"Lower your sword a bit more. Be absolutely certain that you're aiming for your enemy's heart."
Darkan pressed down on Krein's arm, teaching him the proper stabbing stance.
"Yes! Is this stance correct?"
Krein thrust his sword sharply as Darkan had taught him. The impact from his sword technique created a shockwave that tore through the air.
"Hmm..."
Darkan examined Krein's thrust from various angles before shaking his head.
"Your sword lacks flavor. You're too focused on looking good."
He turned away, saying it wasn't worth teaching anymore.
"But, but, I did exactly what you said..."
Krein's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Compared to him though..."
Darkan watched Dorian practicing swordsmanship in the corner with great interest.
"You show some promise."
He rubbed his palms together as he observed Dorian's sword, which seemed to lack spirit.
"Me? Really?"
Dorian's eyes widened in surprise, clearly not expecting his swordsmanship to receive any praise.
"Anyone but him! He's a coward who only practices evasive swordsmanship!"
Krein shouted, unable to accept Darkan's words.
"That's exactly why it's interesting."
Darkan approached Dorian with a smirk.
"A sword is a tool for stabbing and killing people, yet you run away? Isn't that fascinating?"
He nodded his chin, gesturing for Dorian to continue demonstrating his swordsmanship.
"And in actual combat, your stance suggests you'd advance rather than retreat. Ah, for that technique, turn your ankle about 15 degrees more."
Darkan seemed to approve of Dorian's swordsmanship and offered detailed instruction.
"Nngh..."
Though Krein chewed his lips and demonstrated his swordsmanship with all his might, Darkan's attention didn't return to him.
"I can do it too..."
"Should I take a look then?"
Raon stood before the frowning Krein with a slight curl of his lips.
"Ah, no! Training is something you do alone!"
Krein shook his head vigorously in refusal and fled to a distance.
"..."
Raon narrowed his eyes as he watched Krein.
'Did I torment them too much before the war?'
The swordsmen would panic and flee at the mere mention of training from him. He must have pushed them too hard.
'Though I'll do exactly the same when we return.'
He didn't regret it, believing that the hellish training was what kept the Light Wind Palace swordsmen alive.
-You simply lack popularity.
Wrath snorted dismissively.
-When I offered to teach, my subordinates would line up for three days and nights!
He lifted his misty eyes while muttering about those good old days.
'Oh.'
Finding it bothersome to respond, he clapped once and drew the Heavenly Drive.
-Don't just say 'oh'! Give me a proper response! No, more importantly...
Wrath furrowed his brow as he looked at him.
-Explain properly what you meant earlier! What do you mean by a journey to find friends!
He bared his white teeth, demanding a straight answer.
'It means exactly what I said. A journey to find your friends.'
-Are you referring to those other demon kings as friends? Hmph! I have no such things as friends! I am a monarch who enjoys solitude!
Wrath shook his head violently, claiming he didn't keep things like friends.
'Didn't you say we were friends? It hurts a bit to hear you say you have no friends.'
Raon lowered his gaze with a soft groan.
-Huh? That's, that's not what I... I just...
Wrath's lips trembled, seemingly flustered by Raon's disappointed expression.
-Ah, no! I almost fell for this damned fellow's trick again!
He frowned, telling Raon to stop talking nonsense.
'Not working, huh.'
Raon looked up with a slight smile.
'You're right about me wanting to find the demon kings.'
-I knew it!
Wrath struck his hand down as if he'd known all along.
'We'll need the demon kings' power for the final war.'
The Archangels' martial prowess was at least on par with the leaders of the Five Kings and Three Demons. Some might even be monsters with power rivaling Glenn, the Heavenly Demon, or Derus. If Derus summoned all seven Archangels for war, defeat would be certain, so they needed to prepare beforehand.
'Would the demon kings fight if the Archangels appear?'
Raon turned to Wrath, hoping for an answer.
-Absolutely not!
Wrath shook his head repeatedly.
-Demon kings are more instinct-driven than any other demons. To think they'd fight when Archangels descend upon the Human World, which isn't even their territory - you're incredibly naive!
He sneered, saying Raon's wishes wouldn't come true.
'Then I'll have to borrow your name in the end?'
Raon smiled as he placed his hand on Wrath's head.
'Wouldn't they somehow comply if the Demon King of Wrath tells them to fight?'
-I knew you'd say that! You damned bastard!
Wrath ground his teeth, saying this was exactly what he'd expected.
