Chapter 1097
“What do you mean by that all of a sudden?”
Raon blinked, looking at the Sword Monarch and the Blade Monarch.
“Weren’t the two of you touring the Annex under Mother’s guidance?”
Since Sylvia, the owner of the Annex, had offered to introduce the place to the Sword Monarch and the Blade Monarch, Raon had intended to leave them in her care and focus on his swordsmanship training.
He couldn’t understand why the two, who were supposed to be sightseeing, had suddenly brought Sia here and said they wanted to take her as a disciple.
“That was the original plan. However….”
The Sword Monarch let out a deep sigh while looking at Sia.
“Once I saw this child, I simply couldn’t resist. She is, quite literally, a mass of talent!”
She couldn’t close her mouth in amazement, claiming she had never seen such talent in her entire life.
“I feel the same.”
The Blade Monarch bowed his head, placing a hand over his heart.
“While she may not be on the level of my Lord, her talent transcends the very definition of a genius. I absolutely want to cultivate her.”
His usually calm eyes trembled with excitement.
“Noona, are you okay?”
Raon looked at Sia, who was being held by the shoulder by the Sword Monarch.
“I’m fine.”
Sia nodded with a serene expression. It seemed that after going through puberty, her composure had increased dramatically.
“How did this happen?”
Raon asked Sylvia, who was standing by the door.
“Sia said she was bored and went to the lake to train.”
Sylvia continued with a bright smile, appearing delighted that Sia had been recognized by the Sword Monarch and the Blade Monarch.
“The moment the Sword Monarch and the Blade Monarch saw Sia swinging her sword, they rushed over and started fighting over who would take her as a disciple.”
She pinched her own cheek, saying she still wasn’t sure if this was reality or a dream.
“Then Noona….”
“I said no.”
Sia shook her head, explaining that she had rejected the offer from both the Sword Monarch and the Blade Monarch.
“So, the two of you came all the way here because you want to take my sister as a disciple,” Raon muttered, nodding as he finally understood.
“Exactly.”
The Sword Monarch nodded.
“She refused, saying she would only listen to my Lord, so we sought you out.”
She bowed her head, pleading for Raon to let her take Sia as a disciple.
“It is evident that my Lord taught her personally.”
The Blade Monarch nodded, noting that he could feel Raon’s influence in Sia’s martial study.
“However, it seems she hasn’t been supervised consistently, as there are some lacking areas. I shall correct them.”
He clenched his fist, vowing to raise Sia into a perfect martial artist.
“You certainly have a keen eye.”
Raon lowered his eyebrows slightly.
“I did teach Noona the sword, but since I couldn’t supervise her consistently, there must be deficiencies.”
He had passed on basic swordsmanship and the Light Wind Style to Sia, but due to various missions and overseeing the Light Wind Palace swordsmen, he hadn’t been able to devote much time to her.
With Darkhan having left Zieghart, and Edgar and Sylvia only wishing for Sia to stay healthy, she must have spent a long time swinging her sword alone.
‘It’s not a bad proposal.’
Since Sia had already polished the basics of the sword, it was time for her to have a proper master.
He had thought about taking her to the Light Wind Palace to train with the other swordsmen, but since the best masters had come to her of their own accord, his heart began to race with excitement.
“What do you think, Noona?”
Raon asked for Sia’s opinion first.
“Are these people strong?”
Sia raised both hands and pointed at the Sword Monarch and the Blade Monarch.
“They’re strong. Very strong.”
Raon nodded with a smile.
“Stronger than Raon?”
“Hmm….”
Raon let out a low groan, stroking his chin.
“Right now, they are probably stronger than me.”
The martial power of the Sword Monarch and the Blade Monarch was at the level of the leaders of the Five Kings and Three Demon Kings, excluding Glenn, the Heavenly Demon, Derus, and Darkhan.
If he opened his Sword Field Creation and fought with all his might, he might hold them off for a short while, but he would eventually lose.
“Is it really that much?”
Sia’s eyes widened in surprise.
“‘For now,’ that is the case.”
