"That beggar..."
Raon gripped Rector's clothes while keeping his gaze fixed on the blindfolded beggar.
"That's the Dark Night Sword God Darkan, right?"
Though it was still hard to believe, Darkan, the former Leader of the Holy Sword Alliance and bearer of the title Dark Night Sword God, was crawling on the ground pretending to be a beggar.
"Yes."
Rector nodded slowly and let out a sigh.
"This is why I said you wouldn't believe me even if I told you."
"Indeed. If I had heard in Zieghart that Darkan had become a beggar, I would have worried about your mental state first, grandfather."
Rector had only revealed Darkan's location without mentioning what he was doing. Now Raon understood why he had made that choice.
'A Transcendent. Who would believe that a top-tier Transcendent mastering the Soul Sword had become a beggar.'
Even with his trust in Rector, he would never have believed such a claim.
-In all my long years, I've seen many madmen...
Wrath let out a hollow laugh while looking Darkan up and down.
-It's been a long time since I've seen someone this insane. His brain must be wired completely differently.
He stared intently at Raon while talking about different brain structures.
'Why are you looking at me?'
-Because you're just as crazy as that madman.
Wrath jerked his chin while saying they were on the same level.
'Hey! No matter what, I'm not that bad!'
Raon waved his hand, refusing to accept the comparison.
-The style may be different, but the level of insanity is the same!
Wrath snorted, insisting he was certain.
'I'm telling you I'm not!'
Raon protested against being compared to Darkan before turning his attention back to the gambling den.
"Nngh..."
Darkan trudged toward the gambling den, seemingly unaware of their presence.
"Please, even just some spare change..."
He grabbed the ankles of people entering or leaving the gambling den, begging for money.
"Ugh, disgusting!"
"Get away from me!"
People kicked Darkan away and entered the gambling den, treating him like trash.
-Seeing him like that reminds me of that Pointy Ears.
Wrath drew a faint smile as if remembering Rimmer crawling around in the gambling den.
'That guy was kicked out after gambling. But this one...'
Raon shook his head while observing Darkan's appearance.
'He's putting on a poor act as a beggar.'
While Rimmer had lost his money and clothes gambling before being thrown out, Darkan was living as an awkward beggar with no interest in gambling.
'But...'
He's injured? Raon frowned as he watched Darkan rubbing the spots where people had hit him.
'Could it be... has he lost his Martial Prowess?'
Darkan was a monster even among Transcendents. Normal people's punches and kicks shouldn't affect him at all, yet his body was covered in bruises and injuries.
-That's not it.
Wrath shook his head, gesturing for Raon to look closer.
-He's hidden his aura beneath his soul and adjusted his body to appear like an ordinary human. In reality, he's grown stronger than when we last saw him.
He gestured for Raon to use his newly acquired trait.
'Hmm...'
Raon briefly wet his lips and activated his Azure Clear Eye. As the cold frost seeped into his pupils, he began to see Darkan's massive soul and the terrifying aura writhing beneath it.
'You're right...'
Darkan had deliberately adjusted his aura and body to appear like an ordinary person. He was performing as a pathetic beggar with even greater power and soul than before.
'He already knows I'm here.'
Though Darkan wasn't looking their way, he must have sensed that Raon and Rector were watching. Since they'd been discovered, there was no need to lower their voices or hide their presence.
"Why is Darkan doing this?"
Raon exhaled softly while looking at Rector.
"Isn't it obvious?"
Rector frowned as if the answer was predetermined.
"It must be to improve his mastery of the Soul Sword."
"I thought as much."
Raon nodded calmly. He too couldn't think of any other reason why the Dark Night Sword God would be doing such things.
'To think he'd pluck out his eyes and become a beggar just to get stronger...'
Though Raon believed he had worked harder than anyone else to become stronger, he felt it would be difficult to match Darkan's dedication.
"Let's go. He already knows we're here."
Raon dusted off his shoulders and approached Darkan, who was leaning against the gambling den's wall.
"It's been a while."
Being someone who didn't care about formal or casual speech, he jerked his chin as if greeting a friend he'd seen yesterday.
"Hm..."
Darkan lifted his head while exhaling roughly, maintaining his beggar act even with them.
"Who might you be?"
He breathed out coarsely, pretending not to recognize them.
"Can we drop the act?"
Raon bent his knee to look at the black blindfold covering Darkan's eyes.
"Tch."
Darkan clicked his tongue in annoyance.
"What do you want?"
Only after creating a subtle and flexible aura barrier around himself and Rector did he speak in his normal voice. His control over his aura was chillingly smooth.
"Wasn't our deal already finished?"
Darkan wrinkled his nose, seemingly confused about why they had come. As expected, he had already recognized Raon despite his disguise.
"I have a favor to ask."
Raon clasped his hands together while looking at the wrinkles etched on Darkan's forehead.
"No."
Darkan shook his head without even listening to what Raon had to say.
