Chapter 499

“Huff…”

Mark Goetten fell on his knees while gasping for breath. He felt so refreshed after he vented all of his frustration through his roar, which was similar to a painful cry.

He felt like a huge burden was lifted from his shoulders.

‘I’ve finally reached it. The intermediate Master level.’

He’d remained on the same spot for over twenty years.

He couldn’t advance at all from it while his seniors, peers, and juniors surpassed him, yet he had finally surpassed the wall and climbed another stair.

‘Yes, it was just one stair.’

It could be an insignificant step for some people, but that step was even more important than his life for him.

“I’m glad I decided to follow him.”

The encounter with Raon was the greatest opportunity in his life.

He was glad that he threw away the small amount of pride and honor left in him and begged Raon to allow him to become a follower.

‘Because I would’ve never been able to feel like this otherwise.’

The refreshing wind that cooled his sweat after an all-out training, the warm meal shared with companions walking the same path, and the sense of achievement from destroying the wall through continuous effort.

It was all thanks to Raon that he could feel those emotions once again, even though he’d forgotten them for a long time.

He thought once again that becoming his follower was the best decision in his life.

‘Thank you, I’m really grateful…’

Mark Goetten closed his eyes while expressing his gratitude towards Raon, who wasn’t around him.

He could hear the clashing sound of swords from behind him as he felt the breath of his middle energy center that was throbbing like a heart.

“Ah!”

Mark Goetten hurriedly opened his eyes.

‘Right, I shouldn’t be doing this right now!’

The battle wasn’t over yet. He had no time to waste to save his companions in the Light Wind division.

“Ack!”

He felt unbearable pain when he tried to stand up. His side and thigh were lacerated, and he even had an internal injury, which was making him dizzy from the pain. However, he had no time to care about that. He forced himself to stand and looked behind him.

“Err…”

Mark Goetten’s eyes widened as soon as he turned back.

‘It’s already over…?!’

All of the Masters among the swordsmen who came alongside the Holy Sword Alliance master’s disciple were already dead, and there were only three elite guards left.

Even those three were severely injured and looked like they were going to die soon enough.

The White Blood fanatics who used to be swarming like ants had all perished with their bodies pierced by an ice shard.

“Wh-when did this…?”

“Did you finish crying?”

Mark Goetten’s lips trembled, and Burren walked up to him.

“Burren? Wait, you!”

Burren wasn’t in a normal state at all. He was injured all over his body and even seemed to have an internal injury, yet his eyes were brimming with a radiance that hadn’t existed there before.

Even his pressure had changed. The change could only be explained by breaking through the wall and reaching a new realm.

“Did you become a Master?”

“Yes. And I’m not the only one.”

Burren raised his hand with a large smile. It was rare for him to smile like that. Mark Goetten looked at where he was pointing and saw that Runaan was sitting on the ground.

‘She’s severely wounded. However…’

Runaan’s injuries were even more serious than Burren’s. Her waist and shoulders were completely covered in blood, implying that her flesh had been cut off.

However, her energy wave was also on a whole different level. Her energy used to feel like a gentle lake, yet it was splashing like a turbulent ocean.

“D-did you both become Masters?!”

“It happened somehow, even though we are on the verge of death.”

Burren laughed emptily while looking at the sword scars made on his body.

“So that’s why he said that earlier.”

Mark Goetten hadn’t paid attention to it before because he was focused on the fight, but he finally realized why Balben had said that the situation was going awry.

“Kuaaah!”

“Cough…”

The last elite guards lost their heads and had their hearts pierced by a blade.

Encia and Denning Rose’s bodyguards had also finished eliminating the Holy Sword Alliance’s swordsmen that they were facing, and there were no enemies left as a result.

“W-we won…”

Krein lay down on the ground while wiping the blood flowing from his lips.

“Eww, I-I thought I was going to die.”

Dorian carefully put Martha down and wiped his cold sweat.

“Uaaaah.”

“We won.”

“You sons of bitches! This is Zieghart, and we are the Mad Dog division!”

“The Five Demons are no match for us.”

The Light Wind division raised their hands and celebrated their victory.

However, their voices and hands were weak because they were extremely exhausted.

“Hmm…”

Runaan stood up while faltering. Even though her injuries were the most severe among them, she nonchalantly walked toward Burren and Mark Goetten.

