Chapter 743
"You too..." The man called the Heavenly Demon answered without even looking back at The Fallen.
"Is that what you're calling me?" His tone was peculiar. The name "Heavenly Demon" seemed to both please and disgust him.
"Doesn't it suit you?" The Fallen shrugged, his gaze fixed on the Heavenly Demon's broad back. "I'm The Fallen, and you're the Heavenly Demon. I think these names are perfect for ones like us."
A long smile curled beneath the handsome mask of the young man. The Heavenly Demon neither responded nor turned. He remained seated, as if The Fallen didn't exist.
"This place is always warm and harmonious. The breath of nature is still alive here." The Fallen's lips curved faintly as he surveyed the verdant flowers and trees. "It really doesn't suit someone like you."
The Heavenly Demon rarely spoke. He simply asked, "What's your business?"
"Is that the Green King?" The Fallen's gaze shifted to the Heavenly Demon's right.
Under an unseasonably ripe apple tree stood a woman, as tall as an adult man, posture straight and trained in martial arts. She wore a black Orc helmet with no protruding teeth, and two flames rose from her forehead. Her light brown hair flowed over her shoulders, and a red inner light burned eerily from the helmet, like blood.
"I've heard rumors about the Green King's awakening, but this exceeds my expectations," The Fallen licked his lips, his gaze fixed on the woman. "This level of growth is not inferior to Raon Zieghart's. Quite tempting."
The woman did not glance at him. Behind her, the Severing Sword trembled slightly.
"The Green King is my..."
"You've grown talkative with useless chatter," a short man interrupted, stepping from the bushes. He wore an Ettin helmet that looked alive, though it had only one head. "Our lord asked you a question. Did you answer it?"
"You're still insolent, Twin-Headed Demon," The Fallen replied casually, brushing off the Ettin Demon's aura.
The Heavenly Demon finally turned slightly, lowering his fingertip as he studied The Fallen. "Your body is intact, but your soul is torn. What happened to you?"
"There was one more monster here," The Fallen nodded calmly. "It's obvious who could push me to this extent, isn't it?" He twitched his finger toward the red scales of the Heavenly Demon's helmet. "Glenn Zieghart. He finally reached the realm of splitting souls with his sword."
"Glenn Zieghart..." The Heavenly Demon tilted his gaze skyward. "He was different from anyone else. I expected him to reach that realm while still human. But he's different from you. He's still governed by causality."
"I suppose so." The Heavenly Demon exhaled softly, regret lingering.
"So, did you come to ask me to deal with Glenn?"
"Could you do it?" The Fallen twisted his lips into a smile, pointing at himself. "Given my current state..."
"I refuse." The Heavenly Demon shook his head firmly. "Glenn Zieghart is certainly attractive prey, but now is not the time. Moreover..." His aura, previously the smallest among them, suddenly exploded upward.
"Your goals and mine are different. Don't think about using me."
The Heavenly Demon waved his hand lightly. The peach blossom fragrance twisted violently, verdant trees radiated killing intent, and flowers pulsed with pressure.
"Aren't our goals still the same?" The Fallen did not stop smiling.
"If you're going to talk nonsense, then stop..."
"Of course, I didn't come here just to see the back of your head." The Fallen snapped his fingers. Pale light and darkness bloomed, dissolving the Heavenly Demon's pressure.
"So! Let's get to the point… Ugh!"
"Would you please shut up?" The Twin-Headed Demon started to protest but froze at the ominous light in The Fallen's eyes.
"An Archangel has descended." The Fallen's words hung faintly in the air.
The Heavenly Demon, who seemed immovable, finally turned. Within his ten-horned helmet, an unquenchable flame burned.
Raon entered the Fifth Training Ground at early dawn. He tidied the frozen ground and finished his basic swordsmanship training. As he prepared to practice the Fangs of Insanity, the training ground door opened. Light Wind Division swordsmen entered one by one.
"As expected, the Division Leader is here first."
"There's still over an hour until the appointed time..."
"Just looking at how tidy the ground is, he must have come at least an hour ago."
"Does that person not sleep?" The swordsmen clicked their tongues, impressed.
"I thought I'd be the first today!" Krein ruffled his hair in disbelief.