-Things won't go smoothly according to your schemes this time. A war with the Archangels would be life-threatening even for demon kings.
He wore an arrogant expression, saying it wouldn't be as easy as before.
'Then I'll have to prepare as well.'
Raon smiled faintly as he raised his finger.
-Prepare?
'Since you said demon kings are the most instinct-driven of all demons, I'll need to prepare to convince them.'
-Hmph! That's right!
'Thanks for the answer.'
-Huh? Uh...
Wrath blinked blankly as he stared at him.
-This, this bastard used me again!
He screamed as if realizing what he had just said.
'For now, is Sloth the only one whose location we can know?'
Raon thought about all the demon kings he had met while ignoring Wrath's shouts.
-That's probably right. Some of them are in Devildom, while others are wandering around the Human World as they please.
Wrath quickly flew over and nodded at his own muttering. He truly was an adorable demon king.
'Envy and Greed are in Devildom, and Gluttony is probably busy visiting all the bead ice cream shops across the continent.'
He had personally seen Envy and Greed return to Devildom, so they were likely still there. As for Gluttony, she would follow once she ran out of money, so there was no need to search for her first.
'Next would be Lust.'
He stroked his chin while remembering Lust's seductive eyes.
'Lust probably isn't nearby either.'
Given that Lust hadn't appeared even when he had used his aura and Wrath's authority at full power at the White Blood Religion, it was clear that Lust was somewhere else.
-Phew...
Wrath breathed a sigh of relief, as if thankful for at least that much.
'Lastly, where is Pride?'
Raon mentioned Pride's name while looking at Wrath.
-Hmm...
Wrath stared silently into space before shaking his head.
-I don't know. That one's an eccentric who might be in Devildom one moment, then suddenly invade the heavenly realm the next, or cross into other dimensions searching for strong opponents. No one can tell where he is or what he's doing.
He shook his head, saying that while the Heavenly Demon did have Pride's authority and presence, they probably weren't together.
'So Sloth is our only option.'
Sloth was a gentle demon king as long as you didn't wake him from his sleep, making him seem like a good first choice to visit.
-Damn it...
Wrath wrinkled his nose, saying only the dumbest one was left.
'About that...'
He was about to ask if Wrath wasn't the dumbest of them all but stopped, sensing it would cause a commotion.
"Hey."
As Raon was organizing his thoughts while lightly stretching, Darkan approached.
"Have you recovered? Then let's have a match."
Darkan's lips twisted into a smile as he placed his hand on his dark sword.
"Is fighting all you can talk about?"
Raon sighed while holding his head.
"It's only been a day, how could I be fully recovered!"
Thanks to his traits and authority, his physical wounds had almost healed, but his mind was still recovering from the strain of using the Soul Sword. He needed more time before he could spar with Darkan.
"How weak."
Darkan lowered his hand with a snicker. Judging by his eyes, he hadn't really intended to fight either.
"What are you going to do about the Soul Sword?"
Darkan stroked his eyepatch while looking at him.
"What do you mean, what am I going to do about the Soul Sword?"
Raon narrowed his eyes.
"As I said before, beneath Derus's soul lies a Shadow's soul larger than any other."
Darkan bit his lip slightly, seeming to recall when he had used the Soul Sword.
"I'm asking if you've thought about how to cut it."
"That's..."
Raon frowned and let out a faint groan.
"Derus Robert will definitely return after mastering the Soul Sword. His soul will become even larger and stronger."
Darkan nodded, saying he was certain of this as he had seen it himself.
"My Soul Sword is already broken, and even Glenn Zieghart's Soul Sword won't be able to cut that soul in one strike."
He turned his head toward Raon while gripping the dark sword at his waist.
"I plan to deal with Derus somehow, but you should prepare too. The fight might reach you even after Glenn."
Darkan nodded gravely, as if saying the next fight with Derus would require being prepared for death.
"The possibilities for developing the Soul Sword are endless, so find and nurture a sword that suits you."
He left those words behind as he departed from the fifth training ground.
-That guy...
Wrath narrowed his eyes while watching the training ground's door swing after Darkan's exit.
'Yes.'
Raon nodded while gripping the Heavenly Drive.
'It seems he wanted to teach me something.'
Darkan was right. Even if he called the demon kings, if he remained weak, he would let Derus slip away again.
'While searching for the demon kings...'
Raon looked down at Wrath with anticipation.
'I need to become stronger too.'
-W-why are you looking at me while saying that?
'...'
He silently licked his lips while watching Wrath's trembling eyes.
