"Ah..."
Bulrant's headless corpse collapsed like a piece of dried firewood.
"Huh...?"
"Aaaargh!"
"M-Master!"
"N-No..."
The Black Flag Brigade screamed and wailed at the sight of Bulrant's corpse.
"Light Wind Division."
Raon made eye contact with the Light Wind Division waiting behind him.
"Kill them all."
These bandits here are human scum who massacred innocent people and tried to burn them. They weren't worth keeping alive.
"We obey your command."
The Light Wind Division revealed cold eyes, as if their personalities had changed from when they were at the fifth training ground, and raised their blades towards the Black Flag Brigade.
Slash!
The swords of the Light Wind Division, perfected as martial artists through countless real battles, sliced through the bandits' necks without the slightest hesitation.
"P-Please spare us!"
"We'll retreat immediately!"
"S-Stop! I said stop!"
The Black Flag Brigade begged for their lives and fell to their knees, but the swords of the Light Wind Division, following Raon's orders, didn't stop until the last bandit was cut down.
Raon stepped over the decapitated body of the bandit leader and approached an old man coughing up blood from his abdomen.
'It's a terrible wound.'
Not only was the wound severe, but the old man was also weak, and the bleeding was too severe to be treated by simply pouring holy power into it.
However, this old man was a righteous person who didn't give in to the bandits' threats and tried to save the village until the end, so Raon wanted to save him.
Whoosh!
He summoned the Divinity Born from Darkness and concentrated it in his palm.
Using the insight gained from his experience with the Siran Tribe, he shaped the holy power into the form of needles and thread.
"S-Swordsman!"
"Please save the village chief!"
"We beg you!"
The villagers, despite being stabbed and injured themselves, knelt down and begged for the village chief to be saved first. It showed what kind of person the village chief was.
"I'll do my best."
Raon resonated the Ring of Fire. He raised his concentration as if entering the realm of Transcendence.
He pushed in the holy power, removing dead blood and examining the organs, but the bleeding continued as if all the blood vessels had burst, making it difficult to stop even with holy power.
'Damn. I need to stop the bleeding first...'
There are too many torn blood vessels.
Although he had learned some medical skills, it was his first time healing organ damage of this level, so cold sweat dripped from his forehead.
"Let me take a look."
As he was frowning and consuming only holy power, Martha approached from the side.
"It's here."
She put her hand, sprinkled with Holy Water, into the village chief's abdomen and directly found the area where the bleeding was severe.
"Connect this blood vessel first. The other areas still have some time."
"Got it."
Raon nodded. Trusting Martha, he used the needles and thread shaped from holy power to stitch the village chief's blood vessels.
As she said, once he secured the first blood vessel, the bleeding noticeably decreased, allowing him time to examine other organs. He used the remaining holy power to close the wounds on the organs and fill in the flesh.
"Ugh..."
Color slowly returned to the village chief's face, which had been pale as if he were about to die. He slowly lifted his eyelids.
"I... I..."
"Village chief!"
"Ah!"
The villagers ran to the awakened village chief, sobbing.
"Wasn't I dead?"
"These swordsmen saved you!"
"They seem to be from Zieghart."
"I see..."
As soon as the village chief heard the villagers' words, he struggled to move his limbs as if trying to get up.
"You need to rest for now."
Raon pressed down on the village chief's shoulders, laying him back on the ground.
"Hmm..."
The village chief expressed his gratitude with wavering eyes, conveying deeper emotions than a mere bow could express.
"Th-Thank you so much for saving our village. I really don't know how to express my gratitude."
He was more grateful for saving the villagers than for his own life. He was exactly the kind of person Raon had thought he was.
"We're not even affiliated with Zieghart…."
"That's not important."
As the village chief said, this village is outside Zieghart's territory. However, that's not a reason not to save them.
If he ignored those dying innocently before his eyes just because the situation was urgent, he would be no different from Derus Robert.
"Just in case, stay within Zieghart's territory until this matter is resolved. There's a village under our protection just north of here, so it shouldn't be hard to find."
