Chapter 214

Sheryl chewed her lips slightly and shook her head.

“You still can't.”

“Why not?”

Raon frowned. He thought she would accept since her eyes wavered, but she apparently changed her mind at the last second.

“Because it's dangerous.”

Sheryl shook her head, telling him that it was obvious.

“Like I said before, I'm the person responsible for this mission. I can't lead you to your death just as you are about to spread your wings.”

Her resolute voice told him that she had already made up her mind.

“I have something I need to do. I'm not going to die before then.”

“Do you think others dig their own graves before dying? Death does not discriminate. You can never tell when it will come for you.”

Sheryl's words weren't those of simple refusal—they also included various meanings from her experience.

'I still can't back down here.'

Because he came to visit him every year to help him until he turned five years old.

Moreover, he didn't come unprepared. He learned a new way to treat him each time in order to increase his body's vitality, and he even gave him a high-grade elixir.

Since it was his first time receiving so much consideration and care from someone outside of his family, he'd decided to repay that favor no matter what.

'And now is the time.'

Raon clenched his fist. He didn't want to ignore his benefactor and become a beast, just because he needed to take his revenge. Even if he couldn't help him that much, even if buying a tiny amount of time was all he was capable of, he still wanted to help him—no matter what.

“Hmm…”

Sheryl fell speechless upon reading the determination in Raon’s eyes.

“Protecting this place is also an important task.”

“That's true. But we have Sir Ekan and the other swordsmen here.”

“Eden's demons might start swarming here…”

“Eden's targets are the boy named Yulius and the Raysin. Since we have neither of those here, it's very unlikely for them to send powerful demons to this location. I'm sure Sir Ekan and the swordsmen are more than enough to defend this place.”

“Haa…”

Sheryl sighed deeply while furrowing her brows.

“Look at this place.”

She pointed at Retran, where more than half of the city had turned into ashes.

“Eden swings their swords regardless of the situation once they receive an order. They don't even care whether they are against the civilians or little children. They are even more nasty and straightforward than the White Blood Religion in a sense.”

“I know.”

“Although the White Blood Religion has more combatants, Eden is stronger when it comes to the powerhouses. There should be more than four Masters chasing after the Saint.”

“I know that as well.”

“But you still want to come?”

“Yes.”

Raon nodded without the slightest hesitation.

“I've already broken the prejudice that an Expert couldn't win against a Master.

“That's…”

Sheryl couldn't refute, since even she was speechless about that.

“If you judge that I'm not helpful at all or am incapable of following you, you can just leave me midway.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, if you tell me so from the bottom of your heart, I'll return.”

That was as much as he could insist. If she really told him he wasn't helpful at all, then it was better to withdraw rather than bothering her.

However, his intuition was telling him that following her was the correct decision. It was an opportunity to repay his gratitude to the man who saved his life, and to fight to death against powerful enemies.

Raon met Sheryl's eyes as she stared at him while grasping Heavenly Drive's hilt tightly.

'What a shame.'

If he had been a Master, she would've brought him with her without hesitation. The fact that he needed to wait for her decision because he couldn't take that one step forward made him feel bitter.

“Tsk, fine. I'll give you five minutes. Prepare yourself.”

Sheryl reluctantly clicked her tongue.

“Division leader!”

“Please bring us as wel…”

“Impossible.”

She firmly shook her head while looking at Burren and Martha.

“You can't even buy time at your current level.”

Sheryl's voice was so firm that she almost sounded cold-hearted. Unlike Raon's case, she was cutting them off like a blade.

“Ah…”

“Kuh!”

Unable to refute that fact, Burren and Martha bit their lips. They were aware that they didn't have enough ability to insist like Raon did.

“If you are frustrated, then get stronger. You will be fighting against the Five Demons for the rest of your lives.”

She turned around after saying that.

'She's really not a cold person.'

After watching Sheryl's back for a moment, Raon went to Dorian.

“A-Are you really okay with that? Wouldn't it be better to leave the matter to the division leader?”

“It's okay, so give me things like hemostatics, medicines, and bandages.”

Since anything could happen, he needed to prepare medicine first.

“This is an expensive one, so you have to return no matter what.”

Dorian gave him the medicines with trembling hands.

“Raon, let's go to the ice cream shop again once you come back.”

Runaan, who'd been silent, came up to him and blinked her eyes. It was her way of telling him goodbye while wishing for his safe return.

