Chapter 261

‘A new ability!’

Damn it!

Raon exclaimed in contrast to Wrath’s despair as they watched the Blade of Requiem’s sword resonance.

[Ghastly Flow of Mana (One-Star) has been added to the Blade of Requiem’s traits.]

A black line appeared on the Blade of Requiem’s edge at the same time as the message appeared. The black line on the red blade looked mysterious and stylish at the same time.

Wh-What? No way, it really got…

Wrath bit his lip, trying to deny reality.

‘I should check it out for now.’

Raon checked the trait Ghastly Flow of Mana’s description through the status window.

Ghastly Flow of Mana (One-Star)

Upon facing a magic, it can insert ghastly energy into the mana’s flow to disturb the magic’s activation.

Raon understood what the Ghastly Flow of Mana was about from reading that single line.

Magic disruption.

It was a crazy trait that could prevent the activation of magic by shoving ghastly energy into a magician’s flow of mana.

And that…

‘Is an improved version of the fourth apostle’s black sword.’

The magic forcefield ability from the fourth apostle’s black sword was capable of disrupting a magic that had already activated, while the Blade of Requiem’s Ghastly Flow of Mana was capable of preventing the activation itself.

‘Huh…’

He never imagined that it would obtain an improved version of the black sword’s ability, since he thought that copying the black sword’s ability would’ve already been great. He could only gasp at how good that was.

‘It’s literally broken.’

Unlike swordsmen who rely on their instincts and reactions, a magician’s fight was about precise calculation and prediction.

The one-time opportunity that erasing the magic would give him could prove fatal to even the high-ranking magicians.

Since there were a lot of magicians from the Six Kings and the Five Demons, he was bound to clash against them many times in the future. He unconsciously smiled, realizing that he had just received an ability that would be useful in all future battles against magicians.

‘Moreover, it can grow even further.’

Considering it had (One-Star) attached to the name, it must’ve been possible to improve it, just like the other traits.

‘This ability uses bloody energy to develop, right?’

Whir!

The Blade of Requiem’s clear swords resonance sounded like an agreement.

‘Amazing.’

A possessed blade that grows stronger and stronger from absorbing bloody energy was pretty much the White Blood Religion’s worst nightmare. Though, they didn’t have the right to complain, since they were reaping what they sowed.

Kuuh…

Wrath glared at the Blade of Requiem while grinding his teeth in irritation.

How dare you attempt to make fun of the King of Essence when you are nothing but an insignificant creature? Unforgivable!

Coldness gushed towards the Blade of Requiem as he said something that some third-rate villains would say.

Whir!

The Blade of Requiem created a wall of ghastly energy to fend off Wrath’s coldness. It was nice to see its growth, as it wasn’t capable of doing that before.

Raon ignored them as they competed against each other with ghastly energy and coldness, looking at the message before the one about the Ghastly Flow of Mana.

‘I got ten whole stats at once…’

An apostle’s bloody energy must’ve been on a different dimension from the other White Blood Fanatics, since he got so many stats at once even though part of it was because he was a lot stronger than before.

‘I also got two rank ups from traits.’

The Adaptation to Ghastly Energy must’ve increased because of the Blade of Requiem getting stronger after absorbing so much bloody energy, and Backstab must’ve increased because he’d incapacitated the fourth apostle by assassinating him.

‘This is so efficient.’

The system increased the stats and trait ranks according to the owner’s actions and achievements. He had to admit that it was a really well made system, even though his other actions were rather questionable.

Rumble!

He turned around after checking the message. The blue coldness and yellow ghastly energy were still clashing against each other.

Y-You bastard!

Wrath wrinkled his nose, surprised at the fact that he couldn’t easily win against the Blade of Requiem anymore.

Whir! Whiir! Whiiir!

The Blade of Requiem’s sword resonance sounded like music. It must’ve been making fun of Wrath.

Kuuh! You little shit!

Wrath’s eyes turned red.

The King of Essence was just going easy on you! You need a thorough beating to learn your lesson!

He started pressuring the Blade of Requiem by spreading the wrath and coldness he’d been accumulating.

Rumble!

Even though the Blade of Requiem had gotten stronger, it couldn’t win against the wrath from Wrath. The yellow wall of ghastly energy was shattered in no time.

