Chapter 14

After breakfast, Raon returned to the training ground.

The food tasted terrible. If such food were brought to me back in Devildom, the King of Essence would have smashed the chef's head in.

'Huh? Did you taste it?'

The King of Essence can indirectly share your senses, especially your sense of taste. The King of Essence has been a well-known gourmet, back in Devildom…

'You really talk too much. You could've simply said you could taste it because we share senses.'

Silence! The King of Essence is famous for his reticence… ugh!

'Stop talking for a bit. You are making it difficult for me to digest my food.'

Raon stopped Wrath from talking by tapping on his bracelet, then looked up on the platform.

Rimmer was lying on the platform as if he was napping. He didn't show the slightest movement, as if he had become a statue.

Just looking at him irritates me. I want to pluck off his pointy ears.

Wrath was billowing ice from his mouth. It looked like he was boiling with anger whenever he saw Rimmer.

'The Sword of Light of Zieghart, huh…'

Rimmer's prowess must've been excellent, since he was called the Sword of Light of Zieghart. However, rumors said that his personality wasn't just light, but frivolous.

Raon had thought that was bullshit. But looking at Rimmer, he realized it was incredibly accurate.

'But there's no openings.'

Despite his careless appearance, he wasn't showing any weakness.

He'd heard Rimmer had retired because of a severe injury, but apparently a master's prowess hadn't disappeared completely.

The moment the King of Essence takes over your body, those ears will be plucked.

'Whatever.'

It wouldn't happen, though.

Yawning, Rimmer lazily stretched long after all the temporary trainees had finished gathering.

"Have you finished eating?"

"Yes."

Since the children's stamina didn't recover completely, their voices were more exhausted than at daybreak.

"Then we will start the next part of your training immediately."

Rimmer grinned. When he looked at the wooden swords placed on a side of the training ground, the children's expressions brightened.

"You don't need a sword, just mimic my posture."

As if he was teasing them, he stood with his feet shoulder-width apart, then bent his knees.

"Are… are we not going to learn how to use a sword?"

One of the collaterals shouted, raising his hand.

"We aren't."

"We thought we were going to learn with swords…"

"He's right. Sir Sword of Light is famous for his swordsmanship, so why…?"

"Sword? That's all good, but can you run before learning how to walk?"

Rimmer's corner of lips twisted up. His cool smile seemed to blow a chilly wind towards them.

"You don't have enough stamina or willpower, nor do you have the proper posture yet. Do you think you can really learn how to handle a sword properly?"

"Ah…"

"I've said this already, but you don't need to follow my instructions. Since the consequences are yours to manage, anyway."

It was a playful voice, but the training ground fell silent.

"Follow me if you want. Those who wish to do other training should move over to the right."

Naturally, nobody moved. Everyone stood still and looked at Rimmer.

"Then let's start over. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Then, bend your knees with your thighs parallel to the ground."

"Yes, sir!"

The children followed the posture without difficulty.

"This posture is called the riding position. It's how you ride a horse, and it's also a basic posture for every martial art—including sword, spear, and fist. Keep the riding position until I tell you to stop."

"Yes!"

The children raised their arms after answering loud and clear. Since it was one of the basic postures, nobody failed to follow it.

Humans really are inferior, to train their bodies in such an awkward position.

'And you failed to take over such a human's body.'

Kuh! That's different…

'I have to focus, so hush.'

Raon hit the flowery bracelet and closed his eyes.

'This is an important moment.'

Even in that kind of basic training, he could gain a lot by using the Ring of Fire. He could make his training way more efficient than the other children.

"I'm gonna take a nap."

Rimmer laid down and started to doze off again, and the riding position continued forever.

"Groan…"

"Ugh!"

"H-How long do we have to keep this up?!"

The children's limbs trembled, as if there was an earthquake. Despite the riding position being a basic posture, it was their first time maintaining it for such a long time.

There was an exception, though. The upper tier children, including Runaan and Burren, kept their proper posture.

"Wh-what's wrong with that guy?"

"How is he able to hold on!"

"He… He was supposed to have the worst constitution!'

"I heard he was a patient…"

Raon kept his posture while sweating heavily. The posture's accuracy alone was better than anyone in the training ground.

"Gaaaah!"

"I… I can't lose to him."

"There's no way I'll stop when he is holding on like that!"

The children from the lower tier were about to give up. Upon seeing Raon still holding on, they kept their posture and grit their teeth.

However, Raon still had enough stamina to spare, despite how he looked.

'This is easy.'

In his previous life, he trained the riding posture while carrying rocks on his back and thighs. He was even younger then than he was now. The current training was nothing compared to that time.

Of course, the cold spreading throughout his tired body was creating unbearable pain. He felt like his flesh was being torn apart, and his bone was being frozen, but it was an opportunity for him to become stronger.

Whir.

Raon took in the ice in his body by rotating the rings of fire, all while keeping the riding position.

As painful as it was, he could absorb a considerable amount of ice, and the Ring of Fire progressed further.

At the rate he was going, he felt like he could easily win the bet against Wrath, although he must've been unaware of it.

When Raon was so focused that he almost forgot it was a training on the riding position, a clapping sound could be heard from above the platform.

