Chapter 567

Revenge always swam through my mind.

Even while raising the young members of the Light Wind Squad, my desire for revenge against the Dragon Swordsmaster never faded.

Laughing, enjoying, getting angry, and even as my affection for the children deepened, revenge was always by my side like a shadow.

Since I had lost those closer than family, it was inevitable.

Realizing that I couldn’t give up on my revenge against the Dragon Swordsmaster and the leader of the Holy Sword Alliance, I began to prepare.

I swore to those who had gone before me that I would kill the Dragon Swordsmaster, even if it cost my life.

But I was unable to fulfill that oath.

Even when I faced the Dragon Swordsmaster, whom I had dreamed of in my sleep, I couldn’t risk my life to fight him.

Prioritizing the living children over the dead, I focused entirely on blocking the way.

It was a relief that no one died. I had no regrets.

However, guilt weighed on my shoulders. After returning to the clan, I immediately visited the graves of the deceased.

Crying out apologies, saying it couldn’t be helped, I swore once again that next time I would truly risk my life to take down the Dragon Swordsmaster with my own hands.

After that day, I distanced myself a bit from Raon and the Light Wind Squad kids.

Even if I was absent, I barely went to the training grounds or oversaw the children’s training, ensuring that the Light Wind Squad could function around Raon.

I borrowed the clan leader’s private training ground and focused solely on training.

I discarded the balanced Eye of the Storm, and honed only the powerful Song of Wind and Lightning, sharpening my teeth to tear through the Dragon Swordsmaster.

Despite the painful times, having grown too fond of the Light Wind Squad, I was able to endure because of my affection for the children and my desire for revenge.

Now, I thought I could abandon everything and concentrate on revenge.

But this time, too, I couldn’t give my all against the Dragon Swordsmaster.

I had resolved to focus solely on decapitating the Dragon Swordsmaster, regardless of what happened to the Light Wind Squad, but in the end, I exhausted a lot of aura to protect the children.

I should have felt guilty towards the deceased, but strangely, I felt at ease.

It felt as if a soul strangled by thorns had been released, allowing me to move more freely. It seemed like the end was near.

Thinking of my end, I told Raon to take everyone and flee, trying to make a final stand, but then that damned kid made a mistake.

Doing something not even Glenn would do, he fell into a trance right in the middle of the battlefield.

My plan to die together with the Dragon Swordsmaster was completely ruined.

Unable to flee or see the end here, I had no choice but to pour out all my strength to protect Raon and the Light Wind Squad.

But during that chaotic battle, the final opportunity came.

The Dragon Swordsmaster, panicked by the ascendant Raon, focused all his strength only in the direction of the Light Wind Squad.

That moment, an opening appeared. A lethal space opened up to slice the Dragon Swordsmaster’s neck and cut off his air supply.

But if I exploited that opening, Raon and the Light Wind Squad would not survive without even a bone left.

A split-second decision?

No, I didn’t even make a decision.

Before I knew it, my body was already blocking in front of the Dragon Swordsmaster.

I discarded the Song of Wind and Lightning I had honed to kill him, and raised the Eye of the Storm to protect everyone.

I had no regrets about not achieving my revenge. All I thought about was protecting the kids behind me.

I absorbed the magical energy with my body and even pushed the wind’s power into the demonic sword.

I thought that was enough. Believing I had failed to achieve revenge, I resolved to kneel before my comrades in the afterlife as I closed my eyes.

At the moment I thought of death, that damned Raon kid blocked the demonic sword. His pale golden eyes, wrapped in mystique and dignity, overwhelmed the Dragon Swordsmaster.

Raon, having overslept, said he was late with a smile.

That was my line.

When I stood against the Grand Duke of Blood, I used those words as I moved forward, but my disciple’s back, moving forward now, looked broader than ever. Even Glenn, whom I had entrusted with my future, couldn’t follow.

Raon’s power was immense. Just after his awakening, he was able to exert skills he couldn’t normally perform, pressing the Dragon Swordsmaster.

This kid, no, my young king, seemed to be ascending a staircase to the throne, crowned and robed.

Although I didn’t personally achieve revenge, I felt it was worthwhile to die having absorbed the magical energy.

Unfortunately, there was no relief. From the beginning, I wanted to take the Dragon Swordsmaster’s head with my own hands, not wanting revenge done by someone else.

