Burren bit his lip while watching Raon’s back as he entered the lodgings.
‘Is he really fine with that?’
The Axe King Roman was a warrior who became famous throughout the continent by using a single axe. Declaring that he would fight such a monster in three years could only be described as madness.
‘He made that impossible promise in order to save us.’
The reason Raon had suggested such nonsense to Roman was in order to save everyone on the ship. Raon was a companion that had helped him a lot in the past. The fact that he’d paid Raon’s life as a price for his survival was hurting his heart.
‘What should I do? I really don’t know.’
He could put his own life on the line in order to help Raon, but he couldn’t figure out anything he could do or prepare.
“Haa…”
He sighed to relieve the suffocating feeling in his heart.
“Why do you look so depressed?”
Martha stopped as she passed by him and frowned.
“It’s because of Raon.”
“Raon?”
“Yes. He’s sacrificed himself for our sake, but I can’t do anything for him…”
“Your head is filled with flowers. It must be because you are a sheltered young master.”
She clicked her tongue, telling him it was such a stupid thing to worry about.
“Aren’t you even worried about Raon?”
Burren furrowed his brows and glared at Martha.
“He promised the Axe King under Zieghart’s name. There’s no way I wouldn’t be anxious since he has to fight that monster in three yea…”
“And why did that happen?”
“What?”
“I’m asking why he had to promise that duel, you idiot!”
Martha’s black eyes were filled with irritation and anger. Those emotions weren’t directed at anyone but herself.
“That’s…”
“Because we are weak. Including you and me—everyone’s too weak. It was because we didn’t have the ability to swing our swords even once in that situation that he ended up making that promise!”
Burren swallowed nervously. Blood was dripping from Martha’s clenched fist. She wasn’t unaware of it. She had been enduring it all along while being fully aware of the situation.
“Now, isn’t it obvious what we need to do?”
“…We need to get stronger.”
“You can finally think. We can’t do anything about what has already happened. What we need to do is to prevent the same thing from happening again. We need to put our lives on the line to get stronger in order to reduce the burden on his shoulders.”
Martha briskly turned her back on him, heading towards the open area attached to the lodgings. She must’ve been planning to train right away.
“She’s right.”
Runaan gave a big nod after silently listening in from behind them.
“We can’t shift everything to Raon.”
It was a rare occasion that she said such a long sentence. She followed Martha after that.
“Ahem!”
“I also need to warm myself up a little…”
“That’s true. I also felt like I didn’t exercise enough today.”
“Let’s rest later then.”
The other Light Wind members also went to the open area while scratching their cheeks. Shouts of concentration could be heard loud and clear from the open area soon enough.
“I was the idiot.”
Burren smacked his head so hard that a whacking sound could be heard.
“It was so simple. I just need to get stronger.”
He smiled, heading towards the open area after everyone else.
* * *
Raon chuckled while leaning his back against the door in his room.
“They could just rest, though.”
The Light Wind squad emerged victorious against pirates that were more than twice their number and protected themselves from Roman’s energy waves. They must’ve been tired both physically and mentally.
Even though they were being so passionate, it was better to rest rather than train.
‘What a bunch of idiots.’
Since Raon was aware of the reason they kept swinging their swords without resting, a painful warmth sprouted from his heart. He had the same feeling every single time, but they really were worth helping out.
However, they were mistaken about one thing.
The Light Wind squad was extremely experienced and powerful considering their age. Their prowess could work anywhere in the world, but they were feeling like they were weaklings because they kept encountering monstrous opponents.
Raon plopped down on the ground after enjoying the shouting of the Light Wind squad.
‘And…’
They really didn’t need to worry about him.
Raon smiled faintly and brought out the messages that had appeared earlier.
[You’ve achieved victory against a warrior stronger than yourself.]
[All stats have increased by 3.]
All stats increased by 3 thanks to defeating Tyler, who was right before the intermediate level of Master, while being at the beginner level himself.
[The proficiency of Ring of Fire has increased.]
[You’ve created a new swordsmanship.]
[Sword’s Silvery Dream and Blue Rain’s powers have been enhanced due to the title Young Founder’s effect.]
[All stats have increased by 5.]
There were even more rewards after that. The Ring of Fire’s proficiency had increased thanks to resonating it during the entire battle, and he got 5 whole extra points in all stats thanks to completing the two swordsmanships.
‘And there are even more.’
