Chapter 408

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All the martial artists who witnessed this scene couldn't help but be shocked. Many of them were so stunned by the sight of Grenil without even a scratch, that they were momentarily speechless.

Ron didn't use any decisive killing move or a secret technique. It was merely a strike delivered accurately, and it didn't even contain his full power.

However, the fact that Ron Hairan's sword aura resulted in such a futile outcome was something that no one present could have imagined, except for Berakt and Joe standing at Grenil's forefront.

'Sir Ron's sword aura... was completely blocked?'

Jin was also in shock and couldn't take his eyes off Grenil for a while.

'They used a protective shield. It is surrounding the entire hull and it seems transparent.'

Not only he didn't notice it right away due to the dizzying light emanating from both the lighting energy and the sword aura, but Grenil was using a transparent shield made of mana.

He couldn't fathom the principle behind this transparent shield. All he could speculate was that some kind of authority had been added to the mana.

A heavy silence pervaded among the martial artists, and the massive demonic creatures and living golems roared and were wreaking havoc through the castle again.

The momentum of the monsters and living golems wasn't as formidable as before. They also seemed somewhat intimidated, as if they were afraid of Grenil floating in the sky.

Ron's and Berakt's gaze met in the midst of this chaos.

Ron was momentarily taken aback by the fact that his sword aura had been blocked, but his eyes once again gained the demeanor of the absolute ruler of the Sword Emperor Castle.

Berakt recognized the desire flickering in those deep eyes.

Those were the bloodthirsty eyes of a wild beast facing its adversary. It had been a long time since Berakt had encountered someone with such eyes.

Crack, crack!

Hahahaha…..!

Ron touched his forehead and suddenly burst into laughter. Tears welled up in his eyes, as if it were a joke that one hears once in a lifetime.

The ground trembled every time Ron laughed.

The monster stopped moving as they were overwhelmed by the energy contained in that laughter, and the living golems writhed on the ground. Those nearby even had to put up shields as a precaution.

Ron spoke again after a minute of laughter.

"It looks like you think you are Chiron Runcandel, Berakt Sidricker, or are you just overconfident in that scrap of metal?"

[T/L: Chiron once again scratching his ears in the Black Sea, lol.]

Ron shook his head and wiped away his tears.

On the other hand, Berakt's subtle smile vanished.

He wasn't offended by the insult, nor was he uncomfortable with Ron's arrogance. He was feeling something else entirely.

He was noticing the change in the explosive aura that Ron had been emitting.

The fierce, volcanic-like aura that had been surging suddenly began to refine itself.

Like light converging into a single point, the aura gathered into Rashid at an unbelievably fast and quiet pace.

Those who hadn't reached the pinnacle of martial arts were completely unaware of this change happening. However, most of those who had reached that level also failed to notice the fact that Ron swung his sword once right after the aura had been refined.

'Something just happened…'

It cut through the air. Even Jin, who was standing right beside him, only realized a moment later that Rashid had left a trace in the air. 

However, he recognized it only with his mind's eye and hadn't confirmed it with his naked eye because it happened that quickly.

Crack-!

A crack appeared in the transparent shield surrounding Grenil.

The sword aura that tore through the shield was formless, colorless, soundless, and shapeless, possessing only the enlightenment of Ron Hairan, the unparalleled martial artist.

[T/L: 무형無形 - invisible/formless/intangible.]

It was the pinnacle of a sword that only Ron Hairan, among the current generation of warriors, had reached.

A Hairan could truly become the rightful owner of the title 'Sword Emperor' when it achieved the sword known as the formless sword.

Using the title "Sword Emperor" and the master of the Sword Emperor Castle was a completely different matter.

"The White Wolf Tribesmen, a beastmen."

Shaaak!

The formless sword energy pierced Grenil's protective shield once again.

Joe did not understand why the shield was being destroyed and hid behind Berakt. 

Just as the martial artists had never imagined that Ron's sword energy would fail to hit Grenil, Joe had never thought that Grenil's shield would be broken by invisible and inexplicable force.

"So to speak, you are a beast. Sometimes among the beasts, there are some that are loyal and unique like loyal dogs, but most are ignorant and just yap without understanding their place."

Each time the transparent shield was torn by the formless sword energy, the space around Grenil was distorted.

"Especially vicious beasts like you, who threaten people recklessly without fear, should be eliminated as soon as they appear."

"Considering that you're called a Sword Emperor among the humans, I tried to show some respect. But you used a cheap pun. I wonder who the real beast is..."

"Berakt Sidricker, a harmful beast. You're still looking down on me from your ship."

As Ron finished speaking, Berakt drew the greatsword hanging on his back.

Clang!

Finally, the formless sword energy completely tore through Grenil's protective shield and clashed with Berakt's sword.

Dozens of invisible sword energies were slashing Grenil's body. The protrusion that formed the thundercloud was cut off, and the ship continued to shake with fragments flying.

