Raon pushed Wrath away as he kept writhing in the air and checked the first set of messages.
[You have slain a person who has transcended human limits and reached heaven.]
[You've gained an achievement that should've been impossible in your current realm.]
[All stats have increased by 30.]
30 in all stats was the highest number from a single reward so far.
Th-thirty…
Wrath was also surprised, unable to close his mouth.
Whir!
Raon's body was filled with new vitality. He felt like a violent wave was spreading inside his body, as if his muscles and mana circuits had become extremely flexible.
Wrath had previously mentioned that the stat's effects became less and less noticeable as the total number grew higher, but the large amount he'd gained was making a clear difference.
Raon clenched his fist. He checked the second set of messages while realizing that his grip was powerful enough to crush steel.
[The new trait Snow Flower Attraction has been created.]
[The new trait Snow Flower Repulsion has been created.]
Raon narrowed his eyes while looking at the two new traits.
'Snow Flower…'
Snow Flower meant that they were Wrath's techniques, but he couldn't exactly tell what they were.
A-are you really giving them to him? Why would you do that?!
Wrath pulled at his own hair while glaring at the messages.
You are going too far!
'What are they?'
Th-the King of Essence isn't telling you!
He shut his mouth tightly after saying that he was never going to tell him.
'Hmm…'
Raon licked his lips while looking at the messages once again.
'I don't think they are random techniques.'
The system's rewards had always been appropriate to the achievement and actions.
That was why the Attraction and Repulsion were most likely the techniques that Wrath had used when he manifested.
"Repulsion and attraction… Ah!"
Raon exclaimed and loudly clapped his hands.
'It's that thing, right? The technique you used to pull and push your opponent with ice!'
Wrath had used controlled frost to push away the Holy Sword Alliance master's dark sword and pulled the White Blood religious leader closer in his hand.
Those traits must've been his skills from back then.
N-not at all.
Blue energy was leaking nonstop from Wrath's eyes, as if he had a hole in them. He was trying to deny it, but his trembling eyes and voice testified that it was true.
'Perfect, I liked those techniques.'
You damned system! How much are you planning to give away? Have you never learned moderation?!
Wrath shouted and insulted the system.
'Next up.'
Raon checked the new title he obtained.
[The new title Colorless Healer has been created.]
[Colorless Healer
A title given to warriors who put their companions before themselves.
Effect: The healing effect of Divinity Blooming from the Underworld is doubled.]
The description was simple, but it wasn't a simple effect.
Doubling the healing effect of Divinity Blooming from the Underworld was huge.
'I'm glad to have this.'
He felt reassured because it implied that he could heal the Light Wind division even faster and more efficiently if something similar to Orgos's attack happened in the future.
Hmm…
Wrath didn't say anything this time, probably because he thought it would be beneficial to his subordinates. He really was consistent.
Raon checked the ranked-up traits to finish.
[The trait Evil Eye of Wrath has increased in rank.]
[The trait Spiral Power has increased in rank.]
[The trait Divinity Blooming from the Underworld has increased in rank.]
[The trait Aura of Death Resistance has increased in rank.]
[The trait Magic Armor of the Snow Flower has increased in rank.]
Just like he had expected, the abilities that he and Wrath had used got a rank up. Having five of them increase was rather unexpected, though.
This is driving him nuts!
Wrath pulled his lips while reading the messages announcing the traits ranking up.
Regardless of the abnormal number, isn't this too strange?!
'What's strange?'
The King of Essence was the one who killed him and saved them. Why are you even the one getting the rewards?!
His round shoulders trembled as he complained that it couldn't be happening.
'This is my opinion…'
Raon raised his finger and pointed at his own body.
'I sacrificed my soul level to make you advent in between my soul and body.'
S-so what?
'You were the one who killed the enemies and saved the Light Wind division, but my hands and feet were the ones that achieved it in the end. Shouldn't that be the reason why I'm getting the rewards?'
He said it was his opinion, but he was certain about it. That was the only way to explain the huge amount of rewards.
Ugh…
Wrath's face turned as red as a tomato upon realizing that fact.
The King of Essence has decided!
'Decide what?'
As soon as he returns to Devildom, he is going to destroy that damned system! He's going to thoroughly shatter it to pieces so that it won't be able to do this shit ever again!
'Sure.'
He's really going to do it! Even his stats that went to you will be recovered!
'Yes, sure.'
Raon shook his hand. There was no reason for him to care because there was no way Wrath was going to return to Devildom.
'I'm happy that I've gotten so many rewards, but… my soul level didn't increase.'
