Raon quickly closed the lid of the bead ice cream box and left the annex building.
-Th-thank you.
Wrath mumbled his thanks, genuinely concerned about the ice cream.
'It's fine.'
Waving his hand dismissively, Raon walked behind the annex. As always, Glenn was standing in front of the lake, gazing at the night sky.
"Grandfather."
Raon approached Glenn and bowed deeply.
"After you left, I was thinking..."
Glenn slowly turned around.
"I realized that the reward I gave you was too small considering you defeated the Demon Slaying Spear and The Fallen, and rescued Evelyn."
He smiled faintly, saying he came to make up for the insufficient reward. However, judging by his flushed face, it seemed he had been eagerly waiting for this moment from the start.
"Thank you."
Unlike other times, Raon didn't show humility but simply bowed his head and expressed his gratitude.
-What's gotten into you?
Wrath opened his eyes wide in surprise.
-Usually, you'd be groveling and spouting nonsense like 'I-it wasn't my doing. I was just lucky!'
He tilted his head, finding it unexpected.
'Such an attitude would be disrespectful to the Head of House who came all the way here. Besides...'
Raon licked his lips as he looked at the Blade of Requiem in his hand.
'I can't miss this chance to learn about the Soul Sword.'
Even with the Ring of Fire resonating at full power, he couldn't fully grasp the battle between Glenn and the Heavenly Demon. Although he had stepped into the realm of the Soul Sword, it was still an unknown world to him.
"Since you seem to have guessed what I'm about to do, we might as well start right away."
Glenn calmly nodded as if he had read Raon's thoughts.
"Of course, what I want to teach you today is the Soul Sword."
He continued speaking with his hand on the hilt of the Heavenly Tremor sword at his waist.
"To be honest, I haven't fully grasped everything about the Soul Sword yet. And even if I explain it, it's not something you can simply learn. But you should be able to."
Glenn looked at him with eyes brimming with warm trust.
"Because you've already reached that level."
He stroked his chin as if he had read Raon's mental image.
"I used the Soul Sword with the power of this Blade of Requiem, not my own strength. Can I really learn it?"
Although he had indeed imitated Glenn's Soul Sword, he was a bit worried because the essence was different.
"It doesn't matter whether you entered through the front door or the back door, as long as you got into the house."
Glenn smiled as if using the Blade of Requiem wasn't a problem at all.
-He's right. Whatever you did, once you've reached that level, the past doesn't matter much. However...
Wrath cocked his head to one side.
-Even if you imitated that old Nadine bread geezer's Soul Sword, you won't be able to wield the same sword.
He shook his head, saying that since their souls were different, their swords would inevitably be different too.
"I see."
Raon tightened his grip on the Blade of Requiem and raised his red eyes.
"It would be best to see your sword first. Can you wield it now?"
Glenn pointed at his own chest as if telling Raon to try stabbing him with the Soul Sword.
"Understood."
Raon took a deep breath and drew the Blade of Requiem. Someone else might have hesitated, but trusting Glenn, he felt he could use his full power. The Ring of Fire resonated with a low hum as he initiated a spiritual conversation with the vengeful spirits dwelling within the Blade of Requiem.
'The wind...'
As soon as he asked for help from the vengeful spirits, a cool green wind blossomed from the tip of the Blade of Requiem. It was an unmistakable sword aura - Rimmer's Garunua.
'Are you helping me?'
Part of Rimmer's soul didn't dissipate into the air but seeped into the Blade of Requiem. During the fight with the Heavenly Demon, he had been too frantic to notice, but it seemed Rimmer was helping him even after death.
'It's been a while since I felt like I was fighting alongside my teacher.'
Raon smiled softly as he raised the soul blade he had forged with the vengeful spirits over the red blade.
"Here I come."
He moved the Soul Sword, which had emerged like an awl, and shot it towards the massive soul shining within Glenn's body. With a sharp sound, Glenn caught it between his index and middle fingers as if he could see the Soul Sword Raon had created.