All stats had increased by 8, the Ring of Fire’s proficiency had increased, and the effects of two techniques had been enhanced, but there were even more messages remaining.
[You’ve perfectly canceled out the opponent’s attacks.]
[Spiral Power trait has been created.]
[All stats have increased by 1.]
Raon checked the trait’s description right away.
[Spiral Power (One-Star)
A more powerful and faster rotation can be created upon using Coiling Power with martial arts.]
Raon understood the meaning as soon as he read the description. The trait was added because he canceled out the rotation in Tyler’s spear with a rotation in the opposite direction.
‘I knew it!’
Wrath’s system had an overpowered ability to add rewards according to the achievements he’d accomplished.
Spiral Power and the additional stats were only added because he analyzed everything about Tyler instead of simply defeating him.
“See! I was right!”
Raon grinned and turned his head.
“I got better rewards from destroying his martial art itself instead of simply defeating him.”
Kuh!
Wrath violently ground his teeth while looking up at the messages.
You damn pig! Are you even considering the efficiency now on top of stealing the King of Essence’s stats?
“Since you are giving them to me anyway, I might as well get more…”
Are you teaching the owner how to steal better now when you are just a thief? Are you sure this world is okay?
Wrath started to scream. It looked like he had finally lost it.
Even Greed is going to run away when he sees you! I hope your stomach explodes to death after devouring everything like a hungry demon!
Wrath and coldness burst out at once from Wrath’s round shoulders.
I can’t suppress my anger anymore! The King of Essence is going to take over your body today to make the world a better place!
‘I don’t think you should do it, though.’
Raon shook his hand. Even though he was the Giving Wrath, he had already given so much that day. Raon didn’t need even more stats.
‘You know you will only end up giving me more stats by trying to fight me.’
Kuh!
Wrath immediately stopped upon hearing that. His stiffened face showed that he was also aware of how it would end up.
D-Damn it!
Wrath’s clenched fist was trembling, as he couldn’t vent his anger anywhere.
‘It won’t be difficult for me to fend off your attacks today because my internal injuries aren’t too serious. You should suppress your ange…’
I can’t! You damn fiend!
Before Raon could tell him to suppress his anger, Wrath started attacking him. He stuck himself to his shoulder to explode coldness and wrath.
“Haa…”
‘I wanted to receive it in moderation though.’
Raon shook his head and resonated the Ring of Fire, controlling the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation and Glacier at the same time.
One hour later.
[You’ve endured Wrath’s interruption.]
[Stamina has increased.]
[Energy has increased.]
Waah!
Wrath went limp on the ground like a deflated balloon and started to cry.
“That’s why I told you to stop.”
Raon sighed.
A doormat was apparently bound to be a doormat forever.
* * *
* * *
Raptor turned around after watching the river brushing past the ship. He walked up to Roman, who was staring at the front with his hands behind his back.
“Big brother, why did you accept Raon’s suggestion?”
“Didn’t you also want me to accept his suggestion?”
Roman narrowed his eyes and looked down on Raptor.
“Of course I did. I figured it would be more interesting that way. However, I didn’t expect you to accept his suggestion right away.”
“That martial art called Blue Rain… It was interesting.”
“Ah, it was also the first time I have seen something like that.”
“No one has tried to incorporate aura into sword resonance and the sound of friction before, and it’s also difficult to imitate. The more interesting part is…”
He turned his head back to the river and rolled up the corners of his lips.
“The fact that he created that martial art himself.”
“What?”
“I could smell that Raon kid’s scent from that martial art. Someone probably helped him, but he certainly created it himself.”
Roman closed his eyes, remembering Blue Rain’s resonance.
“Do you know about the geniuses called the Twelve Stars of the Continent?”
“Of course I do. The fifth young master is one of them.”
“Even though they are called the Twelve Stars of the Continent, they aren’t as good as the leaders of the Six Kings and the Five Demons, because they are monsters far surpassing the level of genius.”
He raised his chin and smiled coldly.
“However, that Raon kid was different. He’s a monster that grows up by devouring geniuses. He has the potential to reach absolute transcendence.”
“Monster. He certainly has that side to him.”
Raptor slowly nodded. He didn’t look like a child even on his first encounter.
“His eyes were filled with determination to defeat me in three years instead of the intention to escape the situation. I could only laugh.”
Roman chuckled, taking the handle of the axe slammed into the ground in front of him.
“I had no choice but to let him go in anticipation for what will become of him in three years.”
