Raon opened his eyes, sunlight shining down on him through a clean window, not a single speck of dust visible.
‘I feel refreshed.’
Probably because of Wrath’s curse, his tiredness was completely gone, and his body was brimming with vitality.
‘He is more suited to be a giving tree rather than a demon king.’
Raon looked at the ice flower bracelet with a snicker, and a message appeared in front of his eyes.
The message was telling him that all his stats increased from a good sleep thanks to Sloth.
“Ah, by the way…”
He remembered Wrath was insulting Sloth as he was closing his eyes. He must’ve been angry because he expected that outcome.
Kuh!
Wrath surged from the bracelet and frowned.
I knew it. What a dirty and disgusting cheat ability!
He bit his lips, reading the message about Raon’s stats increasing.
How does it even make sense to have all of your stats increased just from sleeping? Even the King of Essence doesn’t have that goddamn ability!
‘It only happens sometimes, though.’
What do you mean, sometimes? It might be a small amount, but your stats are increasing every day!
Cold wrath crawled up Wrath’s shoulders.
The King of Essence is never going to forget this. He will make sure that idiot Sloth will be unable to sleep forever!
‘Aren’t you going to get beaten up by Sloth though, since you are losing all your stats to me?’
That sounds like you are losing all your hair! Even if the King of Essence loses some power, there’s no way he would lose to that sleepyhead!
Wrath frowned, scoffing and brushing it off as nonsense. However, his voice was trembling slightly.
I-It’s okay, even if that happens. He will admit defeat as long as I keep bothering his sleep while running away.
He grinned, saying that he could win anyway.
‘Ah…’
Raon’s lips parted. Raon imagined Wrath running away from Sloth after disturbing his slumber because he couldn’t win in a head-on fight, and that just felt so pitiful.
“Do you want some bead ice cream?”
Since he felt slightly sorry for him, he took out the ice cream box from the drawer.
Wh-What are you plotting? What are you trying to do to the King of Essence?
Wrath licked his lips, his hands raised in caution.
The way Wrath wanted to eat the ice cream but was stopping himself because he feared Raon would ask something in return looked even more sad.
‘I’ll eat all those ice creams after the meal.”
I won’t trust you! Reveal your true intentions!
‘There’s no such thing.’
Raon sighed, opening the door. As he was going to the washroom in order to take a shower, he saw Yua.
“Ah, Sir Raon!”
Strangely, Yua was wearing brightly colored outerwear.
“Where are you going?”
“Sir Roenn said he would start teaching me about music and martial arts today.”
Yua’s twin tails fluttered in anticipation.
“In that case, I’ll go with you. Wait a little.”
“What? No, I can go alone. Sir Raon has to rest…”
“It’s okay. I slept well. I’ll get ready quickly.”
Raon waved his hand and quickly entered the washroom.
Huhu, I knew it. There’s no way you would be nice and eat the ice cream.
Wrath sat down on Yua’s head, laughing coldly.
I knew it. Yes, I already knew all that, but why do I feel so bitter…
Sniff.
* * *
The cafeteria for the swordsmen was located near the fifth training ground.
Normally, the trainees were the only ones allowed in there. However, ever since the fifth training ground became the Light Wind squad’s headquarters, the number of visitors had decreased, and the cafeteria opened up for everyone.
However, since the fifth training ground and the Facilities Management Department were nearby, people using the cafeteria were mostly the Light Wind members and technicians.
“What?”
A loud voice could be heard from the serving table of the cafeteria.
“He was struck by lightning?”
Burren frowned as he looked at Dorian.
“That’s what he said. Moreover, he got hit twice in a single day.”
“How does that make any sense?”
“It’s true. That’s why the squad leader has been in the infirmary for two days now.”
“No, but the weather has been clear recently. How did lightning even strike him?”
“Well, I have no idea. You know the saying—‘crude lightning in the dry sky’.”
