Chapter 664

Raon bit his lip slightly as he observed the man wearing a blue snake helmet.

‘His voice is the same as the Golden Skin Snake’s and the Red Demonic Snake’s.’

It wasn’t just his voice. Even the atmosphere around him was similar. However, their attributes were different. Unlike the Golden Skin Snake and the Red Demonic Snake, the man in front of him was using a water attribute aura.

‘Is he really the same person? But… he’s far more powerful than the others.’

The blue snake helmet was an extremely powerful warrior in the Grandmaster’s realm. He was incomparable to the Golden Skin Snake and the Red Demonic Snake.

If the Golden Skin Snake really was the same person as the blue snake helmet, that implied that he’d improved at the same rate as Raon, which was just impossible.

In fact, it was ridiculous to even think that they were the same person. After all, Raon had witnessed the Golden Skin Snake and the Red Demonic Snake’s deaths.

‘How is this happening?’

Raon couldn’t understand why people with the same voice, body, and characteristics as the deceased kept appearing one after the other.

“Me?” The warrior wearing the blue snake helmet smiled while pointing at himself with his finger. “I’m the Blue Lizard Snake.”

“I wasn’t asking for your name.” Raon narrowed his eyes, looking at the Blue Lizard Snake after he’d introduced himself. “How are you related to the Golden Skin Snake and the Red Demonic Snake?”

“What do you think?” The Blue Lizard Snake giggled. Raon noticed that his personality was more carefree than the Golden Skin Snake’s. “Do you think I’m the same person as the Golden Skin Snake?”

“Absolutely not.” Raon firmly shook his head, following the conclusion he’d reached.

“Yes, you’re bound to think like that. After all, you must’ve seen the Golden Skin Snake and the Red Demonic Snake’s deaths. That’s correct, however…” The Blue Lizard Snake shook his finger left and right. “It’s also wrong at the same time.”

“What nonsense is that?” Raon tilted his head, gripping Heavenly Drive and the Blade of Requiem.

“It’s…”

Just as the Blue Lizard Snake was about to continue, the Light Wind Division’s footsteps could be heard from behind them.

“Where’s the king?!”

“Who could the king be to have such powerful minions?!”

“Is it already ove—huh?”

The Light Wind Division had arrived after finishing their battle against the royal guards, their eyes widening upon noticing the Blue Lizard Snake floating in the air while looking for the king.

“E-Eden?”

“Eden is here!”

“Prepare for battle!”

The Light Wind Division reactivated the Light Wind Formation and lowered their postures as soon as they saw the Blue Lizard Snake.

Pssh!

The Blue Lizard Snake must’ve assumed that Raon’s focus was wavering because of the Light Wind Division’s appearance. He leaped mid-air and extended his hand towards the double-headed ogre’s heads.

His speed was explosive, enough so that it was difficult to believe that it was a human’s body making such movement.

Cring!

At that moment, Heavenly Drive’s blade left Raon’s grasp, sweeping past the moon rising along the mountain ridge. The Blue Lizard Snake’s hand was hanging at the center of his elegant strike.

Clang!

The Blue Lizard Snake was pushed back, struck by Raon’s slash instead of reaching the double-headed ogre’s heads. Blood gushed from his hand alongside a powerful shockwave.

“…Did you really react to that?”

The Blue Lizard Snake laughed bitterly, stunned by Raon’s performance. His surprise seemed to be more important than the blood flowing from his hand.

“Isn’t he the one who attacked Seipia?” Rimmer furrowed his brow while looking at the Blue Lizard Snake, noticing the same thing as Raon.

“Both his voice and nature are similar to his, but he’s already dead.”

He swallowed nervously, saying that he’d seen the corpse himself and confirmed his death.

“I’m not sure either. That’s why…” Raon licked his lips and raised Heavenly Drive and the Blade of Requiem. “I’m planning to look into it now.”

“Hah!”

Raon activated the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation and Glacier, and just as he was about to dash toward the Blue Lizard Snake, he leaped backward. His lips curved into a sneer, standing midair without any footholds at all.

“I have no intention of fighting you.” The Blue Lizard Snake shook his head, lifting both hands. “I just need to take that lovely ogre’s corpse. No, I just need the heads. If you can concede that—”

“Shut your mouth.”

Raon kicked the ground violently. He advanced while leaving a deep footprint on the boulder, piercing into the Blue Lizard Snake’s space.

The Blue Lizard Snake stepped back in the air with a sneer. Raon predicted his movement and executed the Master of Abyssal Sword’s footwork. He advanced in the air and executed the Crimson Slash.

Swoosh!