“What are you going to do if Sir ‘Siran’ ends up killing Raon before three years have passed?”
“That would mean that he wasn’t that good to begin with. I won’t need to pay attention to him anymore. However, that’s not going to happen. I haven’t seen anyone who smells even more delicious than Rimmer in a long time.”
“You are still comparing the warriors to taste like you’ve always done.”
Raptor shook his head.
“You are the same.”
Roman slowly turned his gaze to look at Raptor.
“I believe you can satisfy me if you fight properly.”
“Oh no, brother. You are overestimating me. I’m not that great of a warrior.”
Raptor quickly shook his hands in denial and bowed to him.
“Haa, you are so good at killing the fun.”
“Hehe.”
“Let me ask you a question in return. Why do you favor Raon? I believe there was no reason to tell him about that geezer.”
“The reason is similar to yours.”
He smiled.
“I thought he looked interesting from the first time I saw him, and I want to watch how he grows up.”
“Is that all?”
“Probably?”
“I really don’t understand what you are thinking about.”
“I just don’t think at all.”
Raptor smiled like a fool, as if he were trying to prove that he was really not thinking anything.
“Anyway, it’s a shame. I really wanted to visit that magician’s dungeon…”
“Lohengreen?”
“Yes. Since he was also interested in elixir making and alchemy, I’m sure there would be lots of elixirs and treasure…”
“Rather than that, you should be more concerned about how to report this incident after we return.”
“Huh? Am I the one reporting it?”
“What else? Did you think I would be reporting it?”
“Ugh…”
Raptor secretly groaned upon receiving Roman’s cold gaze.
“B-But Old Man Siran is going to try to kill me!”
He started to scream while grasping his head, saying that nothing was working out.
* * *
Raon applied medicine to the wound he had received when fighting against Tyler, controlling the Ring of Fire and his aura to ease his internal injuries before opening his eyes.
Kuuh…
Wrath was still weeping on the ground. Even though he was enraged, he kept the promise he’d made in the past and didn’t attack while Raon was controlling his aura. Considering how he was keeping a promise, he must’ve been a king indeed.
‘Stop being so sad.’
Shut up.
‘I’ll ask Yua to let you eat some pineapple pizza once we return…’
……
He didn’t say anything. He simply stopped weeping and raised his eyes while lying down on his belly.
‘Then I’ll get pineapple cookies added on top of the pineapple pizz… Huh?’
Raon interrupted himself and turned around. He could hear the Light Wind squad from outside.
“What’s going on?”
Wh-Where are you going without finishing your sentence? You should finish what you were saying since you’ve already started…
“Wait a moment.”
Raon pushed Wrath back as he tried to stick onto him and went outside. The Light Wind swordsmen, including Burren, were gathered in front of Rimmer’s room.
“What’s happening?”
“We wanted to ask him about the next item on the schedule because he must’ve finished cultivating by now, but he’s not responding.”
Burren tilted his head in bewilderment.
Raon frowned. The more powerful a warrior was, the less time it took to cultivate. Since Rimmer didn’t have any significant injuries, he should’ve come out a long time ago to roll around on the ground and enjoy the bright sunlight.
“I’ll open it.”
Raon made the Light Wind members withdraw and carefully opened the door. Rimmer was lying flat on the ground with his eyes closed.
“Ah, was he sleeping?”
“I guess he would be tired after what happened.”
“I was worried for nothing.”
The swordsmen’s laughter sounded like a deflated balloon as they saw Rimmer. They must’ve been relieved because Rimmer’s posture was the exact same as how he used to be on the training ground’s platform.
However, he was different from back then.
“No.”
Raon bit his lip and ran up to Rimmer.
‘He’s completely unconscious.’
He wasn’t sleeping. He was actually unconscious.
Whir!
He grabbed Rimmer’s shoulder and inserted the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation into his body to examine his condition.
‘Is this really his mana circuit?’
He unconsciously swallowed. Rimmer’s mana circuits were even more narrow than his own when he was still suffering from the Curse of Frost.
Unlike his mana circuit back then—which was narrowed down because of the ice clogging the passage—in Rimmer’s case, his mana circuit itself had become narrower.
Raon meticulously controlled his aura to pass through Rimmer’s mana circuit as if he were trying to thread a needle and examined his energy center.
‘How can an energy center be so…?’
The cracked energy center looked like it would shatter with the smallest impact, and the walls were as thin as paper.
