Chapter 86

Raon held his breath.

'It’s a stroke of luck.'

If it were a footwork technique personally taught by the continent’s strongest warrior, it would be an unparalleled stroke of luck, something that couldn’t be obtained with just a piece of paper.

If this were to become public, it would cause a huge stir throughout Zeigerhardt.

Roar!

He resonated the rings of fire. His slightly dazed mind became as clear as if doused with cold water.

"Seems you’re ready. Let’s begin then."

Glen’s foot cut through the soft moonlight on the floor.

Though his movements were as leisurely as if he were out for a stroll, it was impossible to grasp their flow.

On the left, it bloomed like a flame, and on the right, it flowed like water. The strange flow created by his feet made it hard to breathe.

Glen’s footwork was incredibly intricate. It was fast, yet slow, soft, yet firm.

'I have to watch until the end.'

He couldn’t give up just because it was difficult. Even if he could only grasp a fraction of Glen’s teachings, it would be a significant gain.

Raon watched without blinking until Glen’s feet stopped.

It was a short, yet mesmerizing time. When Glen stopped in front of Raon, his breathing was still calm, and not a single piece of his clothing was out of place, despite having shown the ancient footwork.

"Did you see it?"

His sharp, red eyes, like those of a beast, asked if Raon had seen it properly, if he had grasped it.

"…I’m sorry. I didn’t see it."

Raon bit his lip and bowed. It was a footwork technique of a completely different level, a martial art that couldn’t be grasped with just the four rings of fire.

"……"

Glen showed no particular reaction, as if he had expected this. He only looked down at Raon with a cold, indifferent gaze.

"Try to do as much as you can."

He pointed to the floor with his hand and stepped back, indicating that Raon should attempt the footwork.

'I’ll disappoint him.'

He had seen many flows and felt deep martial arts, but what he could perform now was just a speck. He could already see the cold look in Glen’s eyes.

'Then…'

Raon bit his lip slightly. Instead of showing many things poorly, he decided to recreate the most impressive part.

'That is.'

The first step.

From an unusual stance with his right foot forward and his left foot back, he took the first step.

He decided to recreate that step, which had cut through the moonlight and pierced the space.

"Hmm…"

Raon extended his right foot forward and his left foot back, with a shoulder-width gap between them. This was the exact stance he had observed while rotating the rings of fire, just as Glen had done.

'That step contained everything.'

It was fast, slow, strong, soft, and unpredictable. It was a step that could go anywhere.

He lifted his left foot.

He extended it forward, incorporating the essence of the martial arts he had felt from Glen’s footwork and the knowledge he had accumulated.

Thud!

The golden moonlight on the floor distorted into a triangle, and a deep resonance echoed throughout the audience chamber.

Though his step was incomparably weaker than Glen’s, the flow was not much different.

It was a first step that could move in any direction, in any way.

"……"

"Huh!"

Glen’s eyes narrowed, and Roen’s mouth opened.

"Hmm…"

Raon exhaled and closed his eyes. Just taking one step had made him dizzy. He must have been too tense and focused.

"Is that all you can do with one step?"

Glen turned his body and looked at Raon’s left foot in front of him.

"Yes."

Raon opened his eyes and answered succinctly.

"Didn’t you see more?"

"I can’t even follow a tenth of what you showed."

"Can’t follow it?"

"The footwork you showed was like the steps of a god, containing too much for me to grasp."

"Then was the first step the easiest?"

Glen’s voice became as cold as a winter wind.

"No."

Raon continued, looking at his extended left foot.

"The first step you showed was the most important and impressive. It was deeply etched in my mind, so I thought I should try to follow it."

"Why do you think the first step was the most important?"

"Because it can move in any direction, at any moment, in any way. It felt like the steps of an omnipotent being, and I can still picture that step."

It was impossible to deceive Glen with martial arts. He spoke honestly about what he had felt.

"Hmm."

Glen nodded slightly and spread his legs. Though his expression remained unchanged, the atmosphere in the audience chamber felt a bit softer.

"You have a good sense."

He took the same stance as before, with his left foot back and his right foot forward.

"The footwork I showed you is called Taehwa. You’ve understood that the first step, ‘Jincheon,’ is the most important, so you’re halfway there."

With a calm voice, he took another step. The moment he saw that step, which could go anywhere in the world, his hair stood on end.

Whoosh!

His dantian vibrated, and aura arose. It surged through his mana circuits, driving his body.

Boom!

Without realizing it, Raon perfectly recreated the Jincheon step of Taehwa that Glen had shown.

"Better than before."

Glen nodded expressionlessly and turned around, returning to the dais and sinking back into the throne.

"The reward I’ll give you ends here."

"Is it just that first step?"

"Much was shown, but you only took one step."

He closed his eyes, seemingly with nothing more to say.

"…I understand. Thank you."

Raon nodded, his mouth dry. Though he hadn’t gained much, just knowing about such a footwork technique was enlightening.

"Take this with you."