Dorian shrugged, holding his food tray.
“I figured he must’ve gone to a casino, since I hadn’t seen him after his days off, but lightning? The squad leader seriously has all kinds of problems.”
Burren jeered, pouring the stew into his bowl.
“Why is Raon not coming, then?”
“I heard he’s exhausted.”
“Exhausted? What happened to him?”
“I heard he’d been doing nothing but training for two days straight. Though, I doubt that’s even possible…”
Dorian shook his head, murmuring that he was a tenacious one.
“Two days…”
——————
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Burren swallowed nervously.
‘He should be able to do that.’
He would’ve scoffed it off as a lie if it were about anyone else, but Raon… That tenacious bastard was fully capable of doing that.
“The squad leader is hospitalized from getting struck by lightning, and the vice leader is exhausted from training. What a great house we have.”
Burren sneered and turned around.
“But Sir Raon should be back by tomorro…uhh!”
Dorian, who was walking ahead, was unable to keep his balance and fell down. The food in the tray flew away and landed on the uniform of the tall swordsman sitting at the table in front of him.
“Argh! I-I’m sorry! I’ll immediately clean it up…”
“You son of a bitch.”
As Dorian was trying to take out a handkerchief from his belly pocket, the swordsman stood up while grinding his teeth.
“Do you even know what this uniform is?”
The tall swordsman ignored Dorian’s apology, thrusting his tightly clenched fist.
“Kuh!”
Dorian was taken off guard and was hit straight to his chin, spilling over the table on his right.
“What are you doing right now?”
“You must be picking a fight with us, right?”
“Step on him!”
The swordsmen sitting at that table started to punch him and stomp on him as if they had been waiting for it.
“That’s enough.”
Burren placed his food tray on an empty table, then released his pressure. Those that were beating up Dorian looked back at him with a frown.
“What do you think you are doing right now, when you were the ones who tripped him while even using aura to make him unable to regain his balance? I haven’t seen you around here before, so am I safe to assume that you came to pick a fight with the Light Wind?”
“There’s no way we would pick a fight.”
“Gasp!”
Burren hurriedly turned around from hearing a voice around his ears. Although there was no one behind him a moment before, a tall and slender man was smiling at him.
“G-Garon Zieghart.”
Garon Zieghart was the second son of Balder, the master of the True Martial Palace, and he was the leader of the Golden Crest Squad, which was affiliated to the True Martial Palace.
“You should call me the squad leader Garon Zieghart.”
“S-Squad leader Garon Zieghart. Please excuse me.”
“Sure, sure. I shall overlook it with my generosity. However…”
Garon raised his chin with a smile.
“I heard you saying something disturbing.”
“Sorry?”
“You said we picked a fight. Why would my guys even pick a fight with you? Look at that.”
He pointed his finger at the uniforms of the swordsmen who were trampling on Dorian.
“Those uniforms are made with the best fabric and materials. Moreover, they haven’t even used them in a mission yet, so it would be stranger if they did nothing after he spilled dirty food on it. Don’t you agree?”
“That would be the case if Dorian accidentally spilled the food. In this case, however, that guy made him trip and even used his aura to pressure him in order to make him lose his balance.”
Burren pointed his finger at the nasty-looking swordsman that made Dorian trip.
“Do you have proof that our vice leader did that?”
“Sorry?”
“I’m asking whether you have proof that he made him trip and used his aura.”
“It was as clear as day. How unreasonable…”
“You are the one who is being unreasonable. You are the only person who saw it.”
Garon raised his arm to point at the surroundings. The technicians that were eating ran outside with their food trays because they didn’t want to get involved, and the staff—including the chef—were hiding in the kitchen.
Considering the blatant way he was lying about it, Burren became certain that he came to pick a fight.
“Are you targeting Raon?”
There was only one reason why Golden Crest, who were affiliated to the True Martial Palace, would be picking a fight with the Light Wind. It must’ve been because Raon beat up Raden before and halted the True Martial Palace’s activities for a whole year.
