Mark Goetten’s right hand, which was holding his sword, trembled violently.
“You want to make my astral energy fall? With your aura blade?”
His anger appeared in his eyes for the first time even though it only used to hold irritation.
“You are even worse than that child. Do you have to be good at running your mouth to enter the Light Wind squad?”
Mark Goetten twisted his lips while looking at Dorian.
“That’s kinda true.”
Raon snickered and grabbed Dorian by his clothes, throwing him back. His body was sent flying violently, but it slowed down and gently landed on the ground before it reached the wall.
“Hmm…”
Mark Goetten narrowed his eyes after he witnessed the process.
“So you aren’t just all talk.”
He pointed his saber to the front. Astral energy burst out even further from his crescent blade.
“I guess I can thoroughly beat you up since you aren’t even related to our benefactor.”
“Try it if you can.”
“You arrogant bastard!”
Mark Goetten declared and disappeared from sight at the same time. He appeared from the left as if he had teleported and slammed his saber down.
Whoosh!
The saber strike was clad with powerful wind and fell rapidly to tear his shoulder apart.
Thud!
Raon extended his right foot to the right. He tilted his body even faster than the saber’s descent.
Whaam!
Mark Goetten was unable to cut his shoulder with a paper-thin difference and ended up hitting the ground.
“Hmph!”
Mark Goetten seemed to have expected that to happen and followed up by turning his saber to thrust it from the right side. It was adjusting to Raon’s movement to prevent his escape.
‘He’s pretty fast.’
Raon turned his left ankle inwards and stepped back. River Footwork was naturally incorporated into his steps to dodge Mark Goetten’s saber. His hair was cut by the astral saber and fluttered in the air.
“You are pretty good with footwork. However!”
Mark Goetten kicked the ground while fiercely glaring at him.
Creak!
He predicted the River Footwork’s direction and slashed his saber to where he was about to dodge. It was a fast and decisive strike. The speed and sharpness were the advantages of a saber, and they were properly incorporated into the strike.
‘I heard he was trapped into pleasure-seeking, but he’s not a complete loser.’
The rumors claimed that he accepted all kinds of jobs to earn money for his amusement, but he didn’t seem to have skipped his training. The quality and quantity of his aura was rather extraordinary.
‘Perfect.’
He was the perfect opponent to test his increased stats after he absorbed the ocean soul and the ghost jellyfish’s energy core.
Whir!
Raon used the River Footwork consecutively to easily dodge Mark Goetten’s frightening strikes.
“How long are you planning to run? Weren’t you going to make my astral energy fall?”
Mark Goetten increased his speed with a frown on his face.
He thrust the first saber strike, then he immediately moved behind Raon to unleash the second strike. Astral energies were snapping like lightning to rush at him from front and back.
“I was just looking at the situation.”
Raon turned his ankle and his waist in different directions. His upper body turned as nimbly as a leaf on a flowing river to dodge the first strike.
Whoosh!
Raon looked at the second strike, which was a direct charge from Mark Goetten. He stopped the River Footwork and lowered his center of gravity. He slightly twisted his wrist to unleash the Star Connecting Sword.
“You idiot!”
Mark Goetten sneered and slammed down his saber. The astral wave brimming from his saber was crushing Raon’s body.
‘This isn’t a big deal.’
He shattered the astral energy’s pressure through sheer physical strength before he raised his longsword. He unleashed the aura blade emerging from his sword into a spiral to chip into the astral energy surrounding the saber.
Cring!
It almost looked like a red whirlwind was coiling around the astral saber.
“It’s pointless… Huh?”
Mark Goetten was about to strike his lowered saber upwards but suddenly came to a halt. His jaw dropped upon seeing the saber he was holding.
‘The astral energy was chipped away!?’
Even though the red energy had only scratched it, the astral energy surrounding the saber had a visible hole. It was as if a beast had bitten into it.
He had never seen nor heard of an aura blade damaging astral energy. He couldn’t understand what had just happened.
“You…”
Mark Goetten swallowed nervously and glared at Raon.
“What have you done?”
“I used footwork and swordsmanship. What’s wrong? Do you want to know the name of the technique?”
Raon shrugged his shoulders with an easygoing attitude.
“You are stating the obvious!”
Mark Goetten refilled his astral energy and dashed at him once again. His saber started to draw a systematic trajectory, unlike before. He was finally using a proper martial art.
Raon narrowed his eyes while watching the approaching astral saber.
‘How peculiar.’
It had a violent form where he alternated between left and right, but it was a lot faster and stronger than an ordinary strike.
‘However… It’s not undefeatable.’
He predicted the saber’s movement and thrust his longsword. Since astral energy was a concentration of a large amount of aura, he could chip it away by repeatedly thrusting the aura blade countless times.