"Stop!"

When he came to, Rimmer stood up and nodded. The other children were sitting down massaging their thighs like they were dough.

How long are you going to ignore the King of Essence!

'I'm sorry, I missed it.'

You inferior bastard…

Wrath swore at Raon, who only stared in response. It looked like he'd been mumbling all along.

"Huff…"

Ignoring Wrath, Raon kept relaxing his thigh and waist muscles with a refreshing breath.

* * *

Ding!

[An extreme stamina-surpassing action was performed.]

[Stamina has increased.]

A message announcing an increase in stamina appeared once again. Feeling his vitality return to his trembling thighs, he stretched from his waist.

"Just like yesterday, some of you held on until the end while others gave up."

Looking at those who were still standing, Rimmer wagged his finger.

"Let me repeat. I'm just giving you the instructions. I won't directly interfere with your training. Break through your limits by yourselves. Give your mind a hard smack when it starts saying you did enough. That's how you will pass the test in six months."

He continued, maintaining his tricky smile.

"I won't repeat this again. From now on, I won't care whether you give up or hold on until the end anymore."

After telling them to loosen up their thighs in preparation for the next day's training, Rimmer left.

A mere pointy-eared bastard who believes in the nature god is talking about idealism. How ridiculous. And willpower is nothing in front of overwhelming power.

'That's not true.'

What do you mean?

'You do need willpower.'

Raon shook his head while loosening up his legs.

You believe that because you are a weakling that has never felt an overwhelming power. If you felt the power of the King of Essence, you would be worshiping me right now…

'I managed to withstand your attack with willpower.'

That… That's because the King of Essence hasn't recovered the original power yet!

'And I'm just a kid.'

Th-that is…

Wrath's voice dropped powerlessly.

'Of course, willpower isn't meaningless.'

Willpower was similar to stamina and strength. There was a limit, but it got stronger the more it was used.

He had been in many pinches in his previous life, and he had managed to survive because of his extreme stamina and willpower.

'Then let's get going.'

After loosening his thigh and hip muscles, he entered the indoor gymnasium.

There were many training tools to help increase his strength and agility.

Are you training again?

'Yes, I am.'

He nodded. The stats increased when they were pushed to the limit, like squeezing a dry mop trying to get water out of it.

Raon didn't think of the extra training as something painful or boring. It was something to look forward to.

He started with basic training, including pushups and planks.

This is so annoying. It's like watching a caterpillar hanging on a tree.

'A caterpillar that can only crawl will one day become a butterfly and fly away.'

The only way for you to become a butterfly is to hand over your body to the King of Essence.

'That's not a butterfly. It's a poisoned moth. Stop daydreaming.'

Raon shook his hand and bent his arms once again. For push-ups, the number wasn't the important part. He slowly bent and stretched his arms in a way that would stimulate his muscles the most.

He felt like his chest muscles were going to snap, but he welcomed that pain. It would become his stats and stamina.

After push-ups, he started to exercise his abdominal muscles. That was when the other children started to enter the gymnasium.

After throwing him a glance, they separated to start their own training.

Runaan and Burren also entered and checked out the different equipment.

Runaan isolated herself and got herself a tool, and Burren walked out after glaring at Raon for a bit.

Burren went to where the wooden swords were placed and grabbed one to start swinging it.

Woosh!

The collateral children who usually followed Burren got themselves a wooden sword as well, and began to practice the swordsmanship that they had trained in.

He grabbed a sword.

'He did.'

Aren't you going to do the same?

'I don't need it yet.'

What Raon needed wasn't a sword, but the stamina, strength, and agility to serve as a base.

Burren and other children's swordsmanship wasn't even at a beginner level. For novices, training with swords without an instructor was just a waste of time.

Without caring for what the others were doing, Raon continued the boring yet difficult training, only wishing to achieve more progress the next day.

***

Runaan Sullion wasn't interested in others.

That didn't mean that she looked down on others due to her outstanding talents.

It was because she had locked the door to her heart the day she had been terribly disappointed by the one she trusted.

However, there was one person who had caught her eye recently.

It wasn't Rimmer, the Sword of Light, nor Burren Zieghart, who everyone said was her rival.

Raon Zieghart.

Sylvia's son, who was kicked out of the direct line to become a collateral, kept attracting her attention.

'Why do I keep paying attention to him?'

It was the first time she was interested in someone or felt familiar with someone.

'Is it because of the ice?'

Rumors said that Raon's mana circuit bore an extreme amount of ice. It was possible that her frost ability was making her feel familiar with his ice.

'That must be it.'

Since she realized the reason, she tried to stop paying attention to him.

However, no matter how much she tried she couldn't take her eyes off him.

'He is growing quickly.'

Raon's growth was abnormally fast.

When she had seen him a month ago in the audience room, he had been a skinny boy with no muscles. However, he had gained some muscles since then.

'Moreover…'

He was at the lowest tier the other day, but he had managed to catch up with the middle-lower tier.

Everyone said Runaan herself was born with a heavenly talent, but she thought it was impossible for her to progress that quickly. It just didn't make any sense.

"Huff!"

Comfortably lifting a 60kg weight, she kept stealing a glance at Raon.

"It's really strange."