This is unbearable! There’s no food, and stats are always taken away! This is not how life should be!
‘Please stay quiet.’
Raon pushed Wrath away as he kept wailing and checked the rewards he got from absorbing Loctar’s soul.
[All stats have increased by 10.]
[Glacier’s proficiency has increased drastically.]
[Water Affinity’s rank has increased.]
[Water Resistance’s rank has increased.]
[The Blizzard Sword Art has been carved into your memory.]
Raon’s jaw dropped as soon as he read the messages. The rewards were even better than the ones he got from winning the bet against Wrath.
‘All stats have increased by 10 once again.’
It felt like his hair was standing on end from the exhilaration of gaining ten additional stat points.
‘I need to get used to them again.’
Because he’d received twenty points total in all stats, and his strength and agility had further increased by three, he needed some time to practice and get used to the changes in his body.
Whir.
Raon gathered the coldness from his energy center while looking at the message about Glacier’s increased proficiency. The blue coldness, which had become even thicker than before, created a small storm on his hand.
‘It looks like it’s gotten even denser than before.’
He could sense that the coldness had become far stronger than before he put on the helmet.
Damn it…
Wrath frowned, and that was enough to confirm that his coldness had reached one stage higher than before.
Psh!
Raon removed the coldness from his hand and smiled faintly.
‘This is going to be slightly unbalanced.’
He’d been purposefully maintaining the balance between the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation and Glacier, but the amount and proficiency of his coldness had surpassed the heat from absorbing Loctar’s soul.
Since Water Affinity and Water Resistance’s ranks had also increased, the difference must’ve grown even further.
Raon figured it was necessary to examine his coldness while checking on the changes in his physical abilities.
‘And…’
Raon closed his eyes and thought about the swordsmanship that appeared in his head a moment ago. It was a peculiar swordsmanship that was as cold as the wind in the northern ocean, with decisive moves meant to cut off an opponent’s attacks.
‘It’s called the Blizzard Sword Art.’
He couldn’t really say that he had mastered the technique, but he could clearly remember the forms and the principles of it.
‘Not bad.’
‘No, this swordsmanship is rather excellent.’
The Blizzard Sword Art was a severing sword capable of cutting off an opponent’s swordsmanship. Since it was completely different from the techniques he’d learned before, he wanted to try it out as soon as possible.
Stats, water attribute enhancements, and a swordsmanship technique were all excellent rewards, but they weren’t the most important part.
‘My martial art’s realm has increased.’
Either because he fought against Loctar—who was an excellent warrior—or because his soul had been absorbed, the wall that used to block him off was completely destroyed, and Raon had reached the intermediate level of Master.
‘I should be able to put up a good fight against him now.’
He figured he should’ve been able to fight equally with—or even defeat—Unfaceable Snake, who was at the advanced level of Master.
‘This is a nice gift that he gave me.’
Raon smiled while caressing the blue dragon helmet. Despite the unstable emotions that he’d shown in the end, Loctar gave him many abilities before he perished.
‘I can’t exactly say that I’ll be returning the favor, but I’ll send your master off as painlessly as possible.’
Even though Merlin had her own circumstances, she couldn’t simply be forgiven. She had to pay for her sins. Raon decided to send her off painlessly when the time came for him to kill her.
‘Then let’s remember…’
Kuah!
Just as Raon was trying to think about Loctar’s memories and the Blizzard Sword Art, he could hear Wrath’s groan.
You damn mosquito!
‘What's the matter now?’
Because you are sucking away at the King of Essence’s stats and traits like a summer mosquito!
‘You are on about that again.’
Raon snickered.
Even if you live as long as an average human, there will be nothing but bones left in the King of Essence’s main body!
His shoulders were trembling in fear at the thought of such a scenario happening.
‘You brought it upon yourself.’
He wouldn’t have lost the rewards for the bet if he didn’t try to attack Raon to take over his body. Everything was Wrath’s fault.
Damn it…
Since Wrath was also aware of that fact, he buried his face in his plump arms and started to sob.
“Hmm…”
Raon licked his lips while looking at the back of Wrath’s round head.
‘He feels kinda pitiful, since he’s the demon king, after all.’
The crouching cotton candy looked slightly pitiful, probably because he’d witnessed Wrath’s main body, which was elegant and mighty at the same time,
‘Alright, I’m taking back what I said about the Nadine bread.’