The line of flame drawn by Heavenly Drive was engulfed by wind as it fell to the ground. The Blue Lizard Snake’s aura barrier was destroyed, leaving a laceration on his chest.

Psssh!

The Blue Lizard Snake managed to react in a split second and pulled himself backward, but a deep laceration was left on his chest, crimson blood gushing from it.

“Kuh…”

His eyes widened, showing his surprise at how Raon had managed to reach him from so far away before he escaped even further away.

Tsk.

Raon clicked his tongue and withdrew to the hill where the Light Wind Division was located. He couldn’t leap mid-air multiple times yet.

“I-is that the Master of Abyssal Sword’s footwork?”

The Blue Lizard Snake let out a hollow laugh, looking at the blood gushing from the wound on his chest.

“I didn’t expect you to steal that difficult martial art. However…” He twisted his lips into a smile while pointing at himself. “You can’t steal this, can you?”

“That’s not a martial art. And…” Raon shook his head, reading the flow of mana supporting the Blue Lizard Snake’s feet and back. “It’s not like I can’t kill you without it.”

“Let me tell you one thing.”

The Blue Lizard Snake put his hand on his chest while giggling. The bloody wound slowly started to heal.

“You shouldn’t be sure that killing me will be advantageous for you.”

His voice sounded serious for the first time.

“......”

Raon furrowed his brow while looking at the Blue Lizard Snake’s smiling face.

‘I can’t ignore his words easily.’

If it had come from another warrior, he’d have brushed it off as a simple bluff, but the Blue Lizard Snake was different.

He’d reappeared in a new form after the Golden Face Snake and the Red Demonic Snake, achieving a similar amount of growth as himself whenever he appeared. Judging from past experience, he could potentially become even more powerful than Raon if the next snake helmet appeared after his death.

“He must be bluffing, but why does it not sound like a bluff?” Rimmer furrowed his brow in irritation.

“It looks like you understand.” The Blue Lizard Snake nodded with a faint smile on his face. “Well, I’ll stop here for today since it doesn’t look like you are going to hand over that corpse.”

He casually shook his hand and withdrew even further. However, his voice still sounded like he was talking right in front of them.

“Take care until the next time we meet.” The Blue Lizard Snake shook his hand with a lighthearted smile on his face. “Because I want to be the one to finish you off.”

It was the last thing he said before he turned into a water drop and disappeared.

“I can’t tell what the hell he was.”

Rimmer shrugged his shoulders, saying that he felt like he was facing a gambling master whose expressions weren’t revealing their cards at all.

‘Wrath.’

Raon called upon Wrath, who was sitting on his shoulder.

‘What do you think about him?’

Yaawn…

Wrath shook his head while yawning.

The last thing he said seemed to be true. He might really become more powerful the next time you meet.

‘Is that even possible?’

The King of Essence has said this many times before, but he doesn’t know much about sorcery and magic. Moreover, their power is abnormal, making it even more difficult to understand.

He furrowed his brow, showing his annoyance.

‘You are so useless despite being a demon king.’

Ugh. He is probably limited by lots of conditions. For example, he can’t die on purpose, or he has to struggle to live until the last moment.

Wrath gave some information while letting out a pained groan.

‘Does that mean that he isn’t the same person as the ones we’ve encountered before?’

It’s actually a bit strange. His soul is similar to theirs, but it’s different at the same time. This kind of thing only happens between siblings born from the same mother…

Raon looked at the spot where the Blue Lizard Snake had disappeared while listening to Wrath.

‘Siblings…’

Raon set aside his question about the Blue Lizard Snake and stood in front of the Light Wind Division.

‘They’re finally looking decent.’

Unlike at the training ground, the Light Wind Style’s wind was perfectly merged with their bodies. It was good enough to not be ashamed even if they told people they’d learned a martial art with super sense.

“How do you feel?” Raon gestured with his chin, examining the Light Wind swordsmen one after the other.

“I feel like I’ve finally realized the true nature of the Light Wind Style.”

“Yes, I had to learn how to control the output and the utilization again.”

“Hands-on experience is the best teacher, after all.”

The Light Wind Division was smiling, saying that they’d learned a lot and had many insights.

“The Light Wind Formation’s duration and durability have improved. It feels like the Light Wind Style allowed to decrease the amount of wasted aura.” Burren nodded in satisfaction.

“My favorite part is that the frustration is gone… Sir. The speed and power have increased to a whole different level thanks to the Light Wind Style’s wind…Sir.” Martha smiled broadly, saying that the swordsmanship had become unhindered.

“It’s easier to assist. The wind allows faster protection.” Runaan also nodded, saying that she could spread her frost to protect the swordsmen much faster than before.