Glen threw something he had been holding. Raon caught the red gem that fell to his chest.

"Ah."

It was the goblin king’s mana stone he had given to Glen earlier.

"Every item has its rightful owner. Since you obtained it, you should take it."

He shook his hand as if to show he had no attachment and closed his eyes again.

"Wrap it in this."

Roen handed him a black cloth that blocked the mana stone’s aura.

"Thank you."

Raon wrapped the goblin king’s mana stone in the cloth and put it in his pocket.

'He’s giving it back…'

He had thought it would be used for research, destroyed, or stored in a warehouse. He hadn’t expected it to be returned.

Every movement of that person was beyond his expectations.

"Go now."

"Yes. Thank you."

Raon stepped back. As he was about to open the door, he felt a bit awkward, remembering all he had received.

"Um…"

"What is it?"

"Be, be healthy."

Honestly, he had no idea what to say, so he gave the most basic greeting to an elder and bowed.

"……"

Glen said nothing, his expression furrowed, and Roen covered his mouth, trembling.

"…I’ll go now."

He exhaled and left the audience chamber. He must have chosen the wrong words.

'Be healthy! Even that sharp mind of yours becomes a rock at times!'

'Ugh…'

He had never spoken sincerely to elders before, so he didn’t know what to say.

"Sigh."

As he walked down the corridor of the patriarch’s hall, a new message appeared before his eyes.

[<Rings of Fire> have observed the perfect <Taehwa>.]

[<Taehwa> acquisition is accelerated.]

* * *

The audience chamber, where Raon had left, was still filled with moonlight.

Roen looked at the moonlight on the floor and then raised his head.

"I didn’t expect you to show Taehwa."

He knew Glen cared for Raon, so he had expected a special reward, but he hadn’t imagined it would be Taehwa.

'Taehwa is a footwork technique created by the patriarch himself.'

Taehwa was the first footwork technique Glen Zieghardt had created after leaving the demon realm.

It was something that couldn’t be obtained with a gold medal and hadn’t been taught even to his sons. Glen’s care for Raon was beyond expectations.

"Did you see it?"

Glen slowly opened his eyes. Unlike a moment ago, when his eyes were cold, they now had a warm glow.

"He followed Jincheon after just two views."

"Really?"

"Raon. That kid took half of Taehwa after just two views. Isn’t that impressive?"

His eyes weren’t the only thing; his voice was a tone higher than usual, and his lips were tightly curled.

"Hmm…"

Roen’s mouth dropped open. Having lived as Glen’s shadow for decades, this was the first time he had seen the man so pleased since the birth of the first son.

"Cutting the Green Flame Demon and surviving the Blood Demon weren’t just luck. His perception, control of his body and aura, are not at the level of an ordinary person."

"That’s true."

Shockingly, Raon had grasped the essence of Taehwa in this short moment.

"But what really touches me is something else."

The smile on Glen’s lips deepened.

"You mean his judgment. It’s astonishing. A 15-year-old kid grasping what’s important and what to discard. I would have liked to raise him if given the chance."

"I’m not just talking about today."

"Then…"

"Blocking the Blood Demon to save everyone."

Glen looked at the carpet where Raon’s footsteps had left a faint mark.

"Raon has a good sense. He must have realized he couldn’t win the moment he saw the Blood Demon."

"That’s right."

"Yet, he held his ground until the end. Even with his body broken from saving the village chief, he didn’t back down, buying time for the villagers and trainees to escape."

If Raon hadn’t held his ground, the village and the trainees would have been reduced to blood under the Blood Demon’s grasp.

There aren’t many who would sacrifice themselves for others in a life-or-death situation. And if that person is a 15-year-old, you could count them on one hand across the entire continent.

The fact that such a remarkable person was his grandson made him smile involuntarily.

"It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you smile like that."

Roen smiled.

"Cough, what’s there to be happy about."

Glen’s lips drooped instantly, making him look even older than usual.

"Destroying a branch of the White Blood Sect alone and returning, and Raon cutting the Green Flame Demon. What a series of good news."

"What? It’s not that special or impressive."

Glen’s lips curled up slightly again at the praise for his grandsons.

"Hmm."

Roen nodded, a smile still on his lips.

"By the way, when Raon said ‘be healthy’ just now, you couldn’t hold back your smile. If you want to act cool, you should…."

"It’s not an act!"

Glen rarely shouted, but Roen’s smile didn’t fade.

* * *

"What is this?"

Raon pointed to the message he had seen earlier as he returned to the annex.

Hoo.

Ras, who had been hanging on the bracelet like a parrot, soared into the air.

-It’s learning.

"Learning?"

-When I was in the demon realm, I created this system to learn the techniques of those with special abilities or outstanding martial arts. Seeing this, I’m reminded of something. Among those who dared to challenge me….

"In short, it means my learning ability has improved."

-Don’t interrupt me!

"Anyway, it’s correct, right?"

-Hmm, close enough.

"How do I use it?"

-Do you think I would tell you? If you want to experience my wrath