Chapter 814
Raon’s pupils trembled.
‘Sword Control?’
Was it really Sword Control?
The worn-out book that Darkhan had given him contained details about Sword Control.
Not just a simple explanation or theory, but an actual mnemonic and operational method to master it, meticulously recorded.
‘This man….’
Raon exhaled a hollow breath as he looked down at Darkhan from behind the book.
‘Is he insane?’
Although he had saved Darkhan’s life, the same could be said for Darkhan as well.
Had Darkhan not stepped forward to block Lust, Raon might have been captured and dragged to the Demon Realm before even coming up with a plan.
No—more than that, Darkhan had the power to kill everyone here but still honored his promise with Raon.
Even if he had demanded a great reward, it wouldn’t have been unreasonable. Yet, he was handing over such a rare martial arts manual instead, which made no sense.
“What are you thinking?”
Raon narrowed his eyes as he looked at Darkhan.
“Why are you giving this to me?”
The situation was so absurd that he couldn’t help but ask.
“Raon?”
“What? What is it now?”
Runaan and Martha immediately lowered their stances as if ready to leap into action.
“Did a sword literally jump out of that book?”
Lawrence raised his guard, also appearing concerned.
“This manual…”
Raon furrowed his brow as he pointed at the martial arts book.
“It contains the operational method for Sword Control.”
“Huh?”
Jarek widened his eyes and turned to Darkhan.
“Sword Control, you say?”
Burren also took in a sharp breath, visibly shocked.
“……”
Rektor, however, simply observed Darkhan with serene eyes, as if he had somewhat expected this.
“I don’t need it anymore.”
Darkhan waved his hand nonchalantly.
“You don’t need it?”
“Yeah. I memorized every word of that manual to the point that I can recite it flawlessly in my sleep.”
He smirked, claiming it was now useless to him.
“Even so… Hm?”
As Raon examined the manual again, his eyes narrowed.
‘Wait. This swordsmanship—it’s not Darkhan’s Sword Control.’
At first, he had been astonished simply by the fact that it was a manual for Sword Control, but upon closer inspection, its operational method differed from Darkhan’s.
‘This is more like….’
The more he read the mnemonic and techniques, the less it resembled Darkhan’s technique and the more it reminded him of someone else’s.
‘The Sword Control of Zieghart’s ancestors!’
The very swordsmanship he had witnessed in his recent dream. The one that drew constellations in the sky to form a barrier.
“Darkhan.”
After swiftly scanning the book, Raon called out to him again.
“Where did you get this book?”
“So there was a connection after all.”
Darkhan tilted his chin slightly as he looked at Raon.
“I had a feeling when I saw your Sword Control.”
He chuckled while glancing at the hilt of Raon’s Requiem Sword.
“That your technique and the Sword Control in that manual had merged.”
A blade of black energy rose from Darkhan’s fingertips before vanishing.
“Of course, the mnemonic and operational method are rather crude, but the flow—should I say the pattern of movement? They are similar.”
He smiled, saying he could feel a resemblance between Raon’s sword and the one described in the manual.
“Now it’s my turn to ask. Where did you see that Sword Control?”
Darkhan leaned in, his eyes gleaming with curiosity. Despite his severe injuries, his enthusiasm for swordsmanship remained undiminished.
“…In a dream.”
Raon answered truthfully—though it was also not entirely true—lowering his gaze. There were too many uncertainties even for him to explain.
“A dream, huh….”
Darkhan observed Raon’s eyes before nodding quietly.
“I don’t see any deceit in your eyes, but that must be the only possible answer. That book is over a thousand years old.”
He chuckled, saying that without preservation magic, it would have long since turned to dust.
“A thousand years….”
Raon pressed his lips together as he gripped the martial arts manual with both hands.
‘So my initial suspicion was correct.’
Back in the cave, when he saw the back of Zieghart’s ancestor, he had suspected a connection to the Holy Sword Alliance. Now, after seeing this manual and the flowers the ancestor had planted, he was sure of it.
“Where did you find this book?”
Raon closed the manual and looked back at Darkhan.
“Here.”
Darkhan gestured lightly with his chin.
