Raon wiped the beads of sweat trickling down his forehead as he looked at Ogram. His expression was calm, as if he truly meant what he had said earlier.
'Is he really going to teach me that martial art called Fierce Wave Arts?'
It was incomprehensible that the Beast Alliance Leader would teach him, an outsider, the transcendent martial art he practiced.
'No matter how much I helped the Siran Tribe, I'm still an outsider.'
Originally, even in martial families, transcendent martial arts were only passed down to the direct lineage and branch families who had made great contributions, while others were taught lower-grade martial arts.
Zieghart was not much different. They would sometimes bestow transcendent martial arts to outsiders who had made contributions, but they had never passed down the direct lineage martial arts practiced by the head of house or successors.
'He's going to teach me such a transcendent martial art?'
The Fierce Wave Arts must be one of Ogram's ultimate techniques. It was hard to believe that he would teach an outsider the Beast Union's secret technique.
"What you just said..."
Raon raised his gaze while trying to calm his heart, which had started beating rapidly as if it would burst.
"Do you really mean it?"
"Do I look like someone who would spout nonsense?"
"No, but..."
"I know what you're thinking."
Ogram curled his lips in a refreshing smile.
"The martial artists of the continent don't like to reveal their martial arts. If their techniques are seen, countermeasures might be developed, putting themselves at risk."
He had been feeling this lately.
In the past, many people didn't know about Frost Snap, so he could easily cut the enemy's throat with the cold energy blade, but now more martial artists were defending against it, knowing that Frost Snap had two blades.
As Ogram said, the more a martial art was revealed, the more defenses and countermeasures would be developed against it.
"But so what."
Ogram raised his chin and shook his head.
"A martial art that becomes weak just because it's seen wasn't strong to begin with. A truly strong martial art is one that exerts its power even when seen and its flow is read."
"Umm..."
"There are no second chances on the battlefield."
A fighting spirit that could crush one's heart surged in his deep-set eyes.
"Only once. You must cut off your opponent's breath in just one chance to survive on the battlefield. The Fierce Wave Arts is a technique for that. It's not a martial art that becomes weak just because I teach it to you or show it to others!"
Ogram pounded his chest as if making a declaration.
"There are no such weak martial artists or martial arts in this Beast Union."
"Ah..."
Raon grasped his trembling wrist. As he heard Ogram's words, goosebumps rose as if his hair was standing on end.
"He's right. Ultimate power doesn't become weak just because it's seen."
Garona nodded without any surprise, as if sharing the same thoughts as Ogram.
-That muscle pig is saying some good words.
Wrath tilted his head.
-True strength must not weaken in any situation. This king always froze all enemies, whether fighting in flames or in lava.
Though he talked a lot, he also agreed with Ogram's words.
'Come to think of it...'
The Head of House and Wrath are similar.
Glenn's swordsmanship, which is my goal, is not a sword that becomes weak just because it's seen. It's literally the sky. Who could withstand the sky created by a sword?
The same goes for Wrath. He crushed enemies with the power of frost without any gimmicks. It seemed like no being could overcome that immense energy.
Ogram also has the same confidence as Glenn or Wrath, which is why he offered to pass down his martial art to me.
'If that's the case...'
Having understood Ogram's thoughts, he composed himself and stood before him.
"Please teach me."
Raon straightened his posture and bowed his head to Ogram.
"Good!"
Ogram nodded his head vigorously, as if he had expected this.
"I thought you might refuse because you were deliberating for so long, but you've accepted in the end."
"It took time for me to understand the Head of House's words."
"Understand?"
"Yes. I realized what you meant by saying there are no second chances on the battlefield. And what I should do."
"Hahahahaha!"
He burst into hearty laughter while clutching his head.
"Good. Very good."
Ogram lowered his head and stroked the hem of Raon's Black Dragon Coat.
"At the time, I thought I had given you an excessive gift, but now I see the Black Dragon Coat has met an excessive owner."
"Not at all."
"Enough chatter, let's begin right away."
He waved his hand, indicating they should stop wasting time.
"Fierce Wave Arts means to leap over the sea."
"The sea?"
"Yes. It means to pierce through the sea of aura your opponent wields and plant this fist in their head."
Ogram clenched his fist. It looked so solid that one would lose consciousness immediately if hit.
"The mantra is simple. You should be able to memorize it in the time it takes to eat a meal."
"Hmm."
Raon's eyes widened in surprise. He couldn't believe that a transcendent martial art like the Fierce Wave Arts consisted of a simple mantra.
