Burren narrowed his eyes, looking at the red pin on Raonâs hand.
âYou told us to keep it with us because you can locate it, right?â
He took a pin from his pocket. The other swordsmen also took out their pins.
âYes. Since they contain my aura, I can locate them.â
Raon nodded.
âSo, how can you find the princess and Inieldâs locations with that? They donât have the pins.â
âThey do.â
âHuh?â
âTh-They do?â
âReally?â
âWhy does the princess have that?â
The eyes of both the swordsmen and the magicians widened when he said they had one.
âI put them on their clothes after they fainted.â
Raon chuckled, putting the pin back on his collar.
âJ-Just, why?â
âHow did you even know?â
The people inside the conference room gasped in bewilderment.
âI figured that if I were one of the Five Demons and realized that the princess and Inield had collapsed, I would target them for sure.â
âA-Are you saying you predicted this to happen?â
âRather than prediction, it was more like⌠I can find their location if it happens, and itâs fine if not.â
âHuhâŚâ
âSeriouslyâŚâ
Raon spoke casually, and people shook their heads. Rimmer was the only one smiling, his hands behind his head with fingers laced together.
âWait.â
Morell, who had been silent, raised his hand.
âThe strategy you used by putting a pin on them was outstanding enough, to the point that itâs difficult to believe a novice swordsman did that. HoweverâŚâ
âDid that?â
âDo I really have to talk respectfully in this situationâŚ?â
âThe contract has to be abided by.â
âArgh, d-did that, Sir. However, they even removed my artifacts. Thereâs no way your pins remained intact.â
âNo, they are still there.â
Raon definitely shook his head, pointing his finger at the pin Burren was holding.
âThat pin is made of Flaming Steel. Since itâs made by melding my aura into the heat of Flaming Steel, no one except for me can feel anything special about the pins.â
âHmm, now that you mentionâŚâ
Morell swallowed nervously, then nodded.
âI canât feel any energy from the pin.â
Before Raon mentioned it, he didnât even notice that the pin contained an aura. He just thought that it was a red pin.
âWhat the hell is this guy?â
His might and actions surpassed his age, and his preventative measures were pretty much perfect. It was difficult to believe that he was a novice in every aspect. He wouldâve believed it if he was a veteran, or even the head of an organization.
âHeâs probably better than that ruffian elf.â
To be honest, Raon looked like the Light Windâs leader, rather than Rimmer, who was spacing out to the side.
âOne more thing.â
Raon raised his finger.
âThereâs another reason why Iâm sure that Inield and Princess Jaynaâs locations are correct.â
âAnother reason?â
âYes. The archbishop of White Blood Religion that fought against me is with them.â
âHuh?â
âD-Do you even know about the archbishopâs location?â
Upon mentioning that he knew her location, peopleâs eyes started to waver violently.
âHow do you know that?â
âI put a pin on her clothes while fighting her.â
âW-Wait! You put the pin on her while fighting? Against an archbishop?â
Burren gasped in bewilderment.
âYes. I couldâve killed her on the spot, but I released her on purpose, since we needed to figure out the location of the Porvan branch.â
Raon nodded. Just like a hunter that released a rabbit to find their den, he released the archbishop to discover the location of their branch. And that plan worked perfectly.
âWhere is their location? Letâs attack them right away!â
Morell stood up while flapping his robe, urging him to attack.
âSir Morell and Salaman have to stay here.â
âWhat? Why should we?â
âWhy should we?â
âWh-Why should we, Sir?â
âJust like I said before, the archbishopâs companion can use a sorcery to move long distances. If he manages to escape, he will come to Porvanâs center to either avoid attention or take hostages, which you need to stop. Magicians are better than swordsmen at dealing with something like that, after all.â
âEven so, the princess and my student are there! We obviously have to go!â
âYou have to think about the big picture right now. We are better at attacking, and Salaman is better at protecting everyone.â
âButâŚâ
Because Raonâs argument was objective, Morell bit his lips, unable to insist any further.
âMoreover, there might be people that arenât White Blood fanatics mixed in there. It will be difficult for you to distinguish between them while using your magic.â
âKeuhâŚâ
âWe will save the princess and Inield at all costs, as long as they are alive. I swear it.â
Raon saluted with his sword, his eyes serious. It was his vow as a swordsman.
