Chapter 76: Chapter 76
Ogre.
It was a monster called the tyrant of the mountains because of its outstanding intelligence on top of its powerful strength and agility.
Since it was one of the fiercest monsters, they often ended up killing the mage that tamed them.
Of course, Eden—which used the monsters' power—also had a monster that had the ogre's characteristics transferred.
The Blood Raving Demon.
The name, which signified he was crazy for blood, was a really suitable name for an ogre known for its ferocity and madness.
"…Are you the Blood Raving Demon?"
Raon chewed his lip. He could feel the blood gushing out from his lip, spilling down his chin.
"Even though you are a Zieghart sprout, you must have some sharp eyes to recognize this helmet at a glance."
The Blood Raving Demon giggled, grabbing the helmet he was spinning.
"And I can't determine your might for sure. Did you slay the Green War Demon?"
"..."
Raon's hands trembled, unable to respond. The Blood Raving Demon was too powerful for his current self to handle, no—it was impossible, even if he combined forces with everyone else.
"Why is someone like you here…?"
"Because I'm the one who gave the mission to the Green War Demon. I never imagined he would die so easily."
The Blood Raving Demon snickered and stood up. His enormous height made him look like a steel tower soaring on the wooden fence.
"That fabric is called Dark. It has a special effect of hiding the energy inside of it. Old man, you were lucky. Your village would've been turned into ashes from the beginning if you hadn't covered it with that."
The Blood Raving Demon kindly explained about the fabric enveloping the goblin king's magic stone.
"Well, my turn ended up coming thanks to that."
He equipped the huge ogre's helmet on his head.
Obviously, it didn't fit. However, the helmet started vibrating oddly once he started using his aura.
Rumble!
With the sound of something spinning from the inside, the helmet started to shrink in size to fit the Blood Raving Demon's head.
Whir!
Green rusty water gushed from the helmet, covering the Blood Raving Demon's entire body. The ogre's armor, with noticeable muscles at the size of a boulder, started to form.
'There's no opening.'
Raon bit his lip. He wanted to attack, but the Blood Raving Demon wasn't showing the slightest opening.
Rumble!
Once the lunatic light burst from the helmet's empty eyes, he couldn't breathe for a moment.
Raon Zieghart.
As he was barely enduring it, Wrath burst out from the bracelet. His voice was as heavy as lead.
I'm going to be honest. You have two choices right now.
'Choices?'
Either you get killed by him or give your body to the King of Essence.
Wrath declared solemnly, as if he was merely stating the truth.
Those are the only choices you have right now.
***
Burren Zieghart was double checking the wooden fence that he had installed with the other trainees.
'It's pretty good.'
Since they had used the method learned from the instructors, the fence's durability wasn't too bad despite having been built in a short time.
It looked like it could withstand orcs or goblin attacks without much difficulty.
The materials mostly came out from Dorian's pocket. It was helpful, but he couldn't understand why he was carrying all that.
"Sir Burren, Raon has disappeared along with the village chief. Is that alright?"
The collateral that was right behind him approached him and whispered.
"So what?"
Burren turned around and asked back.
"I mean, the village chief might give him some treasure, and if he takes them for himself…"
"That's a meaningless worry."
He snickered and shook his head.
"I'm sure you are also aware of it. If Raon wasn't here, not only us but the entire village would've drowned in our own blood. Whatever he receives or learns isn't for us to argue. And…"
The collaterals shut their mouths, hearing his voice coming from the bottom of his heart.
"We are all using the name Zieghart. Competing between us in order to get stronger is fine, but there's no reason to fight or begrudge each other when we are outside. You must've realized this to a certain extent already."
"Hmm, that's…"
"That's right."
The collateral trainees nodded.
'He is correct.'
The trainees had been deeply impressed by Raon from the battle against the Green War Demon. Honestly, they couldn't feel any hatred or jealousy against him anymore.
"It looks like the insects have finally come to their senses."
"Martha?"
Burren raised his head, hearing the belittling voice. Martha was swinging her legs on top of a tree next to the wooden fence.
"Why are you here?"
"I came to check if you built the wooden fence properly."
"How is the wooden fence then?"
"Not too bad considering your sloppiness. I guess your head isn't completely made of stones."
