"Huff! Huff!"
Trevin wiped the cold sweat dripping from his forehead as he ran towards the summit of North Grave Mountain.
'What... what just happened?'
Moments ago, Raon had suddenly emerged from the darkness, thrashing the Warring Steel Division swordsmen and Dorian. It's not an exaggeration to say he thrashed them. Raon had smashed the back of Dorian's head with his scabbard, leaving no other way to describe it.
'He's gone mad.'
Trevin couldn't help but think Raon had lost his mind, shattering the skull of a cherished subordinate just because he'd cursed him as a filthy devil when he thought no one could hear.
'I was in danger too.'
Though he'd barely managed to defend himself and escape thanks to Dorian taking the first hit, the force behind Raon's scabbard was so intense that his hands still ached.
'But why did he attack?'
Trevin couldn't understand why Raon had ambushed them when he'd said they only needed to hold out on North Grave Mountain while eating Nadine bread.
'Wait a minute. Come to think of it...'
When they were climbing North Grave Mountain, the Light Wind Division swordsmen had looked pale as if their souls had left their bodies, and Dorian, whom he'd just seen, was drooling like he'd lost his mind. Putting it all together, it seemed this had been the training from the start, not Raon going mad.
'Yes. That must be it.'
A martial artist like Raon wouldn't conduct simple field training that only involved holding out on a mountain. It must have been training with ambushes in mind from the beginning. But all Trevin could hear around him were desperate screams from his fellow swordsmen.
Intense shockwaves and the screams of swordsmen could be heard from below. It seemed Raon was attacking both the Warring Steel and Light Wind Divisions indiscriminately.
'I can't escape anyway.'
Despite running at full speed, the screams of others were getting closer and closer. Escaping from Raon seemed impossible.
'Wait a second...'
He said it was field training, right? The most important elements in field combat are concealment and cover. It seemed Raon wanted them to hide, suppress their presence, or counterattack.
'I should hide.'
As soon as Trevin made his decision, he quickly erased his traces and crouched under a tree thick with underbrush.
'Huh?'
But the spot already had an occupant.
"Krein?"
Krein, known as the most reckless in the Light Wind Division, was sitting with his knees drawn up, his hands trembling.
"Are you hiding too?"
"...Hiding?"
Krein twisted his eyes as if Trevin's words made no sense.
"There's no point in hiding. I'm just hehe..."
He nodded his head back and forth, letting out an eerie laugh.
"Just waiting to be hit later."
"W-what do you mean, hit later?"
"Soon, even the Warring Steel Leader will know. This isn't training."
Krein closed his eyes, saying that hiding or running away was meaningless.
"No, what do you..."
Just as Trevin was about to ask again, a scream erupted from right below them.
"Ugh..."
Krein tugged at his hair with his fingers, saying it was all over now.
"..."
Trevin gripped his sword hilt, lowering his stance. He slowly inhaled, ready to counterattack if Raon came.
"It's useless."
Krein giggled as he looked at him.
"That guy. It's not training, he's just trying to..."
As Krein shook his head, Raon's scabbard burst through the underbrush. Thwack! Krein was hit in the abdomen with the scabbard and rolled down the mountain without even a scream.
'I expected that.'
Anticipating that Raon would strike Krein first for raising his voice, Trevin readied his sword to defend against Raon's next attack.
"Come at me as much as you... Huh?"
As he prepared to defend and then flee as before, Raon drew his sword from its scabbard. Whoosh! A red Astral Ring surged above the silver blade gleaming with a silvery light.
"A-Astral Ring?"
Unlike himself who had just become a Grandmaster, this was a fully realized Astral Ring, and the sword path emitting that aura far surpassed his own level.
"W-wait! Raon! I can't block that yet!"
Trevin shook his head, shouting that he couldn't block such a sword strike.
"That's why I'm doing this."
Raon swung his sword down with a chilling smile.
"Aaargh!"
