Chapter 39

"Huff."

After performing all twelve forms of the Garan stepping technique, Raon let out a light breath.

'Not bad.'

His body moved just as he had envisioned the posture and flow of the stepping technique in his mind.

It felt like he was observing himself from an outsider's perspective.

It seemed that using the Ring of Fire to first grasp the flow before moving the body would be a good approach when practicing martial arts in the future.

"Hmm?"

Raon narrowed his eyes. The training ground, which should have been noisy with the practice of the stepping technique, was as quiet as a library.

Feeling a strange gaze, Raon turned around.

"Damn…"

"What, what is it…"

Burren and Martha were standing with their mouths agape, half in a daze, and Ruan was shaking his clenched fist, his lips forming the words "tell me."

It wasn't just them; the eyes of all the trainees and instructors in the training ground were wide open, as if they were about to pop out.

"Why…"

"Raon."

Raon turned around again at the call filled with surprise. Rimer, who had been lying on the platform, was now standing in front of him.

"Did you know the Garan stepping technique?"

His green eyes trembled like a plucked harp string, clearly showing his surprise.

"No, I saw it for the first time."

He had only heard of the Garan stepping technique, but the flow was similar to the Shadow Stepping technique he had learned in his previous life.

"But how…"

Though Rimer had left out many details, his expression made it clear what he was trying to say.

"What can I say…"

Raon rubbed his lips and smiled faintly.

"I could read the flow."

"Read the flow?"

"Yes. When the instructor demonstrated the stepping technique, I didn't focus on the posture and sequence but on the flow."

The flow of the Garan stepping technique was similar to the Shadow Stepping technique he had learned in his previous life, making it easy for him to grasp its essence.

"Instead of the trees, I looked at the forest as a whole, and I could see how the stepping technique flowed."

"Ha, really."

Rimer, seemingly at a loss for words, grabbed his head and let out a sigh of admiration.

"I thought it would take at least a week."

He muttered that he hadn't expected the technique he had found with great difficulty to be cracked so easily.

"I'm sorry."

"No, no. There's nothing to be sorry about. I'm just surprised."

"Hmm…"

Raon silently licked his lips.

'Did I do it too quickly?'

He had simply felt the flow and recreated it, but he hadn't expected such a reaction.

'Well, I was confident in my stepping technique even in my previous life.'

Although he wasn't a master in combat in his previous life as an assassin, his stepping technique was on par with that of a master.

-How can humans be so pitiful, marveling at such a simple step? When I was in the Demon Realm, the Ice Flower Step I created could freeze a mountain and a sea with a single step….

'Ah, yes.'

He abruptly pushed away Las, who had suddenly appeared to boast.

"Cough."

Rimer cleared his throat, crossed his arms, and turned around.

"Indeed, for a first attempt, you did well, but your posture is still lacking. Focus on each form. If you have any questions, ask the instructors, not me."

"Understood."

Raon nodded and turned around. He could feel the many areas that needed improvement, as it was his first time performing it.

"Wow!"

"Teach that?"

"You seem to be doing better than me…"

The instructors shook their heads, their faces twisted in dismay, with their eyebrows drooping to their cheeks.

* * *

After finishing the practice of the Garan stepping technique, Martha left the training ground with the butler Kamel.

"That stepping technique looked good."

Kamel scratched his chin and smiled.

"It's suitable for building a foundation before learning your master's stepping technique. It would be good to master it properly."

"Got it."

Martha nodded slightly as she walked toward the main building.

"Miss, is something bothering you?"

Kamel, sensing that she was different from usual, moved to her side.

"Hmm…"

Martha, who had been silent, wrinkled her nose and turned her head.

"How difficult was it to learn that stepping technique?"

"Hmm, it's clearly a basic stepping technique, but the flow is quite complex, making it not easy to learn."

Kamel closed his eyes for a moment and then opened them.

"Given your talent for stepping techniques, you should be able to grasp the flow in about four days."

"Four days? Damn…"

Martha shook her head, her eyes filled with disbelief.

"Miss?"

"Can a trainee learn it in one go?"

"Experts who have reached a high level can mimic it on the spot, but it's impossible for a trainee. They lack the theoretical knowledge, experience, and depth in martial arts."

"But there's a kid who did it."

"What? What do you mean…"

Kamel's eyes widened.

'Is that possible?'

Even if the Garan stepping technique is a basic one, the flow of martial arts it contains is intricate.

For a trainee to learn it immediately, unless they were a monster who had been practicing stepping techniques since birth, it was impossible.

He looked at Martha's face, still showing surprise.

At the sight, the name of a trainee flashed through his mind.

"Could that trainee be Lord Raon?"

"Who else but that crazy guy."

"What, what…"

Kamel covered his mouth to prevent a curse from escaping, barely managing to hold it back.

"Can you explain the situation?"

"After the demonstration of the stepping technique, everyone started practicing. That kid closed his eyes and stood still until the end of the training time. After that…"

Martha told Kamel about the astonishing scene she had witnessed in the training ground.

"Wow…"

Kamel shook his head.

'He must have been visualizing the Garan stepping technique in his mind.'

'At his age, to be able to use visualization…'

He had thought the kid was just exceptionally talented. It was as if a new light had been cast on the annex.