"Get out of my sight if you've finished checking. We are going to finish up here."
"There's only one person who can order me around."
Martha came down from the tree, snorting. As she was about to walk towards Burren, a rustling sound could be heard from the bushes.
"Who's there?"
"Right there, come out!"
As Burren and Martha lowered their postures, a silver-haired girl burst out of the bush.
"Runaan?"
"What are you doing here?"
"Fruits."
Runaan showed them the basket she was holding. It contained ripe golden apples.
"Why are you harvesting that here?"
"I'm going to give them to Raon."
"You can just give him the ones the villagers have already harvested."
"This is fresher."
Runaan quietly responded with blank eyes.
"You act like you're already married."
Martha provoked her with cold eyes, but Runaan took her basket without showing any reaction.
"I'm leaving."
It was when she was about to leave.
Baaam!
A thunderous noise, loud enough to shake the earth, roared from the village's outskirts.
"Wh-what's happening!"
"What is this…"
"That's…"
Burren, Runaan, and Martha, who were squatting on the ground while covering their heads, opened their eyes wide.
"Raon."
"That's the direction Raon and the village chief were headed!"
Runaan and Martha started to move first.
"It's an emergency! You guys go and get your weapons, call the other trainees!"
"Yes!"
Burren gave out the instructions while following the other two.
Baang!
As everyone was about to run towards Raon's location, another powerful energy burst out, reaching the village's center.
Baam!
A blond-haired boy holding something in his arms bounced out from between the collapsing buildings.
"Huh?"
"Gasp!"
Runaan and Martha's jaws dropped, noticing the boy rolling on the ground.
"Raon?"
"R-Raon Zieghart!"
* * *
The boy was Raon. He was biting his lip with an even more nervous expression than when he was facing the Green War Demon.
"Runaan!"
Raon called Runaan's name and threw the thing he was holding in his arms at her.
"Mmhm."
Runaan ran ahead and caught the thing Raon had thrown at her. It was the unconscious village chief, who was bleeding from his forehead.
"Runaan. Martha. Don't come over here! Escape this place immediately!"
His expression wasn't just urgent, but he looked like he was about to gasp his life away.
"Just what happened…?"
Martha stopped approaching Raon, looking towards the west.
Thud!
A fierce step sounded like the earth was screaming, and the sandy dust filling the air scattered away.
A green giant, which looked like the personification of a mountain, was approaching them. The muscles in his arms and legs were as hard as a lump of boulders, and his yellow eyes were burning with madness.
"That's…"
"O-ogre's armor…"
The man was wearing the tyrant of the mountain's helmet and armor. Martha and Runaan's thoughts stopped as they faced his energy wave.
"B-Blood Raving Demon…"
The name of the man wearing an ogre's helmet spilled from Martha's mouth.
The bloody name made the atmosphere even heavier.
"There were some cute fellows over here."
"Ah…"
Madness shimmered from the Blood Raving Demon's helmet. Martha and Runaan's legs trembled, as if they were going to collapse at any time.
"Raon! What's happening this ti…Ah!"
Burren and the trainees that followed them froze in surprise. Their bodies were frozen stiff from the Blood Raving Demon's pressure.
"You are rather slow, despite using Zieghart's name."
"Aah…"
"Pu…"
The Blood Raving Demon's eyes sparkled yellow. Under the predator's intense murderous intent, the trainees knelt down while grabbing their chests.
"Pull yourselves together!"
As the trainees were about to collapse, Raon's clear voice pierced through the Blood Raving Demon's fear.
Whir!
Raon's clean energy spread out and the light returned to the trainees' misty eyes.
"We will be annihilated if you keep sitting there like idiots! Burren! Command the trainees to prepare the villagers! Martha and Runaan, keep your distance and prepare for diversions!"
"Mhm."
"Haa…"
"A-alright. I'll return right after!"
Burren ran back while gritting his teeth. Runaan and Martha split to the sides while using their aura.
"Consider yourselves dead if you get hit by his fist. Never fight him head on, just assist me."
Raon spoke quietly, without taking his eyes off the Blood Raving Demon.
Runaan and Martha nodded at once.
"Do you remember what Instructor Rimmer told us every time? We have to surpass our limits."
Raon continued while gritting his teeth.