Trevin tried to defend with all his might, but his sword skills and aura were both overwhelmed, causing his sword to be pushed back instantly.
[You filthy devil...]
[That guy. It's not training, he's just...]
As he saw Raon's flames breaking through his sword, the words of Dorian and Krein echoed in his mind.
'Those two were right. This guy is...'
Trevin swallowed hard as he watched Raon swing his sword down as if to kill him.
'Just a madman!'
Finally, the sword he had thrust out with all his might was deflected, and Raon's sword fell right on his head. Thwack! Trevin was hit on the head with the flat of the blade and fell backward. Through his blurring vision, he could see Raon smiling.
"Damn it..."
I came to the wrong place...
* * *
'This should be enough of a greeting.'
Raon dusted off his hands after giving the Light Wind and Warring Steel Divisions focus enhancement training until sunrise. Now that they had all fainted and collapsed, it seemed like a good time to descend the mountain.
-Greeting?
Wrath let out a hollow laugh as if he couldn't believe it.
-After thrashing all the kids! What kind of greeting is that!
He frowned, asking why turning people into rags was considered a greeting.
'I'm sorry too, but it can't be helped.'
Raon clicked his tongue briefly as he looked at the swordsmen who had fainted with their eyes rolled back.
'The battles ahead will be even more arduous than this.'
With the possibility of an all-out war with the Black Tower, he needed to maximize the combat power of the Light Wind and Warring Steel Divisions before then. It might be tough now, but this training would be of great help in that war.
-Well, that's true, but...
Wrath lowered his eyes as if he had nothing to say about that point.
'Let's go down now. I've enjoyed the feel of it enough.'
Raon brushed the dust off his clothes and turned towards the bottom of the mountain.
-That's go... Huh? Feel of it? You just said you enjoyed the feel of it! As I thought, you were doing this because you liked it!
Wrath slapped his hand down hard, saying he knew it all along.
'It's your imagination.'
-What imagination! You just beat up the kids to relieve stress! You despicable...
'What do you want for breakfast?'
-Huh? Oh!
As soon as the topic of breakfast came up, Wrath's eyes rolled. He seemed to have completely forgotten about the Light Wind Division getting beaten up, distracted by food.
-Since it's breakfast, I'm in the mood for a light lobster dish.
'A light lobster dish...'
Muttering that it was peculiar as always, Raon descended the mountain. Just as he was about to return directly to the annex building, a familiar face approached from the right.
"It's been a while."
Denier waved his right hand with a smile.
"Wise Martial Palace Master."
Raon turned and bowed to Denier.
"What brings you here?"
He was curious about why Denier was here, given the distance between the Fifth Training Ground and the Wise Martial Palace.
"On my way back, I heard rumors that you had defeated the Demonblade, so I wanted to congratulate you."
Denier nodded, saying it was truly a remarkable achievement. His rounded smile conveyed pure goodwill.
"I was lucky."
Raon shook his head, saying it wasn't such a great feat.
"I heard he was consumed by Death Energy, but still, Demonblade is Demonblade. It's an achievement that has changed history and the era."
Denier lowered his chin, telling Raon not to belittle himself like Balder.
"..."
Raon silently looked into Denier's eyes.
"In three days, you'll become a Palace Master too. To think someone even younger than Martha would become a Palace Master, I still can't believe it."
He joked lightly, saying he wouldn't be able to speak informally anymore.
"I still have a long way to go."
"That humble attitude must have made you who you are today. I hope you'll continue with the same mindset. And please take good care of Martha."
Denier looked up at North Grave Mountain once, then waved and left.
'Denier Zieghart.'
Raon narrowed his eyes as he watched Denier's back.
'What are you thinking?'
He reconsidered Denier's words, expressions, and actions, but there seemed to be no intention other than an uncle encouraging his nephew. Although he had made some preparations to keep this enigmatic man in check, seeing his calm eyes made him feel even more uneasy.