I won’t forgive you even if you kneel down and beg…

‘Stop, both of you.’

Raon used the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation and Glacier to separate Wrath and the Blade of Requiem.

Don’t stop the King of Essence! You saw that the insignificant creature over there started this fight by making fun of the King of Essence!

‘But you made fun of me before that.’

The King of Essence never did that!

‘You said that I was obviously going to ask you for help because I wouldn’t be able to surpass the clear limits I had. You even told me that you would obtain my body.’

Ugh…

Wrath widened his mouth. It looked like he finally remembered what he said.

“The Blade of Requiem got angry on my behalf because it considers me as its owner.”

Whir!

The Blade of Requiem’s faint sword resonance sounded like it was agreeing with Raon.

That wasn’t even a big deal. Both the blade and its owner are so narrow-minded.

“You are the narrow-minded one here.”

It was such a stupid thing to say, because the mister demon king right there was the pettiest among them all.

Whir!

The Blade of Requiem resonated towards Wrath once again.

What? You want me to apologize? Seeeeriously? Are you really telling the King of Essence, the monarch of Devildom, to apologize to a mere human?

Wrath showed his teeth while fidgeting his round fingers.

In Devildom, an insignificant creature like you wouldn’t even be allowed to look at the King of Essence! How dare you…

Whir!

G-Go back to Devildom if I don’t like it? H-How dare you!

Since they couldn’t physically fight against each other anymore, they started fighting with their mouths. It was almost unbearable how childish they were.

“Haa.”

Raon sighed, pulling up the status window since it had been a long time.

Status Window

Name: Raon Zieghart.

Title: ‘Youngest Sword Master’.

State: None

Trait: Wrath, Sloth, Ring of Fire (Six-Stars), Water Resistance (Six-Stars), Perception of the Snow Flower (Four-Stars), Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation (Five-Stars), Glacier (Five-Stars), Fire Resistance (Five-Stars), Bleeding Curse (One-Star), Backstab (Four-Stars), Iron Will (Three-Stars), Adaptation to Ghastly Energy (Four-Stars), Focus (Four-Stars), Poison Resistance (One-Star), Evil Eye of Wrath (One-Star), Spiral Power (One-Star), Water Affinity (One-Star).

__

Strength: 225

Agility: 220

Stamina: 223

Energy: 225

Perception: 246

Wrath: 45

Raon gasped in surprise.

There were so many traits that he couldn’t even read all of them at a glance, and all his stats exceeded 200. The reason he was able to perfectly analyze Tyler’s attacks and single-handedly defeat the fourth apostle in a surprise attack were because of those stats and traits.

Just you wait! You will see how your owner is going to plead to the King of Essence while licking his feet!

Whir!

Wh-What? I won’t be able to eat delicious food anymore? Hmph! The King of Essence doesn’t care about something like food! H-He doesn’t need it… You stingy bastard!

Raon smiled while watching Wrath and the Blade of Requiem argue with each other.

‘Did you say that I won’t be able to grow past my limits? I don’t think that’s ever going to happen, thanks to you.’

Raon could ascertain it after checking the status window. Since the giving doormat—oops, the giving Wrath—was with him, his limit was different from the others. He could keep growing endlessly.

“I want to return already to start training with everyone.”

Raon rolled up the corners of his mouth while saying something that the other Light Wind members would have fainted upon hearing. 

* * * 

Slam!

The lodging’s innermost door was slammed open, and Rimmer made his appearance after a week. His green eyes, which used to be distorted from the pain and exhaustion, were filled with laziness once again.

“Aww, I’m dying.”

Rimmer shook his head, while massaging his shoulders.

“A-Are you okay?”

Dorian, who was organizing the items in his belly pocket in front of the lodgings, ran up to him upon seeing him.

“Do I look okay to you? I seriously almost died.”

Rimmer shook his head, bobbing his hand at Dorian.

“You got beer, right? Take one out for me. I want a cool one…”

“You can’t.”

Raon stopped Dorian, shaking his head.

“You should drink soup since this is your first time out in a week. You can’t have any beer.”

“No, but I’m just thirsty…”

“Then drink some water instead. Dorian.”

