Chapter 77

As the Coldness of the Frost spread out from Raon's sword, the ground started to freeze up in pure white.

"Ice? Is that a water attribute?"

Panic appeared in the Blood Raving Demon's yellow eyes.

"Using water attribute aura after using a ridiculously powerful fire attribute aura, what's your identity?"

"Why do you want to know?"

Raon twisted his sword and slashed, shooting the frost gathered on his blade.

"Huh, you can even use the aura blade."

The Blood Raving Demon thrust his fist while gasping in amazement. The boulder-like fist shattered the pure white aura blade.

Even though his full-power aura blade had been shattered, Raon's eyes remained calm.

'Because the attack wasn't the only effect of the frost.'

Along with a sound of freezing lake, pure white ice sprouted on the Blood Raving Demon's hand.

"This is…"

The Blood Raving Demon frowned and glared at his freezing hand. It looked like he was trying to clench his fist and failing.

"Did you even reach the attribute's enlightenment? You really know no bounds."

"..." 

Without letting down his guard, Raon shot another aura blade containing the Coldness of the Frost.

'I can't be careless.'

His head would be blown away in an instant if he let his guard down because his attack was somewhat effective.

He needed to consider his defense while attacking and change his position continuously with footwork.

"You bastard…"

Instead of throwing a punch like before, the Blood Raving Demon rotated his body and dodged the aura blade.

Clang!

Raon swung his sword, controlling as much Coldness of the Frost as he could. The intense cold emanating from the blade filled the space.

Whir!

The ground froze and the atmosphere's temperature decreased, gradually slowing down the Blood Raving Demon's movements.

'I'm glad I watched her before.'

Raon looked at Runaan, who was biting her lip. Thanks to having observed how she spread the frost before, he was able to use the aura of cold without much difficulty.

"Keuh…"

The Blood Raving Demon moved restlessly to avoid the frost covering the ground and the aura blade that Raon was shooting.

His fist, which used to be quick and powerful, was slowing down and weakening.

"Kuaaah! You little rat!"

The Blood Raving Demon screamed and thrust his fist.

Whoosh!

Raon turned his ankle to dodge the blow and slashed his sword once again. The frigid aura blade cut through the air.

"Keugh!"

The Blood Raving Demon stepped backwards in order to avoid the frost, groaning.

Raon's dominance seemed to be apparent.

However, the tension didn't disappear from Raon's deep eyes. He kept swinging his sword with an even more intense pressure than at the start of the fight.

'The chance hasn't come yet.'

***

"Huff! Huff!"

After preparing everyone, Burren returned to the village with ten trainees.

The village center was in ruins, as if it had been under a magical bombardment. He could see fire raging on one side, and the other side's ground was completely frozen. It was truly a strange sight.

Slam!

He turned his head towards the thunderous noise coming from the left. Or rather, his head automatically turned before he even heard the sound.

Raon, whose sword was surrounded in a blue light, was crossing his sword with the Blood Raving Demon's fist at a point-blank distance.

'Aura blade? When did he reach Sword Expert…?'

Using an aura blade signified that he had reached the novice level of Sword Expert. The fact that he was a novice level Expert at the age of fifteen baffled him despite the situation.

'No, wait! Raon's aura is…'

Burren's astonishment didn't end with his aura blade. His eyes became so wide that they looked like they were going to pop out upon seeing the frost rising from Raon's blade.

'Frost!'

It was an aura of ice even more intense and sharp than Runaan's. He gasped at the fact that he had been hiding such a thing so far.

'To have an aura of frost and being an Expert… What exactly is the height you've reached?'

The continent's warriors had divided might into different ranks.

They were levels that were used regardless of the weapon: sword, spear, bow, and fist alike. Anyone who began to use aura was allowed to be called a Beginner.

Beginner rank was separated into novice, intermediate, and advanced. Upon getting accustomed to their aura and becoming capable of imbuing their weapon with aura, one could become a User.

User rank also had the same levels: novice, intermediate and advanced. The next rank was the Expert level, which was when they became capable of discharging the aura from their weapon.

It was commonly referred to as the level where they could use the aura blade, and it was Raon's current level.

The Blood Raving Demon was generally known to be at the highest level of Expert, or at the Master level.

And yet, Raon was pushing the Blood Raving Demon into a corner despite being at the novice level of the Expert rank, which was far lower than his opponent. Burren's heart was filled with passion upon realizing that.

"Haa."

Burren shivered.

'Monster…'

Rather than the Blood Raving Demon, who was exploding the surroundings each time he thrust his fist, he was more frightened by Raon, who was facing him.

It wasn't simply because he was using two auras and had reached the Expert rank at such a young age.

Swordsmanship and footwork.

The fact that he was fighting the Blood Raving Demon while using basic swordsmanship and footwork that anyone could use was giving him goosebumps.

Whoosh!

Raon's movements were swift. Like a flower petal riding a typhoon, he dodged the Blood Raving Demon's fist by using the wind pressure preceding it.

That was only possible through a tremendous amount of effort, regardless of his skill or talent, and Raon was a monster of effort.

'However…'

Raon's attacks were sharp, but they couldn't inflict any noticeable amount of damage to the Blood Raving Demon. All it could do was freeze his right arm in frost.

'There's a difference in power after all. Then… huh?'

Burren narrowed his eyes as he observed the battle between the two. Raon was glancing at him while swinging his sword.