Creak!
The Star Connecting Sword with the true Spiral Power connected like a constellation to tear Mark Goetten’s astral energy.
Psh!
Raon wasn’t satisfied with defense and advanced even further.
After his aura blade severed the astral energy, he thrust it like a flash to pierce Mark Goetten’s waist. Blood gushed from the laceration.
“Kuh!”
Mark Goetten covered his waist and leaped backward. His eyes were shivering in astonishment.
“...A-are you using rotation?”
He seemed to have realized how his astral energy was cut apart. He wasn’t completely dull after all.
“Yes. I scratched your astral energy by incorporating rotation into my aura blade.”
Raon nodded and pointed his longsword at him.
“I-impossible! You don’t even know my Anarchic Lightning Saber’s trajectory. How are you supposed to read my movement to chip at my astral energy?!”
“I obviously don’t know about your technique, but I could easily read your movement.”
Mark Goetten’s Anarchic Lightning Saber consisted of slashing in an angular trajectory like lightning.
It was fast, sharp, and powerful at the same time, but it wasn’t difficult for Raon to read the flow because he was proficient enough in it.
“What you’ve achieved is even worse than the most basic footwork and swordsmanship. An aura blade is wasted on you.”
“You bastard…”
Mark Goetten ground his teeth so hard that he looked like he was about to bleed.
“Talent, is this the difference in talent again?!”
His pressure intensified to a whole different level. Veins were bulging from his forehead, showing that he was using his full power.
“Why do other people have this talent that I don’t?!”
Mark Goetten shouted and charged at him while crushing the floor. The astral energy bursting from his saber had a terrifying appearance. Even though he was at the novice Master’s realm, the bursting aura was the one he’d been accumulating for the past dozens of years.
Whaam!
The astral energy emerged from the saber and created dozens of violent trajectories to form an aura storm. It was powerful enough to tear flesh apart upon the slightest touch.
Are you really planning to use nothing more than the aura blade?
Wrath frowned, saying that it was a pointless shackle.
You are going to reveal your identity anyway. Just use astral energy…
‘A warrior must keep his word.’
Raon smiled coldly and pierced into the storming astral saber. He analyzed the movement of the saber technique before he created a huge flow to engulf its trajectory.
Rumble!
The flow of his sword was faster, sharper, and more powerful than Mark Goetten’s Anarchic Lightning Saber. A crimson aurora appeared once it surrounded the astral saber’s storm.
Whaap!
The astral energy covering the entire training ground disappeared without a trace, and Mark Goetten’s saber crumbled into powder.
Lacerations caused by the aura blade opened up all around his body, and blood gushed from them. They were dangerous injuries that could’ve been fatal if they were any deeper than they were.
“Ah…”
Mark Goetten weakly went on his knees like a marionette whose strings were cut. His trembling limbs showed his complete exhaustion.
“That appearance is more suitable for your name, the Saber of the Fallen Flower.”
Raon snickered while settling his longsword on his shoulder.
“Wh-who the hell are you…?”
Mark Goetten raised his head with difficulty. His eyes were filled with despair.
“You managed to erase the Celestial Thunderstorm with an aura blade. How is it even possible that there was no rumor about someone like you…?”
“Do you even know my name?”
“I-I…”
Mark Goetten bit his lip. He finally realized that he’d been fighting without even hearing his name.
“You were overconfident. Being a Master doesn’t make you invincible, and an aura blade doesn’t always lose to astral energy.”
“It’s only possible for someone like you, who is brimming with talent.”
Mark Goetten spoke with a hoarse voice.
“An ordinary person like me can never become like you even if they train their entire lives. What’s the difference between me and you? What have you even done to deserve so much talent?!”
His shout sounded like he was venting his pent-up frustration.
“Talent, everyone says talent. I’m sick and tired of it.”
Raon frowned while looking down on Mark Goetten.
“You are right. I have the talent, and I’m also lucky. However, how is that even related to your weakness?”
“If I was as talented as you…”
“Talent isn’t complete from the moment of your birth. You have to experience countless difficulties and despair, and only then is it finally created—like a sculpted plaster figure.”
Raon had a great environment thanks to his luck and timeline.
However, his choices and efforts were what turned that environment into a success. He had to walk the bloody path dozens of times in the past, and he was on the verge of them in many of them.
“You asked me before how I managed to read your saber’s flow, right?”
Raon looked down on Mark Goetten with cold eyes.
“It’s simple. Your technique was too poor. You must’ve been slacking on your training.”
“B-bullshit! I’ve been continuously training my saber until now!”
“Yes, you must’ve been continuously training on the principles and aura cultivation. When was the last time you practiced all your techniques from A to Z?”