The Blade Monarch shook his head calmly while looking at Raon.
“My Lord is someone who will eventually surpass us and ascend to the heavens.”
He wore a faint smile, certain that Raon would eventually exceed them.
“Besides, my Lord has power that he’s hiding!”
The Sword Monarch shrugged, saying she felt something massive beneath Raon’s soul. As a high-level Transcendent, her senses were indeed exceptional.
“If you become their disciple, it will be very hard. You might even miss the days when you swung your sword alone at the lake. But….”
Raon leaned down slightly to look into Sia’s eyes.
“You will definitely become strong. Strong enough to achieve your goal of protecting the Annex by following me.”
“Then I’ll do it!”
Sia nodded without a moment’s hesitation.
“I want to become strong too!”
She nodded emphatically, wanting to become much stronger than she was now so she could protect the Annex.
“She says yes.”
Raon smiled and took a step back.
“Then it’s our turn, isn’t it?”
“Yes. Let us decide who shall be the master.”
The Blade Monarch and the Sword Monarch glared at each other, their eyes narrowing.
“Aren’t you two going to teach her together?”
Raon’s eyes widened.
“Our sects are different! Naturally, we must teach separately!”
“I believe that is correct as well.”
The Sword Monarch and the Blade Monarch began to stretch, telling Raon to wait a moment while they fought to determine who was more suited to be the master.
They acted like adults one moment and children the next.
“Stop.”
Raon sighed and raised his hand.
“The reason I gave the two of you the perfect Diamond Earth Art, Demon Soldier Blade Technique, and True Demon Sword Art was because I hoped you would stop fighting pointlessly.”
“But this is not a pointless matter….”
The Sword Monarch raised her hand.
“It is true that I became the leader of both the Sword Sect and the Blade Sect after learning the Diamond Earth Art, right?”
Raon asked, looking at the Sword Monarch and the Blade Monarch.
“That is correct.”
“Of course.”
The Blade Monarch and the Sword Monarch nodded simultaneously.
“And it’s also true that there would be no problem if Noona learned both of your martial studies at the same time, right?”
“That is true.”
“Her talent is something even we cannot keep up with.”
Both replied that Sia’s talent was sufficient to master both swordsmanship and blade arts simultaneously.
“Then there’s no need to decide on one master. The two of you can teach Noona together, taking turns by day. And….”
Raon raised a finger and continued.
“From this moment on, I will merge the Sword Sect and the Blade Sect to revive the Sword and Blade Sect. The two sects were originally one, and since I obtained the martial study from the first master, the Sword-Blade Master, I believe I am qualified to do so.”
Raon looked down at the Sword Monarch and the Blade Monarch, nodding with a serious expression.
“Ugh!”
“The Sword and Blade Sect….”
The Sword Monarch and the Blade Monarch bit their lips. Their eyes began to tremble violently.
‘They’ll definitely resist.’
Having lived their entire lives as members of the Sword Sect and the Blade Sect, they likely wouldn’t appreciate the creation of a single unified sect, even if he was the master.
‘How should I persuade them…?’
“It’s not a bad idea.”
“It sounds fine.”
While Raon was racking his brain for a way to persuade them, the Sword Monarch and the Blade Monarch smiled and accepted it.
“Huh?”
Raon blinked, looking at the two of them.
“Thinking about it, Lord Raon is right. There’s really no need to fight anymore, and since the disciple’s aptitude is outstanding, I think teaching her together is fine.”
The Sword Monarch nodded in agreement.
“I shall follow Lord Raon’s words.”
The Blade Monarch nodded, thanking him for making a wise decision.
“Yubert of the Sword and Blade Sect greets the Master!”
“Sieran of the Sword and Blade Sect greets the Master!”
The Sword Monarch and the Blade Monarch locked eyes and then knelt and bowed their heads as if they had been waiting for this.
“I told you to stop doing that….”
Raon sighed and hit his forehead. Those heavy greetings popped up just as he was forgetting about them, making him feel awkward.
“I look forward to working with you!”
The Sword Monarch patted Sia’s head, even though Sia was taller than her.
