Chapter 471 |
Raon was standing on the platform in the training ground, looking down at the Light Wind division as they practiced the martial arts that Glenn had given them in their separate spaces.
Their fierce pressures felt like they were facing a real enemy in front of them. They were doing their best with every single swing.
‘They don’t even need any advice.’
Even Dorian and Krein, who were usually distracted, were extremely focused as they swung their swords. Raon felt like giving them advice would end up disturbing them instead.
‘I guess this is only natural.’
Raon smiled faintly and looked to the right, where violent sword resonances kept storming, over and over again.
‘Because they are training like that right next to them.’
Burren, Martha, and Runaan were sparring against Mark Goetten, and their violent clash almost looked like a real fight.
“Uaaah!”
Clang!
Mark Goetten parried Burren’s blade as it bent towards his neck, and Martha pierced into his space at the same time.
Cring!
The Titan’s aura dwelling on Martha’s blade radiated brightly and pierced into Mark Goetten’s shoulder.
Thud!
Mark Goetten used his footwork with his heel. It was an exquisite move to deflect her surprise attack, but her assault wasn’t over yet.
Whoosh!
She activated Berserk in a split second and drastically increased the aura on her blade.
“Hmm!”
Mark Goetten groaned as he recognized that he couldn’t avoid it and created an aura shield on his shoulder.
Claaang!
Martha was bounced back alongside a powerful explosion.
Cring!
Mark Goetten didn’t miss that opening and slashed his saber at Martha.
The moment the diagonal saber strike was about to cut Martha apart, silver frost emerged from the ground and air to stop his fiery attack.
Crack!
The ice was shattered into pieces and rushed towards Mark Goetten, engulfed in a blue aura.
“Excellent…”
Mark Goetten focused on destroying the ice with his aura barrier, and a violent aura blade stabbed into his space from the right.
Whoosh!
Runaan was there. She was targeting Mark Goetten’s legs with a frightening look in her eyes that he’d never seen before.
“Keep going!”
“I’ll support you!”
Martha and Burren followed the path Runaan had carved and unleashed their respective special techniques.
“I’m not finished yet.”
Mark Goetten bit his lip and unleashed a huge amount of aura.
Whaam!
The clash between powerful saber and sword strikes created a tremendous shockwave of aura.
None of them were willing to yield.
Burren, Martha, and Runaan wanted to defeat Mark Goetten when he was doing his best, and Mark Goetten wanted to win against them without using astral energy. That was why their eyes were all brimming with fighting spirit.
Raon smiled while feeling the violent wind brush past his hair.
‘There’s no way they can remain idle when the team leaders are fighting like that.’
Mark Goetten and the three team leaders repeated one-on-one spars and one-on-three spars all day long.
Since they were fighting to death right next to them, the other swordsmen were bound to focus as if they were on a battlefield.
Raon looked to the left.
The Gambling Monster was giving a basic lesson to Yua and Yulius, and their eyes were completely serious, unlike when they were in the annex building.
They seemed to have grown in strength and wisdom from experiencing a real battle.
‘They finally look like a proper armed division.’
The team leaders set an example by volunteering for additional training, and the team members swung their swords until sunset because they saw how hard they were training.
Even the juniors were running toward their seniors’ backs, which made it an ideal armed division.
‘Except for one.’
Raon frowned and looked behind him.
“Yaawn!”
Rimmer was lying on the platform, yawning his head off.
“Haa…”
Raon couldn’t stop sighing because the division leader was just idling around while the team leaders, members, and even the general administrator were all training to the best of their abilities.
“Squad leader.”
Raon narrowed his eyes and called out to Rimmer.
“I’m a division leader now.”
“I thought you were still a squad leader because you haven’t changed at all since you were a squad leader.”
“I see.”
Rimmer murmured ‘That’s understandable’, which was expected from his laid-back personality.
“Aren’t you going to train, division leader?”
“I’m doing it right now.”
“What?”
Raon couldn’t understand what the hell he was saying since he’d been dozing off until a moment ago.
That Shitty Ears, Sloth would ask him to be his friend if he met him.
Wrath frowned, saying that Rimmer and Sloth would get along too well.
“What kind of training are you even doing?”
“Mental image training.”
Rimmer raised his finger. Powerful lightning sparked from his fingertip.
“I’m thinking about how to control this lightning and wind in my mind.”
“Say that again after wiping away your drool.”
“Oh, yeah.”
Rimmer rubbed his mouth with his sleeve.
“Anyway, I’m training right now. Stop paying attention to me and mind your own business.”
There was not a single hint of embarrassment on his face. He was truly a great man.
Raon shook his head and looked away.
‘Well, I guess it’s fine since he’s not an idiot.’
Despite how he looked, he wasn’t the type of person who would ruin his own body. Raon looked up to the sky, trusting Rimmer in his distrust.
‘My own business, huh.’
There was no reason to train his body, he’d been practicing swordsmanship every single day, and he’d also been polishing his mental image through meditation.
It looked like he was practicing all aspects, but there was a huge problem left.
‘The combination of different attributes.’
