"Wherever I am is Zieghart?"
The referee burst into laughter while clutching his neatly combed hair.
"That's beyond arrogance, it's downright absurd. Could it be that your real name is Glenn Zieghart?"
He spread his arms, his voice dripping with mockery.
"I thought the Northern Conqueror had arrived."
"What an impudent brat, does he even know where he is?"
"He's completely lost his mind. He doesn't even seem to be from Zieghart."
"Get rid of this nuisance quickly and continue the auction!"
The bidders, who had been swallowing dry saliva in tension, seemed to relax at the referee's confident demeanor and sneered.
"I'll handle this."
Raon ignored the killing intent emanating from the entire auction house and turned his gaze to Siyana, Rimmer, and Leylan.
"There are elves being held behind the platform. You three, please rescue them."
"Oh, can you handle this alone?"
Siyana clasped her trembling hands, looking concerned.
"It would be difficult if I had to subdue them all, but..."
Raon licked his lips as he looked at the South-North Union martial artists closing in and the bidders exuding fierce auras.
"It's fine since they're all deserving of death."
The humans in this auction house came here to buy elf and human slaves. They were all deserving of death, so there was no need to hold back.
"Rather than worrying about that monster, you'd be better off worrying about the sky falling."
Rimmer stood up and removed his hood. He even took off the disguise that had been hiding his ears and stepped forward.
"Let's go quickly. We can't let the children suffer any more humiliation."
He furrowed his brow deeply and drew his sword with his left hand.
"Then I'll leave it to you."
"Be careful."
As Leylan and Siyana tried to follow Rimmer, the South-North Union martial artists surrounding them thrust forward their swords and spears imbued with sticky killing intent.
Raon took a step forward and raised the Heavenly Drive. The moment the sharp sword light flashed, the bodies of the martial artists blocking the way were diagonally split.
Splatter!
Blood and flesh burst out, splattering on the floor lights and scattering red radiance.
"Huh...?"
"P-people can die that easily?"
"It's not just one or two..."
"What is this."
Those who thought it was a minor disturbance shuddered as they smelled the scent of blood approaching their noses.
"W-wait a moment!"
The old man sitting right next to Raon raised his trembling eyes.
"A golden-haired, red-eyed Zieghart. Could it be..."
Thanks to the change in lighting, he could now see Raon's appearance clearly and let out a scream-like shout.
"It's Raon Zieghart!"
At the shout of "Raon Zieghart," a heavy silence that seemed to press down on shoulders descended upon the entire auction house.
"I-if it's Raon Zieghart..."
"Th-the Dragon Slayer?"
"Why is that monster here..."
The faces of those who had been sneering just moments ago now turned pale and stiff.
"Go."
At Raon's gesture, Rimmer nodded and ran down. He stomped down with his wind-wrapped feet, smashing the left wall of the platform and entering inside.
"Raon Zieghart..."
The smile that had been hanging on the referee's lips was wiped away as if washed off.
"As the one called the Dragon Slayer, you might have the right to say such things. But this place is a river."
He narrowed his eyebrows and raised his hand. The auction house doors burst open, and even the South-North Union martial artists from outside came running in to surround them.
"This is where we have the upper hand more than anyone. So..."
The referee messed up his well-groomed hair, revealing a fierce, beast-like gaze.
"Kill him!"
At his shout, the South-North Union martial artists surrounding them charged simultaneously.
Raon raised the Heavenly Drive he had been holding down. An elegant line drawn along the blood-colored lighting cut through the killing intent in the auction house.
Slash!
The heads of the South-North Union martial artists who were thrusting forward with their spears and swords fell off like ripe apples.
All that remained was the sticky sound of blood soaking the floor.
"Th-this is..."
The referee fell back, his chin trembling. He wasn't the only one. Everyone in this auction house held their breath, unable to move a finger.
Raon stepped on the steaming blood as he descended to the platform. The face of the referee standing before him turned pale.
"Wh-what are you doing! Stop him! If we leave him be, we'll all die!"
The referee shouted at the people in the auction house to send guards to stop Raon.
"Ugh!"
"S-stop that bastard!"
"You go too!"
"If we just deal with that monster, there won't be any problems!"
Those who fell for the referee's words sent their guards to block Raon's path.
With even the remaining South-North Union martial artists moving, those surrounding Raon now numbered over 100.
"It's convenient that you're coming on your own."
Raon smiled coldly as he stirred up a red wave with the Heavenly Drive. Petals blooming from the sword's tip scattered, carrying a faint flame.
Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation Heavenly Drive.
Fire Spirit.
