Karoon's eyes widened as he saw Glenn suddenly appear.
'Why is Father here....'
This hospital room is far from the Lord's Manor.
Even for Glenn, it should be impossible to sense this place without actively using aura perception, so I don't know how he appeared.
"Aaaaargh!"
The man in the robe belatedly felt his wrist bones and flesh being crushed and let out a scream as if his throat was being torn apart.
"G-Glenn Zieghart! Why are you here!"
"You have no right to ask questions."
Glenn shoved his fist into the robed man's mouth.
Pueeeeurk!
The robed man's teeth popped out like corn kernels. It was a measure to prevent him from using the poison hidden in his mouth.
"Uuuuurgh...."
The robed man collapsed with a grotesque groan. He seemed unable to move a finger due to the Lightning Aura Glenn had forced into him.
"Where did you come from?"
Glenn forced the robed man to kneel on the floor and tilted his chin. It was a brief question, but one that could reveal a lot.
"Kuhuk...."
The robed man didn't answer, only groaning while bent over.
"If you don't want to speak, that's fine."
Glenn nodded as if saying 'do as you please.' Red lightning flashed as the robed man flailed his limbs as if having a seizure.
"Uaaaaargh!"
Red flowers bloomed on the man's white robe. The Lightning Aura wielded by Glenn was searing his entire body, causing blood to seep through his pores.
"Huk...."
The robed man panted, his complexion turning blue as if he couldn't even breathe from the intense pain.
Karoon swallowed dryly as he watched this scene.
'He's controlling his entire body.'
Right now, Glenn was constricting the robed man's entire body with his Lightning Aura. It seemed he couldn't even control his breathing, let alone his fingers.
"You're quite a stubborn bug."
Glenn nodded with a calm gaze.
"If you want to endure, go ahead. From now on, your body is no longer yours."
"Kuhuhuh."
As he tried to twist the Lightning Aura like wire, the robed man let out a simultaneous groan and sneer.
"Then what if it's not mine?"
"Hmm."
Sensing something strange, Glenn quickly swirled the lightning energy to strengthen the pressure controlling the robed man.
"Kuhak!"
However, the robed man spewed out a vicious amount of blood from his mouth, seemingly ignoring the enhanced restraint.
"Y-Your time is running out too, Glenn Ziegha..."
The robed man muttered something incomprehensible before his breath was cut off.
"..."
Glenn didn't panic even in this unexpected situation. With a calm gaze, he reached out and slashed open the robed man's chest.
'There's something here.'
He had completely blocked the robed man's Aura and muscles, and even removed the poison hidden in his teeth, but seeing that his breath was cut off, it was clear that something was hidden in his heart.
Piiiiik!
He grasped a small moving object from within the robed man's heart, submerged in blood.
It was a centipede-like bug. It was so small that it would be invisible to the naked eye, but its teeth were grotesquely large.
"Is this a Rage Worm?"
Glenn frowned as he watched the bug go limp as if it had used up all its strength.
Although its form was slightly different from what he knew, the only bug that hides in the heart is the Rage Worm. It seemed this vicious Magic had caused the man's breath to be cut off.
'An organization that uses Rage Worms....'
Among the Five Demons, the Black Tower and Eden are capable of using Rage Worms, but there's no guarantee it's definitely them.
A new organization might have appeared, or it could be the White Blood Religion, like the color of this robe.
Glenn pulled back the robed man's hood. As expected, it was an unfamiliar face. He put down the corpse and turned his gaze to Karoon, who had fallen silent.
"F-Father...."
Karoon tried to get up, but he couldn't move due to the lack of strength in his entire body.
"How did you come here?"
"Who is this man?"
Glenn didn't answer the question, instead throwing out a new one.
"I don't know either."
Karoon glanced at the robed man who had become a corpse and shook his head.
"He approached me before, asking to join hands, but I ignored him."
"What did he say when he approached you?"
"...He said he would make me the head of house."
"Head of house? How?"
"He said he would eliminate the successor candidates one by one."
Glenn frowned as if he understood the content just from hearing that.
"Did you sell information about Raon then?"
"Huh...."
Karoon briefly smacked his lips. The fact that Glenn was asking about Raon meant he had heard all of his conversation with the man.
"That's right."
"But it seems you didn't give accurate information. What's the reason for that?"
"I thought I needed to know their identity first, so I gave them false information. But they didn't reveal their identity. They were quite skilled."
"Why didn't you take the hand of such skilled individuals?"
Glenn looked down at Karoon with cold eyes, as if that was his question.
"I..."
Karoon closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them. His face contorted as if even speaking was painful, but he forced his lips to move.
