Chapter 576

“Ah, I’m so bored…”

Aries slammed the desk with her fist and sighed deeply.

“I don’t deserve to be stuck in here!”

She chewed on her lip while watching the warm sunlight shining down on the window.

“Huhuhu.”

Roenn placed a teacup and some snacks on Aries’s desk with a gentle smile on his face.

“You should be able to finish the task soon enough.”

“There’s a lot more left to do! I can’t even see the end!”

“There’s the saying that the beginning is half of the whole. You’ve already done more than half.”

“Haa, you are even more hateful than my father sometimes, Roenn.”

Aries bluntly glared at him sideways but still ate the snack he’d brought for her.

“Huhuhu.”

Roenn simply smiled as if he found her cute regardless of what she did.

“Are there any messages from Raon?”

“He sent a message saying that they should reach Seipia at around noon today.”

“Noon today?”

Aries squinted while looking at the sun that had moved slightly away from the center of the sky.

“Then they should’ve already entered Seipia.”

“They probably did.”

“Arrrgh!”

Aries screamed, wildly ruffling her sunset-colored hair.

“I should’ve been there with them! It was a rare opportunity to visit Seipia as a guest!”

“Huhuhu.”

“Do you have anything else other than that laughter?”

“Hahaha.”

Roenn changed the laughing sound according to Aries’s request.

“That’s even worse!”

Aries slammed her head on the desk, saying that she was going nuts.

“Raon should be getting a warm reception from the elves by now. He must be having fruit wine and sightseeing around the world tree. It must be nice…”

“That’s probably the case. Sir Rimmer’s position in Seipia seemed to be quite high, after all.”

“Yes. I think he said that his rank was similar to a noble. That’s why he kept acting elegant when I first saw him and looked so annoying. The way he acts like an idiot now is way better than that.”

“Huhuhu.”

Roenn nodded and expressed his agreement.

“Roenn, do you have anything interesting?” Aries asked Roenn while rubbing her forehead on the desk.

She looked like she really didn’t want to work.

“Hmm. Young Master Burren, Lady Martha, and Lady Runaan have recently been trained by the Wise Martial Palace Master.”

Roenn brought out a topic that Aries might be interested in.

“Huh? Really?”

Aries briskly raised her head.

“Is Denier really helping their training?!”

“Indeed. They are so passionate, trying to catch up to Sir Raon.”

“That sounds interesting. Shall I check them out?”

She licked her lip, interested in the story.

“If I manage to raise their realms by one step per person, Raon will probably call me auntie and jump into my embrace as soon as he returns, don’t you think?”

“You should finish your work for the day if you want to be called aunt.”

Roenn put down a new batch of documents on Aries’s desk.

“Roenn, I’m really going to die at this rate…”

Aries grabbed Roenn’s sleeve with teary eyes.

“Huhuhu.”

Roenn rapidly pulled his hand away and quickly escaped from Aries. He looked coldhearted.

“Roenn, you really have changed a lot. You weren’t like this in the past!”

“People are bound to change.”

“Well, I guess that’s true. I saw that my father and the others have also changed. It’s all because of Raon, right?”

“Not entirely because of him, but it’s true that he had a significant influence.”

He smiled faintly and nodded.

“I feel like his real talent is his charm and ability to attract people, not his martial art.”

Aries closed her eyes faintly before opening them again, her lips curved into a gentle smile.

“I wanted to travel with my charming nephew. What a shame…”

She sighed deeply while picking up the pen.

“Your auntie will be working hard, so you should enjoy it at least.”

* * *

“You said that fun times awaited us here!”

Raon ground his teeth while creating a semi-circular sword barrier with Heavenly Drive.

“You said that you’d been living like an ordinary elf in your homeland!”

Raon had expected it to happen, but the circumstances had also surpassed his expectations at the same time. It was so irritating that he couldn’t stop himself from yelling at Rimmer.

“Why did you even steal the divine relic?!”

“I didn’t steal it! I really got it fair and square!”