"I can feel the power of your soul and the vengeful spirits within the Blade of Requiem together. The weakness in your sword power is probably due to the mixing of yin and yang souls."
He frowned, saying it was no different from impurities mixed into a noted sword.
"However, the form of the Soul Sword is stably maintained thanks to this wind. He's quite something."
Glenn felt Rimmer's wind emanating from the Blade of Requiem and chuckled. He briefly closed his eyes and then opened them, as if remembering a friend he could no longer see.
"Raon, what do you think the Soul Sword is?"
Glenn spoke as he dispelled his own Soul Sword caught between his fingers.
"A sword that cuts the soul, not the body. An absolute sword that can cut through anything in this world."
Raon told Glenn what he had been thinking about the Soul Sword.
"As expected, that's what you think. Then, what do you think is needed to create a sword that can cut an enemy's soul?"
Glenn asked the question and then, as if to provide the answer himself, he opened his magnificent realm of the soul.
'It's there...'
Raon swallowed dryly as he met Glenn's calm eyes.
'The Head of House's Soul Sword is right in front of me now.'
Although invisible to the naked eye, Glenn's Soul Sword was now sweeping over his entire body. A chilling shiver ran down his spine.
"Just as you need a sword made of iron to cut an enemy's body, you need a sword forged from your own soul to cut an enemy's soul."
Glenn raised his right hand and placed it over his left chest.
"There's only one piece of advice I can give you, who has already started on this path. Forge your soul. Make it sharper and stronger than it is now."
He nodded, telling Raon to establish an unbreakable soul sword, like a childhood vow.
"A sword forged from my soul..."
Raon bit his lip as he looked at his hand. It seemed that the stronger and more solid his soul was, the sharper his Soul Sword would become.
"The realm of your soul is surprisingly high, considering your martial prowess. However, it's still just a raw gem. It will only have meaning if you properly refine and forge it."
Glenn calmed his majestic aura, saying that the foundation was already well-laid, so all Raon needed to do was set his mind to it.
-Of course his soul's realm is high!
Wrath glared at him and gritted his teeth.
-Not only did he devour my authority, but also the authority of other suckers. It'd be strange if it wasn't high! And there's that damn ring too!
He shook his head, exclaiming that it would be more problematic if it were low.
"From now on, try to converse with your soul while elevating your sword mastery. Then you'll naturally be able to create your own unique Soul Sword."
Glenn smiled gently as if he could already see that future.
"...I understand."
Unlike before, Glenn didn't give detailed advice but rather vague guidance. Surprisingly, Raon felt he understood what Glenn meant.
"Still..."
Glenn slightly raised his gaze.
"When I realized that your Soul Sword had a similar flow to mine, I felt quite proud."
He smiled with pride, saying it was like watching a child taking its first steps.
"Grandfather, you have always been someone I want to emulate."
Raon honestly expressed the sincere feelings welling up in his chest.
"...Is that so."
Glenn looked at him with dazed eyes, then nodded warmly.
"Even if it's just empty words, it makes me feel good."
He smiled contentedly at the moment and gazed at the moon in the sky.
"It's not flattery. Grandfather, you've always... um."
Raon shook his head and then bit his lip as he looked at Glenn, who seemed to appear faint in the moonlight.
'Right. That was there...'
He let out a long sigh and took another step closer to Glenn.
"Grandfather."
Raon swallowed dryly and met Glenn's red eyes, which seemed to have faded.
"There's something I'd like to ask you."
"Go ahead and ask."
Glenn nodded as if he would answer anything.
"When you used the Soul Sword against the Heavenly Demon, you appeared blurry, as if you were about to disappear from this world."
Raon continued, biting his lip.
"And the Heavenly Demon also spoke as if you were about to disappear. I want to know the reason for this."
In fact, he had some idea because Wrath had told him about causality, but he wanted to hear the reason directly from Glenn.
"To think you could already sense that, impressive."
Glenn maintained a subtle smile as he nodded at Raon.
"In this world, there's a law called causality. If there's a cause, there's also an effect. Everything in this world is organically connected, and there exists a future determined by the past. You can think of it as fatalism or heaven's flow, where human lives are already decided."