“Alright.”

Raon smiled faintly at Dorian, Runaan, and also Burren and Martha, who were looking at him.

“S-Sir swordsman!”

As he finished his preparations and was about to go to Sheryl, Rosy came running at him from the temple.

“Err…”

“I'm listening.”

“Lots of warriors went outside in order to help the Saint. If you ever happen to meet them…”

Her voice was trembling from embarrassment at making a request in such a situation, as well as with anticipation and hope for their survival.

“I'll save them if they are still alive.”

Raon nodded, since he felt the same as her.

“Let's leave if you are ready.”

Sheryl kicked the ground without even looking back. She jumped over the buildings in an instant and reached the castle wall.

“Haa…”

Raon slowly caught his breath and gathered the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation. He followed Sheryl while using the Supreme Harmony Steps, gritting his teeth.

'I'll never fall behind.'

* * * 

An old man wearing ragged clothes was running through a dense forest while carrying an approximately ten-year-old body on his back. Blood was dripping from between his old clothes, showing that he was injured.

“Hmm…”

Although the old man was moving even faster than a decent horse, he kept anxiously looking behind him.

“Saint.”

The boy raised his head, a serious voice that didn’t suit his age flowing out from him.

“I heard I was their target. You should just leave me behind and save yourself at least…”

“Nonsense!”

The Ragged Saint, Federick, yelled at the boy.

“Yulius! What are you even talking about right now?”

“Saint…”

“The reason why they are targeting you is in order to make you wear monster armor. Do you really want to abandon your humanity and become a devil?”

Federick shook his head, telling him to never say such a thing ever again.

“But they will eventually catch up to us if you continue carrying me on your back.”

Yulius lowered his eyebrows, worried about Federick.

“Don't worry. Even though I'm old, I'm still a fast runner. We are going to reach my friend's region soon enough, and they won't be able to follow us anymore.”

Federick smiled gently at the boy so that he wouldn't be scared anymore.

“Moreover, they will keep following me even if I leave you behind.”

“Are they trying to make you wear the armor as well?”

“No, it's because of the flower I have.”

“Flower?”

Yulius tilted his head to show his confusion.

“It can save lots of people if it's used in a good way, and it can hurt even more people if it's used in a bad way.”

“Then I guess they are trying to use it in a bad way.”

“Haa, you already realized it.”

Federick nodded, exhaling heavily.

“They aren't only targeting you, they are also targeting me. You should sleep a little instead of worrying about it, since it's time for you to sleep.”

“It would be impolite for me to sleep when the Saint is suffering right now.”

A mature answer came from Yulius's lips.

“Erm…”

“What are you going to say this time?”

“There were some uncles following us. I'm worried for their safety.”

“Since we are the only targets, they should be safe.”

Federick caressed Yulius's hair before jumping over a rocky hill in one fell swoop.

'I need to save this boy at least…'

It was okay for him to die because he was already old, but he couldn't allow Eden to turn such a kind-hearted boy into a demon.

“You remind me of someone.”

“Do I remind you of someone?”

“Yes. He was a peculiar boy who didn't even cry nor smile when he was still an unweaned baby.”

“I cry and smile, though.”

“Is that so?”

Federick smiled faintly and looked up to the sky.

“That boy was suffering from the worst constitution in the world from the moment of his birth. Intense pain was a given, and he couldn't even move his body properly. I believed that he couldn't become a warrior. However…”

Federick smiled while looking into Yulius's red eyes.

“He shattered my diagnosis, and became an extremely splendid warrior, making a name for himself in the world. He won the victory over himself.”

“R-really?”

“Yes, isn't he amazing?”

“It sounds really cool that he overcame his own condition.”

Yulius nodded, his expression brighter than before.

“Then let's go meet him together. I'm sure he will be a good stimulation…”

“Can you bring me there as well?”

As Federick was smiling, a cold voice could be heard from in front of him. The moonlight was reflected on the voice's owner between the twisted bushes.

It was a man clad in red armor in the shape of a lion's mane, with a wolf helmet on his head, where the sharp teeth were glowing.

“Red Wolf Demon…”

Federick swallowed nervously. The monstrous man in front of him was Eden's officer, who inherited the Lycanthrope chief's power, and a fighter at Master level.

Rumble!

