Raon trampled over the crushed door and entered the Central Martial Palace. His footsteps echoed in the night as he walked over the shattered pieces of the door.
“Get in position, everyone!”
“Get into the Severing Steads formation!”
“Protect the manor!”
“Stop them at all costs! We are the warriors of the Central Martial Palace!”
“Woaaah!”
They seemed to be trained for invasion, since they quickly moved into their respective positions and drew their swords, following their team leaders’ orders. Their polished pressure burst out at the same time as their extremely sharp aura blades.
“Pretty decent.”
Raon smiled while feeling the Severing Steads’ energy wave piercing into his skin. He figured they would be good training material for the Light Wind swordsmen.
“Raon Zieghart!”
“Stop right there!”
“The lowly Light Wind squad dares to intrude here!”
The Severing Steads swordsmen in their sword formation were giving him killing glares, but Raon’s steps didn’t stop. He pierced through their pressure and advanced.
“Attack him!”
It was when the Severing Steads swordsmen were trying to attack him at the same time…
Rumble!
The Light Wind squad poured out from behind Raon, crimson fighting spirit burning in their eyes.
“Grr!”
“Grrr!”
“Kieee!”
The Light Wind squad charged at the Severing Steads with growls that justified Raon’s order to ‘bite’. They looked like they were moving as they pleased at first glance, but they were actually following the Light Wind formation’s flow.
Cring!
They rotated counterclockwise to complete the Great Light Wind formation in no time and clashed against the Severing Steads head-on.
Slam!
The explosion created by powerful waves caused lights of different colors to soar into the sky.
“Hmm…”
Raon nodded while watching the Light Wind squad fight against the Severing Steads. Watching them fight equally against opponents slightly stronger than them made him feel like it was worth training them.
“Temporary squad leader! Go already!”
“Seize that punk, Burren!”
“I have so much training I want to make him go through!”
“Let’s make him spend a sleepless night on that mountain first. That was the worst one!”
While pushing the Severing Steads back, the Light Wind members shouted at Raon to drag Burren out so that they could force him to train instead of saving him. It almost sounded like Raon had never explained the situation to them.
‘You must’ve enjoyed it so much.’
Raon could only smile at witnessing the Light Wind squad’s companionship—they wanted their friend to share the same great experience they had. Raon figured that he should make the next training session 1.5 times more difficult and longer.
The Light Wind members would have fainted if they heard what Raon was murmuring, but he simply stared beyond the battlefield.
A blue-haired swordsman wasn’t trying to join the fight, instead running in the opposite direction.
‘Is he the messenger?’
He wasn’t running away. He must’ve been the messenger who was going to tell Gelmia about the situation, since he was the one leading the Central Martial Palace in Karoon’s absence.
‘Which means Gelmia must be in a place where it’s difficult to notice what’s going on.’
Judging from Judiel’s information and Tias’ testimony, Burren must’ve been locked up deep inside the Mansion of Wisdom, so that it would be difficult to find him through aura or sound.
If his presence couldn’t be felt from the outside, anyone inside couldn’t feel the presence from outside, either. Raon could conclude that Gelmia most likely was unaware of the incident.
‘I won’t let him go so easily.’
After all, it was better to have the perfect proof.
Raon controlled Glacier. He copied the way Rimmer used his wind and flicked his finger to shoot the frozen energy at the running blue-haired swordsman.
Tsssh!
The blue energy flashed like a ray of light and stuck on the blue-haired swordsman’s shoe and freezing his ankle.
“Gasp!”
The swordsman used his aura to try removing Glacier’s ice, but obviously, it didn’t disappear so easily.
Raon was about to walk towards him with a faint smile on his face…
“Stop!”
A middle-aged swordsman with a scar under his eye was charging towards him from the Severing Steads’ side.
‘This man…’
He remembered reading about the swordsman with a scar under his eye from Judiel’s book. He was Herron, the first team leader of the Severing Steads.
“You aren’t allowed to enter!”
Herron gritted his teeth and swung down his sword. Even though the sharp aura blade was charging towards him, he kept walking without hesitation.
Clang!
As the deadly blade was about to reach Raon’s forehead, a black shadow emerged from behind him and crushed Herron’s aura blade.
“Grr!”
Martha was there. She was so excited that gray steam was coming out of her mouth as she slashed towards Herron’s waist.
“You little lass!”
“Roar!”
Upon being called a little lass, Martha turned even more furious. Her blade, pointing to the sky, unleashed a strike powerful enough to make Herron panic.
“Kuh!”
Herron groaned and had to step back upon facing her sturdy and ferocious strike.
“Haap!”