Glenn explained the beginning of causality in detail.
"However, even in a world where everything is determined, sometimes beings that deviate from causality appear. This world intervenes with such beings and sends them to another dimension so they can no longer exist in this world. That's what's commonly called ascension."
He waved his fingertips, saying that the reason martial artists in myths and legends disappeared was because of this ascension.
"Right now, I'm standing on that boundary."
Glenn placed both feet on the thin crack in the ground caused by the Soul Sword.
"If I deliberately ascend to that realm I haven't fully comprehended yet, this world will consider me a being that has broken free from causality and send me to another world."
He smiled, saying that's why his body might have appeared blurry when he used the Soul Sword.
"Then why did the Heavenly Demon..."
Raon furrowed his brow, recalling how the Heavenly Demon appeared normal unlike Glenn.
"He has someone else who accepts the laws of causality in his place. I couldn't see it clearly, but it seemed to be an extraordinary being."
He seemed to have already sensed Pride's authority dwelling within the Heavenly Demon's soul.
"Raon, you're probably similar."
Glenn stroked his chin as if recalling Wrath who was with Raon.
-That old geezer is right!
Wrath quickly waved his hand.
-You're ignoring even those laws with my power!
He gritted his teeth, complaining that he was the only one constantly losing out.
"Honestly, I've been training my swordsmanship with ascension as my goal. I wanted to transcend humanity and become a true Sword God. However..."
Glenn's eyes, flickering nobly as if reflecting divinity, held human affection.
"Now, I don't want to go there."
He smiled at Raon with warm eyes, as if explaining why he didn't want to go.
"But you don't need to worry. I'll stop the Heavenly Demon and Derus Robert no matter what."
Glenn nodded, saying he wouldn't leave until those two were gone. Despite having his childhood dream within reach, he was putting Zieghart first.
"Ugh..."
Raon chewed his lip as he looked into Glenn's kind eyes.
'I don't want to let him go.'
Now that they had finally grown close, now that he could finally call him grandfather, Raon didn't want to let Glenn go. Especially, he didn't want to make him sacrifice himself because of someone like Derus.
"The Heavenly Demon said something like that."
Raon raised his gaze as he exhaled deeply.
"That I might have the power to change heaven's flow. To change fate."
He clenched his fist, recalling his title of Architect of Fate.
"I'll change it. I'll shatter fate so that even if you reach a higher realm, you won't leave this world, grandfather."
Raon ground his molars, asking Glenn to wait for him.
-That's good!
Wrath descended above Raon's head and clapped loudly.
-If you're to be my vessel, you should have at least that much spirit!
He laughed heartily, as if finally pleased.
"Hahahahaha!"
Glenn stared blankly at Raon for a moment before bursting into laughter, holding his forehead.
"G-Grandfather?"
Raon blinked his eyes like Runaan, surprised by Glenn's unexpected reaction.
"I'm not laughing at you. It's just..."
Glenn stepped forward and patted Raon's head.
"Your words. Your sincerity just made me happy."
He said he was truly thankful as he held Raon's trembling hand.
"Alright. I'll be waiting. Until you change my fate."
Glenn smiled softly as he pulled out an old booklet from his chest.
"I brought this thinking it might help with your Soul Sword. Read it when you have time."
He handed over the old book and turned his back towards the lake again.
"I think I'll sleep well tonight. No, maybe I won't be able to sleep at all."
Glenn left with those cheerful words and ambled away.
"..."
Raon bowed his head to Glenn while holding the book, still warm, to his chest.
'I don't know if I can do it. No, I must try.'
After Glenn left, Raon stared at the lake for a long time, vowing to protect this house, Glenn, and Zieghart, before entering the annex.
-You've always shown weakness when it comes to family relationships, but today I was satisfied for the first time!
Wrath patted Raon's shoulder as if to say he did really well.
-Yes, I've never felt so good in my life!
He frowned, saying he had been so frustrated all this time.
'Then can you help with my cultivation too?'