It was common sense that fire and ice were opposite attributes.
No matter how well he trained his body, mana circuits, and energy center, using Glacier after the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation was bound to cause serious damage to his body.
‘I can endure the pain, but control is too slow.’
Since he had been used to the pain ever since his previous life, enduring the pain was nothing for him.
However, using ice after fire drastically lowered the speed of his control.
‘I need to start with that.’
He felt like being capable of using the two attributes at once was the highest priority in achieving a Sword Field Creation with fire and ice at the same time.
‘Let’s see…’
Raon closed his eyes. He tried to circulate the two opposite energies inside his energy center.
Shrr!
The intense pain felt like his energy center was getting torn apart, but the amount of aura was small while the control was slow. It could hardly be used in a real fight.
‘I’ve used it a few times before, but I just got lucky.’
He’d previously used fire and ice at the same time, but he didn’t care about ruining his body because he was ready to die.
It was necessary to find a way since he couldn’t keep fighting like that.
‘I knew it. This is what I should be focusing on.’
Powerful flame sparkled from Raon’s eyes as he managed to find his homework.
He closed his eyes and started to calmly analyze what kind of reaction happened in his energy center and mana circuits upon circulating the heat and coldness.
‘He must’ve found something.’
Rimmer quietly smiled and created a barrier of wind around him to allow Raon to fully focus on his training.
* * *
* * *
Cameloon
Black Market
Denning Rose was checking the documents under lighting that was as clear as sunlight before she raised her head.
“Tenth apostle?”
The information agent with his hands folded together nodded at her question.
“Yes, we’ve received a report that he was witnessed near Laffekin Mountain.”
“Haa…”
Denning Rose let out a long sigh while putting down the document.
“Even the White Blood Religion might be resuming their activities. Merlin, the tenth apostle, and even the Phantom Slaughterer. Disaster is everywhere.”
The Five Demon’s executives had resumed their activities even though they’d been quiet for a while.
Since even the Five Divine Orders had appeared, she had a feeling a disaster was about to come.
“How is the White Whale doing?”
“The Thespian Emperor managed to stop their reputation from plummeting. I believe they’ve minimized the damage.”
“She’s like a cockroach.”
Denning Rose clicked her tongue.
‘She really can’t be underestimated.’
Raon had crushed the White Whale’s reputation by releasing the people who were held hostage by the Black Tower, but the Thespian Emperor personally visited them and apologized to save their reputation.
It must’ve been an unexpected problem for her, but she’d managed to immediately resolve it. Her resourcefulness was astounding.
“I guess they haven’t been hiding behind the scenes for nothing.”
Denning Rose nodded while touching her rose-embossed eyepatch.
“That must be why they are holding this.”
She picked up the letter envelope on her right side. A white whale emblem was engraved at the center.
“Is that actually…?”
The information agent dropped his jaw upon seeing the letter.
“Yes, it’s a letter of invitation from the White Whale.”
Denning Rose smiled faintly while shaking the letter.
“They are inviting us to the foundation festival of the Five Divine Orders that is going to be held soon.”
She narrowed her eyes while slightly crumpling the edge of the letter.
“What a thick face they have to be throwing such an invitation to us after stealing all our information.”
“Are you going to attend?”
“I’m not sure.”
Denning Rose furrowed her brow while looking at the letter, and the office’s door opened before an old woman with a gentle smile on her face made her entrance.
“Why are you even contemplating it? You obviously should attend.”
“M-master?”
Denning Rose widened her eyes and stood up. Her round eyes revealed her surprise at the visit of the Black Market’s master.
“Why are you here, Master…?”
“What are you even surprised about? It’s not like I shouldn’t come here.”
The Black Market’s master strolled towards the table and sat on the opposite side of Denning Rose.
“You don’t even need to travel a long distance since the festival is taking place nearby. You should participate.”
“But I’m sure they are plotting something.”
“You need to show them your confidence since the area around Cameloon is our territory. Of course, you need to be thoroughly prepared.”
“Ah…”
Denning Rose contemplated the matter, and the Black Market’s master casually shook her hand.
“You must’ve seen how that boy, Raon Zieghart, did it. How he dealt with an arrogant guest in his home ground.”
The Black Market’s master subtly smiled, saying that he was showing a different side of himself every time.
“That’s true.”
Denning Rose nodded. She’d heard how Raon had defeated the Thespian Emperor, and she couldn’t help but admire him.
“Ah, did you think about that matter?”
“What? What matter…?”
She tilted her head because she couldn’t understand what the Black Market’s master was talking about.
“I previously asked if you had any intentions of going out with Raon.”
“Whaat?”
Denning Rose slammed the table with such force that it could destroy it as she stood up.
“Why are you so surprised? I already told you that I would personally write a letter to the Destructive King of the North if you want it.”
“N-no! I don’t want it at all!”
Her face was flushed as she shook her head.
“Hmm, you’ve already saved each other’s lives before, you both have beautiful appearances and enough ability. I think you will make a perfect couple.”
“But I have things I have to do…”
“Well, it can’t be helped if that’s your decision.”