Martha followed up and slashed at his shoulder. She seemed to have no intention of missing the opportunity she’d received.
“Ugh…”
Herron barely managed to block her sword, but his wrist was trembling from the pain. His expression suggested that he’d also received an internal injury.
‘Nice.’
Martha had excellent instincts. With Raon’s teachings on how to efficiently use the aura perception added to her instincts, she was able to pressure Herron, who was stronger than her.
“Martha, I weave it to you.”
Raon waved his hand and walked past Martha.
“I told you to stop talking like that! You bastard!”
Even though she’d only been growling like a beast, she ground her teeth and turned around. Raon was relieved that she hadn’t completely turned into a beast.
“Tsk!”
A swordswoman with sharp eyes that was commanding the formation on the left clicked her tongue and ran towards him.
Swoosh!
She closed the distance in an instant and thrust her rapier. The single blade multiplied into five towards the vitals all around Raon’s body.
‘Is it the third team leader’s turn now?’
Judging from her sharp aura blade and slim body, she must’ve been the Severing Steads’ third team leader, Kuran.
‘Her aura blade isn’t half bad.’
Once again, Raon’s steps didn’t falter. He walked in between the aura blades without even drawing his sword.
Whoosh!
As Kuran’s aura blade was about to pierce his body, a wall of frost emerged right in front of him.
Crack!
Runaan deleted all of Kuran’s aura blades with her silver wall, then fixed the grip on Snow Flower as she walked forward.
“I’ll handle this. Bring Burren.”
Runaan kicked the ground with her blank eyes showing her anger mysteriously.
“Argh! Go away!”
Kuran performed the extremely fast and sharp stabs consecutively, as if she were using a spear, but Runaan swung her sword to smoothly block all of her attacks as if she’d read through all of the trajectories.
Clang!
The dissonance kept resounding one after the other as the aura blade and frost clashed between Runaan and Kuran.
‘It was worth teaching her.’
Since Raon had nurtured Martha and Runaan’s strong points and erased their weaknesses, he could immediately see the results despite the short time they’d spent training. Although their opponents were stronger than them in terms of prowess alone, they were still overwhelming them in terms of fighting spirit.
Raon simply waved his hand towards the Light Wind members, then went to the blue-haired swordsman that had his leg frozen.
“Stop him, even if you have to grab his leg!”
“He won’t be able to kill us anyway!”
Since Herron and Kuran couldn’t move because of Martha and Runaan, they called on the Central Martial Palace’s guards, who were swallowing nervously.
“The team leaders are right!”
“He won’t be able to kill us!”
“L-Let’s go!”
“Stop him at all costs!”
“Stick to him, everyone!”
What the team leaders said gave them courage and they ran towards Raon with so much determination.
“That’s not wrong.”
Raon chuckled as he nodded. Since finding Burren was the compulsory execution’s purpose instead of destroying the Central Martial Palace, Raon couldn’t exactly kill them.
“However, that…”
Only applied if they were capable of coming close to him.
An intense heat was rising from his steps, crushing the land. The resonance between the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation and the Ring of Fire supporting it created a fearsome amount of pressure, covering the battlefield.
“Huh…”
“Kuh!”
“H-How am I even supposed to stop this monster…?”
Because of his energy wave, which was raging like a volcano, the swordsmen couldn’t even think about coming close to him. They were drenched in cold sweat in their places.
Raon simply smiled at the swordsmen who couldn’t move anymore and continued his way towards the Mansion of Wisdom.
‘I still can’t feel them.’
Even though he was near the building, he still couldn’t feel Burren or Gelmia’s energy.
‘So, it must be a secret room, after all.’
Since secret rooms with the purpose of completely erasing a person’s presence were usually created deep underground by using multiple devices, it took quite a long time to create one.
Raon figured that the site would serve as evidence without even needing Burren’s testimony.
“That works…”
As Raon was about to enter the Mansion of Wisdom, a black shadow appeared from the sky. Raon kicked the ground to slide to the side.
Thud!
A middle-aged red-haired man with a stern face made his appearance by collapsing the ground.
“How dare you intrude upon this place?”
His murderous intent could be felt from his angry voice.
“You must be Sir Goman.”
He was Goman Trock, one of Karoon’s guards. He must’ve stayed behind instead of following him onto the battlefield.
“I’ll give you one last chance! Leave immediately!”
His fearsome pressure was telling him he would never allow him to pass.
Clang!
Goman snapped his finger and the coldness binding the blue-haired swordsman’s ankle behind Raon shattered easily.
“Go!”
“Th-Thank you!”
The blue-haired swordsman couldn’t even afford to bow at him as he entered the Mansion of Wisdom.
