Rumble!
The enormous wave of astral energy melted down and Garon’s appearance was revealed from where he had been hiding behind it. He was coughing up blood, his chest caved in as if he had been hit by a hammer. It was a miracle that came from the harmony between the Supreme Harmony Steps and the Flame Dragon Art.
However, Garon wasn’t the only one who had suffered damage.
“Cough!”
Raon was also coughing up blood while leaning forward. It was a severe internal injury. It would’ve been strange if he was fine after slashing through astral energy of that intensity.
“Kuh!”
Garon stepped back while grasping his chest. His eyes were wavering violently, as if he were in an earthquake.
“Where are you going?”
Raon swallowed the blood welling up in his throat and kicked the ground. While Garon withdrew, Raon advanced.
His head felt dizzy from his insides being completely messed up, but he endured and kept using the Supreme Harmony Steps.
“Kuaah! Get away! I’m telling you to get away!”
Garon screamed, using the Sword of Halting Rain again and again. Although he looked like he was thrashing around, his sword still contained astral energy, and his trajectory was precise.
‘That’s why.’
‘I can dodge it.’
The resonating six rings had perfectly analyzed the principles of the Sword of Halting Rain.
Thud!
Raon bent his knees to dodge the strike, curving towards him like a rake before using the Supreme Harmony’s second step. His vision narrowed down and he could see Garon’s panicked expression. Raon surrounded his wrist with the principles of speed and thrust with the Flame Spirit.
Whir!
The crimson flower petals decorating the space were flowers that bloomed at the end of the spring, when summer was nigh. The rotation of radiantly fluttering pieces of flame was barely visible as they enclosed Garon's body.
“Ack!”
Garon tried to explode the astral energy that he had gathered, but it was already too late. The crimson flower petals were already right next to him.
“W-Wait!”
“There’s no waiting during a fight.”
Raon laughed, and the Flame Spirit’s flower petals reached Garon at the same moment, exploding.
“Kuaaah!”
Engulfed by the storm of raging fire, Garon screamed and fell to his knees.
“Kuh!”
Raon coughed up blood once again. He clenched his fist, enduring the pain that was tearing apart his stomach.
“H-How…?”
Garon barely managed to muster enough aura to extinguish the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation’s fire and asked with trembling lips.
“How can you fight in that state?”
Focus had disappeared from his eyes in his awe. He apparently couldn’t believe that Raon was still moving despite being even more heavily injured than himself.
“It’s because you’ve never fought against someone stronger than you.”
Raon smiled, wiping away the blood that was flowing from his mouth.
“You kept trying to run away, didn’t you?”
Garon fiercely attacked when he was in an advantage, but he withdrew whenever it was even, or he couldn’t understand the situation. The reason he lost was because of his fear. It was a problem that stemmed from the fact that he had never experienced a fight of life and death against a stronger opponent.
“You can reach a high level by training alone or winning against those weaker than you. However, you can’t become a strong person.”
“Ah…”
“If you only want to fight winning matches, then you should stay in the True Martial Palace and hang around with your subordinates—and no one else!”
Raon clenched his fist to smack Garon’s chin.
Smaack!
Garon couldn’t even defend properly, his body rolling on the ground.
“Kuha…”
Raon walked up to him while controlling the Ring of Fire.
“You didn’t expect to be rolling on the ground right now, did you? That’s why the world is interesting.”
“Uhh…”
Garon couldn’t close his mouth because his jaw had been dislocated. He stepped back once again, blood flowing from the empty space his front teeth used to fill.
“St-Stop! I los… Huff!”
Raon covered Garon’s mouth with his scabbard.
“Just like your younger brother. You act exactly like him.”
“Kuh…”
“My guys had to suffer for three months because of you. You have to take responsibility for it.”
He smacked Garon’s chin in the opposite direction to stop him from talking.
Smaack!
Garon was shoved to the ground at the edge of the arena.
“But the vice-squad leader is the one who beat us up, not him.”
