Chapter 1046

‘Now I can finally feel it.’

Raon placed his hands on the hilts of the Heavenly Drive and the Soul Requiem Sword and closed his eyes.

‘That I’ve truly grown.’

He could feel the insights into swordsmanship he had gained within Darkhan’s Mental World melting into his very soul. It was not a massive leap forward, but a new confidence blossomed within him—the certainty that he could now wield a sword different from before.

“I was quite worried when I came here….”

Rektor lowered his hand and looked at him.

“But I’m glad it all worked out.”

He let out a heavy sigh, as if he could finally relax.

“It’s all thanks to you, Grandfather. Thank you.”

Raon bowed his head to Rektor.

“It wasn’t my doing. You accomplished everything yourself.”

Rektor waved both hands as if to say he had done nothing.

“I couldn’t even protect you properly from Darkhan, nor could I deliver my message properly.”

He said all he had done was watch, clenching and unclenching his fist.

“That’s absolutely not true.”

Raon shook his head firmly.

“If you hadn’t told us about the Demonic Alliance Conference, we would have declared war on the White Blood Cult and suffered a crushing defeat. Preventing that alone makes you my… no, the savior of the Five Kings.”

Although he could not recklessly reveal the information about the Five Demons because of Rektor’s position, it was no exaggeration to say that his information had saved the entire Five Kings.

“And if you hadn’t found Darkhan for us, we never would have been able to persuade him, and I never would have gotten this chance to grow stronger.”

Because the search had begun from the Holy Sword Alliance’s sacred grounds, they were able to find Darkhan. If they had started from Zieghart instead, they might only have heard about him after the war had already begun.

“Hmm….”

Rektor let out a faint groan, seemingly moved by Raon’s words.

“And lastly….”

Raon looked at Rektor, who was still clenching his fist even now, and smiled gently.

“You protected me from beginning to end.”

“You… knew?”

Rektor’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Yes. You tried not to show it, but I could see it in your expression.”

Raon nodded calmly.

“You were preparing to restrain Darkhan and protect me.”

From the moment they arrived in the Oscott Kingdom, Rektor had never once let down his guard, ready to stop Darkhan if he acted unpredictably. He had been prepared to lay down his life for Raon at any moment.

“Haah….”

Rektor let out a breath, as if he had not realized Raon had noticed.

“How embarrassing.”

Leaning back against the old wall, he let out a thin laugh, looking both ashamed and exhausted.

》You seem to be quite popular with the old folks.

Wrath nodded briefly as if he, too, understood how Rektor felt.

》But thanks to that, that old man will gain something from this ordeal as well.

‘Gain something?’

》You might not feel it yet because the tension just eased, but that old codger will be able to grow a little as well.

The guy smacked his lips, saying he could feel Rektor’s soul and martial power growing.

‘Really? That’s a relief.’

He had felt a slight sense of regret at growing stronger alone, but hearing that Rektor would also improve brought an unbidden smile to his face.

“I should head back now.”

Rektor let out a rough breath, as if the fatigue from everything had finally caught up to him.

“Yes, you should. You need to rest now too, Grandfather.”

Raon nodded and supported Rektor by the shoulder.

“I really have gotten old after all.”

Rektor lowered his brows, unable to deny it.

“Thank you, Grandfather.”

“Those words are unnecessary between family.”

Rektor waved his hand, saying that was enough.

“Then….”

Raon let out a refreshing laugh as he hoisted Rektor onto his back.

“Please keep watching over the path I’m taking.”

“All right. That’s much better.”

Rektor nodded heavily, saying he would watch over Raon and Sia until the day he died.

“Then you’ll have to live a very, very long life. Unlike me, my sister still has so many things she wants to do.”

Raon listed the things Sia wanted to do one by one as he stepped out of the timeworn alley. Behind the steps of the grandfather and grandson, not dark shadows, but bright laughter bloomed.

===

At the top of the royal palace spire overlooking the Oscott Kingdom, Darkhan stood in the biting wind, watching Raon and Rektor leave the kingdom.

“Raon Zieghart….”

