Chapter 79

Rimmer arrived in the vicinity of Cebu villages before the trainees, despite having departed late.

He obviously noticed that Eden's hunting dogs were occupying Cebu Mountain, and he had things to consider while watching them.

Whether he should get rid of the potential danger, or just keep watching them for the children's growth.

'Shall I try trusting Raon?'

If Raon didn't exist, he would've killed all of the Eden members without further delay.

After all, they were true lunatics, ones that devoted their lives to their goal.

However, Raon was the type of genius that didn't even know his own limits.

He had a feeling that Raon and the trainees could reach another level through this mission.

'I should keep watching.'

As an instructor, leaving the path that could make the students stronger open was the right thing to do.

Rimmer tailed the trainees that were heading to the village, paying attention so that he could move whenever he needed to.

And Eden's scout, the Red Eye Demon, was also trailing them.

'I don't think they'll notice him.'

The Red Eye Demon was observing them from far away, just in case.

There were some slight signs, but it wasn't something the children should have noticed.

However…

Raon handed over command right to Burren as if he noticed something, observing their surroundings by spreading out an unnoticeable aura.

'That guy is seriously…'

He was more surprised than ever.

Aura perception was the ability to grasp surrounding presences using aura, and Raon's aura perception was extremely developed—to a point it could be called mysterious.

'A hexagon.'

Martial arts, aura, stamina, willpower, and aura perception. Raon was a gemstone that had all the talents required for a swordsman.

Rimmer calmed his excitement and watched Eden's movement.

Despite his expectations, Eden didn't attack the trainees. Instead, they threw some monsters at them so they could gain some accomplishments and leave.

'They are hiding something.'

It didn't seem like they feared the instructor protecting the children. Instead, they seemed to be aiming for something in the area, and they were avoiding attacking the children because of that.

They were afraid of Zieghart reinforcements.

It seemed he needed to thoroughly search the area after the children left.

Raon didn't make his move, despite having noticed somebody was observing them. He left the village after accepting the villagers' thanks as one of the normal trainees that killed the monsters.

'Hmm…'

Was he retreating?

That wasn't a bad choice.

Deciding to retreat after noticing the difference between themselves and the enemies was a wise move for a warrior.

However, Raon's actions after that completely differed from Rimmer's expectation.

As soon as the Red Eye Demon left them, Raon revealed the truth to everyone and immediately requested reinforcement from the branch office.

After returning to Cebu village, he even guessed that the opponents were Eden after witnessing the monsters attacking the village.

Rimmer was amazed upon hearing that.

Raon had reached the conclusion that they were Eden, basing his judgment on the observer and the fact that they were using monsters. Raon's brain was extraordinary, on top of everything else.

Raon decided to wait, and Burren and Runaan drew their swords and dashed at the monsters in order to save the village.

'That's what children would do.'

The children that were running in order to save people looked like heroes, true Zieghart swordsmen.

Without losing to the green demons attacking them, they fought to protect the village.

However.

They weren't the ones that caught Rimmer's attention. Raon was.

He started hiding his presence as soon as he noticed that an enemy was hiding, and he didn't reveal himself until the end.

That wasn't the kind of patience that a fifteen-year-old could show.

He didn't look like a swordsman fighting on the frontlines. He looked like a king, looking down on everyone from his throne.

'The qualities of a king.'

Just as he had felt before, Raon Zieghart possessed the qualities of a king.

The fight between the green demon and the children was fierce, and the trainees emerged victorious with Martha's surprise attack at Raon's command.

However, the situation was reversed with the Green War Demon's emergence from his hiding spot deep inside the forest.

Unable to withstand a single strike from the Green War Demon, the trainees collapsed while coughing up blood.

It was only natural.

After all, the Green War Demon was a powerful opponent—one at the Expert's level.

Rimmer drew his sword and remained on standby near the children in order to help whenever he needed to.

'Is he still not making his move?'

Raon didn't appear despite Burren, Runaan, and Martha being on the brink of death.

'It can't be helped.'