“We really got beaten up so hard that I thought I’d die. I don’t even know at this point why he had to beat us up.”
“I did get stronger, but I feel like it wasn’t worth it.”
“Should he really be doing that?”
Raon decided to ignore the questioning voices from the Light Wind.
“Kuh!”
Garon couldn’t speak because his mouth was full of blood, so he tried to extend his hand to the ground in order to lose by touching the ground outside the arena.
“Where are you trying to go?”
Raon grabbed Garon by his ankle and threw him to the other side of the arena.
“Kuah!”
“We can’t let this end here, since we are only getting started.”
He smiled at Garon, who was coughing up blood.
“Don’t worry, I’m not going to kill you.”
Raon smiled coldly while raising his clenched fist.
Nice! If someone picks a fight with you, you gotta first win the fight, then thoroughly trample them so they can never challenge you ever again. I’m finally starting to like you.
Wrath nodded with a grin on his face.
Do you want to try running for Demon King?
‘Shut up!’
* * *
The entire great training ground was covered in heavy silence after Raon started beating Garon up with his fist.
Slam!
Once Garon finally fainted and fell to the ground after getting beaten up like a sandbag, the spectators started to open their mouths one by one.
“Huh…”
“H-He won. Raon won!”
“I can’t believe Sir Garon lost so miserably…”
“A-Am I dreaming right now?”
Since the spectators had been expecting Raon’s defeat and Garon’s victory until just a moment ago, their jaws dropped upon facing the ridiculous outcome.
“Has any Expert managed to defeat a Master in history?”
“There’s one over there. It happened three months ago.”
“Wh-Which means, the story about him defeating the seventh apostle was…”
“True.”
“A seventeen-year-old Expert who defeated two Masters.”
“Once can be a coincidence, but twice means it was his skills.”
“This is going to go down in Zieghart’s history—rather, the continent’s history.”
The spectators filling the great training ground couldn’t take their eyes off Raon as they swallowed nervously.
“I’m the winner, as I managed to witness this duel! I’m glad I took a day off!”
“I agree. I lost so much money, but I don’t regret it at all.”
“Me, too! I bet my entire salary for the month, but I’m just laughing right now.”
“You are laughing because you are sad.”
“That's a real light wind right there.”
An unforeseen occurrence was bound to excite the crowd. The spectators sent a round of applause to Raon with a smile, despite having lost their money.
They rejoiced at the appearance of an unprecedented genius in the house, which was a natural reaction from warriors that pursued strength.
“Woaah!”
“Raon! Raon! Raon!”
“Light Wind! Light Wind!”
“I’ll be looking forward to your activities in the future!”
The large number of swordsmen in the great training ground cheered for Raon and the Light Wind.
However, there were people who were showing an opposite reaction.
“Tsk.”
“That idiot…”
“He should’ve ended him right there.”
“How could he lose to such a shabby technique? It’s a disgrace to call him a Master.”
The members of the direct line and the collaterals following them couldn’t accept the turnabout and ground their teeth. Raon’s imposing appearance was reflected in their angry eyes.
* * *
* * *
Crack!
The throne’s armrest was crushed like scrap metal. He had accidentally put too much strength in his hand, crumpling it like a piece of paper.
His red eyes that always looked bored, as if he had lost all emotion, were clearly trembling now.
“Huh!”
Glenn’s back pulled away from the throne as he exclaimed.
‘He actually managed to realize the Supreme Harmony Steps’ true meaning in that short period of time…’
The Supreme Harmony Steps was not a mere footwork. It was a technique that could amplify the swordsmanship’s properties with footwork.
He thought it would take Raon a year at the very least to realize that, but he actually did it in less than four months. Since he was the one who personally taught him, he could only gasp at the impossible outcome.
‘It’s not just about the Supreme Harmony Steps. This is…’
His temperament as a human being. The result was created by Raon’s personality, as one who doesn’t run away from a crisis and advances instead. No one would believe that a seventeen-year-old swordsman was capable of fearlessly advancing in front of astral energy unless they saw him.