The system was considering Raon to be the one who killed Orgos even though Wrath was the one who did it, but his soul level wasn't increased as a reward. It looked like he had to do it by himself for it to count.
Do you seriously want your soul level on top of this? You greedy bastard!
'I was just thinking about it.'
Ugh! This is so frustrating! He's so frustrated that his stomach is rumbling!
'That's happening because you are hungry…'
Then fill his stomach at least!
'Hmm…'
Raon took out his subspace pocket while looking at Wrath, who was rampaging.
"Ah!"
He smiled after checking the pocket.
'There's some food in here, but…'
Really? The King of Essence is going to kill you if you say it's beef jerky!
'It's not beef jerky.'
Raon smiled awkwardly and took out a brown loaf of bread that looked like it was slightly burnt.
'I have Nadine brea—'
Die!
* * *
"Haa…"
Burren sighed while looking at Rimmer, who was lying on a rocking chair.
"How long do we need to stay here?"
"Until you are fully recovered."
Rimmer simply bobbed his finger without even turning his head.
"We've fully recovered, though."
Martha frowned while briskly pulling on Rimmer's chair.
"Not yet."
Rimmer shook his head slightly.
"The injuries to your bodies have almost fully recovered, but the mental shock was huge. Since you were even prepared to die, you should take a deep rest."
He languidly reclined on the chair once again after answering her. He looked like a pill bug.
"Lazybones."
Runaan pouted while looking at Rimmer.
"You of all people have no right to call me that."
"I'm way better than you, at least, division leader."
She quietly murmured and briskly turned her head away.
"Don't be so hasty. To be honest, you don't even understand what happened to you."
Rimmer sighed briefly and raised his gaze.
"There's no way to tell whether it was really Merlin who healed you or some nameless saint just happened to pass by. That's why it's better to be careful for the time being."
He raised his finger and pointed at Burren's eyes.
"Are your eyes okay? Don't you see something like ghosts?"
"Hmm…"
Burren touched his regenerated pupils with a peaceful expression on his face.
"I can see even better than with my original eyes. I feel slightly tired, though…"
"It's impossible to regenerate eyes, even with holy power. Moreover, your eyes are a different color than before. You need to rest and confirm your body's condition."
Rimmer shook his hand, telling them that they shouldn't try to do anything for the time being.
"That's true, but…"
Burren licked his lips.
"It's just frustrating because I have no idea what happened to Raon…"
"Where is he even at, and what is he even doing? Is he really alive, at least?"
Martha was also worried about Raon, biting her lip slightly.
"I need to brag about it to Raon…"
Runaan sighed briefly and clutched her knees.
"He's doing fine."
Rimmer smiled faintly while looking at the Light Wind division's team leaders.
"He will look even better than you when he returns."
"Are you sure?"
Martha narrowed her eyes fiercely.
"Y-yes."
Rimmer nodded, but he sounded a bit less confident.
"Hmm."
Rumaan suddenly stood up after hearing Rimmer's confirmation.
"Where are you going?"
"There's no time to waste since I'm going to brag when Raon returns."
She went towards the door without hesitation after saying that she was going to train.
"That's true."
Burren nodded.
"He is going to scold us for not training as soon as he returns, regardless of us becoming Masters."
He chuckled and followed Runaan.
"I won't forgive you if you lied."
"Sure, sure."
"Haa…"
Martha briefly sighed and went towards the door.
Click!
As soon as Runaan opened the door, they could see the Light Wind swordsmen who were leaning their backs against the wall.
"We are also coming with you."
Dorian and the swordsmen made a path for the team leaders to pass while saying that they were also going to train.
Everyone in the Light Wind division went to the rehabilitation training ground attached to the healing ward without hesitation.
"Haa…"
Rimmer sighed and leaned his back into the rocking chair. The creaking sound of the chair sounded ominous for some reason.
"That tomboy took him with her…"
'Is he really going to be fine?'
Raon slowly raised his head, standing at the center of the deck.
Aries was lying on her hammock, and it was swaying slightly in the wind.
"Lady Aries."
"What's up?"
Aries's sleepy voice made it sound like she had just woken up.
"Is it really okay for me to be doing this? I'd like to help, even if it's something trivial…"
Raon felt self-conscious because he was the only one training through meditation when everyone else—including Rabawin and Kuberad—were busy preparing for war.
"They have their job and you have yours. Just focus on stopping the hole that's still expanding in your mental world."
Aries shook her hand, telling him to focus on his preparations for battle instead of having useless thoughts.
"I've already stopped that."
Raon calmly responded while looking up at the hammock.
