Chapter 95

"Madam, I can't watch."

Helen couldn't open her eyes even before the duel began. She was so tense that she couldn't breathe, thinking of how Raon, whom she had treated like a son since birth, was about to duel with the notorious Rayden.

"Still, you have to watch."

Unlike Helen, Sylvia had her eyes wide open, staring at Raon.

"He's fighting for us."

Helen cautiously opened her eyes. Raon was standing in the center of the training ground, warming up. Seeing his usual self, she felt a bit less tense.

"Phew, still, I'm so nervous. How do you...?"

She turned her head to look at Sylvia and her eyes widened. Sylvia's hands were trembling so much that the railing was shaking.

"Madam..."

Helen barely held back her tears. Sylvia was more nervous and trembling but was trying her best not to show it.

Knowing her difficult childhood, Helen felt both proud and sympathetic.

'When will she be happy...?'

Sylvia and Raon both made her feel so sorry that she couldn't bear it. If she had the power, she would want to take them both away from here.

"It'll be fine."

Judeil looked at the two women with a calm gaze.

"Master has been preparing day and night for Rayden's sword techniques. He will surely show everyone here a shocking performance."

"Well, if that happens, there's nothing more to wish for..."

"Right, Helen. Let's think that way. Thank you."

Sylvia nodded gratefully at Judeil.

"Come on, hold hands. Hands."

"Huh?"

"Hold hands, and let's pray for Raon to win."

Sylvia took Helen's hand first. Helen, with a bewildered expression, took Judeil's hand, who was sitting next to her. In this way, all the maids of the annex held hands.

"Hmm..."

Judeil shook his head, feeling Helen's and another maid's trembling, sweaty hands.

'There's really no need to worry at all.'

Raon is a monster.

Compared to the many strong opponents he has faced so far, his power is certainly weak. But his temperament is different.

The look in Raon's eyes that night is something he will never forget. The fear and killing intent that dominated the space still send shivers down his spine.

He is the real deal.

Even if he wanted to lose to such a fake, brutal opponent, he wouldn't.

As Judeil was thinking about the day he saw Raon's true nature, the announcer declared the start of the duel.

"Ah!"

The strength in Sylvia's hand, who was sitting next to her, increased.

Kwaah!

Rayden immediately displayed a dazzling sword technique that hurt the eyes. The sharpness and varied changes of his technique were felt even from this distance.

Raon, on the other hand, used a straightforward and honest soft sword technique and stepped in the Garambu stance.

His figure looked precarious, like a petal drifting in a storm.

"Hmm..."

"Aah..."

Sylvia and Helen's hands were trembling.

'They're all wrong.'

Judeil licked his lips. Raon's eyes were the same as when he had suppressed him. He was not the least bit flustered.

Kwaah!

Rayden showed off a flashy sword technique as if boasting. Just as the sword energy, twisted like rose vines, was about to strike Raon, he stepped in the Garambu stance.

Even though it was a basic stance that he himself could have known, he avoided the sharp and varied sword technique and charged at Rayden's right side.

Rayden, seemingly unaware, looked ahead and offered his neck.

"We, we won! We won! Madam!"

"Yaaah!"

Helen and the maids cheered at the sight of Raon's sword at Rayden's throat.

"Ow..."

Sylvia grabbed the railing and sighed. It seemed she was more relieved that Raon was unharmed than that he had won.

"Hah..."

Judeil let out a hollow laugh. He knew Raon would win, but he didn't expect him to win so easily.

'Really amazing... huh?'

As he was marveling, Raon lowered his sword and punched Rayden in the mouth.

Rayden was thrown back, bleeding from his mouth, but there didn't seem to be a significant change in his strength. Instead, his aura flared up like a flame.

"What the—!"

Sylvia screamed. She couldn't understand why he had let such a decisive victory slip.

Rayden flicked his wrist. The soft sword wriggled like a snake and shot towards Raon's heart.

Raon stepped back in the Garambu stance, but Rayden's soft sword chased him as if it had a tracking spell.