-Well, I'll help occasionally!
'Is right now okay?'
-Fine! Let's eat ice cream first, then I'll help!
'A family blessed by a demon king, our house can't help but prosper.'
Smiling, Raon opened the door and went inside. However, the room was cooler than usual, and a sweet fragrance wafted through the air.
-N-No way!
Wrath flew in panic to where the bead ice cream box was.
-This! Quickly, open this!
He wagged his tail, urging Raon to open the lid quickly.
'Umm...'
Raon swallowed dryly and opened the lid of the ice cream box to find all four bead ice creams melted and mixed together.
'The, the lid doesn't seem to have been closed properly?'
It seemed he hadn't closed the lid completely in his haste to leave.
-You frustrating fool! The ice cream more precious than your life!
Wrath's face turned red, seeming genuinely angry.
'Ah, no, this is...'
As Raon sheepishly tried to back away, Wrath flew at him like a ghost.
-To hell with blessings! The only thing I'll feed you is curses! I won't help with your cultivation either!
Wrath genuinely cursed him until he bought new ice cream the next day. Of course, it was all meaningless.
***
"Hmm..."
Raon unwrapped the bandages covering his chest and shoulders.
'It's almost completely healed.'
The physical wounds had all healed, and the mental pain had significantly decreased as well. It seemed he could start training again.
-After all that ordeal, to be fully healed in just a week is unbelievable.
Wrath snorted, saying Raon had a body and mind tougher than a demon.
'Aren't there demons with good regenerative abilities like trolls?'
Raon waved his hand dismissively.
-No matter how strong the regenerative ability, the impact remains inside the body. Especially the mind doesn't recover. However...
Wrath frowned as he looked at Raon.
-You have no traces of impact left on your body or mind. It's beyond what can be described as merely 'tough'.
He gritted his teeth, saying it was because Raon had too many cheat-like characteristics.
-Ugh, and it's all because of my power...
'It's not all your power. There's also the authority of other demon kings.'
In fact, what gave him great power was the authority of the demon kings. They all possessed special abilities, so it wouldn't be strange to call it a serendipitous encounter on par with the Ring of Fire.
'Come to think of it, there's something I'm curious about.'
Raon gestured to Wrath as he put on his uniform.
-What is it?
'Is the Monarch of Pride attached to the Heavenly Demon like you are to me?'
Wrath had said that it was the Heavenly Demon, not The Fallen, who had inherited Pride's power. Raon thought that there might be a demon king attached to him like Wrath was to himself.
'That's probably not the case. He probably doesn't even watch over him.'
Wrath shook his head firmly.
'Why?'
-Because that's the kind of being he is. Pride. He's a madman who seems to embody that very word.
He frowned as if just thinking about Pride irritated him.
-But why are you asking about Pride? Don't tell me you...
Wrath's eyes trembled as if he had a realization.
-Are you trying to obtain Pride's authority too?
'Well, it'd be nice to have.'
Raon awkwardly averted his gaze.
'I didn't think I could get Greed's authority either, but I got it before.'
Wrath had treated Greed and Pride as his equals. Since he had obtained Greed's authority, one of them, Raon thought he might be able to get Pride's as well.
-It's impossible!
Wrath shook his head vigorously.
-Pride is completely different from other demon kings. He's a madman who thinks only he exists in this world!
He shook his head, saying it would absolutely never happen.
'Then why did he pass his authority to the Heavenly Demon?'
-Even I don't know!
Wrath snorted, saying Pride was incomprehensible no matter how hard one tried to understand him.
'Well, let's think about that later.'
Raon stood up, tucking the Heavenly Drive, Wooden Ring Sword, and Blade of Requiem into his uniform's waist.
-Where are you going as soon as you've recovered?
Wrath frowned as if to ask why Raon was moving instead of eating.
'The Heavenly Demon said a war would start soon. Before that, we need to bring the remaining Transcendents to our side.'
Raon licked his lips as he looked at the brightly burning sun.
"I've given them plenty of time. Now it's time to grab their leashes."