Chapter 661

“A-about my mother?”

Martha’s fingers trembled intensely. The sword she’d been holding slipped from her grasp, embedding itself into the ground.

“Yes. We’ve tracked your mother, or rather the White Blood Religion’s leader.” He lowered his brow slightly, unsure of what to call her.

“…Where is she?” Martha bit her lip, gripping her chest, which was starting to hurt.

“Her trail picked up in the south. She apparently devastated the Khal kingdom, located near the Beast Union.” Denier let out a long sigh, rubbing his forehead. “Three knight orders were annihilated, and even the king has perished.”

“Uuh…” Martha clenched her trembling hand into a fist. “That demonic bitch…”

The body controlled by the White Blood Religion's leader belonged to her mother.

Her mother had endured a difficult life, yet she never resorted to violence without reason. The thought of her body being controlled and used to massacre hundreds of people filled her with fury. Her heart felt like it was about to burst from the overwhelming rage.

“Why did that bitch attack the Khal kingdom?”

“The exact reason is still unknown, but we are assuming that she was trying to snatch the kingdom’s relic. She must’ve succeeded since the king has perished.”

Denier shook his head, saying that the situation wasn’t good.

“Then where is the White Blood Religion's leader right now?”

“The Beast Union’s leader personally chased after her as soon as he heard the news about her assault on the Khal kingdom, but she was already gone.”

“I see…”

Even for the Beast Union’s leader, it was impossible to chase after the White Blood Religion's leader and catch her when she was so far away.

“Are you alright?” Denier asked as he held her shoulder when she lowered her head. “I investigated her because you asked me to tell you about the White Blood Religion's leader activities, but I’m still unsure if this is the right thing to do.”

“No, I really needed it. Thank you, Father.” Martha bit her lip tightly while clenching the shaking necklace.

‘Yes, I absolutely need to know what she is doing.’

She had to know what the White Blood Religion's leader was doing with her mother’s body, and which people she'd killed, in order to beg for forgiveness later on. This was because she still hadn’t given up on saving her mother.

“But we still have one piece of good news.” Denier lifted his finger while looking at Martha.

“Good news?”

“Yes. You told me before that the White Blood Religion's leader was wearing your mother’s necklace like she did before, right?”

“Yes, that’s how I managed to recognize her.”

The White Blood Religion's leader had a similar appearance to her mother, but she looked a lot prettier and younger than her. She would’ve had a hard time recognizing her if the necklace hadn’t been there.

“We got the response from Balam, the great sorcerer. He said that the White Blood Religion's leader is still wearing that necklace because she couldn’t completely get rid of your mother’s soul.” Denier nodded while looking at the necklace that Martha was holding in her hand. “We might be able to drive out the White Blood Religion's leader soul if heaven helps us.”

“R-really?”

“Yes. But it’s extremely unlikely to happen.”

“That’s enough. That is good enough.” Martha nodded while picking up her sword, which had fallen to the ground.

‘I can save my mother…’

She had the unshakable goal of killing the White Blood Religion's leader, but she still had no clue about how to save her mother. Her heart pounded violently upon hearing the news that could potentially resolve the most difficult part.

“How can I save my mother?”

“It apparently requires a sorcerous artifact imbued with the spell of Genesis, and you will play an important role as her blood relative. I’ve already made a request about the artifact.” Denier caught his breath, looking into Martha’s wavering eyes. “Balam is a huge moneygrubber, but he does a great job at least. He should be trustworthy.”

“Thank you, Father.” Martha lowered her head, unable to meet Denier’s eyes. “I’ll definitely repay this favor one day.”

Balam was the biggest moneygrubber among all sorcerers in the continent. Just thanking him with words wouldn’t be enough because it must’ve cost him an astronomical amount of money.

“It was the natural thing to do as your father.” Denier shook his head and hugged Martha, whose shoulders were shaking.

“…I really appreciate it.”

Martha closed her eyes, feeling Denier’s warmth.

‘Meeting you has been the greatest fortune of my life.’

