Chapter 1035
Chapter 1035
Pushing back the strands of hair plastered with grime and gore, Raon lifted his gaze. The phantom duplicates of the crimson beast that had been shredding his flesh dispersed into clear spray, while the dark, gore-tainted waters steadily settled back into their natural jade green clarity.
‘The ocean has regained its true state.’
Observing the waves reclaim their tranquil blue hue, he exhaled a breath of relief. His sole goal had been to rescue the creature, so the complete restoration of the ocean itself came as an unexpected outcome.
—What is there to be bewildered about?
Scowling, Wrath cast an upward glance toward Raon.
—Once you completely expunged the corruption planted by that wretched Blood Demon matriarch, the root of all this chaos vanished. It is only natural for the surroundings to recover.
The small monarch nodded with an air of grand authority, offering grudging praise.
‘That makes sense.’
Feeling Rimmer’s untainted presence carried along the breeze, Raon let a faint smile touch his lips.
‘Yet, the beast seems to have vanished as well.’
Tightening his hold on the returning Blade of Requiem, he narrowed his eyes thoughtfully.
‘It couldn’t have perished.’
Having severed every trace of the White Blood Religion leader’s sanguinary corruption using his Soul Sword, he had expected the wolf to remain behind. Yet before him, nothing stretched out except the tranquil ocean surface.
—That creature endured such vile, clotted malice for far too long. It is likely just collapsed from sheer exhaustion or resting in slumber.
Wrath dismissed the concern with a flick of his wrist, adamant that the entity was still among the living.
—Stop fretting over that entity and examine your own miserable state first.
‘Fair point…’
Looking down at his gore-splattered frame, Raon offered a dry, self-deprecating smirk.
‘I am practically in pieces.’
Trading blows against eight apparitions radiating transcendent-grade sanguinary power had left him with battered innards and devastating flesh wounds. Only his focus remained thoroughly unbroken.
‘In fact, it is sharper than ever.’
Perhaps due to the elevation of his spirit and his deepened mastery over the Soul Sword, his inner clarity remained undisturbed despite the prolonged struggle and the agonizing pain wracking his flesh.
—Naturally it is…
Wrath showed his fangs in irritation.
—You were collecting battle spoils right in the middle of the clash!
The miniature monarch snarled as if thoroughly exasperated.
‘What are you talking about?’
Raon blinked in confusion at the fuming entity.
—Were you truly oblivious? System notices were flashing left and right while you were tangling with that creature!
‘I never caught them. Every ounce of my concentration was poured into the fight.’
Because his entire focus had been narrowed onto the clash before him—driven by the singular resolve to deliver the spirit’s soul—he had failed to notice any notifications popping up.
—Your ridiculous fortune never ceases to amaze me…
‘Let me inspect them now.’
Drawing in a measured breath, Raon called forth the pending notifications.
[The mastery of the trait has advanced.]
[The mastery of the trait has advanced.]
[The traits and are harmonizing into a linked evolution.]
[A brand-new trait, , has manifested.]
[The mastery of the trait <Soul (Spirit) Sword> has advanced.]
Just as Wrath had grumbled, unread announcements truly awaited his attention.
‘So my ability to pinpoint the wolf’s soul wasn’t merely a natural sharpening of my senses.’
Reviewing the logs line by line, Raon let out an amused breath.
‘Azure Clear Eye, is it?’
An entirely distinct form of perception had clearly taken root within him. It felt as though an inner sight had awakened, allowing him to directly observe the spirit’s true essence alongside the crimson malice of the White Blood Religion’s master using both his physical vision and his soul.
‘I had no idea traits could merge and evolve in tandem like this.’
was the result of fusing seamlessly with . The realization that traits were capable of evolving through resonance was entirely unexpected.
—E-even in all my time, I have never witnessed such an absurdity…
Wrath bit down on his lower lip in visible frustration.
‘You haven’t seen this occur before either?’
—That is precisely what I am saying! That accursed framework must have pulled another trick out of nowhere!
His fur bristled and his tail twitched violently, thoroughly incensed that such a phenomenon had bypassed his authority.
‘Regardless of the mechanism behind its awakening, it is undeniably extraordinary.’
rendered the unseen tangible and brought the imperceptible into sharp clarity. Standing as a superior refinement to both and , its emergence was a welcome boon.
‘This promises utility far beyond mere skirmishes.’
Shifting his focus to the final notice, Raon’s lips curved slightly.
‘An advancement in the Soul Sword.’
In truth, he had already sensed the refinement of his blade path without needing the notification to confirm it. When it came to the realm of swordsmanship, his own instincts proved far more dependable than any system prompt.
—Grrrr…
Wrath ground his molars together, his eyes darting frantically up and down.
‘You seem remarkably restrained this time.’
Raon tilted his head, watching the little monarch with quiet amusement.
‘I expected you to throw a massive tantrum as usual.’