From the very first time he saw Raon, he had known the boy possessed tremendous talent. Even so, Raon always surpassed even that talent, producing results that defied Darkhan’s expectations.

‘The first time was when he killed my disciple.’

At the time, Cloud had been a Grand Master while Raon had only been a Master, so he had naturally assumed Raon could be captured. But what awaited him was only his disciple’s death, without even a trace left behind.

‘That was the beginning.’

He had been amazed every time by the results Raon created—when they met at the Holy Sword Alliance’s sacred grounds, when he heard that Raon had brought down the Black Tower and slain the Black Tower Lord, and when he received word that Raon had killed the Fallen One together with the Magic Tower Lord.

‘Though none of that compares to this time….’

When his life as a beggar failed to go the way he wanted and frustration consumed him, Raon appeared and gave him exactly the advice he needed. At first, his pride was wounded and he had no desire to listen, but after sensing the sincerity in Raon’s eyes, he decided to hear him out just once.

‘The result was more satisfying than I expected.’

Despite being in a lower realm, Raon had seen through his condition and offered the most fitting guidance. Thanks to that, he had come to understand human life a little more, and he had also gained insight into martial arts.

More than that, he had found a roadmap for how he should live and what he should do from now on. Raon had spoken lightly, but it would not be an exaggeration to call him a benefactor.

‘Of course, the most astonishing thing was the Heart Sword.’

No matter how much he had borrowed the power of an object, the fact that a greenhorn still wet behind the ears was wielding a Heart Sword was more shocking than anything else.

“Interesting.”

Darkhan curled the corners of his mouth as he watched Raon leave the royal city.

‘Now I can be content with the present without needing to see the future.’

The Raon he had crossed swords with in the Mental World was a monster whose obsession with the sword surpassed anything he had imagined. It was obvious that Raon would soon rise to the very realm where Darkhan now stood.

“Is this what happiness is?”

Above him, Glenn Zieghart waited. Below him, Raon Zieghart followed. The thought that there were now two opponents capable of satisfying him was so delightful that it was unbearable.

“Ah!”

Darkhan frowned as he thought of Raon and Glenn.

“Before that, there is someone I must fight first.”

Derus Robert.

If he had grown strong enough that even Rektor could not sense his energy, then he was by no means an easy opponent.

‘I must prepare.’

For an enjoyable battle.

He had attained enlightenment, but his body and spirit had been somewhat ruined by playing the beggar for so long. Since he had no idea when the duel with Derus would begin, it seemed best to prepare in advance.

“Derus Robert, Raon Zieghart, and Glenn Zieghart….”

Darkhan muttered the three names as he stepped onto the darkening sky.

“Who will become the god of death that takes my head?”

He drew his lips into a long, thin smile, as if eagerly awaiting that day.

===

Raon returned straight to Zieghart and went to see Glenn.

“I pay my respects to the Head of House!”

The moment he entered the audience chamber, he knelt before Glenn on the dais.

》Wow, look at how the floor’s been dug up….

Wrath let out a low whistle as he looked at the deeply indented floor beneath Glenn’s feet.

》That old geezer definitely spent the whole day shaking his leg again.

The guy shook his head, calling him a pitiful old man.

“Good. Have you returned safely?”

Glenn looked Raon over from head to toe as if worried, his voice trembling slightly.

“Yes. Fortunately, I was able to complete the task without any problems.”

Raon smiled brightly and said it had been a success.

“Y-you completed the task?”

Glenn’s jaw trembled as if he could not comprehend it no matter how he thought about it.

“You said you were going with your grandfather, so I didn’t stop you, but Darkhan is by no means an opponent to be taken lightly….”

He sighed, saying he had honestly expected Raon to return empty-handed.

“I don’t understand either. Did Darkhan really agree to our request?”

Even Sheryl gaped in surprise.

“Raon-nim, you truly are amazing.”

Roenn laughed heartily, saying that after recently taking on missions with him, he had believed in Raon all along.

“He isn’t an opponent to be taken lightly, but in a way, he’s easier to deal with than anyone else.”