"Though I call it a favor, it's something that would benefit you too."
Raon bit his lip slightly, suggesting Darkan should hear him out before deciding.
"It would benefit me?"
Darkan looked up at him with a sneer.
"Didn't I tell you that I value you not for your current Martial Prowess, but for your future potential?"
He shook his head firmly, indicating he had little interest in Raon's current self.
"Unless you're going to bring Glenn Zieghart before me right now, there's nothing you can help me with, so you should leave."
Darkan snorted dismissively, as if telling them not to interrupt his training.
"Interrupt your training? What meaning could there be in this begging act?"
"Because it's something I've never done before."
Darkan scratched the ground with his finger while letting out a thin smile.
"I've stood in the heavens since birth. Born into a good family and overflowing with talent, I've always reigned above others."
He lowered his chin, indicating he had lived a life more splendid and noble than anyone else.
"That's why I'm trying to live life from the very bottom. Walking a path I've never walked before. Doing something that doesn't suit me..."
Darkan touched the blindfold covering his empty eye sockets while curling his lips.
"It greatly helps the growth of both soul and swordsmanship."
He clenched his dirt-stained fist, explaining that this was why he had become a beggar.
"Right now my mind is tingling with anticipation. I feel I can gain new insights if I focus on this life a little longer, so don't interfere."
Darkan waved his hand dismissively, telling them to leave.
"Hmm..."
Raon lowered his eyebrows as he watched Darkan return to his begging.
'Doesn't seem like he'll listen to what I have to say.'
Usually he would at least listen, but right now Darkan seemed completely uninterested in anything else, being on the verge of some enlightenment.
"Darkan."
Rector nodded slightly while looking at Darkan.
"When do you think this enlightenment will come?"
"As you know, a Martial Artist can't choose when enlightenment comes. I feel it's close now, but it's like I can't quite grasp it, so I'm even less certain."
Darkan scratched his temple, seemingly frustrated himself.
"Then at least listen to what we have to say..."
"It's alright, grandfather."
Raon grabbed Rector's arm as he tried to approach Darkan.
'He's not in a state to listen to reason right now.'
Darkan had always highly valued Raon's swordsmanship talent. For him to act this way meant it was best not to disturb him now.
"Let's go."
Raon stepped back while still holding Rector's arm.
"Good decision. I'll at least listen to what you have to say after I achieve enlightenment."
As soon as they withdrew, Darkan dissolved the aura barrier that had been flowing like natural mana.
"..."
Without saying anything, Raon leaned against the alley wall where they had first observed Darkan.
"Are you sure about this? If we withdraw now..."
Rector narrowed his eyes, seeming worried about the war with the White Blood Religion.
"Of course I don't plan to leave it at this."
Raon curled his lips while watching Darkan's clumsy begging.
"I think I'll have a solution soon."
***
"Tsk."
Raon clicked his tongue as he watched Darkan begging on his knees in the capital's back alley.
-Yaaawn!
Wrath yawned so widely his mouth seemed about to tear.
-How long do you plan to stay here? The food's decent as expected of the Kingdom of Entertainment, but I'm bored!
He grabbed Raon's shoulder, suggesting they should at least gamble instead.
'How long have we been here?'
-A week! You've been watching that beggar for a whole week!
Wrath twisted his body like a rose vine, complaining that he was dying of boredom.
'I see.'
Raon clicked his tongue briefly as he watched Darkan begging from passersby.
'He's been like this for a whole week...'
Darkan begged from people while frequently changing locations. He seemed truly committed, never revealing his identity even when kicked by gamblers, hit with objects by merchants, or stepped on by other beggars. However, despite all his efforts, he rarely succeeded in his begging.
'I can see what the problem is.'
Raon curled his lips as he watched Darkan getting beaten all day without successful begging.
'That's just a Martial Artist wearing a beggar's mask.'
His instincts from his days as an assassin, when he had disguised himself as countless beggars, told him that was just a fake beggar.
'Now it's time to make our move.'
-Huh?
Wrath blinked his eyes as if asking what Raon meant.
-Didn't he tell us not to come? He won't listen to any requests right now.
He shook his head, suggesting that no words would get through to Darkan right now.
'I'm not going to make a request though?'
Raon let out a thin smile while looking at Wrath.
'I'm going to show him what a proper beggar is.'
He took out rags that even a beggar wouldn't wear from his Subspace Pouch, changed into them, and smeared charcoal on his face and body. After making himself look like someone who hadn't eaten for ten days, he approached Darkan.
"Hmm..."
Darkan frowned as he looked at him.
"Didn't I tell you to disappear since I'm not interested in any favors?"
He glared at Raon with a chilling gaze, different from before. A bone-chilling killing intent pierced through Raon's heart.
"Favor? What nonsense."
Raon shook his head, repeating what he had said to Wrath.
"I came to teach you what it means to be a beggar."
Saying he would demonstrate himself, he knelt down and hunched his back forward like a hunchback.