-That guy...
Wrath wrinkled his nose as he watched Denier's straight gait.
-He seems to change every time I see him. I really can't figure out his true nature.
He smacked his lips, saying it was a quality he had never seen in his long life as a demon king.
'It's difficult.'
Raon clicked his tongue briefly and headed for the annex building. As soon as he opened the front door, Sia threw herself at him as if she had been waiting.
"Raon! Young children shouldn't sleep outside!"
Sia pouted, asking why he didn't sleep at home.
"She spread out her sleeping bag here, saying you weren't coming home yesterday."
Sylvia sighed, saying she couldn't stop her.
"Thanks to that, I got to sleep with Sia after a long time. Please do this more often."
Edgar chuckled as he rolled up his and Sia's sleeping bags.
"I've prepared breakfast. Please wash up and come quickly."
Helen waved, saying she had prepared a hearty breakfast.
-Ooh! The aroma is making my mouth water!
Wrath licked his lips and wagged his tail.
"Alright."
Raon clenched his fist as he faced his family and maids smiling at him.
'Denier. Whatever you're thinking, whatever you're planning...'
I will protect these people.
* * *
The river on the withered prairie, dried up by the purple Death Energy. A black shadow rose over the cracked riverbed, split like a spider web. The shadow rippled darkly, as if ignoring the brilliant moonlight, then spat out a blue-haired woman wearing a robe. Step. The blue-haired woman narrowed her eyes as she looked at the ice fragments stuck between the cracks in the riverbed.
"So he died here."
She nodded, caressing the ice fragments as if sensing the presence of the Demonblade. Whoosh. As the blue-haired woman lowered her finger, a warm white light flashed, and the Demonblade's energy remaining in the silver ice fragments gathered above her palm, forming a purple sphere.
"Less than expected."
The blue-haired woman lowered her eyebrows as she looked at the purple bead rippling with an eerie light.
"You must have no complaints, as you too tried to use the resentment of others."
She spoke in an emotionless voice as if addressing the Demonblade, then put the purple bead in her bosom.
"How far will you rise..."
The blue-haired woman looked up at the moonlight and began to recite Raon's name, then disappeared with a blue wind. All that remained in the place she left was an empty ice fragment.
* * *
Boom! The great training ground, boasting the largest scale in Zieghart, was grandly opened. Usually, even swordsmen were prohibited from entering, but today, ordinary residents could also pass through the magnificently erected gates into the training ground.
"It feels like he just got promoted from Squad Leader to Division Leader, and now he's already becoming a Palace Master?"
"It hasn't even been 10 years since he went from Squad Leader to Palace Master, right?"
"Really? Then isn't that the fastest ever?"
"What's more surprising is that no one's objecting. It means both his skills and achievements are recognized."
"Well, he did defeat that Demonblade."
People talked about the Light Wind Division that would be promoted today as they climbed up to the spectator seats above the training ground.
"How do you feel?"
Balder, sitting in the executive seats, nudged Karoon with his elbow.
"Your nephew has caught up to your heels. Are you okay with that?"
He shrugged his shoulders as if teasing Karoon.
"The Light Wind Division has excellently completed various missions. If anything, their promotion seems a bit late."
Karoon shook his head calmly, not showing even a hint of jealousy.
"Besides, I don't particularly care what happens to those guys. It has nothing to do with me."
He lowered his hand, saying not to talk nonsense.
"Huh? For someone who doesn't care, you rushed back as soon as your mission was over, right? I heard you even left some of your men behind."
Balder snorted, saying he knew everything.
"Is that so? I wondered why your return was so quick."
Denier let out a faint laugh as if he found it interesting.
"Ahem. That's nonsense."
Karoon waved his hand, telling them not to pay attention to Balder's words.
"Sigh..."
Sylvia exhaled a long breath with her hands clasped in front of her knees.
"I'm so nervous my heart feels like it's going to sink!"