"I-Is it really okay? We haven't done anything for Zieghart."
"Don't worry about it."
Raon shook his head with a faint smile.
"Ah, I-I'd like to give you something, but everything's been burned..."
The village chief raised his head with difficulty. He bit his lip as he looked at the apple trees reduced to ashes.
"Then please send us some apples after you've revived the forest."
Raon applied medicine to the village chief's abdomen and shook his head.
"That will be enough."
"Ah..."
The village chief couldn't continue speaking, his eyes wide as if he hadn't expected Raon to ask only for apples.
"Dorian."
Raon gestured to Dorian, who had finished cleaning up behind them.
"Yes!"
Dorian approached and bowed his head.
"Guide these people to Simon Village."
"Understood!"
He nodded and carefully picked up the village chief on his back.
"Please gather only your valuable possessions and follow me!"
Dorian put some usable items from the burnt belongings into his pouch and headed north with the villagers.
Raon watched the villagers following Dorian, then turned around. He approached Martha, who was looking at her own hands, and nodded slightly.
"Thanks. I was able to save him because of you."
"It was nothing."
Martha calmly shook her head, lowering her blood-soaked hands. She kept her formal speech, as if trying to keep her promise.
"Have you been studying medicine all this time?"
"I visited the Saint whenever I had time and learned bit by bit."
It seemed she had been continuously studying medicine until now, as if her words about wanting to heal everyone's injuries after the Orgoth attack were true.
"It feels strange to save lives with the same hands that once took them."
Martha stared at her hands for a long time. Her tense lips seemed to relax slightly.
-Kuu!
Wrath let out an exclamation as if he had just devoured a mouthful of beef. (E/N: I have no idea what this looks like...)
-Indeed, she's a beef girl! She's worthy of being this king's subordinate!
He nodded as if pleased with Martha's spiritual growth.
'She doesn't even know you exist.'
-It doesn't matter! A true king merely observes the growth of his subordinates.
Wrath spoke like a demon king for the first time in a while and curled up the corners of his mouth.
Whoosh!
As Raon smiled at the sight of Wrath's gently swaying tail, he heard the sound of wind from behind.
"Division Leader."
Mark Goetun approached with rough steps like a wild bull and prostrated himself. The Light Wind Division swordsmen who came with him also bowed their heads.
"As per the Black Market's information, there were martial artists occupying Kuben Village. We've dealt with all of them and returned."
"Good work."
Raon nodded at Mark Goetun.
"We're done here too."
This time, Rimmer walked down from the northeast. He waved his hand as if tired.
"Ugh, I don't know why these weak bastards are so persistent."
"Good work."
Raon smiled faintly as he watched Rimmer trudge along.
'Now it's all over.'
The first information Raon had requested from Denning Rose wasn't the location of the Demon Sword Master, but the locations of villages near Zieghart's territory that had been harmed by martial artists blinded by greed.
The Light Wind Division's mission wasn't the Sword Saint's Tomb, but patrolling and protecting the territory. Raon had seen too many ordinary people dying at the hands of martial artists blinded by treasure, so he wanted to solve this problem first.
"We've saved five villages so far. Is that all of them?"
Burren shook the blood off his sword and approached.
"If the Black Market's information is accurate, that should be all."
Martha nodded with a calm expression.
"..."
Runaan stared at Martha with blank eyes.
"What! If you have something to say, say it!"
Martha frowned as if displeased.
"Thanks for the cold but warm treatment."
Runaan clasped her hands together as she looked at Martha.
"Kind Miss Rakshasa."
"Shut up! You idiot!"
Martha lunged at Runaan as if she had never been calm.
Swish!
Just as the two were about to clash, a man in a gray robe rose from the shadows on the ground.
"Greetings to the Light Wind Division Leader."
He bowed with his hand on his chest. He was a direct agent of Denning Rose, providing real-time information from the Black Market.
"Are there no other villages suffering damage?"
"No. The martial artists have moved west following the Demon Sword Master, so there are no more villages with incidents."