âHaa, alright.â
Morell sighed in resignation, lowering his hand.
âThank you. Iâll leave the protection of Porvan to you, then.â
Raon bowed at Morell before looking at the Light Wind.
âLetâs go. We are leaving right away, before they notice the pinâs presence.â
He left the conference room right after saying that.
âKuhâŚâ
âYes!â
Martha ran out while grinding her teeth, and the other Light Wind members followed her with nervous expressions.
âThereâs nothing left for me to do.â
Rimmer slowly stood up, smiling like a slippery fox.
âRimmer.â
Morell grabbed Rimmerâs shoulder when he tried to leave.
âWhat the hell is that monster?â
He was pretty surprised when he overwhelmed and beat up Inield, but the shock he felt just now was in another dimension from that. He couldnât believe that he was only seventeen years old.
âHeâs even better than himâŚâ
Balkar also had a young monster, but while his might probably matched Raonâs, Morell felt like he was definitely far behind in terms of strategy and action.
A quick look at bit.ly/3iBfjkV will leave you more fulfilled.
âWas he personally raised by the Destructive King of North or something? How did a monster like that come to be?â
âNo way.â
Rimmer chuckled.
âHe helped a little, but he grew up with his own power. He surpassed both my help and the head of houseâs help, growing on his own.â
âWhat nonsenseâŚâ
âYou should watch him closely. Zieghartâs, or rather the continentâs, history will be rewritten by Raonâs hand.â
He swirled his hand before leaving the conference room.
âHistoryâŚâ
Morell swallowed nervously, looking at the door Rimmer left through. He wouldâve normally laughed at him, but he had a strange feeling that it would actually come true.
âHaa, letâs go. We should do our job.â
He left the conference room alongside Salamanâs magicians, a slightly tired expression on his face.
* * *
Raon was standing at the hill along with the Light Wind members, where they could see the place that was probably the White Blood Religion's local branch.
âItâs over there.â
He pointed at an old-fashioned mansion below the hill. It was the house located in the north of Porvan City, belonging to a merchant family praised for their usual good deeds.
Since a merchant house could easily use the carriages, it mustâve been convenient for kidnapping people.
âThatâs the White Blood ReligionâsâŚâ
Martha breathed heavily, as if she were about to dash out immediately. Her black eyes were emanating something that couldnât even be called murderous intent anymore.
âItâs more serious than I thought.â
It looked like she would swing her sword even if she were about to die. Raon decided to watch Martha closely during the battle.
âSo, thatâs the location.â
Rimmer scratched his chin and licked his lips.
âHowever, we canât just attack them there. Not all of them will be White Blood fanatics.â
âWe can just attack.â
Raon answered, grasping the Blade of Requiem that was wailing more fiercely than ever.
âThey are all White Blood fanatics, except for those that are locked up underground.â
âHuh? Really?â
âYes.â
The wailing Blade of Requiem was telling him that everyone inside the mansion was a White Blood fanatic that had learned the White Spirit Aura.
âThe first team attacks from the front, and the third team attacks from behind. The second team infiltrates from the right side and rescues the hostages underground. Make sure to always maintain the Light Wind formation as you move.â
âHow about the left side?â
âIâll be there with the squad leader. We will immediately go underground, just like the second team, and fight the executives. Iâll take care of Seline, so squad leader, please take care of the executive that used the teleportation spell. We need to quickly neutralize him in order to prevent their escape.â
âThatâs not difficult. ButâŚâ
Rimmer licked his lips with a sour face.
âDonât you think you look like the squad leader? I have no presence here at all.â
âYou never had any to begin with.â
Burren snorted and shook his hand. Runaan calmly stood up, and Martha was spreading a frightening amount of murderous intent.
âIâll make the first strike.â
Holding the Blade of Requiem in a reverse grip, Raon ran down the hill. He raised the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivationâs energy to the maximum, then mixed it with the ghastly energy of the Blade of Requiem.
Whaaap!
