A deep resonance filled the air as Raon felt his heart stir while watching the supreme sword technique created by Briana and Brigitte working together.
'No, it's not my heart...'
The Ring of Fire was crying out. The Ring of Fire circling his heart seemed to sense something in Briana and Brigitte's sword technique, creating a powerful resonance that sent deep waves through his consciousness. The resonance grew stronger and stronger!
As the Ring of Fire spun faster and faster, time began to slow around him. Briana and Brigitte, who had been attacking like lightning, froze like statues before him.
A brilliant flash! As the flow of the Mental World stopped, his senses began to change. The Auras he had always known felt more vivid, as if touching his skin, while things he couldn't perceive before now seemed within reach.
Like a universe containing starlight, all his swordsmanship achievements were etched deeper into his mind as his vision expanded to encompass everything.
The flow of the joint technique used by Brigitte and Briana, which he had never seen before, was now clearly reflected in his eyes.
-This bastard is awakening again!
Wrath gritted his teeth, annoyed that it was starting again.
'No.'
Today wasn't like entering a state of enlightenment. Rather than awakening through meditation, the martial arts achievements he had accumulated were leading him to greater heights.
-Hah! Now they're making you grow through all sorts of nonsense!
'No one made me grow. I grew on my own.'
Raon calmly shook his head.
'This is the power I've learned and gained until now.'
The war with the White Blood Religion, the clash with Sloth, the Blade Queen, meeting the Warlord, the High Elf awakening, and the reunion with Gluttony. Unlike before, this wasn't a reward given freely - it was growth achieved through countless experiences and efforts. The power surged through him!
Until now, he had grown through states of enlightenment and felt stronger after awakening, but today his body and mind grew simultaneously while fully conscious, bringing a new ecstasy he had never experienced before.
Raon slowly opened his eyes, feeling the growth in both his realm of the soul and martial arts achievements. He began to sense the fragments of mana spread throughout the world more precisely. Time resumed its flow with a whoosh, and he saw Brigitte and Briana's sword attacks rushing toward him with a thunderous roar.
Based on this small enlightenment, Raon extended the Heavenly Drive to his right. He executed the Diamond Earth Technique, simultaneously deploying the Sword Saint's sword techniques and blade techniques. White energy rose from his heavy yet solid sword strike, completely catching and erasing Brigitte and Briana's Joint Technique.
"What is this..."
Briana's expression, which had been confident of victory, froze in shock. Her jaw trembled as if she had no idea what had just happened.
"Insane!"
The Thespian Emperor's jaw also trembled in apparent confusion.
"Just now, what happened..."
She seemed to have been expecting the victory of Brigitte and Briana, as she was the one who had devised that joint technique.
"The, the chief's sword technique completely disappeared..."
"What just happened?"
"Is that Sword Emperor Raon Zieghart's true Martial Prowess?"
"Isn't that on par with the Five Kings, rather than the Five Divine Orders?"
The Unyielding Blade's swordsmen let out successive exclamations, as if they hadn't known Raon's Martial Prowess was at this level.
"Phew."
Raon nodded as he lowered the Heavenly Drive that had just demonstrated new martial arts.
'To think I would grow in this way.'
He had actually gained quite a lot recently. He had learned new martial arts, consumed Elixirs, and even strengthened his Demon King's Authority. However, despite gaining so much, his Martial Prowess itself hadn't changed significantly - until today, when all those rewards connected as one to achieve this small accomplishment.
-Now it really won't be long.
Wrath frowned as he looked at him.
'What won't be long?'
-You surpassing the leaders of the Five Kings, that is.
Wrath nodded, as if he now felt that the leaders of the Five Kings had entered his line of sight.
'I can feel it too.'
Raon clenched his fist and smiled faintly.
'That I've really gotten closer to their level.'
It seemed he could catch up to the other leaders in not too long, except for Glenn, Derus Robert, and the Heavenly Demon, who possessed overwhelming Martial Prowess even among the Three Demons of the Five Kings.
'If we were on the same level, I could win.'
He had various traits, Demon King's Authority, and a body surpassing a Transcendent. If he reached their level, he would win eight or nine times out of ten.
-Are you already preparing to fight?
Wrath let out a hollow laugh, saying it was truly impressive.
'Of course I have to.'
Because Derus and the Heavenly Demon must have prepared new Transcendents. They had bet heavily on the upcoming war and were confident of victory. It was obvious they had prepared new Transcendents never seen before, so he needed to become stronger somehow before the war, reaching a level where he could face an Archangel.