“This land originally belonged to the Holy Sword Alliance, but it was left alone and barely maintained. However….”
He grinned and licked his lips.
“I had a feeling there was something hidden here, so after I became the Lord of the Holy Sword Alliance, I searched every inch of it. That’s when I found the book.”
Darkhan nodded toward the martial arts manual.
“Thanks to it, I was able to learn Sword Control and realize that the world is far greater than I had ever known.”
He smiled deeply, saying it was an incredible stroke of fortune.
“But your Sword Control is different from what’s in this book.”
Raon lightly tapped the manual. Darkhan’s and the ancestor’s techniques seemed similar at a glance, but their nature was distinct.
Each had strengths and weaknesses, but overall, the ancestor’s Sword Control appeared superior.
“They are different. The technique in that book is far more complete than mine.”
Darkhan nodded, calmly acknowledging his own shortcomings.
“But perfectly replicating something from the past is boring.”
He grinned, saying that even if it meant being weaker, he wanted to forge his own unique swordsmanship.
“Hah….”
Raon widened his eyes as he observed Darkhan, who genuinely seemed to enjoy himself.
‘He really isn’t normal.’
Most people sought to master complete swordsmanship techniques, but Darkhan preferred to create his own, even at the cost of efficiency.
His way of thinking was fundamentally different from that of ordinary people.
“But for you, a direct descendant of Zieghart, to see that technique in a dream—that’s not just unusual, it’s bizarre.”
Darkhan stroked his chin while scrutinizing Raon.
“There may be a deeper connection between Zieghart and the Holy Sword Alliance than we realize.”
Darkhan curled his lips into a smirk, finding the thought amusing.
“Zieghart and the Holy Sword Alliance?”
Burren let out a scoff, utterly incredulous.
“That’s absurd!”
His pride in Zieghart ran deep, and he glared fiercely as if refusing to entertain the idea.
“Well, it’s just a possibility.”
Darkhan calmly lowered his hand.
“Besides, I’ve already left the Holy Sword Alliance, so it doesn’t concern me.”
He shook his head, dismissing it as mere curiosity.
“Really….”
Raon exhaled a quiet breath as he lifted the martial arts manual containing Sword Control.
“You’re really giving this book to me?”
“Unless you want to make me look like the kind of person who takes back what I’ve already given.”
Darkhan tapped his forehead as if telling Raon to get a grip.
“Hmm….”
A low groan escaped Raon unconsciously. To be honest, Darkhan was so unpredictable that, even after receiving the martial arts manual, he didn’t feel happy—just burdened.
“If you don’t understand, then don’t bother trying.”
Darkhan chuckled at Raon’s rigid expression.
“You just need to uphold our promise and show me a new realm of swordsmanship that doesn’t yet exist in this world.”
“I already know that.”
“If I find you unchanged when I visit Glenn, I’ll kill you first.”
Darkhan casually turned his back, speaking of murder without the slightest trace of killing intent.
“As promised, I’ll leave as soon as I recover.”
Darkhan ascended the mountain, saying he would be far away, so Raon need not worry.
“There’s no need to feel burdened.”
Rektor placed a hand on Raon’s shoulder and shook his head.
“That man has always been like this. He’s probably already forgotten that he gave you the book.”
He laughed, saying there was no point in trying to understand Darkhan by normal standards.
“That does seem likely.”
Raon had thought Darkhan had changed a little, but upon reflection, he was the same as ever—a sword fanatic who simply sought stronger sword techniques, learned them, and mastered them.
– This king agrees.
Wrath narrowed his eyes as he watched Darkhan’s retreating figure.
– That one is a lunatic, even among the few crazed ones in the Demon Realm. He’s just a madman obsessed with the sword.
Even Wrath acknowledged Darkhan’s unwavering conviction, nodding in agreement.
“By the way, how do we clean this up?”
The Demonic Blade Master shook his head as he looked around at the wreckage of the Holy Sword Alliance.
“This isn’t something that can be fixed in a day or two.”
The Melodic Blade Master let out a weary sigh, already exhausted at the thought.
“If we all work together, it’ll be restored in no time.”
