Chapter 531

It was already late, but Raon spent the rest of the night at an inn inside a small village near Capply.

The inn doubled as a restaurant, and the shop was completely empty by the time he woke up. He couldn’t see the manager or the cook anywhere.

Where is everyone?! The King of Essence is hungry!

Wrath waved his hand, telling him to quickly find the cook.

Offer food to the King of Essence!

‘He will be back soon.’

Raon slapped Wrath away as he shoved his plump stomach on his face and sat at the central table.

The door opened soon after that, and a man—whose expression was so faint that he almost looked like he was wearing a mask—walked up and stood in front of him.

“Greetings, Sir Raon.”

The man put his hands together and bowed.

“My name is Denzel. I’m from the Black Virtue Squad, a dedicated unit for the Black Market’s master.”

“I’m Raon Zieghart.”

Raon smiled faintly while looking at Denzel. He didn’t expect him to arrive so quickly, as the Black Market had only recently learned about the Deathbringer Revenant Factory—unlike Raon, who had known all along.

“That is because it’s an extraordinary matter.”

Denzel sighed, sounding almost like he was lamenting the matter, and took a seat opposite him.

“As you said, warriors have been disappearing more often recently. There are even more cases of corpses disappearing soon after injury or death.”

“Hmm…”

Raon licked his lips while observing Denzel, who casually started to provide information.

‘They are fast and precise.’

Denzel told him which warriors the missing corpses belonged to and where it happened. Considering how fast they could obtain such detailed information, the Black Market’s master seemed to be even better than the Six Kings and the Five Demons when it came to information gathering and financial influence.

“If we keep investigating the traces of the warriors’ disappearance, we should be able to create a way to find that secret organization by slightly forceful means. However, it’s going to take some time. Is that okay?”

“We don’t need that much time.”

“What? What do you mean…?”

Denzel’s eyes widened. He was unable to understand his meaning.

“Yesterday, I found the location of the factory where they create assassins with corpses.”

“R-really?”

“As I expected, they settled under the iron factory. It was a lot bigger than I thought. There were many assassins and necromancers, too…”

Raon told him all about the Deathbringer Factory’s location, equipment, and personnel that he'd seen the day before.

“Huh.”

Denzel couldn’t close his mouth, showing his surprise at how Raon managed to gather such precious information in a single day.

“The Dashing Spirit Master and the Eldritch Necromancer were there. They are evil fiends who treat humans worse than animals…”

He bit his lip slightly, showing his hatred towards the necromancers Shupel and Juran.

“We should be able to act faster with this much information. Let us prepare…”

“I still have more to tell you.”

Raon shook his head at Denzel, who was about to stand up.

“The woman who seemed to be in charge mentioned that new supplies are going to arrive tomorrow.”

“Supplies…?”

“Of course, it would be the warriors who would serve as ingredients to make the zombie assassins.”

Raon told him that the warriors who were still alive, and that the corpses of the dead warriors would enter that place in large quantities the next day.

“Ah! In that case!” Denzel exclaimed, showing that he finally realized what he meant. “We can trail those warriors and use it as an excuse for finding that location! We should be able to attack tomorrow!”

“Indeed.”

The Black Market’s residents existed everywhere on the continent.

Raon figured Derus wouldn’t suspect him if they said that they found them entering the lake while looking for the missing warriors.

“Amazing. There should be no better way in the current situation!” Denzel gasped, looking at Raon.

‘I can understand why the Black Market’s master has been so considerate of him.’

The Black Market’s master had constantly provided Raon with priceless information.

He’d been wondering why she was taking such a huge loss, and he realized that the young warrior in front of him deserved it, as he was a priceless man himself.

She was definitely investing in a man whose future seemed even brighter than the present.

“I’ll make the preparations so that we can attack them tomorrow. We will quickly gather the warriors on our side…”

“No.”

Raon slowly shook his head and continued, “I’ll be the only one to fight.”

“B-but they are assassins. It will be completely different from fighting warriors…”

Denzel swallowed nervously, revealing his worry.

“It will be fine.”

Raon slowly closed his eyes before opening them again. His eyes were so cold that it was enough to make a chill run down his spine.

“Because I’m used to that kind of fight.”

* * *

House Robert

The Great Garden

The quiet walkway that Derus usually used was unusually full of people.