"I lost."
Briana sighed as she approached Raon.
"Seeing your current level, there's nothing the current Brigitte and I could do to win."
She smiled as she declared her surrender. However, she used the word "current," suggesting she hadn't given up entirely.
"I knew you'd be stronger when we met again, but I didn't expect you to grow this much."
Briana calmly lowered her sword, saying she had wanted to win even if it meant going all out, for Brigitte's sake, but it wasn't possible. She seemed to have returned to her usual demeanor.
"Just what happened to you?"
"I gained a lot of experience traveling across the Continent."
Raon smiled, saying he was just lucky.
"If that was all it took to get stronger, all Transcendents would be travelers."
Briana lowered her hand with a wry smile.
"Well, this isn't the place to discuss it."
She looked around and clicked her tongue in understanding.
"It would be better to talk about it later."
"We'll do that."
Raon nodded, indicating he would tell her separately.
"Well then."
With those words, Briana closed her eyes, and after a moment, Brigitte's gaze returned to life.
"Damn it!"
Brigitte stomped her foot, her tone much rougher than Briana's.
"I didn't expect this method wouldn't work either!"
She ground her teeth, saying everything she had prepared had failed.
"Not being able to defeat me doesn't mean it was a failure. You two have definitely become stronger."
Raon smiled faintly, saying honestly that it had been dangerous. If he hadn't grown from seeing their swords, he would have been in trouble.
"Don't be ridiculous."
Brigitte waved her hand dismissively, as if telling him not to talk nonsense.
"Hurry up and fight your next opponent."
She told him to finish the Divine Sword competition quickly and left the training ground.
"Next opponent?"
As Raon tilted his head in confusion, Martha approached from the opposite side with an intense gaze.
"I'm next."
Martha drew her sword as she declared herself the next opponent.
"Fight properly."
She bit her lip, saying she didn't mind if the battle ended in one move, but she wanted him to show his full swordsmanship.
"Properly..."
Raon curled his lips as he looked at Martha, whose eyes burned with the same intensity as when she fought the White Blood Religion.
'Seems there's been a change in her mindset.'
Martha had seemed deflated after destroying the White Blood Religion and achieving her goal of saving her mother. Although she participated in training, she hadn't seemed to give it her all like before, but it appeared she had realized something while watching his match with the Queen of Swords. Seeing her fighting spirit return made him somewhat glad.
"Good."
Raon nodded as he raised the Heavenly Drive. Hoping it would help Martha, he extended a sword strike imbued with today's enlightenment. The sword drew a beautiful trajectory toward Martha even without aura!
"I knew I had to see this!"
Martha's lips twisted as she watched the elegant yet incredibly dangerous swordsmanship. With a thunderous clash! She didn't back down, unleashing her learned sword techniques to their fullest to block Raon's sword. However, lacking in power and realm, she was thrown from the training ground and fell to the earth, her eyes rolling back.
"It seems..."
Raon grinned as he looked at Martha, who hadn't let go of her sword even while falling unconscious.
"Looks like Miss Rakshasa has returned?"
***
"Lord Derus."
Kubara entered Derus's training room and bowed so deeply her head nearly touched the ground.
"..."
Derus remained motionless with his eyes closed, seemingly focused on meditation. When he didn't respond, Kubara slowly rose to leave. As she carefully turned to exit the training room, a subtle pressure filled the air.
Kubara froze as she felt a chilling sensation, as if someone was gripping not just her heart, but her very soul.
It felt as if an invisible hand would crush her soul if she moved even slightly or opened her mouth.
"Ugh..."
Just as Kubara, whose emotions had long since died, began to remember what fear felt like, Derus finally opened his eyes. As he smiled with eyes as clear as an untainted child's, the spiritual pressure crushing Kubara melted away.
"What is it?"
Derus nodded calmly as if nothing had happened.
"Um..."
Kubara let out a heavy breath, adjusted her disheveled clothes, and bowed to Derus.
"The Leader of the Holy Sword Alliance has taken the bait. They say he's waiting in front of the fourth factory."
She reported that Rector was preparing to raid the fourth factory where divine power was being gathered.
"He took the bait right away?"
Derus's lips twisted as he recalled Rector's face.
"That old man must be burning with desire to fight."
He sneered, saying things were getting interesting.
"Call him."
Derus raised his finger toward the sky.
"He wouldn't want to see four factories he built personally destroyed."
He nodded leisurely, as if things would work out easily.