As soon as he said that, Wrath suddenly stopped sobbing. He slowly raised his head. He narrowed his eyes and rolled his round eyeballs.
A-Are you serious?
‘Yes.’
Haa! What a relief! Nadine bread is even worse than losing a hundred stats!
Wrath breathed out a sigh of relief.
Even though you are such a fiend, you still have some conscience left in you.
‘However.’
Raon shook his head while tapping on Wrath, who was smiling happily.
‘You won’t get any mint chocolate in the future.’
Wh-What do you mean by that?!
‘I’m not going to eat mint chocolate anymore.’
Why?!
‘I don’t like it.’
How come you don’t understand the happiness of the cool and sweet flavor filling your mouth at the same time?
‘Is he trying to describe mint chocolate? I’ve never tasted something like that before.’
The King of Essence pities you for being unable to realize mint chocolate’s greatness!
‘I don’t care about it, and it’s your turn to choose. Are you going to eat normal meals instead of Nadine bread? Or are you going to accept Nadine bread and get mint chocolate as well?’
Raon shrugged, showing that he didn’t care whatever he decided to choose.
E-Even a devil wouldn’t offer choices like those!
Wrath’s eyes trembled like a sailboat on a turbulent ocean.
That’s as bad as asking someone to choose between their mother and father! You unfilial bastard!
‘Did you just call me unfilial despite being a demon…?’
Raon shook his head.
Wrath was the real lunatic, no matter how he thought about it.
* * *
* * *
Raon raised himself up upon noticing the moonlight seeping in through the window. Since it was night in the log cabin, the sun must’ve already risen in the real world.
‘Let’s see…’
Merlin was lying on the bed, and Raon placed his hand on her shoulder to examine her condition.
‘She won’t be able to wake up for a long time.’
She’d ruined her body from using her mana excessively without a proper rest. Raon figured she wouldn’t be able to wake up for two days at least.
‘It should be fine to go outside now.’
Since he’d spent more than half a day inside the room recalling Loctar’s memories and the Blizzard Sword Art, he figured no one would find it strange if he left the room.
Raon stared at Merlin’s quiet breathing for a moment before he left the room.
Eden’s demons, who he crossed on the corridor, bowed as politely to him as if they were facing Merlin herself. He was completely accepted as one of Eden's members.
‘Loctar would’ve ignored them.’
Since Loctar was a proud knight, he would’ve ignored the demons’ greetings.
Raon ignored them and left the building. He went to the edge of the barrier where he used to spar against Unfaceable Snake and warmed himself up.
‘I’ve certainly changed.’
Thanks to the large increase in stats, his body could move faster and more powerfully than before.
‘Getting stronger isn’t always better though.’
The drastic increase in speed and power wouldn’t matter if he faced an opponent weaker than himself, but if he was dealing with someone stronger than him, the important part was to have perfect control of his body.
It was necessary to completely understand the limits of his physical abilities and be ready for any kind of fight.
Raon unsheathed Heavenly Drive. Instead of the usual swordsmanship that he practiced, he tried using the Blizzard Sword Art that he’d learned.
Whoosh!
He performed the first technique while using Glacier, and the cold wind emerging from the wind drew a silver line in the air.
The steady and cold energy dwelling in the strike looked firm enough to deflect any attack from an opponent.
Cring!
The second technique was a rising strike from bottom to top, and the tight fit of the aura in a fast strike created an unbreakable tendency—like a shield.
Raon tried out all of the Blizzard Sword Art’s techniques before he lowered his sword.
‘This is the severing sword.’
The severing sword was specialized in cutting flows. It had the frightening characteristic of cutting off the opponent’s flow of martial arts to follow up with a critical counterattack.
Since Raon was capable of analyzing an opponent with the Ring of Fire, the severing sword was as efficient as the Fangs of Insanity for him.
’I should be able to create something interesting by combining the Blizzard Sword Art and the Fangs of Insanity.’
The Fangs of Insanity was capable of creating an opening from the opponent, and the Blizzard Sword Art was capable of cutting off an opponent’s flow. Raon had the feeling that combining the two principles would result in an extraordinary technique.
Raon identified the changes in his body by performing the Blizzard Sword Art techniques one after the other, carving the technique in his body before he turned around.
“How long are you planning to keep watching?”
He narrowed his eyes while looking up to the empty roof.
“It’s inappropriate to watch a knight’s training without permission.”