Woosh...!

The Grenil was shaking unsteadily and it wouldn't be strange if it crashed at any moment.

It was unbelievable that a battleship that had just been hit by such a massive sword energy was without a visible scratch. 

A strike fueled by sheer "power" and a strike containing "enlightenment" represent completely different dimensions.

Ron was actually using far less aura than when he first directed the sword energy at Grenil.

However, something like mental strength or will was being consumed to make up for it.

'Is this the true level of the martial artist who has competed with my father for the longest time?'

Jin could feel a chill running down his spine as he looked at Ron's sword.

It seemed that what Jin had known about the sword so far was breaking apart and opening up a new realm.

Despite the urgent and dizzy situation, Ron's formless sword was so tantalizing that it made the hair stand on end.

"Lord Berakt! Something is wrong. What on earth is breaking Grenil...! Could that damn brat be up to some trick?"

Cold Joe had never been able to shake off his fear of Jin ever since the destruction of the Dark Magic Society.

'It wasn't for nothing that Chukon Todlerer was afraid of him...!'

Moreover, with his meager power and senses, Joe couldn't even comprehend the fact that Ron was using this sword, let alone recognize that the formless sword was a unique and transcendent level of mastery. He mistakenly believed that the power breaking Grenil was Jin's.

Watching Joe like this, Berakt was so frustrated that he couldn't find the words.

"Joe, you piece of trash... you bastard!"

Bam! Boom!

He was briefly interrupted as he blocked the formless sword.

"This formless sword energy is the power of Ron Hairan, not that brat's. Get a grip and find the vice-leader's party immediately, before I chew you up!"

"Ugh, understood! An formless sword energy... Yes, that's right. There's no way that brat could possess such tremendous power. I must have lost my mind for a moment."

"Just shut up and find the vice-leader's party!"

The vice-leader's party.

Ron knew that it referred to Bishkel and Marjella, as well as their subordinates.

So, his curiosity piqued.

Before Kinzelo's identity was revealed, Bishkel was known as the hope to resurrect the fallen Ivelianos. While it was not to the extent that Chiron and Ron would take a deep interest, but it could be evaluated that he had the potential to shake up the world in the future.

However, now the great warrior of the White Wolf tribe, who has the power to shake the world, and a mysterious ship had come to Hairan, saying they would rescue Bishkel and his party.

'Is it because they're trying to cover their tracks of terrorism, or does Bishkel have some extraordinary ability? In the first place, it was strange that Bishkel Ivelianos was the vice-leader of those scruffy guys.'

He needed to capture them.

"Sword Emperor Castle! Secure Bishkel Ivelianos and his subordinates!"

"Yes, sir!"

"If they resist too fiercely, you're allowed to kill them. Make sure to either capture or kill them, no exceptions!"

"As you command, sir!"

The giant monsters and living golems were almost wiped out, but the issue was the Grenil ship, operated by Joe and Berakt.

Aaaaah!

Berakt's roar caused the knights to flinch and freeze in their tracks. Those with exceptional reflexes instinctively activated their shield to protect themselves, but others weren't as fortunate and blood poured from their ears and noses.

Their internal organs had been damaged, and their eardrums ruptured.

Seeing the knights hesitate, Jin had to make a decision.

Should he go after Veradin, as he did before, or search for Bishkel?

'…This time, it's best to protect the personnel within the castle.'

He didn't dwell on it for long and quickly reached a conclusion.

The real battle between Ron and Berakt was just beginning. If they engaged in full-scale combat, the shockwaves alone could kill people in seconds. Berakt's claim that every one of the members of Hairan would die was not an empty word.

Ron was aware of this and didn't give Jin any specific orders to find Bishkel.

Jin and the other elite members present in the sword emperor castle have a duty to protect people from the fight between the two and to safeguard them from the Grenil ship.

The formless sword energy was becoming increasingly aggressive against Grenil. Berakt could only repel it with his senses, and now it seemed he was reaching his limits.

Even Berakt couldn't fight while protecting Grenil from the formless sword energy.

Since he couldn't lose Grenil in vain, Berakt had no choice but to come to the ground.

If Grenil is destroyed, it would cause significant delays in returning with the vice-leader's party.

Thump...!

Berakt landed on the ground and narrowed his eyes.

Ron aimed his sword at Berakt and smiled.

"Now you've come down, beast."

"Ron Hairan, you'll regret bringing me down."

"But you're quite the big beast, aren't you? It seems that your eye level is still higher than mine."

Berakt's right thigh was cut suddenly and blood splattered. It wasn't deep but it was an effective blow as soon as he descended from Grenil.

What's more, Ron didn't even swing his sword directly at Berakt. It was the formless sword energy that roamed through the air and struck him.

"If you kneel down, you will be at just the right height, don't you think?"

Ron smirked as he said this.