"Huh?"
Aries immediately raised her upper body and looked down. She looked at Raon's head for a moment before she her jaw dropped.
"It's true. When did it stop?"
"Yesterday evening."
The hole had completely stopped expanding thanks to the continuous meditation and utilization of the Ring of Fire.
He just needed to patch the hole to recover his previous might.
"You are such a mysterious person."
Aries gasped, showing that she couldn't understand how that happened.
"I can understand why my father was looking for you so hard."
"What?"
"No, nevermind. In that case, just take a rest."
She cut herself off and lay on the hammock once again.
"Wait, I was asking because I feel uncomfortable resting…"
"Don't you think it's better than being beaten up before being forced to rest?"
Aires raised her fist while lying on her hammock. A cracking sound could be heard from her hand.
"Haa…"
Raon sighed and walked to the edge of the deck.
'She's really peculiar.'
Tsk…
Raon watched the ocean below him, and Wrath loudly licked his lips.
There is so much food, but it can't even be touched. This is so irritating.
He put his hands together, begging him to fish or something to give him some food.
This is really driving him nuts now!
'You just need to put up with it for a short time, since we are supposed to arrive in the city soon.'
Really?
'Yes, they said we will be there around noon.'
Raon looked up at the sky. Judging from the position of the sun, he could guess that they would reach the city in about two hours.
'I'll eat everything you want as soon as we arrive in the city.'
The King of Essence would like you to believe you, but there are interferences every single time…
'That's not going to happen this time. The coastal city of Aikar is pretty big. There are plenty of seafood restaurants.'
Hmm, that sounds good…
Wrath smiled happily with his eyes closed. He looked like he was thinking about which seafood dish he wanted to eat.
Raon chuckled while watching him. He sailed for over two more hours while comforting the demon king.
Argh!
Wrath screamed while looking at a distant place.
He knew it! Nothing goes well for him!
'What?'
Raon tilted his head upon hearing Wrath's frustrated voice, and Aries jumped down from the hammock.
Her gaze was as cold as when she'd mentioned Kaibar.
"Rabawin, Raon."
Raon ran towards her upon hearing her call.
"What's the matter?"
Rabawin was in the captain's cabin, but he came out in no time and stood right next to Raon.
"Aikar is under attack."
Aries bit her lip while looking at the eastern coast.
She's right! A battle is happening in the faraway city over there!
Wrath agreed with Aries and furrowed his brow.
They advanced for about twenty more minutes, and a huge city surrounded by a gray fog entered their sight. The wall protecting the harbor was half destroyed, and marine monsters were endlessly entering through the gaps.
Raon wanted to observe inside the city, but he couldn't see anything because of the fog.
However, he could guess that the situation was rather serious because black smoke was rising from the fog.
"They've destroyed the walls and defensive system with magic and they dispatched the monsters and the Seafog Tribe. This nasty method is definitely Kaibar's handiwork."
Aries violently ground her teeth and stood at the edge of the ship.
"Rabawin, navigate at full throttle. Raon, follow me."
She issued her orders and kicked the deck to jump into the air right after.
"Yes!"
Rabawin nodded and went onto the main deck.
"Let's go."
Aries stepped on thin air instead of the ocean to run towards the city full of fog and smoke as if she were on land.
Thud!
Raon jumped down from the ship and followed Aries. The ocean was a lot more turbulent than a river, but it wasn't exactly difficult to keep his balance.
He used the Supreme Harmony's Second Step, which had the fastest speed, but it was still difficult to catch up to Aries. She jumped over the half-destroyed wall and entered the city a lot faster than him.
"Hmm…"
Raon entered through the fog after that and groaned right away.
The city's defensive system was completely destroyed, implying that the wall wasn't the only thing the magic had destroyed. There were corpses of powerful-looking warriors and magicians all over the place.
The survivors were struggling as they fought against the countless monsters, and the civilians were dying because they weren't getting any protection.
"You know what to do, right?"
Raon nodded upon hearing Aries's question.
"You are on your own now!"
She gave him instructions to act on his own accord and advanced towards the center of the city.
'I'll start with the closest location.'
Raon went to the right, where he'd heard a scream, instead of watching Aries leave.
Behind a destroyed building, a water attribute monster with a shark head and mole's claws—a shark mole—was baring its teeth at an old couple.
"Y-you monster!"
The old man swung his wooden staff, but the shark mole sneered at him and stretched its claws toward the old man.
Thud!
Raon pushed against the ground powerfully.
'They are too far!'
He was going to arrive too late, and using a large amount of energy could risk the building falling towards them. He could predict that he wouldn't be able to stop it.
