Because Wrath kept going berserk, Raon smacked Wrath’s forehead with the back of his hand and checked his messages.
[You’ve reached the Grandmaster’s realm.]
[You’ve revealed your madness by entering a trance in the middle of a battle.]
[All stats have increased by 40.]
[You’ve achieved the feat Youngest Grandmaster in the continent.>
[The soul level increases drastically.]
[Your mastery of all martial arts has increased significantly.]
It looked like going into a trance to break through the wall in the middle of a battlefield allowed him to gain even more stats than just becoming a Grandmaster.
‘40 points? That’s insane.’
It was a ridiculous amount, even if he was on the receiving end. But that wasn’t even the best part.
‘Your mastery of all martial arts has increased.’
He was surprised that the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation’s techniques and Wrath’s ultimate techniques were a lot more powerful than he was expecting, and he wasn’t just imagining it.
He could guess that the increase in mastery had drastically improved the power of his swordsmanship and aura.
Damn it!
Wrath suddenly raised his head as Raon was reading the messages with a faint smile on his face.
You should take away his points for doing something crazy! Why are you giving him even more?! You stupid doormat!
He clutched his head and shouted, saying that he couldn’t understand the system.
Moreover, you didn’t even get permission from its owner! Why are you giving it away on your own accord?!
Wrath swung his round fist towards the system that gave out the rewards. The next messages appeared right away, as if it were responding to him.
[Ring of Fire has reached Eight-Stars.]
[All stats have increased by 10.]
[The regeneration of your body and aura has increased drastically.]
[Your upper energy center has expanded. The will infused in your aura will become more powerful.]
[A special ability may awaken.]
They were the rewards gained from reaching Eight-Stars with the Ring of Fire.
The drastic increase in his body and aura’s regeneration seemed to be because he imagined an undefeatable warrior and an inextinguishable flame in his mental world.
Raon closed his eyes and observed inside him.
‘Indeed… It’s regenerating a lot faster than before.’
His energy center had become completely empty after the fight to the death against the Master of the Wise Dragon Sword, and his aura was recovering at an unprecedented rate.
It looked like the Ring of Fire’s effect had combined with Sloth’s regeneration, causing his healing to reach unbelievable levels.
Kyaaah!
As soon as Raon smiled while feeling his energy center getting gradually heavier, he could hear a scream from Wrath that sounded like a cat.
Is the King of Essence a sitting duck at this point? Why are you giving him another stat? Regeneration? He’s not going to die anyway! He doesn’t even need any regeneration! Screw the will!
Wrath was arguing against every single line at that point. Of course, no one was listening to his complaints.
Raon checked the last message, ignoring Wrath, whose nonexistent fur seemed to be bristling.
‘What’s this special ability?’
He was aware that his upper energy center had expanded since his mental world had enlarged. However, he couldn’t even begin to guess what that special ability was about.
How do you not even know that?!
Wrath clicked his tongue and turned his head.
The wall that you’ve surpassed is the realm as a living being. You’ve transcended humanity to a certain extent, so you might gain an ability accordingly.
‘Ah…’
How could an idiot who doesn’t even know that fact be the one taking away the King of Essence’s stats?! This is so frustrating he could die!
He pounded his chest, saying that he seriously missed those stats. He wasn’t pounding that hard, though, probably because it hurt.
‘So, what’s this ability?’
How is the King of Essence supposed to know?! It depends on what kind of person you are, and it’s unknown when it will activate! It might never happen at all!
Wrath snorted, saying it depended on the individual.
‘So in the end, you don’t know anything either.’
You need to shut your mouth!
Raon easily dodged Wrath’s fist just as the next set of messages appeared.
[Backstab has increased in rank.]
[Divinity Blooming from the Underworld has increased in rank.]
[Aura of Death Resistance has increased in rank.]
[Evil Eye of Wrath has increased in rank.]
[Magic Armor of Snow Flower has increased in rank.]
The last messages announced that his traits had ranked up. The traits that he’d used a lot during the previous battle had gained one rank each.
Bulllllllllshit!
Wrath couldn’t withstand it anymore and started to swear. ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com
Are we at the bead ice cream shop right now? You’re giving him all different flavors! Moreover, you are giving away the most delicious stuff, like mint chocolate!
‘Hmm, but mint chocolate isn’t exactly tasty…’
You shut up! And you answer me right now, damn system!
He shouted, but the system proudly disappeared, as if it were saying that its job was over.
Ugh, my bones feel so cold…
Wrath’s plump body trembled as he murmured that he was feeling cold despite being the demon king of frost.
‘Co-cold?’