-Say something! You're scaring me!
'Hmm.'
-You crazy bastard!
***
"Father. It's time to attend the banquet."
Burren stood in front of Karoon's office wearing an elegant ceremonial robe.
"Father?"
But even as time passed, there was no response from Karoon.
"Hmm..."
Burren opened the office door with furrowed brows. Cold air wafted from the room, suggesting Karoon had left long ago.
'Where could he be?'
As Burren tilted his head and headed downstairs, he heard the sound of sword wind coming from the training ground behind.
'No way...'
When he entered the training ground to check, he found Karoon swinging his sword with his upper body bare.
"Father?"
Burren's eyes widened.
"Why are you training here?'
He hadn't expected Karoon, who valued noble etiquette, to be training and sweating before a banquet. It was so unlike his usual self that it was startling.
"Hmm..."
Sensing Burren's presence, Karoon lowered his sword and wiped the sweat from his forehead and shoulders with a towel.
"Is it already time to leave?"
"Yes. The banquet will begin soon."
Burren nodded with a bewildered expression.
"I see."
Karoon raised his hand apologetically before putting on the ceremonial robe that had been hanging on a chair.
"Have you perhaps found a clue for awakening?"
"Yes. I've found a clue in regret."
He nodded calmly.
"Regret...?"
"While protecting House Zieghart was important, I'm constantly overwhelmed with regret that I should have found a way to participate in the war against the White Blood Religion."
Karoon bit his lip deeply.
"I regret not only missing out on crucial experience but also letting Denier go like that."
He furrowed his brows, saying the war might have gone differently if he had been there.
"So I intend to swing my sword even in these spare moments to avoid any future regrets. I need to catch up to that fellow too."
Karoon sheathed his sword, which gleamed silver like his resolve, saying he would only look upward from now on.
"I see."
Burren smiled as he sensed the gentle yet intense heat emanating from Karoon's red eyes.
'You've really changed.'
The old Karoon would have been jealous of Raon and tried to bring him down somehow, but now he acknowledged Raon's abilities and achievements, saying he would follow behind. He seemed like a completely different person.
"We'll be late. Let's go."
Karoon gestured with his hand, suggesting they head to the banquet hall.
"Yes!"
Burren followed behind Karoon, feeling that his father's back was still as broad and profound as it had appeared in his childhood.
'Someday, I too...'
***
The main hall's banquet room, where ornate chandeliers hung like embroidery from the ceiling casting golden light, and where the noted swords and armor of Zieghart ancestors were displayed. This prestigious place, normally accessible to only a select few swordsmen, now hosted all the swordsmen who had participated in and aided in the recent war.
"The destruction of the White Blood Religion..."
Glenn ascended the platform in the banquet hall and nodded calmly.
"This achievement belongs not to any one person, but to everyone here who risked their lives and gave their all."
He nodded to the swordsmen in the hall, expressing genuine admiration.
"We are five, and now only three enemies remain. Moreover, Eden has been cut in half."
Glenn placed his hand on the Heavenly Tremor, declaring there was no need to fear the three demons. His magnificent presence made the hall's golden lights appear to burn like red flames. The swordsmen pounded their chests with their fists in agreement with Glenn's words. Their unified response created a thunderous sound that shook the entire banquet hall.
"This banquet has been prepared for the heroes who destroyed the White Blood Religion. Today, let go of the war's fatigue and enjoy the celebration."
Glenn applauded the swordsmen, saying they had truly done well.
"Woaaaah!"
"Long live Zieghart!"
The swordsmen celebrated their victory by clapping with Glenn or shouting cheers.
-Ice cream comes first!
Wrath hit Raon's shoulder while opening his mouth wide.
-Start with that mountain of ice cream over there!
He hadn't even eaten dinner yet but was already drumming on his back, insisting they start with dessert.
"However, before that..."
Glenn raised his hand toward the smiling swordsmen.
-Why is that old geezer so talkative today?
Wrath narrowed his eyes in disapproval.
-Being a man of few words was his only good point!
He swung his arm, demanding Glenn shut his mouth.
"I will now present awards to the swordsmen who participated in the war."
At Glenn's gesture, Roenn and the servants brought forth plates decorated with silver tablets.
"Silver tablets will be awarded to those swordsmen who helped prepare for war and contributed to breaching the walls."
As he called their names, the swordsmen who participated in the war ascended the platform one by one.
"Thank you for your courage."
Glenn patted each swordsman's shoulder as he personally presented them with silver tablets.