“Yes!”

Raon extended his hand to the side, and Dorian took a silver water bottle from his belly pocket and gave it to him.

“Squad leader…”

“He must be doing pretty well now, since he wants a beer first thing.”

Burren shook his head at his pathetic demeanor, and Martha snorted.

“Mhmm…”

Runaan was just dozing off at the lodging’s front yard, with no care for the situation.

“Haa, it’s so sad to be a patient.”

Rimmer sighed, accepting the water bottle and slowly drinking the water.

“I’ll tell them to prepare the meal, so please wait inside. I’ll be out for a moment.”

“Huh? Where are you going?”

“I’m planning to visit a friend.”

“Friend? Aah.”

Rimmer nodded. He must’ve realized who that was.

“Have fun with that, and since I feel like having some fatty food right now, tell them to prepare grilled meats…”

“Sure, soup will be ready for you.”

“Stop that!”

Raon went to the kitchen without listening to Rimmer’s complaints. He asked them to prepare soup for him no matter what before heading to the Gazel River.

The river water was so clean that he could even see the patterns on the pebbles. He realized once again that he’d saved that place, and a smile appeared on his face.

While Raon was watching the small fish moving at the bottom of the Gazel River, a green wave gently approached him from afar. Bubbles came up from his right side, and Flumen’s face poked out from below the surface.

“R-Raon.”

Flumen came out to the ground. Raon could see how glad he was from his round eyes.

“How have you been?”

Raon smiled and waved his hand.

“Yeah.”

Flumen nodded, then sat on the boulder next to him.

“Did your tribe manage to find a new settlement?”

“Th-There was a decent place at the upper region of the river.”

“And are there good ways to escape?”

“Yeah. It’s open in all four directions, and we’ll be able to escape anywhere from there.”

“That’s a nice place.”

Raon had given him some advice about the settlement’s terrain just in case someone like Tyler targeted them again, and they seemed to have found a nice place.

“D-Do you want to know?”

“The settlement’s location?”

“Yeah.”

“But I might decide to do something strange to you guys.”

“I know you won’t.”

“Why not?”

“B-Because you are my friend.”

Flumen said friend, and tried to read his mood in embarrassment.

“I see.”

Raon chuckled.

“Well, I guess it’ll be helpful to know. We might have to contact each other in the future, after all.”

“Yeah. E-Even the chief said that I can tell you about it, Raon.”

“Really?”

Raon thought about the Blue Lugh chief, who was at least three times bigger than Flumen as he chanted that strange spell.

“Yeah. He also told me that we should definitely repay our debt. And I agree with hi…”

“That’s fine.”

Raon shook his head while looking at Flumen.

“Why not? Isn’t it the same with humans? They usually say that the debts have to be repaid.”

“Because we are friends.”

“Ah…”

“Friends aren’t supposed to be bothered with something like that.”

‘Though, I’m not sure about it either.’

Since Raon didn’t have any friends in his previous life and the Light Wind squad were more like his companions and family, he didn’t really know what it was like to have a real friend.

Hmph. You are just a mosquito or a flea who sucks other people’s blood and money!

Wrath popped out from the ice flower bracelet and frowned.

‘When did I ever do that?’

The King of Essence! You are sucking all his abilities and traits dry!

‘Ah, that’s true.’

Raon chuckled. Since it was coming from Wrath, he had no choice but to admit it.

“Yeah! I see.”

Flumen nodded with a bright smile on his face.

“I-In return, I’ll help you whenever you need help, Raon.”

“Okay.”

The two of them smiled, watching the flowing river.

“Are you going to leave?”

Flumen was the first one to open his mouth after watching a leaf flowing on the river.

“Yes.”

“D-Does that mean that we won’t be able to see each other again?”

Flumen’s shoulders drooped down like a wet towel.

“No.”

Raon shook his head.

“I told you before that I’ll protect this river under my name. I’ll be back in order to protect the village and the river. I’ll also want to see my friend.”

“I-I see…”

Flumen gathered his hands and hung his head.

“Is there anything Raon wants to do?”

“Something I want to do, let’s see…”

Raon exhaled softly and stared at the river.