“It will be a difficult path, so prepare yourself thoroughly.”
The Blade Monarch also nodded, immediately stepping into his role as a teacher.
“I understand, Masters!”
Sia bowed politely to the Sword Monarch and the Blade Monarch.
“Sia….”
Sylvia nodded deeply, looking satisfied with how mature Sia had become.
“My daughter is all grown up! It’s finally time to let her go….”
Edgar covered his mouth and sobbed, moved by Sia’s clear voice.
“She’s not getting married, so where is she ‘going’…?”
Raon shook his head at Edgar, telling him not to exaggerate.
》”Those old fogies….”
Wrath frowned, looking bewildered.
》”It seems they’re the type who would actually die if you told them to.”
He furrowed his brows, wondering how they could be so loyal when they had known Raon for less than a month. He seemed quite envious.
‘It’s just as you said before. I got lucky this time.’
He felt fortunate that people as pure as the Sword Monarch and the Blade Monarch had carried on the will of the Sword-Blade Master. He felt like his luck was finally turning around.
》”Finally? You say ‘finally’?”
Wrath’s jaw trembled in disbelief.
》”A fellow who has lived his entire life on luck says ‘finally’? You have no conscience!”
He glared with bloodshot eyes, demanding that Raon take it back immediately.
“Shall we start training right away?”
“Ah, before that, there is one more thing I would like to ask.”
Raon brushed away the raging Wrath with the back of his hand and approached the Sword Monarch and the Blade Monarch.
“If it is a request….”
“Just say the word.”
The Blade Monarch lowered his eyebrows in curiosity, and the Sword Monarch nodded, telling him to ask for anything.
“You’ll find out if you follow me tomorrow.”
Raon nodded with a faint smile.
===
“You’ve all heard the rumors, I assume.”
Raon stood on the podium of the 5th Training Hall, chin held high.
“These two are the Sword Monarch and the Blade Monarch.”
He called forward the Sword Monarch and the Blade Monarch, who had been waiting behind him.
“T-that person is the Sword Monarch? She looks too young! And she’s a woman?”
“I can definitely feel a chilling Energy Wave. I feel like I can’t even approach the Blade Monarch….”
“Both of them look young, but their martial power is the real deal.”
“To think I’d see the Sword Monarch and the Blade Monarch with my own eyes!”
The Light Wind Palace swordsmen knew the reputations of the two well, and their fingertips trembled with emotion just by facing them.
“Haaah! Haaaah! Haa….”
Mark Gorton held his blade, breathing out white steam from his mouth in deep admiration of the Blade Monarch, who had reached the state of Transcendence. It was the first time he had shown such a side of himself, which was almost disconcerting.
“From today, these two will be your temporary instructors. They won’t be able to come every day, but they will stop by once a day, so seek their advice diligently.”
Raon nodded, pointing toward the Sword Monarch and the Blade Monarch.
‘It would be a waste to let such experts just rest.’
Since Sia didn’t need two people teaching her simultaneously, he had asked the other to act as an instructor at the Light Wind Palace, and both had readily agreed.
“And….”
Raon gestured to Parateus, who was standing to the side.
“This is the Ancient Dragon of the Gold Clan, Lord Parateus. If you ask him, he can modify the training hall to provide training suited for individuals.”
As he spoke, he gave a signal to Parateus.
“How bothersome!”
As Parateus nodded and chanted an incantation, a mountain of freezing air surged up at the right end of the training hall, and a deep pit of blazing fire was carved out at the left end.
“Whoaaa!”
“He cast such high-level magic without an incantation?”
“As expected of a dragon!”
“It’s so convenient when a dragon is an ally!”
The swordsmen looked at Parateus with sparkling eyes, amazed by his magic.
“I-it’s nothing! I can do this too!”
Feeling pleased by the swordsmen’s cheers, Parateus began performing additional tasks that hadn’t even been requested.
》”That fellow is a born pushover.”
Wrath shook his head in pity.
‘True. Just like someone I know.’
》”Who exactly are you talking about?”
‘….’
