indeed," Glenn agreed, his voice tinged with genuine wonder. "The word 'extraordinary' no longer seems sufficient for him. However..."
He shifted his gaze to the side.
"The transformation you are undergoing is no less significant than his."
Glenn’s eyes locked onto Karoon’s sword, which now radiated a crimson hue deeper and more intense than the man's own eyes.
"No. I am still lacking."
Karoon dismissed the praise, fueled by the gap between him and Raon, and resumed his practice with renewed vigor.
"The burden I must carry in the future..."
Glenn chuckled softly as he felt Raon’s explosive presence begin to settle into a calm, mastered state, while Karoon’s aura burned brighter.
"...might be lighter than I expected."
---
Raon worked through a complex dance of forms, wielding Heavenly Drive in tandem with the Wooden Ring Sword. At times, the two blades moved in perfect synchronization like a finely tuned machine; at others, they repelled one another like opposing poles of a magnet, never touching.
He extended the dual blades as if they were natural extensions of his limbs, his eyes reflecting a profound stillness.
'I won't forget them.'
The weight of his interim leadership, the looming threat of conflict, his responsibility toward his troops, and the stifling pressure exerted by figures like the Heavenly Demon and the Chimera—all of it remained. These thoughts didn't vanish.
Under normal circumstances, such distractions would ruin a swordsman’s focus, as the mind should be an empty vessel for the blade.
'And yet, despite these burdens...'
The sword obeyed his intent with a fluidity he had never before experienced. Even with his mind cluttered by the world's worries, his blades moved with a liberated grace, as if they could reach any corner of existence. His perception was sharper now than it had been during his most profound moments of enlightenment.
'What is this sensation?'
A wave of clarity washed through him, dissolving the tightness in his chest. He pushed forward with the forms. Heavenly Drive rose as if to pierce the heavens, while the Wooden Ring Sword descended with the crushing weight of the earth.
'It's almost ridiculous.'
He found himself laughing at the irony. Despite being weighed down by a mountain of responsibilities, he felt an expansive, overwhelming sense of freedom.
*Huuuuuuuk!*
Raon’s strike finally carved through the metaphorical sky and shattered the immovable ground. The power fueling this magnificent display was not the borrowed strength of <Pride>, but the pure energy he had cultivated since he was a child.
The Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation and the Glacier—heat and cold that had spent a lifetime in conflict—were now acting as the coordinated fangs of a singular master, showing a lethal elegance born of his evolution.
*Kugugugugugu!*