“Seriously.”
Glenn’s eyes softened. He was truly happy that such a brave young man was his grandson.
“…He really doesn’t move according to my predictions.”
The Heavenly Blade leader’s voice was trembling slightly. He’d been with her for a long time, but it had been a long time since the last time she had such a flustered voice.
“I’ve never seen a child like that before.”
“Yes.”
Glenn nodded, without realizing that he was smiling.
“He also exceeded my expectations.”
Raon was an unpredictable troublemaker for him, as well. In a good way, of course.
“By the way, it’s my first time seeing my lord smiling while looking at his grandson.”
“Hmph!”
Glenn immediately raised his hand to force the corners of his lips back down.
“He wasn’t like that three months ago. I don’t understand what could’ve even happened in the meantime.”
Sheryl narrowed her narrow eyes even more.
“I’m also surprised. I thought it would take him at least a year to harmonize the Supreme Harmony Steps with his swordsmanship.”
Glenn nodded. He had calculated a year by taking into account Raon’s talent, so doing it in three months was completely unexpected.
“He also trained the other children in the meantime.”
Raon wasn’t the only one to get stronger, but he achieved his enormous growth while making the Light Wind members stronger. Amazing wasn’t enough to describe his achievements.
“Garon hadn’t been careless after Raon punched him in the beginning.”
Sheryl licked her lips while looking at Raon, who managed to make Garon faint.
“An Expert won in an all-out fight against a Master. He’s really rewriting history.”
“Yes.”
The corners of Glenn’s mouth rose slightly once again. Many people didn’t believe that Raon had defeated the seventh apostle, but the duel was going to completely remove their doubts. He was proud of Raon for making it into an irrefutable fact.
“I can finally understand why he kept talking about Raon every single time I saw him.”
“I hit the jackpot! I’m rich now!”
Sheryl pointed at Rimmer, who was shouting from the Light Wind’s side with his hands raised.
“I’m rich! Worship the great me!”
He was causing a scene with his gambling slips in his hand.
“Ahem. Despite how he acts, he does have sharp eyes for people.”
Glenn cleared his throat and leaned back against the throne.
“I don’t know about the qualities of a king, but his talents are certainly extraordinary. His unyielding spirit is what I like the most about him.”
Sheryl’s eyes reflected the favorable impression she had begun to make about Raon. Apparently, she was finally starting to acknowledge him.
“He will become even stronger in the future.”
“That’s a given, since he destroyed the wall.”
“D-Did you just say he destroyed the wall?”
“Yes. Raon didn’t surpass the wall between Master and Expert. Instead, he destroyed it.”
“But he is still…”
“That’s right. He is still not a Master.”
Glenn nodded slowly.
“Most people enter a trance upon reaching Master. The martial arts they’ve been accumulating for a long time become their enlightenment that allows them to naturally surpass the wall.”
“Indeed.”
Sheryl nodded. The first time she entered the trance was when she became a Master as well.
“However, he is different.”
Glenn pointed at Raon, who was looking up in the air.
“He organized and established the martial arts he has learned so far during this spar to destroy the wall itself. He understands exactly what he did, and what level he has reached.”
“Which means, in the future as well…”
“He will be able to keep climbing even after he becomes a Master, with no period of stagnation.”
When a warrior became a Master and awakened from their trance, they often suffered from a decrease in their skills. They usually regained their prowess by awakening themselves through much training and meditation, but Glenn was saying that Raon wouldn’t have that period of stagnation.
“His natural talent… No, he is both hardworking and talented, with luck on top of it.”
“There is barely anyone like him.”
Glenn smiled faintly while supporting his chin on his hand.
“He just needs a small opportunity now to reach beyond the destroyed wall.”
“Then, what about making him enter the Room of Ego? He should easily be able to achieve the beginner level of Master—even the apprentice level of Master.”