"From what I can tell, it seems like two hours ago..." Dorian sighed, examining the neatly arranged training ground.
"I came out at 4 AM, and he was already here," Burren muttered, shaking his head.
"For me, it was 3 AM. Damn it." Martha groaned.
"He probably feels more comfortable in the Fifth Training Ground than at home," she added, clicking her tongue.
Runaan bowed slightly. "I gave up on arriving before Raon long ago."
Mark Goetun narrowed his eyes, scanning for Rimmer. "Where's the Vice Leader?"
"Why would that guy come at this hour?" The Gambling Monster snorted.
"That's all. Let's begin." He gestured to Raon to start.
"Understood." Raon stepped onto the platform. He scanned the Light Wind Division. Their expressions didn't look good—but he could read their thoughts after so long together.
"Thank you for responding during your vacation period," Raon began, hands behind his back.
"It was voluntary, but seeing you all gathered here, I think you felt the same as I did."
"Well, not really..." Krein muttered, raising his hand.
"Shut his mouth, Dorian." Raon gestured, and Dorian gagged Krein.
Raon continued, "You are strong. Thanks to life-threatening real combat and grueling training, there is no martial force stronger than the Light Wind Division at your age across the continent."
"Even so, you weren't the protagonists in this war." His voice turned cold.
The Light Wind Division bit their lips. Raon continued, cutting to the truth:
"You lacked the ability to escape crises on your own. During the war, you were protected, no different from children left by the riverside. You couldn't face threats alone."
Raon met Burren's eyes. "When you tried to cut down a Water Demon, Astral Energy intervened. When you tried to behead a bandit, Astral Rings exploded. All of your actions were constrained."
He looked at Martha and Runaan, emphasizing the lessons they had to learn. "The upcoming wars will be rougher and more dangerous. If you remain as you are, you'll be mere bystanders—or obstacles."
A Gale Wind Style surged through the center of the Light Wind Division.
"We know," Martha whispered, her black eyes bloodshot.
"So what should we do?" Burren clenched his fist.
"...I'll do anything. Whatever it takes." Runaan nodded firmly.
Raon smiled faintly. "We need to grow stronger before the real war begins. All members will endlessly repeat missions and training until everyone becomes a Master, and Squad Leaders reach the pinnacle of Master level."
He raised a finger, making a vow. "I will reach transcendence."
"Well, a small goal? But the Division Leader's is the most difficult, isn't it?" Dorian muttered.
"Transcendence," Rimmer echoed, nodding. "As Vice Leader, I'll challenge it too."
The Gambling Monster chuckled. "A ridiculously powerful force is about to be born."
Raon approached him, presenting five black bottles of high-quality southern liquor. The Gambling Monster's eyes lit up, and the bottles vanished into his sleeves in an instant.
"Everyone, prepare yourselves! It won't be easy this time!"
The Light Wind Division gritted their teeth.
Raon finished training from dawn to evening. Before midnight, he entered the Head of House's training ground. Glenn hadn't arrived yet, but the lights were bright.
"Should I warm up a bit?" Raon rotated his shoulders and drew the Heavenly Drive.
Just then, Wrath flailed, complaining.
Raon shook his head. "Every minute counts if I want to behead Derus."
The training ground door opened, and Glenn entered.
"Head of House..."
"We'll be seeing each other for a while. Stop the formal greetings." Glenn waved and approached.
"I trained the swordsmen all day to grow stronger with my comrades," Raon said.
Glenn nodded slightly, a faint smile crossing his lips. "Then let's begin. How far have you mastered the Azure Sky Sword?"
"I've learned them all, but in actual combat, I can use up to the eleventh form," Raon replied.
"The techniques you're learning now—the Fangs of Insanity, Blizzard Sword Art, Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation, your own creation, Azure Sky Sword, and others—correct?" Glenn listed.
"Yes," Raon bowed.
"If it were someone else, I would have told them to focus on just a few," Glenn said, drawing the Heavenly Tremor Sword. "But your vessel can hold anything. Learn more, and seek a broader world. Focus is not the only path to transcendence for you."
Golden moonlight poured down, illuminating the training ground.
'YOUR VESSEL CAN HOLD ANYTHING'