The moment Rimmer decided to act, about to stop the Green War Demon, Raon made his move.

With a precise movement, he approached the Green War Demon as stealthily as a shadow to avoid being noticed, swinging his sword at his neck.

'Hah…'

Rimmer smirked. He didn't manage to cut off his head, but the strike that sliced the Green War Demon's arm was a polished killing technique.

The Green War Demon kept his advantage in the fight with his powerful combative energy despite having lost his arm, but he ended up dying to Raon's sword—one that reached a whole new level.

'Hahahaha!'

Rimmer burst into laughter, unable to hold it back. He was really a monster. Raon Zieghart had the qualities needed to become the strongest swordsman and the supreme ruler of the continent.

He needed to protect him and raise him properly at all costs.

'He is really limitless.'

He laughed and stood up. It was time to do his job.

Rimmer got rid of all the Red Eye Demons running away from Cebu Mountain after the Green War Demon's death. He needed to prevent the information from spreading.

He returned after thoroughly checking Cebu village and Cebu Mountain, making sure there was no danger left.

Raon had woken up after fainting, and he had grown one level higher thanks to the enlightenment he had obtained during combat. He could probably even use aura blade.

'He might even notice me at that point.'

Rimmer went a bit further, since he felt like Raon might notice his sloppy concealment.

'Maybe I should return.'

Since the reinforcements Krein called would arrive in the morning, and there was no more danger left, returning seemed to be a good option.

Actually, he wanted to tell Glenn about Raon's exploits more than anything.

'Well, then…'

Rimmer returned to the house after checking on the children. As he was headed to Zieghart with light footsteps, a powerful energy exploded from Cebu village.

'This energy…'

It was an energy he had felt before, and the intensity of the energy wave suggested it was at the level of a Master.

* * *

'Damn it!'

Rimmer ran towards the village at full power. It was a tremendous speed, but he felt like he was as slow as a larva.

His chest tightened each time he heard the explosive sounds coming from the village.

Runaan, Burren, and Martha came into view as he was running.

Noticing two ogres attacking them, he drew his sword.

Slice!

Using the wind sword, he cut apart the two ogres at once.

Rimmer asked for Raon's location with his eyes before their heads fell on the ground.

Runaan pointed at the village with her eyes.

She didn't usually show much emotion, but her eyes were filled with too much.

Rimmer grit his teeth and ran into the village.

Green demons and monsters attacked him on his way, but he killed them all and made his way to the center.

And he couldn't suppress his astonishment.

Raon withstood the attacks of Eden's monster, the Blood Raving Demon, until the end with such a small and young body.

His left arm was broken and dangling, his side was scooped out, and he was dragging his leg—but he was still holding his sword.

It was an impressive sight, worthy of admiration.

At that very moment, Rimmer was certain.

He would follow the boy, no—the young king—for the rest of his life and guard him.

Whoosh!

The sword of his new loyalty blocked the Blood Raving Demon's fist.

"You're late."

Raon smiled, as if he already knew he was coming.

"I'm sorry. I overslept a little."

Rimmer responded casually.

"Leave the rest to me."

After saying that, Rimmer pushed back the Blood Raving Demon's fist.

Wham!

The sight of a boulder-like fist being pushed back by a thin sword was a spectacle to behold.

"Zieghart's Sword of Light!"

"It's been a while, Baldy."

Despite facing the Blood Raving Demon's brutal astral energy, Rimmer didn't stop smiling. Instead, he waved as if he had met a friend for the first time in a long time.

"How are you here?"

"I can't let a Baldy like you trample over the cute sprouts."

"Zieghart's gotten a lot softer, sending someone like you to accompany the mission!"

The Blood Raving Demon threw his punches left and right, surrounded by red astral energy. A terrifying amount of astral energy rained down on Rimmer.

"Haap!"

Rimmer sword, imbued with green aura, slashed diagonally. The astral energy was deflected to the right, like water following a drain.

"You barely deflected that level of astral energy. It seems the rumors about your energy center breaking, rendering you disabled, were true."