If it weren’t for Denier, she wouldn’t have even gotten to Zieghart, and she would’ve died on the streets instead. It was all thanks to him that she’d obtained Zieghart's name and had been able to meet Raon and the Light Wind Division. It was a debt that she would have to repay for the rest of her life.

“By the way, Martha.”

“Yes?”

“It looked like you were using wind, unless I was seeing things…” Denier tilted his head in bewilderment.

“Yes, I was.” Martha nodded while gazing up at Denier. “Raon created a new martial art. It’s called the Light Wind Style, and…”

Martha told Denier about Raon’s Light Wind Style and how the entire Light Wind Division had gone into a trance.

“Light Wind Style…” Denier murmured the Light Wind Style’s name while observing the trace of Martha’s blade that she’d left during her training. “Would you mind showing it to me?”

“Sure, but I can’t do it for long because I don’t have much energy left.”

Martha took a step away from Denier and activated the Light Wind Style.

Surrounding the Titan’s aura with the Light Wind Style’s wind, she demonstrated the Formless Sword that she’d learned from Denier.

Whaam!

Sharpness and speed were added to the heavy strike, increasing the power to the next level.

“How was it?”

Martha raised her chin sharply after demonstrating the Formless Sword’s techniques one after the other.

“No… Is that martial art using super sense?” Denier’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Yes. I can move it according to my intention, but the wind usually dwells in the blade with its own will.”

“Huh…” Denier swallowed nervously, showing a genuine surprise. “Did Raon really create this martial art?”

“He even made it in a single week. All of us were surprised. Even that gambling addict trained with us instead of heading out to gamble.” Martha smiled, saying that the martial art had even made Rimmer train.

“Hmm…”

She nodded her head while looking at the wind fading away from her hand.

“The wind is gone now. I should go inside and cultivate aura.”

“I see… Keep up the good work.”

Denier nodded, and Martha turned around after saying goodbye.

In that instant, Denier’s eyes darkened like the void. The concern, love, surprise, and shock that he’d shown toward her daughter disappeared like a watercolor painting under the rain.

* * *

Raon headed to Sylvia’s hospital room after the uncomfortable breakfast with Glenn came to an end.

”Raon!”

Sylvia was getting up from her bed, wearing a martial uniform instead of the patient gown.

“Mom, why are you wearing a martial uniform…?”

“The madam is discharged from the hospital today.” Helen smiled while folding the patient gown that Sylvia had been wearing.

“The only son I have doesn't even know that his mom is being discharged. He only came to see me a single time in a whole week…” Sylvia sniffled, expressing her sadness.

“I-I already told you that I would be busy for a while because I have to teach the martial art to my division members.” Raon rubbed the back of his neck while looking at Sylvia’s teary eyes.

Tsk tsk!

Wrath slowly clicked his tongue while shaking his head.

This is why there’s the saying that it’s pointless to raise an angel!

He wagged his tail while sticking next to Sylvia.

Mom, there’s nothing to worry about! The King of Essence will serve you until the last moment!

Wrath held Sylvia’s shoulder, saying that he was her real son.

“I’m just kidding.” Sylvia shook her hand with a bright smile on her face. “I’m fully aware of how busy you are. So, did you successfully teach them the Light Wind Style?”

“Yes. We got lucky and…” Raon told her about how the entire Light Wind Division had entered a trance.

“E-everyone entered a trance?! Is that even possible?” Sylvia’s eyes widened as she said that she’d never heard of anything like that.

“I wasn’t expecting it either.” Raon shook his hand and sat next to Sylvia.

“My body feels stiff after hearing that they entered a trance.” Sylvia turned her shoulder, saying that she wanted to get out of the hospital and start training right away.

“Yes, you need to train and teach the Spiral Light Style.”

“Hmm…” Helen rolled her hair with her finger while listening to Raon. “Young Master, is it really possible for us to learn it?”

"Yes. I designed it to be learnable even for those who started martial arts late. It shouldn’t be that hard.” Raon smiled, saying that they just needed to believe in Sylvia and follow her.