“Same goes for me. I feel like I’ve taken a glimpse of the Anarchic Lightning Saber’s next realm.” Mark Goetten lowered his head, saying that he’d managed to find the path to advance even further.

Raon was overwhelmed with pride as the creator of the martial art because all of the swordsmen were saying that they’d gotten stronger thanks to the Light Wind Style.

The joy was even greater than when he was praised for a great deed.

“I’m glad that it helped all of you.”

Raon showed his satisfaction with a smile. However, there was a glimpse of evil included in his smile.

“B-but what’s wrong with that expression?” Dorian’s lips trembled in terror.

“I know, right? Why does he look angry…?”

“Krein.” Raon started with Krein’s name like always. “Show me the inner side of your right arm.”

“Whaat?” Krein’s shoulders trembled upon hearing his order. “A-actually…”

Krein’s chin trembled before he eventually lifted his arm. There was a very small wound around his armpit, and a small drop of blood was leaking from it.

“You’re injured.”

“It’s a very small injury though…”

“You would’ve lost your arm if it was any bigger.”

“Err…”

He hung his head, having no excuse to give.

“Dorian.”

“Yes!”

Dorian briskly raised his head, showing his confidence.

“The stench of blood doesn’t fade away even if you change your outfit.”

“Huff…”

Dorian’s shoulders shrunk like a piece of meat being grilled.

“You got hurt at your waist, didn’t you?”

“About that… Err, yes…”

He touched his injured waist, murmuring ‘When did he even see it?’.

“Next up is…”

Raon called out the members of the Light Wind Division who even had the smallest injury, and his smile deepened as he continued.

“Wh-what?”

“Does our division leader have the nose of a dog? How did he even smell the blood?!”

“That can’t be the case, he must’ve seen it! But when did he even see it?!”

“We got baited. The monster got us again!”

The Light Wind Division stared at Raon with trembling lips. He was aware of the entire situation despite having told them that he didn’t see them fight because he was talking.

“Haa…”

“We’re fortunately safe.”

“You weren’t injured, right?”

Burren, Martha, and Runaan breathed out a sigh of relief, looking at each other. They weren’t injured at all.

“Lastly…”

Raon pointed at the sky where the night had fallen.

“I clearly told you to finish the battle before the sunset, but you only managed to reach the peak after the sun was gone.”

The difference was extremely small, but the sun had set before the Light Wind Division had finished their climb.

“Therefore, everyone in the Light Wind Division will have additional focus enhancement training.”

The Light Wind Division turned pale as soon as they heard the words ‘focus enhancement training’.

“Aaaargh!” Rimmer screamed while mussing his own hair. “I handed over the division leader position too quickly! He does whatever he wants anyway, whether he is the division leader or vice division leader. There was no reason to give it to him so early!”

He wailed, saying that he regretted it so much.

“I like it!”

Mark Goetten raised his sword with a smile, saying that he had a new goal to work towards. The other swordsmen shook their heads, calling him a pervert.

Raon smiled faintly while watching the Light Wind Division cry out in despair.

‘It will be perfect if I do their focus enhancement training for the last time before preparing for the duel to the death.’

Since there were about four months left until the duel against the Axe King, Raon figured that he could spend about two weeks with the Light Wind Division and do his personal training for the rest of the time.

“We’ll be returning right away. Get ready.”

Raon ordered the Light Wind Division to prepare for return before he stood in front of the double-headed ogre’s corpse.

It was necessary to completely incinerate it, bones and flesh alike, so that Eden’s villains couldn’t recover it afterward.

“Sir Raon.”

Hopen came next to him while he was controlling the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation at maximum output, incinerating even the vengeful spirit of the double-headed ogre.

“It should be fine to return and report that the mission was successful now.” Raon smiled faintly, placing the flame in his grasp onto the double-headed ogre’s corpse.

“Thank you. By the way…” Hopen took another step towards him while licking his lips. “Would you like to visit our kingdom, by any chance?”

“The Holy Kingdom of Schper?”

“Yes. I’d like to repay the favor. After all, you were already my benefactor and helped us a lot this time as well.”

“Hmm…”

Raon licked his lips while looking at Hopen. He did have the time for it because the mission was finished quickly, but there was no real reason to visit them.

Most importantly, he felt like it would be boring for him as an atheist to visit a holy kingdom.

You have something else to do! Don’t even think about going there! The holy power of the deity is just an illusion!

Wrath licked his lips, telling him to just return and eat at home. He seemed to be instinctively repulsed by the holy kingdom because he was a demon king.

“I—” Raon was about to refuse, but Hopen continued.