Sheryl suggested a way to make Raon stronger.
“One can enter the Room of Ego only once in their lifetime. It would be a waste to go there right now.”
Glenn slowly shook his head.
“What height do you think he would be able to reach?”
“I’m…”
Sheryn narrowed her eyes. She couldn’t predict his future since he was already at the precipice Master level at seventeen years of age. She felt like she was looking up at a mountain where the fog was preventing her from seeing the summit.
“Not sure. At the very least, I think he will surpass me before he reaches forty.”
“Since he won’t have any periods of stagnation, it will take him an even shorter amount of time.”
“Hmm…”
She nodded. She wanted to deny it, but she had the feeling he was right after witnessing such an outrageous battle.
“We shall pick up the tab now.”
Glenn softly raised his hand.
“Which tab…?”
“We made a bet about this duel’s outcome, didn’t we?”
“Ah!”
Sheryl swallowed nervously. She did bet against Glenn about who was going to be the winner of that duel. Just like the Golden Crest, who lost, she had completely lost the bet.
“Then, I’ll tell you what I want.”
Glenn’s mouth slowly opened while watching Raon throw away Garon.
“That boy…”
* * *
“Th-The match is over! Light Wind emerges victorious from the group duel at thirty-five to zero!”
The host’s trembling voice announced the end of the spar that felt long and short at the same time.
“Woaaah!”
“It’s finally over!”
“We don’t need to get beaten up anymore! We won’t get beaten up!”
“We won’t face that demon ever again!”
“Shiiiit!”
The Light Wind members shouted that they wouldn’t be beaten up anymore while wiping away their tears. They were rejoicing over the fact that they wouldn't need to fight Raon, rather than the victory against Golden Crest.
However, the happiest person was somebody else.
“I’m rich!”
Rimmer’s hand trembled, holding the gambling slip.
“Ehehehe! I’m rich now!”
Since he was the only person who bet on a landslide victory, with no defeat for Light Wind, the odds were unimaginable. His eyes were raging with madness.
“Woah, this is a mess…”
He stared at Raon, as he couldn’t keep the rampaging Light Wind under control.
“Silence, everyone.”
“Huff!”
“Umm.”
One word from Raon was enough to make every single member of Light Wind shut their mouths. The entertaining part was the fact that even Rimmer fell silent.
“S-Since you won, Sir, it’s time for you to announce your victory condition to the Golden Crest.”
The host, who used to address him casually, was now speaking to him with respect in his voice.
“Alright.”
Raon stood at the center of the arena and looked up to the platform.
“What Light Wind wants from the Golden Crest…”
He stopped for a moment, and every eye in the great training ground was focused on him. Admiration, praise, surprise, hatred, jealousy. While enjoying the countless emotions in their gazes, Raon continued.
“Is their dissolution.”
As soon as he finished speaking, the great training ground fell silent once again.
“Wh-What did he just say…?”
“Dissolution? Seriously?”
“I heard him too. He said dissolution…”
“I-Isn’t he blatantly picking a fight against the True Martial Palace at this point?”
“Oh my god…”
Everyone’s eyes widened, as they didn’t expect him to really disband the Golden Crest.
“Raon Zieghart!”
The True Martial Palace master, Balder, stood up—destroying his chair in the process—despite having remained silent. Fierce energy oppressed Raon’s body, incomparable to Garon’s.
“Did you just say you are going to disband the Golden Crest?”
“I did.”
“Are you insane? How can you say that if that is not the case?”
“I’m pretty sure I’m allowed to.”
Blood flowed from Raon’s lips. Balder’s enormous pressure opened up the internal injury that he had temporarily suppressed. Although it was extremely painful, he endured it by biting the inside of his cheek.
“The Golden Crest leader said he would accept any request from our side. That means there’s no reason I can’t make them disband.”
“Even then, the dissolution of a squad isn’t a matter that someone like you can…”
“He can.”