Rayden's sword, aiming for Raon's heart, wriggled, but Raon's expression was calm. He flowed like a lotus on water and reached Rayden's left side.

Chuk!

Raon placed his sword at Rayden's neck again. This time, he slapped his cheek.

It was the second time. Raon had let Rayden go even though he could have won.

Now, Rayden's eyes were filled with fury, like a monstrous beast. Raon remained calm, suppressing Rayden with a peaceful expression.

Puh!

Raon kicked Rayden's face so hard that the sound reached the audience.

Helen bit her lip. She finally understood why Raon had let Rayden go.

'He was getting revenge.'

Raon was repaying the misdeeds Rayden had committed at the annex. The first punch was for the lie about the letter, the second slap was for spitting, and the kick was for trampling the flowers.

"Aaah..."

An unbearable emotion pierced her heart.

In this place, Zighart, strength is power. No one had treated them properly except Sylvia, not even distant relatives.

After she left, they realized the harsh reality. She was the only one who treated the maids like human beings in this cold land.

But now, there was one more. Sylvia's son, Raon, who had been with them since birth.

He was fighting for them, against the direct line, and crushing them.

Raon's heart resonated with them, and they couldn't hold back their tears.

"Huh..."

Helen turned her head at the sound of a sob. The other maids, understanding Raon's intentions, were all crying.

They all felt the same emotion, moved by someone who was fighting for them for the first time.

Sylvia, with a proud face, looked at Raon, her lips tightly pressed. She looked as dignified as she did before losing her aura and sword skills.

But Sylvia was more deeply moved than Helen could imagine.

She had lived in fear, never being recognized, even as a direct line. She was treated like she didn't exist by her father, brothers, and the family.

Crushed by the family, she couldn't even breathe properly.

So, she chose to leave. She left the family to seek freedom.

'But...'

That wasn't the right answer. Here, in this harsh land, she should have overcome it with strength.

Now, her son, Raon, was telling her that.

Born weaker than anyone, he had grown to have the strongest heart. He was showing her that she must fight to the end, no matter who the opponent is.

"Raon..."

Sylvia clenched her fists, feeling the intense emotion rising within her.

* * *

Crunch!

Valder gritted his teeth as he looked down at the training ground.

"What is this?"

He thought the outcome of the duel was already decided in Rayden's favor.

He wasn't the only one who thought so. More than 90% of the people in the training ground would have predicted Rayden's overwhelming victory.

But when the lid was opened, something completely different happened.

Rayden was being beaten one-sidedly by Raon, who was using a low-level sword technique and stance.

If Raon had wanted to, the battle would have ended in the first clash. The difference was that overwhelming.

Whoosh!

Raon had just used the soft sword technique and Garambu stance to split the final move of Rayden's decisive sword technique.

"That crazy..."

Valder involuntarily gasped. Even though he was watching it, he couldn't believe it. Raon Zighart had the true essence of the soft sword technique in his sword.

The true essence of sword technique means imbuing the sword with a certain will. It's a realm that can only be achieved at the Expert level and above.

'But this guy...'

A newly initiated Expert, a 15-year-old, had achieved it. It felt like a dream, a terrifying nightmare.

The already half-insane Rayden couldn't possibly break through Raon's sword. This duel was already over, completely opposite to what was expected.

'Genius. No, beyond that level.'

The continent is vast, and geniuses are common.

Not just in Zighart, but even in small martial groups, there is always someone called a genius.

The current Raon is not someone who can be described with such a word. He is a monster that feeds on geniuses, a beast that wields a sword at the peak of the continent.

'A mere distant relative!'

Even though he is Sylvia's son, the thought of a lowly, unknown person defeating his own son filled him with rage.

"That brat..."

"Wow! It's a big win!"

Just as he was trying to build momentum, a loud, almost rustic cheer erupted from beside him. It was Limier.

"Life. Reversal!"

He waved the papers in his hands and cheered.

"Shut up!"

"Huh? Oh, sorry."