"Understood. Then."
Kubara bowed respectfully and left Derus's training room.
"..."
Derus curled his lips as he looked at the drops of sweat where Kubara had been standing.
"Now it really won't be long."
***
Raon ultimately won the Divine Sword Assembly and gained access to the special library.
"That's our Raon!"
Evelyn raised both hands high, saying he had done really well.
"I told you he wins every time he picks up a sword!"
She firmly grasped Raon's hand, saying she had believed in him.
"A Transcendent going and winning first place in a kids' competition."
Martha shook her head while massaging her bruised arm.
"Couldn't you have gone easy on the last one?"
She sighed deeply, remembering the Unyielding Blade disciple who had been defeated in one strike during the finals.
"No, he did well."
The Queen of Swords lowered her hand approvingly.
"Thanks to Raon fighting properly, the disciples seem to have found the path they should follow."
She smiled as she listened to the shouts of determination echoing through the training ground.
"I was worried about how to handle all the disciples who had grown lazy lately, but thanks to this, a new current seems to be flowing."
Brigitte nodded, saying they had actually received great help.
"When are you going into the special library?"
She narrowed her eyes at the book-shaped key in Raon's hand.
"If you'll permit it, I'd like to go in right now."
Raon answered while looking at the Key in his hand.
"Me too!"
Martha, who had lost to him in the semifinals, raised her hand, saying she wanted to go in too.
"Sigh, I'm the only one who can't go in again..."
Dorian frowned, seemingly disappointed at not being able to see the books that could become supplies.
"Do you have some Martial Arts Manual you're looking for?"
Brigitte narrowed her eyes curiously.
"I don't know if it's here or not, but there is something I'm looking for."
Raon nodded without hesitation.
"The special library is called the Time Sword Pavilion. It's a place that collects unique sword techniques from all eras, so what you're looking for might be there."
Brigitte shook her head, saying she couldn't predict.
"Still, there are many sword manuals that could help with the Ten Thousand Swords, so make good use of your visit."
She pointed behind her, saying she would give permission now. With a resonating sound! As Brigitte raised her hand, the wall behind her opened, revealing stairs leading downward. The smell of dust and old books began wafting up from the dark space.
"I hope you find what you're looking for."
The Thespian Emperor wore a subtle smile as if she knew something.
"Thank you."
Raon bowed to Brigitte and the Thespian Emperor before descending the stairs to the underground. After going down about five floors, an octagonal library spread out like a spider web appeared in a soft light. This was the Time Sword Pavilion, the pride of the Unyielding Blade.
"Wow, I thought it would be small since it only contains unique sword techniques, but it's much bigger than I expected."
Martha whistled, saying it was unexpected.
"I'll start looking from this side."
She ran forward and began reading, seeming as interested in the sword manuals as her renewed enthusiasm suggested.
"Let's see..."
Raon pulled out a book from the shelf in front of him.
"Silent Light Earth Sword?"
It was a Martial Arts Manual with a name that sounded powerful just hearing it. Reading the book, while not quite living up to its name, it was still a considerable level of sword manual.
'A sword manual focused on strong and Crushing Sword techniques.'
The Silent Light Earth Sword was a martial art focusing on power-based strong and Crushing Sword techniques among various sword principles. Thinking it could help with the Ten Thousand Swords, he analyzed every move and flow pattern before committing them to memory.
'This is interesting.'
Raon licked his lips as he opened another sword manual next to the Silent Light Earth Sword.
-You said you were looking for something. Stop wasting time and find it quickly!
Wrath frowned as if asking whether it was okay to read just any book.
'I don't know the title anyway, so I have to search through everything.'
Raon said it wasn't a waste of time as he turned the pages.
'And everything helps.'
Big help at that. All the martial arts in the Time Sword Pavilion were unique sword manuals, containing strange flows and harmonies he hadn't thought of. Just learning and mastering these would greatly help with the Ten Thousand Swords.
'Next.'
Having already mastered all the books on one shelf, Raon moved to the second bookshelf.
'What should I look at next?'
As he looked around pondering, he spotted an old book with a faded title that was hard to read. Its cover was yellowed like the skin of someone with jaundice, but strangely, it felt familiar.
'This title is...'
The moment Raon reached out and touched the yellowed book, golden flames burst from its center and engulfed him completely!
'I had a feeling, and sure enough.'
Raon curled his lips as he entered into the now-familiar memories of the past.
'Such a busy Ancestor indeed.'