—I am thoroughly irritated by that new capability, of course, but…
Wrath scrunched up his nose, glaring directly at him.
—Those advancements did not stem from siphoning my power; they were achievements forged entirely by your own efforts.
‘Forged entirely by myself?’
—Precisely. Unlike past occurrences when notifications surfaced, I felt none of my true form’s strength being wrenched away. That display was…
He extended a small claw, pointing straight at Raon.
—…might you attained solely through your own merit.
A faint tremor ran through Wrath’s gaze as he admitted this was unprecedented even to him.
‘Might I attained on my own…’
—Just what kind of creature are you…
As Wrath drew closer with an exhausted sigh, another series of messages abruptly filled the air:
[You have rescued the sea spirit from the depths of sanguine corruption.]
[A monumental achievement has been accomplished.]
[All base parameters increase by 30 points.]
[The mastery of the trait has advanced.]
[The mastery of the trait <Askara’s Fighting Spirit> has advanced.]
[The mastery of the trait has advanced.]
[The mastery of the trait has advanced.]
[The mastery of the trait has advanced.]
A torrent of reward announcements materialized in rapid succession.
—What?
Wrath’s expression turned completely blank, visibly stunned by the sudden cascade of rewards.
—W-what on earth is this? Why are more notifications appearing!
Shouting that the sequence should have concluded, he swung his arms wildly at the floating text.
‘You stated it yourself just moments ago.’
Raon held up a calm hand toward the flustered monarch.
‘The earlier growth came from my own endeavors. These ones, however, are clearly granted by the system itself.’
He offered a subtle grin, noting that their emergence after the conflict had settled made total sense.
—Y-you insufferable piece of…
Wrath’s eyes shook violently, utterly blindsided by the sudden development.
—Why must this transpire every single time I open my mouth! My patience has reached its absolute limit!
He threw his head back and bellowed in raw fury toward the dark, rippling surface of the night sky.
‘There he goes again.’
Shaking his head, Raon dismissed the floating text. At that exact moment… the ocean, glowing with azure radiance, parted gently, and a miniature wolf crested the water like an agile dolphin. It had returned to the pristine form of the sea spirit he had witnessed when it was initially being defiled by the White Blood Religion’s leader.
“Kheung!”
Letting out a cheerful, muffled yip, the oceanic spirit bounded directly toward him.
“Are you feeling better now?”
Dropping to one knee, Raon gently stroked the creature’s head. The sensation was distinct from touching ordinary fur; it felt like running his fingers through a crest of cool, tranquil waves. The entity had fully regained its pure spiritual form.
“Kyarung.”
Dipping its head in a gesture of sincere gratitude, the sea spirit gently licked the crimson droplets clinging to Raon’s fingers. Almost instantly, a refreshing stream of pure aquatic essence began circulating through his system, rapidly mending the lacerations across his flesh. Yet it was far more than simple regeneration; pure, unadulterated nature mana was flooding into his core.
“Wait, you…”
“Kreung!”
The spirit planted its forepaw firmly against his palm, demanding that he remain still. It was actively funneling the vast vitality of the sea into him, an offering of deep gratitude for its liberation.
“There is no need. Focus on preserving your own strength.”
Raon tried to ease his arm back, intending to decline, but the small wolf clamped onto his limb with unyielding tenacity. Only after it had channeled a reservoir of mana rivaling the rarest elixirs and completely erased every external wound did the creature finally relent. It was extraordinarily stubborn.
“My thanks.”
Lightly rubbing the spirit’s brow, Raon acknowledged the remarkable blessing.
“Kyarrrr.”
The sea creature gave a satisfied snicker, tilting its head with curiosity.
“Do you wish to hold hands once more?”
Raon presented his palm again, but the creature shook its head, signaling that wasn’t what it sought.
“Then what is it…?”
“Kyawung.”
The small beast raised an endearing paw, tapping its own forehead.
“You want to touch foreheads?”
“Kyawung!”
It gave an energetic nod in confirmation.
“Hmm…”
Though surprised, Raon met the creature’s unblemished, luminous gaze and inclined his head forward. Leaping lightly from the sea, the spirit pressed its brow against his own. Along with a brisk, soothing sensation like dewdrops grazing his skin, an unfamiliar vision surged through his consciousness.
“Could this be…”
Lawaine lowered his blade after neatly cleaving through the Giant Crab, a gargantuan monstrosity, in a single decisive motion. Looking out across the dark ocean waters that still shimmered with a pale azure glow, he let out a heavy sigh.
“To think he truly pulled it off…”
The moment those crimson beasts radiating transcendent power had multiplied to eight, he had assumed that even Raon could not prevail and had braced for an immediate withdrawal. Yet Raon had not only weathered the assault; he had purged the vile crimson haze saturating the deep and salvaged the spirit’s soul.
‘Calling him a monster is an understatement.’