There’s seriously no joy in life because everything keeps being taken away.
Raon felt sorry for him for some reason and approached Wrath while scratching his head.
‘Shall I buy you some bead ice cream after we return? How about three sets?’
Even though he said he would buy some bead ice cream, Wrath unexpectedly kept murmuring to himself instead of looking at him.
‘Is he really upset?’
Raon licked his lip and focused on listening to Wrath.
Which flavor would be the best here? Something that everyone would agree is the best choice.
‘......’
He wasn’t upset or angry. He was simply focused on choosing the ice cream flavor.
‘I’m so tired of him…’
Raon sighed and looked around.
“Why are you laughing to yourself?”
Rimmer shook his hand while letting out a small laugh.
“Did I?”
“Yes, you smiled then frowned while looking into thin air. Did you find something?”
He furrowed his brow while examining the spot where Wrath and messages used to be.
“Ah, I’m just a bit tired.”
Raon smiled awkwardly and scratched his cheek.
“Yes, he must be tired. After all, we had multiple battles in a row.”
Burren nodded, saying that it was nothing special since he could see Wrath. He moved his mouth to silently tell Raon that the spirit was cute.
‘He’s not cute…’
Raon wanted to shout that he’s just a food waster of a demon king, but he suppressed his urge.
“Well, I guess you are.”
Rimmer casually nodded. Raon couldn’t help looking at his empty right shoulder. His chest felt tight, as if he had indigestion.
“Division leader.”
Raon stood in front of Rimmer and looked into his eyes.
“What are you going to do about your arm?”
“Let’s see…”
Rimmer smiled awkwardly while touching his right shoulder with his left hand.
“Should I just retire?”
His casual voice sounded like he was having a trivial conversation.
“Retire…?”
“I’ve been working for Zieghart for quite a while. Moreover, I was a division leader, then became an instructor, and returned to being a division leader. I should be able to get quite a lot of severance pay and pension.”
Rimmer waved his left hand with a bright smile on his face.
“I could buy a home in a bustling district and commute to the gambling house. Doesn’t that sound fun?”
He rubbed his fingers. It was difficult to tell if he was being serious or joking.
“In fact, it might be unexpected, but there are quite a lot of gamblers who are missing an arm or an ear. I think it will serve as an advantage when becoming a pro. What do you think?”
“A-are you serious about that?”
Burren’s eyes trembled in panic.
“You are going to lose all your severance pay the day of your retirement. It’s not even an option!”
Martha couldn’t be as harsh as always, so she simply bit her lip.
“......”
Runaan quietly looked at Rimmer, showing that she would understand him no matter what decision he made.
“Stop with your bullshit!”
“Your severance pay will be gone once you pay back the money you’ve borrowed from us. You can’t leave us now!”
“Stay in the Light Wind division forever and pay back your debt!”
“You have to work for your whole life!”
Dorian and the Light Wind division shouted, saying that they wouldn’t allow Rimmer to retire.
“Hah…”
Rimmer could only let out a small sigh while looking at the Light Wind division. It looked like he couldn’t refuse because the ones that he’s been watching ever since their childhood were asking him to stay.
“Division leader.”
Raon took another step towards Rimmer, who was lowering his head.
“I’m going to accept it if you really want to retire. However…”
He calmly shifted his gaze to Rimmer’s right shoulder.
“If it’s because of your arm, there might be a solution.”
“What do you mean by that?”
Rimmer clenched the hand holding his shoulder and raised his gaze.
“I noticed that Cloud’s arm was a bit strange.”
Raon walked up to Cloud’s corpse and touched his right arm.
It had the softness and heat of skin, but the touch was different from a person’s arm. It was an artifact, just like Raon had guessed in the beginning.
Crack!
The artifact arm was easily pulled out, probably because Cloud was already dead.
‘Does it use mana?’
It seemed to be using a method that consisted of shoving an artificial vein similar to a mana circuit to the shoulder. It couldn’t be used as it was, but he could guess that Encia would be able to make a new one if he gave it to her.
“Uuh…”
Rimmer frowned intensely while looking at the artificial arm.
“I-I have mysophobia. I’d rather live without it.”
He spouted some bullshit about having mysophobia despite living in a dumpster.
“I’m not suggesting that you use this one. The arm’s length should be different anyway.”
Raon shook his head while lowering the artificial arm.
“Then?”
“Lady Encia might be able to make a new one if we bring this to her.”
“Ah, that’s true. That genius lady even managed to make an artificial energy center.”
Rimmer nodded, saying that it seemed possible.
“Indeed, those gamblers that were missing a hand were wearing a prosthetic hand. It looks cooler that way.”