"Next, golden tablets will be awarded to those swordsmen who penetrated the White Blood Religion's headquarters and confronted their leader."
After finishing with the silver tablets, Glenn immediately began calling the names of those who would receive golden tablets.
"Burren Zieghart, step forward."
"Yes!"
After meeting his eyes, Burren ascended the platform with confident steps.
"Even while being overwhelmed by the Leader of the White Blood Religion, you continued to swing your sword until the end - truly worthy of your title as Vice Palace Master of the Light Wind Palace."
Glenn gripped Burren's shoulder firmly with pride.
"Thank you!"
Burren pressed his lips tightly together, moved by Glenn's intense praise.
"Martha Zieghart."
"Yes!"
Martha exhaled deeply before ascending the platform. She forced herself to put on a brighter expression.
"Thank you for holding on until the end in a situation where you could have easily broken down. He would be proud to see you now."
Glenn carefully embraced Martha.
"Thank you..."
Martha's voice trembled. She clenched her fists until they bled to hold back tears as she descended the platform.
"Runaan Sullion."
"Yes..."
At Glenn's call, Runaan moved forward with slow, sloth-like steps to stand before him.
"Your Frost Sword saved countless lives. Supporting from behind is no easier than fighting at the front, and I thank you for always putting people first."
Glenn gently gripped her shoulder with approval.
"Yes..."
Runaan's earlobes turned slightly red with happiness - a significant emotional display for her. After these three, several swordsmen from the Light Wind Palace, Wise Martial Palace, and True Martial Palace also ascended the platform to receive golden tablets from Glenn.
"Those who received golden tablets will be granted access to the Zieghart treasury."
Glenn nodded as if that concluded the victory rewards. After the silver and golden tablet presentations ended, the swordsmen's gazes turned not to Glenn but to Raon, who had yet to receive anything.
"Raon Zieghart. Step forward."
Glenn called Raon forward as if responding to those gazes.
"Yes."
Raon bowed before ascending the platform.
"To Raon Zieghart, who discovered the White Blood Religion's headquarters enabling us to begin the war, who killed the ninth apostle to breach the walls, and who cut down the Leader's soul with the Soul Sword, I award three golden tablets."
He lowered his chin heavily, saying these achievements were almost unbelievable even though he had witnessed them himself.
"Ahem."
The corners of Glenn's mouth wavered like ocean waves. However, the swordsmen behind couldn't see this expression, hidden by his head.
"Thank you."
Raon bowed respectfully and received the three golden tablets brought by Roenn. In truth, since he had already made Sylvia part of the direct lineage, these weren't particularly necessary anymore.
"You'd do well to keep these golden tablets safe."
Glenn covered his lips with his finger, as if suggesting the tablets would be needed in the future.
"And the additional reward for Raon Zieghart is..."
He looked at him with a gentle eye-smile.
"Two-time access to the treasury!"
Dorian licked his lips in anticipation.
"No, you fool! He got three tablets, so it must be three times!"
Krein waved his hand, telling him to think properly.
"Free pass. No, give him the whole treasury..."
Runaan blinked as if suggesting they should give Raon the entire Zieghart treasury.
"..."
The banquet hall fell silent for a moment at such an outrageous suggestion.
"Ahem!"
Glenn cleared his throat and shook his head, pretending not to have heard Runaan's words.
"The Light Wind Palace Master will be granted any elixirs and martial equipment he desires from the treasury. And..."
He raised his hand, indicating he wasn't finished.
"For one month, I will personally teach martial arts to the Light Wind Palace Master."
Glenn had always taught him in secret to avoid showing favoritism, but this time he openly declared he would teach him directly for an entire month.
"Oh! That's not bad!"
"After catching the Leader of the White Blood Religion, he deserves at least that much!"
"I'm jealous. Just getting advice makes me this happy..."
"He'll change a lot in a month, won't he? I want to learn too."
While receiving teachings from the World's Greatest Swordsman was an incomparable reward, no one objected given Raon's considerable achievements.
"..."
Karoon too closed his eyes calmly, as if unable to object.
"Then with this..."
Just as Glenn nodded with satisfaction, the brilliant lights faded like the setting sun, and a dark sword darker than the night sky appeared. At the sharp footsteps that seemed to pierce their eardrums, the swordsmen unconsciously made way.
"That training..."
Darkan. The swordsman who hadn't lost his composure even with his upper dantian collapsed and Soul Sword broken, stood facing Glenn with a curled smile.
"May I join as well?"