“I’m not interested in your swordsmanship. I’ve been just observing you to prevent you from escaping.”
A portion of the roof turned blurry and Unfaceable Snake appeared. He shook his hand with a slightly enervated voice.
“I have no intention of leaving while the princess is here.”
“Princess, huh…?”
The Unfaceable Snake snickered while meeting Raon’s eyes under the dragon helmet.
“She was really a princess, I guess. Though, she hasn’t been called one for hundreds of years.”
“Are you mocking her?”
Raon frowned at Unfaceable Snake. He glared at him, pretending that he was getting angry.
“No, I was simply stating the truth.”
Unfaceable Snake shrugged casually.
“If you have nothing else to do, how about having a spar with me?”
“A spar?”
“Yes. It’s been difficult to get used to this body. Having a proper fight should allow me to adapt faster.”
Raon tapped his scabbard with a slightly agitated tone to his voice.
‘I wonder what he’s going to say.’
Unfaceable Snake was the only person in Eden that conversed with him other than Merlin. If he fell to his deception, it meant that he didn’t have to worry about being found out.
“……”
Unfaceable Snake stared at Raon instead of responding.
“I don’t really feel like it. You should look for another opponent.”
He shook his head after a moment of silence. His voice sounded slightly irritated.
‘It worked.’
Raon bit inside his cheek. Unfaceable Snake’s attitude was clearly different from the day before. He was treating him as Loctar instead of Raon.
“In that case, I have another question.”
“What is it?”
“Where’s the treasury to get a new weapon and armor? Those swords aren’t exactly compatible with me.”
Raon pointed at Heavenly Drive and the Blade of Requiem.
“It’s inside. It’s right next to the room where you did the Soul Offering Ceremony.”
Unfaceable Snake shook his head to tell him to leave already before he laid on the roof.
“Thank you.”
Raon slowly turned around. He clenched his fist while walking towards the building.
‘I shouldn’t need to be too careful anymore.’
Since he managed to deceive Unfaceable Snake, he just needed to be careful of Soul Severing Sword, whose thoughts couldn’t be read at all.
Seriously, what’s wrong with you?
Wrath frowned while looking at Raon from top to bottom.
Let’s say we ignore everything else. How come you are so good at acting?
‘It’s just a basic quality.’
Why would acting be a basic quality?! You aren’t even part of a theatrical troupe or a circus!
Of course, it wasn’t a basic quality as a member of a house of swordsmen, but a basic quality of an assassin. Perfect acting to go with all kinds of disguises was required to carry out assassinations.
By the way, why are you looking for a new sword? A knight should be able to use any sword. There should be no reason to pretend that you are using a different weapon.
‘Because I’m not looking for a sword.’
He asked Unfaceable Snake for the location of the treasury because he wanted to get a new sword and armor, but he was actually already aware of the treasury’s location, and he wasn’t looking for a sword or armor either.
He was looking for another object in the treasury.
Wh-What is that?
‘You will know once you see it.’
Raon shook his head at the nervous Wrath and entered the building. He was heading to the room right next to the wall he’d gone through for the Soul Offering Ceremony.
Whir!
Just as Raon was about to enter the room, a dimensional rift appeared from the floor and two warriors wearing goblin helmets emerged from it.
“You need to be at least eight stars or have the permission of an eight star to be allowed entry into the martial treasury.”
“Was I ranked seven stars?”
Merlin was previously bragging about how he was starting at seven stars.
“Indeed.”
The warriors wearing the goblin helmets responded without any change in their intonation.
‘They are strong.’
Even though they were wearing goblin helmets, an intense pressure could be felt from them. Raon figured that the souls dwelling in their helmets must’ve been extraordinary goblins.
“The princess is currently unconscious. I need a sword and armor in order to protect her.”
“You need to be at least eight stars or have the permission of an eight star to be allowed entry into the treasury.”
The goblin helmet warriors repeated the exact same thing as before and shook their heads.
“Tsk.”
Raon briefly clicked his tongue. He thought seven stars would be enough to enter the treasury, but their defense was tighter than he expected.
‘I need to get it before Merlin wakes up and starts following me around… Hmm?’
While he was licking his lips, a huge presence could be felt from behind him. He quickly turned his head around, and Soul Severing Sword was standing there silently.
‘Seriously, this guy…’
Amazing wasn’t enough to describe his ability, since he managed to bypass Raon’s perception to get behind him. Raon figured that he must’ve had some kind of technique to disturb the senses.