Rimmer frantically shook his head, saying that it never happened.

Wahahahaha!

Wrath burst out into laughter while covering his belly. He seemed to be enjoying the situation.

The King of Essence knew this was going to happen. Why would you even believe anything Shitty Ears said? Even Greed would be more trustworthy!

‘Shut up!’

Raon pushed Wrath away as he kept giggling and focused on the arrows rushing at him.

Claaang!

The sword barrier created by the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation clashed against the arrow. Each time the arrowhead hit the barrier, it felt like a lump of metal was smacking it.

‘How is this even an arrow?!’

The heavy attack felt like he was getting hit by a spear that was thrown with aura rather than arrows. Since the arrowhead seemed to be made from wood instead of steel, he was curious about how it could be so powerful.

Whir!

The elves hiding behind the bramble apparently didn’t have any intention of talking to them anymore, as they kept shooting the arrows one after the other.

Clang! Clang!

Raon rotated the sword barrier to fend off all the arrows before he glared at Rimmer.

“What’s wrong with their reaction?! You said that we would be welcomed!”

Raon honestly didn’t believe that they would be welcomed, but he had never imagined being attacked at the entrance.

“I-I don’t understand what’s happening either…”

Rimmer didn’t even wipe the cold sweat flowing from his forehead while saying that he was also surprised.

“Haa, we shouldn’t have believed him to begin with. We should’ve just left him behind.”

Dorian sighed while saying that they should’ve left Rimmer in Zieghart even though they were heading to his homeland.

“Are we going to be unable to enter?”

Yua’s lips trembled in disbelief because they suddenly became intruders right off the bat.

“Keep shooting!”

With the voice of the female elf, which had become even sharper, arrows were fired at them. The energy dwelling on the arrows was rotating even faster and more powerfully than before, trying to break through the sword barrier.

‘The power on those arrows is on a whole different level indeed.’

He’d seen countless archers in various battlefields, but it was his first time facing such an advanced archery.

Raon intensified the flame of his sword barrier and carefully observed the arrows rushing towards him.

‘They aren’t shooting with sheer strength.’

The elves were pulling the bowstrings with profound principles of martial arts.

Swiftness, sharpness, and heaviness were dwelling on those arrows, and that was why it felt like he was getting hit by a huge lump of metal each time.

The female elf who was ordering the others had the best skill in archery among them. She seemed to be equivalent to a Master swordsman at least.

‘She can incorporate the principles of the Master realm on arrows. That’s interesting.’

His heart started to pound because of the unexpected encounter with a new flow of martial arts.

Argh! The madartian is getting started again!

Wrath shook his head with a furrowed brow.

‘What is a madartian?’

A madman for martial arts! It’s you!

‘You’re really good at creating strange words.’

Raon chuckled and focused on the arrows once again.

‘They are making it so nice to observe.’

The elves were shooting the arrows intending to neutralize instead of kill. As a result, Raon could easily observe the arrows.

‘The misunderstanding can be solved later.’

He could neutralize the elves at any moment by using his power, but he preferred to widen his mental world by observing their archery.

Raon removed the sword barrier and fended off the approaching arrows directly with his sword.

Claaang!

The moment Heavenly Drive’s blade clashed against the arrowhead, the power and principle dwelling on the arrow pierced deep into his hand.

‘The swiftness and heaviness are properly incorporated. Moreover, variation was added on top this time.’

The arrow couldn’t freely fly into the air like Rimmer had described, but the principles dwelling in the arrows were good enough to learn from them.

Clang! Clang!

Raon focused on the elven arrows raining down from all directions, his lips curved into a smile.

He polished his swordsmanship by fending off the fast arrows with a heavy sword, heavy arrows with a soft sword, and variable arrows with a severing sword.

After he continued to defend for a while, the arrows suddenly stopped coming at once.

“Hmm?”

Raon furrowed his brow while lowering Heavenly Drive.

“Aren’t you going to shoot more?”