“R-Runaan!”

“Th-those injuries are so serious…”

Burren and Mark Goetten’s eyes trembled upon seeing Runaan’s wounds up close. It was almost surprising that she was still alive because her injuries were a lot bigger than they’d expected.

“I-I’m sorry. I should’ve finished him off faster…”

“Same goes for me. I was too fixated on my fight.”

They bit their lips while looking at Runaan’s injury, which looked like she had been bitten by a beast. It looked like it was going to leave a scar even if a saint treated her.

“Good job.”

However, Runaan didn’t resent them at all. She raised her faintly trembling hand from the pain and patted Burren and Mark Goetten’s shoulders.

“No one died.”

She turned around and pointed at the Light Wind division. None of them were unscathed, but she simply nodded while saying that everyone was alive.

“Miss Rakshasa is also safe.”

Runaan smiled gently even though she had the most severe injuries among them. It was a smile coming from the bottom of her heart.

“You…”

Burren swallowed nervously while looking at Runaan’s transparent eyes.

‘Is she really Runaan?’

Runaan was originally the biggest misfit in the Light Wind division.

Burren thought that she didn’t show any affection for anyone except for Raon, but she was happier about the Light Wind division’s survival than anyone else.

Because they’d grown up together ever since their childhood, her change pulled his heartstrings and his nose burned.

“Haa! I told you to stop moving!”

Encia came running from behind her, caught Runaan, and started to scatter some white powder she was holding all over her.

“It hurts.”

“Put up with it! I also need to stop the bleeding and apply the regeneration potion!”

Encia scattered hemostatic and holy water on Runaan one after the other, and Denning Rose fed her some unknown medicine.

“You should take it too.”

Denning Rose gave the internal injury medicine to Burren and Mark Goetten before dragging Runaan away along with Encia.

“Is it because of him? Everyone is changing… Hmm?”

Burren laughed bitterly as he watched Runaan being dragged away, only to hear a sniffling sound coming from right next to him.

He turned his head and saw tears dripping from Mark Goetten’s fierce eyes.

“S-Sir Mark?”

“Ugh…”

“Are you crying again?”

“N-not all.”

Mark Goetten shook his head while wiping his tears with his sleeve.

‘I can’t hold it back.’

Runaan’s hand was so warm when she said “Good job” and patted his shoulder earlier. He could feel a kindness that reminded him of his previous companions.

He had joined the Light Wind division later than everyone else, and it was difficult to get along with the members because he was much older than them.

He was feeling slightly isolated because sharing the same space and affiliation wasn’t enough to call them companions, but Runaan’s words made all of his sadness disappear.

He felt like he had truly become a member of the Light Wind division.

“Good job.”

Burren patted his back with a faint smile on his face. He looked like he could understand Mark Goetten’s feelings.

“I’m fine. By the way, what are you planning to do now?”

Mark Goetten rubbed his reddened eyes and looked back at Burren.

“Are we going to stay here and wait for Sir Raon? Or are we going to chase him…?”

“No.”

Burren raised his chin and looked at Banneret. The spire had crumbled and the buildings were collapsing. The battle between the transcenders wasn’t over yet.

“We should leave this place as fast as possible.”

Even if they went to Raon or Banneret, they weren’t going to be helpful at all. He was worried about the Heavenly Blade division and Rimmer, but escape had the highest priority.

“Most importantly, there’s no reason to worry about that monster at all.”

Burren shook his head while glancing at Raon’s direction.

“That’s right.”

Runaan was there before he knew it and she nodded her head. She blinked with a white face that looked like she was covered in flour.

“He will come back if we go to Cameloon and wait while eating ice cream.”

She was certain of it.

“I agree. I’m sure he will follow us without any issue.”

Denning Rose nodded at Runaan.

“But…”

Encia’s fingers trembled as she looked in Raon’s direction.

“Our division leader will be fine. There’s no reason to worry…”

“The way Sir Raon destroys the disciple of the Holy Sword Alliance master must be so damn handsome. Am I really missing out on filming this? Haa!"

Mark Goetten tried to tell her to believe in Raon but Encia sighed deeply.

“Hmm…”

Burren shook his head and clapped his hands.

“Stand up, everyone! We are leaving!” 

* * * 

Whaaam!