The problem was the fact that he wasn't alone.

“I knew you would come this way.”

The man clad in black armor with wings attached to the back smoothly dropped down. Fearsome blue eyes were sparkling from his demonic, two-horned helmet.

“Black Winged Demon.”

The owner of the winged armor was another officer of Eden, one who inherited the power of the gargoyle lord. He was also a powerhouse at Master level, and he was even more difficult to deal with than the Red Wolf Demon because of his flying ability.

“Ah, I'm also here.”

“Even the Evil Goat Demon is here.”

He looked to the right upon hearing a cheerful voice that didn't match the situation. The man cheerfully waving his hand was wearing armor that looked like a goat on the bottom half and a knight on the upper half, with a goat's helmet. The horns on the helmet were pointing downwards.

“Damn it…”

Federick bit his lip. He was already injured from facing the Red Wolf Demon and the Black Winged Demon. Since the Evil Goat Demon was the strongest of the three, he would have no other choice than death if he joined the fight.

“Ah, don't worry about me. I have no intention of attacking you as long as you don't come my way, since my mission today is to block the path.”

It was unsure whether he could be trusted or not, but he leaned his back towards a tree with his arms crossed.

“I'm tired of chasing after him now.”

“Old man meat is too tough, but I supposed Saint meat would be different.”

The crimson wave of astral energy burst from the Red Wolf Demon's claws and the Black Winged Demon's dagger.

“Yulius, stay behind me.”

“S-Saint…”

“You don't need to worry. I'll keep my promise.”

Federick opened his hands while catching his breath. After adding astral energy into his hands, he stomped the ground.

“I won't give anything to people like you!”

* * *

Raon frowned while looking at Sheryl, who was running ahead of him.

'Is she trying to make me fall behind?'

Sheryl was apparently trying to lose him with her footwork, since she kept moving faster and faster. Although the distance between them was only ten meters at first, it was now closer to twenty meters.

Thud!

Raon stomped the ground with the Supreme Harmony Steps. He managed to close the distance for a moment, but he couldn't catch up to her in the end, and the distance started growing once again.

'I can't keep using the Supreme Harmony Steps.'

Supreme Harmony Steps had a high aura consumption. He couldn't keep using that just to exhaust himself before fighting, since he was about to encounter Master level enemies.

'Then, what should I do…?'

Raon raised his head to look at Sheryl. Instead of her stepping on the ground, it looked like the ground was coming to her to be stepped on as she quickly advanced.

'She's a bit different from the squad leader.'

Rimmer's footwork felt like he was flying while being carried by the wind, but Sheryl looked more like she was using the explosive power of her lower body to shoot herself forward like an arrow.

Raon resonated the Ring of Fire to examine her lower body in detail. The principles of the quick sword that she had explained to him before was incorporated into her legs as she kicked the ground.

'I finally understand.'

He understood why there was so much difference between them, even though Sheryl was only using basic footwork. She had changed the principles of martial arts in her footwork into the quick sword's principles to increase her speed.

'I'm not capable of doing that right now. I can't reduce the wind resistance like the squad leader did, either. However…'

Raon figured he could use a mixture of the two.

Creak!

He kicked the ground by utilizing the principles Sheryl taught him and the principles behind Frost Pond, all while using the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation's energy like Rimmer's wind to sever the atmosphere.

Thud!

Although he used less strength than before to kick the ground, he managed to advance faster and farther. Sheryl's back, which kept getting further away, was getting closer to him instead.

“Hmm…”

Sheryl looked back for the first time. She frowned, her eyes widening almost twice the usual size.

“I did it!'

He couldn't exactly use that in a battle because it was still sloppy, but he didn't lose to Sheryl in terms of speed, at least.

“I caught up to you.”

Raon smiled while running next to Sheryl.

“I was planning to just lose you like that.”

Sheryl licked her lips in regret. However, her eyes were still filled with surprise.

“I told you that I won't be a bother.”

“Did you mix my movement and Rimmer's movement half and half?”

“Exactly.”

“Seriously, you are not fun to teach.”

She shook her head, as if she were already tired of it.

“But don't be overconfident, since you are only getting started. I'm going to leave you behind immediately if you don't meet my expectations.”

“I know.”

Raon nodded. Just like she said, the real fight hadn't even started yet.

Cring!