"I am the son of the Destructive King of the North. Even if I do things beyond human, I cannot betray Zieghart. As I told him, I may eliminate Zieghart with my own hands, but I have no intention of letting outsiders set foot on this land."
He revealed his true feelings as if making a vow.
"..."
Glenn didn't say anything. He just watched Karoon with the same cold gaze.
"You..."
As he was about to slowly open his mouth, Federick roughly opened the door and came in.
"W-What! Why is there a dead person here!"
Federick screamed as if he couldn't believe it.
"We need to move the hospital room. Have Karoon moved to a place near the main building."
Glenn pointed at Karoon's bed.
"Hey! At least tell me what happened before you go! Who is this guy!"
"Let's have a drink later."
He left the hospital room with those words.
Glenn approached Sheryl and Roenn who were waiting outside the hospital room and held out the corpse of the Rage Worm he had been holding.
"This is..."
Roenn narrowed his eyes as he looked at the Rage Worm that had fallen into his hand.
"It's a unique form of Rage Worm. Don't just focus on the Five Demons, investigate all factions rumored to use Rage Worms."
"Yes."
"Understood."
Unlike when they were talking about Raon, Sheryl and Roenn revealed serious gazes as they disappeared towards the Lord's Manor.
"Did they say there's no time?"
Glenn caressed the hilt of Heavenly Tremor as he cast his gaze towards the annex building.
"Your breath will be cut off before my time runs out."
I'll make you regret messing with Zieghart.
* * *
Raon stood on the lake behind the annex building and drew Heavenly Drive. As he was about to raise the sword upwards, Wrath suddenly popped out.
-Kuuuuh!
Wrath exclaimed while rubbing his plump, rounded belly.
-Home-cooked meals are indeed the best! No matter how much I eat, I never get tired of it!
He smacked his lips contentedly, indicating it was a satisfying meal.
-If only we had some bead ice cream, it would be like paradise. Someone promised to buy me tasty things for a while, I think...
Wrath, despite being a demon king, rubbed his hands while talking about paradise.
'That was last time.'
-It wasn't just once! Keep your promise!
'Sigh, let's go tomorrow.'
He quickly waved his hand, thinking that if left alone, Wrath would chat all day.
-Kuh! Now that you've become a Division Leader, your heart has grown bigger! I wonder how much more generous you'll become when you become a demon king.
'That's not going to happen.'
-You never know.
Wrath retreated into the bracelet, saying he'd see Raon tomorrow.
Raon shook his head and raised the Heavenly Drive above his head.
He swung the sword down while gently bending his wrist. The clear Sword Wind that bloomed split the moon reflected in the lake.
Chiiiiing!
A mystical phenomenon occurred as if the moon was splitting, but Raon frowned and shook his head.
"This isn't it."
The Glenn he saw today shattered Karoon's Transcendent sword strike with a monotonous sword technique that seemed like basic swordsmanship.
He was trying to recreate Glenn's Martial Prowess that seemed to weave emotion and Willpower, but naturally, it wasn't going well.
'As expected, seeing it and actually doing it are different.'
Raon clicked his tongue briefly and swung upwards the sword that had been pointing at the ground.
A sword strike like a serpent soaring into the sky to become a dragon. It was the initial form of the Azure Sky Sword that Glenn had shown.
Chiiiiiiing!
The red energy that ran up the blade surged as if to split the sky before fading away. A red tail like a comet stained the empty space.
'This isn't it either.'
Unlike my current swordsmanship, Glenn's sword was grandiose as if forming the sky itself. The difference was more than that between a long spear and a toothpick, making him chuckle wryly.
'I guess it's impossible to imitate it right away.'
No matter how much his mental world had grown, and despite having the Ring of Fire, it was impossible to immediately master the sword techniques and insights of Glenn, a Transcendent Warrior.
'Of course, that's no reason to give up.'
His real weapon wasn't the talent to imitate others, but the perseverance to repeat until he succeeds. Vowing to keep trying until he could do it, he wielded the Azure Sky Sword again.
Chiiiiing!
As he frowned because the balance was off compared to his first attempt, a heavy voice was heard from behind.
"Your posture is off."
"Huh?"
Raon swallowed dryly as he turned around. Glenn was standing in front of the lake, though it was unclear when he had arrived.
"Head of House?"
He hadn't even felt Glenn's arrival. Despite not having done anything wrong, his heart was racing.
"I, I greet the Head of House…."
"That's enough."
As Raon tried to greet him, Glenn waved his hand and walked into the lake. Despite stepping on water, there wasn't even a slight ripple on the surface, as if he was walking on solid ground.
"What brings you here, sir?"
"Ogram. That idiot said you paid off my debt in my stead."
Glenn frowned as if his pride was hurt.
Raon blinked as he looked at Glenn's subdued gaze.