“Raon? Why are you talking about him now?”
Garon firmly shook his head.
“Why would I target that boy, who might become the pride of our house?”
He snickered, sitting at the table.
“Stand up.”
“Th-Thank you.”
Burren helped Dorian stand, staring at Garon. His entire body and face were covered with bruises because they hit him while using their aura.
Although Burren didn’t exactly like Dorian, the dirty trick they used made him angry.
“So, what do you want from us?”
“You sound like I’m the villain, when it was nothing but a coincidence.”
“You don’t need to pretend at this point. Please give me a decisive answer.”
“Since you are insisting so much…”
Garon smiled slightly and tapped on his scabbard.
“Let’s have a spar.”
“Sorry?”
“Let’s have a group spar between your Light Wind and our Golden Crest.”
“What do you mean…”
Burren narrowed his eyes. He thought Garon would ask him to bring Raon or pick a fight about Raon. He didn’t expect him to request a spar at all.
“Because it was a bit unreasonable when I thought about it.”
Garon stood up from the table and walked up to Burren.
“Just think about it. I succeeded in my first mission after becoming the squad leader of Golden Crest, but the True Martial Palace was ordered to stop all activities. I wasn’t even rewarded for my successful mission, and no one acknowledged me for it.”
His eyes were glowing red.
“Yet, I can’t even go on another mission, because the entire True Martial Palace is stopped! I spent over an entire year like a shitty jobless bum because I had nothing to do, and when I figured I could finally work once again, you were being praised for succeeding on your first mission! How shitty do you think I’d feel?”
“That’s because the person who caused the issue, Raden, was affiliated to the True Martial Palace…”
“You should call him Big Brother Raden.”
“I don’t want to call him big brother, since he will stain Zieghart’s name.”
“Hmm, I like your definite answer. I don’t consider him my little brother either.”
Garon nodded with a smile. The way his emotions were fluctuating so much was giving off the impression that he was a dangerous guy.
“Anyway, I’d like a spar between the great Light Wind and our Golden Crest that was stuck in a gutter. Can you arrange it?”
“That’s not up to me to decide.”
Burren shook his head. He realized Garon’s objective. He was trying to vent his resentment for having his activities stopped for a year and take away the Light Wind’s reputation.
However, he was using a really troublesome method, unlike the idiotic Raden.
“Is that so? I guess we will need to rest here for a while then.”
Garon kicked away the slanted table and sat on an empty chair. The other Golden Crest swordsmen that came with him either pushed away the tables or sat on the tables to fill the room with intense pressure.
“Bring some Rotin lamb chop and Utan roasted pig!”
“Bring some fried chicken!”
“Bring the liquor as well!”
They chattered between them while ordering menu items that used rare ingredients.
“Th-That’s impossible right now…”
“Impossible? What’s impossible in the world? You have to do it if you are asked!”
“Sniff!”
The kitchen staff sobbed when the swordsmen shouted at them. They were trembling intensely in fear.
“Please stop. The technicians and the staff are afraid.”
“What? Are you telling me to stop because they are afraid?”
“Everyone’s afraid. A Zieghart swordsman should protect the weak…”
“Ah, everyone’s afraid huh? I see, it would be troublesome if the chef were scared, since he won’t be able to cook. Ah, it was my mistake. I almost made a huge mistake! I almost made the chef afraid when I’m a member of the direct line of Zieghart, and the squad leader of Golden Crest!”
He kicked the table in front of him, showing his teeth.
Slam!
The table rotated as it flew away, slamming into the wall. The way it was just slammed into the wall instead of being destroyed or crushed was enough to guess Garon’s prowess.
“Hey! Stop eating, everyone! He said our chefs and technicians are afraid! You should starve instead!”
“Yes!”
