Chapter 863
Stehrin left Seiphia and headed into the great forest.
Unlike other elves, he didn’t move the forest itself; instead, he walked naturally through the thick trees and brush as if he were simply another part of the woods.
“Haa…”
Raon let out a quiet sound of admiration as he followed behind Stehrin.
‘So you can follow the flow of nature like that…’
True to his elven nature, Stehrin breathed and moved as if he himself were in harmony with the world.
It was completely different from other transcendents who forcibly drew in the energy of nature.
‘I’m learning something new again.’
Others might not be able to, but with his Ring of Fire, Raon felt he could try to imitate Stehrin’s breathing and movement.
‘But…’
Where are we going?
Raon frowned at Stehrin’s back, which never seemed to slow down. He hadn’t expected them to go so far, but Stehrin pressed on, as if he would cross the entire great forest.
– Hmph, I thought he’d just hand you some martial arts manuals, but this is turning into a hassle.
Wrath grumbled, annoyed that he wouldn’t even get dinner.
‘I thought so too.’
Raon also figured Stehrin would just hand over a manual or teach him some martial arts, but now that they’d gone so far, it didn’t seem likely.
– But that pointy-eared old man…
‘Pointy-eared old man?’
– He’s the grandfather of that pointy-eared guy, so “pointy-eared old man” fits, doesn’t it?
Wrath stuck out his lower lip as if to say not to argue.
‘Anyway, so?’
– He’s gotten much weaker. It really does seem like his end is near.
Wrath nodded, saying Raon could probably sense it too.
‘…I know.’
Raon bit his lower lip.
‘I can see it.’
He didn’t need to feel it with his energy like Wrath; just looking with his eyes, he could tell Stehrin’s body was aged.
It didn’t seem like he had much time left.
‘Damn…’
When it came to the limits of lifespan, there was nothing to be done.
He had come to announce Rimmer’s death, but it felt like he was about to witness someone else’s end as well, and his heart ached.
‘Will Siyan be able to handle it?’
As he worried whether Siyan could bear losing both her brother and grandfather, Stehrin stopped walking.
He turned around in front of a hill where sharp rocks jutted out.
“Guardian. Why did we come here…?”
Raon tilted his head. He looked around, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary, which left him confused.
“Come over here.”
Stehrin pointed behind the sloping hill. It seemed he wanted Raon to look where he was pointing.
“Ah, yes.”
Raon nodded and walked over to Stehrin. In the shadowy spot behind the hill, he could see some round shapes sticking up.
“Fruit?”
Three red fruits, about the size of small plums, swayed in the evening breeze.
“This is…”
“They’re called Sagon fruit.”
Stehrin looked down at the Sagon fruit and smiled gently.
“It’s not an elixir that’s packed with mana or boosts elemental power, but it has a great effect in calming a person’s mind and strengthening their soul.”
He carefully picked the fruit and placed it in his hand.
“I’ve heard of Sagon fruit before. But how could something so precious be here…?”
Raon swallowed dryly as he looked at Stehrin’s hand.
Since Sagon fruit strengthens the mind rather than the body, it was rarer than the highest-grade elixirs.
He would have never imagined finding it in such a secluded shadow.
“Humans and elves alike always seem to only look up. Sometimes, good things come from looking down.”
Stehrin’s advice was about more than just fruit; it sounded like life wisdom.
“Of course, it seems you already understand that well enough.”
He smiled gently, as if to say he had been watching Raon’s efforts from behind.
“Ah, sorry.”
“It’s a compliment. A compliment.”
Stehrin shook his head, saying there was no need to apologize.
“To reach Transcendence at your age, it’d be natural to get a bit arrogant or lazy, but you’re always looking upward. It’s amazing. But sometimes, look down too. You might find something there as well.”
He gave Raon heartfelt advice as he offered the Sagon fruit.
“Are you really giving this to me?”
“Give it to your aunt and your sister. It won’t make much difference to a warrior, but for those mentally exhausted, it will help greatly.”
Stehrin placed the Sagon fruit in Raon’s hand, asking him to deliver them well.
“But why three…?”
“One’s your errand fee. You eat it.”
He waved his hand lightly, saying it tastes good too.
– Did he say it tastes good? Try it now! I’m starving!
Wrath shouted, licking his lips in curiosity.
“…Thank you.”
Raon elbowed Wrath aside and bowed to Stehrin.
Since the elixir was for Sia and Aris, he couldn’t refuse.
“I thought you’d pass down martial arts or ask for a spar, but I never expected such a great gift. I’ll definitely deliver them to the two of them.”
He sincerely thanked Stehrin again.
“Haa, you’ve gotten greedier since I last saw you.”
Stehrin clicked his tongue.