“Haa, I never expected to start learning martial arts at my age. I’m looking forward to it, but I’m nervous at the same time.”

The way Helen’s hands were trembling reminded Raon of the meeting with Glenn.

“Ah, there was another unusual incident today.”

“Unusual incident? What can be as unusual as the entire Light Wind Division entering a trance together?”

“Actually, the head of house…”

Raon told her about what had happened with Glenn before he’d come to the hospital.

“Huff…” Helen gasped, being the first one to react. “B-breakfast with the head of house?! Madam! Doesn’t this imply that the head of house would like to get closer to us?”

“Hmm, I’m not sure…” Sylvia was unexpectedly unsurprised and simply smiled faintly. “Raon.”

“Yes?”

“Be friendly to the head of house if something similar happens again in the future.”

“Fr-friendly?”

“Yes, friendly.” She held his shoulders, insisting on it once again.

“But that’s impossible…” When Raon was about to express his doubt, the room’s door burst open.

Encia and Siyan entered after opening the door. They had been away at House Yonaan, writing the biography of Raon Zieghart.

“Mother!”

“A-are you okay?”

They ran up to Sylvia and Helen and started to examine all around their bodies.

“I’m fine. I’m fully recovered now.” Sylvia smiled cheerfully and lifted her arm.

“I’m sorry! We got the news too late because we’ve been staying in a secluded room!”

“I-I’m sorry.”

Encia explained with teary eyes that she hadn’t even noticed that her friend in the Shadow Agents had sent her a message. Siyan also apologized while lowering her head.

“No, I was actually glad that you were away.”

Sylvia smiled, saying that she was relieved by the fact that they didn’t have to suffer, at least.

“Mother!”

“L-Lady Sylvia.”

Encia ran into Sylvia’s arms, and Siyan sniffled, her long hair covering her face.

Raon smiled faintly while watching them.

‘Yeah, I’m glad they weren’t around.’

Encia was a great artisan who was going to succeed House Yonaan, and Siyan was the high elf of Seipia as well as the spirit king’s contractor. It would’ve become very annoying if Killuane had offended them.

‘Rather than that… Am I invisible to them?’

Encia normally would’ve found him before Sylvia and started to shout ‘damn handsome’, but she wasn’t paying any attention to him at all, showing how sorry she was. It was something that Raon had always wanted, but he felt slightly bitter about it.

What a loser.

Wrath noticed his thought and shook his head.

“So, did you finish writing the book?”

“Yes! It’s going to be published all around the continent soon!”

“Can you show it to me?”

“Of course!”

Encia took out a book with a very splendid cover and handed it over to Sylvia. It was titled Biography of Raon Zieghart: The Second Volume at the center of the deep green cover. Just seeing the book sent a chill down Raon’s spine.

“Can I also take a look?” Raon swallowed nervously and walked up to Encia and Siyan.

“Huh? Sir Raon! How long have you been around?”

“Huff!” Encia walked up to him while smiling brightly, and Siyan hid behind her. “You are so damn handsome, just like always! I love how your slightly exposed forehead looks!”

She smiled, covering her flushed cheeks.

“I already heard the story! The Blade’s Rest!” Encia licked her lips. “I’m planning to write up to the part about the Blade’s Rest in the next volume! It’s perfect for the biography! It’s literally a legend!”

“Yep, yep.” Siyan nodded her head, totally agreeing with her.

“Err, hmm…”

“Ah, you wanted the book, right? Of course! You can have it.”

Encia took the second volume of the Biography of Raon Zieghart from her subspace pocket and handed it over. It was a brand new book with a stiff cover, just like the other one.

“…Thank you.”

Raon moved his trembling hands to open the book named after him.

Raon Zieghart scolded Kaibar, and the mad dragon hid away deep into the ocean, its reverse scale trembling in fear.

Once Raon Zieghart unsheathed his divine sword breathing like the sun, the ocean was split in half, revealing the body of the mad dragon Kaibar, who had been hiding under the ocean.