As he advanced alongside Sheryl, he could hear the clashing sound of metal. It was a blunt sound, signifying a one-sided battle.

“This way.”

“Yes.”

Sheryl had already changed her direction and was moving towards the location of the sound. Raon used the new movement technique to follow her.

Claang!

At the end of a scorched-black field, a demon of Eden was standing there wearing a hyena-shaped helmet. His long axe and armor were covered in blood, showing that he had already slaughtered many people.

“Brutal Yellow Demon.”

The monster with the hyena's head and human body was a knoll warrior, and he was Eden’s demon with the knoll warrior's power, the Brutal Yellow Demon.

“Kihihihi!”

The Brutal Yellow Demon wasn't even slightly injured, but the surviving warriors were covered with injuries and blood. He was apparently toying with them without killing them.

“That bastard.”

Sheryl stopped, pointing at the Brutal Yellow Demon without helping them.

“He is at the highest level of Expert, just like you. Kill him within ten strikes.”

“Ten strikes…”

“You will turn back if you can't. You won't be able to fight if you can't even do that.”

She wasn't even blinking, showing that she had no intention of compromising. It seemed to be her final test for him.

“I'll finish him off in five strikes instead of ten. In return, please don't tell me to go back ever again.”

Raon walked towards the Brutal Yellow Demon without waiting for Sheryl's response.

“Ten strikes? Five strikes?”

The Brutal Yellow Demon turned around. He apparently heard their conversation, as he looked at Raon savagely. Sheryl must've expected that to happen as well.

“You must be looking down on me just because I stayed here.”

The Brutal Yellow Demon's teeth could be seen as he smiled while twirling his axe.

“Fine! I'll cut your head off in ten strikes!”

He lowered himself like a beast and kicked the ground.

It was a strange posture, but his speed was abnormally fast. He dashed at him from the left in an instant and swung down his axe. Combative energy with the intention to crush his bones and flesh together was raging like a fire.

Whir!

Raon watched him until the axe reached his collarbone while using the Ring of Fire.

'It includes heaviness.'

The aura incorporated into the Brutal Yellow Demon's axe was heaviness. However, it was only focused on the edge of the axe's blade instead of the entire blade.

'Then, I only need to twist it.'

The Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation's fire on Heavenly Drive cut through the heaviness of the axe. Raon slashed the second strike into the thin opening that was created from it.

Claang!

Last start, first attack. Even though Heavenly Drive was the last one to start moving, Brutal Yellow Demon's axe was bounced back instead.

“Kuh!”

Befitting his level as a highest-grade Expert, the Brutal Yellow Demon quickly recovered his axe and unleashed his second strike. Multiple auras were added to the powerful energy wave charging straight at Raon, increasing its power and speed.

'Let's try using that.'

Raon was thinking about the Brutal Yellow Demon's strike from before. He created an image of focusing the heaviness at one part of the blade to concentrate his aura at the extremity of Heavenly Drive.

Baam!

He amplified the strength by stomping the ground, thrusting Heavenly Drive with a new aura. Heavenly Drive's blade was surrounded by a thick, concentrated aura thread as it clashed head-on against the Brutal Yellow Demon's axe.

Creak!

Despite the difference in weight between their weapons, Brutal Yellow Demon's axe was the one that got pushed back—or, rather, shattered. The axe's blade, which used to emanate a fearsome murderous intent, shattered like glass and was reflected Brutal Yellow Demon's astonished eyes.

“I-It's not over yet!”

As an expert who went through countless fierce battles, the Brutal Yellow Demon thrusted his left hand towards Raon's heart despite his panic. An energy as powerful as his axe could be felt from his hand, sharpened like a blade.

“You are too inexperienced.”

Raon used the Supreme Harmony's third step. He deflected the Brutal Yellow Demon's hand like a cloud floating in the sky before unleashing the principles of quick sword in Heavenly Drive, starting from his shoulder.

Slaash!

The silver blade fell down like lightning, and the Brutal Yellow Demon's movements stopped like a marionette that lost its string.

“You, you…”

The Brutal Yellow Demon tried to flounder his hands, but couldn't grab his head, which was falling to the ground.

Thud!

Leaving behind the Brutal Yellow Demon's headless corpse, Raon walked up to Sheryl.

“Four strikes.”

He shook the blood from Heavenly Drive, then stood in front of her.

“Now you are forbidden from telling me to return.”

***

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]