Raon didn’t answer and turned his gaze back to the Light Wind Palace swordsmen.
“Since there are three Transcendents today, choose the person you wish to receive guidance from.”
Raon nodded, telling them to stand before the Transcendent they wanted to learn from.
“Blade Monarch! Blade Monarch! Blade Monarch!”
“We actually get to choose?”
“I knew the Light Wind Palace was the best!”
“I’ll go with the Sword Monarch!”
Mark Gorton rushed toward the Blade Monarch with a look of madness, and the other swordsmen sought out their preferred Transcendent.
Most of the swordsmen gathered before the Sword Monarch and the Blade Monarch, while some went to Parateus because of the specialized training grounds.
‘I can already see the future.’
If he could grow the swordsmen like this, he might be able to create a large number of Grand Masters before the war.
Currently, only Burren, Runaan, Martha, Mark Gorton, and Trevin were Grand Masters, but with the help of the Sword Monarch, the Blade Monarch, and Parateus, he felt he could raise far more swordsmen to that level.
‘And Runaan might even be able to aim for Transcendence.’
Since Runaan had obtained the Authority of Sloth from Sloth, there was a possibility she could surpass Transcendence if trained well.
‘I’m looking forward to it.’
A natural smile formed on his face as he imagined a martial force composed of Grand Masters crushing the Celestials and Eden’s Fiends.
》”Isn’t now the wrong time for you to be thinking about such things?”
‘Hmm?’
Raon blinked and looked up.
‘What do you mean… wh-what!’
Unlike the Sword Monarch, the Blade Monarch, and Parateus, there wasn’t a single swordsman standing before him.
》”Puhahaha!”
Wrath burst into laughter, spreading his arms.
》”I knew this would happen! Who would go to a crazy bastard like you!”
He cackled, saying that the fact that no one was in front of him was a testament to Raon’s personality.
“Ugh….”
Raon closed his eyes tight, looking at the empty space in front of the podium.
‘I may have pushed them too hard in training, but this is a bit much.’
He had only done his best to train them because he didn’t want to see them die, but seeing that not a single person chose him made his heart ache.
》”It’s not that you didn’t want to see them die. Isn’t it that you beat them up every time you saw them?”
Wrath snorted, telling him to be honest.
“Sigh….”
Just as Raon was shaking his head and sighing.
“I will learn from the Palace Lord!”
Krein stepped forward and stood before Raon, raising his hand energetically.
“Krein?”
Raon’s mouth fell open. He hadn’t expected Krein, of all people, to be the first to come forward, and he was bewildered.
“It’s all thanks to the Palace Lord that I’ve grown as I have!”
Krein bit his lip and glanced sideways at the other swordsmen.
‘Stupid fools.’
They were choosing to suffer for over a month when they only had to suffer for one day.
Raon was a petty man who didn’t let even the smallest thing slide.
It was obvious that he would remember today and put them through Concentration Enhancement Training later, so it was wiser to earn points with him now.
‘I’m getting out of this.’
A smile formed on Krein’s lips as he imagined Raon remembering today and being the only one whose training he supervised leniently.
“No. That’s not it….”
Dorian shook his head with a pale face, as if it were a wrong judgment.
“Just worry about yourself.”
Krein snorted and brushed his hands off.
“Krein!”
Raon leaped off the podium and descended.
“You believe in me!”
He nodded deeply, appearing genuinely pleased.
“Of course! I, Krein, would even give my life for the Palace Lord!”
Krein raised his fist, claiming that he was the only one who truly trusted Raon.
“Good.”
Raon’s red eyes burned with intensity.
“I will absolutely make you a Grand Master. Let’s start training together from today.”
He slapped Krein on the back, telling him they would both work hard.
“Keuh-hack!”
Krein’s jaw trembled from the heat radiating from his back.
“S-starting today? Not just today?”
“Originally, I only planned for today. However….”
Raon grabbed Krein’s shoulder and nodded.
“Your passion and will have moved me. Fitting for the title of ‘Goyu Krein,’ I shall make you the first ordinary swordsman of the Light Wind Palace to reach the level of Grand Master!”