[Because both the raging ocean swept by torrential rain and the coastal waves brushed by calm winds are the same sea.
The sea where the sun blazes and the moon waxes is like a mirror reflecting oneself.
Only by polishing the soul will the small sea within me open a path.]
"..."
As Ogram said, the mantra was short. But within it lay a profound essence. It was easy to understand, but I wasn't sure if I had understood it correctly.
"How is it? Have you memorized it?"
"Yes..."
Raon nodded slightly.
"Then from now on, I'll teach you how to use it."
Ogram clenched his fist again. A colorless light flickered between his thick fingers.
"It's about the application, so why the fist..."
Raon swallowed dryly as he looked at Ogram's fist.
"I told you, didn't I? That you need to part the sea of both yourself and your opponent. Each sea has a different flow and size. In other words, you need to pierce through the sea of aura through numerous experiences. The fastest way to do that is..."
Even without hearing it, he could guess what the next words would be.
"Actual combat!"
Ogram extended his clenched fist. The fist, now twice as fast as before, rushed towards Raon's abdomen.
"Urgh!"
Raon formed a shield of aura with the flames of the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation to block Ogram's fist.
"Wrong!"
Ogram frowned as if that wasn't the right approach and thrust his fist all the way through.
Bweeeeerk!
His fist pierced through the flame shield as if the Fire Wall didn't exist and struck Raon's abdomen.
"Kuhehuk!"
Raon let out a violent groan as he was slammed into the ground.
'What the...'
He nearly lost consciousness for a moment. An immense pain washed over him, making it impossible to move even a finger.
"I didn't teach you the mantra for nothing. If you don't block using the Fierce Wave Arts, you'll feel that pain every time."
Ogram wiggled his fingers, signaling Raon to get up quickly.
"S-so this is how you're teaching me the application..."
"Yes. This is it."
Ogram charged with his fist, grinning as he bared his teeth.
"Because your body will learn on its own as you get hit!"
With those words, Ogram's fist flew in faster and stronger.
'As expected...'
Raon recited the mantra of the Fierce Wave Arts while biting his lip until it bled.
'There's nothing easy in this world.'
-You're just realizing that now! This is nothing compared to the Devildom. When this king became the monarch of the Devildom, the hardships were even greater...
'You, shut your mouth!'
* * *
The fifth training ground of Zieghart, where the sand was heated by the enthusiasm of the swordsmen.
"Runaan!"
Rimmer approached Runaan, who was nodding off in the center of the training ground.
"Don't close your eyes! You're trying to sleep again, aren't you!"
"No, I'm not."
Runaan blinked her dull eyes and shook her head.
"What do you mean 'no, I'm not'..."
"I was practicing swordsmanship in my dream."
"Dream! Did you just say dream!"
"It's true."
She closed her eyes again, as if it didn't matter what Rimmer said.
"You can leave her be. That one strangely gets stronger after sleeping."
Burren chuckled as he looked at the dozing Runaan.
"It's not like she gets stronger just by sleeping, it's so annoying."
Martha clicked her tongue as if displeased with Runaan and began her own training.
Rimmer looked back at Runaan after hearing the two speak. While she was nodding off, the aura inside her was moving busily as if engaged in battle.
'Could it be...'
Is she on the verge?
Currently, Runaan's martial prowess level was mid-tier Master. It was a time when the fast learners were slowly grasping the image of their mental world, and it seemed Runaan was at that point now.
'It's rewarding to see the results of teaching her from a young age.'
He had constantly told her about the importance of imagery and imagination since her days as a Light Wind division trainee, and it was touching to see that advice finally taking effect.
'It's not just Runaan.'
Burren and Martha had also grown remarkably. Not just in martial prowess, but their mental aspects had also strengthened, making it likely that they too would reach mid-tier in the not-too-distant future.
'The others have grown a lot too.'
Currently, all members of the Light Wind division had reached the highest rank of Expert.
Dorian and the deputy squad leaders were at the point of touching the wall, so it wouldn't be strange if they became Masters immediately given the opportunity.
Rimmer curled his lips as he examined the Light Wind division swordsmen one by one.
'At this rate, aren't we becoming the strongest group for real?'
If the Light Wind division continued to grow like this, it seemed they would possess martial prowess beyond their previous peak in the name of the division.
'They've really grown a lot.'
He recalled when he first saw those children. He had only intended to fulfill the dream entrusted to him, but now it felt like their dream had become his own.
"Umm..."
Martha frowned as she looked at Rimmer's warm smile.
"Why is the Division Leader like that? Why is he smiling so unsettlingly?"