“Try thinking in their stead. Would you want to keep shooting arrows at a pervert who is fending them off with a smile?”

Rimmer shook his head and stepped forward.

“I-I’m not a pervert!”

“You are the biggest pervert when it comes to the martial arts.”

He shook his hand in disgust and stood in front of the bramble once again.

“Let me say this again. Seipia is my homeland, and I rightfully obtained this divine relic through proper procedures. I definitely didn’t steal it.”

Rimmer confidently announced that he was innocent.

“How am I supposed to believe you?”

The voice coming from behind the bramble sounded a bit softer.

“Your heads would be rolling as soon as you encountered him if we came here with malicious intent.”

Rimmer shrugged his shoulders while pointing at Raon.

“You can tell that much, can’t you?”

The silence continued for a moment before the bramble split apart and the elf hiding behind it was revealed.

She was a beauty, her green hair looking like the personification of the forest and her attractive blue eyes reflecting the sky.

Her nose wasn’t too high, nor her eyes that big, but the harmony in her facial features formed a natural beauty.

“What’s your name?”

“Leiran.”

“Huh? I’m familiar with that name. Are you from the Cotton Branch Clan, by any chance?”

“…Yes, I am.”

The elf nodded faintly, introducing herself as Leiran.

“I went to watch when I heard the rumor that an extremely cute baby was born from there. You grew up nicely.”

Rimmer smiled, saying that he was glad to see her grow up so beautifully.

“What’s your name?”

“Rimmer. You can call the old man Sterin if you can’t believe me. That geezer will definitely…”

When Rimmer was trying to ask her to call someone, but the elf who’d been listening to him suddenly pulled her bowstring. It was a dangerous attack, intending to kill him for the first time so far.

Crack!

Raon extended his left hand and destroyed the arrow trying to reach Rimmer with his bare hand.

“Don’t you dare to call him by his name!”

It wasn’t just her, but every elf around them was showing their murderous intent. Raon became curious about who Sterin was.

“Who did you just name?”

“The boss of Seipia.”

“This damn guy!”

Raon tightly closed his eyes. He could understand why the elves were trying to kill him.

It was the same as coming to Zieghart and calling Glenn a geezer. He couldn’t even complain even if he’d died.

“I’m allowed to call him that, though…”

Rimmer blinked, unable to understand what he’d even done wrong.

“Stop it right there and don’t speak anymore, division leader.”

Raon covered Rimmer’s mouth and lowered his head at Leiran.

“I apologize for what he said just now. He is just a bit stupid and he didn’t mean any harm. Please understand him. We’ve said this before, but we aren’t thieves or intruders. We just need to solve the misunderstanding…”

“What misunderstanding are you talking about?”

A cold voice was carried by a wind blowing from afar.

The moment the quiet atmosphere started to rampage, an elf giving off a cold impression flew from above the trees rising at the right side, his long blue hair fluttering in the wind.

“Ah!”

Rimmer’s lips curved into a smile, showing that he recognized him.

“We’re good now! Someone I know came out!”

He shouted that there was no need to worry anymore and waved his hand toward the blue-haired elf.

“Erian! It’s me! You know me, right?”

The elf called Erian quietly nodded.

“The plunderer of the divine relic.”

However, the voice that followed was as cold as winter.

“I knew it…”

“I expected it to be the case.”

“I’m an idiot for trusting you.”

Raon, Dorian, and Yua’s cold gazes were fixated on Rimmer.

“Wh-what are you even talking about?! You were there to watch when I received this sword!”

Rimmer rapidly shook his head, to the point where his facial features became undistinguishable.

“This sword wasn’t given to you, it was lent to you. Since you never returned after taking the divine relic outside, you are just a thief.”

Erian drew his sword from his waist. His bloodlust was emerging from the blue aura rising from his wrist.

Slaaash!

Just as the strike of the cold wind started to descend toward Rimmer’s head, Raon made his move.

Thud!

Raon violently kicked the ground and smacked Erian’s blade.