Limier scratched his head and bowed. But his eyes shone fiercely like a warrior about to fight.

"That's what I said. Raon will win."

He approached Valder with a smirk.

"You'll need a lot of money and time to prepare the bet's reward. Well, even if not, I've made a good profit."

Limier chuckled and pointed to the papers in his hands. They were the tokens of bets placed here and there.

"I told you to shut up."

Valder's aura became as sharp as a blade. He looked ready to pounce at any moment.

"Since the result is out, I'll say one thing and then leave."

Limier stopped right in front of Valder's nose.

"More people will be watching Raon from now on. If you don't have the confidence to avoid all those eyes, don't touch Raon or the annex."

"You little—"

Valder's expression twisted. Limier's eyes were as fierce as when he was called a light sword. They glinted viciously, like a father wolf seeing someone touch his cub.

"Besides me, fear the head of the family. You know he really hates broken promises."

He instantly deflated the chilling aura and left with a chuckle.

'That guy is right.'

If he doesn't deal with Raon decisively today, it will be really hard to touch him or the annex.

'And...'

His two sons and other direct line nephews will be overshadowed by Raon. That guy is that dangerous.

-Rayden!

Valder secretly sent an aura message to Rayden.

-Forget the changes and sharpness! Use strength! Crush him with strength! Fight with your advantage!

He gave a hint on how to beat Raon. It might cause problems later, but winning is the priority now.

'Break it! I'll take care of the rest!'

* * *

'Hmm?'

Raon narrowed his eyes slightly. Rayden, whom he thought had given up, was now standing up, his eyes filled with determination.

Unlike before, he didn't spread his aura but wrapped his sword like an ordinary sword.

'So that's it.'

A moment ago, a faint aura from the audience caught his attention. He thought it was nothing, but it seemed Valder had given Rayden a way to beat him.

'Son and father alike.'

Raon turned to look at Valder, who was pretending to be oblivious.

A duel is a contest of pride and strength between two swordsmen.

Despite disrupting the noble duel, Valder showed no shame. His eyes said, "I'm a direct line, the son of Glen, what are you going to do about it?"

"Grgh..."

Rayden's eyes glowed with the same light as Valder's. Following the advice, he gathered all the remaining aura in his dantian and condensed it into his sword.

Goo!

He took a general cutting stance, not the decisive sword technique, and glared at Raon. It was clear that Valder's interference had been effective.

"Right. I should have done this from the start."

Rayden spat out a blood-tinged phlegm and bared his teeth. His soft sword stood stiffly, burning with intense sword energy.

"I should have crushed you with my greatest advantage!"

That was true. Rayden's aura was much larger than his own.

'But...'

Strength in sword technique is not everything, and the amount of aura doesn't determine the outcome.

"Do you think you can win with strength?"

"Of course! I'll tear apart your meager aura!"

Rayden kicked off the ground and struck his soft sword. A powerful sword strike, as if to split the earth in half, fell directly.

Grip.

Raon gripped his sword. Small flames bloomed at the tip of the blade and spread.

Sssss!

The flame blade that melted the air and the green-aura-wrapped soft sword clashed.

"Huff!"

Rayden gritted his teeth. The shock made his stomach churn. The flames had grown a bit, but the power was overwhelming, and he couldn't regain his composure.

"How...?"

"Not yet."

Raon's eyes burned as red as his sword.

Manga Gong Shihui.

Soft Sword Island.

The red flower's dance, riding the blade, burned Rayden's aura and pierced his soft sword.

Kyaah!

The soft sword shattered like sand, and Rayden's eyes bulged.

"No, no!"

"Where are you going?"

Rayden tried to retreat as if fleeing, but Raon was faster.

"Wait! I lost—"

"Two more times."

Raon punched Rayden's mouth with his sword-wielding fist.

"Kuh..."

Rayden's teeth flew out like corn kernels, and he fell backward, eyes rolling.

"The rest, I'll settle with this."

Raon shook his sword. As the flames on his sword extinguished, the entire training ground fell into silence.