Shockwaves erupted from the clash between sword draws, slicing through the land filled with darkness.

While Raon took five steps back, Cloud only needed to take three steps back.

Tsk.

Raon furrowed his brow while looking at the crumbled ground.

‘As expected, he has the upper hand in a frontal clash.’

They had started their sword draws at the same time, but his opponent’s sword was faster and more powerful.

Raon’s body was stronger and more agile, but the difference in realm was making a significant impact.

“Is that all?”

Cloud’s lips curved into a smile as he casually lowered his sword.

It was an arrogant expression, showing that he believed he was way above his opponent. He wasn’t being careless, rather, he was provoking Raon.

“Your tongue must be sharper than your sword.”

“Going all out from the beginning is something that a lion would do. I, however, am a dragon.”

Raon shrugged his shoulders while swirling Heavenly Drive.

“You are still so calm. Aren’t you worried about the others that you left behind?”

He smiled while rolling his eyes in the direction of where they’d left the Light Wind division.

“Your subordinates’ heads should be parting from their bodies one after the other by now.”

“I didn’t raise them to be so weak.”

Raon raised Heavenly Drive. The astral energy of raging fire burst from the silver-gray blade. The flow was beautifully serene as it illuminated the darkness.

“You should worry about yourself instead of someone else’s companions.”

“You must have a mind filled with flowers.”

Cloud stomped on the ground with a frown on his face. It looked like he was weakly pushing the ground, but the resonance was delivering an extreme swiftness.

He traversed the space in an instant, slashing downward with his sword raised overhead.

‘Heavy sword?’

Raon’s shoulders were pressured and his legs felt heavy. The blade falling towards his head was as heavy as a mountain.

The swift sword and powerful sword that Cloud had shown during the sword draw were both impressive enough, but the heavy sword was even better.

Raon figured he would end up with an internal injury if he defended head-on, so he turned his body towards the right side and wrapped Heavenly Drive with the principles of the soft sword.

Cring!

The moment Heavenly Drive was about to deflect Cloud’s attack, his blade bent like a snake’s head and rushed toward his chest.

‘Is this… Severing sword?’

The heavy sword had transformed into a severing sword in an instant and created a rift within the soft sword. It was unexpected that he could switch the sword’s principle so quickly.

‘I don’t have the time to block it.’

He didn’t have enough time to block Cloud’s attack because Heavenly Drive was bent towards the ground.

Raon hurriedly bent his body backward. Cloud’s sword brushed past his forehead, cutting his bangs off in the process.

“You are good at running, at least.”

Cloud sneered and twisted his wrist. The sword slicing through the thin air bent strangely and swiftly fell towards Raon’s neck. It was a rapid yet precise slash.

Raon covered the mana circuits in his waist and thigh with the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation’s heat and slashed upwards with Heavenly Drive.

Clang!

The Blizzard Sword Art’s trajectory, incorporating the principles of the severing sword, violently fended off Cloud’s attack.

However, the center was dislocated and Raon was unable to completely absorb the impact. He could feel an aching pain in his waist.

“You…”

Raon gained distance and narrowed his eyes while looking at Cloud.

“Did you learn the versatile sword?”

The only way to explain the way he could use various sword principles and freely switch between them was that he practiced the versatile sword.

“So you are familiar with the versatile sword. How presumptuous of you.”

Cloud nodded while placing his sword on his shoulder.

“You are right. I’m following the alliance master onto the path of the versatile sword. Your sword will never reach me, no matter what principle it has.”

He gestured with his finger for him to come at him already, seeing no point in prolonging a fight that was already decided.

“Interesting.”

Raon laughed quietly and used the Supreme Harmony Steps.

“All you can do is charge like a boar.”

Cloud laughed coldly and brought the sword on his shoulder down in a swift slash. The extreme swiftness of the strike destroyed the wind on its path to the point where it started to pull Raon’s body towards it.

‘He’s even using the absorption sword on top of the swift sword. However… Quickness can be neutralized by slowness and precision.’

Raon stabbed with Heavenly Drive. His slow movement was the complete opposite of Cloud’s swift sword.

However, his sword was occupying the most important position.

Claaang!

Cloud’s sword clashed against Heavenly Drive before it could gain momentum and bounced back.

“You bastard…”

He wrinkled his brow in disbelief and slashed downwards once again.