'In that case…'
He would've had to let him die in the past, but he had gained a way to save him: Snow Flower Attraction. He activated the new skill that he'd obtained thanks to Wrath.
Whir!
His upper energy center was stimulated and heated up. A colorless wave of energy emerged alongside Glacier's coldness and pulled the shark mole towards him. It wasn't anything like the wind, instead being a mysterious combination between the upper energy center and aura.
Grr?
The shark mole groaned in confusion, but it had no way to stop the attraction.
Slash!
Raon dashed in between buildings in an instant and cut off the shark mole's head.
"Grr…"
The shark mole collapsed on its back before it even realized what had killed it. The heavy body fell to the ground and gray smoke rose from it.
Wait…
Wrath's jaw dropped as he looked at the shark mole that had lost its head.
A-are you really using it right away? Without practice?
He blinked blankly, showing his disbelief at the fact that Raon had used the attraction ability right away.
'It's because I was watching you use this ability.'
It was only natural that Raon could do that much since he'd seen Wrath use attraction and repulsion against the transcenders.
Damn it…
Wrath ground his teeth in frustration.
"Th-thank you."
"Uhh, thank you…"
The old couple sank to the ground and expressed their gratitude.
"Head towards the harbor. A ship should arrive soon."
Raon told them the way to survive and ran towards another location where he could hear a scream.
Rumble!
A huge ray-type monster, the Mantakurn, was flying towards a circular shelter. It was slamming into the building with its thick head, and even the ground was shaking as a result.
Crack!
The mantakurn's charge managed to create a hole in the shelter. The marine monsters that were riding on its back were preparing to jump inside.
Whir!
Raon kicked the ground and activated the repulsion. He extended his hand, feeling the sensation of his upper energy center wavering like the ocean. The colorless energy extending from his hand pushed the monsters away and made them fall on the ground where no one was around instead of in the shelter.
Whir!
Raon used the Supreme Harmony Steps and unleashed the Crimson Slash. The crimson line of fire burst from Heavenly Drive's blade and severed the mantakurn's body in half even though it was even thicker than the building.
Crack!
The sharp blade of flame still had enough bloodlust after cutting down the mantakurn, obliterating the marine monsters that had fallen on the ground.
"Aah…"
"W-we are saved…"
"What just happened…?"
The people inside the shelter exhaled roughly while looking at the huge hole in the shelter.
"Just wait here a bit and the rescue should arrive."
Raon patched the shelter's hole with Glacier's ice before he headed north. That was where he could feel the movement of the biggest energy.
As he continued through the buildings, he found a man wearing a sky-blue colored robe, his skin as gray as ash.
'Is he from the Seafog Tribe that was supposed to serve Kaibar?'
Judging from his ashen skin, the fins on his thighs, forearms, and back, and the way he could freely manipulate the fog, he was most certainly from the Seafog Tribe.
Whir!
The Seafog warrior was driving the warriors into a corner by freely manipulating the gray fog. Six warriors were attacking him at once, but the Seafog warrior protected his body with fog and stabbed the warriors in their vitals at the same time.
'They are the ones who made this fog surrounding this city.'
Raon calmed down his breath and pierced into the fog. Just as he was about to thrust Heavenly Drive, which he'd pulled back in advance, the Seafog warrior's gaze was directed at him.
"..."
He didn't panic. He concentrated the fog into a shield and prepared to attack with his right hand.
Cring!
Raon pierced into the fog and slashed with the Fangs of Insanity. The claws of a savage beast pried open the gap inside the fog, which was as turbulent as the ocean.
"Ack!"
The Seafog warrior stepped back in surprise, but it was a pointless struggle. The fangs of the mad beast never let their prey go.
Swoosh!
The third form of the Fangs of Insanity followed, and the Seafog warrior's head fell to the ground.
"Haa…"
Raon lowered his sword and briefly exhaled.
"Err…"
"D-did he just kill the Seafog warrior so easily?"
"It only took four moves…"
"Who the hell is he…?"
The warriors who'd been fighting against the Seafog Warrior couldn't hide their surprise as their lips trembled.
"The Pirate King will be here soon. Please stay back."
Raon told the warriors to move towards the harbor before running towards the location where he could feel a strong presence of monsters and Seafog warriors.
He was running at full speed when a seagull came flying next to him. It was normal for seagulls to be there since it was a coastal city, but it was strange for it to approach a human during a battle.
"Don't tell me…"
Raon swallowed nervously and narrowed his eyes when the seagull's beck twitched.
"I found you!"