'That's…'

Probably because they had been together for over three years, he could immediately notice the intentions behind Raon's gaze.

'He is asking me to help.'

Raon's gaze was telling him to attack together with him through an opening he would create.

"Hmm…"

He looked around at the sides.

Martha and Runaan had also noticed his intentions, and were quickly operating their aura so that they could make their move whenever they wanted to.

'That's right. The Blood Raving Demon isn't a big deal, since we are Ziegharts.'

He clenched his fist and gathered the aura from his energy center. He drew his sword while feeling the green wind surrounding him.

'We are going to save this place!'

* * *

Burren focused on the fight between Raon and the Blood Raving Demon, his eyes wide.

Since the opportunity could come at any time, he kept controlling his aura while breathing steadily.

As his hand was about to be covered in sweat from watching the fight between the two monsters…

Raon's sword hit the Blood Raving Demon's left hand.

Crackle!

With the sound of icicles forming, the Blood Raving Demon's hand froze.

"Do it now! Use everything you have!"

Burren had already started moving before Raon said it.

Thud!

He brandished his sword and kicked the ground to jump towards the Blood Raving Demon.

The same sound could be heard from the left and right. Runaan and Martha were running with him.

Whir!

From the swords that Burren, Runaan, and Martha were holding, their auras burst out like the sun erasing the night.

"You…"

The Blood Raving Demon was grinding his teeth, his frozen hands trembling in panic.

'We can win!'

Looking at his panicked face, he became certain. He could win.

Whir!

As they were about to perform their most powerful attack against the Blood Raving Demon's vital points…

"Ah…"

"Huh?"

Burren, Runaan, and Martha raised their heads at the atmosphere that suddenly became heavier. Their eyes widened at the same time.

The Blood Raving Demon's eyes, which had been full of panic, had become ice cold.

Their hearts dropped upon seeing his completely composed eyes, despite still containing madness.

Creak!

The atmosphere was distorted by the Blood Raving Demon's atrocious smile.

"I've been waiting for this, you insects."

***

Crack!

The Blood Raving Demon thrust his aura-filled fist. The wind pressure accompanying the strike crushed the ground.

However, Raon thrust his sword while withstanding the pressure. He pierced the Blood Raving Demon's shoulder with the icy blue sword.

"Keuh…"

The Blood Raving Demon ground his teeth, his gaze a blazing yellow.

However, there was no anger or frustration at the bottom of his heart. He was simply filled with interest and curiosity.

'A genius that will be spoken of throughout the continent's history, huh.'

Judging from his appearance and skin, he was only in his mid-teens. And yet, he could skillfully handle an aura blade and auras with both fire and water attributes.

He was a genius that could become the continent's strongest one day.

'However…'

That would only be possible if he could keep growing up as he was.

The Blood Raving Demon looked around. Excluding the monster named Raon, the three other children behind him also possessed extraordinary talent.

Slash!

Raon's aura blade sliced his chest a little, but his heart didn't waver in the slightest.

It was just a matter of course.

He hadn't even used one-tenth of his power, despite how he looked on the outside.

Huff.

The Blood Raving Demon breathed out hot air from his helmet.

He could only smile. The anticipation of trampling over the young sprouts sent chills down his spine.

Clang!

Raon shot his aura blade with excellent timing.

"Keuh!"

The Blood Raving Demon waved his left hand to block the aura blade, pretending to be flustered despite being more than capable of dodging it.

Crackle!

The white frost spread and his hand started to freeze.

"Do it now! Use everything you have!"

At Raon's command, Runaan, Burren, and Martha—who were gathering their power—rushed at the Blood Raving Demon together.

Whir!

Burren imbued his sword with wind, Martha was pouring out all the energy of Earth she had, and Runaan was spreading the frost like an icicle from her blade.

The three of them performed their most powerful attacks, using every single bit of aura they had.

Whir!

Raon ran straight towards the Blood Raving Demon, swinging his sword burning in blue.

"Kyaha!"

The Blood Raving Demon laughed at that instant. It was the instant where his prey was perfectly caught in his net.

Baam!

The entirety of the ogre helmet shone in yellow. A tremendous amount of energy burst out, breaking through the white ice confining his hand.

"I've been waiting for this. You insects."

The moment the Zieghart's younglings used his opening to attack him with everything they had was the perfect time to sink them into the depths of despair.

Rumble!

The yellow light that formed on the Blood Raving Demon's hands exploded. The materialized aura perfectly covering his huge hands was…

Astral Energy.

A Master's proof, the astral energy was burning in his hand like hellfire.

"Ah…"

"Damn it!"

"A-astral energy!"

Facing the astral energy, which was pressuring the space itself, it was impossible to defend against it without using astral energy in return.

The color on Runaan, Martha, and Burren's faces turned from hope to despair.

"This is the end!"

The Blood Raving Demon burst out in laughter, full of excitement, and thrust his fist. Astral energy the size of a boulder was falling down on them, and the children's eyes were filled with darkness.

'How about you?'

He glanced at the blond-haired boy in order to enjoy his despairing eyes for the last time.

However.

"Huh?"

The Blood Raving Demon's eyes widened. He couldn't see neither despair nor hope in Raon's eyes.

Serene eyes. They were simply filled with murderous intent, intent to slay his enemy.

Roar!

A tremendous amount of murderous intent covered Raon's blade.

"You aren't the only one who's been waiting for this."

____

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