The agent nodded, saying everything had been taken care of thanks to the Light Wind Division.
Raon turned around. He gestured with his chin at the Light Wind Division, who revealed cold eyes.
"Now the real thing begins. Are you ready?"
"Yes!"
The Light Wind Division recited neither too loudly nor too softly. After meeting eyes that showed an appropriate mix of confidence and tension, Raon nodded.
Raon smiled as he caressed the hilt of the Heavenly Drive. He clenched his jaw as he felt the currents of killing intent and desire coming from the west.
"Please guide us to where the Demon Sword Master is."
* * *
Raon and the Light Wind Division moved west, following the Black Market agent.
When they arrived at the strange terrain where forest and desert mixed after leaving the territories of Zieghart and Balkar, they found their view blocked by a wall of people.
"There's so many of them."
Martha frowned as if fed up with the crowd.
"Even if they're a motley crew, the numbers are overwhelming."
Burren also shook his head as if he hadn't expected so many people to gather.
"Ugh."
Runaan yawned briefly as if uninterested.
Raon narrowed his eyes as he looked at those who had stopped, unable to enter the desert.
'Someone's blocking the way.'
Among the martial artists and magicians waiting for an opportunity in front of the desert, there were no particularly strong individuals.
The real masters seemed to be hiding their abilities, watching from the corners of the forest and desert.
'On the other hand...'
Those blocking their path are masters.
The reason this crowd couldn't enter the desert wasn't due to a lack of order, but because of those blocking the way in front.
Judging by how they were holding back such a large number of people, they seemed to be quite powerful.
"Tsk tsk. They're so full of greed."
Rimmer clicked his tongue as he watched the people desperately trying to get inside.
"The most important thing in life is to abandon greed."
Raon and the Light Wind Division turned around simultaneously at his muttering.
-What nonsense is that pointy-ear spouting?
'No idea.'
Even Wrath revealed a blank expression as if wondering what nonsense Rimmer was talking about.
"What? It's true, isn't it!"
"It would be right if it wasn't coming from you, Division Leader."
Martha shook her head as if exasperated.
As Raon chuckled, a middle-aged man wearing a hood descended with a light breeze.
"Lord Raon."
"It's you, Lisurn."
It was Lisurn, the Black Market agent who had guided them to the Siran Tribe. Raon had heard he was tracking the Demon Sword Master, and it seemed he had followed them here.
"You recognize me even though I've changed my appearance."
Lisurn smiled awkwardly as he removed his hood.
"Your aura is the same."
"Ha, I guess there's no point in hiding my aura or disguising myself in front of you, Lord Raon."
He shook his head and stepped forward.
"There's no time for pleasantries, so I'll explain the situation right away."
Lisurn adopted a polite manner as if he belonged to Zieghart rather than the Black Market.
"Those blocking the way in front of that crowd are swordsmen from the Holy Sword Alliance and demonized humans from the Black Tower."
"The Black Tower?"
"Yes. They're subordinates of the Floor Master, Glacial Wraith."
"It seems the Holy Sword Alliance and the Black Tower have joined hands."
Previously, when the Leader of the Holy Sword Alliance attacked the Five Divine Orders, the Black Tower attacked Balkar. It seemed they were still maintaining an alliance.
"It appears so."
Lisurn nodded, indicating his thoughts were similar.
"Where are the Demon Sword Master and Glacial Wraith?"
"They're battling the Void Sword Division Leader of Zieghart and Lightning Decay Barfil of Balkar inside the desert. It seems they're searching for the Sword Saint's Tomb while fighting."
He explained the situation immediately, as if he had been observing everything around here.
"Among those blocking the way now, the strong ones are Luciton, the Deputy Demon Sword Master of the Demon Sword Squad, and Belusian, the Deputy Floor Master. Due to the overwhelming martial prowess of these two monsters, the others can't even set foot in the desert."
Lisurn shook his head as he looked at the people hesitating due to the blocked path.
"There seem to be quite a few hidden masters as well."