The sound of a violent explosion erupted from the blade. Aura was erupting like magic from his explosive sword, which was winding along the flow of the powerful sword.

Thud!

Raon didn’t back off even though the explosion was tearing the space apart. He took a step forward instead.

‘I’m more than capable of blocking it if it’s an explosive sword and powerful sword.’

He raised his wrist, wrapping Heavenly Drive with confidence. He combined the principles of the heavy sword and destructive sword techniques to engulf the Blizzard Sword Art's special technique, swiping the ground and launching it into the air.

Whaaam!

The tremendous impact of the clash between the swords devastated the surroundings.

After the land was shredded to pieces, the two swordsmen were bounced back through the gray cloud of dust. However, the result was different from the last time. Raon had only taken four steps back while Cloud took three.

“Don’t tell me, you…”

Cloud twisted his lips while glaring at him with a murderous gaze.

“Yes.”

Raon nodded without waiting for Cloud to finish his sentence.

“I’m also practicing the versatile sword.”

He continued with a sneer.

“It was so funny to watch you brag, as you believed you were the only one who would achieve the versatile sword.”

“You vermin…”

Cloud violently ground his teeth while increasing his bloodlust.

However, he didn’t make the mistake of attacking without thinking. He must’ve been a Grandmaster for a good reason.

“I can understand why the alliance master and the Master of the Bloody Sword have said that your talent is special. It is because you are learning the versatile sword. However…”

He lightly scratched the ground with his foot like a horse pawing the ground.

“My talent is on a whole different level from yours!”

Cloud started to dash forward while showing his desire for talent and his inferiority complex.

Even his footwork was incorporating the principles of swift sword and illusion sword. He must’ve properly practiced his martial arts despite his toxic personality.

Cring!

Cloud's body fragmented into three illusions, only to reunite seamlessly on the right. At the same time, his blade was thrust forward, merging the techniques of the destructive sword and heavy sword.

‘It’s powerful.’

Raon exhaled quietly and unleashed the Blizzard Sword Art’s special technique, Silver Cyclone, towards Cloud’s attack.

Whaaam!

The powerful principle of the severing sword soared with the silver wind and smashed Cloud’s blade. The sword recoiled away and hit the ground along with a tremendous explosion.

‘Now.’

Raon didn’t miss the opportunity and pierced into Cloud’s space. He employed the first half of the Blizzard Sword Art's techniques consecutively, exerting powerful pressure. However, Cloud managed to break away from the assault using the unbreakable principle of the heavy sword. It was a fitting performance for the practitioner of the versatile sword.

Claaang!

Their auras were at a similar level, but Cloud’s strikes started to gain the upper hand a little by little since his realm was higher. Raon would’ve been pushed back a long time ago if it weren’t for the stats gained from the system and the Ring of Fire.

‘The Grandmaster’s wall is high indeed.’

Raon adjusted his grip on the sword, sensing the exceptional prowess of the Grandmaster, and Cloud raised his sword toward the sky in the meantime.

“I’ll show you why I’m on a whole different level from you.”

Cloud slashed through the frozen land with his lips curved into a sneer. His sword curved into a familiar trajectory and brought forward a powerful wind.

‘Don’t tell me, is this…?’

Raon widened his eyes and raised Heavenly Drive. He tried to unleash the Fangs of Insanity, but the wind enveloping Cloud’s blade disrupted the intuition sword’s flow and pierced into him.

Claaang!

It was the severing sword’s power of disruption. His movement was similar to the Blizzard Sword Art’s technique.

“Did you see it?”

Cloud raised his chin, conjuring a gust of wind once again.

“I can easily copy that shabby technique of yours. No, I can make it even more powerful.”

He even reproduced the Silver Cyclone that Raon had used with an even more powerful flow. He seemed to be trying to break his spirit.

Whoosh!

The barren wind scratching the skin tore the astral energy off Heavenly Drive.

“Do you finally realize it? This is real talent. I’m going to take your title as a dragon right now.”

“I’ve never seen my opponent do this before. So this is how it feels.”

Raon slowly raised his head. The red glow of his eyes was displaying his exhilaration.

“It looks like there will be a lot to leech from you.”

***

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

Thank you for reading!

[Author – Writing Ant, 글개미]

[Translator – Kyangi]

[Proofreader – Harley]