"I... I haven't eaten for a week..."
Raon approached a young woman walking with a refined-looking man, hunching his shoulders and raising trembling fingers.
"Please spare just one copper coin."
Though he had eaten a rich lunch with Wrath not long ago, he panted as if he truly hadn't eaten for a week.
"How pitiful..."
The young woman grabbed her companion's arm tightly.
"Tch, count yourself lucky."
The refined man clicked his tongue and tossed him a gold coin.
"Th-thank you. Thank you so much!"
He bowed his head and carefully picked up the fallen gold coin. After that, Raon continued targeting elderly people and young women, obtaining five silver coins and two gold coins.
"H-how..."
Darkan let out a gasp as he watched Raon obtain in less than an hour what he couldn't get in a week of begging.
"You..."
Raon turned to Darkan while letting out a short breath.
"Do you know why you hardly ever succeed in begging?"
He jingled the recently acquired gold and silver coins on his fingers.
"What do you...?"
"You say you want to become a beggar, but you haven't thought about what being a beggar means."
Raon clicked his tongue while examining Darkan's posture.
"With your knees together and shoulders straight like that, you look like a Martial Artist, not a beggar. Who would pity you?"
Raon shook his head, mocking Darkan who sat with dignity.
"You can't become a true beggar like that."
He struck the ground with his fist, telling him to wake up.
"Huh? Uhh..."
Darkan swallowed dryly, seeming unable to understand the situation.
"Look at this."
Raon raised the hand that had just received the gold coin.
"What do you think?"
"I think it's a filthy hand."
Though he couldn't see, Darkan muttered about filth as if sensing the charcoal smeared on his hand.
"Then how about this?"
Raon slightly lowered his gathered hands and made his fingers tremble as if he had chills.
"Now you look a bit pitiful..."
Darkan let out a low groan as if sensing the trembling fingers.
"Exactly. Begging isn't about getting things from others, it's about making others give to you. In other words, you must appear pitiful by any means necessary! Remember the angle and trembling of my hands that I'm showing you now."
Raon kept trembling his hands, telling him to feel it properly.
-W-what is this?
Wrath also blinked his eyes as if unable to comprehend the situation.
"Try it. Just as I showed you."
Raon stepped back behind Darkan, telling him to try it himself.
"Hmm..."
Darkan rolled his eyes, then slightly spread his knees, narrowed his shoulders, and raised trembling hands as Raon had shown him.
"And you don't beg from just anyone. Usually elderly people or young women. Especially women accompanied by men have a higher chance of success."
He nodded, explaining that one must also choose their targets carefully when begging.
"Now try it yourself."
"Alri... ah!"
Darkan nodded and was about to move when he turned back to look at him.
"Your silver tongue almost had me completely fooled."
He shook his head while lowering his gathered hands.
"I'm not doing this to become a real beggar and earn money. It's to gain enlightenment..."
"How pathetic, Dark Night Sword God Darkan."
Raon revealed his teeth while speaking in a cold voice.
"Don't look down on beggars!"
After raising an aura barrier, he let out such a fierce shout that both their clothes fluttered.
"You said you became a beggar to walk a path you've never walked before? Do you think enlightenment will come just by skimming the surface of that life? That's not the path to enlightenment, it's just a waste of time!"
He stomped his foot, shouting that Darkan should either do it properly or quit now.
"A beggar's life is more intense than a Martial Artist's! If I don't beg, someone else will beg and take away my dinner! Space out and even your broken rice bowl will be kicked away! If you truly want to gain enlightenment, you must become a beggar from your very core!"
Raon shouted for him to wake up while slapping Darkan's cheek.
-Y-you madman!
Wrath's jaw dropped.
-G-get back right now! That madman will draw his sword... Huh?
Contrary to his concern, Darkan didn't show any anger and remained frozen in place.
"Hah..."
After standing blankly for a while, Darkan knelt before him.
"You're right."
He touched his slapped cheek while looking up at him.
"I kept feeling something was missing, and you're right. I was still thinking of myself as the Dark Night Sword God."
Darkan clenched his fist until it bled, saying he hadn't truly lived a life of abandonment.
-Uh...? Is this right?
Wrath's jaw trembled as if confused by how differently things were turning out from his expectations.
"Please teach me!"
Darkan bowed his head to Raon, begging for instruction.
"Very well."
Raon nodded while placing his hand on Darkan's head.
"I'll show you what a true beggar is. Let's start with the posture again."
With a deep smile, he began explaining again the begging posture he had shown earlier.
"First, the angles of your arms and hands are crucial. The trembling comes after."
Darkan seemed to feel his sincerity in his heart as he hunched like a real beggar and created the proper begging angle between his hands.
-I was completely wrong...
Wrath shook his trembling head as he watched Raon teaching Darkan the proper beggar's posture.
-In this world... no, in all dimensions, there's no one crazier than you!
Who else would teach begging to a Transcendent!