The flaming petals that had been advancing gently like dandelion seeds suddenly accelerated and dug into the chests of the martial artists.
"Ah..."
"F-flowers?"
"Block it!"
The martial artists who came to their senses tried to ignite their aura at full power and take defensive stances, but it was already too late.
Boom!
The fragments of Fire Spirit caused massive explosions as soon as they touched the martial artists' bodies, burning their flesh.
"Arghhhh!"
"Gahhhk!"
It didn't matter if they were low-level Masters or mid-level Masters. Those touched by the red-hot sword had their lives extinguished without even blocking a single strike.
After slaughtering all the martial artists, Raon turned to look at Dorian.
"Block the door."
"Yes."
Dorian nodded and stood in front of the auction house door. Though fear was visible, he also showed determination not to budge no matter who came.
-That guy has become quite useful now.
Wrath smirked as he observed Dorian.
"W-wait a moment!"
The old man who had bought an elf named Kasia when descending to the platform approached and knelt down.
"I-I am Zisen of the Penshian family. We have a 50-year relationship with Zieghart..."
"Then that alliance ends here."
He cut the throat of the pig who was babbling about being an ally.
"Huh...?"
Zisen tilted over, clutching his slit throat as if unable to believe his own death.
Raon descended into the silent auction house and climbed onto the platform.
"Ah..."
The referee tried to back away, his bloodshot eyes wide.
"It's been a while since I've met someone who speaks as filthily as you."
Raon smiled coldly as he swung his sword. The blade that descended lightly cut off both of the referee's legs.
"Aaaaargh!"
The referee screamed and flailed.
"I wanted to cut your mouth first, but..."
Raon's chilling eyes caught the referee's crumpled face.
"It seems I have a lot to discuss with you."
* * *
A lavish room adorned with animal and monster hides hanging like decorations.
A young man wearing a white tiger skin coat licked his lips as he examined a pile of gold coins.
"Making money is disgustingly easy, unlike when I was a bandit."
He chuckled as he put the handful of gold coins back into his pouch.
"As expected, desire is the best commodity... Hm?"
The young man stopped closing the pouch and raised his gaze.
As a questioning light entered his eyes, the door opened and a middle-aged man in a black suit entered.
"Master Lector! B-big trouble!"
"I can feel it too."
Lector narrowed his eyes, fixing his gaze on the ceiling.
"Who has come?"
"Th-there was an elf hidden among the guests! They say he's causing a riot inside the auction house right now."
"How did an elf find this place? Even if they could get into the gambling den, they'd need an invitation for the auction house, wouldn't they?"
"Th-that, I'm not sure..."
The middle-aged man shook his head, indicating he didn't know.
"Well, we'll find out when we catch them."
Lector waved his hand with a thin smile.
"Eren should be able to handle it well on his own."
He infused aura into the crystal ball placed at the end of the desk. The transparent orb darkened, showing the scene inside the auction house.
"As expected, he's smart. Not just our guys, but even the guards those pigs brought are being mobilized... Huh?"
Lector stopped wiggling his finger leisurely and widened his eyes. A man wielding a sword was slaughtering dozens with each strike.
"...This is supposed to be an elf?"
"Ah, yes. There are five of them, all elves..."
"No."
He shook his head firmly and let out a hollow laugh.
"That's Raon Zieghart. Not some mere elf."
"I-if it's Raon Zieghart..."
"The young monster who's said to have caught the Mad Dragon."
Lector frowned as he lifted the crystal ball.
"This is insane."
The last time he saw Raon was when he went to the Gazelle River with the Axe King.
It had been just over two years, but that monster seemed to have achieved unbelievable growth.
"Even I couldn't win against him..."
Although he had become quite strong himself, he had no chance against that monster. He might only be able to buy some time.
"Hmm..."
Lector chewed his lip as he turned his head.
"There's no choice."
He opened the desk drawer and took out a white paper and a gray paper. Both had a strange glow as if absorbing light.
Lector wrote on the paper that Raon Zieghart had come, then stared at it for a moment.
"Who should I call..."
As he frowned in contemplation, Raon, who had been subduing and torturing Eren, turned around. He seemed to notice the existence of the crystal ball and moved his lips as he looked this way.
So you were there.
Lector's chin trembled as he met Raon's red gaze.
"This is no time for hesitation."
He burned both papers and wiped the sweat flowing from his forehead.
"I hope someone, anyone, comes."
* * *
"P-please spare me..."
"Have you ever not brought those who begged to be saved to this place?"
Raon gave a faint, cold smile as he looked at the referee begging for his life.
"That's..."