The Flame Spirit of the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation, imbued with ghastly energy, decorated the sky by creating an explosion of crimson fire in the middle of the mansion.
* * *
Seline was headed to Darigonâs office, wearing the archbishop coat with three lines drawn at the center. Darigon was doing his hair while wearing the archbishop coat as well.
âThe preparations finished a long time ago. When is he even coming?â
âHeâll be here soon enough.â
âHaving to bow to that young guy is really repulsive.â
âBe careful of what you say. Even though he used to be under you, heâs currently the lordâs student. Moreover, heâs not the only one that is coming.â
âWhat?â
âThe Tenth White Spirit said he was coming along as training. You should behave yourself.â
Seline grit her teeth, massaging her arm, which wasnât perfectly reattached yet.
âYou should stay here and guard those two.â
Darion neatly swept his hair back before pointing at Princess Jayna and Inield, who were tied to the wall.
âAre you telling me to watch some hostages?â
âWould you prefer to accompany the White Spirit instead?â
âArghâŚâ
Seline frowned, then nodded in agreement.
âIâll escort them here, so make sure to hold back your arrogance.â
âI know, I know!â
âIâll be back.â
Darigon wore a white hood on his head to completely hide his face as he left the office.
âDamn it. How did I end up like thisâŚ? Argh!â
Seline ground her teeth while touching the wound on her shoulder. Although Darigon used his bloody energy, the wound wasnât healing at all. It was a really terrible injury.
âThat bastardâŚâ
Raon Zieghart. When she thought about the fact that it was because of that damn bastard that she was feeling such pain and humiliation, she started boiling in anger.
âIâll kill you. Iâll kill everyone related to you, no matter what, and drink their blood.â
Seline was resolving herself to get her revenge, looking at the wound on her arm.
Baaam!
The sound of a huge explosion could be heard from upstairs, and the entire underground trembled, as if it were an earthquake.
âWh-Whatâs going on?â
Seline looked up, her eyes wide.
âWhite Spirit? No! Thereâs no way.â
There was no way a White Spirit would suddenly start attacking the mansion, not unless they decided to abandon the branch. It mustâve been an emergency that even Darigon hadnât anticipated.
âThen⌠Ah!â
Upon feeling the energy from upstairs, Seline bit her lip so harshly that it nearly bled. It was a powerful energy that she had directly faced a few hours ago. It was Raon Zieghartâs energy.
âWhy is that crazy bastard here?â
She tried leaving the office in surprise.
Slaaam!
The sound of a second explosion could be heard, and the ceiling collapsed. Amidst the dust, scorched in black, she could hear the voice that made her the angriest sheâd been since she was born.
âIs this the White Bloodâs Porvan branch?â
âYouâŚâ
Red eyes sparked frighteningly in the sinking dust.
âR-Raon Zieghart! Why are you here?!â
The man standing on the collapsed ceiling was Raon Zieghart, who she wanted to chew up to death.
* * *
[Translator â Kyangi]
[Proofreader â Harley]
* * *
Raon snickered at flustered Seline.
âDid you ask why? Itâs because you showed me the path here.â
âWhat?â
âYou are wearing a coat, but you didnât change your clothes.â
He raised his finger to point inside the White Blood Religion coat that Seline was wearing.
âClothes?â
Seline wrinkled her nose, taking off the coat. Noticing the red pin attached at the end of the clothes she was originally wearing, her eyes widened.
âWh-What is this?â
âIt is part of a set with this one.â
Raon smiled faintly and pointed at the pin attached to his collar.
âI managed to find the White Blood branch thanks to you. Thank you.â
âAahâŚâ
Seline stepped backward, her teeth chattering.
âThen, youâŚâ
âYes. I let you go on purpose. After all, I wouldnât have had any way of finding your branch if I killed you back then. Though, I didnât need to do that when I think about it now.â
Raon smiled faintly, looking at Jayna and Inield hanging on the wall.
âYouâd better not think about escaping, as our squad leader went to catch your companion.â
âYou are so great. What a damn great guy you are! But thereâs one thing that you donât know.â
Selineâs energy exploded out, and the blazing white energy rose to her shoulders.