She trembled her clasped hands, saying she didn't know what to do with herself.
"Honey, what should I..."
Just as Sylvia was about to turn her head to ask Edgar to do something,
"Gurgle..."
Edgar was already foaming at the mouth, his tension seemingly sky-high.
"You idiot!"
Sylvia's gaze turned cold. Unable to hold back, she smacked the back of Edgar's head.
"Raon! When is Raon coming out?"
Sia called out Raon's name with her hands on the railing.
"As today's main character, he'll come out a bit later."
Alice nodded as she sat down next to Sylvia.
"Oh, sister?"
Sylvia blinked as she looked at Alice.
"Have you already finished your training?"
"Not yet."
Alice calmly shook her head.
"To fully accept the Dragon Heart's mana, I need to improve my physical condition a bit more. I'm still far from it. However..."
She smiled faintly as she looked down at the training ground.
"I couldn't miss the day my cute nephew becomes a Palace Master."
Alice leaned back in her chair, saying it was an event she obviously had to attend.
"Thank you..."
Sylvia showed a faint smile, seeming to have relaxed a bit thanks to Alice returning to her original form.
"I still can't believe it. Our young master becoming a Palace Master..."
"I know. We just prayed for him to grow up healthy."
"Maybe our prayers were too strong? He grew up too healthy."
Helen and the maids talked about Raon's childhood, their eyes reddening.
"He was different from others from the beginning."
Judiel smiled awkwardly as she recalled her first meeting with Raon.
"What was Raon like? Huh? What was he like?"
Just as Sia was about to go to the maids to ask about Raon, Boom! The left main gate of the training ground opened, sending intense vibrations through the surroundings. From the roughly billowing smoke, Zieghart's martial forces entered one by one and took their positions inside the training ground.
From the more recent martial forces to the old ones such as the Heavenly Blade Division directly under the head of house. All the swordsmen, except those on missions or guarding the family, formed an imposing formation and emitted an aura that shook heaven and earth.
Boom! As the martial forces finished entering, the gatekeeper swordsmen guarding the training ground stomped their feet loudly, drawing attention.
"The sky of Zieghart is entering!"
As soon as that shout was heard, the swordsmen in the training ground and the residents in the spectator seats simultaneously turned their backs and knelt down.
"We greet the Head of House!"
"Rise. Today's protagonist is not me."
Glenn waved his hand as he ascended the platform with calm steps. Unlike usual, he didn't appear last but came before the Light Wind Division and sat on the throne. Boom. The swordsmen rose, returned to their original positions, and reformed their ranks, while the spectators exhaled briefly and sat in their chairs.
"Let's begin."
As Glenn flicked his finger, Chad, the Shadow Agents' Leader standing below the platform, bowed and stepped forward.
"We will now proceed with the promotion ceremony. Light Wind Division, please enter."
As Chad's words ended, the right main gate of the training ground, which had still been caught in the doorframe, opened with a majestic sound. Boom! The gatekeepers stomped their feet even louder than when Glenn entered and raised their chins.
"The Light Wind Division Leader and the Light Wind Division, who slew the evil dragon and defeated the evil sword, are entering!"
Beneath the resounding shout of the gatekeeper swordsmen, refined footsteps could be heard. Despite over thirty people walking, their footsteps were in perfect unison, creating a solemn harmony as if they were one. The Light Wind Division finally revealed its grandeur as it passed through the deeply shadowed entrance of the training ground.
Their appearance, with white swords worn over jet-black ceremonial robes, exuded such a heavy presence that it evoked the image of heroes marching to war.
"Pay respects to the swordsmen who have protected Zieghart's honor!"
Upon hearing Chad's shout, the swordsmen split left and right and drew their swords. The reverence of the swordsmen pointing their reverse-grip swords to the ground. Welcomed by Zieghart's sword ceremony, upon which the sun's radiance had descended, Raon and the Light Wind Division entered.