The Golden Crest swordsmen responded in a provocative manner, looking at Burren. They were telling him to accept the challenge if he wanted to put an end to the situation.
“Haa…”
Burren caught his breath, while glaring at all of them. He felt like he would start throwing vulgar insults at them if he didn’t calm himself down.
“I’ll ask the squad leader and the vice leader about it, so please leave for today.”
“Hmm.”
Garon rolled his eyes, then nodded.
“Since they don’t seem to be selling anything today, we should go somewhere else. Let’s go, everyone.”
“Yes!”
The Golden Crest swordsmen stood up at once and stood behind Garon.
“But if they ever end up refusing my suggestion, I’ll probably feel like returning here, you know?”
Burren simply nodded without saying anything. He didn’t want to talk with that scoundrel anymore.
“Good. See you later, then.”
He waved his hand, then left the cafeteria.
Rattle! Clang!
A collapsing sound could be heard from the kitchen. It must’ve been the sound of staff dropping their utensils because the tension left them.
“Are you okay?”
“Ah, I’m okay.”
Dorian murmured that he was okay, with a face that said he wasn’t okay at all.
“B-But what are you going to do? Aren’t they going to return?”
“Yes. I’m sure they will.”
Considering what they did, they would keep coming back if he postponed the answer or refused his suggestion.
“That’s why we should find the person who can solve the issue.”
* * *
* * *
In the small garden of the main building of Zieghart, Roenn was smiling as he met Yua’s eyes.
“We’ve met each other once before. My name is Roenn.”
“I’m Yua!”
Roenn and Yua greeted each other with respect, smiling.
“Is the young master planning to stay there?”
“I’d like to see how you teach her.”
Raon nodded. He was planning to witness the first few lessons, since he needed to stop him if he tried to teach her assassination techniques.
“It’s a bit awkward, but it’s alright. You can sit there.”
“Thank you.”
Raon nodded, then sat on a white garden seat.
“Lady Yua, can you sing me a song you like?”
“Yes!”
Yua nodded, stepping aside. She started singing with her twin tails bouncing.
“The blood-soaked castle walls and the snow field of the night are the winter castle’s…”
Instead of an ordinary song, Yua decided to sing Habun Castle’s military song. Probably because Yua was the singer, it felt as aloof and elegant as a song used in the theater.
“The spears and swords are already howling in the daybreak, where green and red rain are seeping into the land…”
Raon’s heart pounded as he kept listening to her sing. He felt like the old castle’s horn and the endless rain of arrows were resounding around his ears. He got the urge to take his sword and go to the castle wall to fight the monsters.
“Huh!”
As soon as Yua finished singing, Roenn exclaimed in admiration and applauded.
“Amazing is the only thing I can say.”
His eyes were glittering, just like a swordsman that saw a notable sword.
“The tone and emotion are both excellent. You’ve properly incorporated the sadness inside the powerful military song. Can I hear another song?”
“Of course!”
Yua became confident from his praise and clenched her fists, before starting to sing another song.
The second song was a romantic one, and the third one was about the joy of viewing autumn leaves.
“I might sound strange, but I can understand why Eden targeted her.”
While listening to Yua’s songs, Roenn came up next to Raon and whispered in a low voice.
“Yua’s voice is divine, and she is extremely talented when it comes to music. If Yua ended up joining Eden, she would’ve become a monster capable of massacres of an unimaginable scale.”
He nodded, telling Raon that it was really great that he managed to bring Yua with him.
“Do you have nothing to teach her in terms of music, then?”
“That’s not true. She’s slightly lacking in some respects because she learned music on her own.”
“Lacking?”
Raon tilted his head. Yua’s song sounded perfect to him, so he couldn’t understand what was lacking.
“She’s lacking in what we call the rhythm, or cadence.”
“Ah…”
“The rhythm flows in a similar manner when she changes the song. That’s why it feels slightly awkward sometimes. It really will be perfect if she can fix that.”