As I thought this, Raon broke the Dragon Swordsmaster with a pale golden flame.

“Your defeat. No, our victory.”

In those short words, that firm voice, I felt my soul redeemed.

Tears flowed unknowingly as my mind and body, which had always been with the deceased, felt as if they were awakening from a nightmare.

I had no regrets. Now, even in death, I didn’t need to confess my sins to my comrades.

Because I could say that my disciple had avenged us together.

I closed my eyes.

My body was full of forcibly absorbed magical energy.

Even if Saint Frederick was beside me, he couldn’t have saved me, so I didn’t think about wanting to live.

I opened my eyes again and looked at each member of the Light Wind Squad.

As I was exchanging glances with the children I had raised since their youth, I heard heavy footsteps.

It was Raon. He had returned from the battle, his eyes downcast.

Perhaps this was a final greeting.

I wanted to exchange heartfelt greetings before dying.

“Ra, Raon. Thank you. Because of you, I…”

As I lifted my head and parted my dried lips, Raon furrowed his brows.

“Stop being melodramatic and get up.”

That brat!

Raon chewed his lip as he observed Rimmer’s trembling eyes.

‘This isn’t good.’

Rimmer was poisoned throughout his body by magic. It wouldn’t have been strange if he had died soon, and in fact, his body was rapidly losing its vitality.

“It’s serious. Not just the mana circuits, but the organs are permeated with magic.”

Marta had continued her medical studies and had quickly understood Rimmer’s condition in detail.

“Can this man be saved?”

“Raon….”

Burren and Runaan trembled as if nervous.

“Vice Captain…”

“I don’t want to see him die like this!”

“Even if he has to die, it’s better to be beaten to death at a gambling den. I can’t let him go like this!”

The swordsmen of the Light Wind Squad also knelt down and bowed their heads, unwilling to let Rimmer go just yet.

“Don’t worry. I can save him.”

Raon nodded and examined Rimmer’s condition. As Marta had said, the stench of magic was felt even from his organs.

• The likes of you, what can you do?

Wrath waved his hand dismissively.

• Don’t give false hope, and hand over the body to the king. If it faces the king, the magic will be scared off and retreat on its own. If you’re lucky, you might live!

‘…….’

Raon stared blankly at Wrath without responding.

• What are you looking at!

‘As expected, you’re a generous fool.’

• Ho, fool? This damned thing!

Enraged, Wrath flailed about.

Ignoring the flustered Wrath, Raon placed his hand on Rimmer’s left chest.

He pulled up the energy of anger lying at the bottom of his soul and pushed it into Rimmer’s body.

• Ugh!

Wrath did not expect to use anger like this and gaped.

‘As I thought, the correct answer.’

I realized during the trance that magic could not cope with the authority of the demon king. Using that compatibility, I could expel all the magic filling Rimmer’s body.

“Hey, you rotten guy. We should end this cleanly… Kuhak!”

I covered Rimmer’s babbling mouth and continued to inject the energy of anger.

Goooooo!

The moment the authority of anger penetrated Rimmer’s body, the magic devouring him seemed frightened and trembled before scattering in all directions.

As expected, magic was overwhelmingly inferior in the face of the demon king’s authority.

“Kheuk!”

Rimmer gasped for breath as if he couldn’t breathe. His complexion turned deathly pale, and blue veins popped up.

“What are you doing exactly! How did you erase the magic with aura!”

Rimmer incredulously stretched out his left hand.

“…….”

Raon frowned at his only arm, but Rimmer himself seemed unconcerned and kept asking how the magic was erased.

“It was all an act. You were never going to die.”

Hiding a sorrowful expression, he waved his hand dismissively.

“Ah, it wasn’t an act! I was really going to die!”

“Yes, yes, you would say that.”

Raon nodded and helped Rimmer to his feet.

“We have to see the end of our enemy.”

Supporting Rimmer, they approached the dying Dragon Swordsmaster.

“Um…”

As Rimmer tried to speak, Raon raised his hand.

“Let me say one thing first.”

“If you were going to do that, you shouldn’t have brought me along…”

Ignoring Rimmer’s words, Raon looked down at the Dragon Swordsmaster.

“I have nothing to say.”

The Dragon Swordsmaster trembled his eyes and shook his head.