“Ah, you don’t have to….”
“No, it’s a must.”
Vowing to see it through to the end, Raon grabbed Krein by the scruff of his neck and dragged him into the Meditation Chamber.
“Aaaaaagh!”
A piercing scream from Krein echoed from inside the Meditation Chamber, where sound was normally not supposed to be heard.
“Phew….”
Dorian shook his head while watching the scene.
“I told you, why did you go?”
Raon was a person with more affection than he let on, so if you got on his bad side, you ended up taking poison.
Dorian himself had considered going to Raon, but after reading his thoughts with the Mind’s Eye, he had given up immediately.
“Aaaaagh!”
Listening to Krein’s screams emanating from the Meditation Chamber, Dorian prayed for his soul.
“I hope it’s a peaceful passing.”
“Certainly….”
===
Raon narrowed his eyes as he watched Sia and the Sword Monarch, who was instructing her.
“She’s improving rapidly.”
Three weeks had passed since the Sword Monarch and the Blade Monarch took Sia under their wing.
Thanks to their passionate teaching, Sia had grown beyond recognition. She had reached a level where she could gain great fame even if she stepped out into the world right now.
‘Her raw talent really is peerless.’
Raon smacked his lips, feeling a tinge of envy for the extraordinary talent Sia was born with.
》”Are you truly insane?”
Wrath frowned, looking at him as if he were utterly absurd.
‘Why? I was on the untalented side, wasn’t I?’
》”Yes. You were at the bottom. However, you grew your talent to climb this high!”
The creature waved his hand dismissively.
》”The talent you developed to break through your ceiling is unprecedented in this Human Realm—no, even in the Demon Realm!”
Wrath shook his head vigorously, insisting that Raon was not even in the same league as Sia.
》”Furthermore, you are still growing through your efforts! You have no need to envy your Noona, nor that old geezer of yours!”
‘What’s gotten into you, acknowledging me for once?’
Raon let out a hollow laugh and looked at Wrath.
》”Because your talent was not born, but forged.”
A serious light flickered in Wrath’s eyes.
》”Since you climbed from the bottom to the heavens, it is only natural that I acknowledge you.”
‘Hmm….’
Raon couldn’t meet Wrath’s gaze and slightly averted his eyes.
‘He’s usually an idiot, but he gets so serious at times like this.’
Since Wrath never spoke empty words, receiving a compliment from him felt better than any other reward.
‘Alright. Today, the bead ice cream is on me.’
Raon grinned and gave Wrath a light nudge.
》”R-really?!”
‘Just think about which flavors you want.’
》”Then, of course, I’ll choose mint chocolate and….”
It was while Wrath was muttering the flavors of bead ice cream he wanted to eat.
“Light Wind Palace Lord!”
Chad, the Shadow Agents Division Leader, waved his hand as he approached the Annex.
“Division Leader?”
Raon rose from his chair to greet Chad.
“What brings you to the Annex?”
“I came because there is something I must inform you of.”
Chad nodded, wiping the sweat from his forehead.
“Something to inform me of…?”
“The first successor candidate exam will end at midnight tonight.”
He nodded, noting that the time previously agreed upon with Glenn had arrived.
“Already?”
“He says that the gap between those in the rankings and those outside is too wide, so giving them more time would be meaningless.”
Chad nodded, explaining that it was Glenn’s decision.
“The second exam will likely be announced tomorrow.”
“Then who are the five who passed the first exam?”
He knew about himself, Karoon, and Balder, but he was curious about the remaining two.
“It will be officially announced tomorrow, but I suppose I can tell you in advance. Lord Karoon, Lord Raon, Lord Balder, Lady Aris….”
Chad swallowed hard as he listed the four names.
“Auntie participated too?”
“Yes. She already had a vast number of Gold Badges accumulated from the past, and she recently worked hard to collect more, saying she wanted to enter the candidacy to help Lord Raon.”
He nodded, explaining how Aris had managed to secure a spot as a candidate.
“The final fifth person is….”
Chad nodded and spoke the last name.