“Happy birthday.”

“Congratulations.”

“Young master, happy birthday!”

The people gathered in the garden were congratulating the youngest son of House Robert, Lephon Robert, on getting a year older. All of them were wearing splendid formal attire.

“Thank you.”

Lephon lowered his head at them, wearing a black formal attire similar to Raon’s. People were even lined up in front of him to greet him.

They were being too polite for a child who wasn’t even twenty years old yet. It was proof of House Robert's dignity.

However, Lephon didn’t look too happy even though he was being congratulated by so many people.

He was greeting them with an awkward smile on his face when the two swordsmen guarding the entrance stomped the ground powerfully.

“The head of house is making his entrance!”

Derus Robert entered from the great garden’s entrance alongside the majestic shout of the swordsmen.

His steps were neither heavy nor light, but they perfectly displayed his presence. His appearance showed what kind of person he was.

“Head of house!”

“Greetings, head of house.”

Derus casually accepted their greetings and stood in front of the fountain at the center of the garden.

“Lephon, come over here.”

“Yes.”

The protagonist of the party, Lephon, came next to him.

“Thank you for coming all the way here to celebrate Lephon’s birthday.”

Derus smiled gently while holding Lephon’s shoulder.

“Not at all!”

“We are honored to do so!”

“Please call on us any time!”

They lowered their heads, telling him that they were extremely happy to be there.

“Thank you for saying that.”

Derus Robert smiled faintly and met their eyes one after the other.

“Lephon, you should thank them too.”

“Yes, father.”

Lephon stepped in front of Derus, his lips tightly closed.

“Thank you for joining me on my birthday.”

He bowed at the center with a smile that looked stiff for some reason.

“Whoaa!”

“Young master! Congratulations once again!”

“May good health be always with you!”

Even though they were aware that Lephon was making a strange expression, they applauded loudly enough to set ears ringing while looking at Derus behind him.

“You are soon going to become an adult. Do you have any goals?”

The head of House Raphatan, a vassal family of House Robert, asked the question with a smile from the very front.

“I’d like to become a swordsman like Sir Raon,” Lephon stated, naming his goal and dream without the slightest hesitation.

“Raon Zieghart?”

“Ah, the White Sword Dragon…”

“That was why…”

The people briefly licked their lips, realizing why Lephon wasn’t looking too good.

“His goal has always been to become a swordsman like Raon. Please understand him since it’s not a good situation.”

Derus held Lephon’s hand and smiled gently.

“Just believe in the swordsman Raon and wait, since there has been no official announcement about his death. From what I’ve seen, he isn’t the type of person who would die so easily.”

“Yes, father!”

Lephon was deeply impressed and nodded at Derus.

“I’m sorry for ruining the mood of this joyful occasion.”

He put himself together and approached the guests by himself to greet them.

People were also impressed, smiles appearing on their faces upon seeing the warm relationship between the father and son, and the fact that Derus was kind enough to even care about a warrior from a rival house.

Derus looked proud as he watched Lephon, who started to communicate with the guests, before he left to an area on the left side where no one was around.

“What is it?” he asked while turning around.

Cubara appeared from the bushes with a food tray in her hand and knelt in front of him.

“The ordered supplies have reached the factory’s passage,” she said.

“How many of them?”

“Sixty-two of the materials are still alive, while one hundred thirty are dead.”

“Who is guarding them?”

“Valmail.”

“That’s a great choice.”

He nodded in satisfaction upon hearing that Valmail was dispatched since he had excellent senses.

“Since Valmail has great senses, he should be doing a good job. Alright, let them in.”

“Yes.”

Cubara gave the glass she brought on the tray to Derus, and quietly disappeared.

“He wouldn’t die so easily, huh?”

Derus took a sip of the wine Cubara left behind and looked at Lephon.

His eyes became cold as he watched his son, who had regained his smile.

“Such a thing doesn’t happen in the world.”

* * *

Lake Bayon, located right next to Haro Mountain, silently split apart.

Resia was standing in front of the lake and briefly gestured with her hand, and the flow of mana twisted to create the illusion of a serene lake—effectively hiding that the division ever happened.

“We are ready.”

Resia nodded to the back, and mysterious people wearing black robes and masks appeared.