He grinned happily. He seemed to be imagining himself gambling with an artificial arm.
Did you really need to make an arm for him?
Wrath shook his head at his hopeless behavior.
‘I’m also regretting bringing it up.’
While Raon was contemplating whether he should agree with Wrath or not, Rimmer scratched the back of his neck.
“Actually, half of my life was all about revenge.”
He smiled even though the look in his eyes was so different from revenge.
“Since it was achieved thanks to you, I’m not too sure what to do in the future.”
Rimmer briefly licked his lips while looking at his empty right shoulder.
“I’m thinking about wielding a sword with my left hand without getting an arm, or just helping you from the shadows, or really retiring.”
He looked like he hadn’t really made up his mind yet as he sighed quietly.
“There’s no reason to be hasty, so take your time thinking about it.”
“Yeah.”
Raon nodded and waved his hand towards the Light Wind division.
“Let’s wrap it up for now. Since something else might happen, we’ll wrap things up as fast as possible and get out of here.”
“Yes!”
The Light Wind division answered before they started to move, and Wrath was staring into the air.
It’s coming.
‘What’s coming now? Another message?
......
Wrath narrowed his eyes without responding to him.
He has changed a little.
‘What are you even talking about?’
Raon looked in the direction where Wrath was staring at and suddenly stopped. Something huge was really approaching from afar.
Whir!
By the time he sensed that fact, a white haired old man was already floating in the air.
“Huh…?”
Raon’s eyes widened as he looked at the old man. An imposing frame, eyes as sharp as a sharpened blade, and a laid-back aura that didn’t match his appearance. There was no mistake.
“Sir Rector?”
* * *
The white haired old man was the Sword Demon Rector, who was extremely familiar. Raon’s lips parted because he hadn’t expected that he would encounter him there.
“How did you get here?”
Raon smiled gladly. However, the Sword Demon simply stared at Cloud and the Master of the Wise Dragon Sword’s corpses without responding to him.
“Ah, they are sword demons from the Holy Sword Alliance. They tried to take over House Lakion and ended up fighting us.”
Since there were plenty of corpses in the area, Raon briefly explained the situation to ease his suspicion.
“......”
However, Rector didn’t react at all. He simply examined the corpses of the Holy Sword Alliance’s swordsmen.
“Sir Rector?”
“You’ve become a Grandmaster.”
“It’s all thanks to you, Sir Rector.”
Raon nodded with a smile. He wasn’t just saying it out of courtesy. He was sincerely expressing his gratitude.
It was all thanks to the conversation between the Sword Demon and Glenn that he managed to quickly break through the wall and become a Grandmaster.
“I see.”
The Sword Demon calmly nodded and raised his gaze. His emotionless eyes looked completely empty, without any sign of joy over their reunion. However, a faint and inscrutable light was glowing inside that emptiness.
Raon swallowed nervously while looking into the Sword Demon’s eyes.
‘But why…?’
He’d thought that the Sword Demon would be glad about him becoming a Grandmaster, as if it were his own business. Instead, he looked completely unconcerned and disinterested.
‘This doesn’t feel right.’
Raon was about to spread his aura perception in order to check if he was really the Sword Demon when the Holy Sword Alliance’s swordsmen landed behind him.
“Sir Rector! They are from the Holy Sword Alliance!”
Raon pointed at them, but Rector held his position without withdrawing or looking back.
The Holy Sword Alliance’s sword demons didn’t move from behind Rector either. They almost looked like they were protecting him instead of attacking him.
“N-no way …”
“It came down to this after all.”
Rector landed on the ground with a cold expression. The frightening atmosphere around him could freeze the bone and flesh just from approaching.
“Don’t tell me, you…”
Rimmer stepped forward instead of Raon, who was staring with trembling hands.
“Yes.”
The Sword Demon calmly nodded.
“I’m the Master of the Bloody Sword of the Holy Sword Alliance.”
He disclosed the fact that he was from the Holy Sword Alliance and unleashed the bloodlust in his gaze. Looking at his bloody eyes made a chill run down the spine.
“Huh…?”
“Wh-what did he just say?”
“Holy Sword Alliance? The Sword Demon?”
The Light Wind swordsmen’s eyes were also trembling in disbelief because they’d spent a significant amount of time with him.
“Hey, old man.”
Rimmer twisted his lips while using his left hand to point at Rector.
“What kind of nonsense is that?! Why did you suddenly decide to join the Holy Sword Alliance?!”
“I didn’t join them.”
The Sword Demon responded without even batting an eye.
“I was from the Holy Sword Alliance from the very beginning.”
“......”