“Huh? What do you mean…?”
Raon blinked at Stehrin, not understanding why he’d suddenly been called greedy.
“I gave you three Sagon fruit and you still want martial arts on top of that? No shame at all.”
“N-no! Not at all!”
Raon quickly raised his hands.
“I only wanted to thank you…”
“I’m joking. You’re way too serious with adults. Try to be a little more easygoing, like your master.”
Stehrin smiled, saying he should show a lighter side like Rimmer sometimes.
“Ah, that’s a bit…”
Raon shook his head firmly.
“Kuhahaha!”
Stehrin burst out laughing, curling his lips upward.
“Yeah, I can see that.”
He nodded, saying it made perfect sense.
“I know there’s a lot I could learn from Master, but I definitely don’t want to resemble his flippant or carefree side.”
– You really don’t need to. Your own lunatic streak is already worse than his.
Wrath flicked his finger, saying there’s no need to suppress Raon’s madness any further.
‘That’s not true!’
– Yes, it is.
‘No way am I crazier than Master…’
As Raon shook his head, Stehrin took the bow and a single arrow slung across his back.
“Alright. Let’s see how much you’ve grown.”
It seemed Stehrin truly intended to spar, as he notched an arrow to his bow.
“Ah, that’s not what I meant…”
“You must know as well as I do, I don’t have much time left.”
He shook his head, his right hand holding the arrow trembling slightly.
“I can control the energy of nature all I want, but my body can’t withstand the strain anymore. If not now, I won’t have a chance to teach you.”
Stehrin gestured for Raon to draw his sword.
– You know, right? If he’s coming at you like this, it would actually be rude to refuse.
Wrath’s gaze grew solemn, as if telling him to hurry and draw his sword.
‘Yeah.’
Raon bit his lip and nodded.
“Then I’ll gratefully accept your teaching.”
Raon drew the Heavenly Drive and pointed it at Stehrin.
“For my final sparring partner to be you—what an honor.”
Stehrin smiled, saying he was happy to face the future absolute, and smiled with his wrinkled lips.
“I’m coming, then.”
Realizing Stehrin was going to teach through battle, Raon made the first move.
Bang!
Holding the Heavenly Drive with a narrow grip, he raised Red Severing Slash toward Stehrin’s waist.
The white blade flared violently, as if erasing the seasoned elf’s presence.
“Fast and strong.”
Stehrin let out a small sound of admiration and twisted his bow diagonally. The shimmering blue bow neutralized the flames of Red Severing Slash and gently pressed down the Heavenly Drive.
Kuuuuung!
Raon’s Heavenly Drive, raised upward, didn’t even reach Stehrin and struck the ground.
‘Perfect defense.’
To deflect his strike with just the bow—there was a reason he was Seiphia’s guardian.
‘Alright, then—properly this time.’
Raon narrowed his eyes and circled to Stehrin’s left. From his blind spot, he stabbed with whirling flame along the sword—Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation, Whirlwind.
Fwoooosh!
In the instant the spiral flame pierced in, Stehrin disappeared like a ghost and reappeared five steps away to the left.
It felt more like a clone technique than footwork.
“Now, try blocking my arrow.”
With a gentle smile, Stehrin drew his bow.
A blue-glimmering arrow instantly shot right for Raon’s face.
Thwip!
Raon used Supreme Harmony Steps to dodge to the right, but Stehrin’s arrow followed as if it had eyes, releasing a fierce wave of energy.
Kyaaaaang!
Raon parried the arrow aiming for his left chest with Frost Pond.
Screeech!
But the blue arrow, struck by Frost Pond, didn’t break or deflect; it floated back up and tracked him again.
‘Harmony Bow!’
The archery technique, freely controlling arrows like Sword Control, was the absolute domain of an archer.
‘Then I’ll do it too!’
Raon released the Heavenly Drive. By opening his upper dantian, he used the secret of Sword Control. The Heavenly Drive floated on its own, blocking Stehrin’s Harmony Bow as it tried to pierce his throat.
Craaaack!
Transcendence-level Sword Control and Harmony Bow clashed, creating a massive shockwave and splitting the air with a dark blue fissure.
“That’s the Sword Control you used to avenge that one, isn’t it?”
Stehrin nodded, pleased.
“Even after mixing the styles of various warriors, it still feels harmonious. You’ve polished your sword well.”
He nodded, saying it was excellent.
“Master’s teachings helped greatly as well.”
Raon used the wind of Garunua he’d learned from Rimmer to push away Stehrin’s Harmony Bow.
“You’ve incorporated my grandson’s martial art? Then as his grandfather, I can’t lose.”
With a thin smile, Stehrin flicked his finger. His arrow spun in a vortex and shot toward the Heavenly Drive.