“Follow me. From this point on, step only where I step.”

“……”

The masked people didn’t respond and quietly followed her.

Resia walked through the muddy and mossy road and reached a turtle-shaped boulder emerging from the center of the lake.

She touched the boulder with her finger, which she imbued with mana, and the floor opened up to create a passage leading to the cavity.

“……”

It was a mysterious sight that would cause anyone’s jaw to drop, but the masked men didn’t even flinch. It was as if they were devoid of emotions.

“Please come in.”

Resia went ahead into the passage as if she were expecting their reaction.

Whir!

As soon as all the masked men entered the passage after her, she touched the wall. The ceiling closed, and the divided lake returned to its previous appearance.

“This way.”

As soon as the door closed, Resia started running through the passage and guided the masked men.

Her footwork was fast enough that most warriors would have had difficulty following her, but none of the masked men fell behind.

Thud!

Resia stopped her advance once she could see the dozens of cages containing the dead warriors and turned around.

“Thank you for coming all the way here, Sir Valmail.”

Resia bowed at the masked man who was at the very front.

“Resia.”

The tall masked man with a fiery look in his eyes slowly nodded his head.

“You should be well aware that he is paying a lot of attention to this place.”

“Of course I’m aware.”

Resia carefully lowered her head.

“How is the improvement of the Deathbringer Revenants proceeding?”

“We will definitely succeed in the improvements by using the materials you’ve brought, Sir Valmail.”

Her nonchalant attitude as she looked at Valmail implied that she was confident in it.

“Hmm.”

Valmail signaled with his hand towards the back, and the masked men placed their hands on the ground.

Whap!

A black shadow emerged around their hands and almost two hundred people came out from it.

About sixty people on the right side were breathing weakly, implying that they were still alive, while the collapsed ones on the left side were already dead.

“We have sixty-two living materials and a hundred and thirty dead ones. All of them are at least an Expert, and three of them are Masters.”

Valmail raised his finger to personally point at the Masters.

“There are even Masters!”

Resia gave a big nod while checking the conditions of the Masters.

“Let’s go up together. Those two are also going to welcome you.”

“No thanks. Seeing those old folks puts me in a bad mood.”

Valmail shook his hand, showing that he wasn’t interested at all.

“…Understood.”

Resia casually shook her hand, and the assassins hiding around the jail made their appearance and started to lock the people Valmail had brought out in the cages.

The living people started to wake up one after the other from the rough treatment.

“Wh-what…?”

“Where are we…?”

“Who are you?!”

The warriors shouted while being locked inside the metal cages, but Resia and Valmail paid no attention to them at all.

“It’s easy to break iron like this… Hmm?”

“M-my energy center…”

“I can’t use my aura!”

“Damn it!”

They realized they couldn’t use their aura while trying to destroy the cages, and their lips trembled in fear.

“I’m going to make my report now.”

Resia climbed the stairs at the end of the passage after locking all of the warriors into the cages.

“You bastards! Get me out right now! Do you know who I am?”

A middle-aged warrior finally regained his senses and shouted while shaking the cage.

“I’m a Master from House Sikern…”

“Did you just say Sikern?”

Valmail started to walk for the first time upon hearing the name of his house. He walked up to the man who shouted that he was from House Sikern and showed him a frightening smile with his eyes.

“Whether you are from Sikern or Zieghart is meaningless to me.”

“W-wait a moment…”

The warrior leaned backward, terrified by his smile.

“Where do you think you are going? The great Master from House Sikern?”

Valmail twisted his lips and pulled the warrior’s right eyeball out with his finger.

“Aaaah!”

He collapsed to the ground while screaming in pain, and the people who’d been shouting for them to let them out fell quiet with trembling eyes.

“I like the silence.”

Valmail shook the blood off his hand. That was when…

Swoosh!

Dozens of throwing daggers advanced from behind him like a soaring hawk, piercing the hearts of the assassins hiding between the jail and the masked men.

“Wh—Cough!”

Instead of turning around to look, he tried to move away quickly. However, a deadly blade was already protruding from his heart.

“You…”

“Did you just say that Zieghart is meaningless to you?”

Raon’s frightening smile could be seen, his hair and eyes dyed black.

“I don’t think that’s true.”

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