Raon smiled faintly, recalling Darkhan’s clumsy attempt to play the beggar.

“And he was someone we absolutely had to win over for our plan to succeed.”

“Can you tell us what happened?”

Glenn leaned forward with his hands on his knees, looking genuinely curious.

“Yes. I’ll tell you from the beginning. As you all know, I heard about the Demonic Alliance Conference from Grandfather Rektor….”

Raon nodded and recounted everything that had happened in the Oscott Kingdom, one detail at a time.

“…And so, I earned Darkhan’s acknowledgment, secured his definite promise to stop Derus, and returned.”

“Ha, ahahahaha!”

Sheryl could not hold it in any longer and burst out laughing, clutching her stomach.

“Darkhan was playing beggar, and you even slapped him in the face?”

As if picturing Darkhan’s expression, she giggled for a long time, unable to stop laughing.

“Hohohoho!”

Roenn also laughed in a tone two octaves higher than usual, followed by a cry of admiration.

“A beggar and a beggar’s teacher! It’s completely different from anything I imagined! As expected of Raon-nim!”

He shook his head, clearly regretful that he had not seen it with his own eyes.

“Huuuuum….”

Even Glenn seemed unable to suppress the laughter rising inside him, letting out a thick groan as he covered his mouth.

“How did you even come up with such an idea?”

“It wasn’t something I planned from the beginning to win over Darkhan. I just couldn’t stand how clumsy his act was.”

Raon frowned, saying the irritation had been unbearable.

“It just happened to work out. I was lucky.”

“Darkhan is no fool. It worked because you were sincere.”

Glenn nodded heavily as if praising him.

“You always bring back answers no one else would find. Well done.”

He praised Raon’s actions sincerely. Just hearing those warm words and that voice eased Raon’s fatigue.

“And….”

Glenn looked into Raon’s eyes and curled his lips.

“You’ve returned after growing as a swordsman as well. It seems the day you can wield the Heart Sword with your own power alone is not far off.”

“Yes. Fighting within Darkhan’s Mental World seems to have helped.”

Raon said it had been an unexpected gain as he looked at the Heavenly Drive.

“Pulling another’s soul into your own Mental World to form a Heart Sword. A very Darkhan-like ability.”

Glenn narrowed his eyes slightly, as if it were something even he could not do.

“Raon. You should consider another direction as well.”

He jerked his chin toward Raon.

“Don’t limit yourself to a Heart Sword that kills people like mine. It’s fine to envision a Heart Sword that only you can create.”

Glenn advised him to try creating a Heart Sword like Darkhan’s.

“I understand.”

Raon bowed his head to Glenn, saying he would think on it.

“But….”

Evelyn lowered her brows as she looked at the communication orb.

“Has the mages’ conference concluded?”

“Yes. They reached an agreement in rather dramatic fashion.”

Glenn’s lips twitched, as if he had been relieved not to be present for the conference itself.

“Th-then when will the spell be completed?”

Since the completion of the spell was the most important matter, her tongue trembled involuntarily.

“They said it will take two months for completion, refinement, and practical application. Which means that in two months….”

Glenn raised two straightened fingers, his eyes flashing coldly.

“We strike the White Blood Cult.”

===

The moment Raon heard that the spell would take two months to complete, he headed straight for the 5th Training Ground. Since it was just past noon, all the swordsmen of the Light Wind Palace were gathered there.

》Hoh.

Wrath let out a small exclamation as he looked over the wall at the swordsmen.

》They just ate lunch, yet their concentration isn’t bad.

‘Indeed. They’re training more properly than I expected.’

Even though they had just finished eating, when focus should have been hardest to maintain, the swordsmen were engaged in group training without the slightest wavering. Even though he had been gone for more than ten days, they were in such good shape that it seemed he no longer needed to interfere in their training.

》Really? You really won’t mess with the kids?

Wrath’s eyes widened in surprise.

‘Mhm. I’d like to say yes, but….’

Raon shook his head with a cold smile.

‘This time is an exception.’