‘His might is at a slightly higher level than mine.’
Goman seemed to be at the intermediate level of Master at least. Raon figured that he would be able to win against him, but taking too much time could give time for Gelmia to hide Burren.
“I’m sorry, but you aren’t my opponent.”
“What? You arrogant…”
“I leave him to you.”
Raon bowed while looking behind him instead of Goman.
Rumble!
The Central Martial Palace’s wall was violently torn apart, and the Gambling Monster made his appearance. His large body made Goman look small in comparison.
“G-Gambling Monster!”
“Gambling Monster? What insolence. Do you even have the right to call me by that name?”
“No, I mean…”
Goman swallowed nervously, oppressed by the Gambling Monster’s pressure.
“Since you are acting so arrogantly, you must’ve gotten better.”
The Gambling Monster grinned and slashed down with his sword.
“Kuh!”
Goman quickly drew his sword to counterattack, but he was gradually pushed back by the Gambling Monster’s strength.
“Wow, you are so famous. I’m jealous.”
The Gambling Monster briskly turned his head and scowled intensely.
“Don’t worry, I’m leaving.”
Raon smiled faintly and entered the Mansion of Wisdom.
“I needed to give some time for my guide to go.”
* * *
* * *
“Kuh…”
Burren lowered his chin while panting in exhaustion.
“Wow!”
Olan exclaimed while looking down on Burren.
“Your willpower is stronger than I thought. I should’ve expected nothing less from Zieghart’s bloodline.”
He clapped his hands in admiration.
“Shut up!”
Burren raised his head and ground his teeth.
“I’ll never surrender to someone like you!”
“Surrender…”
Olan chuckled and swirled his finger.
“Do you remember what I told you at the start, by any chance?”
“What?”
“I told you that my brainwashing method was slightly different from the others, that it isn’t a powerful brainwashing that is applied all at once.”
“Why are you talking about that now…?”
“My brainwashing has already been applied to Sir Burren. It naturally seeped into your brain just like the straw that broke the camel's back.”
“Wh-What?!”
Burren swallowed nervously. He couldn’t understand how he would’ve been brainwashed when he hadn’t answered Olan’s question so far.
“The questions are meaningless. My voice, choice of words, and gestures. All of that was the preparation needed to engrave exhaustion and pain into Sir Burren’s brain.”
“Ah…”
Burren realized that Olan had never allowed him to close his eyes and ears. He kept asking questions and blabbering about various things even though he’d never answered him.
“I just need one hour of finishing touches to complete the base of the brainwashing. It will look like nothing has changed on the outside, but there’s going to be a storm inside your brain, Sir Burren.”
Olan’s voice was full of conviction. He smiled gently before quietly stepping back.
“I’d like to complete the process right now, but there’s someone who would like to see you before that.”
The secret room’s door opened as he spoke and Gelmia Zieghart entered.
“Gelmia!”
“Aren’t you even going to call me brother? How sad.”
Gelmia smiled and walked up to him.
Olan bowed to him, then set a chair in front of Gelmia.
“Good job.”
Gelmia waved his hand at Olan and sat in front of Burren.
“I don’t want to do this to my real brother, either. So how is it? Did you change your mind?”
“About what?”
“I’m asking whether you are ready to help me get rid of Raon Zieghart.”
“Bullshit.”
Burren slanted his head and snorted.
“My answer won’t change. I’d rather die than betray my companion!”
“I knew it.”
Gelmia chuckled and leaned his back in the chair.
“Were you aware? Everyone in this house has been doing the nasty things that you are thinking about right now.”
“Wh-What do you mean…?”
“The heads of this house have been stabbing their companions in the back, beheading their brothers, and selling out their subordinates in order to reach a higher position.”
He stretched his arms to the side and smiled coldly.
“Do you think that only happens here? The Six King and the Five Demons, and all of the large forces that come close to them, have developed like that. They’ve always trampled on those ahead of them or those who are a hindrance to them.”
“I’m perfectly aware of that! But we belong to the same house! This method…”
“This is how everyone has been doing it. Me, our father that you respect so much, and even the head of house. All of us stabbed our family or relatives in the back to reach a higher position.”
A frightening glow appeared in Gelmia’s eyes.
“Zieghart… This huge land is a castle build on all that bloodshed.”
“Ugh…”
Burren was unable to respond, his lips trembling.
“You don’t have a moniker yet, right?”
Gelmia smiled while placing his hands on his knees with fingers clasped together. He looked like he was trying to change the heavy atmosphere.
“Why are you asking that…?”