But no.

Raon Ziegfried was a monster who could bridge the gap between the main building and the annex.

'I need to report this immediately.'

This was very important information. After taking Martha to the main building, he would need to tell Deneir about this.

"Hmm?"

As he walked, he noticed Martha was no longer beside him. Turning around, he saw her walking behind him with her head down.

'Tsk. I was too insensitive.'

It hadn't been long since Martha had been defeated by Raon, and he had been too insensitive.

"Miss, your talent and Lord Raon's are different. It's not about who is higher or lower…"

As Kamel tried to offer words of encouragement, he met Martha's eyes, which were now raised, and fell silent.

'Those eyes.'

Martha's eyes were not those of a loser.

They were the eyes of a challenger.

A beast ready to tear into the back of the one ahead, the eyes of a challenger.

And those eyes were the same as the ones she had when he first met her at the Blood Sect's branch.

"I'm glad."

Martha smiled, a twisted smile that sent shivers down his spine.

"That the one who beat me wasn't a fake."

The fierce smile that emerged from her delicate features sent shivers down his spine.

'I was wrong.'

Kamel swallowed dryly. Martha wasn't disappointed by the talent gap between her and Raon.

She was feeling a thrill at the thought of defeating the strong and talented Raon.

Martha was the kind of person who didn't need to be worried about or thought about.

"Miss."

Kamel bowed, and Martha walked past him.

Seeing her small but confident back and her determined steps, he could see her future.

A beautiful and terrifying swordsman, standing on the highest throne, looking down on the world.

* * *

"…That's how it happened. Is it even possible to learn a stepping technique in one's mind at that age? Lord Ziegfried's grandson is definitely a genius!"

Rimer grinned as he looked at the Tiger Rock on North Mountain, where he often met Glen.

"Are you the butler of that kid? You always talk about him whenever we meet."

A solemn voice poured out from atop the rock, revealing Glen's expressionless face.

"I'm just satisfying Lord's curiosity."

Rimer maintained his smile despite Glen's cold demeanor.

"Isn't it amazing that the kid learned the stepping technique through visualization?"

"A real visualization is unlikely. To learn martial arts through visualization, one needs to be at least an Expert of the highest level."

Glen waved his hand lightly, but the corners of his mouth trembled slightly.

"The kid must have read the flow of the stepping technique, as you said. The Garan stepping technique is centered around its flow."

"Still, isn't that impressive? Where would you find such a kid!"

"…"

Glen didn't respond, just standing with his arms crossed, looking down at the main building below the mountain.

"You seem pleased. I'm glad I came to tell you."

Rimer glanced at Glen's expression and smiled.

"Be quiet. If you're done talking, go down. I always tell you to pay attention to the other kids."

"Do you not trust me? I'm a Blade Knight. A Blade Knight. I know what I'm doing."

"A dying man being a Blade Knight is ridiculous."

Glen waved his hand as if he was annoyed, but Rimer leaned against the Tiger Rock and didn't move.

"Hmm, the servants of the main building seem busier than usual. What are they preparing?"

Rimer whistled, watching the people moving busily in the main building.

"It's not preparation. Some visitors are coming."

"Visitors?"

"A delegation from Owen Kingdom is scheduled to arrive in a few days."

"The delegation from Owen Kingdom…"

Rimer narrowed his eyes. Owen, located in the center of the continent, was one of the Six Princes alongside Ziegfried.

"Of course."

Ziegfried had almost no allies. It was strange to hear that visitors were coming, but the only one with any connection was the Owen Kingdom.

"Who is the representative of the delegation?"

"They say it's the Third Prince, but in reality, it's Duke Tartan."

"Oh, that crazy guy finally became a duke."

A fierce smile appeared on Rimer's face at the mention of Duke Tartan.

"Wait! If it's the Third Prince of Karten, isn't he still young? He should be around Raon's or Burren's age…"

"I don't know. I didn't care enough to find out."

"I see."

Rimer nodded. As long as the King of Owen wasn't coming, there was no need for Glen to be interested.

"Tell the trainees to maintain a proper posture so they can be confident whenever they are seen."

"What? Us too?"

"Along with the Third Prince, the kingdom's training knights are coming. They want to observe the training of the swordsmen and trainees."

"Did you allow it?"

"Of course."

Glen's deep, red gaze turned to Rimer.

"If they show weakness, they are not Ziegfried's swords. We do not hide or run."

"…I haven't heard that in a long time."

Rimer smiled wistfully, recalling how he used to hear it every day.

"If you've satisfied your curiosity, go down. How long will the head instructor be absent from the training ground?"

Glen frowned, his lips curling.

"Yes, sir!"

Rimer saluted, bowed, and turned to leave. He suddenly stopped.

"Hmm…"

He licked his lips, looking at the distant Fifth Training Ground.

'The Third Prince and the training knights…'

Hearing that there would be kids Raon's age in the Owen Kingdom delegation, a good idea flashed through his mind.

Rimer turned to look at Glen and grinned.

"That expression. You're thinking of something strange again."

Glen wrinkled his nose as if he had seen something he shouldn't.

"No, it's not strange."

Rimer shook his head, his smile becoming even more sly.

"It will be helpful for the young sprouts of Ziegfried."