“I see.”
“It’s a relief, since there would be nothing I could do for her if she was already perfect.”
He smiled slightly, before going back to Yua.
“Does lady Yua know about rhythm?”
“Erm, not really…”
“Everything in the world has a rhythm. The heartbeat that allows us to live on, the chirping sound of the mountain bird, and even the gardener’s voice when he is trimming the garden has a rhythm.”
Roenn pointed out the examples of the rhythm one after the other.
“Rhythm is one of the most important aspects of music. It can add cheerfulness or sadness to a repeated verse. For example…”
He started singing one of Yua’s songs. He wasn’t exactly better than her at singing, but the lyrics and the melody were perfectly clear, and it was much easier to feel the meaning of the song.
“How was it?”
“I like it!”
Yua raised her hand, jumping on the spot.
“Did you feel comfortable listening to it?”
“I felt comfortable, and it was better at conveying the emotion!”
Yua nodded, since she agreed with him.
“That’s the power of rhythm. If you adjust your rhythm according to the song, you will be better at conveying emotions. Not only is it better as music, but also as an attack.”
Roenn said, telling her a few other things.
“Rhythm…”
Raon narrowed his eyes as he reviewed Yua and Roenn’s songs.
‘Adjusting rhythm…’
Yua certainly didn’t feel like she was careful about the rhythm, and Roenn used the perfect rhythm for the song—like a cogwheel.
Yua was better at singing, but Roenn’s song felt more comfortable to hear, and created a better harmony.
‘I wonder if the same thing applies to footwork.’
That might’ve been the difference between himself and Glenn, the one that he tried to figure out before collapsing.
‘Now that I think about it, his timing on his first and second steps were slightly different…’
There was a difference between Glenn’s first and second steps in terms of the sound it made and the depth of the footprints.
‘Is that also about rhythm?’
Just like adjusting rhythm to the situation, Glenn must’ve used the most appropriate way of breathing while using the Supreme Harmony Steps.
Shring!
Once he realized there was rhythm in footwork, the enlightenment struck his head.
The Supreme Harmony Steps Glenn has demonstrated that night was replayed like flowing water, and he felt like he could grasp every single movement.
Raon unconsciously stood up from his chair. He slightly lowered his posture, then extended his left foot.
Thud!
The majestic flow that seemed to connect to the entire world appeared at the end of his foot and he became one with the land.
* * *
“And now, the aura cultivation technique that I’m going to teach you… Huh?”
Roenn was about to teach Yua an aura cultivation technique, but he suddenly turned his head.
Raon, who was sitting to his right, slowly stood up. He started using footwork with eyes that looked like he was possessed by a ghost.
Thud!
The first step brushing past the grass was Glenn’s Supreme Harmony Steps.
‘Supreme Harmony’s first step?’
However, it was different from Raon’s first step in the past. It peeled off its immature shell, and it was as mysterious and majestic as Glenn’s.
He then advanced with his second step. The step of extreme quickness. He reached the other side in an instant, at a speed worthy of admiration even from Roenn, who had been an assassin his entire life. It was so fast that it could be called magic.
“Rao… Huff.”
Roenn stopped the surprised Yua from calling out to Raon, watching his third step. Raon’s body vibrated like the tip of a sword, multiplying into two before reuniting.
Rumble!
The fourth was slow. The step—as slow as a snail—was both dominating and oppressive. His footsteps crushed the land and the dominating power spread out around his feet to engulf the space.
“Ah…”
Roenn’s jaw dropped. It only took Raon a few days before he started using the Supreme Harmony Steps in its true form.
If he could be called a baby in the past, he now started to walk, and was taking steps forward.
‘That’s crazy.’
He was speechless, surprised by the fact that he managed to learn the peerless footwork in such a short time.
He didn’t take Rimmer seriously when he said Raon had the qualities of the king. He thought there were many things he still needed to confirm, despite being amazing.