âEverythingâs settled if you die right here!â
âI wonder.â
The moment she tried to use her bloody aura, Raon used the Supreme Harmony Steps. With a single step stretched in a straight line, Raon ignored the space in an instant and reached the area in front of Seline.
âWh-What?!â
âYou have no more chances left.â
âKeuh!â
Seline hurriedly controlled the bloody energy she was trying to attack with, trying to switch to defense, but it was pointless. The mixture of ghastly energy of the Blade of Requiem and pure energy of the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation created a burning golden flame, engulfing the space.
Whir!
The blade, which was imbued with powerful energy, slashed through Selineâs bloody energy and shredded her arm once again.
âKyaaah!â
Seline screamed at the unbearable pain. A serious amount of blood was flowing from the arm that was cut by the dagger.
âH-HowâŚ?â
âI told you.â
Raon coldly smiled, twirling the dagger.
âI went easy on you earlier.â
âSh-Shut up!â
Selineâs arm wasnât completely severed, probably because she instinctively pulled her arm away at the last moment. However, it looked like she couldnât regenerate it. Blood kept gushing out, and she was unable to restitch the wound.
âKeuh! Iâll kill you!â
Seline pulled off the skin on her hand herself, then gathered her hands. The blood flowing down from her hand and wrist gathered at the center, creating a tremendous amount of boiling power.
âI saw from outside that there were at least two hundred people locked up here.â
âWhat are you talking about right now?â
âIâm saying that you donât deserve to live.â
âBullshit! You are the one thatâs going to die here!â
Seline shot the bloody energy she had gathered at him with maximum power.
Whaam!
Dozens of streams of bloody energy twisted with each other like vines to cover the space. His vision was completely covered with the wave of bloody energy, with no place to dodge nor escape.
Creak!
Raon fixed his grip on the Blade of Requiem and controlled as much energy of the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation as he could.
Whir!
The ghastly energy of the Blade of Requiem created a yellow trajectory of light in the air. Raon placed the energy of the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation, following the best path to severe the bloody energy.
Whaaam!
The light of resentment bursting from the sparkling crimson blade perfectly severed the light of the bloody energy.
âTh-This is impossibleâŚâ
Raon could see Selineâs wide eyes between the severed bloody energy. Murky blood gushed from her mouth as she looked at the huge hole that had appeared on the left side of her chest.
âR-Raon ZiegâŚâ
Seline collapsed backwards before she could finish calling Raonâs name, gasping out her final breath.
âThe Blade of Requiem is the best for fighting the White Blood Religion, after all.â
Raon caressed the Blade of Requiem, which seemed to be sucking up Selineâs blood. Heavenly Drive was also a legendary sword, but the Blade of Requiem was the best when it came down to fighting the White Blood Religion.
âRaon.â
Raon looked back upon hearing the soft voice coming from the door. Runaan and Dorian were there.
âWeâve finished rescuing the hostages.â
She waved her hand, telling him that she had accomplished her mission.
âAny casualties?â
âNo.â
âGood job. Please take the rescued people outside.â
âMhm.â
Runaan nodded in acknowledgment, going back to the corridor.
âThen, Iâm also leavâŚâ
âYou should stay here.â
He bobbed his finger towards Dorian, who was about to follow Runaan out.
âSorry?â
âI have a job for you.â
Raon smiled coldly, looking at Princess Jayna, who still hadnât woken up.
âThe dog that barks constantly needs a collar.â
* * *
Clap. Clap.
Jayna slowly opened her eyes at the sound and feeling of someone slapping her cheeks.
âHuh?â
The man in front of her was Raon Zieghart, who was the biggest eyesore in the world.
âWhatâs wrong with you? Why are you in front of m⌠Huh?â
Jaynaâs eyes widened upon noticing that something was hanging around her wrists.
When she looked upwards, she saw that shackles attached to the wall were fastened around her wrists and ankles, preventing her from moving. The room was also completely unfamiliar to her, and the ceiling and walls were trembling as if they were going to collapse at any moment.
âWh-What? Where is this? What did you do to me?â
âThis is the White Blood Porvan branch.â
Raon gestured with his chin, spinning the dagger in his hand.