“……”
Soul Severing Sword stared at Raon for a while before walking up to place his hand on the door.
Whir!
The door split into half like a kaleidoscope, and a passage with faint lighting opened up.
“……”
Soul Severing Sword stepped aside instead of entering.
“Are you telling me to enter?”
“……”
He didn’t respond, instead standing still. Judging from experience, Raon figured it was a yes.
‘What is he even thinking?’
Raon was confident at reading other people’s thoughts, but he was definitely an exception. Since he never spoke and never showed any reactions, it was completely impossible to understand his thoughts.
However, since there was no harm in accepting his help, he decided to take it.
“Thank you.”
Raon nodded and went inside. Since Soul Severing Sword gave permission, the goblin helmet warriors were just standing still instead of stopping him.
Whir!
Once Raon entered the treasury, it was difficult to believe he was inside the room that he saw from the outside because of how wide it was. Equipment of highest grade—including weapons, armors, and shields—was neatly displayed inside the room. Raon turned around after looking around the equipment. Soul Severing Sword apparently wasn’t planning on entering, since the passage was closing up.
‘He might be suspicious of me for taking a weapon, but it’s going to be pointless.’
After all, he wasn’t planning on taking anything.
Raon went to the location where armor was displayed. He walked past the highest grade armors and headed towards the two monster helmets.
Raon picked up the helmet with a crocodile’s shape and smiled.
‘I was looking for this one.’
After absorbing Loctar’s soul, he became capable of feeling the other helmets’ presences. Since he noticed that the helmet with a monster's soul was there, he asked Unfaceable Snake for the treasury’s location.
D-Don’t tell me, are you planning to…?
‘You guessed right.’
Raon smiled.
‘I’m also going to make the ones in the other helmets mine.’
Instead of being satisfied with Loctar, he was planning to extort everything from Eden by absorbing all of the souls of the helmets in the treasury.
‘I’ll make you regret kidnapping me.’
* * *
Cameloon
On a small hill.
On the hill that Raon had first fought against the White Blood Religion, a bloody red sedan could be seen climbing the slope.
It was a peculiar sedan chair, as a beautiful woman, a healthy man, a child that looked around ten years old, and an old man that could collapse at any moment were carrying one leg each.
A red curtain was covering the seat, and the White Blood Religion’s leader was lying on her back as she looked down on the light brown land.
“My children have perished on this land.”
She looked sentimental as she stared at the ground that lacked a single trace of blood before closing her eyes.
“Don’t worry. The Blood God will take you into their embrace.”
She finished a brief prayer and opened her eyes as the four carriers of the sedan chair advanced to the edge of the hill. Since the sun had already risen, they could even discern a faraway city in addition to Cameloon.
“Hah.”
The White Blood Religion’s leader looked down the hill with pitch-dark eyes, like a bottomless pit. She examined the surrounding areas of Cameloon, and her red lips let out a faint exclamation.
“How cute of them.”
She rolled her lips into a smile while looking at the field slightly away from Cameloon.
“They were hiding in such a place.”
“Did you manage to find them?”
The tenth apostle, who’d been standing still behind her like a statue, came up next to the sedan chair.
“Yes. Can’t you see them?”
The White Blood Religion’s leader raised her white, almost transparent fingers, pointing at the empty field.
“Hmm…”
The tenth apostle furrowed his brows. He looked like he couldn’t manage to see anything through aura perception.
“It might be too difficult for you.”
The White Blood Religion’s leader smiled faintly and bobbed her finger. A white current appeared and was absorbed into the tenth apostle’s eyes.
“Ah!”
The tenth apostle exclaimed. Once her energy covered his eyeballs, he could see a large array on the prairie that previously looked ordinary.
There were sun, moon, and star patterns engraved on the array, and its scale was huge enough to cover the entire field.
“This is…”
“Sun and moon. It must be his doing.”
The White Blood Religion’s leader nodded while looking at the sun and moon patterns engraved on the array.
“Let’s go.”
She pointed with her chin and the sedan chair started moving forward. Even though the carriers started stepping midair instead of the ground, the sedan chair kept moving as smoothly as before.
“Since I already marked him as mine…”
The White Blood Religion’s leader smiled pleasantly while resting her chin on the armrest of the sedan chair.
“I shall find and take him no matter where he is.”