“Don’t worry. I don’t want your answer.”

“What?”

“Did the Holy Sword Alliance, the Black Tower, and the White Religion join hands?”

That remark stopped the Dragon Swordsmaster’s trembling.

“Indeed.”

It seemed that the Six Emperors and the Five Demons appeared to form alliances but were actually gathered only to check each other and hadn’t really reached a proper agreement.

When the Black Tower attacked Cameloon and the Holy Sword Alliance and the White Religion attacked Barenne, I suspected something was off. It seemed the three organizations had temporarily formed an alliance.

“The Black Tower and the White Religion, you’ve fallen too.”

Rimmer muttered weakly.

“Shut up.”

The Dragon Swordsmaster’s response to that guess was to tell him to shut up.

“At least now you can speak honestly.”

Rimmer pushed Raon away and stood on his own. His legs trembled, but he didn’t fall and looked down at the Dragon Swordsmaster with a calm gaze.

“The loser of the previous fight was me. I lost all my subordinates and even my dantian, but you only lost an arm. I acknowledge it. You won.”

“What, what…”

The Dragon Swordsmaster swallowed his saliva, unable to comprehend Rimmer’s words.

“But this time it’s different. While you were recovering your strength, I…”

Rimmer grabbed Raon’s shoulder with his left arm.

“I raised this monster disciple. Since this brat has smashed you, the winner of this fight is us.”

He seemed touched by Raon’s earlier use of “we,” repeating it and smiling faintly.

“Kuk…”

The Dragon Swordsmaster bit his lip with a mix of resentment and poignancy.

“Yes, your hand didn’t do it, so it’s meaningless…”

“Yep. It’s meaningful. If it bothers you, go raise a disciple yourself! At your old age, you tried to recover your strength and ended up like this! Serves you right!”

Rimmer chuckled mockingly. If he had been in better condition, he might have even danced.

“No one will pray for your soul. It suits you to die in such a place.”

Rimmer smiled untroubledly as if he had finally shed all his regrets.

“You damned man…”

The Dragon Swordsmaster’s eyes bulged with blood vessels as he slowly ceased breathing. His expression before death was more distorted than when he had lost to Raon.

“Go to hell nicely.”

Rimmer watched the Dragon Swordsmaster breathe his last and then sat down. He rubbed his vanished right arm and awkwardly smiled.

“Thank you.”

“Excuse me?”

Raon looked at Rimmer, blinking.

“Thank you. I feel relieved because of you.”

Rimmer sighed deeply and looked up at the clear sky.

“Thank you for saving those kids. If even one had died, I wouldn’t have felt this way. It’s a relief.”

“Did the Leader say such things too?”

“What do you think of me!”

“But one thing you got wrong.”

“Oh?”

“It’s also fortunate that you survived, Leader.”

Raon turned Rimmer around to face the Light Wind Squad, who all seemed to agree as they smiled.

“Where are you running off to!”

“Make up for all the training you didn’t do when we get back.”

“Lazybones.”

“Gambler!”

“Penniless!”

“Beggar!”

“The trash of Zieghart!”

The Light Wind Squad swordsmen, understanding Rimmer’s situation, called him by his nicknames while smiling.

“Who’s the trash!”

Rimmer looked for the person who called him trash, grinding his teeth.

Raon watched Rimmer causing a ruckus and the Light Wind Squad fleeing with a faint smile.

‘It’s all over….’

• Ugh…

Just as he was enjoying the moment, Wrath appeared with a very serious face.

‘Why are you like this? Need to pee?’

• What nonsense! They are coming! They will be here soon!

That chilling statement made Raon immediately release his sensory hold. But even after swirling mana for a long time, he felt nothing.

‘What exactly is coming?’

• It’s coming! I feel it! It’s nearby!

Wrath did not answer, instead crouching like a feline predator eyeing its prey.

‘You sure you didn’t eat something weird?’

Muttering that it was strange, messages appeared in the air just as he was about to speak.

[You have ascended to the realm of a Grand Master.]

[In the heart of the battlefield, in a trance….]

[All attributes have….]

As messages continued to pop up, blocking his view.

• Ugh!

As if he had been waiting, Wrath screamed and leaped.

• It’s true! The devil has come! Get out now!

Raon watched the flailing cotton candy and blinked blankly.

‘But you’re the king of demons….’