Denning Rose’s shoulders shrank upon seeing the smile from the Black Market’s master.
“Once you find a good potential partner, you need to win them over as fast as possible. But people don’t realize that when they are young.”
She shrugged her shoulders, telling her to do as she wished.
“Anyway, you should thoroughly prepare and show them what kind of place the Black Market is. Since they’ve invited us, we shall make sure to smear shit on their faces.”
“I understand.”
“And…”
Denning Rose swallowed nervously upon hearing the frightening voice from the Black Market’s master.
However, what continued was completely different from her expectations.
“Make sure to pretty yourself up before you go.”
“What?”
“I think Zieghart is going to send Raon. Since you are a bit older than him, you should…”
“Master!”
* * *
The new year has arrived in Zieghart.
Even though the northern wind capable of breaking through even the castle wall was storming around, the fifth training ground was brimming with the Light Wind swordsmen’s sweat and fighting spirit.
Raon smiled faintly while watching the swordsmen who were training the same technique at the exact same place even though the year had changed.
‘They’ve changed so much.’
They were swinging their swords at the same spot, but their skills were on a whole different level from before.
Their unaccomplished martial art was finally settled, and their flow of aura continued nonstop.
Not that much time had passed, but everyone had taken another step.
‘There’s only one year left now.’
Raon raised his gaze and looked up to the sky. The cloudless sky almost looked like the scenery of Gazel River two years ago.
‘The duel against the Axe King.’
He’d asked for three years back then to buy some time, but there was only one year left.
He was slightly worried since he still couldn’t see the Grandmaster’s wall.
‘I’m still unable to use fire and ice at the same time.’
He’d managed to incorporate a small amount of fire and ice in his mental world, but using them at the same time was still difficult for him.
‘I don’t understand why I can’t achieve it when everything else is going well…’
The realm of his swordsmanship had increased, he’d learned two more techniques of the Azure Sky Sword, and his energy center and mana circuits were further fortified. Yet, the simultaneous activation of the two attributes to the highest output was still too difficult.
He was in a strange state where the energy of wind that Rimmer had given to him in the past had gotten stronger instead of other results.
‘I shouldn’t be impatient.’
Since it might naturally work out once he became a Grandmaster, he decided to focus on his swordsmanship and mental image.
Snore.
Raon was about to polish his swordsmanship in his mental world when he heard a snoring sound from behind him.
“Haa…”
He looked back while letting out a sigh and saw Rimmer sleeping in his sleeping bag. Raon couldn’t understand why he was sleeping there instead of just going to his room.
‘He’s truly amazing too.’
Raon admired how he could stay the same after the new year.
The King of Essence told you already. He deserves to be Sloth’s friend at this rate. What about sending him to that mountain?
Wrath frowned, saying that they would keep sleeping next to each other.
‘He might really do that.’
Raon chuckled and was about to resume his mental image training.
The training ground’s door opened and Roenn entered. He walked up to the platform with a subtle smile on his face.
“It’s been a while, vice division leader.”
“Yes, this is our first meeting after that time in the annex building.”
Raon came down from the platform and bowed to Roenn.
“Would you mind coming with me if you have some time?”
“May I ask what the reason might be?”
“The head of house has summoned the person in charge of the Light Wind division.”
“In that case, it wouldn’t be me, but…”
Raon looked behind him only to find that Rimmer was gone. Moreover, even the sleeping bag was missing.
“Wow, when did he even leave?”
He disappeared the moment that geezer arrived.
‘Seriously, that guy…’
He must’ve run away the moment Raon was focused on Roenn. He could never get bored of watching that elf.
“I understand, let’s go.”
Raon nodded while letting out a sigh.
“It won’t take that long.”
Roenn turned around with his usual smile.
“General administrator.”
Raon pointed at the platform to ask the Gambling Monster, who was teaching Yua and Yulius, to oversee everyone’s training.
“Got it.”
The Gambling Monster waved his hand to reassure him and went on the platform.
“Thank you.”
Raon bowed to him before he followed Roenn.
“Why is he summoning the person in charge?”
“I supposed he has a new mission for you.”
“A mission…”
‘Well, it’s about time.’
Since a few months had passed since they’d saved the Warring Steel division, it was about time to get a new mission.
In fact, they were given more time to improve themselves, considering how the other divisions were on their missions.
‘I wonder what kind of mission it’s going to be.’
He couldn’t even guess where he was going to be dispatched, because there were too many wars recently.
He’d reached the audience chamber before he knew it as he thought about the new mission.
Roenn opened the door for him and pointed inside. Raon thanked him and stepped on the carpet at the center of the floor.
Glenn was supporting his chin on his fist while sitting on the throne above the platform. His posture was the same as always, but Raon could feel some indescribable difference.
“Greetings, my lord.”
Raon knelt in front of the platform and lowered his head.
“I’ve summoned you because I have a mission I want to entrust to you.”
“I hear and I obey.”
Raon lifted his gaze while listening to the voice devoid of any intonation.
“Light Wind vice division leader.”
Glenn picked up the white envelope placed on the armrest.
“Can you make a mess once more?”
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