"Now is the time. We have to surpass the limits of both our bodies and minds."
"Surpass your limits?"
The Blood Raving Demon grinned, then clenched his fist. The red combative energy burst up, distorting the air.
"I wonder if that's enough."
***
Whir!
Raon brandished his sword while relieving his tension by rotating the 'Ring of Fire'.
'It was a single strike.'
Despite having dodged the Blood Raving Demon's fist, his skin still broke. It was truly an overwhelming power, an endless strength.
'It would've been difficult even in my previous life…'
Assassination was a different story, but he couldn't be sure whether he could've won against the monster even if he had his previous life's body.
It really was a desperate situation, but he couldn't just resign. He needed to find an opening somehow and cut his head off.
'But…'
He couldn't find it.
As if an endless cliff had become a human, he couldn't find the slightest opening.
"You were acting as if you were going to attack at any time, but are you really going to?"
The Blood Raving Demon grinned, holding his chin up high.
"If you aren't coming to me, then I'm going to you!"
He stomped the ground, crushing the earth. Raon's sight was immediately filled with the Blood Raving Demon. It was a ridiculous speed.
Whoosh!
The Blood Raving Demon that approached him at a super speed thrust his fist. Raon slashed his sword towards the fist, the size of a boulder, aimed at his head.
'Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation Ten Flames'.
'Revolving Sky'.
The flaming sword slashed through the air, rushing at the Blood Raving Demon's fist.
"That's some nice firepower!"
Along with a delightful voice, the Blood Raving Demon turned his fist. Bright red combative energy appeared, clashing with the 'Revolving Sky'.
Baam!
The snake of flame that surrounded the sword dissipated, pressed upon by the Blood Raving Demon's aura.
"Hup!"
Raon's eyes were distorted. The Blood Raving Demon's fists were aimed at his heart after erasing his strike with the 'Revolving Sky'.
"Kuaaaah!"
He twisted his sword while screaming. The Blood Raving Demon's fist was deflected to the side, following the side of the sword.
Slam!
Along with a threatening destructive sound, the buildings on the right side collapsed at once.
"Huff!"
Raon stepped backward, catching his breath. Despite having deflected the attack, his shoulder was hurting as if it was dislocated.
'I almost died there.'
A cold sweat flowed down his forehead.
If he hadn't managed to read the trajectory of his fist using the 'Ring of Fire', his head would've burst like a tomato.
He looked aside.
Runaan and Martha were biting their lips, not knowing what to do.
'Not yet.'
Raon conveyed his intention with his gaze. Now wasn't the time to move, but to observe.
He needed to endure the Blood Raving Demon's attacks as much as possible in order to show them his movements before they participated in the fight.
It was necessary in order to create a slight chance of victory, as small as ten percent—no, more like one percent.
Whir!
Raon created the fire of the Ten Flames once again. The flame starting from the sword's extremity surrounded its edge.
"Great. It would be no fun if the flame was extinguished with a single punch!"
The Blood Raving Demon jumped like a bird, striking with his fist.
Using the sixth form of the 'Star-Combining Sword', Raon parried the fists falling down like meteorites.
Squeeze!
The red combative energy spreading from the Blood Raving Demon started to press on the Ten Flames once again.
"A powerful fire attribute aura. It's strong enough that I understand why that stupid Green War Demon was defeated by you. However, that won't work against me. Do you know the reason?"
The Blood Raving Demon smiled menacingly and thrust his fist.
"Of course I do."
Dodging the fist with a paper-thin difference, Raon swung his sword.
"It's your trait."
"You are well aware of it. That's right. Flame can't cut through me."
The Blood Raving Demon giggled, striking with his palm. Raon barely managed to dodge it, but blood gushed out from his chin at the wind pressure.
"Something like an aura of flame is meaningless against me, who has inherited the ogre's strength!"
He was telling the truth.
An Ogre was a monster that was resistant to the fire attribute, capable of destroying a castle after getting hit by dozens of fire arrows.
However, the 'Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation' wasn't the only weapon Raon had.
"Then I can just use something else."
"What?"
A blue frost burst from Raon's red eyes.
The 'Coldness of the Frost'.
The blue light like an ocean filled the white blade he was holding.
____
A/N: Hey Readers!!!
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