'Hm?'
It seems his mood has improved a little.
Although Glenn's expression was still serious, it seemed much lighter than when he was punishing Karoon earlier.
"What you did is by no means a small matter. It wouldn't have been strange if a war had broken out between Zieghart and the Beast Union. You prevented that war."
Glenn approached with an unreadable gaze and nodded.
"You did well."
"It was nothing."
He had only wanted to save Judiel and Jubel. He shook his head, as it wasn't something he had done with such grand thoughts.
"Even if you're being modest, what you did doesn't change."
Glenn took out a book and a Golden Tablet from his chest.
"This is a manual containing interpretations of your sword techniques and the Azure Sky Sword. I've written down my own thoughts, but don't follow them blindly. Just use them as reference."
He said this while holding out the book. The distinctive smell of a new book wafted from it, as if it had been made not long ago.
"Ah..."
Raon carefully took the book and opened it.
Written in an elegant yet powerful handwriting were interpretations of the martial arts I was learning, each one detailed and meticulous. I could feel that Glenn had been watching me closely.
"With not much time left until the life-and-death match, it would be better to reflect on yourself rather than learning new sword techniques or martial arts."
"T-Thank you."
"Ahem, I didn't do this alone, so such thanks are unnecessary."
Glenn shook his head, saying that the Shadow Agents' Leader and Sheryl also worked hard on it.
"And..."
He slowly turned his back. Standing on the moon reflected in the lake, he lowered his eyes.
"Congratulations on becoming the Division Leader."
With those words, Glenn left the lake.
Raon bowed his head towards Glenn's retreating back. Strangely, the book in his hand felt warm.
* * *
The dawn at the Fifth Training Ground was busier than usual.
"Did you hear about that?"
Burren smacked his lips as he approached Martha.
"About Raon becoming the Division Leader?"
"So you already knew."
"How could I not know? The whole family is in an uproar about it."
Martha shook her head, saying one would have to be deaf not to know.
"It'll be a bit easier from now on. Now that that lazy bum of a Division Leader has stepped down."
She laughed, saying that now the Light Wind division would finally run properly.
"To be honest, anyone would be better than that Division Leader."
Burren chuckled as he looked at the platform where Rimmer used to take naps.
"Still, isn't it amazing? That someone who trained here with us is becoming the Division Leader..."
Martha drew a small smile as if recalling old memories.
"That's right. That little brat..."
Burren also stroked his chin, reminiscing about the past.
"But..."
He frowned as he followed Martha's gaze.
"How should we address Raon now?"
"What do you mean, how should we address him?"
"Until now, we called him by name and spoke casually because he was just a Vice Division Leader. He didn't mind either. But now that he's become the Division Leader..."
"Why are you even asking?"
Martha waved her hand as if to say 'what are you talking about?'
"Of course we should call him 'Division Leader' and speak respectfully."
"What?"
Burren's eyes widened as he looked at Martha. He was amazed that the person he thought would resist the most was taking the lead in saying such things.
"The Division Leader is the position that leads the division. If the chain of command breaks down, everyone's lives are at risk. Unless we meet privately, we must treat him as the Division Leader in front of the other members."
Martha recited calmly, as if she had already made up her mind.
"Division Leader Raon?"
Runaan approached stealthily and nodded.
"Yes. From now on, call Raon that way."
Martha nodded approvingly.
"Miss Rakshasa Squad Leader?"
Runaan pointed at Martha second, raising the corners of her mouth ever so slightly.
"You damn sleepyhead!"
Martha gnashed her teeth and lunged at Runaan.
"Miss Rakshasa. Don't be angry."
"Shut up!"
"Okay."
Runaan stepped back quickly, freezing the floor as she did.
Burren narrowed his eyes as he watched Martha start to rampage.
'This is unexpected.'
He thought Martha wouldn't change her attitude even if Raon became the Division Leader, since she had always spoken casually to him.
But she was the first to say they should show respect to Raon. It felt like the ill-tempered brat had grown up, and he found himself smiling without realizing it.
Kuuung!
As Burren was smiling while watching the small war between Martha and Runaan, the door of the training ground opened, and Rimmer and Raon entered together.
"Line up!"
He immediately gathered the Light Wind division and ran to the front of the platform.
Raon stood at the Division Leader's seat behind the platform, and Rimmer stepped forward.
"You've all heard, I suppose."
He smirked as he met the seemingly flushed gazes of the Light Wind division.
"As of yesterday, the Division Leader of the Light Wind division has changed."
Rimmer nodded after calmly examining all the swordsmen from the Squad Leaders to the regular members.
"I'm sorry I couldn't tell you in advance, but I thought it was time. You've worked hard following an incompetent Division Leader all this time."
"We really did work hard."