The mad dragon Kaibar instinctively realized the inevitable defeat and fell on its knees, begging for forgiveness in return for offering its entire fortune.

Raon Zieghart didn’t succumb to the mad dragon’s temptation. He raised the demonic sword, shrouded in moonlight, and instantly severed the mad dragon’s head. At that moment, Kaibar’s hidden treasures poured out like rain, as if blessed by a god.

Raon closed his eyes tightly after reading the episode about the mad dragon.

‘The dragon hid away, its reverse scale trembling in fear… The ocean was split in half, the dragon went on its knees, and treasures poured out like rain…?’

There wasn’t a single aspect that could be called normal.

‘Why did it become even worse even though Siyan was with her?!’

* * *

Sunlight was waning beautifully upon the border between mountain and river. The Axe King Roman embedded his axe’s handle onto the gravel field, which was full of pebbles of different sizes.

He picked up a piece of gravel that was as round as a coin, rubbing it against the axe blade. The gravel was split into four pieces before it managed to file the blade twice.

Roman picked up another piece of gravel and started to sharpen the axe’s blade. The gravel turned into dust after grazing it five times.

He was so focused that his breathing couldn’t even be heard, as if sharpening the axe’s blade was some important mission.

The sun started to descend from the center of the sky, and even when the spark from the friction between the gravel and the blade started to light up the darkness, Roman’s hand never stopped moving.

Roman finally stopped moving his hand after he turned over a thousand pieces of gravel into sand. He nodded in satisfaction and gestured with his chin.

“You may come out now.”

“When did you notice?”

An old man with white-gray hair emerged from the shadow of the mountain. His face was deeply wrinkled, but his sturdy muscles made him look like he was filled with stones.

However, his true presence came from his pressure, which was as powerful as lightning. A huge wave uniting his body, energy, and soul was engulfing the space like a cloud.

“What brought you here, Union’s vice leader?” Roman quietly shifted his gaze without answering the old man’s question.

“I came to see you because I was curious if your preparations were proceeding nicely.” The old man, referred to as the vice leader of the Union, briefly shook his head.

“I’m not sure if the preparations are proceeding nicely or not. However, it’s been a long time since the last time I looked forward to a duel to the death.” Roman calmly turned his wrist, saying that he was simply enjoying it.

“I heard that the punk gained the Sword and Saber Sovereign’s martial art.”

“I also heard about it.” He calmly nodded. “But it doesn’t matter to me at all.”

“How does it not matter when you are going to have a duel to the death against that punk?”

“Because he isn’t the one who matters. I am.” Roman nodded with a peaceful gaze and took another piece of gravel in his hand.

“Does that mean that you are confident in your victory?”

“Of course.”

He spoke of his own victory without the slightest hesitation, an attitude befitting a warrior who was called a king.

“I like your confidence. Yes, you’d better win and justify your confidence.”

“What do you mean?”

“You are the third spear of the South-North Union. It would be a huge humiliation for us if you end up losing against Zieghart’s brat, who is barely over twenty.” The vice leader of the Union twisted his lips into a smile. “I won’t be able to overlook it anymore if that happens.”

“Vice leader, don’t tell me…”

“I’m different from the foolish head of the Senate. I don’t act because of some petty grudge. I’m simply working for the Union.”

He nodded his head, saying that he was looking forward to the match.

“The duel to the death is between Raon Zieghart and I. You absolutely cannot make a move, even if I end up losing!” Roman threw a fierce warning glare at the Union’s vice leader.

“You just need to win, don’t you think?”

The Union’s vice leader casually shook his hand and turned around, telling him to solely focus on the duel to the death.

“Let’s go,” He said, and a red-haired young man walked out from behind a tree on the right side.

The young man’s pressure was calm, unlike the Union’s vice leader. It was as blurry as a misty rain, as if he didn’t even exist. However, a closer examination made him seem to be enveloped in an eerily intense glow, a light that exuded both warmth and coldness at the same time.

“Beorn…”

The young man named Beorn bowed his head, his eyes as quiet as embers on the verge of dying out, before following the Union’s vice leader.