âWh-White Blood branch?â
âYes. And you are here because you were kidnapped by the White Blood Religion.â
âWhat nonsenseâŚâ
âYou can tell from looking around.â
He pointed at the murky blood on the ground, and Seline, who had turned into a corpse.
âTh-Then, what are you doing right now? Release me right away if youâve come to rescue me!â
âWhy should I?â
Raonâs mouth curled up into a smile as he looked at her coldly.
âWh-What?!â
âIâm asking why I would save you when you just want to antagonize me.â
âWhat kind of madness is that?â
âItâs perfect, right? If you die here, I can just say that it was the White Bloodâs doing.â
âY-You are crazy! Do you think Balkar will overlook this matter?â
âNo one will know if you die because the ceiling collapsed.â
Raon pointed at the ceiling, which was trembling like it would collapse at any moment, covered in holes.
âWh-Why would you do that? Balkar and Zieghart are allies!â
Jaynaâs lips trembled in fear.
âWe are allies in names only, and we are actually on cat-and-dog terms, just like you and me. Werenât you only thinking about how to kill me until you got kidnapped?â
âTh-ThatâsâŚâ
âThatâs why Iâm saying farewell.â
Raon waved his hand, then turned around.
âWait! P-Please save me! Iâll never offend you over again. Even if we meet outside, I will pretend nothing happened, and do anything you want. Please!â
She struggled, and the ceiling and walls started to tremble even more intensely.
âHieee!â
âAre you serious about that?â
âYes! I wonât even look at your shadow! Quickly!â
âI already donât like your manner of speech.â
âP-Please save me! Iâll do anything you ask!â
âReally?â
Raon smiled, stretching his hand to the side.
âSpecial contract.â
âPhewâŚâ
Dorian sighed slightly, taking out a gilded contract and pen from his belly pocket, before giving them to him. He kept murmuring that he didnât have everything while handing them over.
âS-Special contract?â
âYou know what this is, right? Since this is created in your country.â
A special contract was different from a normal contract, since the contractors were forced to abide by the contents because it was imbued with magic.
âThis sounds good.â
Raon wrote on the contract that Jayna Balkar would grant three requests from Raon Zieghart, no matter what.
âSign.â
âA-Are you seriously telling me to sign to something like this?â
âLike this?â
âLike this, SirâŚâ
âBut you said you would do anything.â
âBut these contentsâŚâ
âFine. Iâll add that I wonât make you risk your life. Are you satisfied?â
âAhâŚâ
âYou donât want it? Thatâs fine, then.â
Raon nodded, putting away the contract as if he didnât mind it. He pointed at the ceiling that was boiling like stew, then smiled faintly.
âSince thereâs less than a minute left, say goodbye to the world.â
âD-Damn it!â
Jayna screamed, shaking her fingers.
âI get it! I got it! Iâll sign it!â
âIâll sign it?â
âI-Iâll sign it⌠Sir.â
âAn excellent choice.â
âAwwâŚâ
Raon handed Jayna, who started to weep, the contract. Jayna used nothing but her fingers to sign her name on the signature part of the contract.
Cring!
Golden light burst from the contract to create two lines, which streamed into Raon and Jaynaâs bodies. Jayna would receive a powerful shock in her heart if she didnât carry out the contract.
Since there was such a scary price to pay, a special contract was extremely expensive, and it was rarely used.
âIâll release you, then.â
Raon simply swung his dagger, and the handcuffs and shackles suppressing her body shattered.
âSniffâŚâ
âSince it came down to this, Iâll tell you a secret as well.â
As Jayna was grabbing her stinging wrists and ankles, Raon unsheathed his dagger and stood up.
âSecret? What secret?â
âWhat?â
âWh-What secret, Sir?â
âItâs about the butterfly you bought at the auction house.â
Raon turned his back on her and continued.
âI was the one that took it. Iâm sorry. Ah, revealing this fact makes me so refreshed.â
He left after saying that. The most staggering part was that the ceiling that was about to collapse stopped trembling as soon as he left.
âAh, aahâŚâ
Jayna finally realized that she was tricked, and her hands trembled.
âKuaaah!â
She screamed, shouting the name of her new archenemy.