“I heard Raon Zieghart has had a moniker since he was fifteen. He was called Habun Castle’s guardian angel or Young Sword Demon, and he even received the cool moniker Frostfire Sword of Valor recently. But how are you doing in comparison?”
He sneered and looked down on Burren.
“You are just the Light Wind squad’s team leader, lacking any sort of moniker. A random swordsman who follows Raon Zieghart. That’s how the world sees you.”
“……”
“Raon Zieghart will be in front of you for the rest of your life. Wherever you go, people will be calling Raon’s name instead of you, Burren.”
“I…”
Burren bit his lip tightly. His eyes were trembling violently.
“Are you confident that you still won’t be jealous of him when that happens? Can you really rejoice in your companion’s success without jealousy?”
Gelmia’s voice slowed down and resounded in his heart. It felt like it was pounding his heart with a fist.
“Haa…”
Burren sighed deeply and closed his eyes before opening them again. His eyes had regained his composure in that short interval.
“What…?”
Gelmia swallowed nervously upon facing Burren’s eyes, which looked completely immobile.
“I was jealous of him when I was twelve years old. I thought he was an irritating bastard who had nothing but talent.”
He thought he was a bastard who had an easy life with his talent, but that wasn’t the case at all.
‘He is talented for sure, but he makes a lot more effort than that.’
Burren realized that upon seeing the worn out shoes in Raon’s locker. His efforts far surpassed his talent.
His tenacity to keep swinging his sword without sleeping or eating if there was something he needed to achieve was worse than anyone else’s.
‘How can I be jealous of someone like him?’
Despite the fact that he worked harder than anyone else, he also tried his best to make his companions stronger. Being jealous of him when he taught him how to get stronger on top of saving his life would be exposing his ugly side for the entire world to see.
Burren grinned while looking into Gelmia’s trembling eyes.
“Be honest. You aren’t doing this because you are worried about me, but because you are afraid of him. You must’ve figured out that Raon will soon catch up to you. No, wait. He’s probably already caught up to you.”
“You…”
“You are the one who’s jealous here. Did you believe that you would look less ugly if you used me as an excuse? How pathetic.”
“Shut up!”
Gelmia frowned for the first time as he shouted.
“Olan!”
He kicked his chair to stand up and called Olan.
“Start it right now!”
“Understood.”
Olan’s faint smile implied that he knew that was going to happen.
“Haa…”
Gelmia exhaled deeply to try to calm his anger, leaning his back against the wall.
“What a shame, since Sir Burren is also extremely talented. You should be able to catch up to me in a few years…”
“What kind of nonsense are you spouting? I can already defeat someone like you in my current state.”
Burren snorted and lowered his eyebrows.
“I like your confidence.”
“Confidence? It’s true. I’ve watched Raon defeat someone stronger than him countless times as I stayed behind him.”
“I see.”
Olan gently brushed it off, but his voice became sharper. He sounded irritated for the first time.
‘If everything goes well…’
Burren figured that he might be able to provoke them and gain an opportunity to escape.
“Try fighting me if you can’t believe me.”
As he was trying to provoke Olan, slamming sounds could be heard from outside multiple times.
‘Did this room have multiple layers?’
Considering the sounds, the secret room must’ve had more than one layer. They must’ve been really crazy to make something like that.
The sound of opening doors could be heard multiple times before someone violently opened the metallic door in the secret room.
“S-Squad leader!”
The blue-haired swordsman bowed to him with trembling eyes after opening the door.
“What’s the matter? Leave it for later if it’s not an emergenc…”
“Th-The Light Wind squad is attacking us!”
“What?”
“Huh?”
Gelmia and Olan’s jaws dropped as they looked at the swordsman.
“The Light Wind squad?”
“Why would the Light Wind squad attack us?”
The response came from the ceiling instead of the blue-haired swordsman.
Slam!
With the thunderous noise of a collapsing mountain, the ceiling caved in at once.
Whoosh!
Fearsome red eyes were shining from the rising black dust.
“Who are you?”
Gelmia spread his pressure while holding his sword, but the red-eyed man simply looked at Burren instead of responding to him.
“Are you a princess or something? Why are you getting locked up underground all the time?”
“You…”
Burren’s chin trembled as he recognized his voice.
“Raon!”
The moment he called his name, dust soared toward the sky and Raon’s appearance was revealed. With fluttering blond hair and glowing red eyes, the way his chin was slightly raised made him look arrogant, but it also perfectly matched him.
“Let’s go back.”
Raon smiled coldly while holding Heavenly Drive’s hilt.
“To the rabid dogs—I mean, the Light Wind squad, who are eagerly awaiting your return.”
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