Remembering how a single howl from that beast had left him frozen in his tracks, Lawaine could only look on in absolute awe at Raon’s overwhelming martial prowess and unyielding will.
“You clearly have yet to grasp the measure of our Palace Master.”
Burren snorted dismissively, bisecting another encroaching creature with a flick of his blade.
“That man never commits to an engagement unless victory is already guaranteed.”
He spoke with calm assurance, confident that Raon had stepped forward only because he possessed total certainty in his triumph.
“Mmh…”
Runaan nodded lightly beside him.
“Raon looks cool today, so everything will turn out fine…”
Without even bothering to glance toward the ocean, she erected barriers of frost to freeze the remaining fiends, showing zero anxiety regarding Raon’s well-being.
“Indeed.”
Martha let out a small laugh, propping herself up against her sheathed weapon.
“I had no doubt he would manage it.”
Raon possessed the strength to crush the crimson beast through pure, overwhelming might, yet upon hearing her plea, he had chosen the far more perilous path of salvation. Witnessing him standing quietly before the restored spirit after achieving that impossible feat, a sharp heat stung her eyes and nose.
‘He took that risk because of me.’
This endeavor had not merely been about freeing the sea entity; it had served as a vital trial run to save her mother, whose soul remained imprisoned by the master of the White Blood Religion. The weight of his consideration washed over her like an ocean tide, misting her vision before she could stop it.
“Thank you, truly…”
Just as Martha began to choke out her gratitude, her nose flushed crimson, Raon and the oceanic spirit abruptly vanished from their positions. An instant later, the monstrosities menacing the front lines of the Light Wind Palace swordsmen were cleanly severed in two, and Raon stepped out from the settling mist behind them.
“Sir Lawaine.”
Raon’s voice broke the silence, prompting Lawaine’s eyes to widen in shock.
“Pardon? Ah, yes, Commander!”
Gulping down his astonishment, Lawaine offered a hasty salute.
“Have we concluded all necessary objectives here?”
“Y-yes, that should be everything.”
He nodded, explaining that the White Blood Religion’s vessel had been secured, the spirit rescued, and the apostle slain, leaving nothing left to address.
“In that case, we make our immediate return to Zieghart.”
Veins bulged along the back of Raon’s hand as he clenched his fist, his gaze darkening with ominous gravity.
“There is an urgent matter that must be delivered without delay.”
“I found it strange that so much time passed without a single dispatch…”
Glenn stood by the window, his gaze fixed outside as his leg tapped with restless energy.
“I never anticipated he would make it back this rapidly.”
Raon had severed all communication under the pretext of conducting an undercover investigation to track down those responsible for laying waste to the port and surrounding settlement. Glenn had spent sleepless nights consumed by worry, making this abrupt return completely unexpected.
“When did he indicate his arrival would be?”
“The report stated he had just cleared the perimeter maintained by the Shadow Agents, so he should be arriving at any moment.”
Roenn gave a soft chuckle, reassuring him that the arrival was imminent.
“Tsk, he could have provided advance notice.”
Glenn clicked his tongue in quiet regret, having wished for enough time to assemble the clan’s leadership so everyone could bear witness to his grandson’s accomplishments.
“We can receive his account privately first, and then convene the elders to have the tale shared again.”
Sheryl offered a knowing smile, gently pointing out that there was no need for frustration.
“Ahem! Well, that is certainly an option!”
Glenn stroked his beard lightly, silently agreeing with the suggestion.
“Hehehe.”
“Hoho.”
Sheryl and Roenn exchanged quiet smiles, their spirits lifted simply by observing the warmth returning to Glenn’s face.
“Very well, let us receive them properly.”
“Understood.”
“Right away.”
As the three straightened their attire and composed themselves to receive the Light Wind Palace’s report, a heavy, measured knock echoed through the grand doors of the audience chamber.
“Enter.”
Glenn gave permission, anticipating Raon’s familiar, resolute stride carrying word of another triumphant campaign. Yet as the heavy doors parted and the combatants of the Light Wind Palace marched inside, their faces were carved with rigid, severe intensity rather than the proud demeanor of warriors returning from a victory.
“…Do not tell me the mission ended in failure?”
A low frown settled over Glenn’s brow at the unexpected atmosphere.
“No. The perpetrator was eliminated, and the true force operating from the shadows was unmasked.”
Raon shook his head, confirming that the primary objectives had been successfully fulfilled.
“The true force?”
Glenn narrowed his eyes, studying the young swordsman who had not even washed away the briny stench of the ocean.
“The faction pulling the strings behind this catastrophe is the White Blood Religion. And through the spirit they attempted to manipulate…”
Drawing in a sharp breath, Raon lifted his head. His parched lips parted, and a fierce, burning light flared within his crimson eyes.
“We have uncovered the exact location of the White Blood Religion’s central stronghold.”
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