"I don't know."
Burren scratched his cheek and shook his head.
"It looks like the expression he has when he's about to ask to borrow money."
"That's it! He must have lost money gambling!"
Martha clicked her tongue, saying she should warn the swordsmen never to lend him money.
"Sir Rimmer!"
Contrary to the two's thoughts, while Rimmer was watching the Light Wind division with pure eyes, the training ground door opened and Ensia entered.
"It's finished!"
She ran towards Rimmer holding a gray prosthetic arm that looked like it was made of iron.
"That's..."
"What else could it be? Of course, it's your right arm, Sir Rimmer."
"Is it already completed?"
"Because I had been preparing it since before you left for Sepia."
Ensia smiled, saying she was able to make it right away because she had completed the measurements and designs, and even obtained the World Tree's branch and leaves as materials.
"I thought you were just making it roughly..."
"That was a joke."
Ensia patted her shoulder and shook her head.
"I'm a master craftsman. When I do my work, there's no such thing as 'roughly' or 'joking'."
She extended the prosthetic arm she had made with confidence brimming in her eyes.
"Take off your clothes. I'll attach it for you."
"Umm..."
Rimmer licked his lips and looked around. All of the Light Wind division had stopped their training and surrounded them.
"I guess there's no choice."
He sighed and took off his upper garment. He extended his shoulder, which, though healed, still looked unsightly.
Ensia calmly examined Rimmer's shoulder, as if not caring about the scar at all.
"This prosthetic will connect to your nerves through your aura. You'll probably feel like your real arm has returned."
She seemed confident in the artifact she had created and immediately brought the prosthetic to Rimmer's shoulder.
The thin cloth-like material attached to the prosthetic adhered to Rimmer's shoulder like rubber, taking on the same color as his skin.
Woooong!
A soft light emanated from the prosthetic as the gray arm part changed to match the color of Rimmer's skin. It seemed like a feature designed for the user's convenience.
Rimmer narrowed his eyes as he looked at his tingling shoulder.
'This is...'
The moment the cloth-like material touched his skin, he felt a slight pain as if his flesh was being stitched with needles, along with a sensation of his arm growing.
It was a strange feeling, as if the nerves inside his shoulder were connecting with those of the prosthetic.
'Let's see...'
When he thought about moving his fingers, the prosthetic's fingers began to move. Although more force was applied than he had intended, the hand clearly moved according to his thoughts.
"Ha..."
Rimmer let out a hollow laugh as he watched the hand move at will.
'She really made this?'
It was so realistic it was almost unbelievable. With this, he might not reach his peak, but he could recover the martial prowess he had before losing his arm.
"Wow..."
"It looks like a real arm?"
"The color of the prosthetic changed to match the Division Leader's skin color."
"The, the fingers are moving!"
The Light Wind division swordsmen also widened their eyes in surprise as they looked at Rimmer's arm.
"Still, it's not a real arm, so you need to be careful. You'll also need to practice controlling your aura."
Ensia adjusted the prosthetic herself while explaining the points to be careful about.
"It can withstand regular aura, but it's difficult to handle astral energy."
"That's better than my original arm. It couldn't withstand anything."
Rimmer chuckled and waved his hand.
"Ah, that's true."
Ensia also laughed, realizing he was right.
"It's all done. Is there anything uncomfortable?"
"It's perfect. It really feels like my arm has returned."
Rimmer smiled with satisfaction, showing no sign of joking due to the surprise of having his arm back.
"Thank you very much."
"Please give that thanks to Sir Raon instead. Thanks to the World Tree branch and leaves he brought, the side effects have been reduced and stability has greatly increased."
She smiled, saying this too was thanks to Raon.
"I'll do that."
"Then please continue to take good care of Sir Raon."
Ensia waved her hand, saying that would be enough.
"Of course."
Rimmer nodded as he clenched his fist with the prosthetic.
"I certainly intend to do so."
He nodded, feeling warmth from his chest rather than the warmth of skin.
"Because I've made my decision now."
"Decision?"
Ensia's eyes widened.
"What decision?"
Runaan blinked as she looked at Rimmer.
"Maybe he's decided to gamble with a new mindset."
Burren laughed, pretending to throw dice.
"It would be funny if he came back with that arm cut off from the gambling den."
Martha giggled, following up on Burren's words.
All of the Light Wind division burst into laughter as they looked at Rimmer and the squad leaders.
"..."
Rimmer smiled a small smile mixed with joy, regret, and expectation as he looked at the children.
"You'll know soon."