The referee's lips trembled as he averted his gaze.
"Your end was decided from the moment you spouted nonsense to a child who lost their parents."
Deeming it a waste to use his sword, he snapped the referee's neck with his bare hands.
"Guh..."
Overwhelmed with fear and pain, the referee's entire body convulsed before he breathed his last.
As Raon put down the referee's corpse, Rimmer, Siyana, and Leylan came up to the platform.
The clothes of all three were soaked in blood, as if they had steeled their resolve.
Next to them stood about twenty elves, all wearing heavy makeup to suit human tastes and dressed in gowns. They were still beautiful, but it was a bitter and sorrowful sight.
"Please go out first."
Raon shook the blood from his hands and pointed to the auction house door.
"What about you, Lord Raon?"
Siyana asked with a low breath.
"I still have work to do."
"Work?"
"You're planning to destroy this place, aren't you?"
Rimmer pointed his finger up and down at the auction house.
"You know me well."
Raon nodded with a smirk.
"Because I know your personality."
Rimmer chuckled and tapped his scabbard.
"I'd like to do it myself, but I have children to take care of. I'll concede this time. Let's go."
He picked up a young elf and climbed the auction house stairs.
"B-be careful."
"I'll go out first."
Siyana and Leylan also followed Rimmer, knowing that getting the elves out was the priority.
"Dorian."
At Raon's call, Dorian nodded firmly and came down.
"Shall I clear the path ahead?"
"No, gather all the items and money here."
"What...?"
Dorian's eyes widened as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"I told you. I'm going to destroy this place. Before that, gather all the auction items and money here."
"Uh..."
"Once you've gathered everything, leave on your own."
With those words, Raon brought his fist down towards the platform below.
Boom!
The floor collapsed, revealing a second gambling den. There were no gamblers or dealers, but assassins hidden throughout rushed in.
They seemed to be aiming for the moment when he couldn't move in mid-air.
Raon slashed the Heavenly Drive to the right while in mid-air. The sword strike drew a line like a red comet, spreading intense heat.
Slash!
The assassins fell, their lives extinguished before they could even throw their hidden daggers and short swords. Their wide-open eyes showed how shocked they were.
Boom!
Raon, who had landed on the ground, stomped hard. He broke through the gambling den floor again and descended one more level.
In the center of a room that looked messy with animal and monster hides hanging everywhere, sat a man wearing a white tiger skin coat.
He wore a yellow bandana on his head, with a smooth forehead that was impressive.
"You..."
Raon narrowed his eyes as he looked at the man's face.
"Didn't you say you were a bandit?"
Before him was Lector, the South-North Union martial artist whom he first met during a mission to track bandits as a trainee, and met for the second time at the Gazelle River.
"A salaried man has to do what he's told from above."
Lector smirked and shrugged his shoulders.
"For someone just following orders, you seem to have enjoyed it quite a bit."
Raon scoffed as he looked at the extravagantly decorated room and the white tiger skin coat.
"Everyone likes money, don't they?"
Lector chuckled and shook his head.
"Compared to that, it seems you've only pursued strength."
His eyes trembled slightly.
"It's a power that leaves me speechless. Did you receive a demon's blessing or something?"
Lector's jaw trembled as if in disbelief.
-This guy didn't receive a demon's blessing, he extorted the demon king!
Wrath shook his head, insisting it wasn't true at all.
"Enough small talk."
Raon raised the blade of the Heavenly Drive, all blood having evaporated from it.
"There must be a ledger with the names of the humans who bought elves, right?"
"...Why would there be such a ledger?"
Lector's previously bold voice cracked.
"So there is one after all."
"Annoyingly perceptive, aren't you?"
Lector shook his head with his hands on his hips.
"Trash like you wouldn't miss a chance to get leverage on others."
"Yeah, there is one. But we're an organization with our own sense of loyalty, so we can't just hand it over."
He raised both fists and jerked his chin.
"I'll decide based on your level."
"..."
Raon didn't answer and drew a semicircle with the Heavenly Drive. A red wave rose from the elegantly extending blade.
A force beyond limits met extreme speed, cutting through an instant.
Slash!
The silver blade, infused with the luxurious ceiling lights, sliced through Lector's right side.
Splat!
Lector's right arm was violently torn off as if it had been gnawed away.
"Arghhhh!"
Lector screamed a beat late, as if he hadn't even felt the sword strike.
"I'm not someone who can be evaluated by the likes of you."
Raon turned his head, pointing the Heavenly Drive, which didn't have a single drop of blood on it, at the ground.
"Speak. Where is the ledger?"