Raon clenched his fist to the point of bleeding while looking at Cloud’s corpse.
‘The one he mentioned was Sir Rector.’
When Cloud shouted about why his swordsmanship wasn’t working against him, he was talking about the Sword Demon. Raon could finally understand why his techniques felt familiar.
‘Because I also learned from him.’
Since they’d learned the sword from the same person, he was used to Cloud’s simplified versatile sword.
“So why the hell did you approach us when you were from the Holy Sword Alliance?! You were being sincere back then!”
Rimmer shouted, his face red. He was as angry as when he was facing the Master of the Wise Dragon Sword, implying that he had also taken a liking to the Sword Demon.
“Is there any reason I should answer your question?”
Rector coldly shook his head. He extended his hand, and the Holy Sword Alliance’s sword demons surrounded the Light Wind division.
“Out of respect for our past, I’ll quickly put an end to this.”
“Argh!”
“One problem after another!”
The Light Wind division trembled furiously from the betrayal, but they still gathered to the center to activate the Light Wind Formation. However, the formation couldn’t be perfectly completed because they were exhausted both mentally and physically.
Shring!
Raon unsheathed Heavenly Drive and stood in front of the Light Wind division.
‘We can’t win against them.’
It was different from the battle against the Master of the Wise Dragon Sword. Even if he still had the awakened state from back then, and even if he were in his best condition both in terms of aura and stamina, he wouldn’t be able to fend off a single strike from Rector. The situation was pretty much over already.
“…I don’t understand. The Holy Sword Alliance and Zieghart are enemies. Why did you teach me swordsmanship?”
Raon asked the question not only because he had to buy some time, but also because he was really curious about it.
“It was just entertainment.”
Rector shook his head with a voice devoid of any emotion.
“......”
Raon bit his lip while observing Rector’s cold complexion.
‘There’s no way that’s true.’
Rector had taught him sincerely. His gestures were always made with his best efforts, and he strived to teach him as much as possible.
It could be understandable if there were another reason, but saying that it was just entertainment made no sense.
However, the reason wasn’t important for the time being.
Rector was approaching in order to attack them himself.
“The alliance master will be satisfied if I return with you, who became a Grandmaster at twenty-one years old.”
Hmm…
Raon looked at Wrath. He was just scratching his chin while staying unexpectedly quiet.
‘Should I borrow Wrath’s power right now? No, it’s too dangerous.’
His identity might be found out, and he couldn’t tell what kind of aftereffect he was going to suffer if he used the Demon King’s Advent once again. It had to be kept as the last resort.
Letting Wrath take over his body wasn’t an acceptable choice either. He would slaughter everyone in the area if he did.
‘I’ll let them take me. That’s the best choice.’
Since Rector wanted to take him to the Holy Sword Alliance, that implied that he had no intention of killing him. Since he could release Wrath once he arrived at the Holy Sword Alliance, Raon decided to follow him.
Raon made up his mind and nodded.
“Are you going to let the Light Wind division go if I follow you?”
“The other ones should be meaningless.”
Rector nodded without even looking at Rimmer and the Light Wind division.
“Hey!”
“What kind of stupid shit is that?!”
“Don’t do it! Never!”
“Raon.”
Rimmer, Martha, Burren, and Runaan stepped forward while breaking the sword formation, but Raon shook his hand to stop them.
“Stay back. They aren’t planning to kill me since they want to take me with them.”
“B-but…”
“You aren’t going to die, but we don’t know what they are going to do to you!”
“Seriously, you…”
“This is an order from the temporary division leader. Stay back.”
Raon ordered the Light Wind division to stay back and returned Heavenly Drive to its scabbard.
“A wise decision.”
Rector laughed weakly and extended his hand. When his hand covered his vision, Raon unsheathed the Blade of Requiem with his left hand.
Claang!
He thrust his sword, maximizing the Backstab’s efficiency, but the blazing ghastly energy around the Blade of Requiem was pushed back before it could cut through Rector’s skin.
“Yes, Raon Zieghart should act like that.”
Rector smiled as if he were expecting him to do so. He easily fended off the Blade of Requiem and extended his hand once again. The principle of versatile sword was dwelling in his hand even though it was a simple thrust. It was impossible to avoid or block.
‘Damn it…’
Raon was looking at the approaching hand while biting his lip.
Rip!
The space between Raon and Rector was cleaved open deeply, and a tremendous amount of aura surged from it. The blade tearing the space apart… there was no way Raon wouldn’t recognize that attack.
“Hmm…”
“Stay away from my nephew!”
Rector stepped back with a furrowed brow as hair the color of sunset wavered from the severed space.
“You damn geezer!”
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