Jarek moved first, pushing rubble off the path.
He smiled gently, relieved that everything had ended without a single casualty.
“This is what happens when people live together.”
Lawrence clicked his tongue.
“If you live far away, like me, none of this happens.”
He laughed, claiming that he was the ultimate winner for choosing to live in a cave.
“Speaking of that cave….”
Raon raised a finger and pointed toward where Lawrence resided.
“It seems a new owner has moved in.”
Darkhan, who had climbed the mountain, casually entered Lawrence’s cave as if it was the most natural thing to do.
Seeing his unhesitant and confident strides, it was clear he had intended to stay there from the beginning.
“H-heuuuh?!”
Lawrence clutched his head in horror.
“T-that lunatic! Why is he in my cave?!”
His jaw trembled, as if he couldn’t fathom this turn of events.
He looked more devastated than the people who had lost their homes in the battle.
“Well, isn’t it obvious? Everything here is wrecked.”
“As expected of a former Lord. Truly wise.”
The Melodic Blade Master and the Demonic Blade Master chuckled as they observed the ruins of the Holy Sword Alliance.
“I suppose….”
Raon patted the distraught Lawrence on the shoulder.
“Why not just live together?”
“Shut up!”
—
After helping with the restoration of the Holy Sword Alliance for three days, Raon finished his preparations and left the estate, ready to return to Zieghart.
At the entrance, Rektor and the swordsmen he had sparred with lined up to see him off.
“What took you so long?! We’ve all been waiting for you!”
Martha furrowed her brow, clearly tired of waiting.
“I didn’t see you in your room earlier. Where were you?”
Runaan tilted her head, curious.
“The mountain.”
Raon pointed to the mountain behind him. He had gone to see Darkhan one last time, but the man was already gone.
“I went too, but he wasn’t there.”
Rektor shook his head, confirming that he also hadn’t seen Darkhan.
“I see.”
Raon felt a tinge of regret. There were still things he wanted to ask Darkhan, but the former Lord of the Holy Sword Alliance had vanished just as swiftly as he had promised.
True to his nature, he had kept his word as precisely as a blade.
“Well then, we’ll be heading back now.”
Raon clasped his hands together and bowed to Rektor and the swordsmen of the Holy Sword Alliance.
“You must have found it troublesome, but thank you for sparring with me.”
He expressed his gratitude with a respectful swordsman’s salute.
“We enjoyed it too!”
“Yeah. I’ve never faced an opponent who felt different every time we fought!”
The Demonic Blade Master and Melodic Blade Master grinned, saying they had more fun than he had.
“Finally, you’re leaving. You’re the most persistent leech I’ve ever met.”
Lawrence exhaled deeply, as if he were finally relieved.
“Then why do you look so sad now that the leech is leaving?”
Jarek tilted his head as he lifted Lawrence’s long bangs.
“You’re even tearing up.”
“W-who’s crying?!”
Lawrence gritted his teeth and shook his head furiously.
“I never said you were. So you really are crying?”
“I’m not! I just slept outside for three days, and my body feels off!”
Desperate to cover his embarrassment, Lawrence lunged at Jarek.
“Don’t worry. I’ll visit again.”
Raon chuckled as he watched Lawrence and Jarek bicker.
“Absolutely not! I’ll throw you out if you come back!”
Lawrence waved his hands frantically, wiping at the corners of his eyes.
He was telling Raon not to return, but it reminded Raon of a puppy wagging its tail when its owner left the house—secretly hoping they’d come back soon.
“You’ve all done well.”
Rektor placed a firm hand on the shoulders of Raon, Burren, Martha, Runaan, and Dorian in turn, his expression carrying a deep sense of pride.
“If you continue to maintain the passion and effort you’ve shown here, you will achieve your goals.”
He gave them a solemn nod, full of trust.
“Yes.”
“Thank you!”
Raon’s group placed their hands over their hearts and bowed deeply toward Rektor.
“Martha.”
Lawrence sniffled, suppressing his emotions as his golden eyes gleamed faintly.
“I will uphold the oath I made to you for as long as I live. When the time comes, be sure to call upon me.”