Kwaaaaaang!
Sword Control and Harmony Bow clashed again, thunder echoing through the night sky.
‘He really can’t use his full strength right now.’
Stehrin’s condition wasn’t good, and the energy in his Harmony Bow wasn’t that strong.
Feeling he had completely overwhelmed him, Raon lifted his gaze.
‘…Huh?’
But Stehrin’s arrow didn’t just block the flames in the Heavenly Drive—it was actually pushing them back.
“Amazing, isn’t it?”
Stehrin smiled thinly at Raon’s wide eyes.
“Your energy is overwhelming, yet it doesn’t push mine back.”
“Y-yes, that’s right.”
Raon spoke with trembling lips.
“It’s nature.”
Stehrin raised his hand. It looked as if the whole world was reflected in his wrinkled palm.
“Transcendence is the realm where you can connect with all things in this world. If your own strength isn’t enough, you can borrow the energy of nature. Dragons, for example, can do that from the very beginning.”
He waved his finger, saying what matters in a transcendent’s battle is how far your existence can reach.
“At first, it won’t go smoothly. Whether you force nature’s energy or borrow it, it’s not easy. But for someone like you, it won’t take long—huh?”
Stehrin stopped his advice mid-sentence, mouth agape. Wind from the great forest was gathering atop Raon’s Heavenly Drive.
“So that’s how it works. It’s a bit hard, but I think I get it.”
Raon nodded, saying he understood through feeling.
“Y-you got it immediately?”
Stehrin’s jaw dropped in disbelief.
“In fact, before coming here, I watched our Head of House and the Central Martial Palace Master spar. Both used not just their own aura, but also the energy of nature, and after seeing you move today, I think I finally get it.”
Raon bowed, saying he realized it after watching Stehrin move in harmony with nature.
“Kuhahaha!”
Stehrin laughed, brushing back his white hair.
“You really are just like he said.”
“He?”
“Your master. My grandson.”
He gazed down at Rimmer’s sword with clear eyes.
“He always said Raon would surpass all expectations, and it was true.”
Stehrin nodded, saying nothing had changed.
“But you’re still quite unrefined. You could go further, right?”
“Of course.”
Raon answered confidently and raised the Heavenly Drive.
“Then let’s go again.”
“Yes!”
With a sense of nostalgia, Raon enjoyed an all-night training session with Stehrin.
—
As soon as the dawn-long sparring with Raon ended, Stehrin returned home and sank to the floor.
“It’s not easy.”
Just a few hours of sparring and teaching left his whole body aching as if with muscle pain. It meant he’d overexerted himself.
In his prime—or even just a few years ago—he could have fought all day without issue, but now this overwhelming fatigue told him his time was near.
‘Still, it was enjoyable.’
Maybe it was because he’d taught a young transcendent raised by his grandson. The satisfaction far outweighed the exhaustion or pain.
As he prepared to sleep in a good mood, a white envelope fell before his eyes.
“What’s this…”
Stehrin raised a trembling hand and opened the letter. The moment he read it, he let out a sigh, but his gaze grew even more resolute.
After burning the letter, Stehrin left his house and headed for the northern edge of the great forest.
When he climbed the yellow hill wreathed in chilling air, a woman in a golden coat turned to face him.
Diamond-shaped pupils like a snake’s—a dragon in human form.
“You’re late.”
The dragon tilted her chin arrogantly.
“The sun hasn’t risen yet, so I’m on time.”
Stehrin clicked his tongue.
“And today isn’t even the day we were supposed to meet. Wasn’t that four days from now?”
“After returning, I realized there was no reason to give you more time.”
The dragon lowered her hand, saying it was best for both sides to settle things now.
“Am I wrong? It seems you’ve already made up your mind too.”
“That’s right.”
Stehrin nodded calmly.
“So, your answer?”
“My answer is no. Seiphia will stand with neither the dragons nor the Five Kings.”
He flatly rejected every proposal the dragon made, leaving not the slightest crack.
“Seiphia isn’t in any position to protect itself right now, is it?”
The dragon bared her white teeth in a thinly veiled threat.
“Do you really think the Five Kings would risk their lives for you?”
“That doesn’t matter. What’s the point of clinging to life after betraying trust? Those who abandon faith fall into ruin.”
Stehrin shook his head, saying he didn’t want to live like the dark elves.
“Threaten, retaliate—do as you will. As long as I live, I’ll block it all.”
He straightened his back, leaving no room for regret.
“Retaliate, huh…”
The dragon tilted her head.
“That’s good. Because it’s already begun.”
“What do you…”
As Stehrin turned, scarlet flames erupted from the great forest surrounding Seiphia.
Kugugugugu!