Since the war against the White Blood Cult would begin in two months, he had to hammer them down through training if he wanted to save even one more life.

》Sta-stamp down…?

Wrath rolled his eyes as if asking whether that was really the right word to use for subordinates.

‘Ah, my mistake. Not hammer them down. I need to kill them… I mean, teach them how to keep their wits about them in real combat. Of course, I won’t say that to their faces.’

If he pushed them to the brink of death for two straight months, they might run away, so he intended to act gentle for now.

‘Shall we go, then?’

Raon gently opened the door and stepped into the 5th Training Ground.

“Huh? Palace Lord!”

“When did you get back?”

“Raon…!”

Burren, Martha, and Runaan were the first to sense his presence, their eyes widening.

“P-Palace Lord! I missed you!”

“Y-you’re back early. No, you’re back late!”

The moment they saw him, Krein and Dorian trembled, already thinking about the training to come.

“You’ve returned.”

“You’re late. I was looking forward to the Palace Lord’s training.”

Mark Gorton and Trevin nodded calmly, as if they had truly been waiting for him.

“We pay our respects to the Palace Lord!”

“Everyone, gather in front of the platform.”

Raon gestured to the Light Wind Palace swordsmen who were greeting him and climbed onto the platform.

“It looks like things have changed a bit while I was away on a personal mission.”

Raon looked down at the swordsmen of the Light Wind Palace and stroked his chin.

“The date of the war has been set.”

He clenched his fist as he told them that the war with the White Blood Cult would begin.

“Finally….”

Martha gripped her sword so tightly that her hand bled, saying she had waited for this moment alone.

“Ugh…”

“The Rakshasa Woman….”

Burren and Runaan bit their lips as they felt Martha’s determination beside them.

“This war will likely take the form of a siege, with us attacking the White Blood Cult’s main base first. In your current state, that would be dangerous, so I ask that you train with all your strength for the next two months.”

Raon said that was his request as he struck his chest with his right hand.

“Ugh…”

“I-I’m more scared of the training than the war…?”

“Me too. What is he going to do to us this time…?”

The swordsmen of the Light Wind Palace swallowed dryly with tense expressions, seemingly intimidated by his aura.

“Don’t worry too much. I know better than anyone that none of you would endure it if I put you through intense training for two months straight.”

Raon drew a faint smile as he looked at the worried swordsmen of the Light Wind Palace.

‘As expected, if I say I’ll train them to death, some of them might really run away. I need to be careful with my words.’

If he said he was going to put them through hellish training for two months instead of one, there would be chaos worse than the war itself. It really was better to speak gently, just as he had thought before stepping inside.

”Let’s do our best’ sounds good.’

》Poor kids….

Wrath shook his head from side to side, saying he could already see the future awaiting the swordsmen of the Light Wind Palace.

“For the next two months….”

Raon nodded with a serious gaze as he looked at the Light Wind Palace.

‘Follow me, and let’s do our best.’

“I’ll kill you.”

He curled his lips and jerked his chin.

“Huh?”

“Uh…”

“Gulp!”

The swordsmen of the Light Wind Palace could only stare with wide eyes, unable to even think about speaking.

“Hm?”

Raon tilted his head as he looked at the now-silent swordsmen of the Light Wind Palace.

》Hey….

Wrath’s jaw dropped as if this was beyond ridiculous.

》You crazy bastard! The words you were supposed to say out loud and the words you were supposed to keep in your head got swapped!

The guy slapped his own forehead as if asking whether Raon had truly lost his mind.

“Ah….”

Only then did Raon realize why the expressions of the swordsmen of the Light Wind Palace had frozen, and he blinked.

“Well, there’s no helping it. Since it’s come to this….”

》Oh? Can you fix this situation?

Wrath let out a breath, expecting Raon’s solution.

“Let’s just die!”

Raon violently unleashed the ferocity he had been keeping hidden, baring his white teeth.

“No, I’ll kill you!”

》You….

Wrath looked at Raon with a cold, deadpan expression and slowly shook his head.

》You have been tainted by that sword-obsessed madman!

Why have you become such an ignorant fool!