Roman wrinkled his brow while watching Beorn’s back.

‘The vice leader of the Union is one thing, but I still don’t like him, either.’

It wasn’t because Beorn had driven Rector to his ruin. Roman just couldn’t understand at all what he was thinking.

‘They are similar but different.’

Raon and Beorn both had tremendous talent and eyes even redder than blood. However, the looks in their eyes were the complete opposite.

Raon’s passionate eyes naturally gave a favorable impression, but Beorn was the complete opposite. His quiet eyes were unsettling, sending shivers of unease down his spine.

“Haa.” He briefly exhaled in order to empty his mind.

He picked up gravel again to start polishing the axe blade. The gravel crumbled into pieces after the second attempt, implying that he was running out of focus.

Roman clicked his tongue and picked up another piece of gravel. The sharpening sound of the axe continued until sunrise alongside the quiet flow of the river.

* * *

Raon licked his lips, sitting at a luxurious round table that seemed to be draped in shadows.

‘There are no decent missions today.’

He was planning to pick a mission to let the Light Wind Division gain more battle experiences during the conference of division leaders, but none of them looked interesting.

‘Scouting, investigation, search…’

There had been a few important incidents recently, but most of them had happened in the south and center, and Zieghart wasn’t concerned with that for the most part.

‘Is there anything else?’

He looked at Chad, praying that there would be a mission including a battle, even if it was something like a bandit extermination.

“Let’s proceed to the next mission.” Chad spread the document and briefly glanced at Raon. “Various monsters are gathering around Divarn Mountain. Considering that even ettins were spotted among them, a powerful king must’ve been born.”

“A king…”

Most monsters acted as a tribe. Even the monsters of the same species engaged in intense territorial battles if they were from different tribes. However, there was an exception that united all the monsters, regardless of their tribes and races. It was when a king, capable of ruling over all different races, was born.

‘This is the one.’

Ettins were powerful monsters, ranked highly even among the large monsters. Their presence implied that a powerful king was born, just like Chad had assumed.

“Raise your hand if you’d like to take the mission to exterminate the monsters in Divarn Mountain.”

Since it was the heaviest mission so far, all of the executives who hadn’t gotten a mission yet raised their hands. Raon also raised his hand without any contemplation.

“Does the Light Wind Division leader even have time for a mission when his duel to the death is going to happen soon?”

“I know, right? He’d better focus on his personal training.”

The executives from the direct line furtively pressured him with their gazes to try and get him to lower his hand. They were only trying to provoke him with words since they couldn’t overwhelm him with sheer power anymore. The fact that Aries wasn’t present seemed to have contributed to their actions.

“I’ll take care of my own business, so don’t mind me.” Raon looked at the direct line executives coldly.

“Hmm…”

“I-I can’t believe…”

The direct line executives lowered their gazes, unable to meet Raon’s eyes. However, they apparently had no intention of giving up on the pressure because they immediately went to Balder, the True Martial Palace master.

“How about you take this matter into your hands, palace master?”

“Yes, if you take it in your hands, he will have no other choice than lowering his hand, palace master.”

“This mission should be the best mission among the ones we got today.”

The direct line executives went to Balder instead of Karoon and lowered their heads, asking him to use his authority against Raon.

“Hmm…”

Balder raised his hand while licking his lips. Because the palace master raised his hand, the other people sighed and lowered their hands.

“I knew it! As expected of Sir Balder!”

“Everyone will be impressed by your bravery and virtue, palace master!”

The direct line executives laughed at Raon with grins on their faces.

Raon furrowed his brow. Since the position and strength determined the mission’s assignment, there was nothing he could do against Balder.

Raon clicked his tongue and was about to lower his hand when Balder pointed at him with the hand he’d been raising.

“If everyone is giving up on it, then I’ll give this mission to the Light Wind Division leader.” Balder winked with a grin.

“Huh…?” Raon’s jaw dropped as he took in the wink.

‘What’s wrong with that meathead now?’

Footnotes:

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