It was so unstable that he felt like it would immediately explode the moment he made a mistake.
‘This was the reason…’
It was because his lower energy center couldn’t maintain its stability that his mana circuits were overburdened and became as constricted as a grain of sand. Since he’d even used lightning energy, his body’s condition must’ve worsened.
He could fight equally against the Axe King Roman in that state. Raon could hardly imagine how powerful he would’ve been if his energy center were intact.
‘The pain must’ve been unbearable.’
Raon softly clenched his teeth. He was fully aware of what kind of pain a mana circuit could cause because of the Curse of Frost. He felt bitter as he remembered Rimmer’s false smile when he tried to hide the intense pain he was feeling.
Whir!
Raon used the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation and Glacier one after the other to untie the twisted mana circuits, but the weakened condition of the energy center was making it difficult.
‘This is a waste of time.’
He could’ve helped him if it were an internal injury he had received from the battle, but his aura couldn’t do anything about it because his body’s condition was already bad before it became even worse after overexerting himself.
Rimmer would wake up over time, but he still had a time-limited life. He would gradually wither and run towards his death.
What he needed in order to heal the fool was an elixir, and it needed to be a special elixir that could relax the stiffened mana circuits or protect the energy center.
“Haa…”
Raon took his hand off after retrieving his aura from Rimmer.
“H-How is he doing?”
“He’s fine, right?”
“Raon…”
Burren, Martha, and Runaan came running at him at once. Their faces were covered with worry.
“It’s not good.”
“Huh?”
“What?”
“I-Is his injury that serious?”
“He didn’t get injured from the previous fight. He has been like this the whole time…”
Raon briefly explained Rimmer’s condition.
“Ah!”
“Oh no…”
“That idiot…”
The swordsmen started to chew on their lips to the point where they started to bleed upon learning that Rimmer was overexerting himself despite his bad condition.
Clap!
Raon clapped his hands. It sounded similar to how Rimmer tried to attract attention.
“I’m giving you a mission.”
“M-Mission?”
“Yes. Burren, you should lead the third team to return to the house to get an elixir that can solve the squad leader’s case. If they don’t want to give it…”
He called Dorian with his hand.
“Ah, yes!”
“Take that out.”
“Ah, that one, right?”
Even though he didn’t mention what that was, Dorian took out a golden tablet from his belly pocket.
“G-Golden tablet?”
“Did you seriously entrust that precious item to Dorian?”
“I left it in my wallet because it’s important.”
“W-Wallet…”
Raon gave the golden tablet to Burren, who had dropped his jaw.
“They should give it to you even without this, but take it with you just in case.”
He was gathering the golden tablets in order to restore the direct line status to Sylvia, but he couldn’t afford to think about that.
‘There’s most likely no such elixir in the house, but it would be better to try.’
Glenn was close to Rimmer. If Zieghart had an elixir to restore the energy center, he would’ve already fed it to Rimmer. He was sending Burren to Zieghart, but he didn’t have high expectations for it.
“I-I got it.”
Burren accepted the golden tablet with trembling hands.
“Martha, you should go to the large city nearby and look into the auction house. Gather all of the elixirs that can recover the mana circuit and energy center.”
He took out a pouch containing a thousand gold coins from inside Dorian’s pocket and gave it to her.
“You can do it, right?”
“…Of course.”
Martha nodded with her mouth tightly closed, unlike usual.
“Runaan, your job is the most important one. You need to protect the squad leader and the village along with the second team.”
“Mhm!”
Runaan clenched both of her fists and nodded.
“Weren’t you going to protect the squad leader yourself?”
Burren’s eyes widened because he thought Raon was obviously going to stay to protect them.
“I have somewhere to go.”
“Somewhere to go? Where would you even g…”
“Lohengreen’s dungeon.”
Raon stood up while exhaling softly.
Since the dungeon belonged to a magician who was skilled in both alchemy and elixir making, he might be able to find an elixir that could improve Rimmer’s condition.
“D-Dungeon?”
“Are you talking about that place that Raptor mentioned?”
“Yes.”
Raon nodded.
“It’s too dangerous! There are traps, barriers, and monsters everywhere in a magician’s dungeon!”
“That’s right. The visitors there must be extraordinary as well!”
Burren and Martha shoved their faces towards him at the same time.
“It’s okay.”
Raon smiled faintly while remembering the times he used to live as an assassin.
‘Traps and barriers, I can find them all.’
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