“Hmm…”
“I’m guessing you didn’t train your techniques because you were too focused on the realm of your martial arts and aura. Your techniques are currently dead. There’s no way you would advance—you don’t even have the basics of a warrior.”
Raon got irritated by the fact that the man who didn’t even make the effort was trying to denigrate his talent, the talent that he created through countless pains that ordinary people would prefer death over experiencing.
Moreover, since he couldn’t even make any effort even if he wanted to in his previous life, he was even more irritated at Mark Goetten, who kept despairing despite the freedom he had.
“How many times were you on the verge of death? Have you ever fainted while training? Have you ever achieved anything distinguished by yourself? What challenges did you take on?”
“I-I…”
Mark Goetten couldn’t answer any of his questions. He kept staring at Raon with a trembling chin.
Raon couldn’t tell whether he was speechless or had nothing to say, and he wasn’t interested in his response anyway.
“A sheltered person can’t even overcome the smallest trial.”
Raon clenched his left fist and walked up to Mark Goetten.
“Don’t try to cover up your laziness and incompetence by blaming talent.”
He smacked Mark Goetten’s chin while saying that.
Mark Goetten was sent flying into the wall before he could even scream.
Crack!
The wall collapsed along with a land-splitting noise. Mark Goetten was lying flat on the ground, and he couldn’t stand back up anymore.
“Wh-what?! What’s happening?!”
Palen’s chin trembled violently as she saw the smoke rising from the wall’s collapse.
“Stand up! I spent so much money on you. How dare you lose to a freaking Expert?!”
She shouted while pointing her finger at Mark Goetten, who had fainted.
“Stand up!”
Palen kept shouting at him, but his consciousness didn’t return.
“Hey.”
Raon walked up to Palen while still supporting his longsword on his shoulder.
“Ugh…”
Palen frowned but wasn’t exactly intimidated because Raon wasn’t spreading any pressure.
“Don’t be mistaken. This isn’t the end.”
She ground her teeth while glaring straight into Raon’s eyes.
“He’s just vermin that I’ve temporarily hired for this matter. I can crush you at any moment once I bring in the real deal.”
“Crush me, you say…?”
Raon smiled faintly and raised his chin.
“Are you sure?”
“You are as immature as him. Money can hire anyone. Bond? Do you really believe in that immaterial concept? I can bring anyone to my side, Ziegharts and Roberts included, as long as I have enough money. Making you kneel is an easy task!”
“Let me ask the question once again.”
Raon swept up his disheveled hair. The red hair turned into a brilliant golden wave as his hand touched it, and his blue eyes evaporated like an ocean to ignite a crimson flame.
“Bl-blond hair and red eyes…”
Palen stepped back in surprise. Her strength left her legs, and she quickly fell on her ass.
Whir!
Raon’s pressure spread around like wildfire. The entire training ground fell under his domination in an instant.
“Can you really crush me?”
“Ah, ah…”
Palen’s eyes wavered like a sailboat on a huge tidal wave. She clattered her teeth and her entire body trembled like crazy.
‘Raon Zieghart… What is that monster here?’
Eden lost the entire branch from kidnapping Raon, and the White Blood Religion’s leader was seriously injured.
Even if she considered him as an individual, it was difficult to find anyone who could defeat him in terms of might. He was the White Sword Dragon who defeated Borini Kitten, Garona, and Cadis one after the other, and there weren’t many people who could fight against him.
However, regardless of all that…
She was scared.
His eyes were even deeper and darker than the crimson moon, and she couldn’t even think anymore upon seeing them. She wanted to kneel right away to escape from the fear.
“Say it. Can you crush me?”
“...N-no, I can’t.”
Palen bowed and surrendered to him.
“Kuh…”
She ended up fainting and fell backward because she couldn’t withstand the blade-sharp pressure and the mental shock.
Raon’s gaze turned towards the bulky warrior standing next to Palen.
“Will you surrender?”
“Ah, yes! I have no intention of figh—”
The bulky warrior violently shook his hand, trying to express that he definitely didn’t want to fight him.
“I don’t need your surrender.”
Raon frowned and smacked the bulky warrior’s face.
Wham!
His large body was slammed upside down on the ground since he wasn’t going easy on him.
“You just admitted your defeat as a warrior without even trying to fight. How unsightly.”
Raon clicked his tongue and dusted his hands off.
Huh…
Wrath gasped while looking back and forth between Raon and the warrior slammed on the ground.
What the hell is wrong with this crazy bastard?!
He was the one who asked for surrender, yet he beat him up when he surrendered. He couldn’t imagine that any demon could be worse than this guy.
The King of Essence kept thinking about this, but there’s only one answer. You belong to Devildom instead of this land…
‘Shut up.’
* * *
* * *
Dorian bit his lip and watched Raon’s back.