“There are a few things I want to do, but they are pretty difficult to achieve. I’m not sure I’ll be able to do them.”

The objective with the highest priority was to recover Sylvia’s position, and the second one was to reveal Derus Robert’s true nature to everyone before finishing him off. The first one was difficult to achieve, but the second one was pretty much impossible. He wasn’t sure he would be able to accomplish them.

“I’ll become stronger and become the chief.”

“Chief?”

Raon looked at Flumen because he said he wanted to become the chief out of nowhere. Flumen slowly raised his head, and the determination that could be seen in his blue eyes was completely different from before.

“I’m definitely going to become the chief. I’ll do it to apologize to my tribe for what I’ve done, and to be able to help you, Raon.”

“Help me?”

“You said it’s difficult to achieve. I’ll definitely help you, and I’ll get stronger for that purpose.”

Flumen raised his fists. It seemed he wanted Raon to trust him.

“That’s…”

Raon was about to respond that it was unnecessary, but interrupted himself and closed his mouth.

‘A friend, huh… I heard friends are supposed to be equals.’

From his knowledge, friends were supposed to be in equal positions. Flumen must’ve wanted to help him, just like how he wanted to help Flumen.

Regardless of whether he could be really helpful or not, a friend wasn’t supposed to refuse that offer.

“Alright.”

Raon smiled and nodded his head.

“I’ll be looking forward to it.”

“Yeah!”

Flumen’s answer was louder than any other time as he smiled.

Sniff…

Wrath sniffled while looking at Flumen.

Even though he’s so young… That’s so nice of him…

He bit his lip tightly, saying that it was praiseworthy that he’d made that decision by himself. It was such a mystery that a demon king could be so emotional.

You should take good care of him. He’s a nice guy.

‘I know.’

Kuh, he could’ve been the King of Essence’s servant if he gave him some food, though…

Was giving food a necessary condition to becoming a servant?

When Raon thought about it, Dorian, Runaan, Martha, and Yua had given him crackers, ice cream, beef, and pineapple, respectively.

‘Hah…’

He was speechless from realizing that ridiculous fact. There was no way Wrath wasn’t a demon king of gluttony, or rather the Demon King of Useless Mouths.

What’s up?

‘Nothing.’

Raon simply shook his hand, since he figured Wrath would start rampaging again if he called him the Demon King of Useless Mouths.

“Flumen, I went to a magician’s dungeon recently. And what happened there…”

Raon told him about what happened in Lohengreen’s dungeon. Since Flumen was curious by nature, his eyes were sparkling as he listened to him.

He told him about the dungeon and other stories, and the sun started to set. What he told him wasn’t really interesting, but he felt comfortable just from talking with him. Pity was part of the reason he lent a helping hand to Flumen at first, but he felt like he’d become a real friend.

Brrr!

They were watching the surface of the river get darker after they finished talking, and bubbles surfaced from the center of the river.

“Ah.”

Flumen raised himself up upon noticing the bubbles.

“I-I need to go now. I still need to put things together.”

He walked towards the river but looked back after every single step. He must’ve really wanted to stay with Raon for a bit longer.

“See you again.”

“Yeah!”

Raon raised his hand, and Flumen gave a big nod, to the point where his chin reached his waist. 

“See you again!”

He swung his hand like a windmill before disappearing into the river, which started to reflect the moon in the sky.

It’s admirable that he can be so bright after experiencing such pain. He was a perfect candidate to become the King of Essence’s servant…

Wrath licked his lips in regret.

“Hmm…”

Raon figured he would ask Flumen to bring him a fish or something next time. Since Wrath was a doormat by nature, he was bound to help him in the future.

Are you going back now?

Wrath asked the question while looking at the moon reflected on the river.

“Yes. Since the squad leader woke up now.”

Since Rimmer had recovered decently, and he’d finished telling the people from the branch what to do, it was time to leave.

Raon chuckled and turned around. The corners of his lips rolled up as he looked at Doran Village, which could be seen from afar.

“I wonder if everyone’s ready to suffer.”

***

If you find any errors or have suggestions, please feel free to provide feedback.

Thank you for reading!

[Author – Writing Ant, 글개미]

[Translator – Anowa]

[Proofreader – Rai_Mayank]