* * *
Kuwoong!
Raon lost his balance and collapsed to the ground.
"Urgh..."
This really hurts.
The pain from falling wasn't much, but his hand that had touched Ogram's fist felt like it was being torn off.
If he had put just a little more strength into it, his hand would have really burst.
"Kueeek!"
He turned his gaze towards the scream he heard nearby. Garona had also been hit by Ogram's fist and was now face-down on the ground.
"Phew..."
Raon exhaled deeply as he got up.
'This isn't easy.'
The flow of the Fierce Wave Arts that Ogram demonstrated was fundamentally different from the martial arts he had learned so far, making it difficult to imitate even while using the Ring of Fire.
A week had passed since he started training, but it seemed like even a hundred days wouldn't be enough to get the hang of it.
"Your determination is commendable."
Ogram curled his lips in approval, seemingly pleased with Raon for getting up immediately.
"I can see why you've reached such a level at your age."
He frowned as he turned his gaze to Garona.
"Aren't you getting up quickly!"
"Ugh..."
Garona clutched his chest where he had been hit and struggled to his feet.
"I've taught you everything I can."
Ogram picked up a wine cup that was hanging between tree branches.
"The Fierce Wave Arts is more of a momentary flash than a martial art. If it suits you well, even a three-year-old could use it. If it doesn't, you might gain nothing even after thirty years of training."
He drained the wine cup and twisted his lips.
"However, such a result shouldn't happen to those who learned from me."
Ogram extended his clenched left fist. Between the gaps of his fist, a colorless radiance flickered as if about to explode.
He struck Garona with a fist even stronger than when he had hit Karoon.
Bweeeeerk!
Garona, unable to properly defend himself, took the hit to his face and was slammed into the ground.
His eyes rolled back completely, and his breathing became erratic. If his whole body wasn't trembling, one might have thought he had died from that single blow.
"You're next."
This time, Ogram clenched his right fist and approached Raon.
Gulp.
Raon swallowed dryly as he watched Ogram's fist emitting an increasingly intense light.
'Should I quit now?'
If he were hit by that fist, it wouldn't just break something, it felt like his flesh would burst open. As he was contemplating what excuse to use to stop this, he caught sight of Ogram's eyes.
Eyes that showed trust in him. Seeing that gaze of belief, he swallowed the words he was about to say and steeled himself.
'Right now, the Alliance Leader is giving his precious time for me.'
Ogram was sincerely imparting his teachings to me.
To half-heartedly go through the motions or just try to kill time here would be an unforgivable discourtesy.
Kuwoong!
Raon took a firm stance and clenched both fists. He operated the Ring of Fire at its extreme while also invoking the Perception of the Snow Flower.
"Come at me!"
"Indeed, you're a guy I like!"
Ogram nodded heavily and then thrust forward the fist he had drawn back.
Kugugugugugu!
The flashing currents between the oncoming fists were breathtaking. Even without using the Fierce Wave Arts, an intense fist aura that seemed capable of sending one's soul flying filled his vision.
'Don't back down, watch it until the end.'
As he heightened his concentration to the point where he could see even the veins on Ogram's fist, time began to flow slowly.
The flow of the Fierce Wave Arts came to him as if he could grasp it very slowly.
[Because both the raging ocean swept by torrential rain and the coastal waves brushed by calm winds are the same sea.]
Reciting the mantra of the Fierce Wave Arts, he clenched his right fist. He thrust his fist towards Ogram's attack, layering it with the flow of the Fierce Wave Arts.
Kuwaaaaa!
The collision of fists. However, Ogram's Fierce Wave Arts pierced through the barrier of the Fierce Wave Arts I was using, instantly reaching my skin.
[The sea where the sun blazes and the moon waxes is like a mirror reflecting oneself.]
'I have to break it!'
Even if I can't win, I need to break Ogram's flow to survive.
Raon gritted his teeth and gathered his dissipating aura once more. The rotation of the ring circling his heart accelerated.
As blood rushed to his heart, the world turned red, but he forced himself to focus and recited the final mantra.
[Only by polishing the soul will the small sea within me open a path.]
As he felt a sense that only he and Ogram existed in the world, he began to see the flow of energy contained in Ogram's fist.
'Now I understand.'
The small sea within me is my mental image.
The Fierce Wave Arts is a martial art where you must know yourself first to break through your opponent.
Raon planted a new sword named Fierce Wave Arts in his mental world and put strength into his shaking fist.
"Huh?"
He thrust his small but firmly clenched fist towards the wide-eyed Ogram.
Kuwooong!