"Yes. However, they don't seem to intend to move until the tomb is discovered."
Lisurn smacked his lips as if he had noticed the presence of hidden experts here and there.
"What will you do?"
He bowed his head as if ready to follow whatever Raon decided.
Raon looked back. The Light Wind Division had calm gazes as if ready to follow any order.
'In the past, I would have hidden like the others.'
In his past life, he would have hidden and waited for an opportunity like the others,
But in this life, he had earned the name Raon Zieghart, Light Wind Division Leader. There was no need to hide anymore.
It was the perfect time to make known the name of the newly forged Light Wind Division.
"We'll break through."
With those words, Raon moved forward first.
Thud.
The martial artists who had been focused only on what was ahead naturally turned and stepped back at the heavy footsteps pressing down on the earth and the powerful aura blazing beneath them.
"Ah..."
"W-What..."
"W-Why are you pushing like this!"
The martial artists opened a path while jostling and bumping into each other. They looked as if they didn't understand why they were stepping back.
"Huh? That's..."
"Zieghart's emblem?"
"Golden hair and red eyes... Could it be!"
"That's right. It's R-Raon Zieghart."
"The Mad Dog... No, the Light Wind Division!"
The martial artists recognized Raon and the Light Wind Division, swallowing dry saliva as they stepped back.
As they passed through the crowd that parted like an ebbing tide, a middle-aged swordsman holding a thin sword and a woman with dark circles under her eyes came into view.
"Hmm?"
"That's..."
The two also frowned as if they recognized Raon and the Light Wind Division.
"Raon Zieghart. The Dragon Slayer, is it?"
Luciton, the Deputy Demon Sword Master, licked his lips as he looked at Raon.
"This area is off-limits."
Belusian narrowed her eyes tensely and flexed her fingers.
"..."
Raon continued walking, seemingly ignoring their words.
"Let him be."
Luciton waved his hand at Belusian, who was about to lunge at Raon.
"I've been curious, actually."
He tilted his head, revealing an intriguing look in his eyes.
"Whether he's really strong or not."
"What do you mean? He's the Dragon Slayer!"
Belusian frowned as she looked at Luciton.
"Think about it. When he killed Cloud, Alice Zieghart was there, and when he slew the Blue Dragon, that monster was also beside him."
"Huh? Then..."
"That's right. Alice Zieghart gave him the credit. Does that level of martial prowess make sense for a 21-year-old?"
Luciton smirked as if he knew Raon's secret.
"He can't do anything on his own."
"Certainly..."
Belusian also smiled, seeming to trust Luciton's words.
"So what do you intend to do?"
Raon stopped in front of Luciton and Belusian.
It was true that such rumors had been circulating lately. For the sake of the newly refined Light Wind Division, he needed to clearly demonstrate his martial prowess here.
"What do you mean! I'm going to put an end to those false rumors about you right here! If you manage to defeat me, I'll spread your fame even in death!"
Luciton charged forward with a fierce aura, as if certain of his victory.
His thin blade flashed faintly as it rushed towards Raon's throat, as if piercing through space.
Swish!
Belusian, as if in sync with him, lunged from the left, thrusting forward her nails burning with dark energy.
Their combined attack formed a rough harmony, as if this wasn't the first time they had fought together.
Raon slowly lowered his hand to grasp the hilt of the Heavenly Drive. He lifted the sword while lightly extending his left foot, as if taking a casual stroll.
Shing!
The sword technique that surged forth, raising a blue wind, drew a clear light between Belusian's demonic energy and Luciton's sword strike.
Slash!
Luciton's sword and Belusian's nails split simultaneously, and red lines were drawn on both their necks.
Thud.
Before even a single breath could be exhaled, Luciton and Belusian's heads fell off.
The Heavenly Drive, which had drawn an elegant trajectory as if transcending reality, settled down with a faint light.
"There's no need to spread rumors."
Raon stepped over the two corpses, shaking off the blood droplets from the Heavenly Drive.
"Cheap mouths only spread cheap rumors."