Krein shook his head as he looked at Rimmer.
"I almost want to praise myself for not being infected by that laziness."
Martha looked at Rimmer with a frown.
"You spent more days at the gambling den than clocking in here."
Burren sighed as if remembering the times he had to go around gambling dens to find Rimmer.
"I'm sleepy."
Runaan waved her hand as if telling them to hurry up.
"You brats! Read the room! At times like this, you're supposed to send me off nicely!"
Rimmer's complexion turned yellow as his vision of a beautiful farewell crumbled.
"How can we part beautifully when we remember what you've done as Division Leader?"
"And it's not like you're leaving. You're just stepping down to the Vice Division Leader position, right?"
"Isn't that the real jackpot? Doing nothing and just collecting a paycheck."
"What an enviable life."
"Enough."
Raon stepped forward, restraining the Light Wind division that had started to murmur.
"Even if he was a lazy bum, a gambler, a drunkard, and a beggar, he was still our Division Leader. Let's show some restraint."
"...You're on my side, right? Right?"
Rimmer clutched his chest as if in pain and trembled his lips.
"Even though you didn't work, didn't train, and didn't maintain anything..."
"That's enough! It hurts!"
He shook his head with an expression more pained than when he was hit by Glenn.
"Division Leader."
Raon performed a sword salute towards Rimmer with a faint smile on his lips.
"Thank you for your hard work all this time."
"Thank you for your hard work!"
At his shout, the Light Wind division also drew their swords and performed a sword salute to Rimmer.
All playfulness disappeared. A salute filled with respect and solemnity filled the Fifth Training Ground.
"Hmm..."
Rimmer looked at each of the swordsmen who were once his disciples but now his subordinates, with wavering eyes.
"You all worked hard too."
He smiled and took a step back.
"Then this old man will step back, and we should welcome the new Division Leader."
Following Rimmer's gesture, Raon stood at the front of the platform.
"This is Raon Zieghart, who has become the new Division Leader."
Raon performed a sword salute as he met the seemingly sparkling eyes of the Light Wind division.
"I look forward to working with you all."
"We look forward to working with you!"
The Light Wind division, including the Squad Leaders, roared as they raised their swords towards Raon. Their voices were twice as loud as when they had greeted Rimmer.
"...You bastards."
Rimmer turned his head sharply as if sulking.
"As the new Division Leader, my goal is to promote the Light Wind division. There will be many difficult tasks ahead, but I hope you'll follow me well."
"Yes!"
"Of course!"
When told that the goal was to promote the division, everyone in the Light Wind division nodded with bright smiles.
"Then, to commemorate becoming the Division Leader..."
"Are we having a celebration dinner?"
Krein raised his hand as if he had been waiting for this.
"We'll conduct special training."
Silence fell over the Fifth Training Ground at Raon's following words.
"...Training?"
"In this situation? In this atmosphere?"
"Our Division Leader. He really can't read the room."
Runaan, Burren, and Martha let out exasperated sighs.
"This training will be a week-long focus enhancement training conducted in the form of duels on North Grave Mountain. First, we'll divide into groups of trackers and survivors..."
Raon explained the outline of the training he had prepared to everyone. As he continued speaking, the complexion of the Light Wind division gradually turned pale.
"A week of continuous training with life-or-death duels is too much!"
Krein's eyes trembled as if terrified.
"I-I'll just die."
Dorian took out an iron hammer from his belly pouch.
"That's right..."
Burren's chin trembled.
"I had forgotten, but that human is a demon!"
"And not just an ordinary demon, but a demon king."
"The return of the demon king..."
The Light Wind division trembled, seeming to recall memories of being trained by Raon in the past.
"D-Division Leader. Please stop Raon!"
Dorian clasped his hands together as he looked at Rimmer.
"Ahaha."
Rimmer quickly shook his head.
"He's the Division Leader now. I'm busy, so I'll be going..."
As he tried to escape, Raon blocked his path.
"Where are you going?"
"Huh? I have an appointment, so I'll have to skip..."
"This training is for all members of the Light Wind division. That means the Vice Division Leader must participate too."
Raon grabbed Rimmer's wrist with a chilling smile.
"Ah..."
Rimmer let out a sigh as he looked at Raon's hand gripping him like handcuffs.
"W-Where is there such a thing! I'm the Vice Division Leader..."
"Here."
Raon grinned and shook his head.
"From now on, the Vice Division Leader will participate in all training sessions."
"W-Wait a moment, this isn't what I wanted! Let go! I said let go! I don't want to be Vice Division Leader!"
He had intended to just receive a salary with the title of Vice Division Leader and enjoy an easy life, but he never imagined he'd be dragged into training like this.
"It's too late."
"You demon spawn!"