However, he realized that what Rimmer said was true, because he managed to get a hint from what he said to reach a higher place in such a short time.
“Haa.”
Roenn turned his head towards the breathing sound. The Heavenly Blade division leader was watching Raon with her arms crossed. And her face was filled with irritation.
“What the hell is that guy?”
“What?”
“He went into another immersion when he only just got out of one.”
The Heavenly Blade division leader tilted her head, her forehead wrinkled.
“He’s entering immersion as if it is his home. What the hell is wrong with that guy?”
“An acquaintance of mine called him thusly.”
Roenn smiled, looking at Raon gently.
“He will become the head of house in the future.”
* * *
Raon realized what he was doing in his trance.
He imbued the heartbeat in the first step while thinking about the world he would advance in the future, the lightning that strikes in an instant in the second step, the refracted sunlight upon passing through the window in the third step, and Glenn Zieghart’s dignity in the fourth step.
The Supreme Harmony Steps was imbued with the breath and rhythm that he directly witnessed and felt, and it turned into a completely different footwork. The steps could become even faster, slower or majestic.
Raon repeated the nine steps of the Supreme Harmony Steps until he grew tired, then finally raised his head.
“Haa…”
The tips of his fingers were trembling in excitement. A thrill ran through his body at the realization that it was the true Supreme Harmony Steps.
He could say for sure that he was on the same path as Glenn’s demonstration, although the proficiency was incomparable yet.
He might be able to catch up to his footwork if he kept working hard, over and over again.
“Haa!”
While his heart was throbbing from the sweetness of learning the footwork, a message appeared in front of his eyes.
The message was telling him that all stats and the rank of Focus had increased, with a title on top because of the achievement of properly learning the Supreme Harmony Steps.
He realized once again that what he did was really great, since even the message was telling him that.
What the hell?!
Wrath’s eyes were trembling as he read the message.
Why would you give him so many rewards for learning some shitty footwork?
He was shouting, but his voice was lacking his usual confidence.
‘But didn’t you also admit that the Supreme Harmony Steps was an amazing footwork?’
Th-The King of Essence has never done that…
‘You said that the learning speed amplifying effect only appears with the best techniques, ones that you might consider learning. You also called the footwork excellent.’
Kuh, damn it!
Wrath ground his teeth, unable to say anything else. He had no choice but to admit it, since he couldn’t lie.
Damn it! It has only been two days since you last took stats, but if you take them again, then what about me?
He seemed to be dying because he took away 5 points after gaining stats recently.
You are just so damn lucky!
‘It’s not luck. It’s thanks to Sir Roenn and you.’
What?
‘You told me that it’s important to find my own path, by nurturing my heart and mind.’
I-I did say that…
Wrath nodded while trembling slightly.
‘I also moved my mind this time while incorporating the footwork with rhythm. I made so much progress from using the experience I had so far. Half of my achievements this time were thanks to you. Thank you.’
Raon grinned. Wrath was really the giving tree, who gave everything away both physically and mentally.
A-Are you making fun of the King of Essence?
‘You finally realized it.’
I’ll kill you! I’m going to keep you and follow you to hell!
‘But you came from hell initially.’
Kuh! Shut up!
Raon snickered. Since Wrath was very helpful this time, he planned to eat all the ice cream, just like he promised that morning.
“Raon!’
“Hmm?”
Burren’s voice could be heard from the garden entrance as he was happily making fun of Wrath.
Raon looked around, Burren was bringing Dorian with him, both his eyes turned black with bruises.
“Dorian?”
It wasn’t just his eyes. His cheek and wrist were also bruised. The wound must’ve been created by a fist, rather than a wooden sword.
Considering the fact that there was no reason for him to be in that state, since the Light Wind was currently in a personal training period after the rest, he must’ve been beaten up by someone.
Raon’s red eyes were filled with irritation.
‘Who touched my pouch?’