“Of course. You’d better build up your strength in the meantime.”
Martha raised her fist, determined not to waste such a valuable labor force. Even she seemed to have found some solace during her time here.
“Dorian. Just because you can see through things with your Mind’s Eye, doesn’t mean you can do everything on your own. And if anything happens, don’t hesitate to reach out.”
Jarek offered Dorian some final words of advice, handing him a sword he had personally refined.
“Y-yes, Master….”
Dorian sniffled as he bowed his head, tears falling like snowflakes from his eyes. Despite the short time they had spent together, he had clearly formed deep attachments.
“Well then, we’ll be on our way.”
Once everyone had exchanged farewells, Raon turned back to Rektor.
“Don’t overdo it.”
Rektor pulled Raon into a warm embrace.
“Yes. You too, Grandpa.”
Raon returned the embrace, smiling softly.
“I….”
Runaan, who had been staring blankly at the sky, suddenly stepped forward and wrapped her arms around both Raon and Rektor in a tight hug.
“Huh….”
“You really….”
Raon and Rektor chuckled at the sight of Runaan clinging to them with her eyes tightly shut.
At that moment, a sharp whoosh filled the air.
From the mountain, a sword wreathed in black flames came hurtling toward them.
Claaang!
Raon swiftly drew Heavenly Drive, intercepting the blade aimed at the back of his head. The dark sword did not fly off into the distance but instead let out a powerful resonance right in front of him.
Wooooong!
It was Darkhan’s sword. Though he was nowhere to be seen, he had sent his final farewell in his own way—a fitting gesture from a former Lord of the Holy Sword Alliance.
“Don’t worry. I’ll keep my promise.”
Raon nodded lightly toward the sword hovering in midair.
Wooooong!
As if satisfied, the sword vibrated briefly before returning to the mountain.
“Damn it! He still hasn’t left?!”
Lawrence gritted his teeth, realizing he was in for yet another night of sleeping outdoors.
“Well then, this is our final farewell.”
Raon gave one last bow to Rektor and the others before heading toward the exit of the Holy Sword Alliance.
Before stepping into the dark cave that led out, he turned back one last time.
Comparing the Holy Sword Alliance of a thousand years ago to what it had become now, he clenched his fists.
He didn’t know what his ancestor was trying to achieve, nor what was expected of him.
But one thing was clear—he would walk the path he had chosen for himself.
– This king’s chosen path is the Mint Chocolate Road!
Wrath suddenly chimed in, declaring his undying loyalty to mint chocolate.
– As soon as we get home, you shall prepare a mountain of mint chocolate for me!
‘Please, just stop!’
Raon shoved Wrath aside and looked up at the peak of the mountain one last time.
‘Still….’
Something told him he would return to this place again one day.
Be it for a good reason or a bad one, his journey would inevitably lead him back here.
“……”
After taking in the view of the Holy Sword Alliance one final time, Raon stepped through the exit.
—
A man clad in a jet-black cloak sat on a throne, one leg crossed over the other.
Derus Robert gazed silently at the sun reflected on the ocean’s surface, as still as a statue.
As time passed, the sun sank below the horizon, and the darkening waters glowed with a fiery hue. Then, suddenly, the sea began to churn violently before erupting into a massive explosion.
Kuwaaaaah!
Amidst the powerful spray of water, a man emerged—his hair reflecting the sunset’s crimson light.
Despite his striking features, delicate enough to be mistaken for a woman, his cold eyes gleamed sharply as he lifted his head.
“The vessel has become even more refined.”
Derus smirked in satisfaction and lifted his hand to applaud.
“You truly suit this form, Beorn.”
He called out the man’s name, his voice tinged with amusement.
“No, I suppose I should address you by your previous name….”
“That won’t be necessary.”
Beorn shook his head, his gaze icy.
“There are only two people in this world who have the right to call me that.”
“I see.”
Derus shrugged indifferently, as if it didn’t matter.
“Well then, I assume you’re finally prepared?”
“Of course.”
Beorn nodded, his eyes fixed on the violently churning sea.
“I will claim that power with my own hands.”