Claaang!

The wind bursting from the clash between the blades shook the forest violently.

“Hmph!”

Erian snorted and nimbly spun around. He kept his balance midair like a bird and connected into a downward slash.

‘The movement of his body is so free.’

He seemed to be using the wind in a different way than Rimmer.

Raon drew two lines with Heavenly Drive while feeling the flow of wind of Erian’s movement with his skin. The flame welling up from between the lines turned into a circular shape and created a shield of fire.

Whaaam!

Erian’s blade of wind was unable to break through the Firewall and disappeared as a warm wind.

“Tsk.”

Erian furrowed his brow and withdrew. He seemed to be annoyed by the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation’s heat.

“Impressive, isn’t it?”

Rimmer grinned and raised his left hand.

“I’m the one who taught him!”

He still couldn’t understand the situation and curved his lips into a smile.

“Shut your mouth.”

Erian kicked the fissured land with a frown on his face. His movement was swift and full of variety. Raon could smell the blood from his practical strike.

Many lives must’ve perished from his blade.

Raon bent his knee and pushed it ahead slightly. He leaned forward and unsheathed Heavenly Drive, which he’d pulled back to the left side. The silver blade dashed ahead, and a blue blade of coldness followed up like a shadow.

Claaang!

The first blade of the Frost Pond fended off Erian’s sword, and the blade of frost following right after rushed towards his shoulder.

“Haap!”

Erian’s eyes widened at the unexpected attack from the blade of coldness, but he used that movement from before to ride the wind and leap backward.

Psssh!

However, the blade of coldness had already brushed past his shoulder, creating a small scratch.

“Haa…”

Erian twisted his lips while looking at the wound on his shoulder.

“Alright.”

He raised his finger like a bird’s claw to press upon the wound and raised his chin.

“I’ll show you the death of your disciple if that’s what you desire.”

Erian murmured that it was all their fault and put his hands together.

Whaap!

A powerful wind undulated around him, to the point where it was difficult to open their eyes. The green sphere floating in the air was shining majestically and spread its huge wings.

‘What is that?’

Raon forced his eyes open while sensing the powerful wave of mana. A gigantic body was floating under the blue sky.

A hawk.

The hawk was huge enough to be called a drake, and it was breathing in the blue wind.

Kieeeeh!

The green hawk unleashed its terrifying roar towards the world. It was so powerful that the entire forest seemed to be shaking.

“That’s…”

“It’s a spirit, and the highest tier spirit at that.”

Rimmer gasped while looking at Erian.

“I thought he would’ve gotten stronger, but I didn’t expect him to summon the highest tier spirit…”

He shook his head, saying that they were in huge trouble.

“The highest tier spirit can even fight against a Grandmaster.”

“That seems to be the case…”

Raon nodded faintly. Just as Rimmer was saying, the highest tier spirit’s energy was as powerful as a Grandmaster’s. It wasn’t an opponent that he could easily win against.

“It’s too late for regrets.”

Erian snorted and pointed his finger at Raon and Rimmer.

“Tear them to pieces!”

“It looks fun.”

Raon stepped forward while licking his lips, and the highest-tier spirit remained immobile, as if it didn’t hear Erian’s order.

Shoosh!

It wasn’t actually immobile. It was furtively moving backward by riding the wind.

“What are you waiting for?! Attack them right now!”

“Kieeeh!”

Erian pointed with his finger once again, but the highest-tier spirit just leaped back and hid behind a tree.

“Hmm?”

“Kieeh…”

Raon tilted his head at the strange behavior, and the highest-tier spirit lowered its head while trembling in fear. It was the submissive posture that could often be seen in animals.

“Wh-what?! What have you done to my spirit?!”

Erian’s chin trembled in panic. He went to the spirit and tried to talk to it, but the spirit never stood up.

‘What’s going on?’

Raon thought it was a strange situation and turned his head around, and that was when he saw Wrath picking his nose.

What’chu looking at?”

***

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]