“We even have a treasure that we were going to deliver after the incident in Banneret, but we ended up in an awkward position.”

“Treasure?”

“Yes. It’s personally bestowed upon you by his majesty.”

He lowered his head, saying that it was an elixir and book of martial arts that the king of the holy kingdom had personally bestowed upon him.

‘It’s a different story now.’

There were enough reasons to spare some time if he could get an elixir and swordsmanship.

No way, are you planning to go there?

‘Hmm, about that…’

How could you set foot into some holy kingdom when you serve the monarch of wrath?! Those who pretend to be pure are usually the most disgusting people! They might even be plotting something against you!

Wrath frowned, telling him to not even look in the direction of the holy kingdom.

“Now that I think about it, you like bead ice cream, don’t you?” Hopen clapped his hands, showing that he’d just remembered how he was in Banneret. “A large bead ice cream shop opened up in our kingdom. My brother said that there are lots of special flavors that can only be found in that shop. I’m sure you won’t regret it.”

Sp-special flavors?”

“Special flavors?”

Wrath and Runaan stood up at the same time with sparkling eyes.

What are you waiting for?!

Wrath furrowed his brow, tapping on Raon’s shoulder.

Tell him that you’re going! Tell him right now!

‘You told me not to go there though. Weren’t the ‘pure’ people the most disgusting…

The King of Essence won’t forgive you if you look down on the holy kingdom!

‘......’

Raon gasped while watching Wrath, whose lips were being twisted.

‘Is this thing really supposed to be the demon king?’

* * *

Raon headed to the Holy Kingdom of Schper to collect the reward Hopen had prepared because Wrath and Runaan kept urging him to go endlessly. Since Hopen knew a shortcut through the mountain range, they managed to reach the holy kingdom faster than he’d expected.

“That’s our Holy Kingdom of Schper.” Hopen smiled while pointing at the white ramparts that seemed to be made of clouds.

“Wow…”

“H-holy power is flowing around the castle.”

“It’s a holy kingdom for a good reason. I wouldn’t be surprised even if I witnessed the descent of God right now.”

“Rather than cool, it’s fascinating.”

The Light Wind Division gasped while watching the holy kingdom’s scenery.

Raon nodded while listening to the swordsmen.

‘Indeed…’

The dazzling light surrounding the holy kingdom made it look like it had been engulfed by sunlight, and the buildings were high and antique at the same time.

It was even more splendid than the merchant city Cameloon, Owen, or the Balkar Kingdom. However, instead of an artificial aura, the city exuded a distinctly divine impression.

As someone said before, it even felt like God was looking after the kingdom.

As expected of the holy kingdom! It looks tasty!

Wrath licked his lips as if the holy kingdom itself was vanilla ice cream.

Let’s go already! Head to the biggest shop… Hmm?

He started to talk about ice cream but suddenly narrowed his eyes.

‘What’s up?’

…Never mind.

Wrath casually shook his hand, brushing it off as nothing special.

‘What a letdown.’

Raon chuckled and followed Hopen to the holy kingdom. The holy knights bowed at Hopen, standing in front of a noble gate that seemed to be made of snow-white wood.

“You’ve returned, squad leader. But who are these people…?”

The holy knights guarding the gate tilted their heads at the Light Wind Division.

“They are the heroes from Zieghart’s Light Wind Division. They’ve saved us during this mission.”

Hopen politely introduced them to the guards, revealing the fact that they were saved even though Raon had told him that he didn’t need to.

“Ah! Then is he…?”

The holy knights’ chins trembled as they looked at Raon.

“I’m honored to see the Dragon Slayer!”

The two holy knights lowered their heads to express their deep respect towards him, just like knights would’ve done.

“Nice to meet you.” Raon smiled faintly and nodded his head.

“Ah, we’ll open the gate right away!”

The two holy knights stepped aside and opened the gate. Moreover, they opened the main entrance instead of the small door designed for people to pass through.

Rumble!

The castle’s main entrance opened and attracted the attention of all passersby.

“Huh? You’re back, squad leader!”

“You finished your mission so quickly!”

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

The residents approached Hopen and the holy knights to greet them, each with a white book tucked under their arm. It was a peculiar sight because residents were usually uncomfortable around knights.

“You’re so close to the residents.”

“It’s because of our doctrine. We aren’t bound by status or gender.”

“Ah, it’s a nice doct—”

Raon started to nod with a smile but turned his head to the right side. He could feel a dark energy scanning his shoulder, though it was extremely faint and only lasted for a split second.

‘What? Why is there demonic energy in a holy kingdom?’

***

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 – Harley]