A low voice interrupted Balder’s speech from the highest platform. It was Sheryl, the Heavenly Blade division leader. She nodded while looking at Balder and Raon.
“I’m telling you as the notary. He absolutely can ask for the dissolution of the Golden Crest.”
“Heavenly Blade leader!”
“Why are you calling out to me, True Martial Palace master?”
“This is unreasonable! Who would even think about requesting to dissolve a squad for a small bet like this?”
“That one right there thought about it.”
Sheryl calmly raised her hand to point at Raon.
“Golden Crest requested the duel first, and they were the ones who told him to decide on any condition. What is the problem here?”
“Th-The establishment and dissolution of a squad needs the permission from the head of house…”
“The head of house has already allowed it.”
She took a glance at Glenn behind him and nodded.
“True Martial Palace master, if you think there was a problem in the conditions, you should’ve changed them before the match started. Blabbering after it’s all over is just showing how much of a loser you are.”
“Heavenly Blade division leader…”
Balder’s enormous energy wave stormed at the Heavenly Blade leader, but she remained there with her arms crossed, smiling as if she were laughing at him.
“It looks like you have many complaints. If that’s the case, you should’ve won.”
Raon interfered between them with a smile. The Light Wind was the protagonist of the day. He couldn’t allow others to attract the people’s attention.
“You bastard, it’s all because of you…”
“It’s not because of me. It’s because of your sons, palace master. All I did was accept today’s spar.”
He tapped his scabbard as he continued.
“Why didn’t you teach them manners and how to judge people before teaching them swordsmanship?”
“Are you trying to take it to the bitter end?”
“That’s why I’m here.”
“Huff…”
“However.”
Balder’s eyes turned red in rage, and Raon raised his finger before he exploded.
“Since I’ll look cruel if dissolution is your only option, I’ll give you another choice.”
“Another choice?”
“Yes. The Golden Crest shall give eighty percent of their profits and rewards from their activities to Light Wind for the next four years.”
“E-Eighty percent of profits…”
“I’m sure that’s a pretty good condition in comparison to their dissolution.”
“Four years are too much!”
“I only added one year, since the Golden Crest was trying to suspend our activities for three years.”
“Kuh…”
Since the Golden Crest was the one that started the incident, Balder had to bite his lips, unable to respond.
“Shouldn’t he accept that condition without any complaints?”
“It’s way better than dissolution. If they were to disband their squad after a humiliation like this, it will take at least ten years to reestablish it.”
“That’s right. It’s a pretty long time period, and lots of money, but it’s better than dissolution.”
“He’s letting them live at least. What a nice guy.”
The spectators nodded, while saying that Balder should accept that condition without any complaints.
Raon smiled as he listened to their reactions.
‘Of course they would say that.’
Eighty percent for four years was pretty much turning them into slaves, but they believed that his condition was reasonable because it was far more generous than the dissolution he asked for in the beginning.
“Any chance the duration and percentage could be changed?”
“No. You can just pick the dissolution if you don’t want it.”
“R-Rimmer!”
Raon adamantly shook his head, and Balder turned his face to look at Rimmer.
“Is this how you are going to act until the end? You are the ones who will suffer from being on bad terms with us!”
“Hmm, that’s actually true…”
Rimmer licked his lips, because Balder’s words were convincing.
“We will use half of the money from Golden Crest as public funds, and share the rest with everyone in the squa…”
“Raon! Let’s make it ten years instead of four and get all of their money! Let’s do that, alright? We don’t need to go easy on them!”
As soon as Raon mentioned they would share the money, Rimmer stopped even looking at Balder and fervently asked to increase the ratio. The scariest part was that he was completely serious.
“You heard him.”
Raon confidently walked towards Balder.
“Kuh…”
“Choose now, please. You can either disband or give us the money.”
He raised two of his fingers and smiled.
It was necessary to show everyone the unfiltered truth.
They would be ruined if they offended him—or, rather, the Light Wind.