"That's a false rumor. Change your intelligence source already, you and your helmet squad are still late on the updates."

"Your balance is broken, no matter how you look at it."

The Blood Raving Demon grinned. It was just an expression of his emotion, but it felt like the whole atmosphere was trembling.

"What should we do? You thought he came to your rescue, but he is just a puppy who will get eaten alongside you."

He laughed at Raon, who was barely standing behind Rimmer.

"Whether I'm a puppy or a Cerberus that guards hell, we shall find out!"

Rimmer struck upward with his sword from the right, creating a powerful wind and cutting through the Blood Raving Demon's shoulder.

Pssh!

The Blood Raving Demon's shoulder started bleeding, but the wound closed instantly—as if time reversed itself.

"Your sword used to be extremely vicious. However, that's not the case anymore."

The Blood Raving Demon kicked the ground, piercing through Rimmer's wall of wind.

"You've become weak. Your sword can't cut through me!"

He slammed his fist down while saying that.

Clang!

Unable to take that attack head on, Rimmer spun his sword. The green aura spinning like a windmill became a thick shield, but it couldn't withstand the Blood Raving Demon's astral energy.

Shatter!

The green aura broke apart, and the Blood Raving Demon's fist slammed down.

However, Rimmer wasn't there anymore. After throwing the aura shield as a bait, he pierced into the Blood Raving Demon's left side and swung his sword.

Slam!

Rimmer's precise strike was aimed at the Blood Raving Demon's heart from the bottom.

"That's not enough!"

The Blood Raving Demon roared and crouched, stopping Rimmer's sword as it was piercing into his ribs.

"I became even stronger while you were getting weaker. The difference in power has been completely reversed!"

"Tsk!"

Rimmer clicked his tongue and pulled out his sword. Since his sword might break if left alone, it was the right thing to do.

"Kuhahaha!"

The Blood Raving Demon roared and swung his fist. The ground screamed at the even more powerful strikes.

"How unsophisticated."

Unable to face the attacks head on, Rimmer dodged them through footwork.

'That's…'

Instead of the Blood Raving Demon's violent strikes, Raon focused on Rimmer's footwork.

'He looks like a leaf riding the wind.'

Rimmer was moving as lightly as a flower petal riding the wind, dodging all the Blood Raving Demon's punches.

It looked like the completion of his movement that he had used when he fought against the Blood Raving Demon.

Also, the timing of the slashes that he was mixing in between were perfect.

If Rimmer had imbued his sword with astral energy, the fight would've been over already.

'However…'

Even though his attacks weren't effective, Rimmer looked like he had plenty of room to spare. He kept fighting the Blood Raving Demon at a point-blank distance, as if he were showing it to him.

'Wait, is he really?'

Raon's eyes widened. He understood Rimmer's intention from the movement of his eyes.

'He is showing it to me.'

He was giving him a combat lesson at that very moment. He must've been out of his mind.

"Can't you even catch me in my weakened state? Are you sure you aren't going to lose that helmet?"

"Shut up!"

The Blood Raving Demon thrust his fist, gaze full of madness. Facing a tremendous amount of energy, Rimmer stepped back instead of rashly confronting it.

Slam!

A single strike collapsed the village and gouged the ground. The power behind it made him look like a legendary giant.

"Fight me properly, Zieghart's Sword of Light!"

The Blood Raving Demon instinctively chased Rimmer, letting anger control his body.

Slaam!

It was a simple movement, but his impressive strength and speed allowed him to close the distance between them.

"Tsk. I have no choice."

Rimmer halted his movement and glanced back. He smiled upon seeing Raon.

"Since the teaching material has gone out of control, let's finish today's lesson here."

"You crazy bastard!"

"Watch closely, Raon."

Rimmer continued before Raon could even respond.

"This is the way Zieghart fights, and the level you will have to reach."

Rimmer's sword pierced the sky, and his left hand pointed at the ground.

"Sword Field Creation."

His voice sounded like it was resounding from heavens and surging up from the underworld at the same time.

"Eye of the Storm."

The voice resounded like a mantra, changing the world.

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