Raon’s victory against Mark Goetten was a natural outcome, as he was powerful enough to defeat an advanced Master.
‘The surprising part is that he managed to destroy the astral energy with an aura blade.’
He didn’t use any astral blade until the end. He didn’t use any special martial art and only used an aura blade and basic techniques to defeat Mark Goetten. It was difficult to believe even though the entire scene happened right in front of his eyes.
‘However…’
He was stunned that what touched him the most wasn’t his performance, but what he’d said.
“You’ve been bragging that you made money, but Dorian made bonds in Zieghart. I’m telling you that I’m part of his power.”
“Every single swordsman in the Light Wind squad, including myself, is ready to fight with our lives on the line for his sake. You can never buy that with money.”
Those lines. His placid voice as he spoke those lines kept circling in his head and stabbed powerfully into his heart.
Bond.
He never expected that such a short word that signified a relationship between people could pull his heartstrings so hard.
Moreover, the fact that Raon Zieghart was the one who said it when he wasn’t the type of person to joke around caused a lump in his throat.
‘Because he was serious about that.’
It would’ve been a different story if it was something else, but he never lied about the Light Wind squad. The fact that he said that in such a situation signified that every member of the Light Wind squad really cherished him…
‘I wasn’t the only one.’
The Light Wind squad was his real home, not the company. He couldn’t suppress his flowing tears because he realized that everyone thought like himself, was ready to risk his life for their sake.
“Uhh…”
Dorian forced himself to stand by using his sword like a cane. He bowed at Raon, who was standing there proudly.
‘Thank you for scolding this idiot.’
Raon seemed to be threatening Palen, but his real intention was to enlighten Dorian himself.
‘‘You aren’t alone. Raon Zieghart and the Light Wind squad are supporting you.’ That was the enlightenment he was trying to give, and it must’ve been the reason why he had been acting that way.’
‘I’m really gratefu—’
“What are you doing?”
Dorian kept bowing at him while wiping his tears, but a large shadow appeared in front of him and Raon’s voice could be heard.
“I-I’m expressing my gratitu—”
“Ah, that felt so good.”
Raon grinned while turning his wrist.
“I didn’t like your sister from the first time she spoke to us. I feel a bit better now that I destroyed all of them.”
“......”
Dorian started to hiccup and raised his eyes.
“D-does that mean that it wasn’t for my sake…?”
“You? What happened to you? You got defeated after getting beaten up, didn’t you?”
“No, you said that you were supporting me…”
“I said that to shock your sister.”
Raon snickered and pointed at Palen, who had fallen unconscious.
“You were trying to enlighten me…”
“I wasn’t though?”
“Err…”
Dorian swallowed nervously. Palen did fall unconscious from that mental shock, so Raon wasn’t wrong about that.
‘W-was he not serious?’
He lowered his eyes from the sadness, and Raon tapped on his shoulder.
“I was just stating the truth. Good job, you behaved like a real swordsman of the Light Wind squad today.”
Raon massaged his shoulder before walking towards the training ground exit.
“Ah…”
Dorian grasped his pounding chest and bit his lip. He bowed more politely than ever.
“Thank you!”
“I don’t need your thanks. Let’s go.”
“Yes!”
He mustered his nonexistent strength to respond and followed Raon.
“You are so noisy…”
“I-I’m sorry! I was just too happy…”
“I’m not talking about you. I have this guy who keeps asking for food.”
Raon frowned while looking at his wrist, despite saying that he was hungry. He murmured that the cotton candy was annoying before turning his head.
“Let’s go eat for now.”
“It’s understandable since we didn’t eat anything after lunch.”
Dorian nodded.
“I’ll ask them to prepare a meal.”
“Come with me.”
“Ah, I need to go to the medical ward before then…”
“Just apply your saliva and you will feel better. Let’s go eat.”
“No, I was cut by a blad—”
“Do you want to train before we go?”
“I-I’m coming!”
Dorian wiped his tears and shook his head.
‘Seriously, this guy…’
He was moved to tears because Raon looked really cool, but he had turned back into a demon. Dorian realized once again that he couldn’t understand him at all.
“Haa…”
Dorian sighed, and when he was about to leave the training ground, he noticed that Raon was looking above a tree in the west instead of following him.
“Are you not coming?”
“I feel like I saw a flying squirrel above that tree.”
Raon narrowed his eyes while looking at the tree at the western border of the training ground.
“A flying squirrel?”
Dorian tilted his head while looking at the tree.
“I don’t think there was anything like that though…”
“I see.”
Raon shook his head and murmured that he must’ve gotten paranoid.
“Well, I don’t know about the flying squirrels, but there are lots of bats around.”
He looked up towards the sky with a cold smile on his face.
“I’m looking forward to their reaction tomorrow.”
